Jun 26

Jun 26 spring in vermont and what's next

making, out and around, stitching, teaching, vermont getaway, what i love

2015 has been a busy one for me. Our house sold, I downsized and moved after an enormous tag sale a few weeks ago. (!!!) But in the midst of that, Meleen and I hosted back to back weekend art retreats in southern Vermont.

The first weekend, we welcomed our sweet friend, Rebecca Sower as the featured artist. Such an inspiration to all of us, Rebecca led a stitching sampler workshop which we all loved.

photo above by Jana Perenchio

Rebecca gifted each guest with a pretty handmade sewing kit, each one a unique collage of her fabric stash and stitching!

The big porch at the main house became an open air workshop and gallery of beautiful work.

One day of each weekend we experimented with indigo dyeing and shibori folding, wrapping and bindings. So much fun!

We built upcycled journals in the art room.

And lingered at the table or on the porch with delicious meals and goodies from the kitchens. One of the best parts of these weekends is seeing the great friendships kindled here. Every time!

photos above by Jana Perenchio

With a little bit of a break in between, the next weekend brought new guests and that week's featured artist, Mary Engelbreit.

Mary and I have been friends for 40 years and worked together creating the Home Companion books and then the magazine. It was a rare treat to listen to her talk about her process and then watch her color her pen and ink drawings, so loved as book, calendar and card illustrations.