bloom where you are planted...

Lots of great things happening with our chandelier creations!!!

HGTV Magazine recently purchased one of our chandeliers ("ANTOINETTE") and we're keeping our fingers and toes crossed that it will appear in the May issue :)

" Antoinette"

We had our very first overseas client... our "CROWN SMOKE" chandelier is on it's way to Hong Kong where it will adorn a new salon that's opening soon!

"Crown Smoke"

Two inquiries from Australia!  We are revamping our shipping options so that we can offer more competitive rates to our clients outside of the United States... of course, we'd really like to hand deliver the pieces ourselves... lol!

Hope all is well in your world, too!

My new favorite quote... "be content and bloom where you are planted!"

Houston, TX... our new adventure :)

Hello from Houston, TX... our new home!

Thanks for your business and we hope that you are enjoying your purchases!

 

Now that we've arrived on Texas soil, there's so much to get used to... like having a car :)
We never needed to own a vehicle in NYC... subways, trains, buses and if we needed a vehicle, we had access to HertzOnDemand and could walk up to any type of car we wanted to rent!   Another large change is the climate... we left cold, snowy NYC and arrived to swimsuit and flip-flop weather!

Many opportunities have presented themselves in the short time we've been here... exciting new venues to show at... stay tuned...

Our upcycled furniture creations will be so much easier to do in Texas... more room for sanding, painting and waxing the pieces... dedicated space for our shipping department and for mendlbarr jewelry, too! 

 

 

 As always, you'll find everything we've created in our Etsy, Artfire and eBay shops.   Take a peek... we are creating new items just for you!

Handmade... because you're worth it!

1988 Lunch At The Ritz Earrings - Down On The Farm

Look what we just unpacked! 

 

 

 

Purchased these earrings in the late 1980s... I immediately fell in love with the farm theme!! 

LOL!  Even then, I knew I was a "country gal"! 

Who knew they were rare collectibles? 

It's the little things... :)

Renaissance Rags... memories...

Wow! Just unpacked some oldies but goodies... Renaissance Rags!!

Back in 1995, we would spend our days searching for vintage laces and trims to bring new life to the old.  We also upcycled vintage evening bags... created jeweled handles for them using natural stones... many transitioned into necklaces with lobster claw closures :)

So many Texas creations were sold back then... wish I had thought to photograph our "babies" beforehand.  We live and learn, right?  Each piece will now get time in the photo studio before it leaves us for its new home!

Looking back and reliving our creative history, it's no wonder Dave and I seem to tackle many new avenues... chandeliers, furniture and cupcakes!  Who knows what lies ahead for us... as long as we can create one-of-a-kind beauties... our souls sing! 

"You are here to create. You are here to create your world any way you want. Even after this life you are still creating. You are creating for all eternity."

Now go out and play... bet you have something to manifest right this minute... it's the little things...  :) 

 

We're a CHAIN! :)

I might be dating myself... but remember that great line in "Steel Magnolias" when Dolly Parton's character realizes her beauty shop is now a chain?  That is how I felt tonight :)

It's been two and a half years since we opened our first cyber shop on Etsy and now... drumroll please... we opened our second cyber shop on ArtFire!  We have really enjoyed sending our creations all over the world!  The wonderful feedback we've received has always brightened our days... thanks to all of you!

In honor of "Steel Magnolias" and our newest shop on ArtFire... I searched for these pictures from way back when.

Harbor Playhouse (Corpus Christi, TX) production of "Steel Magnolias"... I was Shelby... what fun :)

just dust yourself off and get back on the horse...

Why is it that one moment I can be on such a "high" and in no time, I feel like I got bucked off a horse and I'm eating dirt?  This morning was terrific... spent hours on the terrace tending to our abundance of plant life and even noticed the cicadas singing :)  Still in that serene peace... I grab the blackberry... why????

Answered an email from a distant pal back in Texas and soon it gets ugly... judgement and preaching.  I get sucked in and drain myself of all that wonderful "high".   Fighting the urge to crawl in bed and dwell in this "funkiness"... I decide to dust myself off and climb back on that horse to continue the wonderful ride!

Lessons learned...
1)  Protect your sacred time by not allowing the outside world to intrude! 
2)  When the "funkiness" appears... just dust yourself off and get back on that horse!

God works in mysterious ways...

Remembering a blog post of mine from way back.  This is a picture of the Guadalupe River in Texas... many fond memories of tubing and how, in parts, it was slow and boring and at other times fast, furious and so much fun!  Life is just like that... God works in mysterious ways!

If you ever have the time for me to go "on and on and on" about the unique and crazy things God has done in our lives... I am more than happy to open up and sure hope that you, too, will share your miracles and inspire :)

Blessed in many ways... it's still amazes me how God can bring people into your life at just the perfect moment!   The anticipation of meeting someone for the first time, whether by phone or in person, can be an adrenaline high!  Getting to know someone and digging deeper to see what makes them "click"?  The best part is knowing that, somehow, you are kindred spirits... a divine purpose will be fullfilled and we may never really know the "big picture".  If you have faith and realize there are no coincidences... what a wonderful ride!

Had a terrific conversation with someone brand new!  Afterwards... felt energized and hopped on that lonely treadmill staring at me.  Hope this is the start of a new direction... ready to ride the rapids, hold on to my inner tube and "enjoy the time" (there is a wonderful mom out there who shared these wise words to my new friend ... I now share them with you!)

God bless all of you!
Belinda :)

our earrings "in action"...

A friend purchased our "i do" earrings for his sister to wear on her wedding day!  We were excited to see the gorgeous pictures and to know that our creations were part of her special day!  Our hometown beaches (Corpus Christi, Texas) were also part of this blessed event. 



Thanks, Stephen, for sharing such a memorable day with us!

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!

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!