Sueno

We’ve all heard references to the expansion of the Universe and the gathering momentum at which time seems to be accelerating, especially during these mythical, mystical months heading toward the unknown events of 12-12-12.

But I just experienced it. The time warp, that is. I dreamed that it was next year already, thanks in part to Richard and Jane Salley, the rock star jewelers that I’ve written about here a time or two. You see, while I’m still processing the new techniques we learned from them in Mexico in January they’ve already planned next year’s retreat and sent out the invitations.

So, dear amateur therapists out there, I need some assistance with dream interpretation. Ready?

It is the first day of spring in Oregon, which means a cloudy morning followed by a wink of sun and a temper tantrum of hail. Through the grey bars of rain I can see blurred pinks and greens of blossoming things.

Suddenly I am in Mexico at the Hacienda Mosaico. The sun has charmed the flowers into full blush and the breeze tickles our ankles and cheeks. The sound of salt melting on the margarita glasses followed by cheers and clinks make me smile as the participants reunite. And this time, Lola has joined us!

Dead giveaway cowboy boots, we hear Richard and Jane sauntering up the stone path before we see them. Cheers erupt and there’s a flurry of hugs and shoulder claps and how-you-doings as we sit poolside nibbling, noshing and catching up.

Sascha is wearing the necklace she won a Blue Ribbon first prize for in the Ajijc Society of the Arts Annual Judged Show. Congratulations, we’re all so happy for her!

With us egging her on, Lori slowly inches up her pant leg to reveal the impressive scar she recently acquired from knee surgery. Ouchey wah-wah!

David is holding a copy of Best of America Jewelry Artists Volume II and casually flips to pages 45-46 to show us some of his work. After the group expresses the appropriate number of ooh’s and aaah’s, I subtlety cough under my breath, “pages 61-62” and what do you know, there’s some of our jewelry in there too! The group raises a glass to our 15 seconds of fame as well.

Then we get down to business. Richard and Jane pull out examples of the new techniques we’re going to learn over the next five days and then –

And then I wake up. Noooooooo. It was warm. It was beautiful. I was happy and about to start creating again with interesting people in the lush environment of the Hacienda Mosaico.

So, gentle analysts, what ever could this dream mean?

Viva Mexico - The Frida Edition

Mexico brings to mind many images: The warm sun, beautiful beaches, kind people, palm trees, and color, but for me, nothing says Mexico more than Frida Kahlo (1906-1954).

Most of you know that I have long been accused of reminding people of the notorious artist, so one day I decided to dress up like her, augmenting my eyebrows in the process and the rest you could say, is history.

Kimmmm bought me a Frida finger puppet to match hers from Nick and Prestons Imaginarium when we went to New York together in 2008. At this writing, we are supposed to go there a week from today, but with all the ice and storms, we have no idea if it will happen. It’s a nail biter…

But back to Frida. For the last three years, little Frida has traveled in my purse, going on various adventures together. How could I deny Mini-Me a trip to her homeland?





Frida hangs with her peeps.

Sombrero rooftop view of the Malecon.

Hmmm, check out all the hombres in this place, Que Lindo!

Uh-oh, it didn't feel like I had too many...at the time.

More images of me, me meeeee!

Banderas Bay, baby.

"You are the wind beneath my wings..."

Frida made a fun friend with Aqua Junko Artworks

Frida is overcome by Sascha's hommage necklace.

Mwa ha ha, Frida with Lori's skull. 

Love love love love love love love this!!!!!!

Frida getting into more trouble at Le Bistro Jazz Club

A Frida inspired necklace Cindy made in the "Fun with Dick and Jane" workshop at the Hacienda Mosaico.

Frida sunbathing with new amiga at the Villa Del Palmar Resort in Puerto Vallarta.

Viva Mexico - Fun with Dick and Jane

There are not many, if any, comments on the blog itself, but I receive quite a few emails from readers personally, through our website and on Facebook, and the next thing most people are interested in hearing about is the jewelry workshop. So that is where I’ll start today.

We had the privilege of studying with Richard and Jane Salley, two incredibly talented and innovative artists at the mind-boggling artful retreat, The Hacienda Mosaico. I say mind-boggling, because everywhere a person looks, there is a thing of beauty, either designed by the owner Sam (pictured here with me) or designed by God, i.e. natural beauty.

I say Sam is the owner, but between us, I really think it is Estela, her adorable puppy-child.

While the soundtrack in Mexico, at least in the parts where we were, was a lively mixture of dogs barking, workmen singing and playing traditional tunes on static-ridden radios, hammers banging, saws scritchin’, lots of yelling, horns a honkin’, the gas delivery truck’s megaphone jingle, and one, loud very persistant fan belt, inside the walls of the Hacienda Mosaico, we were in our own little world.

Groom and I arrived each morning, Monday through Friday, at 9am to eat breakfast with the other participants by the pool. The food was so delicious and bountiful, there is not room enough here to show you, so I’ll wait for another time. Food in Mexico is an entire topic unto itself.

The first couple of days, when we didn’t know where we were yet and my sliced toe was swollen and painful, we taxied. After that, we walked the rest of the time and enjoyed noticing the regular routines of the locals. Again, that could be a whole other posting.

The Hacienda Mosaico offers two complete studios. The first day we spent in the one located inside on the second floor (aren’t these steps leading to it stunning?). The remaining four days we worked in the second studio outside, under an awning.

Including both instructors who were from New Mexico, there were about 15 of us. The participants came from all over. Three lived in Mexico, at least two from Canada, Montana, Chicago, North Carolina, Florida, Maine… we were the only ones from the west coast.

I can’t even begin to describe to you the synergy and inspiration that develops in such an environment. Working in a tropical atmosphere, with talented people who share similar interests (travel, jewelry design, art, food), is a dream. Everything we wanted or needed, in terms of fresh mango juice, coffee or tea, and the right tool and helpful instruction came together to provide the most nurturing experience.

We all shared found objects, Milagros and images to incorporate into our design pieces and then took turns using the torch or whatever equipment was in high demand that day. At the end of the class, Jane commented that our group played particularly well together. We even took a field trip to the hardware store one afternoon and shared a dinner together in downtown before the Art Walk.

I get all moony just thinking about it. Our cold, dark basement studio is, let’s face it, just not as inviting. So while I am inspired to take what we learned and translate that into our style of jewelry, I am more motivated to start visualizing a studio like that of our own…

Hasta la pasta, baby!

Woo Hoo! Goin’ to Mexico…Thanks in Part to the Kalliope Artist Fellowship

I’m writing this on 1-11-11, although it’s starting to look like it won’t be finished until tomorrow. But how cool is the date? And here’s some extra alignment. This morning, I open the book I’m reading and the quote for the day is “Pack my bags, going to Mexico.” – Steve Miller Band.

Why is that alignment, you might ask? A few entries ago, I mentioned that Groom and I were dreaming of a white Christmas…in Mexico, and that there would be a story to tell at a later date.

Today is the later date.

Let’s just say that Santa Claus was verrrry generous to us for Jesus’ Birthday and slipped an all-expense paid trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in our stocking. A friend’s humorous response to us when she heard the news was, “Well, it’s obvious you have a much better relationship to Santa than we do.”

I laughed and thought that’s not exactly Whom we have the relationship with. I know I’m a bit of a maverick believer, but it puts a smile on my face and a giggle in my heart when I think to myself (or say aloud sometimes), “Jesus wants me to have this new pair of shoes!” or “Jesus would like me to have a trip to Mexico,” and naturally I’d hate to disappoint Him.

Why do we have plans to visit Mexico? Last October, Groom and I attended a class with jewelry-guru Richard Salley. At the end of the day, Richard invited us to the inaugural workshop he’s teaching with his wife, Jane, who is also a talented artist. The name of their week-long class? “Fun with Dick and Jane.” Love it.

We immediately wanted to say Yes! and join them. The thought of spending time in warm Puerto Vallarta during the chilly month of January, learning new jewelry-making skills delighted our sensibilities.

But how??

Funny enough, I was listening to Mike Dooley’s audio book, Infinite Possibilities, gifted to us by God’s Minion and he says, “Don’t worry about the how.” Oh, okay.

The phone rings. A friend tells me about a grant opportunity. A woman wants to give money to an artist for “for travel, enrichment or the development of new ideas.” Shazam! Going to Mexico to thaw out winter bones and learn stuff certainly qualifies. We filled out the paperwork and jumped through hoops. Then it was time to wait.

In the meantime, I’m still listening to Mike Dooley. He suggests “acting as if.” Well, I could act as if we were going South of the Border. I purchased a 20!! calendar and marked out when we’d be gone. I looked up flights and took note of the routes. I went shopping, sifting through racks of clothes, imagining a wardrobe that would be perfect for both torch enameling and sipping margaritas on the beach at sunset.

Groom and I created a vision board, photoshopping ourselves in the tropics and included a picture of Richard Salley and his wife Jane, with descriptions of the workshop. We oohed and aaahed over the online images of the beautiful hacienda where the class will be held. We booked a housesitter.

The day of the grant award arrived. Alas, we were not the recipients (it was a basket maker). From the moment I heard the news until a coffee date with a girlfriend, I had 15 minutes to process the loss, as I did not want to bring my disappointment to the café with me. So during that 15-minute walk downtown, I had a conversation with myself in which I made peace with it. By the time I was sipping a cup of French roast, I had released it.

The next day, I receive a phone call from a friend. The first words out of his mouth were, “Boy, is it a good day for Cindy.”

It is?

Oh yes, he continues, and what follows is the rest of the story…

It’s at the end of the year (December 2010), and his business is just about to close for the Holidays. He receives a phone call from a vendor wanting to unload a bunch of raw materials. Our friend neither wants or needs it, especially as it will just sit there without purpose and count as inventory.

A few hours later, the vendor calls back. The guy really really wants to sell his product and offers it at a discount and throws in an “incentive.” Our friend gets a sudden “gut feeling” and agrees. Within minutes of buying it, his office phone starts ringing off the hook. He receives four, last minute orders that eats up everything he just purchased.

If he had received the orders first and then bought the goods to fill them, he would have paid full price and not been bribed. There was only one hang, he said. The incentive, a beautiful condo, was only available for one particular week in January, but did Groom and I want to go to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico? Oh, and he had more than enough frequent flier miles to get us there from buying all that material.

Hmmm, let’s see. We were invited to Puerto Vallarta in January. We didn’t know how. A grant opportunity arose. We applied. We listened to Infinite Possibilities. We acted “as if.” We did not receive the grant, but kept a positive attitude. We were invited to Puerto Vallarta in January, all expenses paid the NEXT day.

Oh, we’ll have to think it over, I told him. NOT. Ha, there was certainly a lot of whooping and thanksgiving and joyful celebrating in our household that day. Thank you Jesus!

“Pack my bags, going to Mexico.”