Ecoprint on Silk 

Theresa Brown

This class is a creative journey into the artistry of ecoprinting, where nature becomes your personal palette. Guided by Theresa's expertise, you'll begin to unleash your creativity, learning the skills to craft unique designs and colors using leaves, flowers, and plants gathered from your yard or the nearby area during your morning walks. Watch as you transform a simple silk canvas into a personalized masterpiece, resulting in a one-of-a-kind scarf. Join us as we explore the beauty of ecoprinting and let your imagination run wild with carefully chosen plant selections.

Smocked Pillow

Sandra VanSickle

Join Sandra in a hands-on class exploring the art of Canadian smocking—a hand-stitching technique that creates beautifully folded and gathered designs on fabric. Known for its striking texture, Canadian smocking is popular in home decor and occasionally in clothing. Sandra, our expert instructor, describes it as a "slow sewing soothing art," emphasizing the beauty and simplicity of this sewing technique. In this class, you'll discover that Canadian smocking looks more intricate than it is, making it accessible to everyone. Craft your own Canadian-smocked mini pillow to take home. 

French Mattress

Sharon Gregory

Leave it to the French to elevate everyday items with beautiful detailing. Marked by an extra big rolled edge welt and tufting, these plump cushions add an extra layer of elegance. Join our hands-on workshop to master the art of crafting French-style cushions. Under expert guidance, learn the secrets of perfecting the rolled edge welt and creating sophisticated tufting. By the end, take home a finished mini French-style cushion—a charming reference piece embodying the essence of French elegance. Join us for a workshop that combines craftsmanship and style, where every detail is a nod to the refined beauty of French design.

McCarthy Valance

 Cathy Tucker

 Join Cathy in an engaging hands-on class where you'll learn to create the versatile and stylish McCarthy valance. With its soft folds, this valance beautifully combines elements of a trapezoid valance and a soft stationary roman, offering an ideal alternative for your client's homes. The McCarthy valance can stand alone as a single unit or be extended with additional sections for larger windows. Throughout the session, Cathy will share her expertise, demonstrating various variations of this unique valance. Learn how to use a beaded weight chain for precise proportions and create a mini single unit to take home. Elevate your skills with Cathy's guidance and add a touch of sophistication to your window treatments.

"Future Self"

& Bullet Journaling

Sharon Gregory

& 

Sandra VanSickle

Join us for an enriching retreat session led by Sharon, where you'll dive into the world of bullet journaling, a method that has profoundly impacted her life. Learn the fundamentals, receive expert tips, and start your own journey of self-expression and organization. Alongside, Sandra will guide a sessions on speaking to your Future Self, a transformative experience no matter where you are in life. Explore goals, chart your path, and envision your future, whether it involves scaling up or down, retiring, traveling, volunteering, prioritizing health, or finding balance. Sharon and Sandra's combined expertise will empower you to embark on a holistic journey of self-discovery and intentional living. Don't miss this opportunity to cultivate creativity and clarity in your life's journey.

Set Yourself Up

For Success

Donna Cash

Kickstart your day at the retreat with a transformative morning session led by Donna. Discover the art of setting up a morning routine that encompasses meditation, visualization, exercise, and intention-setting for the day ahead. Delve into the power of journaling and embrace the crucial aspect of self-care. Donna will guide you to identify what success truly looks like for you, helping you overcome stumbling blocks and propel yourself forward. Explore the invaluable lessons that can be gleaned from mistakes, cultivating a stronger foundation for your business. Donna encourages you to keep moving forward while reminding you to slow down and savor the progress you've made. Join us for this empowering morning session and embark on a journey of self-discovery and intentional living under Donna's expert guidance.

Theresa Brown

Theresa is a professional artist whose long art career embraces many areas of the Arts. She uses natural dyes and low-impact synthetic dyes and merges them into unique, beautiful designs on silk, wool, paper, and leather. She transforms her work into artisanal clothing, accessories, and art. Her articles and designs in the fiber arts have appeared in international publications such as "No Serial Number" and "Belle Armoire."   A trailblazer in ecoprinting techniques, Theresa holds the distinction of being the first instructor to teach Ecoprinting on Leather in the US. With a wealth of experience, she has shared her expertise as an instructor at prestigious fiber art shows nationwide.

Donna Cash

I am Donna Cash and I own an award-winning soft furnishings design & fabrication studio that focuses on inspiring, encouraging, & training for the home decor industry.

My business, Designs by Donna opened in 1989 and is in Flowery Branch, GA. I use my God-given passion and abilities to bring joy and beauty into the lives of others through exquisite design, teaching, and sharing. When I am in my teaching role, my goal is to build the student's confidence so they can build their skills and grow their business.

The dreams and goals of today are reflected in the joys of tomorrow.

Cathy Tucker

Cathy shares 29 years in the Custom Window Treatment Industry. She was the owner and manager of Tucks N’ Pleats Draperies for 21 years. Cathy has been a featured speaker and past president of the Detroit Workroom Association. She speaks at WCAA events and was the lead instructor for the Career Professional Program at the CHF Academy for nine years. Cathy is a master at fabricating draperies, upholstered cornices, soft cornices, and headboards. She is the owner of The Traveling Workroom Temp Service. Cathy travels the country, providing hourly expert labor to help other workrooms manage large jobs, clear backlogs, and teach private classes to individuals and groups.

Sharon Gregory

Sharon Gregory, Co-founder of Craft Your Creative Life and owner of The 13th Avenue Place, a drapery workroom located in Hickory, NC. For 19 years, Sharon has worked with designers to realize their clients' dreams by producing high-quality work and is an expert in draperies, shades, valances, pillows, cushions, light upholstery, and bedding. Sharon joined the WCAA in 2004 and is currently a member of the Triangle chapter. She continues to expand her skill set by attending industry conferences and meetups and taking in-person and online classes. Sharon moved from New Zealand to the USA with her family in 2001. Opening her business has enabled her to share her skills and knowledge with others

Sandra VanSickle

Sandra VanSickle, Co-founder of Craft Your Creative Life, is a dedicated leader in the industry who shares one common goal: to educate, inspire, and promote others who share her vision. With her 42 plus years of knowledge and experience, she is committed to passing along what she has learned through Live With Sandra V, her online presence, hands-on classes, articles, and industry speaking engagements. Located in Apex, North Carolina, Sandra is the proud owner of Sew What’s New LLC, a wholesale custom window treatment studio, and is currently the Director of Artisan Atelier for the International Windows Coverings Expo.