Here is the other wire necklace

Ok got the 2nd one finished ..... they still don't look nearly as good as Deryn's but they are better than my other attempts ... Deryn says I must practice, practice, practice ..... click to enlarge

Wire jewelry

ok I have always wanted to do a better job on my wire jewelry work and at Shady Ladies Retreat I had a chance to learn form one of the BEST ..... Deryn Mentock .... she taught me a few tricks that will help me BIG time thanks Deryn ...... this is one I finished today, that I started with her, the diamond glaze isn't quite dry therefore a cloudy appearance of the wings .... it hangs on a sari silk chain ..... click to enlarge

Shady Ladies was GREAT

Report on the first Shady Ladies Art Retreat ....
Jeri is our word smith and so I have snagged her post on the Retreat and copied it to mine ..... but these are my photos, I was just having to much fun to take any of the rest of the goings on ....

the retreat began on Friday evening with most of the teachers getting together to meet each other and go over information - of course we shared a bit of wine & cheese and much fun conversation.  Our special guests for the weekend were Rice Freeman-Zachary and her husband, photographer, Earl Zachary.  Both were a delight and added so much to the retreat!  You should have seen me trying to ignore Earl's camera when we needed a "face shot" of me.
The teachers were Kari McKnight-Holbrook (painting & clay), Deryn Mentock (jewelry), Magdalena Muldoon (metal embossing), Linda Findley (altered book), and me with bookmaking and shadowboxes.  It was truly a fun fun time.
During the afternoon on Saturday we had a glass bead making demo by Peg McLarnan -
On Saturday evening after a busy busy day of classes we had a Texas barbeque by the pool - you can do tht  in central Texas towards the end of April!  The food was good with the exception of my cold beans - oh well, there is always next year!  Everyone was friendly and I don't think anyone was left out - if we saw someone sitting by themselves, someone in the crowd would go join them (if they wanted privacy they did not get it - lol).
Saturday night we had "Let's Mingle At The Marketplace" - what fun to get to mingle will all of the attendees and there were some make & takes and the teachers sold their wares.
Sunday was another class filled day.  Later in the afternoon , attendees and some of the teachers began  saying their good-bye's and left.

Six more days then Shady Ladies Art Retreat will begin

We are doing a swap of tags at the retreat and this is mine .... click to enlarge

Read my Interview

I have been honored by BlogInterviewer.com and would love for you to read the interview ... just click here and you will be sent straight to the interview, I am second one down ....... thanks again Mike of BlogInterviewer.com .... IF you want to vote me in as a BEST blog just click the "vote now" button close to the top of my interview on the left side ... thanks Linda

More with Tim Holtz dies

it seems like I can only get cards made right now ... maybe I can experiment more in a couple of months ... until then hope you like looking at cards ........

Happy Easter one and all ....

Another way to use my "new toy"

This is also done with the Tim Holtz edge die cutter .... I am having so much fun exploring all the way I can use just this edge cutter .... just wait till I move on to the others ones I have, as well as the larger die cutters ... when my folders come in that will be even more fun .....

Flag/Pennant Banner

This was a 5 day challenge from an online group I am in ... we did a step each day so that at the end of 5 days we each had our completed banners .... I used a new Tim Holtz edge die cut on the top and 2 of his new "Spring Sprung" stamps (the bunny and the twigs/leaves) and his Elegant Flourish die for the gold flourish .... the paper flowers are out of scrap paper and tulle on the end flowers, the center one is just paper (you cut/punch out scalloped circles. at least 5, then you punch hole in the center add a brad and scrunch up each of the circles in to balls then unscrunch them one at a time) a friend taught me this ... I kind of cheated and only use 6 or our 9 flags we made because I wanted mine to be for Easter ...... it was fun and now I have another Easter decoration thanks "E" ...... click to enlarge

More news about Shady Ladies Altered Art Retreat

I've been in a whirlwind lately getting ready for my Altered Book Retreat/Workshop and Altered Book class …. I’m lovin’ it …. In April I'll be headed down the road to the quaint town of Salado, Texas to teach at a retreat called Shady Ladies Altered Art Retreat, put on by Jeri Aaron … Shady Ladies is going to be a small event this year ...much more intimate …. This means, if you're a student, you'll enjoy tons of personal attention from your instructors and you'll get to know more of your fellow retreat attendees …. I'm real excited about both events …. The Altered Book class is still open to more students, it’s to be held Saturday April 24, 2010, in Salado, Texas …. There are more classes Saturday and Sunday April 24-25, 2010 just go to Shady Ladies blog and read all about them ... Classes are filling so get yourself signed up ASAP …. These are fun and informative classes …. Some are working with clay, canvases, altered books, creating books, art dolls, jewelry making, metal, drawing, shadowboxes … great teachers, some nationally known … Texas now has it's own art retreat …. Author Rice Zachery-Freeman will be attending Shady Ladies Altered Art Workshops … She is writing a book about art retreats, featuring a couple of the large national retreats, a boutique type retreat, a smaller intimate retreat, etc. … She met with the editor/publisher and Shady Ladies was chosen as the "small, more intimate retreat"…. Rice and her husband will be attending our retreat, hang out with us, take pictures, actually attend a class …. Come on and join the fun ….

I got new toys!!!!

Yep I got some of the Tim Holtz edge die cuts and I love them ...... see the cards I did cause I couldn't wait to play .... click to enlarge

St. Patty's is just around the corner

so I thought I would share some images you might want to use in your St. Patrick Day art ....

Food for thought on a Canvas

I think this says it all ...... I did a little 3D altering and there you have it ...... click to enlarge

Surprises and Fun Giveaway from Prima

Prima is having a giveaway and a surprises to be announced ..... just click HERE to learn all about it .......... I did ;) ... oh the giveaway drawing will be March 4th .....

Our Granddaughter ....

ok so she was born in August of 2009 and I am just now getting around to doing some of her birth photo's ... well GG has been busy doing a few other things ...... ;)

Journal for Shady Ladies Altered Art Retreat

I am working on this so while I am at Shady Ladies Retreat I can keep all my memories in a cool place ....... will show more later ....

Crazy Day in Central TX

Central TX is totally no snow but we don't often get this much ...... this is only after 2 1/2 hours ... 11am - I may post another one later today because it's still snowing BIG snow flakes and steady ... 6pm - well it has snowed more then melted some and is snowing again but just lightly now ... I think we have probably gotten 3-4" so far

Annual Altered Book Retreat 2010

it's only a month away ..... I am wrapping up loose ends ... getting ready for all the fun

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone

free image ... to download just click on image to get larger size then right click and save ..... enjoy

I am feverishly working

on Techniques for my Altered Book Retreat in March and trying to get all the things together for classes I will teach in April for the Shady Ladies Altered Art Retreat ... I will start sharing as soon as I can ... if you are interested in either of these just click the link and have a look ...... thanks for stopping by .....