Almost April as a Women Business Owner

For all the new readers & followers of this blog,  I am an avid gardener and lapidary.  Most of my inspiration comes from nature as can be seen in my work.  Whether it is the arch of a branch, the stem of a bush or the pattern of moss.  As a lapidary, when I am cutting a stone my design became the feature I find in the natural stone.  Moss on a Lava rock in my backyard garden.  


Expanding the gemstone/rock side of my business.  I sell rocks! Do you know a jewelry designer or small local Jewelry store?  Being a lapidary, I custom cut my own stones into one of a kind cabochons. Retail & wholesale options for you to buy the gems.  Please feel free to contact me if you have a friend with a shop who uses one of a kind gemstones.

Today March 31 is National Equal Pay Day.  
We had a local rally scheduled to bring more visibility to the fact that Minorities & Women are drastically paid less than men.

learn more here:  Pay Equality Coalition
  
Another way to support women is the ERA now ratified by the 38th state.  I a a proud bard member of Rochester NOW 
NOW Rocheter NY




What does it mean to be a Lapidary?  Definition: The art of cutting, polishing & engraving precious stones.  

To the left is a slice of the Unakite I found as a rough rock in St. Lawrence county NY.  It has been sliced into this slab of rough gemstone.  Below is the finished polished cabochon showing the beauty in this stone.  
details of the process here:  
Lapidary process




As a small business owner I know how difficult it is at this time in NY state and around the US.  As a women owner business it is more difficult to generate the income necessary to keep the business going.  We are counting on the local community to remember to support all local business.  For every $100 you spend at a local business $68 stay in the community.  We are in this together.

I will end with a quote from my favorite president, Barak Obama. 

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek".   


Buy Local  from the maker

My shops:  Panda Wear Website
                   Cabochons and Beads

Facebook:  PandaWire Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  
Pinterest: Pinterest 
Instagram: Instagram
Habitat:  My Page Women Build

Happy growing and enjoy your week.  

New Normal and Garden Update

Spring Garden Update

Patience is a virtue .  We are reminded of the importance of this virtue in the month of March . My garden is asking for my patience for my snow peas to sprout.   My bulbs are not waiting for April to show us it is spring. Thanks to the climate crisis the bulbs are earlier every year.  I have mini daffodils opening their blooms in my backyard garden.   Seeing the blooms at the same time as snowdrops lets me know the flowers are confused.

Plan to transplant some of my mustard into the ground next week.  need the ground to dry some before cultivation.



New Normal

This has been a difficult blog to write at this time in our nation .

 With the pandemic taking its toll on the world as well as the huge impact on my state of NY I struggled. Should I share my quandary and show how an artist reacts to this or stay silent?  This was my quandary this week.

common terms this spring new normal, pandemic, stay home flattenthecurve.  Not comfortable with this but surviving with my focus on the positive.  Creating art is not a daily occurrence.  Working to get back to my lapidary creations.    

The upside is the ability to appreciate things we used to take for granted.  A walk along the canal path with my sweetheart earlier this week & I have this beautiful pic of the sky.  we small business owners are hit hard by the changes we have all had to make.


We Artists are creating art - look for it.  Please make an extra effort to buy from local business especially artists to support small biz in your area.

Pond resident, Ferdinan announcing it is spring.  His winter nap is over and he is happy to sun himself in the top of this pot.

Buy Local  from the maker

My shops:  Panda Wear Website
                   Cabochons and Beads

Facebook:  PandaWire Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  
Pinterest: Pinterest 
Instagram: Instagram
Habitat:  My Page Women Build

Spring Arrives Yipee

Happy  for the arrival of spring this week.  3/19 is the first day of spring.  Late last week the snipes were planted.  the wait for their sprouts has begun.  The veggie garden for 2020 has been started.  Happy dance over here.

The beautiful sweet "fruit" to the right is what we will harvest from the garden later in spring.  Nothing is tastier than fresh picked snipes.  The first ones never even make it inside the house - they are subject to finger blight by me.  

We are practicing safety here in the workshop, garden and life.  Use common sense always.  Injury is never easy to avoid.  Safety glasses are always used when I create my work.Finger Blight : the condition used to describe the picking of fruits or vegetables before they are done.  also used to describe the theft of same fruits or vegetables.





One copper bangle and the copper earrings which are so popular right now.  Feel free to PM or reach out if you need one for your very own.  Custom color matching is always available.  Lapidary here so freeform cabochons are always ready to be set into the metal of your choice.





Buy Local from the Maker

My shops:  Panda Wear Website
                   Cabochons and Beads

Facebook:  PandaWire Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  
Pinterest: Pinterest 
Instagram: Instagram
Habitat:  My Page Women Build


Reminder order early for special occasions like Passover, Easter, Mother's Day.

International Womens Day

Yesterday was International Women's Day, how did you celebrate?  I reflected on some fantasict women I admire such as Susan B Anthony, Elizabeth Warren, & Kamala Harris.

As we move thru this month, I am beyond excited. It is almost SPRING,  10 MORE DAYS!!! This lettuce from 2017 says it best.



Elizabeth Warren quote,"Choose to fight only righteous fights, because then when things get tough - and they will - you will know that there is only option ahead of you: nevertheless, you must persist "  Her passion is resonating through out these United States of America in the hearts & minds of all of us women. She had the courage to do something some only dream of  run for President of the USA.




As this Mustard in my greenhouse shows, it wants to grow despite the fact it is winter.  The seed was planted last fall and is growing now that it is warm.  I watered it so it can become a full plant &  be large enough for a salad soon.   Followers of this blog know by heart my favorite Susan B quote, " Failure is Impossible "  I feel that here in this green. I did not expect it to have survived the winter but it persisted.

My indoor greens are only sprigs right now.  Three to six weeks  until they can be planted into the veggie garden.  Hopefully the peas can be planted by the end of March like last year.

Buy Local  from the maker

My shops:  Panda Wear Website
                   Cabochons and Beads

Facebook:  PandaWire Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  
Pinterest: Pinterest 
Instagram: Instagram
Habitat:  My Page Women Build

Reminder order early for special occasions

Almost Spring

It is early March in my sleepy Rochester outdoor garden.  Inside the tomato & pepper seedling are doing well & the greens have been planted.  In 13 days on March 19 it will be spring.   shortly after that I can start digging int he veggie garden.  I can hardly wait to plant the peas outside.  Looking at photos of the spring blooms from years past reminds me how quickly time seems to fly by.   These are daffodils in my backyard garden from early April.  

Spring is the time of year which reminds us of new growth and opportunity.  I am happy to have been part of six events so far in 2020 with my handmade jewelry.  Kits are now available for the beginner who would like to try their own DIY earrings.  For the curious class are available to teach bracelets, earrings, basic jewelry making or wire wrapping.

This is a commission I have the honor of making. The stone is Garnet from NY set in 14 karat gold filled wire.


Buy Local  from the maker

My shops:  Panda Wear Website
                   Cabochons and Beads

Facebook:  PandaWire Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  
Pinterest: Pinterest 
Instagram: Instagram
Habitat:  My Page Women Build

Remember tomorrow night we need to move our clocks here in the USA.  Spring ahead one hour.

Hope this published Friday as posted.