Those who know me have heard me talk about the cowboys and cowgirls in my family and also know that my jewelry is heavily influenced by my western roots. My Grandpa John was a professional bull rider right here in the Bay Area and my Dad rode bronc as a young man, too. My Mom (Becky, left), Grandma Donna, Aunt Rae (Grandma's sister), and Aunt Brenda (Mom's sister) were natural cowgirls and, of course, grew up around horses. I love my family's rodeo cowboy history and have many photos and artifacts from Grandpa John's rodeo days proudly displayed in my home.

I am also very lucky to have some of the silver cowgirl jewelry that was handed down to me from my Mom and aunts.

Some time ago, Mom gifted me some of her old sterling silver cowgirl jewelry and I've been repurposing it a little bit. These beautifully-engraved silver and gold horse concho earrings (right) had ear wires that were beat up and not very wearable, so I removed them and, instead, remade the earrings by setting Kingman turquoise into posts and dangling the conchos from them. I've been wearing them to my shows lately and I LOVE telling visitors to my booth about their - and my family's - history.

I think they turned out great, don't you?

Mom is one of my newsletter subscribers, so I'm happy to say a big "Thank you!" to her not just for sharing her precious jewelry with me, but for also sharing her own family history. I'm proud of her and our cowboy/cowgirl past!

🤠❤️🐴