Shaker Doll Class Arroyo Grande, California

WOW! That is all I can say! What a wonderful week I had! There is HEAVEN ON EARTH! This is me Friday morning arriving at the Santa Barbara Airport. My friend Susan & I walked off the plane onto the tarmac & into this little tiny CHARMING airport. We got our bags & headed to pick up our rent car. After just a few minutes discussing the upgrade... we left in our sporty black convertible(who wants a compact car on a fabulous trip anyway). Into the sunshine & flowers of California heading for Arroyo Grande & my class with jewelry designer Diana Frey.

Here is Diana's Shaker Doll Necklace. Isn't she amazing! Look at all the different things she used while creating this. She is an unbelievable artist & the SWEETEST person!!!!! The class was for "beginners" & believe me... I WAS A BEGINNER! I learned so much of the basics. Wire wrapping, metal working, soldering, & tools, OH BABY DID WE USE TOOLS! Tim the Tool Man would have been jealous! Drills, torches, cutters, special pliers, on & on. Another look at some of the special items in her necklace. Some of the stones she used were so beautiful. Diana & her friend Susan(I got to sit next to Susan & I will show you her goodies later) had gone to a Gem Show & bought some amazing stuff. I will be on the look out for one in my area. My pocketbook will never be the same. :)

Here is Diana showing us how to drill the doll head. See her special handy dandy drill. I will admit that I am so leery(the word is scared) of some of the tools. My friend Susan that came with me says "we'll get you over that." I can not find the words to tell you what a wonderful teacher Diana is. She is so patient, organized, thorough, easy to follow & just a darn pleasure to be with.

Drilling that hole right through that babies head submerged in a bowl of water.

Here is Susan (Diana's friend I told you about) & I at our table with all of our goodies spread out in front of us.

Some of my treasures.

And Susan's...see those unbelievable stones I hinted at. And her doll was a Blondie just like Susan. The colors were so perfect together. Some of her findings were so wonderful. This will be a true TREASURE when it is complete. OK Susan keep in touch so I can see the finished project.

And across the table from me was Diana Salvucci(on the left) & Jody Cottrell(right). Diana was from Los Angeles & Jody was another one of Diana's local friends. WHAT DOLLS they were too. We became FAST friends.
Here are Diana's treasures as she was working. See how different every one's choice of stones & findings are? Even though the class was taught with a planed design everyone put their own "SPIN" on it by choosing different components & ideas of how to lay it all out. Making it individual. Truly your own piece of art. Our teacher Diana gave us a little saying in our goody box (filled with many things including M& M' candies)which said "Infuse your work with your intensely personal truth." Wonderful saying don't you think?Big design work going on with Diana & Jody.Here's Jody's Doll. She thought the top looked like she had a party hat on so she named her "Party Girl"
This table of girls were also from Los Angeles. They had their party aprons on complete with pink pom poms & were such a riot. They were into all sorts of colors... pink, blues, greens ... fun fun fun. Tina Marie Capriotti http://tinamariecapriotti.blogspot.com/ is in the green sweater & she was a hoot... after coming out of the little girls room her lesson learned... don't wear your pom pom apron to the potty.
This is Christine Saqui showing off the soldered piece she will be teaching in Los Angeles.Check out her Blog http://www.whateverwillb.blogspot.com/ to get the information in case you would be interested in the class. She was so sweet & really talented.

And here I am with my dear teacher & FRIEND Diana Frey. This is late in the day & we were both tired (& there was a terrible glare on my glasses) but, oh how happy we were. In the background you can see my friend Susan that came on the trip with me, she is looking at all the treasures on our table. WOW what a fun filled learning day that was. And stay tuned because this precious angel invited me to her studio & I will share a tiny bit of that with you soon. And please hop over to her Blog http://dianafrey.blogspot.com/ & see some of her photos. Also, she was one of the featured artist in the magazine "Studios" by Cloth Paper Scissors (I got a copy while out there & had her sign it for me).

I can't wait to finish my Shaker Doll Necklace...to keep in contact with the new friends I have made...to take another class from Diana...to visit California again... and to become a better artist. Diana you have set me on a journey of discovery & I can not wait to experience all the joy to come. Bless you my dear treasured mentor & friend. THANK YOU!