So where are you going again this weekend? It's a question I am often asked as the sweet anticipation of attending one of Kim Caldwells Artistic Affaire events approaches. "Well it's sort of an, art retreat, surprise party, banquet, dessert buffet, friendship making, gabbing, shopping, pajama party, martini drinking, weekend of bliss!" Does that explain it? NO? Well maybe a few pictures will! I took plenty and they sort of explain the whole weekend! Here we GO!
it started off taking these lovely ladies to my favorite downtown shopping haunts. From Left to Right: Michelle Geller from Oregon, Valita Baxley from Texas, and Rachel Velder (my sweet roomie for the weekend) from Nebraska.
I just had to snap a pic of the cutest little dress shop EVER! Make me want to run out and have a baby...okay NOT!
Rachel at Tiara cafe in the Downtown Fashion District
The first of MANY cupcakes on this weekend trip...Rachel and I have a passion for cupcakes!
Tiara Cafe
Boa shopping
and we ran across some other attendees who had the same idea! Robin Sanchez and Tina Capriotti
did you say you want to buy some buttons!
more buttons...
Michelle in heaven at the "so good they have to be locked up" button counter
it was super hot that day even though there was no sun out
how sweet is this pic.."Rachel declares! OMG E6000 is only 4 bucks here!"
and Miss Michelle so so happy to find these awesome little labels that have so become her trademark!
trust me, if you don't go here without focus, you will lose focus! Bohemian Crystal- Maple Ave.
ahhhhhh I love beads!
the back of the subie after shopping day!
our room at the Belamar Hotel, Manhattan Beach, Ca.
The Belamar
Michelle representing her company HOLD DEAR- Moulin vendor night, please stop by her shop, she has such wonderful finds
I could kill myself for not remembering the name of this awesome vendor. I think it was maybe Linda Fitts, please correct me if I am wrong. She has some lovely items.
Ivey (Taras daughter)Me and and Tara Wislon from Lu Lu Max. I bought a great necklace from her and got compliments on it all day long at work. Thanks Tara!
Me and the magical Angela Howard, I friggin love this chick! She is funny and talented and so much fun.
This is a little taste of what you get when you walk into a Kim event. A velvet bag FILLED with killer goodies from the sweetest shops around!
A surprise gift with a sweet chocolate Eiffel tower from Teri Frias, I am so glad I got to know Teri better this time around. I needed this bag too, to haul away all of the projects and presents we get all weekend!
Its all in the details, Kim made these lovely ladies all trimmed in gold.
My trusty tablemates Andrea Villareal who's blog The Freckled Star is one of the wittiest you will ever read. And Sherry Bamsey my early AM facebook buddy (she is the only one awake in the am when I am on!)
First project from Shea Fragoso from A Gilded Life. Her Mom Debbie was on hand to help.
Michelle Geller, Cheryl Stoneham, and Valita Baxley
Kims lovely Can Can girl
Moulin Decor
The "Stage"
My finished necklace
Loved meeting Lu Lu Kellog, Lu Lu I know you read my blog and it was so nice to finally meet you in person. I love my necklace I got from you on vendor night. Check out Lu Lu's creations at Coastal Sisters.
the food spread... impressive!
Tablemate Jenny Morgan. OMG Jenny is the neatest crafter I have ever seen, I bow in awe of you Jenny. Poor thing had to sit next to the messy crafter..me!
Earleen, she had to sit at another table, but that didn't stop us from socializing. I love hearing her laugh!
My sweet cupcake baker Julie Gordon Weller
Valita and Rachel working on the Jenny and Aaron project
Caydee and Shawn
Later we slipped away to Marmalade Cafe for dinner...me and Caydee
my two besties-Earleen and Andrea, but we were so missing our sister Annette, but someone HAS to go to Costa Rica for the rest of us.
Swap Tables-
Bling bracelett swap
pocket full of positivity swap
Paper Doll Swap
Julies Canvas swap
bling choker swap
yes more cupcakes! (behind that yucky fruit!)
Macarons- not to be confused with macaroons....these have NO yucky coconut in them! LOL!
My Bijoux Box Swap and little did I know at the time this one was mine!
this one was for Kim filled with goodies!
My amazing book from Michelle Geller. I have video of this one coming soon!
And below are a bunch of lovely ladies opening their boxes!
Kerry Lynn Yeary class a cute little dry erase board.
Andrea and her creation
Colleen Moodys class, wait till you see how this little extra terrestrial came out!
I gave her boots!
here she sits!
and finished in all her glory!
I changed her from a can can girl to a little witch, because I love Halloween!
And lo and behold! My girl Tina won my giveaway prize. I made a moulin rouge themed birdcage. now Tina has two of my creations, she was my swap partner during Kims Alice in Wonderland event!
So things got a little crazy Saturday night when we finished Collen class early and decided to drive across town and hit French GeneralSheas french beading class!
Valita looking all recharged after we ate at HOME in Silverlake
This is one of my favorite pics from the whole weekend!
and I made these...
...with these lovely ladies! Debbie and Shea. My Mom and I do a lot of things together so I can really appreciate how much fun these two must have!
uh and did I say I love CUPcakes, this one had mocha icing from HOME
And then the last day. I don't do the amazing field trips Kim has planned on the last day, because I am just too exhausted (as you probably are if you got to the end of this post!) to spend all day. So me and Rachel hit the Long Beach flea market..rain didn't keep Rachel from finding the cutest little vintage first aid kit to take home.
a mess! but a fun mess! And the vendors were dealing!
ready for the rain
Well that was my weekend in a nutshell. The best part as always is the friendship. I loved being able to spend time with Andrea and Earleen, but also got to hang with some great out-of-town girls, and also meet some more local friends. I always feel so enriched and inspired when I return home.
I want to thank all of the ladies that participated in my swap and also for the sweet hostess gifts you gave me!
Till the next event...oh Kim do tell, when is it? What will it be??
And most of all won't YOU join us?
-Denise
How fun Denise! I feel like I was there....I can't wait to hit downtown LA with you one of these days!
ReplyDeleteA GREAT post Denise!!! I can't believe you girls took the FG class on Sat night too! So nice to see you as always AND as always... never enough time. I'm sure we'll see each other again sometime this spring right?
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Holly
You took great pics Denise. Reminds me I need to get my butt moving again lol:) So glad to see your birdcage class sold out!! That's fantastic:) We need to come up with a date for it here.......
ReplyDeleteWow! What a wonderfully fun post! Thanks so much for sharing what sounds like a SUPER fun weekend! You lucky girl.
ReplyDeleteOH! And I was at the Flea Market too... :) didn't see ya, but it was fun, rain and all!Take care, Bridgette
Denise you did an awesome job capturing the essence of the weekend. It was so much fun. Better than I could have imagined!! I cant believe you went to French General too. I wish I had known that they were open Tina & I want to see that place some day. I love those little girl dresses you must tell me where they are. I have a grand daughter that would love one. And Bohemian Crystal....to die for!! We hit that store too and it was my first time.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to your birdcage class Sunday. I would love to see your book from the swap. Can you bring it? There was so much going on looks like I missed out on some things!!
Robin
I loved reading your recap of the weekend and seeing all of your pictures...for some reason I must have been in a can can haze because I didn't take nearly enough pictures. I'll be signing up for your belt buckle class later tonight. Can't wait. Take Care. :-)
ReplyDeleteSusan
OH my gosh!!!! I LOVED this post...you captured so many great memories and got the most amazing photos! Wonderful wonderful! And thanks for all the Hold Dear love! :-)
ReplyDeleteI am SO glad I got to spend so much time with you. That made me so happy and I appreciate all the driving you did to get us to some of the most fabulous shopping and eating a girl could hope for!
You truly made this a very magical weekend for me. Thank you, cupcake!!!
PS...NONE of my pictures from the garment district were on my camera. The first pic that uploaded was from the vendor night! WTF!? So disappointed and so even more thankful that you captured so much of our fun here! xo!