Tuesday, January 31, 2012

CHA 2012

Robin, Kathie, Georgia and Sally
(missing are Jackie and Kat)

Monday, January 30, 2012, I picked up my friend's Kathie and Robin and off we went to CHA. Jackie had been so kind to include us in her The Art In You as her assistants!

After parking as far away as we could (not on purpose and not really necessary), we were off. It was a piece of cake getting our badges. CHA and the Anaheim Convention Center have this down to a science.

We had gotten there in plenty and time and while waiting to go in a long lost friend approached me, Lindsay Ostrom. Lindsay also has at blog. Click here. I met Lindsay when she was just starting out with her wonderful store in Montrose, CA called Paper Rabbit. She is also famous for her doodling and alphabet books. She is special in my heart because she came and did my daughter Kari's 5 year old birthday party at my home (Kari is 33 currently). She now lives in northern CA with her family and is still working in the Arts & Craft field.

I also saw Michelle from one of my two favorite Scrapbook/Stamp stores in the San Diego area - Paper Tales in Point Loma. If you haven't been there, you must stop in and see her wonderful little store. She is moving to a larger location right across the street in the next couple of months. Very exciting. Can't wait to see what she purchased for her store.

I also saw Claire from my other favorite Scrapbook/Stamp store - Stamping Details in Poway. Diane is the owner but missed her and Vickie and any of her other worker bees that were that on Monday. And what purchase orders did she fill out for us to find new in her store?

Ranger's Make 'n Take

Once the doors were open, we made a bee-line for Ranger's and Tim Holtz's booth. We wanted to see what the make 'n take would be there and to see Tim Holtz demo-ing his new Distress Pens. The line for the make 'n take looked about almost 2 hrs so we just got the kit and took pixs so we could make it at home. Thanks for letting us doing that, Ranger.

Tim's "Body Works"


Wendy Vecchi''s

Then I inquire as to which of the 4 corner tables Ranger's thought Tim would be demo-ing and was told that the table where Wendy Vecchi was demonstrating would be it. So, Robin and I went over to that table and met Wendy and took notes. Robin told her that she follows her blog and was totally aware of who she was.

Tim Holtz and Wendy Vecchi
wearing my necklace
(thanks Suze Weinberg for the photo)

As she was cleaning up, Wendy noticed me and my necklace I was wearing and commented on how much she liked it. I said, it is for sale and that I have another one in my purse. She asked to see them and inquired how much. When I told her, she rushed off and brought me cash and took the necklace right off my neck that I was wearing - Yea! Only one left now and then I can start making new ones. I love making theses necklaces.

Garden motif necklace Wendy purchased

When Tim came and we were watching and taking notes, Tim commented on Robin's beautiful bracelet she was wearing. He said he really liked it - kudos to Robin! We were both thrilled.

OMG - I'm just adding this news: Kathie just called me to tell me to go to Wendy's blog and at the end of her blog she mentions me and my jewelry and has a picture of the necklace she purchased.

Dyan Reaveley's page

One of the other tables at Ranger's booth had a wonderful artist from England demo-ing her products, stamps and method. Some of Dyan's altered book pages are reminiscent of Teesha Moore's style which I absolutely love. Her display altered book was so beautiful. Robin and I wish she lived so much closer. We loved everything we saw that she did. Dyan Reaveley is her full name.

What else did we do and see? Well, for our next stop I wanted to go to Prima's booth where I took lots and lots of photos. I love their display at CHA and their products. Here are just a few of the photos I took at Prima's booth.




During the day we got to some book signings and then we missed some other's. We missed Traci Bautista's and Lisa Pace but got to see Lisa demo-ing at the Maya Road booth. I took a photo of what she was wearing - all things she had created. Loved everything! Will purchase her new book for sure!
Part of Lisa Pace's necklace

While waiting in line for Joanne Fink to sign her new book, Zenspirations Letters & Patterning, there was a woman who looked so familiar to me. I finally got a good look at her and her badge and was thrilled to see it was one of my most favorite artist/teachers, Lisa Engelbrecht. I have her Modern Mark Making from Classic Calligraphy to Hip Hand-Lettering book. Debi Harvey and I had taken a class from her a couple of years ago at Art Unraveled in Phoenix. This particular day, the air-conditioning had gone out in the room Lisa was teaching. What a trooper she was and we were. She is an excellent teacher and so very generous. Found out she will be teaching in November in San Diego. Told all my friends this a.m. Yea!

We were at May Flaum's new book signing - Scrapbook Workshop, The Best Techniques from your favorite Scrapbook Bloggers. Love this book with artist's scrapbook pages and references to their blogs!

Another favorite booth for me was eksuccess booth. I loved everything there but particularly the new to me Dimensions needlecraft kits. There website, I just noticed, doesn't have the photos of the new kits up yet so I scanned the cover of their brochure for you to see. They were so hand made looking.

At Plaid's Booth we met Cathie and Steve of TV fame. I loved Cathie's necklace and learned that it was Modge Podge's "Make 'n Take." We rushed over there to make our own. We started with one of their acrylic birds. Kathie picked an acrylic crown to work with. You could either apply the collage to the front or the back. Then we covered our collage with some sparking Modge Podge and then again with some Dimensional Magic Modge Podge.

Cathie's Necklace

We finally met up with Jackie, our leader, and Kat and Georgia. They had taken a room Sunday night and were staying until Tuesday. Kathie, Robin and I were starving and it was getting late in the afternoon. When we got to the food concession stands, they were already closing up shop. That is just nuts. It was only 2:30 or 3 pm and all the booths would be open until 6 pm. There were some men waiting in line who weren't very happy either. Bag of chips and a coke was all I got.

At 6 pm, Robin had asks us if we could stay for a Designer's open house up stairs where tables were set up for designers to display some of their "stuff." (one of my most favorite words when not sure what the correct word should or would be. . .) I saw my friend Jennifer Priest's display and also met a really interesting person, Cathe Holden - Designer, crafter, writer, speaker. Click here for her other website Just something I Made. Enjoyed talking to her. She lives in Petaluma, CA, where the man of my dreams, Leo Laporte of TWIT.TV has his new studios in downtown Petaluma. Leo broadcasts daily his many Podcaste shows around anything computer/cell phone associated like iPad Today, All About Android, Google, Mac Break Weekly, etc.

Finally saw Elena from Scrapbook Royalty ablaze with all her worker bees and her wings. I had heard from her at her birthday breakfast that she was going to be doing a flash mob. She did it at the opening of CHA on Sunday.




The end to a perfect day was when we were leaving and walking the length of the convention center to where our car was parked and out from the floor of the convention center came Wendy Vicchi with about 6 or 7 friends, one who happened to be Bernie Berlin. Wendy shouted upon seeing me, "there's the person who made the necklace I'm wearing," and rushed towards me with her friends. She said they had all asked if she had gotten my name or a business card because they all loved my necklace. I was surprised, pleased, over-whelmed etc. as I dug in to my purse and handed out my cards. Yea! I can now make more of theses necklaces and have faith that I will sell them somewhere unexpected again! Woo hoo. . .

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Rita Reade's Vintage Marketplace and Matilda's Mouse Antique

Silly Sal with Jackie's hat on her head

In November and December I decided to take some chances. My daughter had always remarked about my art, "What are you going to do with all your art you are creating?"

Well, the year before at Elena's Seaside Soiree in Oceanside, she had asked me to donate one of my Suzi Blu paintings for her fund raiser auction. To my utter surprise, two women started bidding on my painting and got my humble 6"x12" painting up to $75. Woo Hoo!

Also in 2010 I had taken my 1st Sally Jean Halloween class where we made layered glass pendant shaker box vignettes. Skip to this summer and what to solder with my dear friends, Margo and Kathie when we get together. Margo had figured out and shared how to make light weight pendant boxes and Kathie had discovered how to make fairies out of beads and bead findings.

One of my many fairy vignette pendants

I went on a mission and made way too many glass soldered pendant boxes for one person to wear.

All my "children"

Then in 2011 I took Sally Jean's "Cuff" class. The most fun I have ever had. I had finally found my venue. But I couldn't just copy Sally Jean's designs to sell, so I made my own pattern with canabalized vintage jewelry and my heart necklaces were created and no two are alike!

My first of 5 original necklaces

In the meantime, Margo was making theses beautiful Christmas Ornaments and had giving me her PhotoShop(ed) design for a present, Christmas 2010. She then challenged Kathie and me to manipulate a copy free print and create our own background for them using all the PS tools we possessed and understood. I liked my designs and started soldering 2 1/2"x 3" glass/soldered ornaments for gifts for my friends and family. Then I reduced them in size to 1"x1 1/2" pendants. Now, I had too many of theses too!

Christmas Ornament Original Designs


Christmas Ornament pendants

Another new friend who I met at a Terri Brush class at the Urban Barn in Escondido was involved in a wonderful Vintage Charm Swap. This had been one of the many swaps at Kim Caldwell's Moulin Rouge getaway in Huntington Beach that year.

Robin helped me and 7 of my friends to hold our own jewelry swap necklace. I had all my mom's vintage costume jewelry.

(I had once considered making one of those boards with a Christmas Tree painted and adorned with costume jewelry and Christmas Tree lights peaking out to be hung on a wall or put on an easel once a year.)

Nope, not for me and MY Mom's jewelry. But necklaces out of her jewelry - Yea! Five necklaces later for a sweatshirt and t-shirt gal? Here we go again. What to do with all theses necklaces?

Well, 1st off - Elena had her 2011 Seaside Soiree and I donated this year one of my favorite Suzi Blu mermaids 6"x12" paintings. Suzi had used my painting for her painting/frame class where she used styrofoam with Golden's Light Molding Paste to embed glass, beads and shells. It ended up being about 16"x20" piece of art for Elena's fund raiser. One more piece of art out of my home.

Kathie setting out our jewelry

Currie Elementary School Craft Fair

Kathie heard about a school near by us that has a yearly huge Christmas craft fair that had an entrance fee. We registered late and we were placed way at the end of this faire. I am happy to report that we sold some of our wares. Kathie had theses darling fairy earrings, phone dangles, pendants and zipper pulls. I had my Christmas stuff, my vintage fairy box pendants and some neckalce charms I had thrown together. We both sold some, but not much. But, our feet were now wet!

Just some of the vendor's tents at
Vintage Market Place

Then two other great friends, Jackie and Bonnie offered us a place under their tuen at Rita Reade's Vintage Market Place off Hwy 15 at Rainbow and The Oaks. Woo Hoo, I sold 3 of my heart necklaces and got so many compliments.

Kathie and Sally's jewelry at Vintage Market Place

Out that way that weekend Kathie and and I took a side trip to Matilda's Mouse, hidden away in rural Escondido - once the Betty Crocker farm house. The theme was Christmas and what a Winter wonderland! Everywhere you looked you were transported to those Christmas Past.

Matilda, the store namesake

Inside Matilda's Mouse at Christmas

I have found a new venue for my "stuff." The hair boutique where I get my haircut and color. Besides her Hillcrest stable of hair stylists, the owner has a jewelry and clothing boutique woven throughout her large studio. She has seen my wares and has offered to display them for sale in the spring. She says she loves my one of a kind designs and their "organic" nature.

Thanks to all of my teachers, friends and family for their support. I also want to give a special thanks to Debby Anderson for her generous sharing of a website where she gets some of her metal pieces that she uses in her beautiful classy art jewelry. I love seeing her designs in Somerset Jewelry Affaire and Belle Armiore Jewelry magazines.

Wish me luck in my sales. At some point an Etsy Shop may be in my future as I move onto new discoveries, ideas and creations.

More photos of Matilda's Mouse





Kathie in front of Jackie's upside down
Christmas Tree at Matilda's



Thursday, October 20, 2011

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.