In the middle of one of the busiest seasons of the year at work, I managed to steal away for a peaceful and inspiring long weekend. Last November, when I saw my friend Ashley's photos from outdoor creative retreat for women at Salt Creek, I immediately began dreaming of attending the next time the event came around. Watercolor and writing workshops by a toasty, crackling fire accompanied by serene views of misty Pacific Northwest coastline? Yes please! However, when tickets went on sale for the 2018 retreat, I suddenly found myself waffling. It would certainly be worthwhile, it wasn't something I needed. Thankfully, Andy intervened and practically demanded that I go. After managing to get through a busy weeks work in just 4 days, I got an early start Friday morning to head for the coast with Ashley. After catching the first ferry, we had plenty of time to enjoy our day before any workshops began at Salt Creek, and after reading all about Pippa’s Real Tea on a mutual friend’s blog, we agreed that our first stop of the day should be Port Townsend. The power may have gone out shortly after we arrived (county-wide apparently!) but that didn’t stop Pippa herself from making us each a delicious cup of tea! Steaming cups of tea in had, we explored a few of the shops that were able to stay open even with the power outage - including a bookshop I’d love to return to when the lights are on - before heading to Crescent Lake for a short hike to Marymere Falls, which I’ll be writing more about soon!

After our adventures, Ashley and I headed for Salt Creek to set up camp and kick off our weekend of wonderful workshops, starting off with a sunset watercolor session. It was my first time painting since college, and using watercolor for a lot longer, and I had a blast. For the most part, over the course of the weekend, I kept my phone in my bag, allowing myself to soak in the peace of my surroundings and bond a wonderful group of women at the retreat. In particular, I’d looked forward to the painting workshops, since I’ve always been intimidated by watercolors. It’s a fairly unpredictable medium and I hate not having control, but both Nikki and Claire allowed me to see the fun of just playing, letting the paint do its thing. After my weekend of inspiring workshops, I went home feeling excited to buy some new supplies and continue my adventure into watercolor. Now I just have to find the time for a trip to Daniel Smith!