castle in the air

Who was I to miss seeing Hearst Castle, the iconic west coast castle that sits high on a mountain top above the Pacific Ocean outside of San Simeon?

We braved the packed tour bus as it traveled up the long winding road, where I began to take in the details of how this landmark came into being, and most notably, how long it took to build.

 Reality is, the castle never was completed.
William Randolph Hearst, and his architect,
Julia Morgan worked on the entire estate for over 28 years.

What I enjoyed most about the two tours we took were the manicured grounds and the three houses that were built surrounding the castle.  Especially the second one he and his family lived in while the castle was being built, Casa del Mar.

 At double the size of the first house that was built (Casa del Monte), Casa del Mar was the second family residence. They moved in to Casa del Mar (House of the Sea) in 1924. It overlooked ocean views to the south that stretch one hundred miles on clear days. The most formal and most elaborately decorated of the cottages, Casa del Mar featured a different gold-leafed plaster ceiling in every room. Mr. Hearst moved to the the castle in 1928, but Casa del Mar still remained dear to him. At age eighty-two in the late 1940s, he returned there to live for his last two years on the hilltop--

before retiring to Beverly Hills, where he died in 1951.

 After taking in all of this beauty, we meandered back down the hill, leaving the "castle in the air" to return to Pismo Beach.  

That night we were invited back to Diana's for a 

potluck dinner!  My dh and I love potlucks!!

  How could she have planned a better send off than this?

We ate taco soup, homemade cornbread, scrumptious salads and sipped a little

fine wine.

Later we girls huddled in Diana's studio, which is beautiful by the way!
Susan, Stephani, =) and Diana

Thanks so much Diana for the treasure chest of goodies you sent home with me.
Sure do miss those girls!

the central coast

(My California trip continues).

Next stop...the central coast.

But, first Pismo Beach.  

The temperature.... mid 60s every day we were there.  

Three glorious days.  This is when I began to wear long sleeves (LOL), 

and never once went back to short.  Oh, how I miss that.

It was 103 degrees in my Texas town today!

The first evening my friend Diana Frey, and her husband, 

took my dh & I to an Italian restaurant that could not have been more perfect.

 We had the best time. 

When we landed at my friend Riki's house earlier that day, 

lookie what was waiting there from my two amigas.....

A bottle of California wine.  Creamy almond croissants.  Trader Joe trek mix.  

A bowl of fresh, ripe fruit...apples, tangerines, bananas.

Goodies in the fridge to make omelets, including fresh blackberries.

And, this gorgeous cut glass pitcher full of fragrant white stock.  

Have you ever smelled stock?  

It has the most romantic, intoxicating smell...sweet & spicy all wrapped up into one.

It filled Riki's house.  

I will never forget that fragrance.  And honestly, I almost cried.

The next day Diana took us into her town, San Luis Obispo.

It is a bustling college town.  Full of shops, good food and life.  I had no idea.  

We went to a restaurant called Novo, 

which sits right above the creek that meanders through the middle of town.  

Next stop, 

San Luis Obispo Mission de Tolosa.

It was originally built in the late 18th century, and is rich in history.

The grounds were full of bright colored (what I think was) foxglove.

 And, subtle colored succulents.

Ahhh....I love the central coast of California,

and my central coast friends.

Next....Heart Castle and a potluck dinner.

Can it get any better?

a collaboration

I wasn't at home when I received my complimentary issue of 

Belle Armoire Jewelry.   

I was happily touring around California, and the magazine was at home in my mailbox. 

I kept thinking about it, as I had become so anxious to see how an article 

I'd had a hand in putting together, 

along with a few close friends, had turned out.

 Cindy, Diana, Julie, Maire, Molly, Riki and I

would finally get to see an article we'd been working on since last October.  

I was thrilled to have these wonderful ladies & artists, 

come along with me on a fun little project I called

With One Finding.

I don't want to give away too much of the article, 

but here are the pieces my fellow artists designed for the challenge, 

all beginning with one specific finding.  

In this case, a vintage inspired piece of brass filigree called "marianne" from 

Brass Bouquet.

It is a great piece.

 Cindy Wimmer

Diana Frey

Julie Pishny

Maire Dodd

(Her piece was actually mislabeled in the magazine as being Riki's... 

so sorry for that MJ)

Molly Alexander

Riki Schumacher

 (Her piece was actually mislabeled in the magazine as being Maire's... 

so sorry for that Riki)

"The Girls"

is mine.

You can also see each of these beautiful pieces on my flicker page here.

This was such a fun collaboration.  

Again, thank you ladies.

You were just the best to work with!!

diane

xo

there's no place like home

I took this picture almost a week ago when my feet hit the driveway in front of our home.  
A couple days later, I started this post....
Even though I didn't wear ruby red slippers, I feel like I have been a time traveler for the past two weeks.  My dh and I traveled over 4,400 miles. 

From Texas...thru New Mexico, then Arizona, then on to California.

I taught two classes in Fullerton at the gorgeous home of Nancy Jamar,
who owns Gilding the Lily.

My first class, Etched and Layered, was on Saturday. 

 The weather was perfect.
We were able to etch outside and design inside~with the windows flung open wide!

I had my sweet friend Sandy in this class, 
who came to Texas (from California) during the antique festival this last Spring.

Look at some of the beautiful and unique cuffs made on that day!

I tried out my my new (rubber) apron and gloves while etching!
Good thing it was such wonderful cool weather,
as I would have burned up wearing these outside in TEXAS!

 Dede Warren is the class coordinator for Nancy's classes at Gilding the Lily.

She is the sweetest lady...just love her!

The very next day I taught 

Heart Strings.

Look at this group of beautiful ladies....

I only wish I would have taken a picture the day before.

Time just flies by so fast.  But, on Sunday I was able to snap a few pics before all the ladies got away....

In the very back of the class sat Andrea and Kim.  

These are their Heart Strings.

It was fun meeting Ms.Kim, and she brought the teacher a present!

How cool is that?

I could go on and on about how much fun I had sharing design secrets with these ladies.  

They were all so open, and soaked up every word I shared like sponges.

This short stint in Fullerton will have to be noted as two of my most satisfying classes to date... having come so far and to be treated so graciously by Nancy, Dede and all of the lovely ladies who came to class.  

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

So on Monday, after this very full weekend, we started our trek up north...

to Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo.  The beautiful central coast of California.

That will have to be another post =)

is this a dream?





Being here in southern California

makes my heart sing and my feet start to dance.

I do believe~

"my feet lead me to where my heart has always been"

Vintage Ear Bobs

"Amber"

This cold join connection is probably my most favorite to use on my etched cuffs.

"Dancing Queen"

Along with using vintage ear bobs. 

I don't call them clips.  I call them bobs.

I most likely call them bobs because of my aunt Susie.  She wore beautiful ear bobs.

Her name was actually Josie, like my grandmother's....but, the family called her Susie.

She was beautiful.  Just like my grandmother.

When I was little, we would go into Houston where she lived.

Once when I was probably about seven years old, we went to visit.

At that time she was living in an apartment above a grocery store.  

In her kitchen was a booth-like nook....early sixties-style. 

I had never seen anything like it.   

It was there...that particular time that I ate my first powdered do-nut.

I didn't know what to think as I popped them in my mouth, 

and they just melted away.  I thought they were the best thing I had ever eaten!

We never ate anything like that at home.  And, you know what...never did.

My mother did would not buy them.

Yep, ear bobs.  They don't have a thing to do with do-nuts.

But, then again....maybe they do.

etched & layered

"Emerald Lady"

Etched & Layered

 In preparation for my Etched & Layered class, 

(and three more times after this one)

I finished my newest cuff last night.

I find myself trying to catch my breath as I think about seeing old friends 

and meeting new ones.  I will be in Fullerton in just over a week, 

where I will teach two classes~one being Etched & Layered. 

I will be at Gilding the Lily on Saturday, May 21st.

(I will be teaching Heart Strings there on May 22nd).

I am excited about finally meeting Nancy and Dede and so many other beautiful ladies.

Many I have only talked to online.

I do confess, 

I am constantly on the lookout for vintage rhinestone brooches, ear clips, 

shoe buckles and vintage buttons.  

I probably have more than you can imagine.

But, when I saw this one sitting in one of the vendor's cases at my local antique shop,  

I immediately knew I wanted it.

Now I know for sure it was worth every penny.

The best part of "Emerald Lady" (for me) is the gorgeous brass piece behind the Ruiz Studios 1920s brooch.  It is one that Jill, at Brass Bouquet, named "Diane".

I thought this was a beautiful piece of filigree the moment I saw it.

Thank you Jill for such a beautiful honor.

And don't forget, 

if you are on the east coast, registration is now open for ArtBLISS, 

where I will be teaching Etched & Layered on September 24th.

I am sprinting past today only slowing down for tomorrow - diane =)

dreaming of dancing

When I was a little girl I watched the Carol Burnett Show religiously.

It was one of the best variety shows wasn't it?

What I loved most about it were the dancers!

Remember, all the shows had them back when.

I confess, I wanted to be one of them. 

The Ernie Flatt Dancers!

Really, was that their name??  Yes, I had to look it up =)

They would effortlessly spin together light as air on the dance floor.

I dreamed of twirling around and dancing with my partner on a stage like that!

To be part of a dance troupe on TV.

Oh, what funny dreams I had.

I guess Dancing with the Stars fills that empty gap today.

Not for me, as it is certainly not the same.

I have been working on finished a couple new classes this week,

this being one.

This cuff was cut and etched out of a gorgeous piece of red brass 

I had etched almost 2 years ago.

It sports a forged, stamped & oxidized nickel silver heart,

with a tiny window letting you see into "my heart".

One that longed to dance on a TV stage!

Yes, I dance.  But, not like they danced.  

I have danced since I was 6, when I began tagging along with my mother & father

to country dances in old German dance halls.  You must dance if you are from Texas!

Especially the part of Texas I was born & raised.

Today I still feel a deep stir inside my soul when I hear a beautiful waltz, 

AND even a polka.  

I probably always will....

 Just let me dance.

And when I do, let it be with heart ~ diane =)

Thank you Mom...

I don't have many pictures of my mother and I by ourselves.  

This is one of the rare ones taken outside of her sister's home in Pasadena, Texas.

I was three.

My mom had a hard life.  She was number 8 of 13 children.

Her father was a barber, but also drank too much.

Her mother, Josie, took care of her children and her home.

My mother and my father were married when she was just 16.

They had 4 children, but for many years there was just us three girls.
I was the middle child. 

 My little brother came 10 years after my little sister.

My mother is a strong woman.

I only hope to have as much strength as she has had to have in her life.

 My Mom, =) and my daughter, Melanie =)

I love you Mom!

I love you both!

Happy Mother's Day!

ArtBLISS 2011

I am so excited to share with you this great bit of news!

I'll be teaching three classes in the Washington DC Metro area this September.

I can hardly believe it!!

I am so excited that Cindy & Jeanette invited me to come to the east coast, 

along with six other extremely talented teachers; 

who are btw, teaching many new classes!

I will be in the company of Robert Dancik, Deryn Mentock, Richard Salley,  

Jane Salley, Kerry Bogert and Christine Damm. 

On Saturday, September 24th,

Etched & Layered Cuffs.

That evening I'll be teaching 

Heart Strings.

....the fun tassel part of the necklace.

The same Heart Strings I had published in the latest issue of 

Belle Armoire Jewelry, and the ones I talked about here.

Then on Sunday, September 25th,

I will be teaching a new class...

"Believe" Soldered Pendant Necklace.

 This class will be chocked full of my "primitive style" of soldering 

and fun techniques.

I hope I see you there!

Registration begins here tomorrow morning 7AM EST.