I am an open book...for the most part. I was taught to not tell everything you know. It's best to keep people guessing a little.
I have been a jewelry whore all my life. It started because I am the offspring of a grandmother and mother who taught me everything I know about the subject. I love it! I am a collector of many things and vintage jewelry is one of them. One day a friend said to me that I should start a business doing what I love and BACKWUDS BARBEE was born.
I live on a beautiful farm in the backwoods of a small Texas town (drug here kicking and screaming from the city), but I was never too far from being a country girl so I adapted quickly. I learned to team rope, herd goats, doctor cattle, plant a garden and shoot my BB gun at the peacocks to STOP THEM FROM EATIN' ALL MY PLANTS (don't worry...it only scares them)! I do it all in my jewels too!
God gave me 2 pieces of perfection. I should say 3 so that my husband doesn't get his feelings hurt. One is 8 and the other is 2. Both are boys and they are GOOD AT IT! My husband says that I didn't get a girl because there could only be one Queen Bee in our house. Plus, we'd be living in a box because I'd spend all our money on her clothes and mine! All 3 of my men make me whole. Life with them is a RIDE!
The beautiful one of a kind pieces of jewelry I have created are made with time, love, and crowned with a little prayer. The pieces date from pre-1900's to the 1970's. I may add in a few chains from the 80's because that's my era and as you know, the gold chains were the best then! Thank you, Mr. T!
I scour all across this beautiful country through small antique stores, garage sales, church rummage sales, estate sales and more to find amazing pieces of history to put together. It brings me so much joy to find each piece and learn where it came from and who it belonged to if possible. Each piece meant something to someone. Was it a special gift from a special someone? Did she wear it on a first date? Was it her something borrowed? Did he carry it in his pocket as he fought in a war for you and me? How many prayers were said as they held that rosary in their hand? I get so excited just holding the pieces and imagining! I just can't have them tossed in a drawer or sitting in a case somewhere, forgotten about. They need to be repurposed and shown off. I have worked hard at not compromising the integrity of the original piece and I recycle as much of the material as I can in all of the items. When you own a piece I have made, you are carrying on a little piece of history.
This jewelry is for all of us BACKWUDS BARBEES who do our jobs day in and day out. We are amazing wives and mothers. From the Urban Cowgirl to the Suburban Diva and everyone in between. We may get a little wild now and then, have a few cocktails with the girls, but when it comes down to it, we are the ones you can count on! You and I may never get our 15 minutes of fame, but that's ok. We are famous in our own minds!
Here are a few thoughts to leave you with that my Grandma Tomlin and Mama taught me:
Go to church, work hard, take care of your family first and then yourself, have "Mad Money" in case you ever gotta get out of a bad situation, be nice but don't take crap off of anyone (that would be my grandma talking, not my sweet mama), be the first to say you're sorry (my mama's words), always look good for your man 'cause if you don't somebody else will and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.
It covers a multitude of sins - Jesus.
xoxo,
Krista
backwuds barbee
