Good Sam Miniatures Showcase 2013, Rick Pierce's Class and OT... - Part 1

Good Sam show 2013 was fun and success for us.

The whole trip starting from Washington state to California, crossing Oregon state, was fun. We like travelling. Washington state saw us off with early morning thick fog and California welcomed us with a beautiful sunrise on the horizon.

We drove by the gorgeous Shasta Mountain.

Dominating the landscape, Mt. Shasta can be seen for 100 miles from certain points drawing hikers, skiers and travelers. We liked that place so much that decided to come there some day when it is much warmer and stay for a couple of days and enjoy nature around.

Mt. Shasta rises 11,000' from the base to summit for a total elevation of 14,162' above the sea level, one of the nation's largest rises, ranking 49th.

It is one of the southermost volcanoes in the Cascade Range and is the second tallest, falling short of Mt. Rainier by 248'.

It has a 17 mile diameter with 5 glaciers, the Whitney glacier being the largest in California. The most recent eruption occured in 1786 and was witnessed from the sea by explorer La Perouse.

I liked the exhibition at the Good Sam Miniatures Showcase a lot. I took pictures off all displayed pieces but unfortunately am uploading only a couple of them due to poor quality, :(((

UNFORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED AGAIN! SOMEBODY STOLE A VERY EXPENSIVE MINIATURE BEAR FROM THE DISPLAY THAT RHONA LEE PRESENTED AT THE EHXIBITION! I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE PEOPLE COULD DO IT!

Here is a picture of the Rhona's roombox that I took on the second day of the show and the bear wasn't there already (he was sitting on the white chair),

later Yuliya Klim told me that the bear was stolen. I saw and talked to Rhona Lee (she is such a nice lady!) and she is very very upset! If anyone who took the pictures of her roombox has one with the bear, please, post it on your blog, Facebok, the Camp, whatever miniatures group you belong to and help Rhona to find her bear.

...back to the show...

You know already I took Pete and Pam Boorum's class. I put together this trunk that still needs hinges to be installed. I hope I won't forget about it, :)))

While my Sweetheart and I were at the Sale room, Nataly, my daughter took 3 kids' classes on Saturday and some free classes on Sunday and had a lot of fun making different miniatures, like a bed, birdhouse in the garden, etc...
Everyone was busy!

My favorite part of the show is meeting my old friends and making new ones.

One of them I was so happy to see again was Gideon Wolf. His business is called Wild Wolf Miniatures.

You have to check out his website http://www.wildwolfminiatures.com/ by all means.

Another old friend that I met first time at the show was Rachel Roet from Holland. Rachel and I met on-line and became friends, and finally met at the show. Rachel is a very enthusiastic, caring and sweet lady full of energy and happiness!

I also met Nancy, Kathleen, Emmely, Corky, Pat, Anne, Maritza, Diane, Jane and many other (forgive me, if I didn't call your name...) and thank you very much everyone who stopped by. It is a blast to meet and know you.

After the show was over we had to move to another hotel in Morgan Hill, what a nice, clean, stylish city it is! Next day I had a class with Rick Pierce. I've been always fascinated with his work and finally had a chance to meet a Master. Before I've made my decision to take this class, I thought it would helped me a lot to start and finish the project under supervision. Unfortunately during the first day I understood that 5-day class is probably not for me - I can't work under pressure - you can't rush the perfection, lol. :))) During the first day we were supposed to finish painting all steps, windows and doors frames. It took me 4-5 hours to paint 2 sets of steps. Actually, it took more to carve them because I wanted them to look old and beaten. As a result while all group of students finished painting the details at the end of a day,

I had only my steps painted and still not satisfied with the painting result, don't see that character in them yet...

Next day it appeared that my Sweetheart got a flu and it was difficult for him to entertain kids and take them different places. After 2 days of class I had to quit and we decided to go home... may be such long project that requires more attention for details and your own supplies, paint is not ideal for me (because with each step I had to take I came up with my own ideas I was not ready to implement at that moment due to absence of my own paint and tools). So, my advise for those who is going to take Rick's class in Germany: look at the house, think what you want to change (floor?, doors?, colors?...) and take everything you need with you even if Rick provides everything...

You remember I made a post about Yuliya Klem? I met her at the show too and it was such a blast that I could speak miniatures in Russian. Yuliya took Bluette Meloney's class and here is a picture of a working process. I am sure she is close to finish it now.

...and we decided to go home... taking the longest drive ever - we were heading to the coast! The dream to jump over the waves of the Pacific ocean couldn't leave the sick minds of my DH and son.

Here we are...

Saying Goodbye to Morgan Hill and all its habitats

we said Hi to Santa Cruz, beautiful ocean,

and seals, they were sooo playful and load!

but some of them tired and sleepy (it was really hot there!)

The wharf atrracts a noisy bunch of California sea lions. Each year they migrate to Monterey bay National Marine Sanctuary from breeding grounds in Southern California and Mexico. Most of the animals there are mails, coming to the wharf to rest, or to feed on fish in the water around the pier pilings.

to be continued...

Natalia