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