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2014 ~ here we come!

It's so very exciting to present our 2014 Makerie retreats ~ the brand new Sweet Paul Makerie, the Makerie & the Makerie Summer on the Farm presented by Whole Foods! We are just thrilled ~ beyond belief ~ with our spectacular teacher teams and the incredible workshops they have so thoughtfully put together for you. Each retreat will be quite special, each with their own magical personality and flair, and in three spectacular settings. 

The Sweet Paul Makerie is the first retreat collaboration we've done and are very honored to be partnering with the Sweet Paul team. This is also the first time we've taken the Makerie outside of Colorado and couldn't be more excited to host a creative gathering in New York City ~ one of my favorite places in the world! Working together with the Sweet Paul team to bring their incredibly inspiring magazine to life has already been more than a dream come true and we can't wait for you to see the awesome things we've got in store! It will honestly be like stepping into the pages of their gorgeous magazine, getting to take classes in person by the fabulous featured artists and sharing meals highlighting the mouth-watering recipes found throughout the various issues. It's the most treasured treat to work with them and I am humbled by this amazing opportunity!

The  Makerie is our original retreat vision and one that's very close to my heart. I love seeing how each deveolops into its own very special feel and our teacher team this year is second to none. Our retreat home, the Colorado Chautauqua, remains one of the most magical places to host a gathering like this and I feel immensely grateful to be able to share such a peaceful, beautiful place with everyone who comes. This year's Makerie will provide the opportunity to take four workshops during the retreat ~ some exciting new ones combined with some of the most popular ones from last year ~ along with all the goodness we always incorporate ~ yoga, hiking, yummy, healthy organic meals and even a few surprises too!

The Makerie Summer on the Farm presented by Whole Foods will be a one day creative retreat held at the most gorgeous, quaint farm ~ the Lyons Farmette, just outside of Boulder. We loved combining two of our very favorite things this past summer ~ modern creative workshops and a fabulous farm dinner ~ and can't wait to do it again. It will surely be one soul and belly filling day! We are still in the planning stages for this retreat and will be launching our registration in early 2014. Stay tuned! 

As for the Makerie Sewing retreat, thank you so much for all the inquiries! We are looking to make this a bi-annual event so please look for this in the spring of 2015. (it will be here before you know it!) We've already talked to a few amazing teachers about it so pencil us in! I really wish I could do it all but being thoughtful about what I choose to take on each year and balancing my family life are top priorities. I'm sure many of you can understand!

There is so much goodness in store for this coming year & we just can't wait to share the wonderful details. Do check back THIS Friday, as we will be launching a new web site, sharing all the retreats details and opening up registration. Creativity is just SO good for the soul and we really hope to see you at one (or maybe a few?) of our retreats. 

Lots of love...

about our last retreat of the year!

*image by Linda Winski

A week ago Sunday we held our third and final Makerie Summer Series event presented by Whole Foods Market Boulder ~ called In the Home ~ which was also our last event of the year. Home is where we make our nests, care for our families and create spaces that feel cozy, peaceful and inviting. This set of wonderful workshops focused upon making things for our dwellings, as well as how we feel in our surroundings.

We started the day with some special giveaways ~ journals provided by Craftside and beautiful magazines by Sweet Paul, Where Women Create and Where Women Cook. (so generous!) In addition, Craftside sent along a lovely array of creative books for everyone to peruse at their leisure. The local, organic farm fresh produce incorporated into our lunches and dinners was also a very special part of the day. Not only was the food delicious, but when shared side by side with an awesome creative community also fed our souls. Adorable boxed lunches were prepared by eat PRIVATE CHEF & CATERING co. and were enjoyed picnic style under a canopy of trees. While we were picnicking, we were treated to the stories of two local inspiring entrepreneurs ~ Indea, founder of Lillabee & Alicia, founder of Whimseybox ~ that sent all of us home with the message that anything is possible! To culminate a day of creating, Whole Foods Wine and Spirits hosted a fabulous creative cocktail hour, serving drinks in fun mason jars that each person took home and could later redeem for a free bulk item at the Pearl Street location. (everyone loved that little surprise!) We were treated to incredible appetizers by Katie and her team at Eat and were given a farm tour of the magical location we were in. We sat down together at one big, beautiful long table for our farm dinner that featured the most incredible pizza served warm right out of Crust's gorgeous wood fired copper oven and topped with farm fresh produce literally picked out of the ground just hours before becoming part of our main course. Dessert was a scrumptious collaboration between Whole Foods and Lillabee ~ ice cream sandwiches packaged so sweetly that it was almost hard to even unwrap. (it didn't really stop us though :) The cookies were made out of Lillabee's brand new Ultimate Cookie Mix that happens to be gluten, dairy and soy free, and you would absolutely never know it. Not only did Lillabee treat us to a variety of sweets throughout the day, but also sent everyone home with their very own box of cookie mix. 

We really have had the best time this summer putting together these creative day retreats on the farm and feel incredibly honored for the chance to work closely with our fantastic local creative and food communities. An enormous thank you ~ once again ~ to everyone who made our Summer Series events such a special experience for everyone involved. 

To:

*every single participant who dedicated their day to play and for taking a chance with us on this new idea of a creative day retreat on the farm. You created quite a warm and loving community!

*my beautiful mom, for continuing to believe in me and this idea and for being my constant cheerleader and endless source of support.

*my husband Chris, for pitching in a great deal on the homefront and with our little ones to give me the time to pursue this dream.

*Emily of Tea with Lola for being such an essential part of all we do and for her amazing ideas, kind spirit and above all, being such a dear friend. I am so grateful. 

*Whole Foods for their generosity and belief in the power of creativity. Along the planing process, which started over a year ago, they were completely open to incorporating all types of creative ideas, which felt like a true partnership that I appreciated so very much. Whole Foods played an essential roll in getting this brand new idea off the ground and we are immensely grateful for the chance to have worked so intimately with their team to bring this series of events into fruition. Each event was filled with all the whole hearted living their company stands behind ~ and more. 

*Betsy and Mike ~ owners of The Lyons Farmette ~ for once again opening up their home and farm to us and for being such a magical location to hold this event.

*eat PRIVATE CHEF & CATERING co. and team, Crust. Rustic Wood Fired Pizza, Whole Foods and Lillabee for the outstanding meals and treats. 

*our terrific teacher team for leading such inspiring workshops ~ Allison, Alessandra, Georgia and Kristin.

*Teryn, Alessandra & my sweet mom for capturing the day in such a magnificent way!

*Spoonflower for printing our adorable tea towel gifts, Katie of Eat for providing the recipe and Studio Meez for designing them.

*Alicia from Whimseybox and Indea from Lillabee for sharing their stories of how their companies came to be. We sure loved hearing about these two great companies and certainly left lunchtime refreshed and with new ideas of our own.

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I know I've shared this before, but each time we do an event that is centered around creative community, magical things happen. I can't really explain it but it does. When we share creativity, we share a part of our genuine selves, which naturally creates an open, happy, non-judgmental, loving environment. We aren't afraid to try new things and are open to all kinds of new inspiration. I feel very grateful for the chance to create a special setting for people to feel the power of creativity and bring more of it into their lives. It does wonders. It really really does. 

Even though this was our last event for 2013, we are already in full swing planning for next year. We have some pretty darn exciting plans for 2014 and we can't wait to share them with you soon! In the meantime, please be sure to join us on our social media channels for the latest announcements and inside scoop. 

** facebook ** twitter ** instagram ** pinterest ** email newsletter **

We can't wait to see you again very soon!

~xo

the gorgeous georgia!

Georgia not only has a keen eye for design, but has become an expert at incorporating colors and textiles into people's lives that reflect their personal style, an art in itself! After falling in love with upholstery during her apprenticeship at the Upholstery Shop, she decided to take over the business and put her passion to work. We are so excited to be offering Upholstery School as a workshop for the very first time on Sunday & can't wait to see the transformation of the pieces the students bring. 

Get to know the spunky, adorable Georgia below.

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Gypsies and the Ocean is at the top of my inspiration library.  

A summer hike you love. 

The Snake River in Wilson, Wyoming.

A favorite summer vegetable. 

Tomatoes 

Favorite food hangout in town. 

The Lyons Fork.

Margaritas and sunblock scream summer.

A risk you’re glad you took.

Moving to Colorado!

A favorite gift you’ve received.

Shells from the beach my mum lives on.

What you love most about what you do.

Playing with textiles and figuring out challenges.

The most challenging or difficult part about what you do.

Physically stripping old furniture.

The lesson I keep learning.

Breathe and take your time. Walk away when necessary.

My go-to outfit.

Skirt and boots with a good t-shirt.

Daily practice

Exercise, usually dancing.

Any tricks for finding life balance?

Dance a lot and try to leave people smiling when you walk away.

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Thank you Georgia!

get to know the amazing alex

Alessandra Cave is not only an incredible photographer, but approaches her work with an open heart and keen eye for composition. In addition to her long list of accomplishments, Alex is about to add author to her name with her first book due out later in the year. (We can't wait!) We have had the privilege of having Alex teach at two of our Makerie weekend retreats and are thrilled to welcome her back to Colorado for a magical day on the farm for our last summer event of the season! Her Home Sweet Home workshop will guide students in capturing a visual narrative of what life at home means to each person and capturing the beauty of the everyday, a gift that will last far beyond the class itself.

Get to know the beautiful Alex below!

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SARK is at the top of my inspiration library. When I first read Sark back in 2000 or so, my heart was split open. Meeting her later in 2003 was life changing. She is one of those people that walks around with a sparkly wand, touching people in a magical way.

A summer hike you love. 

Tennessee Valley near Mill Valley. It's a gorgeous walk with winding trails that overlook meadows and mountains, and it replete with wildflowers, frogs, lizards and pretty smells like eucalyptus and sage. It has sweeping views, a lagoon, and it ends at the ocean!

A favorite summer vegetable. 

Arugula & Avocado (I love them all year round, but especially in the summer!)

Favorite food hangout in town. 

San Francisco has so many good spots to eat and it is impssible to pick just one favorite place. But I'm really loving Off the Grid, which is a weekly event where lots of the amazing food trucks in town gather in one place for the evening. It's always a fun, relaxed way to feast outdoors. 

Water play scream summer.

A risk you’re glad you took.

All of them. I'm all about 'healthy' risk taking. Sometimes it takes time for a risk to shape into something good, but the journey makes us come out the other way feeling stronger.

A favorite gift you’ve received.

As vain as it sounds... My iPad. I just love that little thing! :)

What you love most about what you do.

It is the fact that I "love" what I do.

The most challenging or difficult part about what you do.

The challenge is that I can never turn it off, because I love it so much, I am always thinking, plotting, planning and living it.

The lesson I keep learning.

To let go.

Favorite go to outfit.

Sweater, jeans and boots.

Daily practice.

Patience. Kindness. Self-love.

Any tricks for finding life balance?

I think balance is a myth. But I do believe in becoming more aware of what feels good and making more room for it. I'm always so amazed at how wrapped up I can get with things that do not matter to me at all nor make me happy. So my goal is to always stay connected to what I'm inviting in and make more room for what feels right and joyful.

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Thank you Alex! 

meet the magnificent kristin

Where do I begin to tell you about Kristin FitzGerrell? Do I start with her unending creative way of thinking, or tell you about the magnificent art she creates for her Studio 22, or the fact that she was the very first person I shared my Makerie idea with and has been a most valuable sounding board ever since? Well I could share a million more things I love about her, but also wanted you to get to know this creative superstar who will be teaching our fabulous Color & Collage workshop in a few weeks. Trust me, you will not only come away from this class with a modern, useful pantry chalkboard, but take home abundant inspiration for dozens of other projects too. It's a very special honor to have Kristin teaching for us, as she was truly one of the main reasons I found the courage to begin with to give this whole Makerie idea a try.

Meet the magfinicent Kristin below!

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The Life of a Bowerbird, Sibella Court is at the top of my inspiration library.  

A summer hike you love. 

Mary White Trail north of Boulder, with my youngest Emma, my favorite hiking buddy in the whole world.

A favorite summer vegetable. 

Japanese Eggplant 

Favorite food hangout in town. 

Pizzeria Locale (happy hour!)

Jammie days with NO plans scream summer.

A risk you’re glad you took.

Saying 'I am an artist.'

A favorite gift you’ve received.

An old truck from my sweet husband.

What you love most about what you do.

It allows me to be 100% me.

The most challenging or difficult part about what you do.

The vision on an artwork and the piece itself don't always match up. Being ok with that moment is often times tough.

The lesson I keep learning.

Less is really more.

Daily practice

Gratitude. 

Any tricks for finding life balance?

Slowing down for the parts that matter and skipping a few of the parts that don't.

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Thank you so much sweet Kristin! 

the makerie story by creativebug

The Makerie from Creativebug on Vimeo.

This deserved its own post. Thank you SO much Creativebug for sharing the heart of what the Makerie is about.