Round Top Time & Some “Pearl” News!

As everyone knows it’s almost time for Round Top Antique Festival!!!! And Ms Sandy & Ms Cindy are all ready to head em up & move’m out! We’ll be lookin for goods, walk’n the fields & wish’n you were with us. I’ll be sure & bring back lots of photos & stories. We have plans to meet up with friends (Amy Boland, Diane Cook, Kristi Day, Barb Solem & many more). It won’t seem the same without our gal pals from last spring (Riki Schumacher, Karen Valentine & Susie Hebdon, Karen Decapri & Joy Campbell). But, we’ll try to keep your spirits with us.

And speaking about a BIG DRAW at the show….

Well, Ms Cindy just sent me a link with a slide show with all the pictures of Robin Browns (AKA Magnolia Pearl) house/ranch listed for sale. It is in the Texas Hill Country near a little town called Bandera.

Click on the photo above for a link so you can see the property! If you’ve ever thought of owning a little piece of Texas then here’s your chance. You’ll enjoy the tour. In the meantime… I’m so glad I’m married to an easy going guy that’s willing to keep the home fires burning & keep Ms Elle (our fur baby) fed while I go out to play with my gal pals. Stay tuned for more adventures & tell me what you think about Robins house. I can’t wait to hear from each of you that visit. I LOVE your comments…. Please leave one if you visit. Have a fabulous weekend.

HUGS! Charlene

Paper Cowgirls 2012 Part II

Do you want to do beautiful journals?

With pages full of color, creativity, & beauty? I DO!!!!!

Cindy Mayfield (affectionately known as Boss Lady) taught a lettering class for those of us that wanted to know some of her secrets… She showed us all sorts of wonderful letters… But, the secret Is a NASTY ONE! PRACTICE! What??? I hate that word. I tell it to the students in my jewelry design classes all the time. BUT, I HATE THAT WORD!!! I dream & I drool as I look through the J is for Journal page I have on Pinterest. The photo below is an example from that board. Click HERE to go & take a peek.

And then my buddy Lisa taught an amazing Altered Book Class. I borrowed some of her photos as my image had too much glare on the glass not matter what tips the amazing photographer Amy Boland shared… that darn beveled glass was not our friend.

Some pages have pages left empty just waiting for embellishments.

Other pages are filled with beauty…

The spine (below) as beautiful as the rest of the book.

The back… stunning. It makes you sad that that’s the end of the book…. And the end of Paper Cowgirls 2012. Thanks Cindy & all the teachers for an amazing 3 days of classes, shopping & FUN!

I’m in a huge dither cleaning out the closets (gotta get some spring & summer in there as it’s too hot for all that winter stuff), & the guest room. My gal pal Sandy is heading out on Friday & she wants HER ROOM ready for her. We’ll be off to Round Top Antique Festival so there’ll be lots of photos coming your way for that. Hope you’ll join us!!!

HUGS! Charlene

Paper Cowgirls 2012

Paper Cowgirls Art Retreat started off with a beautiful buffet of yummy Texas styled treats set up at The Doves Nest.

The opening night get together/kick off.

Everything headed up by The HEAD COWGIRL known as “BOSS LADY” or Cindy Mayfield. Here she is in all her Birthday Girl Glory showing off her Paper Cowgirl Birthday Card (YES! We had cake for her too).

The next morning kicked off the classes & my first was with my Buddy Beth Lentz who drove all the way from Kansas (with Karla)to be a Cow Girl!!!! This was Beth’s first time to teach at a large event but, she did a great job. The photo on the left shows our darling kits that she had prepared.

How adorable is that project? Mine is ALMOST DONE! I’ll share as soon as I get those finishing touches done.

She had a suitcase of wonderful treasures for us to pick through & use on our projects.

I got to sit next to my buddy Amy Boland & of course Lisa was on hand to visit & tease poor Beth unendingly!!!! She kept whispering “tell her she’s a terrible teacher or ask LOTS of questions” & then she’d just giggle!!!! SO MUCH FUN!

I “borrowed” the photo above so you can see some of the different class projects finished! DARLING!!!! Great class Beth!!!!

Next up another first time teacher… My buddy Karen Valentine taught a composition journal book. Mine (above) was finished during class! That’s a great thing!!Now I don’t have another unfinished project!

Here’s all the class projects surrounding Karen.

The best thing about an event like this is the time with your friends. Both old & new…. you know the old saying “One is silver & the other gold”. Of course there was my running buddy Cindy & my roomie Jan, Linda H, Kristi, but, also pictured above is 2 new friends Kerry & Betti. It is so great to hang out with people “who get you”.

Another cutie I finally got to meet after being BLOGGING BUDDIES since 2009 is Dawn Edmondson of he Feathered Nest. She was the one person that stepped out & helped me the most in the very beginning of my blog. And I know she’s helped so many of you too. I can tell you that she is as kind, sweet, wonderful & beautiful as you would imagine her to be! She doesn’t leave her sweet family often but, I’m so glad Lisa & Cindy talked her into joining us!

Well, that’s it for the first day. Hope you’ll click on all the names that are highlighted in blue to visit the other Cow Girls! And I hope you’ll come back to see the next 2 classes soon.

HUGS! Charlene

A Beach Kind of Day with Diana at Montana De Oro

Do waves crashing to shore thrill you like they do me?

The foam swirling over the rocks…

Diana took me to a favorite spot of heir's. It is Montana de Oro which means Mountain of Gold. No, not the metal kind of gold but, flowers… Diana said that in the spring the whole hillsides are a sea of golden blooms. Click HERE to see the information on this beautiful site near San Luis Obispo California. Of course it was February & the hills were still BROWN but, I can imagine them GOLD can’t you? These hills gently roll down…

To this sharp drop into the Pacific Ocean. We stood on this point & saw the waves rolling in. And if you look in the far background (photo above) those mountains are in the chain where Morrow Rock sits in Morrow Bay. This trip I was lucky enough for the fog to be gone & to see Morrow Rock 3 times. THAT’S A FIRST in all my trips here.

We walked the path (about 2 miles) until we came to the stairs leading down to the beach. See the guard rail at the top??? It was a steep set of stairs down.

We loved walking in the sand which was not typical sand but, TINY pebbles ground to smooth. We LOVED looking at all the interesting TEXTURE! As artists it is amazing to look at color & texture no matter what your medium of choice is. Diana says that this is one of her favorite beaches to pick up small rocks & shells often found on her “Twisted Sister Necklaces”. We found a lot of Root Beer Quartz on the beach that day. I need to make a necklace or book (see the previous post with her amazing book made in a class with Nina Bagley) with some of it to remember this day with my precious friend.

A lady on the beach offered to take a picture of us. We were wind blown but, happy so YES! I did want a picture to remember OUR DAY! We talked about so many things… life, family, friends, art…

The sun reflected on the water as we reflected on life.

The fog began to roll in & I began hearing the long sad sounds of the fog horn blowing in the winds… It kind of mimicked my feelings of sadness to have to leave to catch a plane back home to Texas the next morning. An eerie sad song of gloom. We loaded back in her SUV & headed back to her beautiful home. Her precious hubby had a surprise for us…. Dinner at their favorite restaurant in old down town San Luis. The place he takes her for special occasions (like BDays & Annv). I felt so special & so honored. Thank you for that Dennis.

Speaking of her home… It’s stunning! Her flair for design & decorating is so beautiful, special & imaginative. Above is her living room bay window with a vintage train case filled with a live blooming orchid & a Joanna Pierotti doll.

And her coffee table… Another vintage train case & an ivy topiary. Look at the pretty tray…

Every where you turn it’s beautiful & I want to leave you with her angel. The one given to her by her Mother on her wedding day. Precious!!!! A Guardian Angel guarding another angel, my friend Diana.

Thank you to Diana & Riki for an amazing class (if you didn’t see that post go back to the previous posts & see the wonder of these two artist!)!!!! And a group of days doing just what my heart wanted most. Spending time with the sisters of my Art Soul. Thank each of you from the bottom of my heart. Now, NEXT… Paper Cowgirls. Be sure to come back soon to see all the fun!

HUGS! Charlene

Back In The Studio With Diana Frey

As all of you know from previous posts I’m just back from California & the Charming Romance class taught by my amazing friends Diana Frey & Riki Schumacher. I did the posts about class (if you miss it scroll back & look at the beauty of the goods) & the time with my friend Cynthia (at Pismo Beach/Butterfly Grove) & my visit with Riki. NOW IT’S TME TO SHARE MY DIANA TIME!

Her studio is in her garage (which is wonderful because it has LOTS of light which wasn’t the case with these photos because it was night time) & it is stunning! Go HERE to see a previous trip that shows more wonders in her studio & home but, I don’t want to repeat things in this post…

She is THE QUEEN BEE for sure!!!! She is the most amazing artist, teacher & friend! I was blessed to meet Diana back when I first started in this crazy Art Jewelry World… Back in April 2009! WOW what a journey it’s been. I was new to blogging & found her blog. That was it!!!! I was HOOKED!!!! I always tell people that taking a class with Diana is like Crack Cocaine…. you’re hooked! My sweet friend Joy found out that’s true this past trip… One class & now she’s coming back with Sandy & I in July as well as bringing her friend Laurie with her.

Diana’s studio is full of treasures that she has made. Or bought from other artists. She has such a magical way with displaying all of it. That very first photo above is just a jewelry holder full of bracelets… each a work of art but, in mass…. STUNNING!

Who else but, Diana could take a vintage brass baby shoe (maybe an old ashtray, or just display with the brass shoes????) & fill it with Frozen Charlotte heads, a rock with a stamped banner, nest & old photo to create such an interesting display? WOULD YOU HAVE THOUGHT OF THIS?

A precious little shelf of MORE GOODIES!

My all time favorite thing… her book made in a Nina Bagley Class… sharing her favorite spot Point No Point (I think that’s what she said it’s called & Diana correct me if I’m wrong on the name). The book has an amazing Soldered cover with a piece of driftwood found on the beach.

A self portrait… beautiful just like she really is.

See the sea glass at the bottom on one page? And the bird… how precious is that?

A watch with no face because she says that there is no time in this magical place…. that’s kind of how I feel when I’m with her!

On the back page is a pocket that holds THIS necklace. The one with the egg, compass, & the book that comes out of that little tiny piece. The book that has a photo of all the loved ones she’s shared this spot with…. Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

And would the back of the book be plain???? Not in Diana’s World. HAND STAMPED no less. Are you impressed yet?

A DREAMER???? You bet she is!

The QUEEN? YEP!!!!!!

A sense of humor? YEAH!

How blessed am I????????????????? To have these TWO AMAZING FRIENDS???? Priceless…. And I can’t stop pinching myself as I relive the amazing time (PRECIOUS MOMENTS) with all My California Art Sisters. Thank you Diana for opening this door to me back in 2009! You truly are my friend & my Mentor!

Hugs! Charlene

One more thing…

Click on the button to get a chance at Diana’s Give Away!