Sleeping Beauty Looking for Princess Charming

This is my "Briar Rose" pendant necklace which is featured in the current issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine. I have had readers ask to see more photos of her since the magazine shot was a closeup and ask if the necklace is for sale. Well here are more photos of this lovely piece and yes, she is for sale. I will be listing her in my Etsy shop within the next few days so keep an eye out for her if you are interested. To see what she looks like on, scroll down to my "So Much Fun Had I" post at the first photo and you can see her sister worn with the brown dress. Now shhhhhh keep it down and try not to be too excited as you will wake Sleeping Beauty......unless you are her Prin"cess" Charming waiting to wake her and wisk her off on your royal steed to wear with your favorite dress or plain ole T-shirt and jeans.

A thought for you today: Live your juicy life! Living juicy means: rolling down a bright grassy hill, sleeping all day to stay in a dream, definitely taking your shoes off at the beach, buying flowers that make you gasp. Find those places inside that jump for joy and do things that bring out your best, most magic self!!

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there.

Tootles

Diana

Can I Really Be Teaching?

Here I go on yet another adventure as I offer my first classes this summer in jewelry design. I'm always up for a good challenge and it will give me the opportunity to share with others what I have learned over the past few years and have such a passion for, meet new art-minded souls, and work on my fear of standing up before a group and talking. I still remember those college days in speech class being terrified to stand up in front of class and talk, afraid I was going to goof up. You know what I mean? But here I go....it's good to look your fears straight in the face and move through it. So, I'm busy preparing brochures and supply lists. What fun it will be. Want to come and play? I will be offering a class in basic wire-wrapping skills, beginning soldering techniques with jewelry applications, basic metal-smithing, and a "Pulling It All Together" class incorporating all the skills taught in the previous classes in designing a vintage inspired piece of jewelry. Classes will be held in a historic landmark building....actually a great barn...in the Village of Arroyo Grande, Ca.....a very charming tiny town on the Central Coast of California. If anyone is interested in learning more about these classes, please email me at: belladonna1351@charter.net.

Now I'm going to go and play in this beautiful summer day!
Tootles
Diana

So Much Fun Had I

Once there was a young teenage girl living in a small valley town in sunny California with visions of becoming a fashion model some day. She would dress up, practice her "walk" down the hallway, turning with the flip of the head, provacative hip movements, and sultry stare. Then one day she had her chance and her boyfriend at the time (one day to become her husband) swept her off to the the big city of San Francisco for an interview with a modeling agency. They stopped at a gas station on the way so she could transform herself into that model she envisioned, placing her false eyelashes just so, styling her hair, slipping on her simple cream wool, form-fitting dress and of course, the highest of heels. With a pounding heart, and flip of her long hair she ascended the stairs up to the modeling agency not knowing what to expect and there performed her turns, walks with plenty of attitude.....as much attitude a 17 year old can conjure up. They wanted her!!! She couldn't believe it could her dreams be coming true. She hurried home to share the news with her waiting parents and much to her disappointment discovered they didn't want their 17 year old daughter moving to the big city on her own and

firmly discouraged her. Dreams crushed, she went on and graduated from high school, then on to college, got married and had a beautiful son. And in the meantime modeled every chance she could for photographers and fashion shows.

As the years flashed by, she had the pleasure of modeling countless times, directing huge fashion shows, became a professional shopper and fashion consultant and helped others "strut their stuff". Looking back she knows she didn't have what it took to be a high-fashion model and is thankful for the opportunities she has had in the fashion industry. Now she designs jewelry for others to enjoy, perhaps encouraging them to "strut their stuff."

And what does all of this have to do with this post and photos you ask???? Well, of course, that teenage girl was me and that girl still loves fashion, still loves to pretend shes walking down the runway, still loves to play with makeup. Today at my age, I strive to be a bit edgey, taking risks with my clothing choices, hair styles, jewelry and attitude.....and make it my artistic expression of self.

About two weeks ago, I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Robin Kaplan (http://robinkaplandesign.com/) an internationally known clothing designer who lives in my area and after finding out about my background, interests and jewelry design invited me to be her stylist for a photo shoot the following week featuring her fall collection. I would work with her model, Ashley, and style her hair, makeup, dress her, put Robin's collection together and help where ever I could during the shoot....and she wanted to incorporate my jewelry along with her designs!!!! Oh my goodness what an opportunity!! I was amazed how doors just keep opening for me....I am so very, very blessed. The photographer who happened to introduce us is a friend of mine, Colleen Rosenthal (http://rosenthalphotography.com/) and we all had a blast for 9 hours just playing. Colleen's work is amazing.

Meet Ashley, the gorgeous model. She was just so fantastic, I loved watching her "work it." While I worked with her, I saw me at her age, and could hardly believe that so many years have gone by since that teenage girl had dreams of being a model. Looking back I can see how dreams do come true just not necessarily in the time frame we would like or exactly the way we would like. We just have to have our hearts open for the magic that does happen in our lives and be so ever grateful.

I am grateful for having had this opportunity and

look forward to working with Robin again when her

next collection is ready to shoot. I encourage you all to visit Robin's website and look at her clothing line....it is so romantic, chic and a little gypsy like....I love it. Robin hand dyes each garment herself and the fabrics she uses are exceptional silks, linens and wools. Her fall collection should be up on her site within the next few weeks so you can see more photos of Ashley and Robin's clothes.....and let's not forget Bernadette the rooster who just had to get in on the act, silk necklace and all.

As a result of this experience, I am going to work at designing my own hair treatments similar to what Ashley has in her hair here. In addition to using hand-dyed silks by Robin Kaplan, I will be incoporating metals, found objects and semi-precious stones. I'll let you know how they turn out.

Hope you are all well and come and visit often. I do ask that if you have the time, could you please leave a comment......if you don't, I don't know that you have been here listening to me babble on and on.

Tootles

Diana