SuzeBlogz

A nice girls day

Everything doesn't always have to be about rush...rush...rush....and.....do...do...do. Sometimes it's just fun to see a new neigborhood and have lunch with two of your oldest and dearest friends.

Gail (l) and Pam (r) and I have been friends for close to 40 years. And, isn't it cool...we're all redheads !!

We all lived in the same neigborhood for 30+ years, our kids all grew up together and then we all moved on to different neigborhoods but fortunately not far from each other.

so, today was YUMMY SUSHI day

in the very nice town of Robbinsville, near Trenton. (NJ)

the highlight was actually finding this way cool food store right near the sushi restaurant....yes.......there.....I said it...a food store...I know...dont faint...

 

I have to say....food stores generally do nothing for me. I do my best not to even venture into one.... but this little specialty shop was fabulous !

OK...I'm sure it had something to do with the "arsty" decor and the way the food was displayed!

 

and then we found this boutique clothing shop next door and of course that was a must...

mostly tho...I just wanted to go home with this little display item below.....not for sale....DARN !

I DROVE ALL DAY WITH THE CONVERTIBLE TOP DOWN....the weather was so nice.......then, just as I was approaching home...maybe 2-3 miles away...I pulled over on the back roads....texted The Lenster and said I was almost home...he told me it was pouring and lightning by our house...

I QUICKLY PUT THE TOP UP ON THE CAR

good thing.....the skies opened up like a bucket just as I approached my street. The power went out twice in the neigborhood tonight...it was SOOOO dark I almost got lost inside my own house !

Well....better luck tomorrow

 

 

"O"

So, it's yet another bead show and everything begins to look kinda the same and then, just as you are sure you've seen it all and bought enough...Tra La...you come upon a really inviting, happy, full of color and innovation, booth

Called " Bead Me A Story"

owned by Mary Soucy, managed by her mom Kathy Wells and they are out of Halethorpe, Maryland.

Yes...chain mail with a twist....rubber bands to look like jump rings in a zillion sizes and colors 

AND

a website that gives you the patterns to make everything!

DID YOU HEAR THAT

Instructions to make everything !

So, the darling samples (that were also available for sale) showed bracelets, earrings and necklaces all done with standard jumprings AND the addition of rubber "o"s.

 

I have to say....yes...of course you can get jump rings in colors, but this adds such a different flavor and texture to your piece....I bought several and I'm going to teach myself...yes I am

I hope you'll jump over to their site and visit them too !

 

CREATE NJ

Todays adventure took me to Somerset, NJ, Doubletree Hotel for vendor night at CREATE NJ....a mixed media event held here once a year by Interweave (who bring you Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine !)

and oh...it was a bizzzzzzzie hopping place

so, we're going into the deep recesses of the artist now...

I didn't have time to take any classes this year but the incredible Jean Van Brederode taught a jewelry class with buttons and soldering that I wished I'd taken !

cause it looked AMAZING !!!

I also caught up with Jean at the Vendor night and she had some of her 'to die for' pieces for sale....Oh My...I gave in...I bought one...yes I did !!

 

Cindy Wunsch's students made self portraits...does this look like fabulous fun or what?

 

Kecia Deveney taught a fun fabric doll class

Jodi Ohl taught her brilliant painting techniques

Michelle Ward (l) and daughter Fallon selling her stencils (designed for Stencil Girl) and some of her rubber stamps.

but, the best part of the event was running into all my arty friends that I just don't bump into on a regular basis

Julie Fei Fen and Nathalie Kalbach xoxoxo

My wonderful friend Linda Weinbaum who was with me on a trip to China several years ago

 

Kari McKnight Holbrook from Ohio

 

Seth Apter ...mixed media artist extraordinaire

The adorable Anna, owner of The Ink Pad, NYC (r) and me with Diana Rivera (top L)  trying on felt crowns made by the super cute and talented Chris Soleil (below L) from Pennsylvania..who says wearing one makes her look years younger. I should have bought all of them !!! LOL

 

Stephanie Rodgers, Michelle Ward & Andrea Frank 

 

The MEGA creative lady of lettering whose classes were jammed packed full with students...(r) Joanne Sharpe and to my left, Edie Malin from Pennsylvania

Edies daughter was carrying the most adorable pocketbook that she HAND PAINTED. This was nothing....you should see what she's done with old Vera Bradley purses and cases when she's grown tired of the Vera pattern.....

Kecia had this lovely doll for sale...some lucky person grabbed it right up

Erin Keck had the most amazing steampunk supplies AND finished art for sale

Some lovely art from mixed media artist Staci Swider 

and then...one of MY personal favorites

I'm a big fan of Jeans stuff !!!

It was a great evening !

Tomorrow we're off to see an old favorite

(for the umteenth time)

"GREASE"

at the Count Basie theater in Red Bank

another fun filled evening with friends !




 

 

If the bracelet fits....wear it !

Another great day in Jersey !

Off to Thompson Park to take a jewelry class from my friend Lena Pfefer in this beautiful setting

a huge, air conditioned room complete with everything needed for a successful class in metalsmithing

Lenas sample below

and, even if you've done things like this before you ALWAYS learn something new from every teacher.

Lena handed out 10 pages of color copied directions all with huge color photos stepping out the process. AMAZING!

and we all got a sheet of 24 gauge brass.

She also provided all the tools.

She was such a well prepared teacher!

then we cut the brass into our rectangles and began

 

Lots of filing involved...and then 

we texturized using all sorts of texture plates and found objects

and we annealed...of course!

 

 

and liver of sulpher (yuck!)

and a lotta scrubbing

 

 

and punching out the hole for the toggle

 

and assembling

and I immediately learned that I punched my connector holes too far from the edges so I didn't get that nice spacing between rectangles...but hey..that's what classes are for...

LEARNING and EXPERIMENTING !

and....I will absolutely make another one to make up for my mistakes and then I will wear it !!!

hanging up my happy display class sample as we speak!!

 

How the Ocean speaks to you !

Aaaaahhhhh....the beautiful Jersey shore and my good fortune to live right near there.

So, Yesterday my friend Jodi and I took a ride (in the convertible of course) down to Long Beach Island to visit our friend Connie who, (along with her huge family), was renting a gigantimongous house on the island for 2 weeks.

The house had FOUR levels and a faaaaaabulous sun deck with a hot tub....all overlooking the beach.

This house could sleep a lotta people...this was just one corner of one bedroom...there were dozens.

and from the top deck you overlooked everything

and then off to lunch in town

 

and SHOPPING !!!!!!!

we found this amazing shop called "HOW TO LIVE "

and now I'll give you a visual peek inside

OKAY...you can already tell...THIS IS MY KINDA SHOP !!!

I immediately found this treasure and bought it without hesitation. Best part...look at the picture below this one

 

Industrial wheels on the bottom of the torso tray!!

I wanted to buy like everything, but...c'mon...

Instead I took pictures !!

Because pictures serve as a terrific reminder for future decorating ideas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This next door made me drool.....

Yup...there's nothing quite like the beach...

 

 

Comin' up this week.....taking a jewelry class tomorrow and visiting CREATE NJ vendor night on Friday....so..I'll be back !