Jesus is the reason for the season...

Take time to be ready and let Jesus into your heart!

Merry Christmas!

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."-- Matthew 5:8

Wow! Time is flying by so fast! We have been very busy creating new items for our Etsy shop. So many excursions to the wonderful bead shops (in the garment district of Manhattan) to inspire us. We have discovered so many one-of-a-kind stones we had to design with. Colored cubic zirconia stones have also attracted our attention! Take a peek at the new additions to our shop! Our goal was to get to 100 items before November. Looks like we'll get there by next week... better late than never! :)

Pardon the missing details on many of the pieces... thought I'd post at least one photo and then slowly fill in with details and other photo shoots! Stay tuned!

Happy Holidays from our home to yours... Belinda & David (and our furred and feathered children!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

A day to sit back and count our blessings. Our favorite day of the year... really! We enjoy spending the time, in the kitchen, cooking an entire spread of a meal and it's just the two of us! And our feathered and furry children! No rushing... because we cook in our own time and eat our feast in our time, as well. We just might make Thanksgiving last until Tuesday... we are off together til then! Praise God!

With each dish that we traditionally make... we remember those that passed these wonderful recipes our way and all of the great memories of Thanksgiving past! Thank You, God, for everything we celebrate today and for having a home that is filled with unconditional love! Each day is a blessing! Please help us to be grateful and to remember to do Your will each day! Amen!

Happy Halloween!

Wow! It's been quite a bit since I've written. Still getting used to the full-time job, outside of home. Seems every spare moment goes into mendlbarr.

Our goal is to have 100 pieces of jewelry on the Etsy site by November 1st... we have so many just waiting for their photography session! Ah... the days that I used to spend just designing, creating and photographing! Okay, wake up!

The leaves have turned beautiful colors and my favorite time of year is here! Just in case I don't get to write before October 31st... HAPPY HALLOWEEN! :)

The Blessing of Our Animals

The day started out cloudy, but by 1:30 pm the sun was in full glory for the annual "Blessing of Animals" service through the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi Feast Day. We have lived across the street from St. Francis of Paola church for over 9 years. This is a day that ranks up there in importance (if you know us, you understand).

We love our furred and feathered family and to have a priest hold a service just for them is very special!

I forgot to grab the camera as we rushed across the street, with Heathcliff & Mickey (our chinchillas), Monte & Max (our dogs) and the newest member of our family... Sabu (our bird). They all behaved so beautifully. We are so proud of our menagerie. It was nice to honor all of the animals. A large gathering of God's "angels" and their human companions!

We've complained about our apartment and eagerly await the new home God has prepared for us when our lease has ended... but I will surely miss this special service by St. Francis of Paola! We are blessed! Thanks Jesus!

life is good...

Sabu, our Indian Ringneck, is trying to ride Monte's back. Monte, our American Eskimo, patiently glances back at him. Yes, it's the little things that make life so good!

My new job is going well. Now I know what looking forward to the weekend really feels like. You automatically wake up on Friday morning in a great mood! Praise God for all of our blessings!

We visited two wholesale bead shops in Manhattan last weekend and we have begun the creative process. Hopefully, we will get to post some of the new creations on our Etsy site by next weekend. We love creating... but our regular, everyday chores have piled up so high that we had to spend the weekend being domestic. Whew... we need a "weekend" to rest from our weekend!

a new "day" job...

I started a new job in beautiful Tribeca! After my years of retail management... I am finally able to experience a normal Monday thru Friday work week! Praise God! After fighting the idea of outside sales for way too long, I am finally where I am supposed to be! It's only been four days but I am so excited!

And... it doesn't hurt that I get to work with my husband again! We work for an architectural glass company and use our creative gifts to help design glass projects. Brainstorming with architects to bring their vision to fruition, our "day jobs" inspire our jewelry designs. It's also nice to be able to enjoy eachother's company as we commute to and from work!

We plan to shop many of the NYC wholesale jewelry supply stores this weekend... ahhh... the fun we'll have! Can't wait to see what catches our eyes... the hunt for stones is as much fun as designing with them! Check out our Etsy shop early next week for a peek! :)

How exciting!!!

We got more press! Feels so good when we are mentioned somewhere in cyberspace for our jewelry! This morning was exciting because our "denim n' chain" earrings were on the front page of Etsy and our "one-of-a-kind leaves" were recommended on thisnext.com!

Our "denim n' chain" earrings were part of a beautiful treasury! These colors get us in the mood for fall! Growing up in South Texas, we never experienced seasons... so we love fall weather in New York! Can't wait!! Somewhere I read that we always love the months that we were born into... guess that's correct... I love the fall and my birhtday is just around the corner! :)

using the "talents" God gave you...

Received an email from my Godmother today... she signed it with "hope you are doing well with your "talents"! Made my day that she remembered my struggle to utilize all of my creative gifts in a world that sometimes makes it impossible! Even with so much more time at home... I find it hard to get everything done! Scares me what it might be like once I get back to full-time work?

Guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Until then, I will take a big breath, say a prayer and put one foot in front of the other and hope it takes me where He wants me to be! Do any of you have any suggestions on time-managing? I'm going to need it!

bring on the rain...

Today we awaited Tropical Storm Hanna on the East coast. We are from South Texas and we've been thru a few hurricanes... but in New York??? At about 3pm, the rain came down hard... it's still dark outside. This song by Jo Dee Messina and Tim McGraw just came to mind! Treat yourself for a few minutes and listen to the words... very inspiring!

"Bring on the Rain" has two meanings to me right now... literally, we love the sound of rain on a tin roof... so relaxing! Experiencing some rough times recently, we can testify first hand that "it is darkest before the dawn." With our faith in God and our savior, Jesus Christ, we know the dawn will come (we just have to remember this when it's so dark that you can't think straight.) So bring on the rain! :)

powerful prayer

Do you ever feel like the "negative forces" are taking over your life? Well, you don't have to take it anymore. Many years ago... God gave me this prayer to fight the evil forces of the devil... and it works! I am still not sure why I stop saying it from time to time, especially when I can testify to it's power over Satan?

It's 1:37am and I was just getting ready to go do my workout when I felt the urging to write on this blog... and God wants me to post this prayer! And what God wants... we really are trying to do... so here goes. This will be a task since it's only by memory that I say it. Know that the enemy will try to block my memory as I write, but I will forge on until it's complete so that you, too, can say this prayer to protect yourself and set yourself free! God bless all of you!

I testify to Satan personally as to what the word says the
blood does for me.

Through the blood of Jesus, I am redeemed out of the
hand of the devil.

Through the blood of Jesus, all my sins are forgiven.

The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, continually cleanses me from all sin.

Through the blood of Jesus, I am justified, made righteous, just as if I'd never sinned.

Through the blood of Jesus, I am sanctified, made holy, set apart to God.

My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, redeemed, cleansed by the blood of Jesus.

Satan has no place in me, no power over me, through the blood of Jesus Christ! Amen!

christian the lion...

Just came across the story of Christian, the lion, and wanted to share it with you!

My husband and I love God's furred and feathered creatures. We have a home filled with them and hope to one day have a piece of land to share with many more!

If you click on the picture, you will be taken to a great article on Christian. Remember Born Free? Well, Christian was introduced to the wild by George Adamson and the video I've posted shows Christian reunited with his loved ones a year after living in the wild! Emotional! If you're an animal lover... get the tissue! :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U

To find out more and see what you can do to help... WildLifeNOW.com

"Believe"... designed for Camp Casey

Here's some pictures of the bracelet and earrings we designed for Camp Casey- A Non Profit Horse Camp for Kids Conquering Cancer! Their benefit, 2008 Second Annual Giddy Up Gala, will be held on September 20th!

We used aquamarine, chalcedony, jade, turquoise, rock crystal, lamp glass and swarovski crystal! All of the decorative beads, earring findings and the toggle clasp are sterling silver!

We called them "believe" because if one remembers to have faith... all things are possible! :) We hope these pieces bring in a high number at the silent auction! May the lucky winner enjoy wearing them and always remember the great cause they supported at the same time!

Joyce Meyer's Enjoying Everyday Life

Just finished the bracelet for Camp Casey! I'll take pictures tomorrow and post them here for you to see! Still need to create the earrings... several ideas to decide from. The creative juices were flowing (always happens late nite.) Poor David needs to get up early and here he was putting it all together for me. I love our partnership! His strengths are different than mine and vice versa... together our common ground rocks! Praise God!

We are trying very hard to walk the path God has put down for us... not always an easy thing. Joyce Meyer once said that God always comes to help us just at the right moment and not usually any earlier... we sometimes wish He would sweep in much sooner... save us alot of worries, right? We TIVO Joyce Meyer's "Enjoying Everyday Life" each morning and really enjoy her messages. She is so down to earth. If you get a chance, take a peek at her show... maybe you'll fall in love with her messages, too!

Do you remember when...

Bobby Sherman and the Partridge Family together! Thanks to YouTube, I finally saw part of an episode I missed! LOVE IT! A blast from the past! Do any of you even know who Bobby Sherman is? :)

Camp Casey

We are in the process of designing a jewelry piece that will be auctioned at a benefit for Camp Casey. It feels so good to be able to help out! Camp Casey is a "Non Profit Horse Camp For Kids Conquering Cancer". As soon as it's done we will post a picture so you can get a glimpse of the finished product. Check out the website for more info. It's right up our alley since we are such huge animal fans... we know, first hand, how much an animal can touch your heart... what a wonderful thing for these children to look forward to!

traveling abroad...

Hello Argentina and Indonesia! I'm still excited about the foreign visitors to our blog. One day we will travel abroad... get stamps on the passports we have yet to own. I wonder if many of you travel for fun or is it business? Do many of you want to visit the United States as much as we want to visit other countries?

Our aspirations in business include designing items that would be handmade for us in other countries... thus allowing us to help families that might otherwise not have an adequate income to live. At the Union Square Holiday Festival, in New York City, we met a woman who did just that... all of the items in her booth were made abroad and she seemed so fulfilled to be able to create and also help others. I hope to seek her out this year and get more details about her endeavors. Who knows... we might just be traveling abroad, for business, as well?

ClustrMaps

Have you noticed the small world map at the bottom of our website or this blog? Well, I want to tell you a little bit about it, in case you don't know... it tracks where my visitors are located. It's so much fun to see where all of you come from. I think today was worth noting because we got our first visitor from outside the United States! Now, to most of you it's probably no big deal but to me... one who still doesn't own a passport... it's a very exciting thing! The closest I've been to traveling the world has been watching "The Amazing Race" each and every season!

To our visitor from Morocco (if the map is accurate)... welcome! Hopefully you liked what you saw and will return! Thanks for visiting our sites!

Here's the link to ClustrMaps... just in case you want to have fun, too!

front page of Etsy...

One of our designs made it to the front page of Etsy!!! We are so excited and honoured! Just found out and wanted to share it with the world! A very bright spot added to our day... praise God! :)

like riding the river rapids...

Well... it's up and running... mendlbarr.com! We needed a central address to make it easier for everyone to find us. Now, by just remembering mendlbarr.com, you will have access to our blog and our Etsy shop without having to remember both addresses. David and I are now benefiting from the convenience of current technology.

The past two months have been fast and furious... our home has been transformed into a mini factory... shipping department, IT department, photography studio and, of course, the crazy design studio. Days are blending together as the creative juices flow... like riding an innertube on the river rapids... hang on and enjoy the ride!

making your life count...

How fast time flies by? I planned on writing something every day but didn't quite succeed, did !? My grandmother used to tell me, when I was a little girl, that as we grow older, time seems to go by much faster. She was so right... years fly by and, before we know it, we're older than Elvis Presley was when he unfortunately passed away. I remember thinking he was much older when he died... and just last night, realized that I've outlived him by three years... scary.

This reaffirmed what I've already been contemplating... we must do in life all that we truly feel we are called to do. We don't want to be lying on our deathbed, in the hospital... and hearing the beeping sound of that machine next to us... and wonder "what if?" My dad once told me that... the image and sound has left a lasting impression.

David and I still have so much we feel we are called to do... we will have to make bigger strides than most because we are playing catch-up, in a way. In our hearts... he is a fashion designer and I am an actress. Only God knows for sure if we will achieve what is in our hearts... if we don't... it's because He has an even better plan and hopefully we are already on His path.

Okay, I'm sentimental and cheesy... so I will leave you with one of my favorite songs... drum roll please... Donny Osmond sings Mary Did You Know!

In memory of Hobson...

Hobson was our beloved cockatiel that graced us with her presence for 18 great years! She made the move with us, to New York, riding on David's shoulder as he drove the U-Haul! We will always have fond memories of her... tough shoes to fill, Sabu (our new baby- an indian ringneck parrot)!

Today, thanks to my dad in Texas, she will be laid to rest in her native Texas soil... next to other special furred and feathered friends! It's hard to let her go! Thanks again, Dad, for doing this for us... it means more than you'll ever know!

her comments made our day...

Sent two pairs of earrings to California today! New customer who just happened upon our Etsy shop! It feels so good when the customer writes us a note describing her excitement! The validation received, knowing we made someone happy, is truly fulfilling!

And we don't stop there... the whole package is prepared with care so that when she opens it... she's excited all over again! Our presentation will continue to be a work in progress because we will always find another "thank you" card, ribbon, gift box or business card we can't live without! Just like the two of us... our business is evolving! Love it! Thank you... Jesus!

let's get physical...

We put up four new pieces on the Etsy site yesterday! Would like to be a bit more disciplined and maybe not wait "two weeks" before we do it again! :)

Good things happening on our weight-loss program... it's been two weeks and we are starting to lose some of our extra poundage! David has lost more than I... but isn't that the norm? Men somehow get to lose faster... bummer for me!

We haven't really changed our eating habits yet... we just started using our treadmill and pilates machine! We bought both of the machines a long time ago... I'm afraid to look it up because I will be so embarrassed! Of course, I had to look for the dates... OCD, right? We got the pilates February 2006 and the treadmill soon afterward! It took us 2 1/2 years, but we are finally using them!

Praise God! I'm happy to say that we have really made it a routine to work-out... if one is on the treadmill, the other uses the pilates machine! I made a 10-page booklet of pilates exercises out of the large poster that accompanied the machine (never could find a convenient place to post it once we moved it to our living room!) Yes! Our living room has become our gym, too! Have to do what it takes, right?

in the bahamas

Do you wonder why most of our jewelry pieces are photographed in the rain?

Well... the "wet look" is due to our intense wishes to sell our jewelry on the beaches of the Bahamas where tourists will adorn themselves with our bathing suits, beautiful colored wraps and, of course, our jewelry that will be "at home" in the water! Ornate copper findings are paired with blue freshwater pearls and czech glass beads! Can't you see yourself sipping a pina colada on the beach? We can! All items from "mendlbarr" arrive beautifully packaged for gift giving!

just love this show!!!!

I had a blast today watching episodes of "Flipping Out"... I think I found my long lost brother! Oh my... we are so alike! Like two peas in a pod! Have you seen this show yet? The second season just finished, I think? It's hilarious! Now I need to TIVO all of the episodes before the third season begins!

I could seriously see us "flipping houses"... expressing our passions thru renovating houses!! Imagine the possibilities out there! Somehow, I just don't see us doing this in New York City... who knows what God has in store for us! :)

David and I have given new life to many things in the past... our business in Texas was called Renaissance Rags because it was a "rebirth" for the old items we would find in antique stores... like evening bags, clothing, hats and jewelry! For the past nine years, we've also revamped old antique furniture pieces. Wonderful chest of drawers, armoires, end tables and mirrors have become great "shabby chic" pieces! Most recently, we did an oversized chest of drawers and even ordered some carved feet to enhance the broad base... it still needs a final coat of paint and the perfect set of glass knobs... but it will be another "one-of-a-kind" mendlbarr piece to add to our large collection! I'll post a picture when it's completed!

greenmarket... a true pleasure!

Greenmarket, the largest and most successful open-air farmers markets program in the country connects local farmers with city residents by delivering fresh healthy produce to all five boroughs. Greenmarkets 44 market locations allow New Yorkers to purchase fresh fruit, vegetables, and other locally produced products straight from regional farmers. By directly connecting farmers and producers to New Yorkers, Greenmarket supports family farms, preserves farm land, delivers fresh healthy produce to those who need it most, and reduces the environmental effects that result from food traveling across the country or world. Greenmarket has set the standard for farmers markets for 30 years, and continues to grow and serve new communities.

We spent part of today at the Union Square Greenmarket... a true pleasure! This will be something we'll miss when we move from the Big Apple! You buy as much as you can carry because most of us are walking or ride the subway home. The selection is fantastic! Fruits, vegetables, flowers, plants, etc... all so fresh and irresistible!

Another day goes by and our jewelry pieces silently await their day to be photographed. Maybe tomorrow? :)

life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans...

Wow! I got the urge to find out who actually said, "Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans." What an interesting story!

This great quote is attributed to Thomas La Mance, John Lennon, Margaret Millar, Allen Sasunders and Betty Talmadge! Thanks to whomever it was that uttered those words or penned them for us to think about! I totally agree...

http://www.lifeisquotes.com/adventure.htm

discipline... a foreign concept

According to Wikipedia...

"Self-discipline refers to the training that one gives one's self to accomplish a certain task or to adopt a particular pattern of behaviour, even though one would really rather be doing something else. For example, denying oneself of an extravagant pleasure in order to accomplish a more demanding charitable deed. Thus, self-discipline is the assertion of willpower over more base desires, and is usually understood to be a synonym of 'self control'. Self-discipline is to some extent a substitute for motivation, when one uses reason to determine a best course of action that opposes one's desires. "

Okay... I'll be honest with myself and admit I need improvement with self-discipline! It's been too long since I photographed and put more of our jewelry pieces on our Etsy shop! Six days have flown by since I've written on this new blog! And what did I accomplish that was so pressing? Beats me? But who was it that said... "Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans."

We just received beautiful findings from New Zealand and Mexico... oxidized silvers and coppers with wonderful patinas! Stay tuned... our creative juices have been flowing... just need to be disciplined and create! :)

a little bit about us...

Thought I'd take the time to tell you a little about "mendlbarr" and how it all got started! I'm lucky to be married to my soulmate and have been able to explore many creative outlets. We both have a large "common ground" in the arts! We are both Texans and very proud of it! Our move to the "big apple" is due to my acting aspirations and my husband's design aspirations!

We started creating jewelry while we were in Texas! Our designs included clothing, hats and vintage evening bags that we gave "new" glamour to! We have surrounded ourselves with much inspiration and have finally found the outlet to share it all with you! We are perfectionists and usually find that our jewelry goes thru many stages before you get to place your eyes on it!

To begin with... we must be inspired to create! This is crucial! A happy home, plus living each day to the fullest, has been our recipe! Step two... we design... sometimes on paper, other times directly to the table with gemstones in hand! The third step... I photograph these creations in hopes of doing them justice! I have to say that my "OCD" tendencies really get the best of me in this area! Taking 194 pictures to finally approve 15 of them is something I want to get better at! Just yesterday, I spent 6 hours on three items! Okay... now I'm embarrassed... but that time did include editing and posting to the website... does that make it seem better? A good friend reminded me the other day that time flies when we're having fun... she is sooooo right!

My love of photography has consumed me for years... I've made stationery, note cards and even videos! I also have an extensive collection of "food items" that I've photographed... hoping to one day publish a cookbook with all of my favorite recipes!

We've lived in Brooklyn for 9 years and hope to return to Texas one day soon! God willing! I want to hear the rooster wake us up and ride our horses into the sunset!

Until we win the lotto... David will spend way too much time at his "day job" as a manager at a really neat glass company in Manhattan (his stained-glass designs are exquisite!) As for myself, I hop from retail management positions to creative "domestic goddess" time at home... trying to do it all! Still yearning for the role of a lifetime on "All My Children"! :) From my mouth to God's ears!

So this gives you a little insight into "mendlbarr"... sweet dreams...have a good night!

the beginning of something new...

Hello Everyone! We're so excited to become a part of the "web" world! We just launched our shop on Etsy! My husband, David, and I have been creating jewelry since 1995 and we've started placing our "art" on this site!... http://www.mendlbarr.etsy.com/

If you're not familiar with Etsy... get ready... it's addicting!...

Etsy is an online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade. You'll find a creative community of independent artists and designers and the very best in handmade goods, craft supplies and vintage. It's an excellent place to find one-of-a-kind items, to give as gifts - or as gifts for yourself! Since you're buying directly from artists on Etsy, you have the special opportunity to form personal connections with the people who create your treasures.

Take a peek! Who knows... you might want to unleash your creative side, too? :)