My Heart's Ease

What’s On Your Workdesk?

2012-01-29T21:47:00.001-06:00

Mine is a MESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HOW could I create anything if I wanted too? The finished tassel from my Heart Strings Class with Diane Cook (OK, it was over 6 months ago but, I’ve played with it adding stuff & taking some of the silk strings off to balance “things”) And there are those wonderful fall colored beads (large reds/browns) for another project… And the fabulous fall colored pin (for yet a different project) peaking there on the bottom right corner… And that huge pile of BLING on the top right side………… A MESS!

There is my beautiful & EXPENSIVE turquoise beads that I finally got strung last week (remember my last post told you about going to Artful Bead & stringing these & the PMC Silve Clay piece I just finished. NOW I need to make silver links & a sterling hook closure to complete this piece. DO YOU HAVE MULTIPLE UNCOMPLETED PIECES LAYING AROUND? Or am I alone in this malady?

And do you love these colors? I went to the Gem Show in Ft. Worth a few weeks back & bought A LOT of these beauties as I have a project up my sleeve…

Here’s a little tease….

And more magic from Sandy playing with faux tin types…

Yes, my friend Sandy & I are going to teach a Vintage Coin Purse Necklace Class. After I helped Lisa make her necklace at the Christmas Party (click on the photo below to see that post) the subject of this class has come up many times with different people. And Sandy & I had been talking about putting something like this together for some time…

So, I’ll leave with a last little tease while I go put all those beads away so MAYBE I can get something done tomorrow. And since I did this post I found out there is actually a weekly party (named What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday) to see what is on peoples work desk so click HERE to join others to see what they have PILED UP!

And in the meantime… I’m waiting for Paper Cowgirls Registration to open so I can hop on the classes I want. AND I wanted to ask you… If you do photo collages what program do you use as Picnik is going to be closing April 19th & that is the program I have been using. HELP I need to find a new one. Have a great week my friends.

HUGS! Charlene

PMC Silver Clay Hydrangea Pendant

2012-01-24T12:19:00.001-06:00

I wanted to share with you the PMC Silver Clay hydrangea pendant I made for my friend Susan. I made this when I went to visit my sweet friend Janise in Austin last fall. This piece is sooooooooooo hard to photograph because without a flash (the photo up above) the photo is yellow.

With a flash… there is a burn or bright spot on the piece. If any of you are experts in photographing jewelry please give me some tips. But, on with the story of the pendant.

The clay is a mixture of FINE particles of silver mixed with a binding compound & water. You manipulate the clay to create the piece which is a green ware, fragile, ugly piece placed into a kiln for firing. What comes out is 99% pure silver. I used a stamp (found at Michaels) to create the flower part. I pressed the stamp into the clay & then went outside on Janise’s patio to pick the 2 leaves off her bushes. She showed me how to create the leaves for this pendant. Don’t you love the veins & how they showed up so clearly? Next came the stone…which started out as a beautiful blueish/purple color… Janise made that incredible bezel for the stone & I LOVE the way that turned out. But, this is where it took another turn. In the firing of the piece the stone turned that amber/red color (yes, the stones are CZ’s that are supposed to be fire safe). Was this the piece I thought it would be? NO! I had this more in mind…

With Art/Jewelry sometimes the piece will have a mind of it’s own & you just have to GO WITH IT~

While at the Gem Show in downtown Ft Worth (a couple of weeks ago) Cindy & I looked for just the right beads to go with the new pendant. I am very pleased with the ones I found & then made the decision that for all the jewelry classes I have taken NO ONE has covered stringing beads or the design process of putting all the pieces together with strung beads. Once in the very beginning I had asked Diana Frey & she had shown me quickly how to finish the piece I was playing with but, since then I had strung beads & had “ISSUE’S” with the crimp bead/wire slacking up & creating an ugly space. I went into Ft Worth & visited the gals at The Artful Bead (where I buy a lot of supplies) & had a class on stringing. I was so happy to learn that my biggest problem was using the cheap “base metal” crimp beads from Michaels & that the sterling silver crimps really to mold to the wire & HOLD it much better. And ya gotta LOVE the sterling crimp covers for a much better finish on a piece. So, with it all complete I gave to to my friend Susan (a belated Christmas present) when she was up here for a visit from Houston. SHE LOVED IT! And I had so much fun making it for her. THANK YOU JANISE! YOU ROCK!

And IF you are interested in learning about PMC Silver Clay my amazing friends Diana Frey & Riki Shumacher are teaching the bracelet shown above. The class will be in Riki’s studio February 18 & 19 in San Luis Obispo, CA. Girls, I can’t tell you how amazing these two teachers are. And how can you resist that bracelet???? Come JOIN US! Click HERE or HERE to go to the link for signing up. YOU WON’T BE SORRY!!!! I can’t wait as my gal pals SANDY NAVARRO & JOY CAMPBELL will be joining me & we are going to have such a great time creating this Valentine Beauty. So, tell YOUR VALENTINE this is what you want & COME PLAY WITH US!

Hugs! Charlene

Chattanooga, Tennessee FUN!

2012-01-15T18:38:00.002-06:00

Light shinning in through the beautiful old lobby…

A beautiful ceiling…. Where is this vintage beauty????

It is the beautiful old train station & now hotel of the infamous CHATTANOOGA CHOO CHOO in Chattanooga, Tennessee. On our Christmas trip (see previous post for Part 1) we also went to visit our friends Jo Ann & Mike that now live in Chattanooga. They took us around to see the sites including the old train station which you can see in the photo above. Along with the engine, & rail cars that are now hotel rooms. Each car has 2 rooms inside. And the silver car is the diner where you can have dinner in the diner!!!! CUTE! Then we piled in the car & took a tour of downtown admiring the old buildings. You KNOW I adore old architecture!

Leaving downtown behind we went across the bridge, parked & walked across the OLD bridge to view the river & some interesting things down in “The Arts District”.

Walking across you see Look Out Mountain in the distance, the bridge you drive across to come to this side, & that building on the left houses an INDOOR Merry Go Round.

Past that (as we’re walking across the bridge) we see The Delta Queen which used to be an old paddle boat that floated the Mississippi River. She was sold & brought to Chattanooga to become another “destination” style hotel. Do you see those glass peaks in the background? It is the new Aquarium that is touted to be TOP NOTCH & the city is very proud of it.

On the other side of the bridge you can see the columns of a beautiful old home that belonged to the gentleman that bought the recipe from Coca Cola to bottle Coke as we know it today. Originally Coke was used as a medicine but, by adding soda water it became a much loved beverage as it is today. The home was donated & all those modern buildings were added to become the current Art Museum for the city. That Tennessee River is really wide & running fast. NOT like the rivers here in parched/draught ridden Texas.

Now for some history!!! We went up to Look Out Mountain (remember it in the picture above?) & viewed the movie about “The Battle In The Clouds” which was a long & bloody Blue/Grey battle up the side of the mountain.

NOW, this area is a very upscale town that has to traverse a VERY CURY ROAD or use a monorail to get up or down. Can you imagine sending your child to school on the monorail?

How’s this for a view out your back door? The Tennessee River winding through Chattanooga below. Sprawled at your feet… Now, imagine being one of the foot soldiers (in the painting above) fighting your way UP that mountain or one sitting at the top trying to defend her…

The old battle ground now wraps itself around the top ridge of Look Out Mountain with cannons, a monument, & a very real since of the pain of the past.

With reminders sitting in the old fort area or even in people’s front yards (it is historical & you can not move the cannons if it is in your yard as it MUST stay where it was left & MANY of those fancy homes have them in yards both front & back).

Truly a time that was dark days for our nation but, when speaking of wars of today… my Hubby says “Better to fight them on their soil than on ours”. Can you imagine brothers fighting against each other? Americans fighting other Americans???? SAD & I hope we never revisit that time… Now on to a look on the other side of the park.

From the top of this point they say you can see 4 or 5 different states! Imagine!!!! You sure don’t get that here in Texas (where it can take you over 12 hours to just get out of the state!) THANK YOU Jo Ann & Mike we had so much fun! And I hope you enjoyed this little visit with us.

I’m sorry I am so behind in my posting but, I am trying to get caught up from our trip, close out our company books for the end of the year, & we are looking at property to build a new home (well, not really a home as we want out of the Home Owner’s Association & all that goes with it). We are looking for 2-3 acres where we can build a HUGE Barn to store the toys (RV, Deck Boat with solid top used for a diving platform & stargazing, 4 wheelers…) & to build a beautiful apartment inside with a huge Art Studio/Wood Shop. Click on the photo below (which is of course the concept) & you can see one of my Pinterest Boards of ideas for this type home.

This keeps a girl busy!!!! And away from her creating. I sure do miss it & all my buddies in BLOGLAND!

HUGS! Charlene

Grove Park Inn in Asheville, N.C.

2012-01-08T23:30:00.002-06:00

I promised to share with you our Christmas visit to Grove Park Inn. Above is the back of this Grande Dame! She was built from granite boulders hewn from Sunset Mountain, & opened in 1913. It took a crew of 400 men only 12 months to build the majestic landmark, dragging hundreds of tons of boulders up the mountainside with the aid of teams of mules, ropes and pulleys, wagons and a lone steam shovel. They just don’t make architecture like this anymore! Don’t you love the shape of the roofline & the shingles?

The hotel was the vision of E.W. Grove, a St. Louis entrepreneur who made his millions in the 1890s peddling an elixir called Grove’s Tasteless Chill Tonic There have been many American luminaries to have stayed here, a list that includes F. Scott Fitzgerald, Harry Houdini, Will Rogers, George Gershwin, Thomas Edison, Eleanor Roosevelt, Helen Keller and Henry Ford. Not to mention presidents — William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard M. Nixon, George H. W. Bush, William J. Clinton and Barack H. Obama.

It’s hard to believe today but, there was a time soon after WWII when the only thing that kept the Inn standing was the prohibitive cost of tearing it down. Fortunately, in 1955, the hotel caught the eye of a Dallas businessman named Charles Sammons. Under the stewardship of Sammons and his wife Elaine, the Inn was fully restored and, in 1973, it was named to the National Register of Historic Places. Mrs. Sammons was a lover of first class spa’s & her dream was to create a 5 star Spa & Resort. SHE DID ACHIEVE THIS! Above you can see one of the two wings added to create the new resort. In the center the stairs lead down to the Spa which is located underground under the glass pyramid.

The photo above is of the Spa seen from our room. A stunning view indeed. Our room was the third one from the end in the photo below.

We were on the Club Floor so we were at the top which gave us a beautiful view of downtown Asheville after overlooking part of the Golf Course.

Looking out the other direction you would look past the Course to see a beautiful old section of Asheville built in what I would guess to be the early 1900’s to 1930’s or so. And the views of the mountains never fail to make this flat lander sigh with joy.

The lobby Christmas tree was huge & always had a crowd around it.

Speaking of the lobby… it is decorated in a bit of Frank Loyd Wright style with the furnishings (really the entire Resort has that feel & decor). The fireplace is HUGE! Big enough that this 6 foot tall Texas Gal could have stood inside of it without having to stoop over! And they had a Yule Log burning every hour of the day while we were there.

Our room also had that feel. Below is our room the first night with our tree glowing in the window. The comfy leather furniture & the inviting fireplace was so lovely.

I’ll leave you with the lights of downtown Asheville twinkling in the sky painted with God’s amazing box of colors.

Did you enjoy this little glimpse of history & some of the photos of this magical place? I hope you’ll come back soon to see some more photos of the spa (my friend Ginger snuck her camera in as you are not supposed to have camera’s or cell phones down there). And I hope you remember this amazing place & if you are ever in the area… GO!!! STAY AT LEAST A DAY OR TWO!

Hugs! Charlene

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T16:15:00.001-06:00

I am wishing each & every one of my precious Friends/Blog Friends a Happy New Year!!!! What a blessing you have been in my life this year!!!! THANK YOU for each visit & comment you’ve left! I will be back soon with a post telling you about our Christmas. We left on Friday the 22nd & drove to North Carolina (retuning yesterday/Friday at 4:00PM) & that is why I haven’t been blogging with all of you this past week. I hope your Christmas was MERRY!!!!! Be Safe tonight as you ring in the New Year. I’m looking forward to a wonderful year with YOU in it!!!!

HUGS! Charlene

Art & Magic All Around

2011-12-22T22:36:00.002-06:00

Joy Indeed!!!!!!! Tuesday Night I was so blessed to be invited to my gal pal Lisa’s house. I know many of you know her from her AMAZING blog Tarnished & Tattered & her art shown in many magazines. I remember when I first talked her into starting that blog!!!! My how time flies… Anyway it was a fun night of seeing the beauty of her home (she had The Dallas Morning News to come out with a professional photographer & they did a great story on her & her home click HERE to see it).

Little vignettes set up all over her house. And they were darling.

MAGIC I’m telling you!!!! Silly me forgot my camera so I had to borrow photos from Lisa (with her permission). Don’t you love the silver trays over that entryway? I DO!

Her display case had MANY display’s & I thought that the one above was joyful (as the card reads). Lisa loves nature & often you will find little tidbits like that hornets nest or a bird nest, pod, or some such thing in her art.

Her bedroom was romantic & stunning! Soothing whites & creams.

She has an eye & can find the most amazing antiques ( & always at great prices). Look at that writing desk!!!!! Photo of her Momma, that dreamy old skirt & top, a beautiful fabric journal she created…

These two photos are of her little porch leading into her backyard!!! Yes going to the backyard (& right off her bedroom). Her beautiful pillows on the wicker sofa.

Lisa is an amazingly talented soul & if you don’t know her PLEASE GO VISIT & FALL IN LOVE! Be sure to tell her Charlene sent you. I forgot to tell you that she is also Momma to 6 year old triplets but, that doesn’t stop her from doing such sweet things like…

Making the best homemade & beautiful cookies for the party. And on that pretty tray below is the paper clay ornament she made for each of us. Tied with a little bit of vintage lace & a bleached bottle brush tree! SOOOOOOOOOOO SWEET!

I knew some of the girls at the party like my buddy Jan (below). She & I shared a hotel room when we took that KC Willis class a couple of weeks ago (a post about that is a bit further down) & we had so much fun. I don’t know what was up with my hair that night I think it had a mind of it’s own!!!!

And I met some really fun new friends as well as getting to see my Art Buddies Cami whom I haven’t seen in ages & Lori as well as Cindy too!!!!

We were all supposed to work on an Art project & many of drug in totes full of stuff to do. I think I’m the only one who created something but, how do you say no to a hostess as sweet as Lisa???? She had asked if I would help her make a necklace from an old coin purse (she had been dying to do so she said). Lisa, Jan, Cindy, Lori & I all sat in her studio laughing & talking until I got it pulled together. I think she was thrilled & Cindy wanted to know why I wasn’t teaching for her at Paper Cowgirls. And after a lot of arm twisting (the other girls said they were all interested) & thinking about it afterward I think I might just do that.

Again, THANK YOU LISA for a wonderful time. And to all the girls I met… I can’t wait to get to know you better. To those I know… let’s not wait so long to get together. Now I want to share some mail love.

When a package is this pretty on the outside (minus the big blue Priority Mail label) YOU KNOW it’s gonna be good inside (sorry I covered our addresses up with other cards to protect the innocent or……….. maybe not so innocent).

My precious friend Charlotte Perez is uber talented & generous to boot. I had seen her beautiful business card holders & coveted them. I asked her to make me a couple of them & they arrived in the mail last week. I ADORE THEM! They are made from old books aren’t they beautiful????

Do you just LOVE the colors? I DO!!!!

I guess I better get busy with finishing up this Christmas list! I hope each & every one of you have a wonderful time with friends & family as we all gather to remember the reason for this season! I love all of you my precious friends.

HUGS! Charlene

A Question From Elle

2011-12-18T16:26:00.002-06:00

Does this dress make my “bottom” look big?

Mommy & Daddy had the company Christmas party here at our house last night & they made me wear my new Christmas dress. I DID NOT LIKE IT! All that tulle & fluff following me around…

Daddy LOVED it & gave me lots of kisses so… I wore it & looked cute.

And I was wearing my red & green jingle bell collar too. I like that & so does Momma. She say’s she can hear where I’m at when I wear this. Let’s look at some of the holiday decor.

Remember the silver trees Momma bought in Canton? If you missed the post about that FABULOUS shop click HERE. Well, the old typewriter usually sits on that table but, Momma put it on the floor so she could put her new Winter Wishes Snowman up there. I LOVE to run by & grab a bite of that fluffy stuff as I rip through the living room…

This is Momma’s year off from having the “Big Christmas” here (she did “Big Thanksgiving”) so decorating is minimal.

She put a little tree on the kitchen counter because she loves the way the lights sparkle at night (it really makes that antique cut glass cider pitcher sparkle & shine). And a little gingerbread house up thee with the candy cane trees & poinsettia plant. Momma really LOVEs that funny little OLD GREEN JAR. It has old Christmas ornaments in it, a rusty lid & the word JOY on top. Daddy thinks Momma is crazy because she is always loving “Old” stuff.

A picture of Santa over the kitchen table makes it a happy room!

And then there is the BIG piece of furniture where Momma keeps a lot of her china & on top of that she put her favorite doll Noel. All dressed in her Christmas finery she sits on a vintage (OLD) sled. Go Here & Here to see the post back in 2009 when Momma got her.

Well, as you can see I’m given Momma the evil eye as it’s time to shed this dress. Hope you enjoyed the tour. And… don’t you think this dress makes my bottom look big? I hear Momma ask Daddy that all the time & IF he says yes, she takes it right off. Enjoy all the days of this special season.

HUGS! Charlene & Elle

KC Willis Collage Camp in Ft Worth

2011-12-13T20:18:00.002-06:00

Who needs the added stress of a 3 day class the first week of December????? Anyone who LOVES KC Willis! Yes, this Cowgirl rode her horse (OK! It was a blue pickup truck) from Colorado to teach her AMAZING Collage Camp! There were 7 LUCKY girls who spent 3 AMAZING days with KC!

Carole (front left) arranged for us to hold the class in North Ft Worth at her Country Club & it was a perfect location! THANK YOU Carole (be sure to click on her name & you will link to her site Flights of Fancy where she sells amazing fabrics & trims)!!!! And next to her is my pal Jan who drove up from Kerrville & surprised me! Next to her is KC, Diane, & Debbie(from Oklahoma City). The girls in the back… Kristi (up from San Antonio), Me, Cindy, & Jan. Monday night we left the club & headed for dinner at a local Mexican food place where we talked & talked. WHAT FUN!

The class had 3 projects & above is the class sample of KC’s Alter or Shrine. Only Kristi & Diane finished theirs in class. Jan, Cindy & I will be getting together after Christmas to complete ours. Below is Cindy’s partial Alter (I think…) I WAS A DUMMY & FORGOT TO BRING MY CAMERA so the photos I’m sharing were taken by Debbie or Cindy. Thanks for sharing girls! Anyway, KC has AMAZING Images & Quotes to go on the work. Also, we had a creative writing exercise to help us “learn to listen” to what your image is saying. GREAT EXERCISE!

I think the one below is Debbie’s because the pin says “Mother” & she used a family image. It was very difficult to photograph anything as the room was a bit dark & you HAD to use a flash (which burns the photo) but, you can get an idea of the COWGIRL GOODNESS!

KC brought a HUGE amount of stock to sell to stores she has accounts with & she let us dig through them & get first pick…. Sorry the fireplace was kind of messy but, you can see there is one piece of wonderful after another.

Here are some of Cindy’s examples of the wares available…

Don’t you love the piece on the left with the old buckle? It was from a ranch in Colorado that burned & in the barn KC salvaged all sorts of burned/rusted tack which she used & had in the “stash” for us to pull from. I got an old sleigh bell that was from a harness in the fire & I plan to put it on my Shrine (I’ll share photos later).

Again, look at the fabulous mixture of fabrics, images, lace, metal findings… YOU WILL NEVER LOOK AT FOUND OBJECTS THE SAME AFTER A KC CLASS!!!!!

One last image (above) of the class KC will be teaching in Oklahoma City next spring. Go visit her site & find out where this gal is teaching & get to one of her classes as THEY ROCK!

Now, it’s off to finish with some more Christmas prep. Are all of you running as far behind as I am? ENJOY THE SEASON & don’t just rush through it checking off your list. Listen to the sounds of the season, smell the smells, enjoy every single magical minute! I’ve missed you sweet friends & hope to get around to visiting you soon since I think I’m about to catch my breath a bit.

HUGS! Charlene

What’s Up?

2011-12-01T19:18:00.001-06:00

I got an email from a friend of mine that hadn’t heard from me in days… It said What’s UP? So, I thought I’d share.

In another email I got this silly cartoon & had to roar or cry at the one on the above left!!!! Anyone else having this same problem? My closet is full of things I don’t/can’t wear & with Christmas & the cold weather approaching I am busy working on this problem.

And the last one is sooooooooooooooooo TRUE!!!!! I wore a pair of shoes the other day that killed me! That cost me over $300 but, I’m weeding out what doesn’t fit or I don’t wear. Something in that closet has to give!

Thought I’d show a few of the things I bought… Purple???? I know… I haven’t bought purple in a long time but, loved this royal color in velvet. And new “Stretch” jeans. Does that make me an old lady??? Hope not but, it does make me a comfy one.

This oversized “Boyfriend” Cord Jacket in CHOCOLATE!

And the boot above also in CHOCOLATE!

I know, I know… I have Christmas shopping to do but, I NEED these things. Anyone else having the same problems?

As long as I was in the pampering mood… I went to get acrylic nails put on for the holidays. I used to wear them all the time (about 12 years or more) but, when I took them off to have surgery 5 years ago I didn’t put them back on. My nails grew strong & pretty long but, were never all the same length. And polish wouldn’t stay on so I decided what the heck!

I treated myself to a pedicure but, didn’t go this far out! Anyway, now you know what I’ve been up to what about you?

Next week I am so excited to say that I will be taking a 3 day class with KC Willis. I am sooooooooo excited that she is here in town! Yes, no travel involved (unless you count the terrible traffic right here in the Dallas/Ft Worth area travel). Here’s a sample of the projects. I CAN’T WAIT! I’m head out with a couple of gal pals & we’re gonna have a blast!

Cute isn’t it???? An alter/shrine that I am a bit on the fence about but, my buddy Jan is pumped about that class.

And last but, not least is the flag with WOMEN in place of the 50 stars. I think that is a COOL concept!

Check back to see how it all goes & be sure to visit KC’s site to find where she is teaching or to purchase that a class online. Have a great weekend! GO out & stimulate this economy like I have.

HUGS! Charlene

Memories in Rustic Hills of Texas

2011-11-26T14:50:00.001-06:00

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving this week! I have been sooooooooo busy with going to Austin last weekend to play PMC Silver Clay with my friend Janise & then getting home Monday with just 2 hours to spare before our niece & her hubby showed up from North Carolina. We spent the week just enjoying each other & eating our way through the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex! The pictures in this post share a few shots of our time down at the family “ranch” near Lake Whitney. I loved some of the photos our nephew Buzz captured for us. Hope you enjoy some of the shots showing the rustic Hill Country of Texas.

I LOVE this sweet girl & it was sooooooooo good to spend time with her! This is Amy & Chase her 10 year old Labrador that came with them. She used to breed Labs & it was not uncommon for them to have up to 14 adults at any one time (not to count many puppies). But, now she’s down to 4 & Chase was the “chosen child” to accompany them. He taught Ms Elle a thing or two about minding her manners! There’s nothing like a mature dog to put a “fresh kid” in her place. It was a cold damp day as you can see I am bundled up in Hubby’s coat.

The homemade rustic sign Hubby’s Dad made for the front gate…

Speaking of his Hubby’s Dad… The reason for this trip to the ranch was to bury the ashes of his Dad/Amy’s Granddad which was his last wishes… And I think this next photo so captures the mood of the day…

Cold, damp, grey(old grass), yet filled with green grass (the future). On to happier things…

An old barn made from railroad ties…

has been standing on this land for a VERY long time.

I just love the rustic ruggedness Buzz captured in the close up of this old rusty latch & SQUARE nail!

RUSTIC! Life so Hard!!!! So THANKFUL for all the conveniences we so take for granted today!!!!

So, as the road rises up to meet you… remember to be Thankful for all that you have… I didn’t get to say Happy Thanksgiving earlier but, I wanted to tell each & everyone of you how special you are to me & how THANKFUL I am that we have the chance to be friends over all the miles, the different landscapes, towns, states & so on but, Blogland makes us all neighbors. NOW, let’s look forward to a beautiful Christmas Season.

HUGS! Charlene

Diana Frey & Riki Schumacher

2011-11-18T09:14:00.001-06:00

Does that little beauty above make your HEART go pitter patter?

Make you loose your head?

Are you charmed by Charm Bracelets?

Bring the KEY to your heart & join us in February 2012 for A CHARMING ROMANCE taught in beautiful San Luis Obispo, CA where the beach is just a few minutes away, the company fun, & the teachers FREAKING AMAZING! Leave your winter blues at home & come play with us. This class will be taught in their private studio (how can you miss a chance to see that?) & will promise to be an amazing weekend learning to use PMC Silver Clay, techniques like embossing metals, using rivets, eyelets, miniature hardware, playing with patina’s & much more! So, contact Diana HERE or Riki HERE to reserve your space! HURRY! Tell Santa, use a little of that “stash” cash you keep just for yourself/just in case, tell your Valentine this makes you heart go pitter patter, whatever it takes… You won’t be sorry you did because in February you will be having a blast & come home with a piece you will LOVE to wear! See ya there!

HUGS! Charlene

Marble Falls Again!

2011-11-15T16:36:00.002-06:00

Another wonderful weekend spent in Marble Falls, Texas this past weekend! We loaded up the 5th wheel & headed south to take our French neighbors Daniele & Pierre (they have homes here & in France) to see this area we love so much. We always stay in an AMAZING park that sits on a peninsula of Texas Pink/Black granite that juts out into Lake LBJ. Above is looking out onto Lake LBJ from the granite & below is looking back at the HUGE MASS of stone going back to the park. At this point we were about half way between the lake & the park. HUGE I TELL YOU!

While we were there we went to visit The Texas White House which was the ranch where LBJ & Lady Bird Johnson lived. There were many parties, meetings, & times during his presidency that this place was shown in photos many of us would remember.

The weather was soooooooooooooooooo beautiful while we were there. I didn’t think we would have much color for fall this year due to the draught but, in some areas there was color. AND I LOVE FALL!!!!! The ranch tour was very interesting. I had not been on a tour since Lady Bird passed away in 2005. Since then they have opened the house for tours. Before, only the ranch property, the outer building, his car collection, old school, & dog trot cabin (where he was born) were on the tour. As long as Lady Bird was alive she lived there & no one could go near the house. It was very interesting to tour the property & imagine how times were back during “The Cold War”. The meetings that were held here & the decisions that were made. Also, we visited the Cold Spring Granite Company’s Quarry & Showroom.

Click HERE to see a previous post that shows some beautiful examples of the different granite colors. In the previous post I talked about visiting the Cold Springs Granite Quarry & showed HUGE slabs of amazing colors in different granite slabs. We went through their showroom & I thought I would share some of the ideas the designers had. I LOVE the granite countertop above with the clear glass bowl sink.

This is the pink/black granite I told you the area was famous for (the same as at our RV Park & it really looks different here than in the photos above doesn’t it?). I love the THICK & RUGGED look they used for this sink. What do you think?

And a different color (area) for this tub. It is stunning I think but, I bet it would be slick getting out.

Above is the fireplace in the showroom. There were different types of granite used & the area above the fireplace has a map of the lakes, dams, & area along the Colorado River where Marble Falls is located. This has been etched or carved into the granite. Different kitchens were done so you could see different styles. Below is one done in light colors.

And a beautiful green. Again using the THICK cut/look.

And this one had the Texas LONE STAR etched into the backsplash. And the burners of the gas stove set directly into the counter top.

The entire building was made from native white Texas Limestone & granite was used for accent.

At about $40 -$50 a square foot (that’s retail & I know they own the Quarry but, still… $$$$$$) That’s a lot of money.

Hubby loved the outdoor kitchen. Wouldn’t it be great to have this out by the pool?

Now, I have to decide if I want to redo my kitchen/master bath OR sell this house & build something else (that’s been our dilemma now for about 2 years). I KNOW one thing…. I WILL HAVE GRANITE! I love it. Hope you enjoyed this little trip to Marble Falls, TX (does the area look like you thought it would?). And I hope you got some ideas about granite/remodeling if you were in the market for ideas. HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

HUGS! Charlene

Laurie Anna’s Wonderland!

2011-11-07T19:46:00.002-06:00

On Friday Cindy & I took off for Canton to visit Laurie Anna’s. We had heard about this shop but, had never visited. We decided to make it #1 on our list & if we did nothing else… we did Laurie Anna’s. AND IT WAS SO WORTH IT!

Just look at those amazing pillows! And everyone who knows me knows I have a severe case of MANNI LOVE! And this one with the birds nest made my heart go pitter patter but, Not for sale. DARN!

And the photo below makes my heart jump in my throat as I WANT IT ALL!!!!! Those cabinets… YUMMY! And love the Christmas tree upside down! When we walked in we asked if we could take photos for our blogs & to share with each of you. Permission granted so you guys go to visit her blog & tell her you saw it here & LOVED IT!!!! Usually they don’t allow photos but I told her all you guys would LOVE to see it & many of you would put it on your “Wish List of Places to Visit” Canton, Texas every 1st Monday is where you can find them. Or visit her shop/blog HERE.

This table made my pocketbook quake as I had to have those tinsel trees!

All three sizes…

Don’t have a sweet vintage buggy to put them in but, oh how pretty they will be with the little snow man (the one with the boot on the table in the photo above this one) I bought to put next to them. Sweet Denis of Ruby Graces Blog scurried everywhere finding the trees as I bought the last small one they had. THANKS Denis!

One vignette after another…

Oh for the LOVE of the Farm Shelves stocked to the brim with WONDERFUL!!!! I want these shelves in my studio for the kitchen. WHEN OH WHEN?????

And could you lay your head down for sugar plums to dance here?

Or here? I loved the blue color of this room.

The vintage suitcases stacked high on the cupboard.

The tear drop trailer loaded with goodies. Goodies Everywhere!!!!

And let’s talk unusual lights…

The lights on the left are tiny mason jars that fit on a string of Christmas lights.

Baskets made into lights.

Snowshoes made into lights… Is this group of talented designers BLOWING YOUR MIND? They did mine!

Architectural pieces combined to create beauty at every turn. Let’s wander into the clothing area before I hyperventilate.

Soooooooooooo much to look at. I bought a top in that beautiful blue linen shown above. And a nightgown of the the most amazing white cotton with lace that I just adore.

White furry vests, creamy lace tops… Vintage shoes in an adorable vignette/cloche.

Let’s talk TREES in a corset. For a bedroom would this not just ROCK?

Old windows, curtains, soft lights… I’m dreaming of a White Christmas…

I wanted this Santos… to display jewelry on. What do you think?

And this concrete mermaid… BE STILL MY HEART!

Yes, she has the most amazing smelling French milled soaps that wandered into my bag. HOW did that happen?

The hands on the clock say tick tock it’s time for me to leave you. These last photos are of my favorite part of the whole store…

This tree was stunning. And again the architectural pieces singing to my heart. Saving the best for last…

The baby dresses framed & hung above. Magic!

I hope you enjoyed the trip as much as we did. We had a wonderful time & we want to thank Laurie Anna & her staff for creating the magic that will stay in our hearts. When you take vintage goodies, wonderful items for sale, creative souls & Christmas… YOU CAN’T HELP BUT MAKE MAGIC!

Hugs! Charlene

Autumn Bling

2011-11-03T19:27:00.002-05:00

The Memorial Service (for my Father in Law)is over. I AM TIRED! The family has gone home. Now I have some time for me & I have been wanting to share my “Fabulous” Autumn Bracelet that my friend Sandy & I made last Fall. She was out for a visit & had just helped host a Bracelet Swap for Silver Bella (that one was clear rhinestones). I LOVED IT! We both love Fall & Bling so much we decided to do one together in those wonderful Rich Autumn Colors! We each bought things we wanted on our bracelets & shared some with each other. So we have similar bracelets & I LOVE that. Above is a shot of mine close up. And below, the entire bracelet.

I think it is a little bit heavy (weight wise) for me & I am going to re-work it so things fall better. I have all the things to do a clear one (Go HERE to see that post by Sandy & be amazed at the beautiful things she shares on her blog). Here’s a little tease…

Aurora Borealis Bracelet on the far right is awesome too! Sandy is an amazing artist & even better friend. I think of you every time I see my beauty winking at me sweet girl. And this week I bought a few more Autumn inspired pieces (that just arrived) to play with for something else I’m dreaming up…

Hope you enjoyed the Bling today & have a wonderful weekend planned. I DO! Cindy & I are off to Canton for the 1st Monday Antique Fair… Stay tuned!

HUGS! Charlene

Binky La Fey

2011-10-29T12:07:00.002-05:00

After a bad week last week (Hubby’s Dad passed away) we decided to take off as planned with friends visiting from Tennessee (service is next week so it was sort of a limbo week & this took his mind off “stuff”). JoAnn & Mike came to the house & we hooked up the RV heading to The Hill Country in Central Texas. On Tuesday we woke to a beautiful day & headed to Llano. Theresa (at Garden Antiques Vintage) had told me about a shop there that is soooooooooo much fun. Binkey La Fey what a name for a shop but, it’s cute, fun & full of all kinds of goodies. They had Halloween to the max! Click on the orange writing above & link to the sites to see more.

A fun bottle display out front. LOVE the Two Witches Brew. WHY didn’t I buy that? Below is for Lulu, Cindy, & all of you who like spooky doll heads & parts……..

I LOVE YA but, don’t get ya! I think they’re spooky booky! Lulu, does the one below make your heart go pitter patter?

A bit more “normal” displays.

Of course “normal” to some is sooooo not to others (my Hubby thinks we’re all wacky)Those bed springs hanging with dyed crocheted doilies made him shake his head for sure.

I LOVED the idea of the suitcase on the wall to display the jewelry. Don’t YOU?

And the leggings below with the ruffles are cute (whose legs are really that short?). I would love this made MY SIZE! Just peeking out under a skirt or pair of pantaloons. Cute boots & apron (or is it a skirt?)

In another shop in Llano we found some cute altered lampshades (& a couple of linen tops popped into our bags).

Hope you enjoyed the trip to Llano & all the treasures we found. Also, hope you have a wonderful weekend & a Happy Halloween on Monday. The GRANDS will be here for burgers & chips to be followed up with TRICK OR TREATING! Always looking for a reason to “SUGAR THEM UP & SEND THEM HOME”!

HUGS! Charlene

Sunset At Lake LBJ

2011-10-26T09:52:00.003-05:00

There’s nothing better than waiting for the sunset! Sitting on the beautiful patio at the RV Park at Lake LBJ!

Sitting on the wall for a little better view.

Maybe the view from Daddy’s shoulder is better…

There it goes.

Gone! Why does that darn Electric Plant have to be in the way?

Wish we lived in that “little shack” above so that we would have this view every night!

Life is good as a spoiled little Havanese! Enjoy your week!

Charlene & Elle

State Fair of Texas

2011-10-20T21:11:00.002-05:00

HOWDY YA’LL WELCOME TO THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS! That’s what Big Tex (wearing the largest pair of blue jeans ever made) says when you walk into the fair. Wednesday was a bright, cool day & perfect to go to the fair. Hubby & I hadn’t been in a LONG time (we don’t like the neighborhood it’s in or the parking) but, our friends suggested riding the train. IT WAS PERFECT! Dropped us at the front gates of the fair. For 3 cans of food each(to be donated to the local food bank) we were in for $2.00 a person (a great deal as entrance fee is $16) Great to get a “deal” & know you are helping a good cause.

All Aboard!

We stopped along the rails in downtown Irving to walk a short block to a famous old DRUG STORE called Big State. They have an old timey soda fountain which our friends told us “fixes a mean breakfast or great hamburger with milkshakes or floats”. Since it was early we did the breakfast & it was wonderful. This family owned store was started in 1948 & was in this month’s Texas Highway Magazine. YUMMY food & a pancake as big as a dinner plate & 2 to 3 inches thick. You can see us all lined up at the bar!

Once at the fair we found Exhibit Halls full of History, Cars, Vendors selling all sorts of stuff…

From $12,000.00 vibrating chairs (yes, all 3 of the guys had to try that out). You can see Jerry(far back) & my honey are grinning from ear to ear but, look at our French neighbor Pierre (front) trying to figure out “WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON”. And talking about what the heck… WHAT is that on your head Jerry??? WHY would you make a ball cap (not one of my favorite things anyway) look like that? And WHY would you put that on your head?

And why would you take a vintage Ford Mustang & make it into a pool table?????

Or have “City Girls” try to milk a cow?

Speaking of cows… This exhibit is CARVED BUTTER! Bigger than life size all 100% butter. In a 40 degree HUGE cooler in the Arts & Crafts Exhibit Hall. AMAZING detail but, really…. BUTTER????? Paula Deen eat your heart out! But, look at the details. Even the roap was butter. Have you ever seen anything like this?

And Pierre wanted to see the Pig Races. Now that I could have done without but, everybody got to choose what to see so off we went to meet… Yes #4 is Forrest Grunt. Run Forrest Run (no he didn’t win). Hamma Montana did.

My favorite thing of all was the ride on the HUGE Ferris Wheel called The Texas Star.

It is a Dallas Landmark & I had never ridden it before. It is the tallest amusement ride in the western hemisphere standing 212 feet. Manufactured in Reggio Emilia, Italy & weighing in at 678,554 pounds. There is a total of 44 gondola's seating up to 6 people each. All of this giving us a perfect view of…

The Amphitheater below.

The Cotton Bowl where Oklahoma University & University of Texas explode each year in a ferrous rivalry. This was once the place where the Dallas Cowboys FIRST played football. We’ve come a long way baby if you look at Cowboy stadium today!

A beautiful shot of downtown Dallas all from the Texas Star Ferris Wheel.

I think I hear the train whistle blowing… or in other words, it’s time to say goodbye. Hope you enjoyed a day at The Texas State Fair! That parched Texas landscape is looking a little better after 3 nice rains (finally). Come back soon!

HUGS! Charlene

Fall Decor

2011-10-16T18:50:00.001-05:00

This is what I WISH the fall looked like in Texas! This photo was taken at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, N.C. a few years back. No matter how much I LOVE Fall… Texas doesn’t have much of one. And with the horrible summer & drought it is hard to get in the mood. But, I did get out my Fall & Halloween Decor.

A new addition has been added. A BLACK tree with pretty glowing ORANGE lights. And on the tree I have placed some wonderful images sent to me from Kris Hurst. SHE is an amazing artist that LOVES Halloween about as much as my sweet Lulu (speaking of Lulu I sent her Kris’s Halloween Calling Cards for her Birthday & I thought she would flip). Go visit Kris (HERE) & her Etsy shop to see all the fun things she has to offer. Great CD’s loaded with images. Below is a sample of the cards I sent to Lulu. Go HERE to see her Etsy Shop.

Back to the tree & the cute goodies from Kris…

At the top is one of my favorite cards which I want to believe is myself… choosing which broom to ride. And the hat as the topper is Ms Elle’s hat for Halloween.

See how cute is all of that? And I did 6 soldered ornaments of myself & friends the year we had a “Witch Party” in that top right photo you can see the one of me in my hat next to the cute Trick or Treat Flash Cards from Kris. The bottom left has my purple glittered Spells & Potions sign above the Calderon that CACKLES as you walk by.

And on top of my refrigerator is this adorable black metal witch (her lantern lights up with a tea light), my pumpkin arrangement, Scrabble letters, & my reproduction vintage pumpkin cans. Also, I LOVE the card “Best Friends” my friend JoAnn sent me one year (it comes out every year).

My cute witch candy dish sits on the counter in front of my sink. She makes me smile while I do the dishes & I am soooooooooo proud that I haven’t eaten one of those Almond Joys.

My breakfast nook chandi wears her cute fall shades & has a beautiful garland wrapped among the arms. And my table sports a much loved tablecloth & has a candle, pumpkin bowls & leaves in the middle. See the leaf plates on the plate rack? Those are great for salads, snacks or desserts.

The vintage hutch has so many goodies on it & I LOVE the arrangement & those two cute cards I had framed. The artist is Susan Wheeler & I LOVE her art!

The hutch holds my pumpkin tea set & those stunning blown glass pumpkins Hubby bought me in a Gallery in Asheville.

Just a tiny part of my collection of cut glass salts, salt shakers, & cruets. And behind those is a tin plate with a stunning fall scene on it. This was a gift from my sweet friend Nan of Retired in Alaska Blog.

So, here’s another shot from Asheville & me pretending I’m there (I’m sure one of those houses would be perfect). And wishing I had been at Jenn’s Event held there this weekend… but, my home is decorated & I stayed home to spend my 41st Anniversary with my sweet Hubby. As I told all my gal pals… You have to know when to NOT PUSH YOUR LUCK with Art Events! Hope you enjoyed a little glimpse into my home. Do you have yours decorated? I am linking with all the girls at Show Off Your Cottage Monday & Show & Tell Friday. Click the button below & go by & see what they are all up to.

HUGS! Charlene

Granite, Fun & A Weekend With Rain

2011-10-12T16:38:00.002-05:00

As all of you know Texas is in a severe draught. HOW do you end the draught??? Plan a weekend trip in the RV. Take the GRANDS to the lake, pull the boat, RV, pack up all the stuff…. And presto RAIN! It’s OK I’ll take the rain for the blown plans as we NEED it so desperately. So, what do you do instead? EXPLORE! Do you love Granite/Marble? Do you have those gorgeous counter tops at your house (or want them)?

Do you know what it looks like in the natural state? Well we were in Marble Falls, Texas & the entire area is surrounded by acres of Granite. Above is a whole hillside of it & you can see the surrounding dry acreage just barren from dry conditions (but, it didn't hurt that cactus any did it?). As you can see above, NOTHING grows on the granite.

Above huge “CHUNKS” sitting in the field after being mined. Some of them roughly broken & others have been mined to be huge square slabs. Each slab is numbered & waiting to be transported. Below you can see how it is cut out of the side of this mountain (almost looks like it’s been sliced doesn’t it?) & loaded into the rail cars. The Capitol of Texas was built out of the pink marble in this area (with convict labor as the the workers to mine it).

The company(Cold Springs Granite) that owns this mine has been in business since 1951. While driving back to town we found the showroom for Cold Springs & in the parking lot was HUGE slabs of different pieces of granite that has been sliced, polished & ready for US (you & I) to install it in our homes. Oh I looked in the showroom windows & I will be back to see all the amazing designs they showcase in the showroom.

You can see the size of these slices of granite as hubby is six foot tall… And below is the side of the slice so you can see the rough unpolished side.

Colors!!! Oh sooooooooooo many colors.

Green, Pink, Black & White (Loved that one & the quartz pieces that shot throughout the whole slice) Only $60 a square foot!!!! YIKES!

So, if you have granite, want granite, or just never thought much about granite… I hope I’ve shared a bit of insight into this amazing beauty of nature. Formed from huge amounts of pressure on the earth, thousands of years ago… a gift for us today. Hope you found this as interesting as the “GRANDS” did. They loved this trip.

Hugs, Charlene

The World IS A SMALL Place

2011-10-03T17:00:00.002-05:00

This is my New Gal Pal Angela & our story is a funny one…

When Cindy & I went to Austin to take Diane Cooks “Framed” Class (previous post if you missed it)there was a mystery student. Diane had told me before that there was student from the town where I live registered for the class but, that it was a man’s name. Did I know anyone by this last name(it is unusual)? I said “Yes” that’s my vets name but, she’s a woman…

Well, the day of class Diane said “No one has responded to my emails on the mystery student”. Pretty soon the doorbell rang & in walked Angela.

Now that in it’s self is not so unusual. What is unusual is that Angela & I had met at least 6 to 8 months ago. I had gone into Pottery Barn in Ft Worth & she was working there. She walked up to me & said “I KNOW YOU”. Hmmmm I had never met her before. She said “I read your blog all the time & I’m one of your stalkers”. We laughed & talked, promising to get in touch as we wanted to start a local Art Group (because she too has issue’s with her friends “getting” what she likes) We lost each others phone numbers, life got busy & in the way but, we had been wishing to hook up. It took her husband buying the class for her (as a surprise) & planning a weekend together in Austin for this to happen. She & I were so excited & have since hooked up. She is an amazing artist & we have SO MANY THINGS IN COMMON! Like Mermaid/Ocean LOVE!!!!

I have to show you the AWESOME Art Case (above)she made for attending classes & Art Events. Below she is sitting at her spot while Diana is teaching. The case is open so she can see all her treasures for creating.

Back of the case below.

And inside…

TREASURES!!!!!

A New Art Buddy…. PRICELESS!

Stay tuned for more info as we put together our Art Group. And if you are wondering if Angela has a Blog so you can learn more about her… NO! But, I’m workin on that.

HUGS! Charlene

“Framed” Class with Diane Cook

2011-09-29T10:59:00.002-05:00

Two little sisters holding hands… FRAMED in a Mother of Pearl Buckle.

WE were the LUCKY girls to take this class! It was in Austin, TX & taught in Janise’s home. Janise is AMAZING!!! She is also a PMC Silver Clay teacher & you know after Diana’s class I just took… I’m HOOKED on PMC! Janise & I already have a PMC Play dated planned.

Ms Diane brought all kinds of tools & information to share. SHE IS AN AMAZING TEACHER & FRIEND! Here she is teaching us to use a flex shaft to CAREFULLY drill the holes in the Mother of Pearl. This is Janise’s studio. IT ROCKS!

Table one has Diane helping Angela, Sue, my buddy Charlotte & at the end is Pat (another PMC pro). Below is our table with Rita, Konnie, Janise, & Cindy. Janise & her sister in law are also quilters so you see the “Stash” of fabrics, books & patterns. ART CAN SURROUND YOU & bring such joy. What I wouldn’t give for a studio like this to work in.

Diane brought many TREASURES to sell. Some already made pieces & components for us to buy/use in our creations.

4Sale.. Don’t you love her balls of Sari Silk? If you need some… CONTACT HER HERE

I LOVE both of these pairs of earrings. And don’t you love her card they are displayed on? Again, 2 sisters holding hands. This is a family photo & Diane uses the phrase “take my hand & we will learn” as her teaching motto. LOVE THAT GIRL!

And learn we did. This was Cindy’s first jewelry class ( it was an intermediate class but, she did a great job & I think she’s hooked) & it was baptism by fire! Literally!!!! Below you can see that she & Diane are torching the enamel work on a piece. Cindy’s hubby was worried about her using fire… NO NEED TO WORRY!!!! The other photo shows all the colors of enamel we had to work with. Remember this is FINE ground glass so you must never breathe it. Diane is so careful to teach all the safety aspects of every class.

And some of the finished pieces…

Only Janise finished hers completely (as she used a red set of rosary beads to be the necklace part). The rest of us went home with our finished focal points. I have been working on my piece to finish it & hope to show you soon.

I hope you’ll come back soon so I can share a funny story about the “Mystery Student” for this class. And share a cute vintage suitcase for supplies that she brought with her. This story shows what a truly small world we live in. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

HUGS! Charlene

Diana Frey Studio Tour

2011-09-15T13:35:00.002-05:00

As promised, this is the final post about my trip to San Luis Obispo, CA & the subject today is a quick peek into the studio of Diana Frey. Artist & Teacher Extraordinaire. Her studio is in her garage. YES! Imagine being able to sit in your outside studio & NOT SWEAT TO DEATH!!!!! Since today was 106 degrees (yes, we broke the 1980 record of the most above 100 degree days in a year) so I can’t imagine. Beautiful pots of flowers grace the entrance. And Chloe her mannequin was all decked out in a new prom dress & necklace.

And Chloe had a new necklace which was shown in the recent Bell Amore Magazine. I know Cindy will LOVE the bride necklace.

One of the first things to catch your eye on the right hand side is a HUGE shelf of stamps.

No lack of inspiration here! And since we were doing PMC Silver Clay & you use stamps… The possibilities were endless.

Behind that was a favorite of mine… a chandi she made in Sally Jeans Class in Washington. I Soooooooooooooooo LOVE this & want to do one too. I think Sally Jean is doing an online class for this in January!!!!!

Let’s look at a few more of her treasures.

A doll she made in another class.

Every where you look you will find treasures!!!!

On this precious shelf (above) that sits right in front of her work space you can see one goody after another. On the shelf is a darling bracelet that she had made with yet another German Doll Head… Does the wonder ever end??? NO!!!!!!!!!

More wonder… Surrounded with all of this how could you not be inspired?

Even inside the house the beauty continues. On her dinning room table there was the most unusual, SO DIANA, arrangement…

And on that sweet table behind this is another manni covered in creations.

My favorite being…

Now, DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE BEEN THERE???? I am telling you that IF you have the chance to take a class from Diana… RUN! Do not walk!!!! Be there for the time of your life! Thank you precious friend for sharing your home, studio, art, & talent with all of us. And most of all… for being MY FRIEND & MY MENTOR! LOVE YOU !

Hugs! Charlene

A New Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader & Remembering 9-11

2011-09-11T15:50:00.002-05:00

I’m just back from a jewelry class in Austin, TX with my buddy Diane Cook. IT WAS A GREAT CLASS!!!! And when Cindy & I got home this is what I found…

Daddy Darling & Ms Elle (dressed in her Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader outfit). Daddy Darling is of course in his LAZY BOY LOUNGER (On the phone as always) & Elle is resting at his feet. Everyone that knows us knows Elle has quiet the wardrobe & Daddy isn’t afraid to show it off (ever seen a big guy push a pink dog stroller through Lowe’s???? I HAVE).

And Momma’s not the only one with new jewelry from “Aunty Diane’s” class as Elle got a new black (above) collar with BLING & a new white one (below). No! Not from class but, from the groomers.

She’s one fancy/spoiled little Havanese don’t you think?

Now, on a more serious note… I want to say how today makes my heart hurt… Remembering 9-11 & the loss our country suffered. The loss of lives of so MANY souls. The loss of FREEDOM as we knew it! Almost a loss of innocence. Oh how false our sense of security was. I still remember where I was, the shock, the horror… But, I never want to forget… WAKE UP AMERICA! Thank you Channel 11 news for this photo I borrowed to remind everyone to remember… to come together as a nation & to be proud of who we are & what we have.

I will be back in a few days with the last post of my trip to California & give you a peek into Diana Frey’s AMAZING studio & then share the class from Diane Cook. Have a great week.

HUGS! Charlene

PMC Silver Clay & The LOVE of Diana Frey Continues!

2011-09-07T17:11:00.002-05:00

There are times that God intervenes & puts you in the right place at the right time. And that happened when I met Diana Frey March 2009. I had been through a rough time & I needed some new friends & a hobby that I could sink myself into. I had just started looking at Blogs (& had started mine) a few months before. And I saw this…

It was LOVE at first site! I had never done jewelry design before. I HAD DONE SOLDERING… I had taken (& since have taught) soldering. So that little charm with the music note (in the necklace above)… NO PROBLEM! But, the rest of it… Virgin Territory. I signed up for Diana’s class, bought an airline ticket, rented a car, talked a friend into joining me & we were off on our adventure (go HERE to see that trip).

I made mine (above) & have been a Diana Frey Fan ever since(Note: Sandy is obsessed & NOW MUST HAVE ONE TOO). I have been blessed to have taken MANY classes with Diana since. And BEST OF ALL to be blessed with having her as my FRIEND & MENTOR! She then introduced me to my precious friend Diane Cook here in Texas because she said we needed Art Sisters closer than California to tie us over between visits… Since that time Diane & I have become so very close & do a lot of things together (although we do live 5 hours apart) in Texas. Diana also introduced me to Riki who lives near Diana. Riki has become a dear friend too (she came down to go to Round Top with us). And precious Susan Hunt who took care of me in that very first class in 2009. Oh my California sisters of the soul how I LONG to be closer.

So when Diana (Ms Cutie herself in photo above) offered a PMC Silver Clay Class in her studio… Sandy & I were all over it! The plans began to come together. On August 27/28 we had the privilege to spend 2 days in the wonder of it all.

The tray above FILLED with the beauty of her work…

Pieces like the Copper Tube Bead (above) that she created in a class she had taken… And the bird house that reads “BLISS” Oh yes, it is BLISS to be around the talent of this magical soul.

This heart from another class where she worked all day on this one piece (it is hollow on the inside). Front Above.

And the Back also COVERED IN SILVER APPLIQUED PMC CLAY PIECES. STUNNING!!!!!

So the students (there were 8 lucky girls – Back row right is Susan, next to her is Sandy & I’m the tall one in the back) came to The Master to learn…

The bezel (right)created with the silver from the syringe & resin poured to fill & protect the image… You might think “oh that’s easy” NOT!!!! The box made with individual flowers that had been molded & then applied…

And this piece… THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF WORK that went into this. Each piece molded & applied.

The whole process is… you take a piece of clay (tiny VERY expensive package) & you roll it out or put it into molds & carefully work with it until it has dried, been sanded (in a fragile green ware state), fired, cleaned, hardened, & polished. It is then ready to hang your crystal bead below it & your post above it to create a pair of earrings that you will be proud to say “I MADE THIS”. Or for the pair on the left (that I did) set a stone in before it is fired.

Which ended up looking like this (I don’t know if these are mine or Sandy’s as we both did a pair).

There’s never a minute she doesn’t look like a million bucks! Here’s Diana taking a bunch of our goodies out of the kiln. Oh yeah… ANOTHER TOOL NEEDED!!!!! And baby, that’s a BIG ONE (price wise). The PMC Clay is made of ground silver, a binder, & water. Once made into the piece & fired it comes out to be 99% silver.

Is your heart beating a little faster now? While looking at that bracelet above? I have begged Diana to teach this bracelet class again. Sandy & I want to do it & know that Cindy Craine & Charlotte Perez NEED this class too. Diana, that’s half a class already full… GIRLFRIEND DO YA HEAR ME NOW???? Hee Hee!

And this is a ring (left) made by an artist Diana & I met at Adorn Me. I LOVE IT & NEED ONE! Diana please send me her info. And the piece on the right is one that was on the tray as an example & for some reason it calls to me. Now, let’s look at a few of my pieces that I made.

A bracelet focal point.

A beautiful bird soaring with wide spread wings.

Some small pieces on the left that will be used on other things & on the right a piece for a necklace “Let Your Heart Take Flight”.

Another pair of earrings. And below, is Sandy’s AMAZING piece. It is large & made to go on a necklace. Each thing you see is an individual piece that has been layered onto that base piece. Instead of making a lot of small components, she made one MAJOR FOCAL PIECE! GOOD JOB!

And then below is my friend Susan’s pieces for the bracelet she is going to make. This was her second class with Diana & gives me much hope that I too will be able to master this with some more practice. Susan, I can’t wait to see this finished & envy you being able to get together with Diana to play since you live so close. Although after all the tedious cutting out & stone setting on these pieces she assured me she would NOT be playing with PMC Clay any time soon.

I hope you enjoyed seeing the things from the class. I had such a great time being there. I am off again for another class this weekend with Diane Cook. Hubby is pouting about being left home again but, it’s a quick trip to Austin & back. Pray that the wild fires have been controlled & we have a safe trip back… Next week I’ll do a post about Diana’s studio & some of the treasures to be found in there. Also, I hope to have some photos of the class with Diane. Have a great weekend.

HUGS! Charlene

More California Fun!

2011-09-05T14:02:00.002-05:00

Did all that BLING catch your attention? IT DID MINE!!! And I can tell you Ms Sandy is a BLING kinda girl! From the treasure box above (this was on a shelf in my room) to her clothes, car & I guess her whole world… I wanted to share a few shots of the treasures she has created & placed in MY ROOM! FABULOUS is her word & loved the feathered fan & FABULOUS BLING pin.

Here’s a sweet shelf on her bookcase with her Vintage Glam book which was a class she taught. Some sweet little shoes, some wooden spools… shelves of treasures!

A photo of her Momma, a sweet “Nest” sign & the soap… ELLE like my sweet puppies name!

More treasures are stashed above… the feathered crown (from Gilded Life Event when she came to see me in Texas), some wonderful cabinet cards (oh I want copies of some of those), a cute soldered box (we crafted one whole day & made a smaller version of that) & that glittered cone on the left was amazing! Yes, Sandy that’s the little girl I love to the left of the cone…. And that’s her grandparents wedding photo on that amazing piece on the cone. She did those in a class by Deb Hodge at The Urban Barn a few months back.

Her Manni with another crown from a Gilded Life class we did together & more of her jewelry draped around the manni’s neck. Even her bra is BLING!

While there she was the hostess with the mostess. We went so many places (I have shared 2 posts already about some of the places so check them out) & on day 2 after Urban Barn we went to Laguna Beach & drove around to see how the “elite” live. And then we went to see The Pageant of The Masters (click on title for a link to see the site)which is an amazing outdoor performance where they use human actors & put them INTO works of art creating an amazing 3D piece of art on stage. The theme this year was “Only Make Believe”. Complete with fire breathing dragons, fairies, knights on horseback… So much fun! And before we went to the show we stopped at a cute 50’s style burger place & the view below was from our table on the rooftop.

Looks like a burger place view where you live doesn’t it???? Yeah… I told ya this is how the elite live. Day 3 we hopped in the car & headed about 4 hours north to Morro Bay to shop at Lina G’s . If you click on the name/link you will go to her FaceBook page & on the left column is her EBay listing link. She has lots of things for sale. Happy Hunting!

A TINY shop PACKED to the gills with vintage trims & treasures. From floor to ceiling STUFFED!!!!!

Trims, Yarn, Silk Flowers, Beading, Buttons, Lace...

And display cases FILLED with tons of stuff…

BLINKG studded buckles, lady head vases, vintage beaded flowers, spools of gold thread & a derringer. YES! A GUN! I’m telling you she has everything you can imagine & then some.

I don’t think I have ever seen such an eclectic mix of treasures before! Hope you enjoyed this little part of my summer California trip. NEXT will be my PMC Silver Clay Class with Diana Frey! Be sure to come back!

Have a safe & Happy Labor Day!

HUGS! Charlene

We LOVE The Urban Barn!

2011-08-30T13:55:00.002-05:00

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!

2011-08-29T03:58:00.003-05:00

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

2011-08-18T17:47:00.002-05:00

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

Lake Ray Roberts Cools The Heat!

2011-08-15T13:49:00.002-05:00

This past weekend Hubby & I tried to escape the heat with a quick trip to Lake Ray Roberts which is about an hour & half north of us. We took our friends Jerry & Ginger (the ones that share their pool with us as seen in previous post). We left about noon after Hubby had gone to see the oldest GRAND in a football scrimmage… (does anyone besides me think it insane that coaches take young athletes & put them through 2 a day training in DAYS OF 100 plus degree heat????) Oh well….OFF we go happy as larks to get away.

This photo of the trees along the path down to the lake says it all! The heat has taken it’s toll on everything!

Well, the boat wouldn’t start & we were all so frustrated. Hubby says she is going to the shop as he won’t have a boat (or anything else that won’t start when he turns the key). I bet she just needs a tune up but, still it was disappointing to not be out on the lake with wind in our hair.

But, I did want to share some of the beauty of the sunset over the water with you. Do you love a pretty sunset as much as I do? Does water soothe your soul like it does mine?

Do you wonder at the colors available in GOD’s Paint Box?

The place that we stayed was really pretty. It is located in a State Park. The name of the resort is Lantana & you can click on the name for the link to it.

A site with stunning views of the water, a great restaurant, nice rooms (rustic but, nice) & we really enjoyed our stay.

I took the photo above standing on the point of the patio (below) & it is such a beautiful place. We sat on the patio (just to the right of the photo below) & played cards until midnight.

What ran us off at midnight? The boys won the card game & a snake showed up for dinner on the patio (just like we did!). As we scurried off to our room we saw an armadillo (baby) over by our rooms. We also saw the young couple we had met down on the dock returning from fishing. And there was a couple our age that came to watch the meteor shower that was supposed to be taking place that night. So, see… many reasons to come to the lake & fun for all! Hope you enjoyed the photos & seeing how we are coping with this horrible heat. UPDATE: We did get one 10 hour period of rain on Friday night. It was a blessing indeed. Did it fix the draught? NO! Of course not but, it was a BEAUTIFUL site to behold. SEND US SOME MORE RAIN & COOLER TEMPS!

HUGS! Charlene

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER!

2011-08-08T15:20:00.002-05:00

Elle wants you to know that these are indeed the DOG DAYS OF SUMMER! Or as the song says “Hot Times in the Summer Time”.

WOW IS IT HOT HERE IN TEXAS!!!!! Tomorrow marks 40 some days of heat registering OVER 100 degrees with another WEEK of the same in the forecast. Often between 108 –112!

And how do we stay cool????? Like Elle we put on our swimsuits & head to our neighbors pool!!!! That’s the only way to beat this heat! Grab a noodle & come on in….

Elle just loves to swim! And she is one stylin little girl let me tell you! Can you believe she is 10 months old now? And this cute suit & towel is found at Build A Bear Workshop which has great outfits for little dogs… There’s even a place for their tail to go through like on this suit.

And when I’m not swimming, I’m enjoying the online workshop Bo Ho Bliss by my friend Deryn Mentock. Check it out & see if it’s something you can’t live without!

Hope you’re staying cool~ And for all of you that have cool weather or rain…. SEND IT DOWN HERE!!!! We’re cookin!

HUGS! Charlene & Elle

So Where The Heck Have I Been?

2011-07-26T10:34:00.002-05:00

Houston, Texas to begin with…. I MISSED YOU GUYS! I have been reading some of your blogs but, I’ve been uber busy. It started 2 weeks ago when I went with Hubby to Houston for him to work. Let’s start there… We pulled our new RV down & stayed in a lovely RV park near Pearland which is south of downtown. Pool, hot tub, grills, horseshoes… this place had it all. Luxury RV’ing for sure! And then…

And invitation to join my precious friend Diane Cook of Rosa & Josie’s for her monthly meeting of THE ROWDY ART SISTERS ART Groups monthly meeting! What a fun bunch of ladies! Above is the image that appears on all of their Art Aprons that they wear each meeting.

This month it was Diane’s turn to host/teach the project & above is her sample. Don’t you adore the little girl in the resin piece? I DO! And I love the rest of it too. The way she finished out that piece of brass heart just set the tone for a precious focal point! Diane is an amazing FRIEND & teacher. Be sure to click on her name above & go visit her to see where all she is teaching. If you have a chance… TAKE ONE OF HER CLASSES!

We met in Kathleen Wedemeyer’s studio which is over the top(click on her name to link to her)! She has “STUFF” … WONDERFUL STUFF EVERYWHERE! And her studio is huge! This is JUST ONE ROOM of it. See the fabric curtain in the back left… another WHOLE ROOM of supplies. And then there is another large storage room for big things like ceiling tiles. On the back wall you can see some of her amazing art hanging on the walls. SHE IS ONE TALENTED GAL! Her studio is located behind her darling stone home & gardens. AMAZING!!!! Her home is like walking into an art dream… Everywhere you look it is over the top decor. I wish I had brought my camera that day but, I didn’t so I am using the photos Diane took to share the day (THANKS DIANE). Kathleen & I first met at ADORN ME two years ago when we took two of Diane’s classes there.

That’s Kathleen on the front left. And you can see me & my buddy Agnes (who I get to hang out with at Round Top every year & at many of Diane’s classes) on the right. This shows some of Kathleen’s goodies on the wall a little closer up.

Everybody working hard…

Our finished watch faces filled with our images & ICE Resin. Mine is that sweet little girl in the center front row. I LOVE HER! I did not set mine in the beautiful piece of brass filigree because I haven’t decided if she will go on an etched cuff bracelet… or if I will use some of the amazing beads that I bought at the Gem Show (can you see a future post there?) that I went to a couple of days later. Indecision stops soooooooooooooooo much creativity for me. DO YOU HAVE THAT SAME ROAD BLOCK? If not… please share how YOU push through that step of creating.

This is Kathleen’s finished piece (Diane went back the next day to help her finish hers). LOVE the image with the gear behind her. And the words… Artist……………….. Good Job Kathleen! Thank you to all you Rowdy Art Sisters for letting me join in your fun day!!!! THIS IS WORTH A MONTHLY DRIVE TO HOUSTON ! Don’t ya think??? They said I could join. And I’m thinkin I should too! NOW……… I must get back to piles of laundry & mail. Not to mention 2 weeks of billing for the company. After a week in Houston we hooked up with Diane & her hubby for a week of RV fun in Kerrville. Lot’s more photos & fun to post about soon.

HUGS! Charlene

Starfish MAGIC!

2011-07-06T18:41:00.002-05:00

My birthday present from sweet Sandy arrived & when I opened it I SQUEALED with delight when I saw this AMAZING Starfish! She KNOWS how I adore all things coastal & when my BDay was approaching she went on a quest…

I LOVE the uniqueness of this treasure. From the candlestick base (with aged BLING) to the watch face & the added BLING at the base. I had sent Sandy on a shell box seeking mission a few weeks back(California so had better selections that landlocked Texas) & I used some of those as my backdrop for this shot. Sandy said she was in desperate hunt mode when she & Robin hit Christie Repasy’s show Vintage Market Place in Rainbow, CA. They went through the whole show & didn’t find what she wanted. She said “I promised Robin we would leave after I made one more pass through all the booths”. AND THIS IS WHAT SHE FOUND…

A fabulous booth by Debbie of Blossom Vintage Chic!

Beautiful treasures at every turn. And right in the middle…

A closer look…

Sandy said she almost missed it!!!! OH NO!!!!!! I can tell you that this little beauty is HARD to photograph to it’s amazing potential!!!! Debbie used such creativity to put this together! None of the photos (mine or Debbie’s) do it justice.

In my master bathroom I have a ledge over my garden tub & in this little nook I have my Sea Treasures. At night I love to light the candles & enjoy my different little jewels. Below is a little glimpse of the selections by day.

I’ll share a few close ups…

Left top is my shell bird house, Top right is a stunning piece of china with shells that I found in Round Top, also on top of the glass jar is my head band (with starfish) that I made at the Kim Caldwell's Art Event Les Sirens' in summer of 2010, bottom left my mermaid, & bottom right is the coastal bird nest that Sandy gave me for Christmas. That artists’ name is Vicki Boster & you can visit her HERE!

My little vintage French lamp shade on that candlestick lamp is so shabby wonderful & I ADORE the HUGE Starfish I purchased from Vignette's Antique (in San Diego, CA)thank you Lori you & the store ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!! And speaking of treasures from Lori…

Love both of these & you can see the base from my Starfish from Sandy. LOVE the patina on it!

I’ll leave you with the nighttime view. Pretty isn’t it?

THANK YOU SANDY for your thoughtful gift. Thank you Debbie for your creativity, thank you Lori for having treasures to ship to this landlocked mermaid stranded in a 107 degree Texas summer…

It’s just me dreaming of the central California Coast & wishing I was there!

HUGS! Charlene

When You Celebrate Your Birthday All Month Long… Are You Older?

2011-06-29T19:11:00.002-05:00

I LOVE the image of the girls on my BDay card from sweet Sandy. This seems to capture the essence of how I felt each & every time I was wished Happy Birthday. The happiness & giddy feeling you get when you spend time with someone who “GETS YOU”!

My birthday was June 1 & the celebrating began (& contines with lunch this Friday with my gal pal Jan… A WHOLE MONTH of BDay) with some of my girlie pals coming into town for The Gilded Life Event. I picked Sherry up at the airport & we headed to Dallas to hook up with Lulu & Kim. They treated me to lunch at one of my favorite places called Celebration Restaurant. I guess I’m not doing too bad for ALL THOSE BIRTHDAY’S!

I was a silly girl & forgot my camera but, Sherry got some good shots (thanks sweetie!). That is Lulu & I just huggin like we hadn’t seen each other in 4EVER (we were roomies in March/California for Moulin Rouge Art Event) I just hated that we didn’t get a GROUP shot of the 4 of us! WHAT WERE WE THINKING?

I wanted to show you the necklace that Lulu created for my birthday… MERMAID…. Can you imagine that? She knows how much I love my mermaids & she made a bolo style necklace with the most amazing mermaid bead as the focal point. Mixing in the silver & pearls. THANK YOU SWEET GIRL! Be sure & go HERE & see some more of her beautiful work. I’ll warn you though… don’t let that innocent face fool you. She’s a HOOT & LOVES all the spooky things in life (Halloween) in fact, she just came back from Spooky Time Jingle Convention.

And the frothy beauty of that scarf (with tiny flecks of silver that wink as they catch the light) is the first thing that Precious Sherry sent to me. And that ring… SHE KNEW how I loved the black, Bling & pearls… See how it would have matched the outfit I was wearing at lunch? She was so cute & said “I have to mail your gift because it hadn’t arrived when I left to come to Dallas. IT’s probably sitting on my porch right now" Below is a photo of beautiful Sherry who’s a true southern girl that’s as pretty inside as she is out. Thank you Sherry I’ll think of you each time I wear these.

Kim also came bearing gifts but, I’m saving hers for a post for Pink Saturday. Bet ya can’t guess what color it was.

I have to mention that sweet Cindy got me an adorable lace top & we have a “Girls Day” planned to embellish it (she got herself one too & we want to just kick them up a notch). My friend Susan came up last week to visit from Houston & brought me some tiny but, stunning pearl earrings that just didn’t photograph well. I guess I’ll have to share those sometime when I’m wearing them. MS SANDY outdid herself & that is also ANOTHER POST TO COME! But, as I said to each of these precious souls… THE GIFT OF THEIR FRIENDSHIP IS WHAT I TREASURE MOST! And my favorite saying is

God gives us our families but we choose our friends!

And I have some great ones! Thank you to each & everyone of you!

HUGS! Charlene

Pretty Pink from Cassandra for Pink Saturday

2011-06-24T19:00:00.005-05:00

Hello my sweets!!!! Sorry I’ve been MIA in Blogland but, I have had company & then some more company… And while I’ve been out eating & playing I’ve missed my friends here. I had my precious friend Susan here for 5 whole days & we had a blast! But, let’s show you some Pretty Pink for Pink Saturday!

Back in March while attending Moulin Rouge Art Event in California (by the fabulous Kim Caldwell) I won the door prize given by Cassandra of An Artful Adventure. And this stunning box is full of TREASURES! Wonderful lace & old fiber treasures! THANK YOU Cassandra! I love them all but, just can’t make myself use any of it!!!! Look how she stuffed it full of millinery flowers, old lace, tatting, shinny fibers… all calling calling calling to me! But, for now it’s all in my guestroom on the dresser where when I pass I see the beautiful pieces of BLING winking at me.

I did get some of the coastal goodies I ordered from Lori last week & I ADORE THEM!!!! Also come back soon to see photos of some of the sweet presents sent to my by some of my buddies for my birthday a couple of weeks ago. And I hope you will go & join Beverly & the other girls playing in the Pink! Just click the button to link to them.

Stay cool & enjoy your weekend.

HUGS! Charlene

Beach Dreams & Shopping To Make Them True

2011-06-17T10:30:00.002-05:00

What is a girl to do when it’s sooooooooooooooo HOT outside? SHOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have spent days sitting at my computer finding treasures to make my Sea Dreams Come True!

I bought that beautiful BLING Nautilus Shell from

(Click on button to start your very own shopping spree!)

As many of you know I LOVE the Ocean/Beach & dream of living close to it but, I am a LANDLOCKED MERMAID here in Texas. So, I have decided to decorate the bedroom of our new 5th wheel RV in a beach theme. I also have BEACH in my Master Bathroom at home & see it creeping into other areas of the house.

AND THEN BE STILL MY HEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I found this! Remember me telling you about Vignettes Antiques in San Diego, CA when I was with Kim Caldwell & the girls from Moulin Rouge Art Event (HERE for that post) well I shopped there yesterday… via the internet & phone.

The 2 HUGE Starfish (they are approx 12” across) in the photo above ARE MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And then Lori (precious owner of Vignettes) is getting me prices on a number of those beauties in the Sea Horse Bird Bath above!

I don’t NEED this mirror but, I WANT it! I think it would be amazing in my bathroom! To bring that home I would certainly need the RV for transporting it… ROAD TRIP!!!!!

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN SUCH MAGIC!?!?!?!?!?!?

One last look at MY starfish…

Won’t they be splendid with the coverlet above? I didn’t buy all the pieces but, did buy the shell covered throw (HERE) for the bottom of the bed.

And this Matelasse Coverlet in WHITE is my base piece. You say “why would you put white on your bed” when your hubby is messy & Elle sleeps with you? I CAN BLEACH IT!!!! I love the shells stitched into the coverlet…

And this beauty from Pottery Barn! The crewel work embroidery on it is STUNNING!

A few flameless candles… And things are coming together. Stay tuned for some more fabulous beach/shell items to come! Go visit Vignettes & Coastal Home Decor to see what you can’t live without…

In the meantime, I’m shopping & trying to stay cool!

HUGS! Charlene

And since I haven’t joined Cindy in a LONG time & I do love her Show & Tell Friday I think this post shows some of my tells so… go check out the other girls playing by clicking on the button above.

You Couldn’t Wipe The Smile Off Her Face!

2011-06-13T17:54:00.002-05:00

Ms Elle was thinking life was pretty good while she rode around Lake Texoma last week! This lake is HUGE! It straddles the border of Texas & Oklahoma & has MILES of cool water! And it’s a good thing because it is hard being a little black dog when it’s super hot. Momma had to keep Ms Elle wet to keep her cool outside. Above you see her surveying the lake from “her perch” on the back of the boat.

Sometimes she would just sit on the seat & look out the front.

When Daddy goes fast it makes wind in you hair! But, it doesn’t bother your nap if you ear is flying up over your head….

Last week we took our “Maiden Voyage” with our new Outback 5th Wheel Trailer & our son pulled our deck boat. This gave us a place to stay right on the lake & it was perfect.

The Captain & his First Mates were ready to hit the water.

“Little Bit” held Ms Elle.

It wasn’t long & The Captain killed the engine & those two mates SCURRIED up that ladder as fast as they could (that hard top holds 600 pounds & is perfect as a diving platform & stargazing perch). Soon the sound of “The Flying Frog” could be heard… Thud Thud Thud SPLASH!

Pretty soon… it was toes up in the water.

We are looking forward to a lot more fun with these guys this summer.

In the mean time… Elle & I plan on being wet to stay cool, no makeup, swimsuits & a hat…

What do you have planned for this summer?

STAY COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s supposed to be 101 tomorrow & the next day! And WHY do I live in Texas in the summer?????????

HUGS! Charlene

Pink Saturday & A Few Treasures!

2011-06-10T15:04:00.002-05:00

Could you pass up this pillow????

I COULDN’T!!!!

And what about all those others? I have been wanting to share these darlings with you & thought Pink Saturday was the perfect place to do it. And another one that HAD to come home with me.

And here’s another one… Don’t be tellin Hubby!

I know this one isn’t pink but, come on… how could I not share her? Where did they come from?

Glitter Market at The Paper Crown in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma My amazingly talented friend Jackie of Good Grief Girdie had tables full of treasures. I had to borrow photos from her because when I walked in the door 3 minutes after it opened… it was already totally covered with people(who had been standing in line & then they MOBBED her table)! I couldn’t even see what all I wanted. If it wasn’t for my long arms reaching OVER people… I wouldn’t have gotten what I did! Click above on Good Grief Gertie to see more photos from the event.

The dresser in my guest room shows off 2 of these little jewels.

And the other one sits on a display shelf next to my recliner(along with a few other treasures I love).

One more goody I got that day… This sweet vintage butter dish with the German porcelain doll head is hanging in my kitchen. Hubby is just not loving all the doll heads but, they are a touchstone to my precious Grandmother that bought a kit & made me one of these dolls along with an entire wardrobe…

Hope you’ll click on the button & go join Beverly & the other girls playing in the Pink today!

HUGS! Charlene

Shopping … Otherwise Known As Hotter Than Hell In Canton!

2011-06-05T18:09:00.002-05:00

A girl has to love her junkin or her friends…. OR BOTH to go to Canton, Texas in JUNE!!!!! But, Cindy & I both set out at 7 AM Friday to hook up with our buddies Lulu, Kim & Sherry who were all here for the The Art of Spring Event held by Shea & Debbie at The Church. I have had the joy of attending these events many times before but, since this was my Birthday Weekend… hubby had plans for us so a day of shopping was my quick fix for hooking up with my peeps! Most of the attendee’s rode the luxury 55 passenger bus provided but, Lulu, Kim, & Sherry came in the car as Lulu wanted to go to Winnie & Tallulah's Antique Mall in Athens (about 20 minutes south of Canton) to meet up with a blogging buddy she had to meet! OK! Let’s get on with this…

Deidra & Cathy (above) owners of Girls Gone Junkin are so blasted talented & I love their style of dress. So artsy! No cookie cutter look for these girls.

For those of you who know me well… you know I am a Manni Junky. NEVER ENOUGH WELL DRESSED MANNI’s & these girls have one I wanted to just DANCE off with. Covered in cute pins for sale. I ADORED THE WEDDING DRESS THEY USED TO DRESS HER UP!

Another wonder… Do you love the bag? Kim & I drooled over the lacey goodness of it for quiet sometime. The inside had pockets made from vintage dresser scarves.

See the necklaces on this manni? I have been making necklaces from salt shakers for quiet sometime but, had to buy one of these… of course I have to change it because I HATE the style of chain they have them on. I want to add wire wrapped beads, pearls, & other goodies! A shot below of some of the different styles & one with Cindy holding them so you can see the size comparison with her hands.

A shot of the booth on the furniture side. And below one of the beautiful vignettes they had to show off some of these goodies.

Moving along…

A stop at The Vintage Raven to visit Donna who is a friend of Kim's. In fact she buys jewelry from Kim to sell in her shop/online. Below is a couple of Kim’s necklaces for sale in the booth at Canton. And Donna has created some adorable clothes with vintage doilies & lace… Cindy bought an AMAZING full length dress in multiple colors & it is adorable on her. I will try to get a photo of her in it soon & show it to you. But, I did love that white one on the left.

Isn’t it funny how we all sort of do similar things? Sandy & I have been eyeing this cute Manni on Etsy & there is the Frozen Charlotte Necklaces which are similar to the ones Sandy & I have been making. Yet, the form belongs to Donna (whom I have never met) & as I said the necklaces Kim has done are in the same “style” as Sandy & mine.

And speaking of Ms Cindy… here she is doing the “Boo Boo” face that Sandy & Susie aren’t with us to see all these linens (look at the stacks & rolling containers of the stuff). And that there weren't more frilly white petticoats. She scooped this one up…

More treasures… See the precious doll dress in the middle (above)? I almost bought it but, about this time I melted through & through… 98 degrees with probably 80% humidity is too much even for us Texas Gals… I couldn’t decide & Cindy said “I’m buyin it & if you change your mind & want it than make the “Boo Boo” face & it’s yours but, we aren’t leavin it here! Speaking of Ms Boo Boo Face herself… She & my gal pal Cynthia met up in California for Christie Repasy’s Vintage Marketplace Sale. Sandy is wearing her coin purse necklace (similar in feel to the ones Kim made above) & Cynthia is wearing her pink necklace I made for here when I went to visit in California (go HERE to see that post). They were much cooler but also had a blast!!!!

I don’t have photos of what I bought yet. Some of it not really photo needed… I bought many $$$ of linen pieces made by Match Point. I LOVE this brand as it is cool & breathes in this Texas heat. But, I will show you the cute apron I bought & the salt shaker necklace when I rework it. Until then, I hope you enjoyed this post on Canton & the lesson Sherry, Lulu & Kim learned was… listen to Charlene when she tells you it’s too hot to go to Canton in JUNE!!!!! NOTE: Much thanks for the photos by my sweet Cindy as I forgot my camera! Thanks for sharing girlfriend. What would I do with out ya?

Have a great week!

HUGS! Charlene

Birthday

2011-06-01T11:42:00.001-05:00

Today is my birthday & I want to thank all of my sweet friends that have sent me BDay wishes, phone calls, cards, & goodies!!!! I am celebrating with Hubby today. And IF I could choose my cake it would be the one above… Isn’t it 2Die4? This beauty was created by my friend Mary over at Home Is Where The Boat Is (click HERE to visit & you are in for a treat… she is a fabulous designer, decorator, cook & sweet friend). She did this cake for a tablescape & I fell in LOVE with it. She said I could borrow it for my birthday cake… So again…. THANK YOU SWEET FRIENDS for all the well wishes!

I have to say BDay’s don’t elicit the same wonder they did as a child but, as Hubby says… any day this side of the dirt is a good one! MEN! And to put it into perspective… My six year old grandson said to his brother who had just had a birthday… “So Bubba you’re 11 now”? His brother proudly puffed out his chest & said “YEAH” to which little bit remarked… “You still look the same”.

HUGS! Charlene

Happy Memorial Day!

2011-05-27T18:56:00.002-05:00

I wanted to wish each & every one of you a SAFE & Happy Memorial Day! Also, I wanted to thank all those men & women who have served or are now serving in out armed forces! And also to thank their families for the service of their loved ones. Remember… someone’s husband/wife, father/mother, brother/sister, son/daughter... (you get the picture) is putting their life on the line for our freedom. The freedom's we all have & often take for granted. GOD BLESS YOU & KEEP YOU UNTIL YOU RETURN!!!!

AND GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!! Long may she live!

What are your plans for this long weekend? We are having a cook out with yummy ribs smoked in the smoker & homemade potato salad…

Have fun! Be safe!!!!

HUGS! Charlene

Trailer Dreams or Homes Away from Home

2011-05-22T19:25:00.002-05:00

Trailer Dreams????? What?????????? Those of you who know me KNOW I am NOT a camping girl!!!!!! Well, not in the typical camping style…

My idea of roughing it is a hotel with no room service!!!!!!

I have friends that have amazing LITTLE trailers (the one above in named BOSS LADY & belongs to my friend La Verne)that they have fixed up into little dream machines! And they travel with other girls that have this sort of trailer & they play, shop, & visit the whole weekend long. Many of them belong to a group called Sisters on the Fly. I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT!

This beauty is a little dream done in western style. Click HERE to see more of this treasure in an earlier post. The inside (see it in the other post) IS ADORABLE! But, Laverne doesn’t have just ONE of these tiny jewels but, TWO!!!! The second one is named Lillie Pearl (after her Grandmother) & is decorated in a very Magnolia Pearl decor!

To the left is a peek at her bed that is decked out in luscious vintage fabrics. And to the right above is the sink area. Notice that there are marble countertops! NOT CAMPING!!!! It’s more glamorous & is called GLAMPING!

The seating area (which folds down to make another bed) has the table removed & really shows the amazing fabrics she has used on the sofa cushions. And LACE everywhere!!!!! I adore the beautiful pillows once again using luscious fabrics

The walls are covered in old rugs & carpets that have been cut to fit. And I LOVE all the different light fixtures. Note the vintage one in the photo of the sink area above.

And let’s look at the stoves… Styles so very different! The one on the left is Lilly Pearl & the one on the right is Boss Lady (also, note the difference in the walls/paneling in each). The little details like the velvet pin cushion on the little yellow stove is 2 Die 4 cute don’t you think? And the use of the teal colored vintage tin used on the front of the stove in Boss lady & the weathered wood siding with of course…. Texas Stars for handles for drawer pulls.

What does all of this have to do with my Trailer Dreams?????? Well, I can’t do the Sisters on the Fly trailer for me right now but, Hubby & I did finally find a trailer for us! For us to be able to take to the lake for the weekend to use with our deck boat (platoon boat/party boat… call it whatever you want) & to ESCAPE the horrible TEXAS HEAT in the summers!

Our new Home Away from Home… My new cottage on wheels. She is 34 feet long with two slide outs that make her feel VERY roomy! I have a LONG WAY TO GO in getting her where I want her….. And since I have to share with Hubby I can’t fou fou her up toooooooooooooooooooo much! But, I can tell you one darn thing… there will be redecorating & fluffing going on for months before she is anywhere ready for my taste!!!! Glamping here I come! As I do start our travels I am hoping to be able to finally meet some of you girls (that I blog with all the time) in person. As we travel… I can plan visits to meet so many of my new (& OF COURSE CURRENT ) friends. I’m giddy with anticipation.

I am linking to Ceilo’s Show Off Your Cottage Monday Blog Party to show my new “Cottage on Wheels”. Click the button to go visit her & the other girls playing! And come back soon. Maybe next week I will show you LaVerne’s daughter’s adorable trailer Lolita!!!!! And of course… I’ll be showing other photos as the decorating begins.

Have a beautiful week my precious friends!

HUGS! Charlene

PINK & Twisted!

2011-05-19T17:12:00.002-05:00

Back in March when I went out to California for the Moulin Rouge Art Event I needed a THANK YOU gift for my precious friend Cynthia. For as I told you in the post about The Mission Inn (Click HERE to see) Cynthia was a tour guide extraordinaire! So it needed to be special!

I bought her a deep pink purse covered in roses (which you can see as the back drop for these photos) & in the purse I put all sorts of goodies. Including this necklace I created for her. Cynthia is a girly girl & loves everything feminine. I started with sterling silver wire & did a very open version of the TWISTED SISTAH Necklace taught at Adorn Me (in March 2010) by my amazing friend & mentor Diana Frey.

I had been buying some luscious Czech Glass Buttons & thought she would really love the colors & sparkle that these little gems have. Some beautiful pink & lavender crystal beads along with some wonderful soft lustrous pearls went into the “Bead Soup”. And to add some texture… vintage pink seam binding. The cherry on top of the cake… the glistening faceted crystal prism at the very bottom. That little treasure had been in my stash for a very long time just waiting for the right occasion to shine!

I hope you enjoyed seeing one of the things that I have created. And Cynthia, I hope you LOVE wearing it as much as I loved creating it for you!

HUGS! Charlene

Havanese or Diva?

2011-05-17T18:08:00.003-05:00

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted about Ms Elle! And I’ve had folks asking about her. Well her latest adventure is shopping… for a new PINK stroller (better to go bye bye with my parents thank you very much) which I will show photos of later. But, she has new outfits! So here is the first of many…

A Tank Top & Tu Tu!

I’m one stylin POOCH!

Spoiled???? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cute???? I know I’m cute!

So, back to hanging out watching the world go by in front of my house…

So what’s going on at your house? Stay tuned for more outfits!

HUGS! Charlene & Elle

Treasures Found at Round Top for Spring 2011

2011-05-13T17:45:00.002-05:00

Did the BLING catch your eye? It did mine!!!!

I’m back to trying to finish up my posts for this spring’s fun at Round Top. I did the post below & lost about 9 comments while Blogger fought 2 days of troubles. No one could sign in… it was in “read only” mode & when things came back up… well not everything did… but, thank goodness the blogs are all still there so let’s move on. I want to share with you what I bought this trip (sorry I forgot to photograph my 2 Magnolia Pearl pieces but, I’ll show you those another time).

I have already had a collection of vintage cut crystal items & couldn’t resist this cruet set from Clutter! The one piece is missing a stopper but, I probably have one that will work. I LOVE THESE for stylishly holding German Glass Glitter. And to the left is a biscuit jar (in the photo below you can see this better) that will hold my gold/silver mixed German Glass Glitter. And another beautiful cut salt shaker that has a wonderful silver top!

And my darling little perfume bottles that will be made into necklaces. And I ADORE VINTAGE COIN PURSES! I found a wonderful shabby leather one & a 2 DIE 4 beaded one. The purple beaded on is so sweetly shabby where the threads are bare.

PURPLE…. seemed to be the color of the day that day as I found these treasures too! The bracelet below seems to have been made to go with the old shoe clip above. But, alas they were just lucky finds that will marry into something GRAND! And the rosary is beautiful. I wish you could see the whole thing.

BUTTON BUTTON… WHO’S GOT THE BUTTON?

Anyone who knows me knows I ADORE PRETTY BUTTONS! And I thought these were wonderful! And the beautiful lace under all these treasures was a SCORE TOO!

And next to those buttons is the sweetest little dolls petticoat. The work/stitching on it is fabulous. I need a cute little Altered Art Hanger with just the right images on it to hang this don’t you think?

Do you know what a “Boo Boo Face” is? Well that cutie on the right is the QUEEN OF BOO BOO FACE! That is none other than my Sandy… And she uses this face most on her hubby when she NEEDS something that he just doesn’t get! And she uses it when she can’t buy something she wants (that face is for a MEGA $$$ vintage French grain sack that she couldn’t buy) & she even used it on me when she wanted ONE of a PAIR of amazing vintage rhinestone shoe clips (shown in the center of the first photo above) & when she found that amazing blue brooch… I PULLED THE BOO BOO FACE & SHE CAVED! That sweetie GAVE me the brooch she had found. WHY did I need it???? Well, while in California I bought not one but TWO outfits this goes with. We saw jewelry in the making & she gave it to me. Below is the amazing blue floral coat made for me by Deb Hodge.

Yep! LOVE that jacket! And who is that sweetie with me? None other than my amazingly talented friend Diane Cook! She & I call ourselves 2 Peas In A Pod as we LOVE so many of the same things & have sooooooooooooooo much fun hanging out. Our hubbies have become buddies & this makes for many happy times. Anyway, Diane had a booth at Maurburger Farms where she sold some of her amazing jewelry.

Here are some pictures of her goodies. Above are her “watchful” pieces which are created using images in an old watch case. I took resin classes almost a year before Diane yet, have I DONE SOMETHING with the information other than my pieces? NO! But, like Diane… I am going to get back into this medium because I really LIKE how they come out.

She was selling balls of silk! Wonderful colors for creating jewelry or art of your own. I bought 2 or 3 different neutral colors from her. But, those pinks/blues are speaking to me so I may need to contact her to order some more & you should too!

And since I think this is probably the last of the Round Top posts I have to share just a few more photos…

My precious friend Riki made me this amazing necklace as a thank you for taking her to the airport in Austin when she left to return home to California (yes, she is showing her new Magnolia Pearl outfit being worn IN CALIFORNIA in that photo above). I ADORE THIS NECKLACE & WEAR IT Soooooooooooooooooooooo MUCH! THANK YOU RIKI! And Riki is the reason we got our precious Elle Elf for Christmas because she told us what amazing dogs the Havanese are. Her own Maddie shown below…

sent our little Elle a present when her Mommy went to Round Top… I think Maddie was just glad the hat & dress went to Texas so her Mommy would stop putting her in them!!!! Thank you Maddie & Auntie Riki!

And I had to use the photo borrowed from my sweet friends Karen & Joy

This was the trailer they filled & drove home to California after the show. It sort of sums up all of our shopping adventures! Susie said she was afraid her suitcase would POP OPEN on the airplane tarmac & doily’s would FLY OUT & scatter in the wind!

WHAT A GREAT TIME WE HAD!!! EACH OF THE “CRAZY IN TEXAS” GIRLS ARE SO PRECIOUS TO ME! THESE ARE THE TIMES & MEMORIES THAT LAST A LIFETIME… THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT SO SPECIAL!

And as a last note… you know those crazy girls all took up cash to send me a spa certificate for being the tour guide, chauffer, room mother, organizer…. GOSH! You shouldn’t have but thank you!!!! I’d do it again anytime just for the fun of all being together again! Spring 2012 here we come!!! LOVE YOU ALL!

Photo above done by sweet Sandy!

Have a great weekend… HUGS! Charlene

Decor To Adore at Round Top

2011-05-11T11:31:00.002-05:00

I KNOW Round Top Antique Festival was weeks ago… but, LIFE just doesn’t slow down & so many other things have been done/posted about yet, I have to share some of the amazing decor from this years show! Now remember… we’re talking fields & tents…

See I told you fields & tents. Yet there was wonderful goodies in so many places.

The beds above were in the tent & I LOVED they way things were displayed. The name of the store is Sweet Pea & they are located in Athens Texas in a store called Winnie & Tallulha’s. But, for this show they pack up the goodies & hit the road. Let’s go take a look at some more luscious stuff. I liked the very first photo but, grey is not in my color scheme. LOVE the white but….

WHITE LINEN & CHOCOLATE VELEVET…….. BE STILL MY HEART! I soooooooooo want this for my room.

And major likey the chair covers don’t you?

Clever design ideas abound! Let’s move on to some other vendors to see a few more.

Are you noticing the color grey is BIG this season? LOVE the frames on the wall shown in the photo above left. Those could/should have come home with me!

This vignette was done by the amazing Judy Hill Design. She always does amazing things. Creativity oozes out of this girl! Again I am loving the long linen skirted bed. I’m thinking this is certainly in my NEAR future.

Just look at the vintage wonder of these displays. I LOVE the stack of books on the spindle there on the right.

And talking clever… that mirror made with all those sweet little shoes! That truly spoke to me. Wonder what hubby would think of that one? Sweet sisters of my soul Karen & Riki loved it to (OH HOW I MISS YOU BOTH! Why do we live sooooooooooo far apart?). See the mirror in the background? LOVE IT!!!!

Old buildings like this one.

With the old ceiling tiles still amazing inside. And filled with all sorts of treasures!

Ms Karen has the right idea! A cool Corona while she lounges on this cool chair designed from an old bath tub that had been cut down. This guy was UBER talented.

On to The Junk Gypsy’s! No one decorates like these girls! Go HERE to see more about them! And HERE for their website.

And a couple of things that I am still thinking that I wish I had purchased.

An old store display piece for holding RIBBON!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A mere $1,600.00

A wonderful old JP Coats chest. I can just see all the BLING & Buttons I collect nestled in these drawers…

Don't you love the details on the back? I am thinking there is a phone call to be made. You see I have this dream in my head of how I want my studio to be & these two pieces FIT so well!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hmmmm a birthday is coming in about a month… I’m thinkin a “road trip” may be needed to pick one of these jewels up.

Are you wishing you were here? Well this amazing show happens twice a year. Spring & Fall. Come join us!

HUGS! Charlene

2011-05-07T16:32:00.006-05:00

Happy Mothers Day to all my precious friends!
I hope you have a beautiful weekend with your Mother, Children or Both!

This is something a friend of mine sent me in an email & I thought it was so funny. So many of these sayings we have either heard or said... enjoy!

1.. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."
2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"
4. My mother taught me LOGIC. "
" Because I said so, that's why."
5.. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .
"If you fall out of that swing & break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."
6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."
7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about.."
8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS .
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."
9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"
10. My mother taught me about STAMINA ..
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."
11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."
12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"
13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.."
14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION .
"Stop acting like your father!"
15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful
parents like you do."
16.. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."
17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING .
"You are going to get it when you get home!"
18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."
19. My mother taught me ESP..
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"
20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."
21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."
22. My mother taught me GENETICS. "You're just like your father."
23.. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"
24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."
And my favorite:
25.. My mother taught me about JUSTICE .
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you"

As for me, the greatest gift has been the chance to be a mother to my two boys. To see them grow into amazing men & fabulous fathers just MELTS my heart. There is nothing that makes me just "CAVE" as to see that sweet smile & have him say... "Hi Momma"! And then there is the GRANDS! To see the car pull up & that door open as they ROCKET out of the car. Running with arms flung wide. SWEET! TOTALLY SWEET!

Have a wonderful weekend. Please tell me your favorite thing about being a mother. I would love to know.

Clothes & Jewelry… Can There Ever Be Enough?

2011-05-02T00:23:00.003-05:00

OK! I know Round Top is an Antique Festival! But, honey let me tell you there are some 2DIE4 Jewelry & Clothes sold here! Let’s check this out. Starting with none other than Paris Montana. SHE IS A HOOT! Travels in a vintage Air Stream Trailer filled… with treasure!

Here’s the CRAZY IN TEXAS GALS (see Karen D. PROOF you were there)all admiring the whole scene. Don’t you love the cow skull on the side of the trailer? And the manni’s dripping in corsets/jewels!

Lady of the hour… Paris Montana & our own beautiful Joy! The outfits Paris had on each day were so much fun. One day she had on the most amazing FITTED adorable burlap wide legged pants I have ever seen. AND I’M NOT A BURLAP FAN!

A peek at the inside of the trailer & some of her wares.

And the sweet baby above almost went home with me!

Do I have your attention yet? Not all of the jewelry was on this level but, there was such a wonderful diverse selection. Let’s leave Paris & go look…

Out in the fields I found this old vintage trunk full of necklaces made from old keys & other treasures. And Sandy found the goodies below.

And then at Marburger’s we always love to visit…

Cindy says this talented designer is out of Tyler, Texas. She uses vintage counter cards to sell/display all of her jewelry.

The photo on the left shows this artist’s wicked sense of humor it’s titled SINK YOUR TEETH INTO IT! Yep, real teeth on that piece (YUCK) with the sail boat… Now onto CLOTHES! And it could be no one other than

This gal is what legends are made of… Her sense of style is amazing. A bit unusual, off the beaten path, wacky, fun but, most of all comfortable! It’s not for just anyone… And I heard a few of the California girls say “I couldn’t wear that out in Cali” but, I KNOW some went home in suitcases. The booth design is always over the top. The manni’s created from metal, wire & vintage parts. The one on the left is sporting metal pantaloons. Can you see the ruffle? And the one on the right is a dress with wings that contains a pair of white doves.

The tent poles were a high point in the center with the grapevine creating a canopy. And flowers made of fabric, paper & news print hung everywhere.

With the most unusual birds made from old books.

Let’s move on to some of the designs for the Spring Collection.

LOVE the dark colored bloomers in the photo above. And how many “Hand Embroidered Purses” for $400 each do you need? Below, one of a kind pieces…

And this cute little pill (our own Ms Cindy) is SERIOUS about buying her PEARL! Here you see her with Robin’s (Magnolia’s) husband John who is always sure Cindy has her bags full when she leaves. YOU GO GIRL! Shop till ya drop!

And here are some of the other CRAZY IN TEXAS GALS doing Pearl! Ms Sandy with Robin herself. Susie & I are with my sweet Krista that always manages to get into my pocketbook for a couple of Pearl Pieces.

See………. And she got Riki too!

I think I’m worn out now. And the thunder boomers are making so much racket that I think I better turn this computer off! Hope you enjoyed a little fashion & jewelry fun from Round Top. Come back soon to see a bit of home decor & other vintage finds that we all loved.

HUGS! Charlene

Finally I Can Tell You About Round Top Antique Festival!

2011-04-29T12:55:00.002-05:00

Do you see this group???? It’s all the CRAZY IN TEXAS GALS (Except sweet Karen who was back at the hotel not feeling well/next morning got to take a trip the ER). I did a post earlier to tell who was who but, let me re-introduce this group of amazing friends/artist. Everyone but, Rita has a blog so if you click on the gals name you will link with her blog. SOME GREAT FRIENDS ARE WAITING TO MEET YOU! Front row (l to r) is Rita (& Karen is going to do a blog for her because this is one talented lady), Cindy Craine, Riki Shumacher, Diane Cook. And back row (l to r) Sandy Navarro, Me, Susie Hebdon, Karen Valentine & Joy Campbell. We came from near & far all to meet in a tiny town of 77 people. Well, 77 when there aren’t thousands (no exaggeration there) visiting!

Smack dab in central Texas between Austin & Houston. The fields were in bloom with bluebonnets everywhere & the Texas Longhorns let the girls stop & take pictures but, I doubt they knew what they were saying to them while there were out there snapping photos.

We started the party out with The Blog Party at Theresa’s booth on Sunday night. (Karen V, Susie, Joy, Karen & I all shopped Friday afternoon & Saturday prior to the party. And I picked Sandy up at the airport in Houston Saturday night so she could join us. Riki came in Sunday with Diane whew……. it was a technical nightmare to keep it all organized). The photo above (first one) is us at the party.

Theresa Campo is the hostess with the mostest & she takes lot’s of photos of guests at her party. THANK YOU Theresa! And her booth looked amazing! Below is the Junk Gypsy Gals & the antique wheelbarrow full of goody bags they brought for everyone! THANKS Gypsy Girls!

I met some really great gals & got to visit again with others I had seen last fall. Below is Jolie (left again one of the Junk Gypsies) Suzanne & Tracy of The Rusted Gingham (they have a barn sale I NEED to check out & they are here in Texas too).

And I got to meet Wendy Parker from Alabama. She is the owner of the store where my friend Heidi works(Heidi & I were roommates at Petticoats & Parasols).

And I wanted to show you the outfit I had made for this party by my buddy Deb Hodge (I pre-ordered it & picked it up while I was out there for Moulin Rouge Art Event). LOVE the western top… and my awesome boots (last years BDay gift from Hubby). I am standing there with my precious buddy Joy (it’s sad we live so far apart). By the way, Deb made Joy’s jacket too & Joy made her adorable purse. To see more of Joy’s work she has just been featured in Somerset Magazine Haute Handbags current issue. I’m so proud of you sweet girl for you deserve to be published for you are so flippin talented!

And talkin about talent… Sweet Sandy made each of the CRAZZY IN TEXAS GALS a little purse that we could use that weekend or as a nametag for the Blog Party. She won 2nd place for this design. SOOOOOOOOOOOO CUTE! Told ya she was GOOD!

And then a special guest for the party was none other than my uber talented friend, teacher, mentor (two peas in a pod) Diane Cook. Below is her pretty booth set up that night for the party. Doesn’t she look darlin with her sweet daughter Melanie by her side? Love you both!!!! You’ll see more about Diane in another post as she also set up at Marburger Farms to vend for a week.

WHAT FUN THE PARTY WAS! Well, before the girls came they asked about weather & all the Texas gals told them be ready for anything. And we had it all… Saturday was HOT & HUMMID! Like 94 degrees. Sunday not as bad. Monday COLD & DAMP! We told Sandy (HAIR QUEEN OF THE AGES) that it was “spit in” she said what??? Not really rain but, not dry… “Spit in” girl. We have some funny saying down here & the Cali girls all got a kick out of them.

Let’s go out in the fields & see what I mean about row after row in the fields… Below left is a photo taken from the 2nd floor restaurant where we ate Monday lunch & you can see the field, the tin roof of the barn where vendors are set up & the cold dampness with the beautiful LONE STAR FLAG flying high in the background. Next is the vendor stalls housed under that roof I spoke about. And then just another typical row of vendors. Kind of gives you a feel for how it looks… 45 miles of this ladies. SHOPPING HEAVEN!

OK! This will wet your appetite for what is to come in the next few posts.

Right now I am off to watch some more of the Royal Wedding!!!! Oh how I love all the pomp & splendor! I am a HUGE DIANA FAN & I can’t believe her baby boy has grown into a man. I think Kate is adorable!!!! I look forward to seeing happy days ahead for both of them.

And tomorrow… Cindy & I are off to Oklahoma City to visit Jackie (Good Grief Gerdie) for the Glitter Market. And Daddy will stay home & take care of a sick little puppy Elle. She had blood work done today so I’ll keep you posted.

HUGS! Charlene