July Classes at the studio

Greetings everyone! Well tomorrow is the first of July. Time to post the schedule for the studio. In an effort to start everyone thinking about Holiday gift giving we have nominated this month as "Christmas in July". We really have a great line up this month. It starts off with Julee Hermann's fabulous new class called The Secret Journal. As you can see from the picture above this journal is absolutely amazing! It looks just like a sacred relic hidden away for thousands of years. Here are the class details: Saturday July 10th Instructor: Julee Hermann/Vivian Young-McDonald Class: Secret Journal Description: Dip your toe into the art of mixed media book making. In this half day class we will be using stamps, embossing powders, soldering, stainless steel, needle and thread, paper, ribbon, and mat board to create a wonderful little book perfect for your ideas, lists and collections of thoughts. Beginners Welcome! I'll be teaching how to solder and Viv will be showing you how to bind a book! Together we'll be sharing our "Secret Journal" with you! Items to bring: Please bring your paper trimmer, scissors, glue and soldering kit if you have one. Time: 12:00 to 4:00pm Class Fee: $65 includes instruction and kit To sign up for class please email Julee at http://leoqueen1969@yahoo.com

On Sunday Ingrid Pomeroy will be teaching her incredible Pearl Girlz! This is the perfect summer class especially here on the coast! Who wouldn't want to take one of these bathing beauties home? Here are the details

Sunday July 11th Instructor: Ingrid Pomeroy Class: Pearl Girlz Description: We will be decorating oyster shells with vintage images of bathing beauties, lots of beautiful shells, beads, moss, sand, and more. What a perfect way to spend a Summer afternoon! Items to bring: All items will be supplied Time: 1:00 to 4:00pm Fee: $45.00 (Includes some yummy sweets!) To sign up for class please email Ingrid at ipomeroy@peoplepc.com

The next week sees two of my classes. The first being my Shrink Art Beach Glass bracelet. This is the perfect class not only for summer but as a Christmas gift! The second class will be the 4th in my altered Book Series. This time we will be learning to carve a niche. Here are the details of both classes:

Wednesday July 14th Instructor: Connie Andrews Class: Shrink Art #6-Beach Glass Description: Do you love to beach comb? Are you especially attracted by the jewel tones of beach glass? You don’t have to walk on the beach to find these jewels. We can make them with shrink Plastic! In this class we will learn to simulate beach glass with shrink plastic then combine it with glass beads, pearls, charms and wire to make a beautiful beach glass charm bracelet. Items to Bring: Please bring a pair of scissors all other materials will be supplied. Time: 6:00pm to 9:00pm Fee: $40.00 To sign up for this class please email me at connie@isbjorn.com Saturday July 17th Instructor: Connie Andrews Class: Altered Books #4: The Niche Description: How can a book hold a 3 dimensional object? By cutting a niche of course! In this 4th class in the Altered Book Series we will learn to cut and prepare a niche to hold your special treasures, create a shrine or a 3-D scene. Items to bring: Your altered book and altered book kit that includes an xacto knife or box cutter and a cutting mat. Time: 10:00 to 2:00pm Fee: $35.00 Class limit: 6 If you wish to sign up for this class please email me at connie@isbjorn.com

Next we have an exciting double class day. The first part of the day will be taught by Maria Ontiveros. Maria will be teaching us all how to make fabulous cards using all the little bits and pieces of ephemera we have lying around. The second part of the day Cindy McCool will teach us her Domino Making methods. You will be experimenting with alcohol inks, rubber stamps and the dremel. If you are interested in making Christmas gifts with your personal signature now is the time to start! Here are the details of both classes:

Saturday July 24th *********Double class for Christmas in July********** Instructor: Maria Ontiveros Class: Creating Cards with Ephemera Class Description: Are you swimming in collage sheets, text paper plus other ephemera and want a way to put it to good use? Love the look of vintage cards but don't know where to start or don't have the materials? Want to get a start on your Christmas presents now? Come and learn how to use collage images, text and other ephemera to create visually balanced and aesthetically pleasing cards. We will cover four designs/techniques, and the class fee includes materials to complete eight cards. In addition, the class fee includes a wooden cigar box in which to package your cards, making them the perfect gift. Items to bring: Please bring scissors, a paper trimmer, and your favorite adhesive. Although I will have plenty of ephemera and rubber stamps, you are free to bring your own rubber stamps and ephemera. Time: 9:00am to 12:00pm Fee: $30.00 To Sign up for Marias class please email her at rinda1961@yahoo.com Instructor: Cindy McCool Class: Domino Gifts Cindy’s Way Description: Come learn how to use Alcohol Inks for your domino backgrounds and use power tools as you drill your completed projects to complete with fashion bail closures and charms. Each student will complete 3 dominos including an "Initial Domino" and will leave class with fully completed Dominos that can be immediately worn or given as gifts. Items to bring: Apron or wear clothing that you don't mind getting accidental stains on as alcohol inks are permanent, Brushes to smoothly apply diamond glaze onto your domino, Heat tool, mouse pad Time: 1:00 to 4:00pm Fee: $35.00 Class limit: 8 students To sign up for this class please email Cindy at: cindy@mccoolmgt.com

The last class of the month but certainly not the least is being taught by the very talented Erica Shue. Do you want to send a loved one a special more personal birthday wish? How about sending a card made by your own hand? Erica also donates all proceeds from this class to the Make-a-wish-foundation.

Here are the particulars:

Thursday July 29th Instructor: Erica Shue Class: Make-a-wish Birthday Card Class Description: Come make birthday cards and help support the Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation. Share the power of a wish while making 6 handmade cards. $20 of your class fee will be donated to Make-A-Wish and will help grant wishes to children with life threatening medical conditions. Written information about Make-A-Wish is available by calling (800) 464-9474 or by visiting its website at www.makewish.org. Time: 6:00 to 9:00pm Fee: $25.00 Class limit: 8 To sign up for Erica’s class please email her at charmbracelet13@hotmail.com Really guys isn't this a great line up of classes for July? But that's not all this month. If you are not into making your Christmas Gifts this year why not come to our Art Flea Market and Trunk Show?! Not only will some of our talented artists be selling their creations, this will also be the perfect place to find that special item to add to your current project.

Sunday July 25th Art Flea Market and trunk show! Interested in holiday shopping, but don't have time to create? Or are you looking for really cool art stuff for that special project? This is the place to find all of it in our first Art Flea Market and Trunk Show! Time: 9:00am to 1:00pm Free entry for buyers $20.00 fee for participants. ***Participation is free for anyone that has paid their monthly studio membership! To sign up to participate please email me at connie@isbjorn.com We hope to see you soon!

Classes this weekend!

Greetings everyone!

Wednesday is already here and I'm looking forward to another great weekend. I have two classes this weekend. This will be the first class that I teach in my own studio! Here are the details:

Saturday June 26th Instructor: Connie Andrews Class: Altered Books #3-Pockets Description: Don’t you just love finding that forgotten $20.00 bill in a coat pocket? In this third class in the Altered Book Series we will learn two different techniques to add pockets to your Altered Book. And then the fun begins because now you have to fill them. Remember you can never have enough stuff! Time: 10:00am to 2:00pm Fee: $35.00 To sign up for this class please email me at connie@isbjorn.com

Sunday June 27th Where: Scrapbook Depot Class: Shrink Art # 5- Beach glass Description: Do you love to beach comb? Are you especially attracted by the jewel tones of beach glass? You don’t have to walk on the beach to find these jewels. We can make them with shrink Plastic! In this class we will learn to simulate beach glass with shrink plastic then combine it with glass beads, pearls, charms and wire to make a beautiful beach glass charm bracelet. Items to bring: scissors Time: 12:30 to 3:30pm Fee: $40.00 If you wish to sign up for class please call Scrapbook Depot at 650 592-2767

Also Sunday at the studio Maria Ontiveros will be teaching the third part of her awesome journaling class. This class is getting rave reviews from all her students. Maria will be teaching more journaling in the future so keep watching the schedule!

Sunday June 27th Instructor: Maria Ontiveros Class: Art Journaling 1- parts 3 Description - This three week class, held on Sunday mornings, will give you the tools you need to get started creating an art journal as an art diary and to continue your journaling after class ends. Time: 9:30 am to 1:00pm Fee: $75.00 + $25.00 materials fee which covers a fifty page artist book filled with handmade paper, a daily journal, and 3 pens appropriate for art journaling. Materials to bring: Please bring gesso, scissors, a wet adhesive (glue, gel medium, etc.) and an assortment of paint brushes and acrylic paints. If you like, you can also bring an assortment of images and a heat tool. Additional info: Complete instructional materials and additional studio time will be available if you have to miss a class. Class Limit: 6 participants. To sign up for this class please email Maria Ontiveros at rinda1961@yahoo.com also you can check out Maria’s blog at http://gallorganico.blogspot.com/

We hope to see you soon!

At this studio this weekend!

Greetings gang, What's going on at the studio this weekend? Well here are the details: Unfortunately Julee Hermann's House Shaped Pretties class has been cancelled. We hope to see Julie next month teaching a new journal making class.

I have offered to declare Saturday an open studio day. If you are interested in working at the studio for a mere $10.00 on Saturday please email me by tonight. I will unlock the studio door before I head out of town tomorrow. So what is open studio? This is a time when anyone can come in and use the studio at their leisure for whatever project they are working on. I think of this space as a place to gather and meet kindred spirits. To trade ideas and inspire each other. I hope you make good use of this rare opportunity. Instructions: Just put your money in the little yellow envelope , write your name on the envelope and put the envelope in the box. Then have fun and create Rules ****IMPORTANT-PLEASE READ****** Please remember that part of Princeton is residential and be courteous to the residents. Please do not park in their driveways. I have one parking space allotted to me (on the side right next to the entrance) and If I’m not there you are welcomed to use it. There should be plenty of parking along the streets, in front of the building and there is a small parking lot in back of the building. Also Please keep your voices down after 8:00pm as we have a neighbor living upstairs. Please clean up after yourselves when you are done. And last of all come back and use the space again! Dogs I wish I could open the space up to dogs as well. Unfortunately with the stringent health codes Elegant Cheesecakes has to observe I cannot do it. However If you want to tie the dogs up outside the studio with a bed and a bowl of water I don’t think that would be a problem. I wouldn’t leave the dogs to roam free as many times I’ve seen people racing through the streets to get to Mavericks in their cars. This would probably result in a dog being hit by a car which of course would be tragic. Any questions? Please email me at connie@isbjorn.com. On Sunday Maria Ontiveros will be teaching the second part of her awsome journaling class. Here are the details: Sunday June 13th, 20th and 27th Instructor: Maria Ontiveros Class: Art Journaling 1- parts 1-3 Description - This three week class, held on Sunday mornings, will give you the tools you need to get started creating an art journal as an art diary and to continue your journaling after class ends. Time: 9:30 am to 1:00pm Fee: $75.00 + $25.00 materials fee which covers a fifty page artist book filled with handmade paper, a daily journal, and 3 pens appropriate for art journaling. Materials to bring: Please bring gesso, scissors, a wet adhesive (glue, gel medium, etc.) and an assortment of paint brushes and acrylic paints. If you like, you can also bring an assortment of images and a heat tool. Additional info: Complete instructional materials and additional studio time will be available if you have to miss a class. Class Limit: 6 participants. To sign up for this class please email Maria Ontiveros at rinda1961@yahoo.com also you can check out Maria’s blog at http://gallorganico.blogspot.com/

I hope to see you soon!

Pockets!

Greetings, Imagine this scene. You are out for a walk and just happen upon some cool rusty object you know that you cannot live without. You can't just leave it there for some other artist to find so of course you pick it up and put it in your pocket! And that's the subject this weekend for the third in my altered book series-Pockets! You can see some examples above. Here are the details:

Saturday June 19th Where: Art Max in Seaside Class: Altered Books #3-Pockets Class Description: Don’t you just love finding that forgotten $20.00 bill in a coat pocket? In this third class in the Altered Book Series we will learn two different techniques to add pockets to your Altered Book. And then the fun begins because now you have to fill them. Remember you can never have enough stuff! Items to bring: Your altered Books Kit Time: 11:00 to 2:30 Fee: $35.00 If you would like to sign up for this class please email me at connie@isbjorn.com

I hope to see you Saturday!

Weekend classes and what's new at the studio!

Greetings Everyone! If your week has been as busy as mine then you are more than ready for the weekend! How about a class this weekend? Being creative is the perfect way to relax and renew. I am teaching two classes this weekend. As you can see from the sample above the first class is my Lucky Jade Shrink Art class at Scrap-it in Santa Cruz. Here are the details: Saturday June 12th Where: Scrap-it in Santa Cruz Class: Shrink Art #5- Lucky Carved Jade Class Description: Who wouldn’t want a piece of beautiful precious carved Jade for Good Luck? In this 5th in a series of Shrink Art classes we will learn how to make lavender and apple green jade. Each student will have the option of making a pair of earrings or a pendent or maybe one of both! Come and Play! Items to bring: scissors Time: 11:00 to 2:00 Fee: 35.00 If you wish to sign up for this class please call Scrap-it at 831 475-2380.

Sundays class will be the third in my Altered Book series. Class will be held at Scrapbook U in Fremont and this time we will be creating pockets!

Sunday June 13th *******NEW CLASS******* Where: Scrapbook U in Fremont Class: Altered Books #3-Pockets Description: Don’t you just love finding that forgotten $20.00 bill in a coat pocket? In this third class in the Altered Book Series we will learn two different techniques to add pockets to your Altered Book. And then the fun begins because now you have to fill them. Remember you can never have enough stuff! Items to bring: Your altered books Kit. Time: 1:00 to 4:00pm Fee: $35.00 If you wish to sign up for class please call Scrapbook U at 510 490-5065

I am also excited to announce that this Saturday marks the first weekend of classes at CAndrews studios! CAndrews studios is located at 103-1 Harvard, Princeton by the Sea. The studio is in a great location here on the coast. We are 5 miles north of Half Moon Bay near the harbor. There are shops and places to eat nearby. You can spend three wonderful hours being creative, walk on the beach then have dinner on the coast amidst a beautiful sunset! It's a wonderful mini vacation!

We have a great line up of teachers this month. Our first class will be taught by Ingrid Pomeroy. She is teaching very cool mini paper theatres as you can see from the photo above.

Ingrid will also have her digital cards and grab bags for sale! Here are the details:

Saturday June 12th Instructor: Ingrid Pomeroy Class: Mini Paper Theatres Description: Join Ingrid for a fun class where she will teach you to create a one-of-a-kind mini paper theater, approximately six inches tall, using rubber stamps, decorative papers, colored pens, findings and much more. Each student will be able to create his or her own version using the materials provided by Ingrid. All you need to bring are your own special small scissors for detail cutting and your imagination! Time: 1:00pm to 4:00pm Class Fee: $45.00 To sign up for this class please email Ingrid at: ipomeroy@peoplepc.com. There are only a couple of spaces left in this class so sign up soon!

But that's not all-On Sunday Maria Ontiveros starts a three part Art journaling series! Maria has been journaling like crazy with fabulous results. This class is almost filled up so sign up asap.

Here are the details:

Sunday June 13th, 20th and 27th Instructor: Maria Ontiveros Class: Art Journaling 1- parts 1-3 Description - This three week class, held on Sunday mornings, will give you the tools you need to get started creating an art journal as an art diary and to continue your journaling after class ends. Time: 9:30 am to 1:00pm Fee: $75.00 + $25.00 materials fee which covers a fifty page artist book filled with handmade paper, a daily journal, and 3 pens appropriate for art journaling. Materials to bring: Please bring gesso, scissors, a wet adhesive (glue, gel medium, etc.) and an assortment of paint brushes and acrylic paints. If you like, you can also bring an assortment of images and a heat tool. Additional info: Complete instructional materials and additional studio time will be available if you have to miss a class. Class Limit: 6 participants. To sign up for this class please email Maria Ontiveros at rinda1961@yahoo.com also you can check out Maria’s blog at http://gallorganico.blogspot.com/

As you can see there's a busy but creative weekend ahead. I hope to see you soon!

I've been published!

Hello again!

Quite unexpectedly today I received a copy of Somerset Studio's summer gallery in the mail. I opened it up and was pleased to find that my stretched Alice 3 part collage had been published!

Since Alice is very stretched in this drawing I decided to take a brilliant idea from one of my students and stretch her out into three small canvases as if she is really stretching! Thanks Anne for the idea. All the background texture and the bubbles are made with one of my favorite texture mediums : Golden's fiber paste. This was a fun , whimisical piece to create. And of course all whimisical art needs bubbles!