Sally Jean's Oct 2011 classes

Sally Jean's Sample Buckle

This week I moved up to taking two of Sally Jean's five classes. Last year I was a "virgin solderer" and felt challenged to take even one of Sally Jean's classes. But, I need not worried last year or this. Sally Jean is such an attentive teacher and is at your beck and call all day as she circulates.

Sally Jean's classes are held at her BFF's home in Poway. Cheryl's home and the room we have the class in are wonderful. Cheryl is such a great hostess. Sally Jean's provides everything you need including a soldering iron if you forget yours. Lunch is also including along with homemade snacks along the way. Tuesday's Class we had Cheryl's sister Stacy join us for the day. She brought our "afternoon delight", a chocolate trifle dessert, that we were still talking about on Wednesday.

Girls at Work

Alicia at her work place

Close Up of Alicia's Wall Art "in progress"

Sally Jean had a lot of her new merchandise that has been made commercially there for us to "ooh and aah" over and purchase if we chose. I was lucky enough to win one of the two drawings on Tuesday and have my very own Watch Fob and Chain of Sally Jean's. Yea! Nicky won the first door prize in the morning.

I won a Sally Jean watch!

Cheryl also has her hand made elegant necklaces for sale during the week. They are works of Art and to be admired if one isn't going to purchase. Cheryl also has some packaged beads and little "Charlottes" for sale if we wanted to use them in our work. I purchased some and used one of her "charlottes" on my cuff as a center piece.

Silly Sal's Cuff up close and almost finished!

Buckle and Cuff'"s

Here are some of the gal's pieces that were created in Tuesday's Class. The best thing about Sally Jean's classes are her secrets that you only learn from taking her class. There are tips and tricks that you would never guess are involved in making theses projects. That is why you need to take her classes.

Nicky Wilt hold her buckle

Nicky's buckle up close

Michelle Hurt holding her buckle

Michelle's Buckle up close

Pam Munns holding her buckle

Pam's buckle up close

Ann Crutchfield holding her cuff

Ann's Cuff up close

Silly Sal's Cuff from above

Alicia's "Wall Art" almost complete

Twirling Tiny Toe Dancer

Margo below is holding her work in progress. I am sorry. I didn't get a good photo of Sally Jean's Sample. There isn't a chain yet on Margo's work. Darn, Sally Jean is wearing one of Sylvia's "Rosary" necklaces but you can't see the great cross and what makes up the cross in my photo because the necklace isn't hanging flat. . . Wahhhhhh.

Margo holding her "Dancer" and Sally Jean

The necklace that Sally Jean is where in the form of a crucifix was designed and made by our hostess, Cheryl Simpson. I wish I had taken a close up of it. I love all of Cheryl's chains!

Margo's Tiny Dancer in progress

Michelle Hurtt makes the most beautiful hand bound books with the covers out of silver serving trays. We got to see one of them up close and personal! She just finished selling a bunch of her handmade goods at Glitter Fest last weekend!

Michelle Hurtt and her Tiny Dancer

I saw some gals I had met when we took a class at Stamping Details that is not far from where our class was. "Shout Out" to Kim Fernald and Susan Millsom. Great seeing you guys again.

Susan Millsom

Kim Fernald

Next year, I told Sally Jean, I might really splurge and take three of her five days of classes. It is addicting as I see how many of Sally Jean's students are there for all five workshops and travel to be here and stay at local hotels. She is a great teacher.

Silly Sal and Sally Jean

See you Next Year! Hope you all can join me for some more fabulous Sally Jean classes here in Southern California.

Sylvia Swenson's "Working With Wire" class

Margo, Sally, Sylvia and Kathie

Last Thursday was the end of a six week "Working With Wire" course that Margo, Kathie and I took from Sylvia Swenson. I had never taken a class from her but Kathie and Margo had and they spoke highly of her teaching techniques, abilities and over all friendliness. I totally concur.

Sylvia Swenson at her table

I had learned what little I knew about working with wire and jewelry from friends like Debi Harvey and Kathie. This had prompted me to purchase some tools with my eye on "cheap" tools - not the best for accomplishing jewelry tasks.

The class was Thursday nights from 6 pm to 9 pm in Point Loma at the Newly built Adult Education Center off Mid Way and adjacent to the JoAnn's down there. There were wire kits to purchase from Sylvia and she always had the materials for us to make what ever project or technique we were learning that particular night.

Samples of Some of our Projects Sylvia Made

We all gathered around her work table at least twice a night for our tutorials as we watched her demonstrate that nights project. She was readily available for questions and brought in many of her own tools for us to use and experiment with using like the tumbler and vise and various ways to twist wires.

The Room where we worked

There was plenty of room and the lighting was fine. The students were all friendly and willing to share what they had created during the week we were at home and on our own. Over all, it was an excellent experience. Sylvia has another course starting in one or two weeks. Plus, in December she will have a series of classes that are on Saturdays.

Here are photos of some class members and their projects:

Talented Students work

Student's name unknown

Same unknown artist name

Crocheted Necklace she made at home

Tammy Lawhead

One of the many friendly students

Tammy's work that she did after class

Close up of Tammy's bracelet

Sarah Petrucci's "Green Stone Adventure" charm bracelet

Kelly Runk's ring she made in another class

Margo at her work bench

Some of Margo's jewelry she made in class

Earrings we learned to make

Some of Kathie's Jewelry she made after class instruction

Little projects I (Silly Sal) made

To learn more about Sylvia Swenson and her classes visit www.sdce.edu/class-schedule or www.sylviaswenson.com.

Sylvia also gives out a 16 page very comprehensive class syllabub for the class with lots of written instructions.

Kim Caldwell presents Robin Sanchez's VINTAGE WIRE CAGED DOLLS

Sample of Robin's completed Vintage Wire Caged Doll

Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011, I drove to Oceanside to ride with Robin Sanchez and Georgia Lichon to Kim Caldwell's "House Beautiful" in Culver City. Robin was teaching her Vintage Wire Cage Doll class there. I left my home at 6 am. Very long day since I didn't get home until 8 pm that night. But, what fun! Met so many new people and Robin did a great job!

Kim putting the finishing touches to our tables

I had never been to any of Kim Caldwell's events and certainly not to her home. Every nook and cranny of her home that she shares with a husband, son, daughter, dog and feral kitten has Kim's touch including her workroom!

Close-ups of Robin's dolls in progress

Presentation is everything!

Our teacher, Robin Sanchez

Robin was great as a teacher. Our darling "goodie's bags" had everything we needed already cut and ready to go. She took us step by step and gave personal attention where ever needed. Very organized.

Some of Robin's other "stuff" for sale

Robin's worker bee and our friend, Georgia Lichon

Just some of the goodies to snack on at Kim's

Sally asks, "Robin, when should I smile?"

In photo above, check out Robin's bags that she made for each one of us, with all the supplies we would need inside. Aren't they darling and a lot of work. The dresses are fabric on the bags.

More close-ups

Close-up of Robin's doll's skirt

Lunch was delicious. A beautiful fall soup and a delicious salad with walnuts and cranberries, crescents and cupcakes for dessert. Her patio was like being in the Garden of Eden. She lives very close to a large shopping center and busy streets but nothing but her fountain could be heard in her home and back yard.

The table where I worked and my new friends

Starting at the far right and going clockwise around the table:

Aaron, Alicia, Jacquelyn, Priscilla, Olga, Marcella and Susan

Marcella's amazing Day of the Dead themed doll

Marcella and her group of friends came prepared to make theses dolls. Marcella had decoupaged her cup and saucer and had made her Day of the Dead skeleton head. She's not finished yet. All her friends brought everything they thought they would need to decorate their cage. They kept our table laughing out loud all day. What a treat! Can't wait to see Priscilla Cerda, Olga Berdiel, and Marcella Vallejo again, hopefully at Kim's Breakfast at Tiffany's event May 3, 2011!

Olga with her doll in progress

Alicia working on her "witch"

Alicia with her "Halloween Witch" motif doll. She brought all her goods she would need to make this doll happen!

I'll be seeing Alicia two more times this month at Sally Jean's Soldering Workshop in Poway. Alicia is taking all FIVE of Sally Jean's classes (like she usually does. . .). Yea!

Jacquelyn's doll?

I believe this is Jacquelyn's doll head and cup. What was amazing about her dress, was that she had brought an old digital camera that she was "cannibalizing" (taking apart) and was wire wrapping the insides and pieces of the camera to decorate her doll's dress.

Didn't get a photo of Aaron's doll who sat to my left nor Susan's doll who sat to my right. I am hoping we will hook up at Kim Caldwell's Breakfast at Tiffany's event May 3, 2012. They were great to sit next to. Susan shared some ribbon she had that matched the color of my cup. Aaron was the youngest person there and is just embarking on this new addition to her life - art - in all forms. What an amazing and talented person she is, plus she is also a fixed wing pilot! Great table to be sitting thanks to Kim's grouping.

Kim's table with Robin supervising

Cheryl's doll in progress

Check out the name tags that Kim made for all of us. They were available for us to take home as one of her hostess gifts for coming to her home. First Class all the way!

Terry Frias worked with a much smaller cup and saucer

Kim's blonde headed doll

I had a great time at this class for all the right reasons. I would never hesitate to take a class again that is connected to either my friend and teacher, Robin Sanchez or our hostess, Kim Caldwell. Thank you both for all the trouble and fuss you went to for all of us!

I LOVE Pink