Lucky Cowgirl

"The cowgirl faces life head on, lives by her own lights and makes no excuses." ~ Dale Evans

I am the least cowgirl girl that ever lived.

I am not rough and tumble. I have never ridden a horse. I am not remotely interested in chaps or flannel shirts. I am not a fan of getting my hands dirty. Or calloused.

I do think that I could rock a cowboy hat and boots, though.

But fashion aside, I am the least likeliest person to be found at a rodeo. And I once almost moved to Colorado. If I had I might be a different person today.

While my appearance would be the least cowgirl thing about me, I do believe in that quote above, in facing life head on, living by my own lights and making no excuses. So maybe I am not so opposite from a cowgirl after all.

So when I had the good fortune to meet up with Miss Melanie of Earthenwood Studios at the June Bead and Button show, I was tickled that I got the chance to pick out the piece that I wanted to design with for the Earthenwood Design team. She had either a feather or a horseshoe. I love the feather, but thought that would be too easy. I have designed a lot of things with birds. I decided to challenge myself so I chose the latter.

{With the word 'lucky' stamped on the back!}

"Luck is what you have left over after you give 100 percent."  

~Langston Coleman

It is not that I am a big fan of luck. Or even horseshoes. I believe that luck is what happens when you work hard. But I had come across a booth at Bead & Button that was so fresh and lovely that I just knew that this is the direction I wanted to go in. And that might have been lucky. Or just preparation intersecting with opportunity.

The booth was for The Lipstick Ranch. The lovely owner, Kara Docheff was working there and she is as open as the clear blue sky, fresh as a field of wildflowers and so down home sweet-as-pie that I loved soaking up her story and her fun wares. I even brought back all sorts of people to the booth, including Miss Melanie.

Kara and her family farm rust on their big ol' ranch in Colorado (plus some other traditional ranch farmin' stuff). Leaving big sheets of iron exposed to the elements will impart the most lovely and rich of natural patinas. They then plasma cut them into fun shapes, like pine cones and crosses and letters and stars and moose and butterflies. They seal them and sell these original pieces through their website or at shows like Bead and Button.

{Look at how cute that boot is with Miss Melanie's pendant.. I know? Right!}

I had already picked up a few already (just 10 for $30!), like a star and a skeleton key (squee!), but when I got this pendant with the most lovely sage green glaze on it from Miss Melanie I knew just what I needed to go back and buy: a cowboy boot. 

So here is a little sneak peek of what I created for the Earthenwood Design team. 

I call it "Lucky Cowgirl." Sorry to be so coy...I am not showing you the whole thing because I am hoping that it might get picked up and published someplace, I like it so much. 

I used an old rusty skeleton key from my prodigious stash, some of the last of my wire mesh green glass beads and wicked cool meshy chain vintage links from AD Adornments (I have a serious big crush on whatever think that Cathy unearths and a tiny bag that cost me quite a bit from the Bead and Button to prove it!), and leather cord. Lots and lots of leather cord. And I just noticed that you cannot even see the kick ass iron cowboy boot charm from the Lipstick Ranch. 

Maybe I am cowgirl lucky after all!

Do be sure to stop by Miss Melanie's blog and send some good vibes her way, she needs them. And check out what the rest of the team is up to

Andrew Thornton

Gaea Cannaday 

Denise Yezbak Moore 

Erin Siegel 

Heather Powers 

Lorelei Eurto 

Lori Anderson 

Jean Yates

Marie Dodd 

Michelle Mach 

So, now it is your turn...

Do you believe in luck?

What is the luckiest thing that has every happened to you?

Do you feel more like the cowgirl or the rodeo clown? (I bet you can guess which one I feel like most days!)

Do tell!