We LOVE The Urban Barn!

Oh the wonder of it all… Wednesday was a trip south to The Urban Barn in Escondido, CA.

IF I had a girly Foo Foo Studio I would sooooooooo have to have the sofa in the first photo. And this chair!!!!!!!!!! Isn’t it 2DIE4? Sold… So sad. But, I so want to find another one & have Darlah make one for me.

Oh the PINK WONDER of it all.

This LARGE canvas was so interesting with all the items making it soooooooo 3D.

I sooooooooo LOVED this!

Jewelry boxes with BLING! Yes, Cindy… I KNOW you are hyperventilating!

I think I need to bring out my van so I can load it up. BUT, THEN I WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE IN THE MADNESS OF THIS PLACE! OMG!!!! I don’t think I have big girl panties big enough for THAT job!!!! The traffic & road rage out here is scarrrrrrrrrrry!!!! OK! back to the treasures… OH NO!!!! More shells & Manni’s!

Such clever ideas were everywhere! So love the pillow on that chair on the right!

The sparkle tufting on that ottoman.

Lulu Kellog & Cindy Craine…. JUST BREATHE!

Now, I am NOT a molded baby doll (although I’m all over the German Doll heads & frozen Charlottes') person. BUT, these guys I DID LIKE!

Do you have something with an old mirror that is really cloudy & your thinking… I don’t know about this piece but, LOOK at how FABULOUS this turned out!

Loved this display case of Debbie’s (she is the one that made my starfish Sandy gave me for my birthday gift) & as you can see… Sandy & I did a good job covering it up for this photo op (thanks to Deb Hodge)! And look below for the wonder held within this beauty! Reminds me of the book done by my friend Charlotte Perz that I am still pouting that I didn’t get one. But, holding out for a little tutorial as I NEED this.

Speaking of Deb Hodge… I ADORE THAT GIRL! I buy a LOT of my clothes from her. She is freaking amazing when it comes to linen… Well, she is teaching another great class at The Urban Barn & it is CUTE! Look below. And here’s the link on The Urban Barns Blog to sign up.

The images are printed on linen & it is simply a yummy color.

And the last thing that I LOST my mind over… AND NO!!!! My BIG BOTTOM will not fit in these size 4 jeans! And it may loose it’s charm in my size but, I’m gonna give these a try.

Which pair do I like the best?

Darlaha said these are adorable in vintage men’s jean (like 501’s), baggy with a belt…

I KNOW this has been a LONG post but, I had soooooooooo much fabulous stuff to share with you! Click on the links & visit everyone. Drool over the goodies & come back soon for more California Dreamin & the I’m soooooooo lovin being away from the madness of the Texas Summer we are having this year. THANK YOU sweetie for staying home & taking care of HOME while I play. You're the best!

HUGS! Charlene (& Sandy)

California Here I Come!

This little fellow knows it’s true!!!!

I left Hubby to keep the home fires burning, work going & taking care of Ms Elle! And Tuesday of last week I hopped on that big silver bird & headed west!

My sweet Sandy picked me up at the airport & whisked me off to shop. Meeting sweet Cynthia at The Vintage Emporium in Long Beach! What an adorable shop! I had a chance to meet the owner Julie & she was such a delight! And look at those 2DIE4 silver pitchers she is wrapping up for me!!!! They were each engraved with a C on the side. They were made for ME!!!!! C for Charlene. SOLD!

From beautiful vintage hats…

To beaded tops…

To a WILD HARE!!!! Everybody has one right????

Cute shop Julie! And if you have a chance to visit Long Beach, CA. be sure to stop by & tell her Charlene sent you… Now we had to rush off to meet some other sweet girls for dinner so we hopped in the cars & followed Cynthia & I’ll show you a bit of the scenery.

Stunning buildings. Palm trees…

See that pretty island just off the highway? The palm trees & the water falls (enlarge the photo & check it out). GUESS what that is???? An oil drilling island that they dressed up to hide the ugliness… SHOOT, in Texas we don’t dress those bad boys up!

And art… in unusual form… A BIKE RACK made into a fish.

Aren’t these a couple of cuties??? Check out that view off the patio!!! FABULOUS! And while we waited for Lia… Cynthia, Robin & I had a strawberry beer. YOU SHOULD TRY IT!!! This place makes an awesome one! And since it is a micro brewery they had quiet the selection.

Sunset on Long Beach. The Queen Mary is docked just to the left of this shot & I’m beginning to feel the effects of the long flight, the time change & the 2 beers so it’s time to say goodbye to this day.

We got a drunk tourist (NO! Not us) to take a parting shot of these California Girls(left to right… Sandy, Moi, Lia,Cynthia, & Robin is hiding in back) as we left the restaurant. Thank you for a wonderful evening. Now off for MILES on the freeway to my beautiful room & much awaited beddy bye at Sandy’s(I had to borrow the photo from her & that’s why it’s daylight in there as when we got home I CRASHED those pretty pillows ASAP). And what a pretty room it is!

Come back for more fun… for next we’re off to The Urban Barn.

HUGS! Charlene

GEM SHOW In Houston, TX

When you go to a Professional Football Stadium in Texas to go to a bead show… YOU KNOW IT’S GONNA BE BIG!

I shared with you that Hubby & I went to Houston in July. He had work to do there for 10 days & I was lucky enough to “PLAY” with some of my friends. I shared going to “The Rowdy Art Sisters” Monthly Art Meeting (HERE) with my buddy Diane Cook . And we got to spend some wonderful time with Diane & her Hubby. The guys went RV supply shopping while Diane & I found our own brand of trouble!

But, when Diane told me the Gem Show was in town & she couldn’t go (because she was babysitting her GRAND) I was kinda bummed. Then she said that Deryn Mentock was wanting to go & had a free admission ticket. Well heck, I didn’t need the free ticket but, I JUMPED at the chance to see Deryn again. I had met her at Adorn Me in Houston back in March 2010. Her classes (I took 2) were amazing. Below is a photo of Deryn at Vendor Night for that Adorn Me Event & beside it is the necklace she taught in class.

We had been emailing from time to time since Adorn Me but, a Gem Show with Deryn… COUNT ME IN!!!!

Here she is doing one of her favorite things… buying turquoise!!!! She is darling & loves to wear her jeans, boots & amazing creations in turquoise(see one peeking out at the collar of that black T Shirt. Of course, most of those creations are made by her!

Above is my treasure. It is from Carico Lake & I bought the piece from the owner of the mine. Go HERE for a great post & link by Deryn about this particular Turquoise. The beads are much like Deryn’s & need stringing as well as needing an S Hook closure made. I bought TWO wonderful books on Wire Techniques for Jewelry Making & will refresh my skills for making that closure.

Above are a few more strands of beads I bought at the show. Some are just glass beads that had colors I really liked or thought I could use in some of the things I’m planning. And some are semi precious stones. I just love the ones in the middle as they remind me of Sea Glass.

Again, some yummy colored semi precious…

And these… well let’s just say they might end up in a present for someone I am going to visit VERY SOON! Wink Wink!!

Do you like the green (with red’s, orange, & browns)? Great for a fall creation don’t you think? Dragon Blood… ???? Deryn know so many of the stones names. And there are others that I didn’t share because I have not gotten them out for the photo op yet… Staging jewelry & stones is hard don’t you think? Getting the light correct with out the glare of a flash just really makes it tough. If you had ideas to share on this subject PLEASE FEEL FREE to share!!!!

What I didn’t show… London Blue Topaz. And of course… an empty checkbook. Oh well, It’s I Owe I Owe it’s off to work I go. Deryn & I decided that maybe we weren’t a good influence on each other after all. But, we sure had FUN! I can’t wait to use some of these in the earring class I’m taking from her. Be sure to check the previous post to find out about that! STAY COOL! I’m trying to!

HUGS! Charlene