AG blog hop begins

ARTFUL GATHERING

ON LINE ART RETREAT

BLOG HOP BEGINS NOW!

Here is a little tease of one of my upcoming classes this summer in AG!

Students LOVED playing along last year, and the blog hop has begun. I'm delayed in getting the word out due to the dang flu, but don't miss out.  Register now and there are prizes galore to win.

Hope to see you in class!!

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2013 Online Art Retreat

Open for Registration

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

From June to August 2013, ArtfulGathering.com will be presenting TWO exciting semesters of premiere online video workshops offered by fabulous artists who are known nationally and internationally. We are all very excited to share ourknowledge, skill, and creativity with you, and we hope that you will join us for this AMAZING annual online event.

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate towards an Artful Gathering 2013 online video workshop(s).

(Gift certificate applicable to workshops only and does not apply towards kits or dvds).

Each week I will announce the next featured blog for you to visit, and there you will find a new secret word or words that you will need to collect along your way. Once you have collected all the words from each blog you visit, they will work out to say a very artsy phrase. Here are the rules:

1. For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those participants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words.
   
2. Only one winner will be randomly drawn from the list of participants who have collected all the secret words.

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawing!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing
Nancy Malay

http://www.nancymalay.blogspot.com/

(Pick Up the Next Secret Word)

Vivi Magoo, Tucson Feb 2013

VIVI MAGOO ART RETREAT

TUCSON, AZ

FEBRUARY 8-10, 2013

Friday Day 1

Le Petite Photo

 I didn't get a shot of everyone in action, so here's a few. Thanks Karen, Barb, Dawn and Leigh

Oh what fun this was!!  There were 12 in class, plenty of room, and everyone made a fabulous masterpiece petite frame, to wear or display.  I couldn't be prouder of the students. It was fast paced, and everyone pretty much finished, at least got the backs on their frames.  

No one had time to make a stand, that's why I am making it a two day class in Petaluma, at the Art Is...You retreat in September.  I'm adding etching as well, and will give you more time.

 Aren't these just beautiful??

 Fabulous job!

 More eye candy!

And here's the line up of amazing students!

Karen, Yvonne, Lynne, Dawn, Sandra, Kathleen, Norma, Carol, Leigh, Cindy, Jeana and Barb!!

Well done ladies, I knew you could do it.  There were some who had never picked up a dremel, or soldered, but they did it!!!

Saturday  Day 2

Vamp It Up

This was a really fun day!  I got a kick from students outside this class referring to this as a "beading workshop".  Well it wasn't!  This was an engineering class!  My students found out how challenging it is to tear old rhinestone necklaces apart and rebuild different, custom modern beauty from them.  And man, did they knock it out of the park!!

 I was blown away with the elements they brought (and shared by the way, thank you).  Your generosity will not be forgotten by those you helped.  There is much design involved, then you just have to take the plunge and trust your instincts.  And boy did they!

 Just magnificent.  They drilled, they hammered, they attached, wired, but mainly learned how it hung when all together.  Aren't they amazing??  The horse got a custom label, "Rusty", that is Jeana's horse.

 The gold adornment was very special.  One student took her Le Petite Frame from the day before, added her mom's picture, then used one of her mom's Sarah Coventry necklaces to adorn it.  It all came together so beautifully.  Great job Cindy! And very special.  Thanks for making the class look sooooo amazing!!

Here is the line up of amazing artists...

 front is me, Dawn, Cindy, SueAnn (a blogging friend forever), Lynne, Rita (my Round Top shopping partner and friend)

Back row Kristin, Kerrie, Jeana, Cindy, Kathleen, and Leigh

Sunday Day 3

Cast Some Magic

This class was incredible!  After taking two prior days of workshops, these guys were producing the most amazing art work.  They were very intense, hardly a word spoken in this class!!

 They had their choice to make a focal, then make a necklace or charm bracelet, but they wanted to make components, so that's what they did.  

 And did they turn out well or what??

 Knocked out by what they experimented with, just beautiful.

These will all go on to necklaces, bracelets or earrings.  They can play with them at home, and now know how to make more!

Here's the line up!

Anna, Dawn, Yvonne, Inez, Kathleen, Karen and Crystal

To all my amazing students...thank you.  Thanks for making this trip so incredibly fun and rewarding.  I loved spending three days of workshops and one day of shopping with you.  I hope you will come back next year for more fun and intense learning. I know I leave with new friendships and wonderful memories.

Sending you each a big hug and a huge atta girl!

Riki

1/13/13 Giveaway

Hi Blogging Friends!

I just wanted to make sure you knew about my giveaway over at Facebook.  In honor of it being lucky 2013, and in honor of my new FB page, Riki Jewelry, I decided to give away 13 items (or a few more).

Here's a picture of the goodies.  I picked included a few items from my recent travels to France and Italy in September.  That sweet little envelope I bought at a flea market in Rome, and it is from Peru, amazing what you find.  The little stamped gold colored coin is from the gift shop at the Colosseum in Rome, so cute. The tiny bottle with the number is French, and of course, you know about Frozen Charlottes.  Anyway, just some fun things I hope you might like.

And a lot of these goodies could be perfect for my up coming classes with Vivi Magoo, listed on my "classes" tab.  

So all you have to do is go to my Riki Jewelry page on FB, and LIKE it, then leave a comment you are interested in being entered into the drawing.

I will select the winner at random, and announce it on FB on 1/13/13.

Just wanted to make sure you wouldn't miss out if you and I are not friends on FB, and you didn't know about this.

Thanks so much, hope you get "lucky" and win!!

Have a great week.

Riki

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