Did you know Quanah Parker was the last chief of the Comanches? He was born to Chief Peta Nocona and Cynthia Ann Parker, a white captive of the Comanche. There is a town in North Texas named after him -- Quanah, Texas! My family lived there for a short time where my brother was born!

Native American-inspired themes run through my jewelry with turquoise and Navajo Pearls used in many of my pieces.

In 1839 Texas introduced the Homestead Law offering land for $0.50/acre compared to $1.25 in the US. As a result, Texas saw significant immigration. The first Czech immigrants came to Texas around 1850.  The primary way into Texas for Czech immigrants was Galveston.  They originally settled the central part of Texas, but my Czech ancestors arrived between 1870 and 1890, and settled in the Coastal Prairie around Damon, TX.

I use animal motifs often throughout my jewelry as a remembrance of our Czech farming and cattle family history.

Cattle ranching has shaped the state of Texas since the early 1600s and is still playing a vital role in the state today. Cattle drives began out of Texas in the late 1700s. By the start of the Civil war Texas beef was getting $30-$40/head in the Northeast US. The Chisholm Trail was critical to getting the cattle from Texas to the north.  My husband’s family settled in Eastland County not far from Fort Worth and the Chisholm Trail!  They settled in the mid 1800s in this area with over 1400 acres and began raising cattle.  Cattle shaped his family, and this land is still in his family today!

These Texas frontier and ranching themes are used throughout my designs as an homage to our family history!