Random Tuesday ~ Hammering, riviting, rain!

Here we are...Random Tuesday! Another week and boy is it cold. I spent the last four days in Tucson and it was so cold and rainy!! Where is the sun? Where was the warmth? Tucson, Tucson were art thou? You let me down and Dr. John was very disappointed!

He went with me to The Art Retreat in the Desert for fun in the sun!  He brought books to read and his bathing suit!  Ha!  It stayed around 40 degrees the entire time.  Friday..rain and cloudy...the same on Sunday and Saturday!!  He was bummed.  A day by the pool dashed!  We had warm coats due to the cold at home...so at least we could bundle up!  Sigh!  Just so wrong!

The Art Retreat in the Desert was so fun!  And the two classes I took...amazing!  Riki Schumacher was the teacher for the first session...Vamp it up!  We took vintage rhinestone necklaces and turned them into little mini collages!  Fun...and here are some pics...

beginning vintage pieces

process

process

finished pieces

my piece almost finished

my classmates

That evening....

downtown Tucson

Sunday, took the class The Gilded Heart with Diane Cook!  Great class and we worked hard.  Taking a piece of a copper sheet and turning it into a necklace collar and a dangling heart!  Wow!  The stuff I learned!
Here are some pics...

my work space

finished pieces

finished pieces

finished pieces

class mates

Riki Schumacher I have known for six years or more...on line!!  We had never met in person...oh my!  How exciting!  And she is as dear and sweet as I figured she would be!  Adorable and sweet and so so talented.  Her class, Vamp it up was terrific and I learned so much.  I also had a ball!!

Diane Cook...first time meeting her and oh what talent!  Her class was hard work for me because I have never worked with metal...that is turning it from plain and smooth to textured and so dimensional!  Loved the class!

The girls at the classes were all so talented in their own right and brought so much to the class.  It was an honor and a pleasure to get to know them.  Made many new friends and I hope to join them next year for another round of Gem Show and Classes!!  Perfect!

Dr. John and I stayed at the Hilton Tucson East...and they were amazing!!  Wonderful breakfast every morning...complementary!  Lunch box provided by hotel staff on Saturday and Sunday!  Evening...wine and drinks and snacks.  But offered so much food it was like dinner!!  First night, Rigatoni and the second night, Shephards Pie!  Again, complimentary!  Wow!  If you ever go Tucson...definitely stay here.  Every night, they turned down our comfy beds and filled the ice bucket and left us bottled water!  Amazing!!

Next week I will talk about the Bead and Gem show!  Quite the action packed trip!  I am pooped and my flu/cold has reared, yet again, it's ugly head!!  Ugh!


Have a magical and blessed week!
Hugging you
SueAnn