Fabric Book Class this Sat.

click photo to enlarge

I will be teaching this fabric book called "Pretty Punched Portfolio" at Peicemakers is Costa Mesa,Ca this Sat. April 4 from 10-3:30p. Make a beautiful portfolio-like book to hold sewing tools and needles or any precious treasures you may have. Learn how to make a simple, sturdy fabric covered book with binding and signatures, simple embroidery, some ribbon roses and easy tassels! $50. Call Piecemakers to enroll: 714-641-3112. Most materials can be purchased at Piecemakers. I hope to meet you!

AUCTION ending soon...

There has been an auction to benefit the street children of Oaxaca Mex. that I am apart of and it is ending March 31. There are over 80 hand made shrines from mixed media artists, some well know, donated for the cause. Go check it out HERE.

Not only will you donate to a worthy cause, you will have in return a meaningful piece of art that was made with love.

Pretty Ugly

REal quick..I took a class in Adventures in Art this morning for my daughters school ( I am a docent) and this is what we did. I LOVE it and loved the process! We were suppose to think "Ugly" ......no pretty portraits. I think this is what I look like when I get cut off by a irresponsible driver...but I digrese........ Todays paintings were based on Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso,Frida Khalo etc. This particular technique was specifically based an a real LIVING artist named Vladimir Cora. Incredible! I am so happy that I signed up for these classes. For those of you who don't know what Adventures in ARt is, it's an art program designed for public schools so that children can do art. Unfortunately art is not mandatory or a part of the curiculum any more and kids miss out unless the teacher can squeeze it in. So Adventures in Art was started several years ago (by a mom I think) and parents volunteer by taking a course every 6 weeks on a different medium and then bring that project into the classroom for the kids to participate and make cool art with a brief history. That's it in a nut shell.

FYI..postponed garage sale

Last post I said my garage sale was this weekend...LIAR!! Ixnay, on the garagesale-eh. Will let you know...it HAS to be soon though. My daughter has a little recitial for the end of her acting class this Sat. and what a peice of poo mom I would be if I didn't go because I wanted to sell my crap..... I can't stand all the stuff that has accumulated in every corner of my house. I am at an age that I don't care if I have stuff anymore....except my frozen charlottes and my studio...and of course my hubbie and sweet Violet...
big smooch to you all!!

Catch up.....

matchbox prep
inspiration
more matchbox prep
tiny tiaras
finished reliquary front
....and back
my new medium
bronze clay

kit parts

So I looked at my last post and couldn't believe how much time had flown! I hope this post makes up for it. I have been a busy happy bee. I took a class with Kathy Davis in Costa Mesa to learn about bronze clay...love it! Those relic looking metal charms are the result.

Wrote a how-to article for issue #7 Portals...a zine. Theme: Home.....Schedualed publish date: April 15ish....available for pre-sale here

Went to the bi-annual belly dance swap meet this past Saturday and sold some costumes and jewelry....even had a request to make a personalized tassel for a friend whose kitty of 18 years passed away.

Had my 4th (?) soldering class at GTL yesterday....fabulous group of women as usual. The next class is April 5 and I hear there are still MORE people on a waiting list. So we are working on one more date....May or June. That Nancy...she sure knows what she's doing and working really hard to have one of the coolest little boutiques in the OC. And....the class for the Frozen Charlotte necklace has already sold out...3 days after posting! Yay!!! We have another date for Saturday,May 16. Check GTL for info. I'm not sure how many classes we can have for this particular necklace since some of the supplies are dwindling....I have been spending hours and days researching suppliers.

Had a face painting gig for a San Marino High carnivale......Danced for Babouch the restaurant....

Right now I'm preparing a soldered necklace sample for a two day class at the Shephardess in San Diego, July 11,12 2009. Registration starts in May. I am really excited about this. San Diego is my home town and I LOVE the Shephardess. It has been around for 30 years and has a great selection of beads,fibers and classes. It's where I took 6 years of classes with Lynne Merchant...THE queen of wire shaping. Located in the charming historic old town district of down town San Diego with lots of fun shopping and Mexican dining. It's a destination spot for travelers and locals. Right next door to the Shephardess is an amazing (my most favorite) bead and silver finding store ever!! It's called Lost Cities. I always spend a bunch of money when I go because they have the best selection of silver findings, new and old beads, tools, crystals, zirconias and more. In fact the gal that owns it is an expert on REAL Tibetan coral and tourquoise and has a lot of it.

This weekend (march 28) I am having a large garage sale so come on over! Rubber stamps, jewelry, craft supplies, furniture, clothes, computers, fabric, costumes,toys, books....you know the ususal.

Thanks for coming by. Leave a comment...I love hearing what your thinking.

Frozen Charlotte and Jewelry

Learn how to make this!
Frozen Charlottes and Charlies...
having a party after the lights go out....
Can you believe how tiny?
New shrine "before" soldering
New earrings for sale Etsy
Boy do I have fun making jewelry! I have been busy as you can see. I am thrilled to announce a new class that I will be teaching at Gilding the Lily on April,25....RUN, don't walk to her blog to sign up as we can only seat 7 people and as of this morning, minutes after it was announced, there is already a sign up! Nancy Jamar is the bomb! She owns Gilding the Lily and has a keen eye for just the right kind of ephemera, jewelry and so many unusual vintage findings...you got to go see her store in person! I feel very fortunate to be a part of her stellar line up of fantastic teachers. This particular necklace has NEVER been taught and is fashioned with GTL students and patrons in mind. It has a little bit of all the things I like...soldering, silver wire wrapping and miniature assemblage. Here's the scoop:



Charlottes Necklace~ Frozen in Time
Instructor~Robin Dudley-Howes
310-787-8704
akasha@shadesofakasha.com
robindudleyhowes.blogspot.com
11-4:30p
Teacher fee $60
Kit fee $35 payable to teacher at class (includes Sterling Silver wire, Frozen Charlotte and everything else to make the necklace except tools)
Level: Intermediate and up

Description

Over one hundred years ago in a doll factory located in Thuringia, Germany, Frozen Charlotte dolls were manufactured. These hard to find treasured bisque dolls, broken and not, become trophies when found and are coveted by mixed media and jewelry artists making them HIGHLY collectable. It is the resurrection and collection of these enigmatic figures that guided me to make this necklace exclusively for Gilding the Lily. You will learn some great tips and techniques in soldering, wire wrap and miniature embellishment…making a tiny tiara for Charlotte, preserving her in a miniature vial and attaching it to a beautiful sterling silver and vintage finding necklace that you will learn how to make. How fun is that! The kit will have ALL the sterling silver wire, chain and findings needed to make the necklace PLUS your very own Frozen Charlotte and the story behind her, a vial, pearls, glass glitter, vintage and new findings. All you need to bring is:

Jewelry pliers: flat nose, chain nose, small and large round nose. Wire cutters. Please do not bring pliers with teeth.

Soldering iron and equipment if you have it.

Please note that I will patina all the wire ahead of class. Directions will be given on how to do this at home along with general class notes. It is helpful to have some knowledge in wire wrapping and soldering for this class. Please contact me if you have questions.



On another note...... I want to give a big THANK YOU to HEATHER BLUHM for working with me in creating the new look for my blog. I wanted to go for a bohemian,gypsy theme and she nailed it. Check out her site to see all the other work she has mastered for more blogs. Thanks Heather!! You can click her name above or see her logo at the bottom to go to her blog.

The auction has started!!!

Heres the direct link:http://auctions.readysetauction.com/sicys/home. If you go to Rebeccas blog first and write down all the artists shrines you like it makes it easier. The auction site has the names of the artists in alphabetical order, but their shrine isn't visible right away...you have to click to see it. If you don't know what I'm talking about, the entry below explains it. Now, Go,go, GO bid!!!