Spring Break

Our first stop is the Delta, OK so our motorhome won't fit on this barge....now what? We had to drive all the way around on these little tiny levee roads. If you have ever been to the delta you know what I mean, and we just there at dusk so we were trying to rush to get to our camp site before it got dark! Yikes....we didn't make it and it was really hard to see out there where you are going....DARK is not the word for it, talk about and "E" ticket ride..........Well after that adventure we were ready to relax with our friends Jimmy and Vickie, who took us to this awesome restaurant for lunch up in the Napa Valley..YUMMO..the off to do some wine tasting (my favorite thing to do)we only had time to go to a few since we got a late start, but that was enough to do some damage....One day the guys played golf and I went up to Lodi to met with my friend Natalie Hansen..we had lunch and did a little shopping in down town Lodi..dummy me I left my camera at home..sorry!

Then on the San Francisco and Ghirardelli Square..had to make a stop to visit Amy at her shop....................................................

Crown & Crumpet, I met Amy at one of Kim's Artistic Affaire Events and she was so sweet and told us about her shop, so I stopped in and payed her a visit..she was busy but took the time to talk with me and show me the shop....OMG just look at these pics of her tea room....

When you enter you see this display of goodies all wrapped up so cute.


Then there is shopping and gifts galore.............

There is a fireplace and couch to sit and relax, my daughter Amanda is sitting in the corner taking it all in.

This is the tea room, the floor is pink and white checked..so cute! Can't wait to go visit again.


Then down to the wharf , the cable car was out of order so the kids just got to sit on it and get this pic.

Then we took them down the crookest street in the world..they had not heard of it. I tried to take the pictures so you would get the idea of just how crooked this street is!

What a view from here.

We also went to China town for dim sum and tea tasting.

I don't know why my son thinks he can't smile...I guess it is age!


This is like wine tasting but with tea, they make several kinds for you to try and explain the benefits of each tea.

We walked along the boardwalk at the wharf and then had dinner on the wharf, they have the best seafood.

This is my husbands favorite place.......................


A few pics at night , then back to our camp site.

We always take our little baby Duchess with us when we travel in our motorhome, she is the best but I think she was ready to go home now....ya think?

Good Friends Good Times

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Arizona to take a class "Nuances de Printemps" hosted by Carol Wingert. My FAB friend Maija invited Kim and I to stay at her lovely home. She really is the Hostess with the Mostess....I also met Miss Earlene and Miss Annette. We started off our day with a little shopping (well..maybe alot of shopping)

and a coffee stop at Dutch Brothers..we hit this spot twice a day to keep our mojo going..
The a stop at Melrose, last time I was in town they were closed so I so SOOooooo happy to get a chance to visit this hot spot, and it was totally worth the wait..AWESOME store.

here is a pic of Miss Annette, Maija and Kim shopping. Then on to Sirens and Saints, cute boutique clothing store. Weird thing about this is that we heard the next day after we were there that a drunk driver wiped out this shop the very next night..so very sad!

I told you we did alot of shopping...this is the back of Maija's car..good thing she has an SUV!Then back to Maija's house where she hosted alittle get together with a few local gals. We had a wonderful meal and then Earlene and Annette brought these lovely deserts and let us all take home our little plate display.Annette, Kim Hesson, Kim Caldwell and Sherry..sorry I did not pics of all the gals but then after TWO of Maija's Pomegranate Martinis..well you know how it is...no more PICS got taken...he..he

The next day we went to Carol's home and it was the most beautiful setting outdoors and the weather was just perfect. Our kit came in this cute tin lunch bucket and was just packed full of supplies.

Carol is such a wonderful teacher, so patient and full of ideas to share.Here is picture of my cover, I added a little blue bird to my book...I had been waiting for the perfect project to use this on!

Inside more pages, but still need to add a few finishing touches, the button pack I won in a drawing and just had to use it my book, Thanks Carol!
More pages inside.........

This was such a wonderful and relaxing event, I hope I can come again soon to Arizona to visit.....

The Shopping....

One of the best things about Kim's events is the SHOPPING!!!! Here are pics of the vendors tables....


Kim's table...just look at all the colors....

Candice's mom makes these awesome bracelets all Alice themed and colored.

more of Candice's odds and ends of things....

Sweet, sweet Christine Rose Elle...just love her stuff. I did get one of her amazing cuffs will post a pic later.

more of Kim's table...sorry but in all of my amazement I did not get PICS of Holly's and Jamie's tables...but you know how amazing they are, I will post PICS later of the items that I purchased from them just to tease you a bit.

Oh the pressure....

My first time vending at one of Kim's FAB events...what pressure, but I did it and it was a blast.....here are some PICS of some of the things on my vendor table. I made these cute messenger bags out of cream colored denim with a raw linen ruffle, vintage Alice prints and buttons and a hand painted flower to match. This Rabbit one was cute...(if I do say so myself)

This is the one first one I made for myself that gave me the inspiration to make more of them......In this pic you can see the jute webbing that I used for the strap.
This next one is one of the altered canvas totes that I have made in the past but this one is of course ALICE themed, the Cheshire Cat is a pocket! I handmade the taffeta flowers on these totes.

These next two are my favorites of the the Mad Hatter...the first is a messenger bag and the second one is an altered tote..he is just so stinkin cute!

This is a small sampling of some other things on my table, flower hair/pins, headbands and some necklaces and bracelets that I made and some I brought from my shop. Don't you love the Pink Flamingo... it was really fun decorating the table for this event.

These are the fingerless gloves that I made and they were a HIT! Alot of the ladies purchased them to wear to the Mad Hatter Tea Party, it was so fun.


And of course you had to have this nail polish set since you nails were showing...

And Last but not least....the mushroom pin cushions, I sold every one of them! A big thanks to Kim for giving me this opportunity and to all the ladies for your purchases and wonderful compliments....

An Affaire cont...

This is the cutest box that Candice put all of our supplies for our little book we made in. On top is a top hat that Val made for all of us full of special treats...THANKS VAL!

Just look at this cake...who would want to cut it? This was another special gift from Val , it took two people to carry it into the room..OH how I hated to see it get cut, but I must say I think it was one of the best cakes I have ever had, it jut melted in your mouth..YUMmmmmmmm

Sweet and Sassy girls Jessi and my roomie Cynthia posing in this frame "Through the looking glass" that Kim made for all of us to take pictures in. Just look at the flowers and the pink flamingo...I told you Kim left nothing out with this event.
Jessi and I in the "looking glass"

And of course no event would be complete without sweet Christine Rose Elle all decked out in her amazing outfit, wish you could really see all of the detail of this headpiece, it was truly a work of art!

What an Adventure......

I have been to alot of Kim's events...but I must say that this "Affaire in Wonderland" was OVER THE TOP !!!!! The room was decorated in all pink, black and white, with flowers and everywhere. I can even describe how awesome it was. Kim had made chairs back covers for all the chairs around the tea party table with the itinerary in the back pocket, and we got to keep these....

Just look at the table of treats we had at our Mad Hatter tea party. Everyone came dressed so cute and most of the ladies had on their white fingerless gloves (of which some I sold at my vendor table, more on that later) there were ruffles on dresses, hats and flowers in hair..so fun!

The table setting had these towers of tea cups and tea pots, and these beautiful chairs full of moss and pink flowers everywhere. My pictures don't even do this justice.

I did make these mushrooms that are displayed on the table and they were a hit, I did give one away along with a couple of other items from my vendor table as a give a way, and sweet Lonnie won it, I think she was happy.


After our tea party Candice taught us a cute little book that we made out of envelopes all full of Alice stamps, bright ribbons and flowers. I just finished mine and will get some PICS to post soon. Then we were off the see the new Alice in Wonderland movie, and it was amazing...ever been in a movie theatre with about 30 women ? Well lets just say we had a BLAST!