Fun at Remnants of the Past Antique Show & Classes To Consider For Summer

Remnants of the Past Antique Show was so much fun!  Held at the famous Madonna Inn.  Go HERE to see a previous post & HERE to see their site.  OK!  The sun was bright…. The hair had been blown, humid sea breeze’s (& headband with no bangs looked good when I left the B&B but, took a nose dive by noon)ruffled us all.  The photo’s not great but, a GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!  Back row left to right: Joy,Jan, Julie & me.  Middle:Sandy,Cecilia (tucked back), Cynthia (yes she drove up from LA to hang out with us & bring me lemon BDay cakes) Diana Frey, Terry & Jody.  Kneeling: Vickie & Diana.  What a great bunch of gals!  Isn’t that gypsy wagon 2DIE4?

I was thrilled to meet Robin Kaplan.  I have always loved her designs(Click on her name to enter her site to see her collections which are AMAZING!).  She is the tiniest, petite little thing… Made me feel like the Jolly Green Giant but, WOW was she a doll.

Look at Robin’s gloves with all that beading… And Diana’s necklace that went with this collection. Go HERE to see Diana’s Post about designing for this shoot!   Everything so feminine & beautiful!  I LOVE the layers!  The tulle… it’s French Tulle & divine!

Diana began her jewelry design business as a hobby but, after doing some design work for Robin she was asked to design some jewelry to go with the clothes… And the rest was history!  So meeting Robin at Remnants was a dream come true for me.  Did I buy an outfit?  NOT YET!!! But, I did make plans to visit her & her studio when I am back out there this summer!  I did buy an amazing flower made by Robin (that I can pin on something) & a roll of luscious hand dyed silk ribbon (oh yeah that wasn’t cheap!!!) that I can’t wait to play with in my hair & on other projects.

Diana has some wonderful classes coming up…  Above was a little “TEASE” she had set up in her dining room during our Petite Retreat.  This will be an online class starting in September 2012.  Just think, you could learn to make these beauties in the comfort of your own home while sitting in your Jammies if you wanted to.

The Madame Bijoux Boxes will be taught by Diana at Art Is You in Petaluma, CA on Sunday, Sept 23, 2012.

And the Twisted Sistah Cuff will be  Friday night, Sept 21, 2012.  IF you are near that area or want to travel up that way go HERE to see all the fun that will be happening.  Well that’s it for today & I hope you saw some “Eye Candy” to make your creative juices start rolling.  Click on the links (the blue words) to visit some new people or places.  Hope you’ll come back soon to see the classes I’ve signed up for this summer.  I have 3 of them going right now & I am really enjoying them.  Online classes are very different from going to classes or events.  You don’t have a chance to be with your Art Buddies but, you can learn in your own home.
HUGS! Charlene

How To Beat The Texas Heat

You load up the GRANDKIDS,  boat & 5th Wheel & head to the lake!    It was our first 100 degree day of the season… and we wanted to get away to play (Yes, that’s me on the right).

Lake Whitney is not far from our home.  It is well known as one of the cleanest lakes in Texas.  Folks taking scuba certifications use this lake because of the fact that it is deep, clear & is made up of white limestone rock.  As you can see from the beautiful cliffs above… it makes for some stunning views.

What do Grandfathers do at the lake?   Sleep while you swim, snack while you swim & ride out front when Daddy is driving.  This is called “Chilling out with Bop Bop” & our little ones love it (SO DOES Bop Bop).  Oh… & he pays for everything… that’s the best thing about Bop Bop’s they pay & they say yes to everything.

Our son & his family enjoying a swim.  Those little boys are like FISH!

I’m so proud of the Man/Daddy my son has turned out to be!  It makes a Momma proud!

And the princess????

A lot of sleeping with wind in her hair.  She loves the boat & going “Campin”.  But, it was hot & we were tired & had PLENTY of sun so we headed back early. THIS IS HOW YOU BEAT THE HEAT IN TEXAS & MAKE MEMORIES TO LAST A LIFETIME! Go out & make memories with those YOU love! 
HUGS!  Charlene

Diana Frey’s Briar Rose Class

For the Briar Rose Class you could do a piece of free standing art like Diana’s EXAMPLE above or…

a necklace like her example here.

The concept is to build your box & then design the dress of Briar Rose which in encapsulated in the box.  Above is mine in the process.  Don’t you adore that paper?  My friend Vickie had printed it on some really cool paper with amazing texture.  Below is my dress. IT IS HARD TO WORK IN SUCH A SMALL SCALE!

But, it was fun too.  I’ll show you a few more pretty frocks made in class. 

Brigitte is shown holding her beautiful blue gown.  And Terry’s little green “Beach Girl” is so cute.  To the right is my buddy Vickie’s pretty creamy creation.

My friend Diana Salvucci’s amazing creation(sorry it’s a tiny bit fuzzy)is so detailed.  Look at the ribbon embroidery she did & the beads… Oh the details & believe me it is HARD to work in this scale.  I borrowed the photos below from Diana.  They are the finished pieces from that day.  Well, as finished as we could get that day… MORE UNFINISHED PROJECTS!!!!  Now I need to create the necklace part of Birthday Rose so I can wear her & remember this day each time I do.

From left to right:  Jan Petek, Diana Salvucci-Smith, Julie Strohlman, Charlene Gray

From left to right:  Jody Cottrell, Vickie Orlando, Sandy Navarro, Cecelia Alvarado, Terry San Filippo, Brigitte Willse

When you are at Diana's… YOU KNOW you are in an Artist’s Studio

She is an amazing teacher & she gives her WHOLE HEART!!!!!   Tomorrow’s agenda… Remnants of the Past Antique Show.  But, as for this day… THE PERFECT BIRTHDAY!!! Surrounded by creating & friends… THANK YOU!!!!
HUGS! Charlene

My Birthday at Petite Retreat in San Luis Obispo

I just returned from the most AMAZING birthday weekend made possible by my beautiful friends & sweet Hubby!  Diana Frey had a wonderful weekend planned at her Art Retreat called Petite Retreat.  Both she & my gal pal Sandy made it a DREAM BIRTHDAY!!!!

I can not remember the last time I had a birthday party…. at least 20 or more years.  Diana served the most wonderful al fresco lunch & had the beautiful cake (above) from the famous Madonna Inn.   Yellow cake with whipped cream icing, white chocolate swirls & raspberries!  YUMMMMM!

She made me a birthday crown & I wore it proudly all through lunch & the opening of my many gifts.

There was a beautiful book from sweet Jody (I met Jody & Diana Salvucci-Smith at my very first class with Diana Frey back in 2009). 

In the picture (above this one) on the right shows me holding up the necklace (close up below)that my Ft Worth, TX buddy Cindy Craine had made for me (by Diana of course).  Cindy couldn’t come out for this class but, she’ll be with me next month when I come back out for Diana’s next class “Queens Ransom”.

It is one of Diana’s Heart to Heart Necklaces which she sells as a Tutorial or Kit  HERE Just click the link to learn more about it.  THANK YOU to both of you & know I will treasure it always. 

After class my special gal pals Vickie Orlando, Sandy & Joy took me to The Cracked Crab in Pissmo Beach.  We had the BEST time laughing & talking…. Killing 2 bottles of Joy’s personal choice in wine (she loves to go to different California vineyards & always knows the PERFECT choice in wines).  They ordered the special which was 2 BUCKETS of crabs, shrimp, lobster, mussels, sausage, potatoes, corn on the cob all DUMPED in the middle of the table.  We put on our bibs, picked up our mallets grabbed our crackers & went to town.  It was an amazing evening.  THANK YOU!!!!!  There were other goodies from them & I’ll have to share those later when I have time to photograph them but, the flowers below were from Joy & Vickie, waiting for me in my room at the B&B when I arrived.  STUNNING!!!!

  It is hard to believe that I did not know one of these precious souls before my art journey began.  Diana, found on her blog & instant LOVE when I saw her “Secret Shaker Doll Necklace Class” which I signed up for (2009)not knowing a soul & traveling over 1,600 miles to take a class sight unseen.  WHAT A BLESSING THAT WAS as it started the journey.  Sandy… found at Gilded Life in Dallas back in 2010.  Joy first found at Les Sierens in Manhattan Beach summer of 2010 & Vickie just this May at Affaire at Tiffany’s back in Manhattan Beach.   Since then I have reconnected with Susan Hunt, Jody & Diana Smith found at that very first Diana class…AND ADDED SO MANY MORE PRECIOUS ART SISTERS!!!!   Their LOVE & FRIENDSHIP MEANS THE WOLRD TO ME! 
Thank you for sharing my day & making it so very special.
HUGS!    CharleneMy Birthday In San Luis Obispo