Spellbound was held at the Langhum Hotel in Pasadena, a beautiful place. The Langhum was elegant, oozing with chic-ness, yet wasn't stuffy nor pretenious. The classes were held in old ballrooms.
I could imagine it back in the day were men wore top hats and women wore beaded dresses.
A launch pad of imagination for those attending Spellbound.
Several classes a day were offered. Techniques shared, new tools offered, gifts given, supplies offered, conversation plentiful. Each student showing and telling their craft, teachers sharing their abundant wealth.
As I am not a crafter persay of glitter, beads, pearls, silver wire, needles and pins, ribbons, pink and pretty I was at lost most the time. Or better said, saturated quickly on overload.
One of my handicaps is I cannot follow instructions when it comes to creative expression, instead my mind wanders and wings it. That is how I fly.
Though the teachers at Spellbound were amazingly supportive of different learning ablilties and curves, they understood that creativity is expressed through the journey.
photo source The Gilded Life/Spellbound
Denise Sharp taught a class on how to make rosettes, tiara headbands.
Darling.
Sweet intensity.
One creative thing lead to another, that the items made were the stepping stone for personal inspriation. The conversation was a toolbox of wonder to take home and explore.
A felted cuff with a crushed glass and silver button.
Many of the supplies and tools were offered, though students also brought their own supplies.
The felt class was incredibly inspiring. I will share about that on Saturday Art Saves post in a few weeks time.
In the meantime you might want to read about it here: Cloth Paper Scissors.
While at Spellbound I meant friends of Tongue in Cheek, friends who I had never met but felt I knew. Shelley Noble and I have shared Blogland for over six years. Meeting her (and her husband) was like meeting a long lost sister.
We drank tea, and soaked in each other stories.
Debbie and Shea of the Gilded Life, were the organizers and wonder women behind the Spellbound event left no leaf uncovered. Well planned, beautifully orchestrated, caring and attentive to detail.
A crown on the dining room table surrounded by roses.
They offer beautifully crafted gifts and supplies on their blog.
Pam Garrison was one of the teachers, her smile alone could led me anywhere.
Talented, easy going, bubbly joy.
Her classes sparkled!
It was as if her thread was happiness, her scissors joy and her notions pieces of a life well lived.
Pam offered her students avenues of sunshine.
The ballroom in Langhum hotel where I gave my talk. Pink walls, gilded siding with a gilded ceiling and a pair of massive chandliers.
Very romantic.
I spoke not of what I do, nor the romance of France, or how to find my blog, or even the brocante really… instead I talked about listening to the story of ones life, to gather inspiration day to day, not matter how small or painful, to weave it into that which we create (home, path, design, notes, art, words…). That our lives, our craft, our gift is the story we leave behind. Just like old things can connect us to a pass, weave us a solid ground under our feet and spring board us into the future. That our lives, our story is what we leave for others to learn from and gather courage by.
Kaari Meng, Danielle, Mylene… I was the luckiest to be surrounded by such kindred spirits!
To meet women that I have only read about. I didn't want to leave. I wanted to scoop them up and bring them home with me, or hide in their purses and go home with them. I didn't care I just enjoyed their company.
Kaari is the owner of French General and offers creative tours of France.
What are you creating or working on?
If I learned one thing at Spellbound it is to indulge in a creative life!
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