Two retired Maplewood residents, Amby Stevenson and Bob Weidenbenner, have made mosaic address stones for every house on their block. It’s a hobby that Stevenson says has an additional purpose. Residents of the block — the 7600 block of Jerome Avenue — know and look out for each other.
Stevenson started making the mosaics 20 years ago when she and her sister wanted to do something together other than go to restaurants. She met Weidenbenner at the community garden. They got to talking and ended up as a team. Now he does most of the design work.
“He’s my savior, he comes here every morning to make sure I’m still alive and going to the gym,” Stevenson said. Then he spends about an hour in her garage in the morning working on the mosaics.
Weidenbenner said he lets the glass, the colors, talk to him.
“I just love it,” he said. “My mom was a quilter, my sister is a quilter. My dad was a brick layer. So it almost kind of works for me in a way.”
In the beginning Stevenson made some then decided the block needed a block watch. “This was the hook to get everybody to join. Those that didn’t join, now have moved away,” she said.
When she moved onto the block in 1991 only about half the houses were occupied and no one talked. It’s different now she said. “We share information. We actually speak and know each others’ name. We see something, we can send an email or a text. For that part it’s worked out really well,” she said.
Anyone interested in their own mosaic by Bob and Amby can reach Bob at [email protected]
These are some of the mosaic stones on Jerome.
Amby and Bob, thanks for making this such a friendly community to live in. Love our block and the surrounding area!
This is a wonderful story of something wonderful happening here in our community. Thank you.
Amby and Bob are so great! These stones are amazing!!!
How can i get one made for my house. Live on Weaver Ave.
You can reach Bob at [email protected]
Very cool!
I love the snake! So cool! Myrtle Ave in Maplewood does the same thing, we have a neighbor who has made them for almost everyone on our street. It was so awesome when we moved here and he surprised us with our stone. Being from out of state, it really meant a lot.
Myrtle is Bob’s street and he is the person who also did Spiral Coffee’s stone as well as Cat cafe on Sutton.
We proudly display ours on our front steps as well. Bob has been a fantastic neighbor to us and I’m happy to see him and Amby be recognized for that. Well done!
Wow! What an amazing way to connect neighbors! I have one of Amby’s stepping stones and I love it. Nice to see this creative pair recognized.
Amby made me one a few years ago and I still love it!
What a wonderful thing to do!
I’m so excited to be joining this community in a few months! I love looking for the stones as I drive and walk around to/from our homesite!
Elizabeth welcome to our block and start thinking about what your address stone will look like Everything is a possibility Amby Stevenson
Bravo. These are great.
You are doing a wonderful job of making your street a neighborhood of friends. Keep it up!
Perfect Opportunity for neighbors to create what a neighborhood should be! Amby is a very active member in our garden club of Richmond Heights and has offered her stones at our annual plant sale and have proven to be very popular! Hopefully will have more this year.
Thank you for recognizing my neighbor and Bob!
Wow, those are awesome! I love the bike one, I ride a bike, and the Navy has me because my son is in the Navy. What a great idea! A man that retired from where I work, at Sunnen, lived on Jerome. We live a couple of streets over.
They are lovely! Would love to have one too!
What a great way to bring the block together!
Amby and Bob, what a creative team! A wonderful way to build community…and the stones are beautiful!! Keep up the good work!