Belt Buckle Bling Class This Sunday at Whimzy in Santa Ana

{design by Andrea Villareal}

Click on the pic on the sidebar to sign up. This Sunday I will be teaching my second belt buckle bling class. I bring all of the goodies and you get to make your own unique design. If you don't wear buckles these look great hanging from a ribbon or around pillow. They also make great gifts for friends. But the best part is always the socializing! 1pm-4pm at Whimzy! Click here to see pics from my last class!
http://inmyblueroom.blogspot.com/2011/04/class-photos-belt-buckle-bling.html


hope to see you there!

Denise

Dig Daddys Antiques, Downtown LA, and Bottega Louie- Final Birthdaycation post till next year!

So I ended my Birthdaycation last month with a lovely day trip out shopping with the girls! We started at Dig Daddys antiques in LA, and lets just say they had some amazing things at some amazing prices, and I don't mean that in a good way! I really couldn't afford to even look in that place, but their certainly was a lot of eye-candy to go around. After that we headed to are some of my usual haunts in downtown LA, Bohemia Crystal, Trim 2000 and the trim place that I don't think has a name but the owner Bijan is super nice. After that we headed to Bottega Louie. Nowe I usually head to Tiara Cafe myself so I was excited to check this new place out and I was NOT disappointed! Great Italian fair and an amazing pastry shop attached. The only downside is that it is so big and clean that there is a terrible echo in the place, it is really LOUD, but that's okay we just jumped right in and joined the loudness. Some of us couldn't make it to the shopping trip so we invited Freida and Audrey to tag along! Tee Hee..... Enjoy the pics!

{i cant go without thanking my friend Earleen for the wonderful Birthday gift she gave me}

{pretty package}

{pretty awesome contents!-Thank you Earleen}

Now some eye candy from Dig Daddys Antiques:

{printers cabinet}

{this birdcage was like 7 feet tall}

{another amazing birdcage...there were lots and many with live birds}

{hmmm i think i could do something with this}

{this thing hand Andreas name written all over it. It is filled with scientific shell specimens, unfortunately it also had "SOLD" written on it}

{gorgeous}

{every drawer was filled with shells}

Onward to downtown!

{one of Kims fav button and trim stores}

{me and Earlene}

{me and Kim}

{the flower store}

{I love this pic of Cheryl by all of the fresh flowers, it smelled so good on that street}

{Kim on her way to Botegga Louies}

{macaroon anyone?}

{pastries! I got the key lime tart it was divine}

{even the bathrooms were cool at Louie's}

{Andrea's cupcakes}

{my glass of chardonnay, my friends must think I am a lush, but I just love wine!}

{Beautiful Louie's!}

We were all completely pooped from the heat and walking, but we had an amazing day together. I am so fortunate to have such wonderful friends, I really do cherish them. Thanks Gals!

-Denise

Lisa Kaus Collage Classes Day 2

Day two with Lisa we focused mainly on painting and shading. It was very hard for me to create something on such a big scale. With day 1 gridlock project, I felt like the painting was small and not so out there...You could kind of hide behind it, but this one there was no hiding! I chose to paint a scared heart. Why do I love scared hearts? I have no idea, I am so not the religious type, I just love a flaming heart! Anyway, here are the pics from the event. I took a lot away from these classes, the exposure to watercolor crayons and graphite pencil. The use of beeswax, and just some general composition ideas. I have already started creating a series of spooky houses using some of the techniques... but it's a wee bit early for halloween so I will share those later! As I am writing this I just got back from another "outside the box" class with Pam Garrison now I am really inspired! (stay tuned for blog post about Pams class)

{the start of it}

{Terry Frias and her amazing purple Frenchie!}

{C-Flo -----Cynthia Flores!}

{Cheryl Stonehams}

{Kim Caldwell very hard at work}

{Cupcake herself Julie Weller}

{Anna Crutchfiled}

{watercolor crayons}

{Me Cynthia and Terry!}

{my finished project}

{your scared space is where you can find yourself again and again}

-I like to find myself in my blue room!

-Denise

Lisa Kaus Collage Classes Day 1

 The next part of my Birthdaycation was to attend one of Kim Caldwells Artistic Affaires. She invited artist Lisa Kaus to come and teach us some collage and painting techniques. I love learing new techniques and have already gone out and bought watercolor crayons, graphite pencils, and beeswax! I will let the pics speak for themselves!:

{our welcome bucket filled with goodies!}

{a bright sunny room with lots of light and color}

{Kims table settings were just so fresh and juicy looking!}

{supply table}

{goodie bag spilled out!}

{My trusty tool box!}

{Michelle from Hold Dear had the funnest goodies bag, please check out her shop: http://www.holddearshop.com

{my sweet friend Andrea baked me this amazing chocolate cupcake in a coffee cup, it tasted divine!}

{here is what I picked out for my collage}

{originally I liked this little dear, but she got nixed!}

{fluid acrylics...kinda like watercolors}

{here is my 11x17 board almost covered in paint and paper}

{oh and the nails, I loved the nails! Had to go buy a bunch of my own today at Home Depot}

{we made a big sweet mess!!!}

{Andrea "i dont paint" Villareal}

{Earleen stepped out of her Tim Holtz style and into some pretty lovely bright colors}

{Terry Frias, can actually PAINT!}

{Starting to come along. What I realized is that with collage you can't pre plan out everything then assemble, you have to start with a focal point and just let it go from there.}

{Andreas Seashore theme was lovely}

{and so is she}

{put your back in to it Earleen!!!!}

{I love this lady, she makes me laugh and is kindhearted yet brutally honest at the same time}

Some of the other students...:

{Cheryl and Jenny Doh in the back there...}

{Miss Flores!}

{I am not the only mess maker!}

{Julie Baxleys...one of my favorites!}

{teacher sample}

{My finished collage, I just love it!}

some details of it below:

{and a little surprise Birthday gift from Earleen!}

{WOW}

-so thats day one...day two coming soon

Denise