A Texas Size Surprise
I just returned from a whirlwind trip to Texas to celebrate a very special friend’s very special trip around our star ☀️
Ellie is one of my oldest (but younger than me!) and dearest friends. We met at summer camp just outside Gentry, Arkansas during our teen years and became pen pals for the months between camps. She lived in Oklahoma and I lived in Arkansas, but we were fast friends and have managed to have many adventures across the country as we’ve grown and matured (lol) through the years. She is the one who actually got me into caving about 15 years ago! She took me to Robber Baron Cave near San Antonio and I came back home and immediately joined Boston Mountain Grotto, the caving society based out of Fayetteville, in Northwest Arkansas.
Ellie continues to inspire and cheer me on today 💚
The entire visit was lovely 💛 The bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush are in full bloom throughout Texas, and they did not disappoint. I managed to collect a variety of wildflowers and botanicals in preparation for *drumroll please 🥁* my official Texas Flowers & Fossils collection! This collection started last May when I attended a few shows in the area, but has officially come to fruition as I launch Naturally Impressed, a collection of impressed jewelry from regions around the U.S. and beyond.
The intent of the trip was to celebrate my dear friend, and the bonus is that I was able to collect foliage and fossils to make molds of my nature inspired metal art jewelry collection! I collected Lavender from Luling Lavender Fields (if you’re in the area, you gotta stop in and check out their gardens…and I highly recommend the lavender chocolate ice cream 😋), Bluebonnets and Indian Blanket from Ellie and Ariel’s Rootrunner Homestead, & I even snagged some fossil impressions at Ladonia Fossil Park. I also made arrangements with a very special commercial cave in the San Antonio region for a future exclusive collection! More to come on that, so stay tuned:)
The highlight (besides the amazing company at Rootrunner Homestead, Ellie & Ariel’s off the grid farm) was the Bracken bat flight. I’m still feeling awe and wonder from witnessing millions of bats emerging from the cave for their evening flight. It was absolutely spectacular! If you ever get a chance to see the Bracken Bat Flight, or stand on the Austin Bridge for that bat flight, do it! The sounds of the bats echolocating, the feel of movement in the air as the bats create a vortex upon exiting the cave, and the smell of guano (bat poop) is truly a magical sight to behold.
I’ll be back to Texas in late April & early May for 3 art festivals (maybe 4!) Click the blue festival names to read more about each festival.
✨April 28-30 | Red Poppy Festival, Georgetown, TX
✨April 29 | Sunset Valley Art Fest, Sunset Valley , TX @sunsetvalleyarts
✨May 6-7 | Pecan Street Festival, Austin, TX @pecanstreetfest
✨4th Event | TBA
I’d love to know if I’ll see you in Texas! Comment below and let me know what you’d like to see at my booth:)
#texas #pecanstreetfestival #redpoppyfestival #sunsetvalleyartfest #sunsetvalley #austintexas #georgetowntx #wildflowers #bluebonnets #indianpaintbrush #texasart
