Made my deadline!

I promised I would post about Tinsel and Treasures today. barely I squeaked in under the deadline! It was just the best fun! Here we are; Rhonda, Dede and me. {I should have kept that hair appointment . . . sigh.}

The incredibly talented Colleen Moodywas there. She graciously allowed me to photograph her with some of her beautiful, beautiful pieces. I really hope I get to take one of them home someday!

Charm by Anna Corba. Anna has such a warm and welcoming presence . . . You must check her website . . . she offers workshops in her studio . . . I know this because Rhonda has taken one. {jealous. jealous.} I wish I could take the one she's about to teach in France!

Reverse side of the my new charm. {The sweet little notebook that I've used in these backgrounds was purchased from Nancy Jamar of Gilding the Lily.}

My Treasure Necklace . . . I'm adding Anna's charm to this. Gonna be gorgeous!

Although I been involved in a couple of wonderful projects with Dede Warren, we had never met in person . . . we all know about that. Dede's thing was the Make & Takes. I chose her journal . . . my goal was to make sure that we could get in a little visit. I had just the best time.

The teeie tiny papier mache' box and nest nest was made by C M Geiger Designs {Charlene} {who, sadly, apparently, has no web presence . . .at least that I can find} Such a dear, lovely and talented woman, whose booth was very nearly sold out, by the way. . . . Can you tell how eensie it is?! She made the nest from antique bullion {the crinkled wire}. I picked it up, held it, didn't put it down . . . and didn't put it down . . . and didn't . . . then the goosebumps. I'm serious. That's when I knew.

My daughter, studying it, listed the qualifications that made it perfect for me . . . 1. it's tiny 2. it's a box 3. it has a nest on it 4. there is something antique in it 5. the color is perfect in my house. Done deal. :)

This darling little note book, has absolutely nothing to do with the Tinsel and Treasures event, but everything to do with my fondness for any of Michelle Palmer's art. It happened to arrive in the same day's post . . .

Tinsel and Treasures is a small, intimate event, showcasing truly amazing artists. So much talent in such a small space . . . you will definitely want to go to the website to check the artist's/vendor's links.

{Note: I tried to make the links that I have provided go directly to related posts. Once you're there, if you are interested in reading the rest of the blog, just click on the title banner.}

Tinsel and Treasures

THAT was wonderful! We had the best time at Tinsel and Treasures! I finally met Dede! I just love her to bits! Left to right, my girlfriend Rhonda, Dede Warren, and me! I am so tired! I have lots to share, but tonight, I really just need to get some rest! Burning the candle at both ends eventually catches up with you . . . I'm sorry! For more information on where we've been today, see yesterday's post. I plan to do this up properly tomorrow! I'll show you what I bought, and who we met! But for now . . . Goodnight Dear Ones! Good night!

Note: I'm sorry! I didn't follow through on my promise! Asthma kicked in and knocked me for a loop today. I'll try again tomorrow!

Ooohhh, Lookie!

I get to go! I've been waiting for it, imaging all of the wonderfulness and dreaming about it for months! And it's nearly here!

I was all set, had it on my schedule and everything, when they posted that Dede Warren and Nancy Jamar of Gilding the Lily were going to be there! Nancy, I've met, but Dede has allowed me to participate in two of her fat book projects . . . {if you're reading this Dede . . . I'm ready for another one! I'll do collage, I promise!} But Dede and I . . . we have never met! When you consider our history . . .




I think it's high time! {This was the project, in which Dede's is the cover photo, and mine didn't quite make the cut . . . sigh . . . but still!} {It was also Jenny Doh's last Somerset Studio before she left for other, presumably more challenging ventures.}



Anyway . . . Dede will be busy doing make and take projects . . . I'm assuming she'll be booked all day long . . . so I signed up for one. Not leaving anything to chance . . . I'm telling you!
{Look for the list of Dede's Make and Takes on Tinsel and Treasures' Blog}


Take a look at this list of participants, borrowed . . . er . . . maybe pilfered is a better word. . . from Tinsel and Treasures' blog!

2010 Show Participants
Anna Corba
Arbutus Hunter
CC's Whimsies ~ Christy Meyers
Charlene Geiger
Colleen Moody
Cottage Jewel
Dede Warren
ElementLux - Ceal Bialobrzeski
Gilding the Lily ~ Nancy Jamar
Gina Gabriell, ElevenMorning
Iva Wilcox, Iva's Creations
Judy Mackey
Katherine Webber
Lisa Super ~ Vintage Handmade
Lori Gutierrez
Sally Case
Sylvia Anderson
Tinsell and Whimsy, Sue Bartolucci

I can't wait to tell you all about it!

P.S. If you do check out Gilding the Lily's Classes, 1. know that they are located in Fullerton, California, and 2. be sure to see what Robin Dudley-Howes is offering! Robin, teaches at several Southern California locations, but I met her at Gilding the Lily. You'll love her art!

Foodie-licious-ness

We spent a couple of days over the weekend tent camping for the first time in ages. I really don't remember the last time I went. Husband has an annual trip with our sons, but this was my first trip in ages. I hasten to add that I loved it. I adored slipping between ice cold sheets, tightly stretched over an air mattress, snuggling under heavy blankets pulled up over our noses. The kind of cold that. . . if you should let your arm outside of the covers for a bit, you know it when you tucked it back in, or in our case, my husband knew it when an ice cold limb sought his warmth . . . slept like a baby.

Our old angular, drab green, Coleman tent was nestled in the midst of a little community of the fresh out of the box, brilliantly colored dome tents of his family. We camped with my husband's entire set of siblings, several of their children and his folks. {Who actually stayed in town at a hotel. Age does have it's privileges.}

We traveled, some from North of Seattle and us . . . from the middle of California, the others, points in between . . . and met near Mount Shasta. It was lovely. Family members came and went, according to their work schedules mostly. Young and old. We hiked to the most beautiful waterfalls, giggled around a campfire, told stories we probably shouldn't have ;) and ate till we were sated. I think that might be what I will remember best, the food. Oh my, we are a bunch of foodies.

Driving a section of Interstate 5 while my husband snoozed, I read many a sign for The Olive Pit in Corning {California}. Not wanting to wake him, but really, really wanting to stop, enticed as I was by their tease of an Olive Tasting Bar, I resolved to make that a visit on our way home, and for once we actually did it. You know what I mean . . . the best laid plans, you know. It was oh, so very worth it. By way of apology for not taking you along, I'm sharing links with you. This is the stuff we couldn't leave behind . . . my tastebuds doing the happy dance like they were, and all . . . .

We bought: Muffaletta and Green Olive Tapenade . . . the Spreads link.
Garlic Olives . . . the link to the Olive page.
Delicious, thick, sweet Balsamic Vinegar,
and fresh, soft, ripe local figs.

Were you one of the kids who grew up with the world's best fig tree growing in your Grandparent's back yard? I was. I do so love a nice, ripe fig.

. . . and . . . I may never get over my Muffaletta sandwich! How is it that I didn't know such a thing existed? Muffaletta, ham, salami and provolone on ciabatta! {roll eyes and moan longingly here} I see now that it is a pretty traditional recipe, New Orlean, I think, and I loved it! I ate half for lunch when we stopped, half of the leftover when we got home, and the last bit for breakfast this morning! Stretched it out as long as I could . . . did not want it to end! I found this blog to share the recipe with you. I think you're gonna thank me! {This is also where I got the idea that might be a traditional New Orlean recipe.}

If you happen to be driving through Northern California on Interstate 5, and see the signs . . . it's easy off and on . . . you can spend ten minutes, or order lunch like we did, and I don't believe you'll be sorry. It's very worth the effort.

You are most welcome. :)

Tineye

Have you heard of this yet? http://www.tineye.com/ It is a reverse image search engine. You give it an image, and the site will search to see whether it has been published on another website.

I shared the address with another blogger {Paris Hotel Boutique Journal} just today. She is hoping to find the origins of a number of photographs that she has saved . . . and who knows? It may work.

Note: She DID have some luck. Not with the original photo that she hoped, but with another. I suppose the more the word gets out there, the larger the catalogue will be. I predict/hope for a bright future for this site!

I looked up an oft searched photo from my own blog . . . and success! It had indeed been published. On my blog! Shoot! I was hoping to claim that I had been pirated. :) Oh, sometimes my vanity knows no bounds . . .

It could be really useful and kinda fun, although my son did offer a caveat in his response to my email about the site earlier today . . . "It is called tineye.com and it works well, although it still doesn't have that much of the Internet catalogued, so it takes a bit of luck for it to have seen a given picture before."

I hope you find this a useful tool . . . too!

Arabella

Arabella by Georgette Heyer


Arabella is the first Georgette Heyer book that I have read. I can't imagine what has taken me so long! Perfectly pleasant, humorous in all the right places, and it was even somewhat difficult convincing myself that I wasn't reading a Jane Austen. I might be hooked.
View all my reviews >>

A Blog Party

You know how it is . . . we begin with reading one another's blogs. Then we progress to swaps, personal emails, a gift or two, we visit one another's Etsy shops . . .

Eventually, bloggers . . . we are kind of a friendly bunch, would like to meet up. Play together, chat, giggle, exchange ideas, inspire one another, share a meal . . . form real live friendships, with real flesh and blood people . . . Eventually you just have to meet. We just have to! If at all possible . . .

A group of local bloggers {local for me}, calling themselves Northern California Bloggers are throwing a blog party! I am only acquainted with Sandi, who owns The Green Pea Boutique in Escalon, California. Sandi is a lot of fun, and has a really great shop, located in the old Post Office building in town. If you could make a dot in the middle of California, it would just about be directly on Escalon. It is a small, super charming little place, the picture of small town America.

It appears that they've scheduled the party to coincide with other possible entertainment events. The nearest is in Riverbank, just a few miles down the road {the annual Riverbank Cheese and Wine Exposition} and The Sacramento Antique Fair. Sacramento is, by my guess, about 50 miles.

I've copied the rest from Sandi's post, you should check! See if you think you would like to attend!

Some fellow bloggers and I are throwing a Blog Party!! Come join us!! We will be enjoying a fabulous lunch, hear from a guest speaker, and treat you to some giveaways! And get ready for a fun contest for name tags--- get creative and make up one that reflects your blog!

The party will be held at The Green Pea Boutique:Map of 1802 Main St, Escalon, CA 95320-1920

Sign up as soon as possible by emailing Dawn at
sunnyoreo@hotmail.com.
Put "Festival" in the subject line.

Please include the following:
Your name, blog name and URL, location and date you started blogging.
Also indicate if we can use your name in a posted list of participants. Don't wait, space is limited.
Please sign up as soon as possible!

Sandi from The Green Pea Boutique

We hope to see you there!

Direct link to Festival Invitation