On our 1st full day, we rose shortly after the sun to enjoy coffee and breakfast together before spending the day with Penny and the wonders of gel plate mono-printing toward the goal of creating Flag Books. In addition to the desired beautiful weather, it would appear that the dolphins got the memo, too - treating us to a show as they too enjoyed breakfast & frolicking to begin the day.

After a glorious morning and afternoon of creating with wild abandon, our Creative Explorers then assembled their various prints and tags into a colorful and kinetic Flag Book - a veritable (Mini) Encyclopedia of Gel Printing Techniques. Revelatory exclamations ensued. Our good times continued through the evening with a delicious dinner and Open Studio time into the night. Music and laughter filled our lovely (albeit temporary) home by the sea….

***A Circle of Happy Makers and Their Creations***

Join us again tomorrow for a look back at Day 3 and our 2nd full day of Studio Session fun with Michelle as our self proclaimed “Year of the Gel Plate” continues!

It’s hard to believe that 8 months have passed since we welcomed our Creative Explorers to Seaside Sessions last March! As we’ve done in years past, in this series of blog posts we’ll share many of our favorite moments from our time together, featuring that special magic which occurs when creative women come together in an idyllic setting. We marveled at the display of amazing creativity, bonding moments, great bursts of joyful laughter, and the many lasting connections made. That’s the beauty of Your Creative Connection events—each year is different, but the results are the same; renewal, relaxation, and the revelation of self that comes from sharing something you love.

As usual, Penny and I planned to arrive at our favorite oceanfront house in Surf City, NC a few days ahead of our Creative Explorers to get everything ready for their arrival. We packed our vehicles, and amazingly, had room to spare (had we forgotten anything? Impossible! We have lists!),

Having learned the hard way from 2023, we did NOT spend 17 hours in the kitchen on the first day there (Penny’s genius idea of assembling and freezing the ingredients for Crock Pot meals reduced our on site food prep time immeasurably). To prepare for our guests’ arrival, we made beds, unpacked art supplies, moved furniture, assembled gifts and goodies, all while appreciating the ocean’s beauty. We were pleased to learn that the weather forecast for the week was sunny with mild temperatures—just what we’d ordered!

Wednesday: Check-In
Again this year, our Creative Explorers hailed from South Carolina, Minnesota, California, Virginia, and other parts of North Carolina; while some were alumnae, others were new to the Seaside Sessions experience. Everyone was eager to discover what the next 5 days would bring. Upon their arrival, the once-quiet house rang with exclamations of delight and many excited voices….and we were underway! After finding their rooms with doors festooned with personalized bookmarks created by Penny, and the 2024 gift of a Your Creative Connection tote bag, everyone assembled for the Welcome Arty Party, with our traditional menu of pizza and crudité.

Our first creative activity involved making peace flags using acrylic paint, stencils, stamps, and markers. After viewing the samples Penny and I had made, everyone set to work, and creative ideas flowed like the tides. It’s endlessly amazing to see the results of projects like this; where everyone is given the same materials, and no two finished projects are ever alike! Yes, more Your Creative Connection magic!

The creative magic and merriment continued into evening Open Studio time, after which, we hung the completed peace flags across the top of the windows, framing that spectacular view we all love so much. We wished everyone a good night’s rest, took one last look out at the gorgeous, moonlit sea, and dreamed of the full day of creativity to come….