Early June Garden Progress

Happy garden is part of a happy home and provides a healthy harvest.

It is early June and my garden is doing great.  I am enjoying lettuce, chives, snow peas, cilantro, swiss chard, kale, collards and radishes. We are enjoying growing many new crops this year.  Surprised some of them are quite easy. We are avid gardeners in my house.

Clematis vine in my climbing rose bed. The roses are slowing budding. 

For those wondering my Square Fair was great.  Many of families spending quality time there.   I plan to go back next year and enjoy the event.. 




Can anyone tell me what this plant on the right is?  It is edible and easy to grow.  raw or cooked it is delicious. 






One of my miniature roses showing off  it stunning color.  Gardens are pretty and enjoyable.  Feel free to start you own garden.  it is really easy and the most important thing its to keep the new pants well watered until fall.  this means water the day you pant and every day it does not rain for the first two to three weeks.

The summer and fall crops of tomatoes, peppers, leeks, carrots, parsnips, cucumbers, beans, and broccoli and doing well.  It went for a dry spring with excessive heat to a super wet late spring. the temperatures seem to yo yo from 80's to low 60's when it rains.  Weather has been great for the greens and the cooler spring crops. 

This is an older rose bush next to my back deck.  it was severely damaged by the strong winter we had this year.  I am surprised to see it loaded with blooms.  Wish I could show the whole plant but rain knocked the petals off several of the flowers. This rose bush is about two feet tall.  It was over four feet all last year. 

One of my favorite plants.  This is a Peonie flower over some hosta leaves.  My Grandmother had two in her garden.  I am delighted to say I have had a second volunteer peonie of the single blooming type come up.
Happy growing to all of you.

My stores: Jewelry shop
                 Cabochons and Supplies

Facebook:  PW Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  

Square Fair this Saturday

Preparing for my first show of the year & 1st show of the season.  So busy packing and sorting this week.  Making the lists of what to bring, make and leave home.  Never enough room for everything.

This is the flyer for the event.For anyone local, in Monroe County NY or the surrounding area.

FB event

I will be demonstrating earrings and rings at the fair.  bring you friends for a great event.  Support small business in Rochester, NY.   Many one of a kind creations need new homes.

 One of many earrings style for sale at the event. 
great time to shop for your summer styles.  Orders will taken and free delivery if paid in full at the Square Fair. 



My stores: Jewelry shop
                 Cabochons and Supplies

Facebook:  PW Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  



We will have the featured artists and the etsy affect on handmade coming soon.  

Almost Summer Vacation Time

Well for the first time in many years we took the holiday weekend off.  This past weekend is the unofficial start to summer here in Rochester, NY.  We went to Letchworth State park and enjoyed the fabulous balloon festival. It was wonderful to see so many families enjoying the warm weather and the event. Spent the day enjoying the beauty of the park by hiking and watching the balloons.

 I wanted to try and show the beauty of the balloons.  Here they are being inflated with air to prepare them for standing upright.  the next step is filling with hot air and then launching them.  yes those are real people in the pic to show scale.

This is the first one being launched.  

The amazing part to all this is it is really a quiet process. 

Here is is high above us ...higher than the tree tops.... on its way to the gorge and it's wonderful flight.   The orange in pic to the right shows the propane flame which heats the air in the balloon.

End of the day pic at Middle falls in Letchworth State park. What a fantastic day off spent with my guy, Herb.

My stores: Jewelry shop

                 Cabochons and Supplies

Facebook:  PW Facebook

Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  

As for what is coming up on this blog.....future topic include more of my team members, garden updates, & why Etsy is losing hand made and vintage sellers.

The Retired Quilt - Artists on my Team

Cindy Strader of The Retired Quilt is the featured artist this month. I met her online about 3 years ago.  About once a month we will feature an artist in my "TEAM".  I have been selling my work online and have a great TEAM of people whom I consider my second family. Here you will learn about the artist and their work.

Cindy's response when asked why she started her business & the products she sells.  She was contemplating retirement from my “real” job and knew that she needed a plan after retirement.  She had been sewing for more than 40 years and it was what She loved to do.  Cindy had had so many requests over the years to make/create things for others that her husband suggested that she start her own business doing it - it really started as a hobby and has grown into something wonderful.

The most popular request that she get is to create T-shirt/Memory quilts for people. As for what is the most fun to make, the same item. Because she makes so many t-shirt quilts, they really have become one of her favorite things to do - each one is different and unique.  No two are the same - the creativity part and seeing the final product is what makes it fun.

As for what to say to someone starting out in the quilting world, what advise would you have.  Her Grannie taught her how to sew when she was just in high school - the best advice she could give is “listen to your Grannie” - but if it is too late for that - then listen to your heart.

Absolutely she accepts custom orders.  All of her t-shirt quilts are custom orders.  She has also accepted many quilt custom orders.  The turn around time is really dependent on the item requested.  T-shirt quilt are just 2 weeks currently.  But around graduation time and Christmas time you want to be sure to get your order in early - Cindy becomes really busy with them at those times of year.


Want to know where to buy her wonderful creations?    Cindy has an Etsy shop, a web site, a Facebook page, & sells in a local Galleria.  She has tried the craft fair/ art events and does not feel they were successful for her.  She gets a lot of referrals from past customers also.

   Contact info for Cindy

   The Retired Quilt

Website

Etsyshop

 Facebook

My stores: Jewelry shop
                 Cabochons and Supplies

Facebook:  PW Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  

Flowers from Highland Park Rochester, NY

We have a new feature on the blog.  About once a month we will feature an artist in my "TEAM".  I have been selling my work online and have a great TEAM of people whom I consider my second family. Here you will learn about the artist and their work.  Another team member will be posted next week.  

This s a photo from my Highland park visit last week.

New Direction for Panda Wear - Stone DIY

New direction and focus for Panda Wear...what is this about you ask?
 
I am a lapidary which means I hand cut my own stones.  Having enjoyed cutting gemstone for many years, there is a surplus of stones I am unable to use right away. Also, there is a surplus of rough stone - which is the rocks before they are cut into cabochons.  The rocks started to accumulate (pile up) around my home.    To make space,  I decided to start selling the extras.


Above is a Unakite boulder in the quarry where I have collected some rough in NY state.  The travel mug in this pic is about 10" tall to show perspective. The boulders are over 3 feet tall.  The blue rocks on the left side are mostly calcite.
 

Steps to make a cabochon

1. select a rock
2. cut a slab form the rock
3. decide  the shape of the cabochon & draw it
4. trim the slice around the lines
5.  dop the trimmed piece
6. start cutting the cab
7. polish the cab

Michigan Kona dolomite slab.  This is a piece of the selected rock cut into a slice.

Texas graveyard point agate slab.  This is a slab or a slice from the rock. the slice is the second step to making the rock into cabochons.    Imagine the rock as a home made loaf of bread cut into slices.  They can be cut whatever thickness I desire. Clear or transparent rough works best cut thick to show the beauty in the stone when finished. 



In my work, I have bought nice quality supplies for many years. Having bought the high quality beads and cabochons for years I believe I have an idea what other designers are looking for.  Your referrals of friends whom are jewelry designers or jewelry store owners are always appreciated.   Most of my cabochon sales are to other jewelry designers right now.   A few are sales to collectors. Yes, I still sell my OOAK jewelry.  It is just that my focus is on the gemstones right now. 

On the right, a piece of the Unakite I collected as a finished cabochon.  I went through all of the 7 steps above with this rock.

Below is a Montana Moss Agate cabochon ready to be set into a piece of jewelry. This is a transparent stone and the light is reflected best when the back of the piece is left open.

My cabochons are free form which meas they are not round, or oval like most of the ones I see for sale.  This makes them unique and OOAK.
OOAK means One of a Kind. Cabochons are also called cabs.

Please feel free to ask any questions about the process of stone cutting or making cabochons that you have.   I have taught wire wrapping and jewelry making for years.  I also taught my boyfriend to cut cabs. He is a natural and is a better cutter than I am.

My stores: Jewelry shop
                 Cabochons and Supplies

Facebook:  PW Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  

First Harvest of 2015

Welcome to the beauty of my gardens.  a few pic \s of what I saw this weekend..Please enjoy and share with your friends.

 Happy to say I am enjoying the first harvest of the veggie garden for this year. Having a home grown salad with my garden lettuce.  Harris seed grows fantastic and quickly in my garden.
Looking down on the snow peas at right with lettuce on both sides of the row.  Before long, the  snow peas will be 4 feet tall and ready for harvest.  I guess about a 3-4 weeks to wait.



The photo on the left shows the leaf lettuce  on the one side of the trellis from above.  Red and green leaf lettuce are being grown this year.   I should have my first head of lettuce in about a month.  Salads are on the table at my house most nights on the year.  They are especially welcome early like this and when the first tomatoes are picked. 

This is a close of of the snow peas on the right and was taken at ground level.  They were hard to see in the above photos. 

On the left here is the mesclun I harvested for my dinner tonight in the ground.  Below you can see how much there is of the harvest stacked on my kitchen counter top.  

For anyone who has not see this blog before 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 a flower... I picture designs I make with wire and gemstones.  As a lapidary, when I am cutting a stone my design can take shape based on what I see in the natural stone.  With some pieces, I need to find a stone the right color and shape for my design.

My weeping cherry tree in the front yard.  Did not want to miss showing off some of my flowers.  Lucky to get a good shot this year.  My helper behind the camera is Herb. He does more then help me plant veggies when I am unable to kneel.  He has been a rock through this injury and recovery for me.  I could not be here now without him. He is a keeper.

Every garden has hidden gems.  I found this yesterday and was surprised.  Never had the trunk bloomed before.  May your week be filled with sunshine and nature's beauty.

My stores: Jewelry shop
                 Cabochons and Supplies

Facebook:  PW Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems 

Goodbye Crutches, Hello Garden

Recovery going well after ACL ligament replacement surgery.   Sunshine and transplanting more vegetables, energized me and I am now walking without any crutches. Saying  goodbye to my crutches feels fantastic!  Being spring, there were quite a few weeds to be pulled in the gardens this past weekend.  Such a happy feeling to see the snow peas sprouted and the lettuce are  doing well.  Plan to harvest mesclun this week for the first time.  Fresh home grow spring salad, what a great side dish. Photos of the Veggies next week


Also working to grow the gemstone/rock side of my business.  I sell rocks! Do you know a jewelry designer or small local Jewelry store?  I custom cut my own stones and have many one of a kind cabochons I sell both retail and wholesale.  Please feel free to contact me if you have a friend with a shop who uses one of a kind gemstones.  The rocks I sell are available uncut as slabs for those who enjoy the stone cutting as I do or as specimens to put on a shelf and display.

Cabochons

My stores: Jewelry shop
                 Cabochons and Supplies

Facebook:  PW Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems 

Show schedule is still in process.  It will be posted as soon as I have it.  Looking at what my summer and fall show options are at this point.  It is quite late in the year for show applications.  Considering Naples Grape Festival, AppleUmpkin, and a few smaller shows for late summer and fall.  

 

Topic suggestions always welcome.  Still taking orders for Mother's day.  Happy gardening to you all.

April Showers Today

I should be writing about the shows I am doing this summer and fall.  I do not knew where I will be, yet.  My ACL ligament reconstruction  in December last year did not have the quick recovery I expected.  I just had a second procedure to put me back on the road to recovery. 

Soon you will see more of my one of a kind creations.  I am working more in copper this spring.  inspired by all the colors and activity outside after this past winter. 

 Toad with fish watching

Hope you enjoy some of the spring beauty from my Pond and Garden. The links below are great ways to reach me and see more of what I create.  Suggestions for blog topics are always welcome. 

May you have a sunny and flower filled day. 

 

My stores: Jewelry shop
                 Cabochons and Supplies

Facebook:  PW Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems 

Welcome Spring, My Garden Begins

Welcome to my veggie garden.  Just planted snow peas and transplanted lettuce.  Looking forward to the fresh vegetables for my meals.  I tastes so much better home grown.  Amazed I have been gardening for so long,  friends are asking my advise for their gardens. Does not seem so long ago I dug and planted my first vegetable garden in the backyard of this house.

My love of this comes from my Grandma on my dad's side. Growing up I helped her in her gardens.  I have fond memories of her yard in the spring bursting with colors.  I helped pull the weeds from around the roses.  While her children were growing up, she grew fruits and veggies.  She had plums, raspberries and blackberries still when I was growing up. These were from when her kids were in school.  I tried to transplant her raspberries a few times. My garden was too wet when I tried.  It was also very early in my gardening journey.  I know better now.  I have them from a friend who had way too many extra bushes in her garden.

Summer flowers in Grandma's garden: roses, zinnias, geraniums, peonies, pansies, petunias, snapdragons and many others.  She had a second garden at the family cottage up north of Alexandria Bay, NY in the 1000 islands.  The flowers were in whiskey type barrels at the entrance to the front porch.  She was always happy to tell me the name of any flowers we saw.  My favorite up at the cottage was the wild snapdragons which were everywhere along the privet road.  Especially fun was rock collecting at the top on the hill with my Dad and coming back down with snapdragons.Grandma always put them in a glass and on the kitchen table.

Toad in my garden

This little toad was hatched in my pond last year and apparently overwintered in my veggie garden.  My digging in the dirt seemed to make him want to be somewhere else.  More on the lovely vegetables I am growing latter in the year with photos of the plants.

My stores: Jewelry shop
                 Cabochons and Supplies

Facebook:  PW Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems