Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WOW, how did it get to be 2013?? Is it possible? 

How is it time keeps speeding up?

This is going to be such a different year for me, and I look forward to sharing it with you hopefully.  I went out on a limb and planned to teach nationally this year!!! And more than once!

OMG, I am so excited, I can't believe I am doing this!

This is one of the classes I will be teaching in Tucson in February with the amazing Vivi Magoo retreat.  I was invited to join Barb Solem and an amazing line up of instructors for two of their three retreats, and jumped at the chance.

None of my classes taught in Tucson will be repeated at the Vivi retreat in Coronado in May, so jump at this opportunity.  It is a premier, and it is so much fun.

CAST SOME MAGIC  Tucson, AZ  February 8-10, 2013

If you can mold it, you can cast it!! Beginners are more than welcome, and advanced students too.

I so look forward to meeting and sharing this technique with you, sharing a meal, and of course shopping at the amazingly enormous Tucson Gem Show.

Give yourself this gift this year, and walk, fly or drive to Tucson and join with me in having some fun this year.  I'm coming East, so hope you can meet me there!

For more information click

HERE.

Love, hugs, and Happy New Year!

Riki

Stephanie Lee workshop

A heroine of mine

is having another online workshop,

Stephanie Lee,

with another talented lady

Tiffany Han

Go HERE for more info.

It isn't too often that someone I admire as much as Stephanie comes along and continues to outdo herself.  

But it is possible she has.  She and Tiffany Han have designed an amazing new on line workshop, that I have already signed up for, and just want to do a shout out about it here.  I'm so excited about it, and the timing is just great for me.

Stephanie has been an amazingly positive influence in my life in a number of ways.  Her talent jewelry might be all you know about her. But Steph has many amazing layers.  Yes, she is a talented mixed media artist, and successfully published, but she has a layer you might not know about.  Her insight, her life coaching ability, her amazing talent for writing, and her all round talent for making you feel so darn good.  This is why I am signed up for this next on line course.

Here are a few highlights...

* Rhetoric rah-rah runs rampant in the creative world. But what if you don't know what that looks like for you, exactly? 

* What if all the rhetoric, though well intended, is actually  exhausting you?

* Whether you are creative junkie, an established (or wannabe-established) professional artist, a retreat organizer, a teacher, a day-job dreamer, an aspiring work-from-home writer, a life coach or cubicle-bound paper magician, creativity is in your DNA.

* Creative fulfillment is your birthright. You deserve to know exactly how your creative gifts will show up in the world and how they can be of service to yourself and others.

* It is time to take control of your creative dreams.

* Are you ready to feel a sense of creative purpose in your work AND have a practical plan that outlines the steps you need to live vibrantly?

This give you a brief look at why I'm excited about this.  I bought this for myself as a wonderful Christmas present!  Anyway, just wanted to share and thought you might be interested in the course.

I love when I get all excited about something, and can't wait to spread the word!

(if you register before Dec. 15, you get a discount!)

Merry Christmas, have a safe and fabulous holiday.

lots of love,

Riki

Santa Wish List

Have you made your wish list yet for Santa?

How about this?  

A class with Riki in February 

at the Vivi Magoo retreat 

in Tucson, Arizona

(or as my Santa puts it, happy wife, happy life, smart guy).

I'll bet your Santa would love this retreat to be your treat for the holiday.  You could take lots of classes, as well as shop the world renowned Gem & Lapidary Wholesale Gem Show. It doesn't get any better.

Friday February 8, 2013

Le Petite Photo

Make a frame and stand from scratch, with base metals, found objects and torch soldering.

Saturday February 9, 2013

Vamp It Up

 Learn how to tear old rhinestone necklaces apart, how to reattach, add found objects, chains and make a clasp.  

Sunday February 10, 2013

Cast Some Magic

Soooooo much fun to cast with common hardware supplies, and use the castings to make charm bracelets, earrings or beautiful necklaces.

Won't you join me?  It is going to be a blast.  Barb Solem has arranged for a day of shopping on Thursday with the entire group!  Comes complete with a ride, we'll show you where to shop, and all the students for company.  I used to attend this Gem Show every year for about eight years.  The selection is unbelievable. You can find anything relating to jewelry here.  

Read up about it HERE.  

Don't have a wholesale license, no sweat. We instructors can get you in as a guest, to all the back room deals, so you can shop wholesale.

And go HERE to sign up for my classes with Vivi Magoo.

Hope to see you there!!

Ho ho ho!

Lots of love,

Riki

Workshop weekend

You don't get to have this much fun every weekend!

I was invited by my dear friend Joy Campbell to come to her house in Claremont, CA and teach a workshop.  I jumped at the opportunity.  Joy laid out the red carpet for fourteen ladies.  I mean deep red!  I got to stay in a gigantic motor home with one friend, Susan.  We had our own apartment! Loved it.  Thank you Susan for tolerating a blow up mattress, love ya girl!

There was an amazing group of fifteen ladies in the class, and then we got to go antiquing the next day at the Pasadena Community College flea market.  It was stupendous.   I mean, does it get any better?? Not really.  Here's a bunch of pictures of that amazing weekend, and a few words about it.

I hope you enjoy, we all had so much fun!

Here I am in a very serious demonstration!  Sandy, you look very intense! Love you girl.

Isn't this an amazing shot of some darling women?  Top left, Cindy and then Charlene below her.  They came all the way from Texas for this workshop!  You guys are amazing.

Then darling Sandy on the top right, and the lovely Vickie on the bottom right.  Great job on your frames ladies.

This is the beautiful Susan Hunt, my friend and roommate, thanks Susan for a fabulous weekend. 

There is Cindy on the left, sorry girl, no heads up warning here!

And the sweet Diane, working her beautiful magic on her project.

There is Theresa on the far left. Thank you for driving so far Theresa, you are the best, great to see you again.

 Then Julie, and Terri on the right.  You guys are too cute!

And here is the lovely Joy, our hostess.  How in the world can I say enough.  She laid out a spread of food that was remarkable, and made everyone feel so warm and welcome.  You are the best Joy.

She looks pretty intense there!  Great job!

We got a tour of Joy's amazing workshop. Wow, just wow.  Loved every square inch.  Joy is much neater than me, everything it tidy and put away.  Gorgeous girl!

 Look at these beautiful antique jars, so lovely all filled and organized.

Here's the entire group. I had to wrangle them up and get them to pause for a quick moment.  They were working so hard on their frames, and what a job they did!

Back row, from the left, Kim, susan, Joy, Sandy hiding, Vickie, Cheryl, and Charlene in the red.

Middle row, Cindy, Jan, Terry, and Laurie.

Bottom row, Diane, Theresa, Julie, and Terri.

You guys rocked!  I loved every minute of the workshop, and you did such an amazing job. 

So proud!

Here's a shot of their frames, not quite finished, but almost!  Didn't they do an fabulous job?

I'm a proud mama!

And on to the flea market, at 7:30am on Sunday morning, to Pasadena.  It was a warm and beautiful day, perfect for shopping.  There were some great finds there.

Here are Joy and Laurie, shopping at the flea.  Oh so intense! Not! 

That was set up, ha ha! But I love it.

And a girl's got to eat after flea marketing all day!

I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant in Pasadena, I loved it!

Sorry the picture is blurry.

Monday, heading home, back to Central Coast, CA.  But not before swinging by Nancy Jamar's unbelievable store, Gilding the Lily in Fullerton. 

If you have never been there, you should visit.  Can't believe all the fabulous vintage goods she has. And you can catch her on line here.

I was able to grab a quick photo with Nancy, she was working away helping customers, and packaging up all of our goodies, and there were a lot goodies we took home.  

Yummmm. Thanks Nancy! You are the best.

Whew, okay, that is the weekend.

If you are interested in taking the Le Petite Photo workshop, check out my class with the Vivi Magoo retreat, organized by Barb Solem.  I'm teaching at The Desert, in Tucson in February.

That is during the gem show. 

And if you have never been there, well, hold on to your pocket book and enjoy the amazing ride!

Hope to see you soon.

lots of love,

Riki

Sandy Relief Artist Fund

Here's a great idea!!!

Lending a helping hand

Donate to the Hurricane Sandy Relief effort!!

The ladies at Art Is You had a brilliant idea.  Combine efforts for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.  So Sallianne and Ellen, from Art Is...You, contacted Zinnia from Artful Gathering, Barb Solem from Vivi Magoo,  Linda Young from Art Unraveled, Cindy Woods from An Artful Journey, 

to help a Lending Hand to many of the victims the horrible hurricane has touched.

I am following the lead by other artists, to offer up some goodies to motivate you to rush over to HERE and donate on the Art Is You website.  Once you donate, your name will be added to a drawing that will be held at the end of the month, and you will be eligible to wins amazing goodies... 

like these above... some Charlottes, rhinestone, MOP belt buckles, watch faces, stampings, medal, vintage mirrored connectors, vintage Italian wire lace, and vintage watches.  Fun, huh? Can't you use these in your artwork? 

And some wonderful art  from artists such as:

Pam Carriker

Sue Pelleteri

Jodi Ohl 

and Diane Cook.

Don't you love seeing our art community come together? I sure do.

I feel so fortunate, and thankful, this is such a wonderful thing to do for such a worthy cause.

Thanks for contributing.

lots of love,

Riki

A Snap shot of Europe 2012

What can I say, but tres bien!

I went, I shopped, I ate, I toured, I laughed, I ate (oh yeah, said that), I drank, I saw handsome everything....

I have over a thousand photos, so here's a few!

some goodies from the flea marketing in France and Italy

 another view of my finds...

 sooooo much fun!

 we reunited with friends in Florence.

That's Jill Rockwell from Canada, and Sharlene Wall from Florida.

So much fun girls.

And my two traveling companions, Lurline and Fidela.

 parades in Florence...

 more eating in Florence...that's a vegetarian platter, yum!

 Orvieto, Italy

looking out of a museum window, on to the landscape, and the Duomo

 I think the Vatican...

 from Paris, a bus ride away to an Etruscan city, Fiesole...

 Orvieto, Italy alleyway...

 flea marketing in Florence...

 yes, the colosseum, Rome, Italy...

 Borghese Palace, Rome

 the Pantheon, Rome, where the artist Raphael was buried...

 the Vatican, outside...

 of course her highness, Miss Eiffel...

 and Maddie waiting for me to get back, pack up and head south for the winter!

I'll try to post more another time!

Getting ready to teach in Los Angeles next weekend, and still unpacking.  Finally getting over  a cold/flu from the long three week trip....worth it!!

Hope you are well. Drop a line.

love to all,

Riki

Vivi Magoo at the Desert

Announcing New Classes

Vivi Magoo at the Desert

This coming February 8-10, 2013,  I will be teaching three new classes in Tucson, AZ with the Vivi Magoo Art Retreat.  I'm so excited to be a part of this amazing team of instructors, and be working with Barb Montague Solem. 

Go here for more info.

I will post more information about these workshops on my "classes" tab here on my blog.

Each of the teachers will have three classes. Here is the line up:

Richard Salley

Diane Cook

Joanna Pierotti

Deryn Boyd Mentock

and me

Barb scheduled this so you can shop for a few days of the Tucson Gem Show, then take some amazing classes at the Tucson Hilton with us.  If you have never been to this gem show, whoa nellie!  Hold yourself up!  There are over 50 shows going on all over Tucson, AZ at the same time.  Many of the shows have hundreds, yes, hundreds of vendors!!  It is mind boggling, I know, I attended it with friends for many years.  And boy is it fun. You can find anything!  Rugs, gems, crystals (the giant raw ones), silver anything, gold anything, chains, tools, well, you get the idea.

So put on your walking shoes, bring your jewelry tools, and come join me at the Tucson Gem Show and the Vivi Magoo Art Retreat at the Desert in Feb. 2012.

Did you just hear me go "yee haw"? 

Love and hugs,

Riki

BELT BUCKLE GIVE AWAY!

over at my friend Cindy's blog, Lily's Lace

Wow!! She made these belt buckles! Aren't they beautiful, and so much fun?

You are so talented sweet Cindy!!

Here is the amazing giveaway buckle and package!!  

Wow Cindy, what a kind and supportive act, to make this buckle for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Here you go ladies.  Hop over to Cindy's and leave a comment and follow her blog.

This loot could be yours!

Good luck!  

I want, I want!!

Good luck!

Hugs, 

Riki