Fall Online Retreat and Scholarship

I'm super excited about offering my first online retreat next month! My annual Inspired by Nature Fall Retreat is my favorite event, hands-down. It's such a fun, creative time with a wonderful group of women and in the most beautiful autumn location. It has become so popular that it sold out this year in two days.

That led me to offer this year's course online after the live event. And I've made it my goal to capture the magic of my favorite event for this year's online course. Space is limited.

The Online Retreat includes:

Three classes that are debuting at my live fall retreat! These exclusive classes will be presented in recorded videos and step-by-step instructions with photos to follow along. 

All class materials will go live October 19th. You'll have lifetime access to the class and can go at your own pace. 

Three one-hour live video chats using Facebook's Live Chat. You'll be able to access the videos anytime after the events if you can't make it for the live events. You'll be able to interact with me while I'm live on video! I'll be sharing fun tips, ideas and inspirations.

Printable Retreat Workbook - print off the workbook to fill out and use as your guide for your at-home retreat. 

Private Facebook Group - connect with your fellow retreat participants and share your progress in the group just for our retreat. 

For complete details and to register for the retreat click here.  

Online Retreat Scholarship

I'm giving away one registration for the retreat to someone who is in financial need. 

To Enter: 

1. You must have a financial need and not be able to afford the class. I'll leave what qualifies as need up to you, you know your circumstance better than anyone. This is on the honor system, you don't need to share any details or show anything to qualify to enter. 

2. You have until September 30th to leave a comment below to enter. I will draw one random comment using Random.org to pick the winner on October 1st. 

3. Make sure I can easily contact you via email to notify you if you win. 

Please share this post if you know anyone who would like to sign up for the retreat or if you know someone who would like to enter for the scholarship. 

Inspired by Nature Fall Retreat 2014

Oh, hello.

Over the last few weeks I've been working on the projects for my Inspired by Nature Fall Retreat. It's my 4th one and I knew I wanted to do something with butterfly wings and feathers. It took a while to work it all out and I am so happy with the results and can not wait to share these fun projects with my students.

It's a weekend of mixed-media exploration with etching metal, playing with polymer clay, creating bezels, and creating our own findings like earwires and chain links. And finishing with a collection of jewelry by the end of the 3rd day. 

We will gather again in my hometown of South Haven on the sleepy shores of Lake Michigan. (Just two hours north of Chicago.) The retreat will be October 17th - 19th. We will be surrounded by woods near a river, with autumn's colors in full force.

The creative women who join me are always so encouraging and kind. They make fast friends and it's always a treat to see old friends returning again. We share wine, chocolate and beads! Life doesn't get much better.

We don't worry about labels or being purists. The ladies push ahead fearlessly knowing any mistakes can just be called 'organic' and they flourish and explore with the materials in front of them. 

I share my little bits of magic with clay, metal and wire. I love seeing when a student lights up with an idea of her own and goes off to do something even more amazing than I could have imagined. And those who are starting out, work up the courage to create without judging. The muse is welcomed and mistakes are part of the learning process.

In between the jewelry making we head outdoors, inspiration surrounds us. From the water lapping at the shore of the river, to the delicious field of raspberries across the street, to the chorus of birds singing and leaves whirling around - nature provides the background for us to unwind as the weekend progresses. 

Meals are shared and stories told as we bond over our creative adventure. Each woman here is a gift. 

When all the pieces fall together on the last day, we are sad to say goodbye. Some linger and we head out for one more field trip before we go off to our corners of the world again. We look outward and inward and find ourselves renewed as the forest recedes in the review mirrors.

Does that sound like a little bit of heaven to you? Click here for all the retreat details.