Playing Catch Up

Here I present you with a pictorial potpourri of what my life has been like during the last two weeks. Lots of good stuff! First of all I had the pleasure of attending a 3-day workshop with Stephanie Lee which was a combination of her Junk Drawer Metalsmithing and Chain Gang classes. The workshop took place at Carol Park's wonderful studio and home in North Hollywood. You can get a glimpse of Carol's living room in the collage about.....are you seeing RED yet! Carol's home is an artist's haven filled with art of every kind in every nook and cranny....what fun it was to just explore each room. The class was small with only 10 students which allowed Stephanie to give each of us personal attention with all of our questions and varied projects. Like always, one of the best things about attending art workshops for me is to meet the wonderful people....and this time was no exception.

My traveling companion and art buddy Riki Schumacher and I on our way to Carol's studio on the first day dropped by a hotel in North Hollywood to pick up and meet for the very first time our blog buddy Diane Cook who flew in from Texas the night before. What a joy it was to finally meet Diane after communicating for so many months via email, our blogs and a few phone calls. Riki decided that it would be easier for her to keep Diane and me straight (since our names were so similar) to give us nicknames. So, Diane was "Tex" (for obvious reasons) and I was to be "Lady Di". The three of us had so much fun in class, eating wonderful food, shopping, laughing, sharing ideas, and getting to know one another. You can see the three of us in the top left photo in the collage above (Riki on the left, the pretty blonde is Diane and me sitting). And while you are looking at that collage feast your eyes on one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen....a Stephanie Lee creation.

Here is a group of most of the students attending and a few of the pieces I created using Stephanie's etching and bezel making techniques. Stephanie is such a delightful, personable and knowledgeable teacher. She creates such a relaxed atmosphere conducive to learning. Thank you Stephanie....I came home very inspired!

Riki, Diane and I stayed with Riki's sister who lives in Malibu. So each evening we would make the 45 minute drive through the coastal foothills to Malibu. On the last night, after three days of classes, we celebrated and relaxed at this wonderful beach. The Margarita's were divine, sunset fantastic and I couldn't have asked for better company. Thank you Riki for being such a wonderful friend and art sister!

I was home from L.A. for only a few days when I was packing up once again and off to my nephew's wedding which was taking place in Three Rivers, Ca. My sister and her hubby recently purchased a beautiful home there with 3 1/2 acres of fantastic views, mountains, trees, and wildlife. You can see by the photos how picturesque it was...a perfect venue for exchanging vows. The bride was beautiful and I loved my nephew's green tennies.....as you can see, the festivities were very relaxed ......suitable to the environment. In the collage below is yours truly with my nephew, Jacob, and his lovely wife, Melissa.

This week, Riki, and I have been preparing for our Feathered Friends class which will take place this Saturday. Yesterday we spent putting together kits and handouts. I'm looking forward to team teaching with Riki....she is such a talented artist.

Hang in there....I am almost finished.....it has been a very busy last few weeks. As I mentioned in a few posts back, I have been designing a collection of jewelry for my friend Robin Kaplan of Robin Kaplan Designs. Next week we are scheduled for her fall collection photo shoot. I always look forward to working with Robin (I just love her clothing), the model(s) and photographer who I have known for years. So, here is just a peek of some of the pieces I have completed for the shoot. I'll post more photos later on my Flickr.

So there you have it.....a recap of my last few weeks. Thank you for continuing to drop by for a visit. Know that you are all appreciated.

Tootles

Diana