Portland "Rain, Wine and Roses" Houseparty: Saturday

Portland "Rain, Wine and Roses" Houseparty: Saturday

The day started with Registered Workshops:

Karen Gibbs took an actual salt box and fashioned a class called “Miss Morton’s Cottage”, a dwelling for ¼”.

Pam Junk-Knapp based her class “Whimsy Kingdom”, after Daisy Kingdom, a well-known store in Portland Oregon.



Jon Almeda brought “The Art of Raku Firing” to the houseparty.
Each student received 5 unglazed pieces to glaze and fire. I saw a number of the students completed pieces- they were gorgeous and so individual in color.

Cat Wingler taught “Strappy Sandals and Handbags”. Students learned methods to make footwear and purses in 1” scale. Each kit came with 6 matching sets of shoes and bags to make.

Mary Gutrie-Parson offered her “Picnic Basket” class. Each learned how to weave a wicker picnic basket and finish the inside so it is ready to be filled with food and drink.

Sue Herber taught the “Lilac Inn”, a ¼” scale 2 story Victorian bed and breakfast. Very romantic looking.



Ed Mabe shared his skills of marbling with his class, “Marbled Fireplace with the Master”. Students left with a Art Deco fireplace and the skills that are easily adapted to other time frames.

Pat Metcalf taught “Spooky Kitty Doll”. Students dressed a 3” doll in a leopard costume for Halloween complete with whiskers and faux fur. No tricks this class was a treat!


Joan Zeigler and Gary Handschug brought “A Little Bit of Cluck” into their student’s lives. This charming room box is surrounded by a frame and the interior filled with a hutch and much more.

Carl Bronsdon tempted his students with “Rainy Day Treats”. The King of Fimo food- taught his students how to take fimo and manipulate it into absolutely fabulous looking food. His class should come with the warning “Do Not Eat the Food”-because you will want to.








Theme Luncheons was the mid-day focus. Each luncheon had plenty of tasty food- followed by presentations and GIFTS!!!

Karla Smith brought her 3rd in a Series of “Just Your Cup of Tea”. Her lunch guests learned how to make a scene in a teacup and how to electrify it. Each guest joyfully took home a completed teacup ready to move in.

Bonnie Lynn Morrison shared her “Making Mini Memories” with her luncheon guests. She blended her incredible organizational skills into a gift book for each guest that is a diary of a houseparty and also a place to record techniques learned, information of people you met, key points on bringing and keeping the memories alive each time you thumb thru your own book. I was lucky to attend this one and loved it.

Cindy Ross presented her 6th in a series of tiny M.E. inspired houses, “Lunch with Mary and Annie”. After sharing lunch, each guest helped “Annie” to landscape her little cottage in anticipation of “Mary’s” arrival. Each guest took home this finished little scene.

Houseparty members who didn’t attend a Theme Luncheon weren’t neglected: Home Improvement Seminars were available free of charge, full of techniques and skills.

The Sales, Exhibit and Hospitality Rooms were open for a renewed flood of people eagerly taking pictures of exhibits, buying treasures and building kits.

The evening was capped off with the Saturday Banquet. The food was wonderful; the guests were spectacular in their fine clothes and some very interesting costumes. Even more Door Prizes were handed out and the Houseparty Helpers were raffled off (we had soooo many Houseparty Helpers, and I wanted most of them, I won none but enjoyed all of them).

There is still one more day of the houseparty to go….more tomorrow.