My Dear Friend - Joni Cohen Webb

I was simply shocked by the news that Joni Cohen Webb (a/k/a Cote de Texas) had passed away only a past few days ago. To say I was shocked, is an understatement! I supposed I figured that she (like myself) would live to be an old lady with all of the fading memories of when she wrote a blog that was so intensely popular.

Joni and I shared several things: I was formerly an interior designer in Boston and upon moving to Phoenix decided to make jewelry - she was formerly a jewelry designer that ended up as an interior designer with an her own hugely popular blog site, Cote de Texas, we both only had one child - mine was a boy named Chris, hers was a lovely daughter named Elizabeth, and we both had several doggies - Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

Fleurs de la Mer - gifted to Joni

It was the jewelry though that brought us together and Joni graciously wrote a lovely blog featuring some of my jewelry designs. Although our careers were reversed with her jewelry design coming first and mine coming later in life - we shared tons of thoughts. Later on, not only did she graciously continue to write about my jewelry designs, but I also had a small ad on her blog site. She was absolutely besotted when she admired one of my designs that featured each of the beads and pearls spun out on twisted silver wire and a lovely Moss Aquamarine focal bead. She even had her lovely daughter, Elizabeth, model it on her website while they were visiting South Padre Island during the Summer.

Joni & Ben's Sweet Baby Cavalier KC Spaniel - Nellie

Karen's Newest Darling Baby Cavalier KC Spaniel, Daphne

Puppy Love Bracelet - Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

However, it was her last request that I was unable to fulfill. She had seen a bracelet that featured Cavalier King Charles Spaniels on my website and asked if I could make one up using karat gold rather than gold vermeil. I had just moved from Phoenix to Texas and we were in process of wrapping up major renovations (including adding an elevator) when this request came in to me via phone. I knew that the darling Cavalier’s in the bracelet would be terribly expensive (they are quite heavy) in karat gold. She had a bracelet she had inherited from her Mom/Stepmon that the charms could be added to. Naturally, this would necessitate a trip into Dallas to meet with one of my workrooms. In the end, it simply would have required too much work to re-make the spaniels in karat gold in order to keep the cost from becoming simply exorbitant. They were cast and modified from an old watch fob that I had purchased online. In silver = expensive / in karat gold = VERY pricey. That was the last time I had a chance to speak with my dear friend, Joni. Suffice to say now, looking back, I only wish I had the ability to honor her request.

The moral of this little story is the following: Never put off for tomorrow, what you can do today and give each of your loved ones a hug and kiss when you see them - it might just be your last!

RIP, my dear friend, Joni.