Home » crafts » Michaels Makers Summit 2016 Craft Retreat at Carmel Valley Ranch

Michaels Makers Summit 2016 Craft Retreat at Carmel Valley Ranch

ByJennifer
2 Comments

The  Michaels Makers Summit Craft Retreat was held at Carmel Valley Ranch and I was so honored to be able to attend.  The Michaels team are just the most amazing group of people, and it was one of those amazing trips that the scenery alone made worth it, not to mention all of the little details in between. There was so much creativity and we were able to learn some new art mediums that we hadn’t tried before.

View of a vineyard in the foreground with rolling hills, scattered trees, and a town under a clear blue sky—capturing the serene setting of Michaels Makers Summit 2016 at Carmel Valley Ranch.

The ranch itself is just dream-like. As a girl from the flat lands of Chicago, it always makes me feel awe-filled when I am surrounded by mountains. The expansive scenery at Carmel Valley Ranch is amazing from every angle.

A garden with a gravel path surrounded by vibrant flowers and lush greenery, set against the picturesque backdrop of Carmel Valley Ranch's rolling hills.

The first night, we had dinner in their organic gardens at Carmel Valley Ranch. It was so amazing,I couldn’t stop taking pictures!

Sunflowers growing in a field with a background of hills and houses at Carmel Valley Ranch. Trees are visible, and a small wooden structure can be seen on the left.

Everything looked like it belonged on Pinterest. My sunflowers do not look like that!

A gravel path flanked by colorful sunflowers and various other flowers leads to a green, hilly landscape with trees in the background at Carmel Valley Ranch. A "Jennifer Rizzo" watermark is visible in the bottom right corner.

That night after dinner, we went back to our rooms and just chilled and took in the day. While I didn’t take any pictures of the inside of the room, I did get the bathtub on the balcony… just because.

A standalone bathtub sits on an outdoor deck at Carmel Valley Ranch, framed by a wooden wall and surrounded by trees. The deck features a transparent mesh screen. The image includes a decorative stamp saying "Jennifer RIZZO design company.

How crazy is that?! I thought about using it briefly, and then I saw some bats flying around and I was like… Nope,tapping out. So, I stayed inside and enjoyed my fireplace as I read in bed, and slept all night. I didn’t have to get up at make any one breakfast in the morning, or yell at anyone to get their flipping shoes on because they were going to be late. It was a dream come true.

An outdoor display setup at Carmel Valley Ranch features wooden ladders, cloths hanging, and materials for Shibori-style dyeing. A sign reads "Shibori Style Dying." Trees and a fence are in the background.

The next day we had some really fun,creative classes. We made scarves with Shibori style dying, which I loved. It was a craft technique that I hadn’t ever tried before.

Woodburning tools and wooden cutouts are arranged on a surface. One round piece features burnt leaf patterns. The branding "Jennifer Rizzo" is visible in the lower right corner, reminiscent of the artisanal charm found at Carmel Valley Ranch.

And I also tried one of my new favorites, wood burning. I am telling you I am a bit addicted to it . Even the smell of burning wood was pretty awesome. The last time I remember doing wood burning was as a kid. It turns out,it’s a super-fun grown up thing too!!

A decorative outdoor seating area at Carmel Valley Ranch features a distressed wooden cabinet adorned with flowers and foliage, with a cushioned ottoman and pink pillows in the foreground. Two menus are displayed in the background.

We had time to hang in the lounge between sessions at chat. I love those string panels they made and how they filled the drawers and shelving with faux flowers.

Watercolor illustration of a woman in a pastel dress standing among tall pink flowers, inspired by the soft colors and delicate brushstrokes seen at the Michaels Makers Summit 2016 at Carmel Valley Ranch.

I also had a watercolor class taught by Jane Davenport. I always love working with watercolors, so this was fun for me. While we were there, we had a special guest pop into our Cricut class.

Three women smile and pose for a selfie in the well-lit lobby of Carmel Valley Ranch. The woman on the right wears glasses and has a nametag including Jennifer Rizzo and Sarah Michelle Gellar

Yep, that’s me, Jaderbomb and Sarah Michelle Gellar. Making some crafts together. It was such a cool time.

A wooden sign with white text reads "Sail the high seas" on a wooden table with craft supplies, inspired by the Michaels Makers Summit 2016 at Carmel Valley Ranch.

I made a fun plaque for my downstairs bathroom, which I am doing in a  nautical theme.

Long outdoor dining table with beige tablecloth, set with plates, glasses, napkins, and small potted plants, surrounded by chairs under string lights and mountains—just like at Michaels Makers Summit 2016 at Carmel Valley Ranch.

That night we had an amazing outdoor dinner with a hot chocolate bar after. The next day was The famous Macrame class. Which just disproves the myth that artists are good at everything.Some people are awesome at woven wall hangings,but you can put Macrame on my list of things I cannot do along with math,keeping my house clean, and remembering to move the laundry from the washer to the dryer. All FAILS.

Two macramé wall hangings with tassels and knotted designs, including my macrame fail, drying on a metal rod outdoors near a stone wall and a pool.

Once I recovered from the trauma, we also made jewelry and did some flower arranging which helped my pride a bit 🙂 .  For lunch we had the most amazing tacos ever.

A plate with two tacos topped with cheese, lettuce, and salsa, beside a side salad. Dessert items and beverages are on the table, set against the charming backdrop of Carmel Valley Ranch with decorative jars and utensils adding to the ambiance.

I don’t normally take pictures of my food, but this was a meal to remember. There was a type of both steak and a pulled-pork like meat, in which I gluttonously  took both. And then had seconds. And dessert. I was FULL of tacos. Though I did also have a salad, so I get points for that.

A collection of pumpkins in various sizes and shades of orange and red are piled against the side of a building at Carmel Valley Ranch, with leaves scattered on the ground.

The last night, we had a dinner on the edge of the vineyards (I know, sound crazy to say that, right?), where we sat on poufs and pillows, and drank wine. It was very grown up feeling, compared to the chicken nuggets at home.

Outdoor table set for a meal with pillows for seating, surrounded by vineyards and hills at Carmel Valley Ranch during the Michaels Makers Summit 2016.

It was a very boho dinner,and the food was amazing. Though when we walked up, and saw all of the cushions on the ground, I turned to the girl next to me and said. “They do know half of us are over 40, right?” and wearing dresses.Luckily, two glasses of wine in no one cared and everyone was in good spirits. It was really fun. That night went by fast! Some of the girls went back to the ranch for “Watercolors and wine” which I ended up missing. I think I went to bed that night around 1 am my time.

The Michaels team really outdid themselves with this event! And Carmel Valley Ranch was just amazing, the staff was wonderful. For me, it was an even better experience because I have severe food allergies and they made sure I was taking care of and safe the entire time at every meal, which doesn’t happen every place I go.

While it was an amazing experience, it was an also much needed soul-check for me. I tend to go go go and take on the weight of what’s around me, without taking time for myself. This summer was a hard one for us and I had felt really depleted. It really helped renew my creativity and feel so connected to other makers. Sometimes sitting behind a computer by yourself is the least creative thing you can do. We are made to be in community with each other, and if we can make awesome things together, that’s even better! Creating is something I believe we are all made to do, no matter what our skill level is. There is a craft for everyone, even if you say you don’t have a creative bone in your body! It’s there! It may not be macrame, but it’s there!!

Jen signature

 

This post was sponsored by Michaels, opinions are entirely my own

Want to learn to make something fun? Sign up for my Jewelry class!

A delicate necklace with a gold chain, featuring a wire-wrapped gemstone and a white crystal, sits next to a green leafy twig. The text reads "Modern Bohemian Jewelry Class: Creating Wearable Works of Art with Jen Rizzo.
Modern Bohemian Jewelry

2 Comments

  1. It was such a pleasure meeting and chatting with you at the summit, Jen! The whole event was so well put together and the location…amazing!!! I really loved the macrame class though my shoulders and arms were sore for several days after. 😉 didn’t know I’d be working out on my craftcation.

  2. Sounds like a wonderfully unique experience! So glad you are feeling renewed! We all need that from time to time 🙂

Comments are closed.