Saturday, February 26, 2011

Art & Soul Via Las Vegas Here I Come!

Leaving on a jet plane and I don't when I'll be back again......

Okay so I know when I'll be back but can't wait to get there and enjoy the creative juices.

My friend, June is going with me and SHE's NOT EVEN TAKING CLASSES but she says she has her luggage jam packed with romance novels and ready to relax....what a great friend.

We are attending the vendor show Sunday night and I am hoping to scope out some of the instructors for future classes as well as pick up some great "STUFF".

I'm taking a class with Julie Haymaker Thompson and using paper clay to make a whimsical music box. I have taken classes with Julie before an enjoy her teaching techniques and creativity. Can't wait.

Then Wednesday I'm taking a class with Ty & Marcia Schultz, Metal Steampunk & Milagro and we will melting metal and pouring it into silicone molds and creating molds and metal castings.

Thursday a class with Thomas Ashman to create a mini glass journal....copper, wire, paper and glass.

When I finish a class I hope to post it but don't hold me to it...depends on if I'm winning at the blackjack table :}

I worked on my art trades so I would be able to trade with other artists at the retreat. As usual, my work table is always in an uproar but I have finished and put it all away neatly...yay me!







Have a creative and artistic week! Don't forget to check out Chateau de Fleurs on Friday and Saturday.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

KC Willis Visits My Art Studio

KC Willis of Lipstick Ranch in Colorado came to Southern California to enjoy our wonderful weather and teach her fab classes. I was lucky enough to host her Storytelling Fabric Book Class at my home Saturday.

8 talented ladies arrived and as KC spread her delicious fabric, doo das and embellishments out, we all dug in to tell our stories in fabric.

It was a wonderful day and if only you could see the detail in each of our books you would swoon I am sure because I loved each one and the story they told of family and in Nelda's case a sweet little birdy story.

I hear KC will be back in Santa Monica in November so check out her site for more info.

Thanks to all those that came and inspired me to do more. Enjoy the pics.































Tuesday, February 8, 2011

All You Need Is Friends........

Today was Art Meetup day and my friends came and we did show and tell to catch up on what everyone has been doing.

I was excited to have everyone see my "new" art studio and even had each person go upstairs and find pieces to go on my new cabinets. We had fun decorating....at least I enjoyed it. ha

Kathy showed us Kumihimo, an art of twisting fibers. Wow it is amazing watching her twist those fibers, Kat had her art journals she has been working on...love the "look", Sally had her crown from soldering class and her knitted purses (check out her pics here)....so talented, Margo had her daughters cool art journals and then showed us her oh so wonderful soldered pieces, Lucinda had her polymer hearts, lovely and June had her beautiful button flowers, Bonnie her creative handmade greeting cards, journal and canvas so cute. Me....no artistic endeavors have been done lately but showed off my cool junk finds my friend, Linda from Iowa brought to me.

Now I feel inspired by my friends work and my studio.......I'm primed to create yay!







Also, a little advertisement.....Rita and I are going to have a class at my home on April 30th. Textured Memories, Fabric Collage and Soldering. You can register by going to Rita's Blog.




Ladies that attended art meetup today.....lots of names of items and websites were being thrown around. I would appreciate a post with that inform for me and the rest of my friends.

Have a creative week :}

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Rita, Rita Cabinet Maker Extraordinaire

I had a vision to remake my living room into my art room and started looking at old doors. First I was going to get old doors and nail against the wall for what I call "the look".

Then it came to me.......why just put doors on a wall, make them functional by making storage cabinets out of them. I found the old doors that were oh so pretty and crackly and shabby chic and then thought of Rita :} because she knows "the look" and she creates "the look" in all of her work.

I love that Rita is such a mover and shaker and works with wood so I asked if she would build me cabinets from my old doors. She figured it out and said sure. She worked on them between her fab soldering classes and oh so elegant Chateau de Fleurs.

Her husband, Dean came with her to help (no substitute for muscle :} They worked together to give me a killer wall of cabinets. Thank you both.

Check out my cabinets.








Hmmmmmmm I should have had Rita sign her pieces since they are art to me :}