Suzi Blu's mermaid's by the sea class, San Diego, California

my piece from Nina's workshop

here is my completed piece from Nina's class. the first day started off with some basic PMC work. it was my first time working with PMC and i haven't really done any polymer clay or anything, so i wasn't really impressed with my work! i think i pressed too hard into the clay with my stamp. it will just take some fine tuning. i prefer working with found objects anyway. day two we learned wire wrapping, the "Nina knot", a grapevine knot, the cacoon wrap, connecting 2 pieces together, making a hook and a clasp. it was a lot to learn in one day. so i spent a lot of time practicing, but again, good wire wrapping takes practice. the 3rd we spent assembling our pieces, going over techniques we were having trouble with and before we knew it, the weekend was over. it was sad to say goodbye to old friends and sad to say goodbye to new friends. Valley Ridge Art Studio located in Muscoda, Wisconsin is a real treat. check out their website and look into taking a class there sometime. (go with a friend and share expenses). you can fly into Madison or Milwaukee and then drive from there. they have a few rooms on the property called The Farmhouse or you can look into rooms elsewhere (we stayed at the Riley Farm about 10 minutes away). The studio is very spacious and accomodates 20 students. you get your own worktable and again, have plenty of room to put out your stuff without having another student on top of you. i appreciate that! they give great attention to detail (my favorite, every station had a trash baggie at it), a refrigerator stocked with sodas, tea and water. Kathy, the owner, makes fresh coffee throughout the day and then lunch, wow. pasta, salad, soups, deli meats, pie, cheese (try a 4 year old cheddar cheese bought locally - yummy!). her husband, bill, is behind the scenes serving soup, cleaning up, taking photos, sweeping the studio, etc. it is very well run, extremely organized, friendly, relaxing. they have a store in the studio where you will find the best things - things you just have to have. things you've seen online but didn't want to pay for the shipping. buy them there, i did! it was a nice group of talented women and fun to be there with 4 Charmsters (me, Z, Pam K. and Jean). of course my good friend, Kim and Julie were there and i recognized (from artnsoul) the beautiful, Lynda, the minute she walked in the door. met a really sweet, talented artists, Jill, who made a gorgeous PMC ring and has been published many times in all our favorite art magazines. Sue, was the my seatmate behind me and she was really sweetie, trading me things, fun to talk with. i did get to go home with a pair of earrings made by Nina, so that was cool.
On the ride home, we broke up the ride by stopping at an antique store. what a great place! we were sad we didn't have more time to spend there. the woman running the desk loved my little handpainted bag i was carried (done by me), so i gave her my etsy card in case she'd like to order one. (yes, Carol, you are still first in line for a bag!)
right now i am sitting at Chicago O'hare waiting for my very delayed flight (bad weather in Newark). i am tired and my back is sore from sitting for 3 days, driving 4 hours to the airport and now sitting 4 hours in these uncomfortable airport seats. i left my purse in the bathroom and when i returned for it, it was gone. i tried not to panic and waited for the police to come so that i could give a description, etc when i saw a couple of women walking by and one of them was carrying my bag. she looked into the bag and had found my gate # and was coming to return it to me. i almost started crying and gave her a huge hug.

Valley Ridge Studio with Nina Bagley, 2008

early in the morning, on the way to class,N we saw this horse and pony crossing a field covered with lovely purple flowers. it was really something out of a movie. they were making their way too this stream to graze and laze.

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Nina and i, last day of class - boo hoo

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i picked this on a walk. i'm sure it has a great name, but i was just calling it my oversized dandelion

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the quarry

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class photo, Valley Ridge 2008

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playing on the hay bales

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Nina gives a demo

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kim and i behind the studio catching some rays

day two of classes, Stephanie Rubanio, "bedazzled butterfly box"

Stephanie Rubanio. Leighanna Light and me


Mr. Sally Jean (Brad)

Leighanna and her cute laugh. me and leighanna.

Glenny gets a dual massage.

my finished piece. me and table mate Diane (who i know from Tinsel Trading Co.)


Joyce Vance shows her piece (thanks for the image!) these are the saw blades i broke.

me using the jeweler's saw and my image mounted and cutting process.

today's class was with Stephanie Rubanio. i just love this girl. so down to earth, sweet, generous and a great teacher. i am so glad i got to take this class! i bought a piece from her last year in Portland. Then i got to see her at Artfest and she actually remembered the piece i bought (impressive enough, since i can't remember anything!). then on vendor night at Arfest, she came over while i was giving chair massage and asked for a few minutes since she wasn't feeling well. it was a pleasure to have her as a teacher. i just thoroughly enjoyed this class. everyone left that class with a beautiful piece. i mean really, see from the piece i made - just incredible.

"Z" had an evening class and Jean went out to dinner with her roommate, so i was on my own tonight. i had intentions of going back to the room and making another shadow box, but that all changed when i sat down at a table with Leighanna Light and Christine Hendry (no blog that i know of)- but she's Albie Smith's daughter! she is also a fellow Charmster. Pretty soon, Mr. Sally Jean Alexander stopped by the table for a drink with us, soon to be followed by Sally Jean and then Stephanie Rubanio and Glenny. what a time we had! our bartender, Eddie, was pouring heavy handed so everyone was feeling pretty content. Leighanna has the greatest giggle and she always brings her fingers to her lips when she laughs, which is quite cute. She is also a massage therapist, so the both of us were giving out some shoulder rubs to our little party. (especially to Glenny, who looked exhausted). Glenny is also going to Bali for the retreat with Anahata, so that will be fun to spend some time with her there. i bartered with Stephanie for some more "nuts and bolts" used in her boxes for some massage on her shoulder, which is still bothering her. it was a fun evening, which you will gather from the photos.

***i am having some mail issues with AOL, so please bear with me, if you are trying to email me and the email is getting "bounced". i'm not sure what is going on. i'll look into it when i return home. you might try leaving a message for me on my blog just in case.

1st class @ Artfest - "a wee book" with Nina Bagley

my finished book and some of the pages inside



Janet Wilson working on her book and Nina showing us how to use liver of sulphur.

my friend, Kim, was also in the class. me and her, kim working and then Kim peeking out the window before class. I wore my favorite vintage fedora hat around Artfest as a way for people to identify me or find me if they were looking for! it was great because people knew right away who i was since i had informed everyone i was to meet that i'd have my hat on!

shadow pic of the awesome doors outside on building 204