This is what it said:
Just wanted to drop you a line of encouragement. I love your work. I see a lot of people on here who are making jewelery and are over pricing it cause they think they are some sort of artist. You, ma'am, are an artist and with very reasonable prices. Keep up the good work and I wish I had seen your site before my wife's birthday (March 2). :-)
Your friend down south,
Ronnie
I responded:
OMGosh, Thank you so much! I'm blushing! That means a great deal to me. I appreciate you took the time to write and that little bit of encouragement goes a long way!!!
Thanks again
Rene
We had a few more messages back and forth and then he surprised with me this:
I do have something I just got from my mother...its a copper foil and solid copper Victorian framing that went around a small folding picture frame that was hinged so you could fold it. One side of this one had come apart and my mother told me that she was told it was gold...but alas, twas not...twas copper. :-D She gave me 2 of them and I am keeping the one that is still intact. But I took the foil and solid copper of the other to have it tested. Now, IMHO, I think...no, I know, that you could make something pretty out of it and both the foil and the solid will bend easily and it has a beautiful Victorian style to it.. I would be more than happy to mail it to you as it will fit easily inside an envelope. All I want is to see your finished product with it. :-) I would love to see it go to good use(and make some money with it) as it is actually from the Victorian era. Behind the picture of my grandmother was an old tin type picture of someone I don't know who it is, but it is old. If you want it, it is yours for the asking.
Yep - I asked! Here is an example of what Ronnie is talking about. This is a partial one that has lost the other half of it and someone added a picture frame mount so they could hang it.
This is a picture of what Ronnie actually sent me. It was flat however, I slightly curved it while trying to figure out what in the world I was going to do with it!
Follow along as I make something from a beautiful piece sent by a beautiful person (a stranger mind you) who asks nothing but gives freely! If only the world was made up of more kindness.
Okay, so here we go - I hope I don't ruin it: This is the first piece I'm thinking of using. Sterling silver plated filigree that I have also curved slightly so that the frame outlines it!
I'm thinking bracelet.........stay tuned.
