Diana Frey’s Queens Ransom Class

While out in California for Vacation (previous post begins the story) I was blessed to join some gal pals for Diana’s “Queen’s Ransom Class” which just knocked my socks off!

You're  looking at the class samples in these photos. 

Stunning aren’t they?

Diana ROCKS as a teacher & is an amazing friend.  I was so blessed to spend the class time learning & to have one on one “FRIEND" TIME”.  I was with her when she chose her new puppy Olive Rose & it was so much fun watching her excitement.  Almost like a a “New Mom” when she talks about her newborn baby… So sweet!

Here is the focal points of my finished piece.  I am so proud.   I LOVE how it turned out.  It did turn out like I had hoped.  Often in a class the piece talks to you or takes a different path (design/color/components) than you had originally thought.  But, this piece was JUST WHAT I WANTED!  I love that Diana taught us to make the cross.  We cut it out of metal & then embellished it.  I used a typewriter key with my initial for fun.  We used a torch to solder all those elements onto the necklace.  WHAT A GREAT CLASS!

I used some chain that sweet Cindy had & wanted to share but, while out in California, Vickie & I went to the Pasadena Bead Show & I bought some beautiful chain that I want to switch out for.   Cindy’s piece is stunning & I wish I had some photos but, we didn’t get that done while there.  She used PINK in hers & it is so pretty.

Here’s Sandy's.  It turned out so pretty!  She used a number of really pretty vintage elements in her design.

WOW! Vickie’s placemat was really orange with that flash… sorry but, this shows some of the detail.  And Sandy is an orange girl…. (see her headband in the previous post).

Now, if you can’t get away to take one of these amazing classes in Diana’s studio then you’re in luck because she just announced her first Online Class.  Click HERE to visit the link for more information.

Stunning Pieces will be taught!    Hurry over to see her & tell her Charlene sent you. 
Off to work with the contractors… After we returned home from our RELAXING   FUN  BEAUTIFUL   COOL Vacation… We jumped into a MAJOR Master Bathroom & Master Closet REDO!  It’s been a week of MESS & UPSET!  I’m tired of living with my entire closet strewn all over the guest room & living room sofa/love seat.  And the bottles of lotions, potions & other bathroom goodies strewn on the dinning room table… Oh how I wish I was back in California looking at this…..
 
Just me…………. California Dream’n on another HOT TEXAS DAY!
HUGS! Charlene

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Diana Frey’s Briar Rose Class

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

a necklace like her example here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Birthday at Petite Retreat in San Luis Obispo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Birthday To Me!

Hubby surprised me (with a little help from my gal pal Sandy) with a QUICK TRIP to California to attend Diana Frey’s Petite Retreat.  My birthday is Friday & I will be in her studio making that amazing necklace above.  I have always loved it & wished for it whenever I visit her.   So, he’s staying home to puppy sit (& work while I go out to create).  THANK YOU HONEY BUNNY I’M A LUCKY GIRL!!!!

Then on Saturday we will all go to Remnants of the Past Antique Faire (click on the blue links to visit)located at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo.  IT IS A BIG DEAL in California & I am very excited to get to go (another dream come true).  Gal pal Joy Campbell (see previous posts) & new buddy Vickie Orlando will be coming too (Vickie is in the class at Diana’s all weekend/we met at Kim Caldwell’s Event Affaire at Tiffany’s earlier this month).  And the cherry on top of the treat… our buddy Cynthia (who is featured often when I’m in California as she loves to play “tour guide”) will drive up from LA for the day to join us.  HEAVEN ON EARTH!!!! SHOPPING WITH YOUR BUDDIES!
 
Sunday will be a class for this little jewel.  We can do it as a necklace or an Art Piece. ????? Not sure which I will do.  I know Sandy is doing one like the piece above but, I don’t know that I need anything else sitting around… I’ll see where the mood takes me.  So, have a great weekend & stay tuned for more tales… Darn, I haven’t even had time to finish posting about the last trip 3 weeks ago.  I could have/have had worse problems. 
HUGS! Charlene

A Beach Kind of Day with Diana at Montana De Oro

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

The foam swirling over the rocks…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HUGS! Charlene