Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Artful Gathering DVD's available!

Some very exciting news!  

The 2013 Artful Gathering classes are now available for purchase on DVD.  
Just visit the Artful Gathering site at

There are lots of classes to choose from and they are all from wonderfully 
talented artists such as

David Everett-Chicken Lips
Riki Schumacher
Diane Cook
Mary Jane Chadbourne
Pamela Hungtington
Kecia Deveney

And More!!

My Briley the Birdie class is also available.


briley front cover


Order now for delivery to your mailbox in February, 2014.

Pre-Order any of the 2013 DVD’s today and your copy will deliver on February 1st. 2014!
Would you like to order one for a holiday gift? With each pre-order, you will receive a downloadable e-card that you can e-mail to your recipient! (An e-card is included in every pre-order receipt).  See DVD descriptions for details.


Monday, November 25, 2013

Holiday Time...

I'm a huge fan of the holidays....but who isn't?

There is something so wonderful and just plain happy about Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Don't get me wrong ~ I like Halloween ~ a whole lot!

But the November/December time frame is just pure
goodness!


If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area you have probably 
heard of the  


that takes place in in downtown Danville the day after 
Thanksgiving. 

It's a huge gathering of friends, family and community
and it is a magical event.

These snowman picture/place card holders, along with lots of other
holiday pieces, are headed down to


(100 W. Prospect Ave)
to celebrate the lighting of the Old Oak Tree and
to participate in all the merriment that ensues.

Won't you join in?

There will be refreshments, music, wonderful vintage and antique pieces along with
original art from 8 artists.

Hope to see you there.


Friday, October 18, 2013

Down Memory Lane....

 Just a memory....that is what my first Art Camp experience is now.  Lovely thoughts in my head and memories in my heart.  
A time I won't ever forget.  
What took me so long to get there?

was Terri Brush's 10th Art Camp.  
Spring and Fall is when they happen each year and they sell out
in the blink of an eye.  

A whole bunch of women
creating art together
eating together
sleeping in 3 beach houses
literally ON the beach.

40 creative souls spending 4 days together

It doesn't get much better than that.

No cooking
No cleaning
Terri has the most ah-mazing gals that look after everything

The food is deeelish and there is LOTS of it...
The service is incredible.  

Your every want and need is covered.

And the art sisters camaraderie is fantastic. 


The 3 houses

The house on the left is the art house.  The middle one is the most charming cottage style and there were 10 friends that stayed together there.  They must have been really good friends because there was only 1 1/2 bathrooms and we never heard any fighting!  The house on the right is known as "the quiet house".  Not much activity going on there so if you needed some quiet time and space, that was the place to go.  

It's also where the beloved Billie conducts her massages. 
Yes!  
You read that right.  
Massages!!
Sunset views from the deck.





A walk along the beach....the weather was unbelievable!



Besides the beautiful views and incredible weather, food and friends...there was art.  LOTS of art.  This was Terri's class kit, complete with carmel apple for munching on in between meals and snacks and more snacks.  Terri's class was your choice of a stacked triple bracelet or a wonderful soldered frame.


I chose the frames. 
I really wanted to personalize them.  
Some did vintage photos which were to die for....


I chose the family.


One of our classes was taught by Natalie Hansen. It was a fun witches hat.  Some of us decided to go with more of a Christmas theme.  The hat's (or in my case a tree type structure) actually lit up and light shines through the photo that we soldered.  Really wonderful.


Thanks to my friend Sylvia for making us lovely vintage style star pieces to decorate our cones with.


Some of my table mates.  They can be trouble makers so watch out for them!


A couple more mates!
 
I had the privilege and pleasure of being one of three instructors for camp.  I taught my tree topper angel.  These Art Camp gals are so talented that we ended up with snow angels, pumpkin angels and this girl on the right.  The sculpting and hand sewing work on her dress....TO DIE FOR!  I was so impressed with what everyone did.  Oh darn....the crow.  I didn't get a picture of the crow.  Unbelievable!  The variety was so much fun!


Here are some of the girls working on their sculpting.


 
By the end of our Art Camp experience poor Joy was just conked out.  Thelma and Louise had her clucking throughout the whole trip!


The last evening of camp I came back to the quiet house and found this on the counter.  Sweet Billie left me a little gift and it brought tears to my eyes.  It's incredible how women who were complete strangers just a few days earlier can touch you so deeply.

 
  As we headed back to the airport (thanks Kerry, for the ride) there was a rainbow behind us.  I truly believe that pot of gold at the end of it contained all the laughter, joy and happiness left behind by all the Art Camp sisters.


***To read more about the Art Camp experience, please visit Diana Frey's blog.  She did a wonderful post on it and she has a photo of the crow!! **


Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Halloweeeen....web sale!

Please join me for a gathering of All Hallow's Eve friends that will be available on 
Sunday, October 13
5pm PST

They will be found in the Doll Studio

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The final countdown...

 It's on.  The countdown is just 4 short days until 
Halloween and Vine.



Saturday, September 2, 9-3 pm
Petaluma CA


Hope to see all naughty and nice witches there...

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

The most wonderful time....

of the year!!

Halloweeeeeen...
 


 It will be here before you know it.




 I'm working hard in the studio...



Getting ready for....



I'll also be having my annual Halloween web show and sale on Sunday, October 13 @5pm PST.

Hope to see you there!


 

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Tickled Pink....


That's how I feel!  I am so blown away by these
fabulous birds created by my students in my Artful Gathering class.


Artwork by Jackie Olson

 This doll workshop is an online class you take in your home...in your jammies...
with your computer

Artwork by JoAnn Robinson

 and ME!!

Artwork by Claudia Cayne

 I am so impressed with the work that these gals are doing and to top it off they are the nicest, most supportive bunch of gals you ever want to meet. 
Artwork by JoAnn Robinson
If you want to join in the fun, tomorrow (June20) is the last day to sign up.  Go to ArtfulGathering.ning.com for more info.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Upcoming Workshops...


White Santa  
When
November 1-3, 2013

Where
Danville, CA
 Come join me as we create whimsical and lovely heirloom holiday pieces you will treasure for years to come.

Accompany me in my home and studio as I   welcome you to my winter workshop.  Learn the skills of doll making as we create unique holiday creations together. 

Friday, November 1, we will embark into the wonderful world of Santa.  Sculpt, paint, antique and sew your way to a jolly old soul that is sure to steal a smile.

White Santa

Saturday, November 2, a Snow Angel tree topper (or shelf sitter) will be on the agenda.  She can adorn the top of your tree or be included in your holiday displays throughout your home.

Finish off the weekend with a shopping trip to the Alameda Pointe Antiques Faire on Sunday the 3rd.  Alameda is one of the best Antique Markets in the country.  We will meet at Alameda or in Danville and caravan to Alameda. Admission to the flea market is 10.00.

Register for 1 class or the whole weekend!
Seating is limited and lunch is included.
~Santa Workshop
Friday, November 1, 9-4pm, $115.

~Snow Angel Tree Topper Workshop
Saturday, November 2, 9-4pm, $115.
.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Fall Workshops


My Fall schedule is filling up.  One of the things I will be doing is teaching at Terri Brush's Art Camp.  I'm so excited about this as I have wanted to attend as a student for quite some time.  Now I get the best of both worlds....teaching and participating!  There are still a small number of spots available.  

 
Fall Workshop Class Sample
This snow girl is a tree topper or she can be placed on a shelf where she is beau-ti-ous all on her own.  

I will be teaching this at Art Camp and in my home studio workshop this Fall.  I will also be teaching a Santa workshop.  

Watch my blog for all the details. 

Home Studio Workshop Dates-Danville, CA





Friday, November 1
Santa Workshop




Saturday, November 2
Tree Topper Workshop









Sunday, November 3-Caravan to Alameda Flea Market

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

It's all about choices....

In an art workshop there are 2 things that are never wrong, they are always good and always right.  

1.  There are no mistakes in art. 
2.  It's all about choices.


 When I teach a class my goal is not to teach you what I do so your work can look just like mine.  My goal is to teach you the basics of doll making and have you take those skills and turn them into your own works of art.  Often times I hear

"oh I don't like her nose"
or
"her forehead doesn't look like yours"
or 
"her feet don't match perfectly"

and what I ask is

"if you weren't comparing your work to the class sample, would you like them on their own?  Hold them out and look at your sculpted piece from slightly afar.  Is it pleasing to your eye?  Does it make you happy?"

That is what truly matters. 

There are no mistakes in art.  What a student may view as a "mistake" because it isn't an exact comparison to the class sample is a perfect example of the student taking the information they have gained in class and making it their own. 

Their  own style.

If they accomplish this then I have done my job. 

 The second thing that is never wrong...always good and right.

 Choices

2.  It's all about choices.

I love when a student brings a wide variety of fabrics, trims, threads, flowers, laces, etc. to class.
It truly gives them the freedom to play.  
I have seen works of art go from Edgy to Classic, from Bright and Bold to Shabby.  

It all depends on what they bring in their bag of tricks.  

The more pieces and parts you have to choose from the more creative you can be.


 And it's also a great reason to go shopping!




 Come join me on an Artful Adventure where you will sculpt, paint, antique and stitch your way to your own one-of-a-kind masterpiece.



An Online Workshop.


June 6-July 17
In the comfort of your own home.   Just you...your computer...in your pj's with a lump of clay...and me....to walk you through the process and answer all your questions.



Clearly my choices are mostly about pearls!  I love 'em.


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