I was so excited when I saw this month’s theme here on Oh My Handmade Goodness! When I read the question “Where do creatives gather to make and connect?” I was filled with joy because as of June the answer is “my house!” This summer, after moving into a new home, I finally had the opportunity to combine and share two of my passions by starting a Yoga + Craft Workshop at my home.
I have been teaching yoga for almost ten years, I have been crafting my whole life and I have been working with the handmade community for 7 years. I have been hoping to find a way to merge my interests since they both are such a large part of my life. I thought if I like yoga and crafting so much there must be other people who do too. At first, I was going to ask a lot of people if they liked the idea. Then I just decided to go for it and see what kind of response I got. It has been awesome! I have interest from so many people. People who practice yoga but would like to craft more, people who craft but would love to do yoga more, people who already love both and people who want to learn more about both!
When I teach yoga classes I often wish people would hang out longer after class just to chat because I love getting to know people. A lot of the crafty people I know are online and I tend to do crafts by myself at home. To be able to do yoga + crafts with a group of people has been fabulous! One of the the things that draws me to yoga and crafting is that feeling of being in the present moment while doing them. Plus, I always feeling happy because I took the time in my life to practice and create.
During the workshop, we spend the first hour and half practicing yoga in my living room. I end the practice using essential oils that promote creativity. We take a short break and eat some healthy snacks in my kitchen. We then settle down in my dining room with our craft supplies. It has been amazing to see what everyone comes up with! The workshops have offered painting terra cotta pots and filling them with succulents, creating popsicle cards using washi tape, making our own chalkboard paint and the next one will be creating perfume and meditation balms using essential oils.
I feel so lucky to be able to offer these workshops! It has been wonderful to be able to get to know my new and old friends better and to provide a place for people to relax and create! Moms I have met through preschool and t-ball have come, old friends that I have not seen in over a decade have come and even a friend from the OMHG community that I met on Twitter has come (Deanna Mullican of the Spark Retreat). It has been really special!
If you are thinking about starting your own creative community, I urge you to push any doubts aside and go for it!
Thank you, Jessika, for creating a space for everyone to share! I can’t wait to discover where everyone else gathers to create!
MEET KERRY
Kerry Burki loves art, yoga, mystery novels, vintage handbags and being a mama. She is the editor of the blog Handmade Success where she enjoys providing a resource for creative entrepreneurs. You can also find her sharing bits of life, handmade love, and stress-relief tips at www.kerryburki.com.
That sounds incredible! It would have never occurred to me to meld the two together, but after reading about it seems so obvious. Thanks for sharing your story.
I love your response, Bev! I guess I need to start taking it to the masses 🙂 XO
Ah! I LOVE this – and so wish that Pennsylvania were closer to Arizona! What an amazing idea – yoga + craft really compliment each other beautifully. How long is your entire workshop, Kerry? I come from a line of chatty folk + long good-byers so I know just what you mean about wanting to chat after yoga or linger over a cup of tea…the best time in the world is spent without a clock.
Ooh! I like your quote “the best time in the world is spent without a clock.” So true! The whole workshop is about 3 hours. The first one went long because we all talked at the beginning and then later realized that we will have plenty of time to talk while eating and crafting. Right around 4 o’clock my husband rolls back in with my two little boys and that starts to wrap things up.
I wish you were closer too! Let’s hope we both get a bit of clockless time this weekend 🙂