Creative Me Time - Women's Retreats Workshops, Craft Retreats

Need a little creative time in your life?  Come take a workshop or retreat on the beautiful Central Coast of California.  Retreats are held at stunning Cambria, California along the bluff of the beautiful Pacific Ocean.  Experience a wonderful workshop in Los Osos, California just off of Highway 1 and minutes from San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay and Pismo Beach.  We have workshops in everything from mosaics taught by Heidi Borchers of Aleene's Creative Living fame to Wine Lovers Creative Workshop to Creating with Photos taught by Joan Martin Fee also of Aleene's Creative Living fame.  Come explore The Central Coast and your creativity!  Check out our offerings at Creative Me Time - Women's Retreats Workshops, Craft Retreats

Gifts from the Garden Workshop

Gifts from the Garden

Saturday, June 28^th

10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Los Osos, California (near San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay and Pismo!)

This workshop has it all!  Shoes, gardening and creativity!

Mixed Media Artist, Joan Martin Fee will show you how easy it is to create adorable shoe succulent gardens. You’ll use a quick decoupage technique to decorate a shoe to your hearts content with decorative papers and magazines clippings – and it’s waterproof! Joan’s even providing the succulents so you’ll take home a completed Succulent Shoe Garden!

We’ll have a little time while the decoupage glue dries, so we’ll create sugar hand scrubs that make your hands feel amazing! They are quick to make and we'll be adding scents of yummy lavender or lemon from local gardens.  

Rosemary Salt adds a perfect touch to focaccia bread or your savory dishes.  Joan will show how easily you can whip this up at home, package it up in a cute container and it's ready to give to the cooks on your gift list.  You’ll receive a sample and the recipe to create this at home.

Make it a day of creativity!  After this workshop, enjoy lunch on your own and then join in the Wine Lovers Workshop at 1:00 p.m.  Don't miss the fun.  Details are available at www.CreativeMeTime.com

Creating with Photos Workshop

 Creating with Photos

Wednesday, July 9

6:30 – 8:30

Los Osos, California on the Central Coast of California

Photos!!!  We all have tons of them on our computers and phones, so let’s get creative and transform them into gifts, home décor items, greeting cards and cupcake decorations - we’ll even have a party at the end featuring photo decorations!

Your instructor, Joan Fee, loves being creative and taking photographs.  This workshop is geared for any skill level so bring your friends along for a picture perfect evening – you’ll finish all of these projects in the workshop and get to take them home:

Beautiful Photo Vase and Magnets – A plain vase turns into a statement piece home décor project using a simple decoupage technique and you’ll use the same technique to make cool photo magnets.  Vase will vary from one shown.

Personalized Greeting Cards – Learn how to use photos to create beautiful personalized greetings cards that look beautiful, share your talents and save on the pocketbook too!

Glowing Candle Holder – This project transforms a photo into an amazing nightlight or accent to any room.  We’ll use a craft knife to cut out details in a photo, mount it to a glass candle holder that lets the light shine through to cast a welcoming glow.

Joan will let you in on other super unique ways to be creative with your photos – everything from inexpensive fabric printing, to wallpaper to, well, you’ll just have to come to the workshop to find out all of the secrets…

Then it’s party time!  Oh, we almost forgot, Joan loves a good party, too!  She’ll let you in on secrets to creating cupcake decorations with your photos and how to make other creative party items.  Sign up today and come join the photo party!  Details are at www.CreativeMeTime.com

Wine Lovers Creative Workshop

 

 Wine Lovers Creative Workshop

Saturday, June 28^th 1 – 3 p.m. or

Tuesday, May 20^th   6:30 – 8:30

Los Osos, California (just down the road from San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay)

This fun workshop lets you enjoy the wine long after the bottle is empty.  The projects make great gifts for the wine lovers in your life and special treats for yourself. 

Mixed Media Artist, Joan Martin Fee, guides you through the fun process of making a beautiful cork necklace that you custom decorate with trinkets, beads and trims.  Then you’ll transform an ordinary wine bottle into a mixed media masterpiece using napkins, a photo of grapes, decoupage medium and personalize your creation by adding a ‘tassle’ created from a cork and beads.  You’ll be surprised at some of the unusual items used to create the cork projects. Students are to bring a wine bottle and several corks.

Enjoy a fun day of creativity on June 28^th.   Before this workshop, Joan is holding a Gifts from the Garden workshop from 10 – 12.  You’ll have time for lunch and then the Wine Lovers Workshop begins.

Gather your wine loving friends, enjoy the Central Coast of California and express your creativity.  Workshop info is at www.CreativeMeTime.com

Fabric Rolled Roses Jewelry Workshop

Fabric Rolled Roses Jewelry Workshop

Los Osos, California

Tuesday, June 24th

6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Jump on the latest creative craze!  Mixed Media Artist, Joan Martin Fee, shows you how to form a beautiful rose from a strip of fabric that you then make into a divine necklace and earring set that’s perfect for all occasions.  Once you’ve learned how easy these roses are to create, you’ll be adding them to everything from lamp shades to clothing!  Check out the Fabric Rolled Roses Jewelry Workshop and other workshops and retreats at www.CreativeMeTime.com

Creative Me Time

I'm back from the hardware and fabric stores.  Now it's time to work on projects for Www.CreativeMeTime.com Women's Retreats and Workshops.  How fun!  Finished projects soon!

Butterfly Tiaras

 Butterfly Love...

 I've been in the studio using my photos to create beautiful butterfly tiaras perfect for weddings or a gift for the butterfly lover.  I have many butterflies to choose from so a custom tiara can be made just for you.  Check out the tiaras and other butterfly love creations at my etsy site.  
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ButterflyGiftShop

Gifts from the Garden Art & Tasting Workshop

 Gifts from the Garden Art & Tasting Workshop

Sunday, April 27th

1:00 – 3:00

Los Osos, California - just down the road from beautiful San Luis Obispo, CA

Teacher – Joan Fee

$40

This workshop has it all!  Shoes, gardening, creativity and tastings at the end!

Mixed Media Artist, Joan Fee will show you how easy it is to create adorable shoe succulent gardens. You’ll use a fun decoupage technique to decorate a shoe to your hearts content with decorative papers and magazines. Joan’s even providing the succulents so you’ll take home a completed Succulent Shoe Garden!

We’ll have a little time while we wait for the decoupage glue to dry so we can plant the succulents, so we’ll create sugar hand scrubs that make your hands feel amazing! They are quick to make and we'll be adding scents of yummy lavender or lemon from local gardens.  

Rosemary Salt adds a perfect touch to focaccia bread or your savory dishes.  Joan will show how easily you can whip this up at home, package it up in a cute container and it's ready to give to the cooks on your gift list.  You’ll receive a sample and the recipe to create this at home.

This Gifts from the Garden Art and Tasting Workshop ends with a demonstration on how to simple it is to make yummy Limoncello. We’ll even have a little tasting and discuss ways to use Limoncello for entertaining. 

Give yourself the gift of an afternoon of creativity and fun.  Other fun gardening projects are included in the workshop.  Get all of the exciting details and sign-up at www.CreativeMeTime.com

Wedding Ideas

I'm so excited to be attending one of my nephew's weddings tonight.  It's at a beautiful winery with a stately Kentucky barn.  Being a creative person, I can't wait to see all the decorations!   But first, we're celebrating my sister-in-law's birthday before the big event.  Lots of celebrating in my family...

Succulent & Shoe Love!

Gifts from the Garden Workshop

I'm still working on the projects for my Gifts from the Garden Workshop but had to share these cute succulent planters we'll be making.  I used a new waterproof decoupage medium that's a great find - it doesn't bubble or wrinkle the paper and it's super waterproof - I can't wait to make more things!

Come join me for a relaxing Sunday afternoon on April 27th on the beautiful Central Coast of California to make your own Succulent Shoe - I even provide the succulents.  There are other projects we'll be making so I'll post those soon!  Send me an email and join the fun!

Mixed Media Ideas

We had a fantastic mixed media workshop last night.  I showed the basics of decoupage then let the students find things from my stash and they went to town decorating wood boxes.  They are all so unique!

Mixed Media Workshop

As I am getting ready to teach a mixed media workshop tonight, I realize that I've been creating mixed media for years but I never called it that.  When I was a designer on the Aleene's Creative LivingTelevision Show I was assigned a particular product to use in my project.  I would make a project but always added several elements or layers to it to make it interesting. Whether it's called crafting or mixed media it's fun to be creative and add your own twist to any project.  I've told the students tonight there are no rules so I'm excited to see what they create from the items in the treasure chest they get to pick from...pictures later tonight or tomorrow of their creations. Can't wait!

Mosaic Madness

Loved being with creative friends and designing with mosaics!  Can you guess which one I made?

National Craft Month - Photo Candle Holder

March is National Craft Month

How are you getting your craft on today?  How about trying something new?  The rush is super for your overall health not to mention fun!  Here's a project that you can do right now that won't break the bank!
   
Photo Memory Candle Holder

By Joan Martin Fee

Don’t keep your photos on your computer, create lovely displays to share their beauty with inexpensive candle holders.  Use photos from vacations, headshots of family members for reunions or wedding favors, or images of nature look amazing too!

What You’ll Need

Computer and printer

Paper, regular or vellum

Photo of your choice

Craft knife with new blade

Cutting board

Glass candle holder, 3” high, circumference 11” (you can use any size candle holder just test fit the paper around it)

Tape or white glue

Battery operated votive candle

Ruler – optional

Scissors

How to Make It

1. Print picture so it covers 3” x 11” on the paper.  You may need to repeat the photo or enlarge or decrease it in size. 
2. Place image on cutting board, right side up.  Cut out details with craft knife.  If desired, use ruler as a straight edge to cut against. Remove cut out sections from image. 
3. Cut image to fit around candle holder, overlapping ends slightly.  Tape or tack at ends with glue.
4. Place candle inside, turn on and enjoy the memories!

Joan Martin Fee has been involved in the craft industry for a zillion years!  From designer to editor to teacher to television personality, she’s done it all.  She’s taking all that experience and her creativity and teaching workshops and holding creative retreats on the beautiful Central Coast of California.  Check out more of her designs at www.MakeHealthyFun.blogspot.com and her retreats and workshops at www.CreativeMeTime.com.

What to do with an Old Quilt

Project Save Great Grandma's Quilt - The Finish

 Drum roll, please...

I started this project a couple of weeks ago as a special birthday gift for my mom.  It started as a very tattered quilt that her grandmother gave her back in the 50's or 60's.  It's been in my parent's closet since it isn't usable and every once in a while we pull it out and say we should do something with it.  We (my sister, mom and I) made large flower pin cushions (see below) for thirteen cousins recently but my mom wanted a larger piece.  She found an old mirror frame out in a shed and decided she wanted a memory board made using the quilt. Since her birthday was coming up, I offered to make it for her.  Life got in the way but I finished it today - I'm going 'home' tomorrow for a big family celebration - three family birthday's!

I LOVE this!  It turned out better than I expected!  I made rolled roses from strips of the quilt and dyed some of the quilt backing for the leaves.  The rolled roses are placed to cover up the big holes and one on the frame to cover up a big ding.  Almost forgot, I covered the buttons with the quilt fabric too!

Rolled roses hid the holes

Gravity Space Shuttle Cake

Astronaut Cake

I was invited to an Oscar party on Sunday and asked to bring a dish that represents my favorite movie.  Well, I have to admit that I didn't see Gravity (the previews looked too intense for me!), I still thought this space shuttle cake idea would be great!

The instructions are at this link commemorating the last shuttle launch
http://expressyourcreativity.blogspot.com/2011/07/space-shuttle-astronaut-cake.html

Mixed Media Madness Workshop

Mixed media is so fun!  There are no rules and you have access to Joan’s massive treasure chest of craft supplies to decorate three wood nesting boxes.  Whether your heart desires feathers, beads or metal trimmings, you’ll be in creative heaven searching for just that right trinket.  Experiment and let your creativity soar with a little of this or a lot of that and before you know it, you’ve created masterpieces for special gifts or as a beautiful accent for your home. 

Mixed Media Nesting Boxes Workshop 

Tuesday, March 25^th

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Los Osos, California (just a few minutes from the happiest place in the US - San Luis Obispo)

$50 (everything is included in the workshop, just bring YOU!)

More details can be found at  www.CreativeMeTime.com

Shrink Plastic Frame Workshop

Shrink Plastic Heart Frame Workshop

Wednesday, March 12th

6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Los Osos, California

$30 (all supplies are included)

My passion for shrink plastic started when I was a kid and we lived ten miles from town without much to do on a farm, so being creative became an integral part of my life.  I took that passion and created many, many, many shrink plastic projects on the Aleene's Creative Living Television Show.  So many, in fact, that Tiffany Windsor, the host, dubbed me 'The Queen of Shrink-It'.  My passion continues today and I'm excited to be holding this workshop at Heidi Borcher's Studio where I'll let you in on all the shrink plastic secrets and show my archives of projects.

Amp-up a plain frame with colorful hearts made from shrink plastic.  Remember playing with Shrinky Dinks or Aleene’s Shrink-It?  Never heard of shrink plastic?  Either way, you’re in for a treat. Shrink plastic starts as a thin sheet, you draw on it, paint on it, print on it - you get the picture.  Then you get the fun of watching it shrink in the oven.  It shrinks in just a few minutes to 60% of original size to the thickness of a nickel.  Joan will show samples of other uses since it’s great for jewelry, cake decorating, home décor and kids’ projects.  Everything’s included in the workshop to create an 8” x 10” frame.  Come join the fun on the beautiful Central Coast just north of San Luis Obispo!

Sign-up at www.CreativeMeTime.com

Saint Patrick's Day Shirt & Earrings

I had such a fun time getting ready for Saint Patrick's Day using the EZScreenPrint product.  Create the design you want from graphics, drawings, pictures, etc.- that's what makes this product so neat - you can totally customize whatever you want!  Once you have your artwork it only takes 60 seconds exposure to the sun to make your screen!

I wanted some cute earrings to match my shirt, so I stenciled on shrink plastic that's for use with ink jet printers.  Right after I applied the paint, I placed a paper towel over the paint and gently blotted it.  If you don't, your paint will get kind of furry looking and we can't have that!  Follow the instructions on your shrink plastic to shrink. For those who have never used shrink plastic (I have adored shrink plastic since I was a kid) you do your image on the plastic, put it in the oven and it shrinks about 60%, gets the thickness of a nickle and hard.  Great for making cupcake picks, earrings and tons of other projects.  Be sure to punch a hole at the top before you shrink the plastic!

Ready to try screen printing?  Get started with a 15% off discount - just use joan15 when you're checking out and there's no minimum order.   www.EZScreenPrint.org  Check it out!

Creative Me Time Retreats & Workshop for Women

Mosaic Mirror Workshop
Featuring Heidi Borchers
Saturday, March 29th
Los Osos, California  
 www.CreativeMeTime.com

Mirror in progress

Our first Creative Me Time event features Heidi Borchers who was born into the crafting industry. As the daughter of Aleene Jackson, America's beloved "Mother of Crafting" and the inventor of Aleene's Tacky Glue, Heidi spent many of her childhood leisure hours in her mother's shop, gluing, creating, and learning. By the time she was a teenager, Heidi had become an accomplished artist, as well as an inventive designer.

A studio in the seaside town of Los Osos, California, is home to a sea of materials, finished designs, and works-in-progress. Hundreds of containers full of buttons, beads, trinkets, ceramic cookies, tiles and baubles await you for this project. The studio is also a classroom and store where Heidi will be holding this workshop.

Come explore the world of mosaics and learn Heidi's super easy and fun techniques.  Enjoy a day of Creative Me Time with fun ladies, a yummy lunch and take home your finished mirror!

Learn about Heidi's workshop and other retreats and workshops at www.CreativeMeTime.com