August 30th, 2016

Pre-Cruise Tour to Victoria, BC & Butchart Gardens!



The cars are booked and the ferry tickets reserved and we're ready for a great day of discovery! Experience some of the best of the Northwest.


Start out the morning on a relaxing ferry crossing from the mainland of Canada to the picturesque island of Vancouver on one of the BC Ferries. Choose your start from the informal coffee shop to the all you can eat buffet! Relax over your morning coffee and enjoy the scenery.

Then a short drive to  Butchart Gardens and spend the afternoon wandering through these amazing gardens. Rain or shine they are an amazing collection of styles and themes.

Then we'll spend the late afternoon and early evening in downtown Victoria. Walk through the historic Fairmont Empress Hotel and enjoy a "High Tea" in the Tea Room or visit one of the Museums in Victoria which cover everything from Aboriginal culture to science and nature. Just for fun, visit  Madam Tussauds Wax Museum and get your picture taken with some of the rich and famous!

Pick from many great restaurants to enjoy dinner overlooking the bay. Then it's back to the mainland and a good nights sleep a liesurely breakfast and then off to board the ship!

Two Official Excursions!
     I've signed me and my husband up for the Outdoor Challenge in Puerto Vallarta! Zip lining and splashing down into pools and hiking / donkey riding and more! Little did he expect me to do this!
 
     I've also got us signed up for the Copalita Archaeological Exploration in Huatulco, we both love history and Mayan history has always fascinated me! It is a little awe inspiring to walk through a site like this and feel the history all around that will be there long after we go too.

New Adventures in Antigua, Guatamala!
     Looking at Trip Advisor, found a motorcycle tour! Both my husband and I ride and we're looking at doing a half day, maybe customizing it a little to get out to the Mayan ruins too. Any of you ride? It's around $100 per person for the half day. Let me know if  you're interested!

Japan / China Bead Cruise! Pre-Cruise Adventure!
     It seems like it's early to plan, but hotels are booking up due to the "Cherry Blossoms Blooming!". I'm looking into them now. Arriving March 12, 2017 and checking out March 14, 2017 to get on the cruise ship. This gives us the 12th to collapse and try to get over some jet lag. Tour around the city on the 13th and most of the 14th before boarding the ship! I'll be contacting the local tour guide agency and finding out about a private rental van. Found hotels for as low as $117! AMAZING for Japan! Contact me for more info.

Panama Excursions!
     Even though I'll be the main teacher and go to gal during the cruise. My husband and I will be venturing out and about on excursions too!
     Looking at doing the "Outdoor Challenge" in Puerto Vallarta, you must be in fairly good shape for this, it's hiking, zip lining, getting dropped into a waterfall pool, sliding down waterfalls into lower pools and hiking out! It sounds so crazy and fun I'm dragging him into it!
     In Huatulco taking the Copalita Archaeological Exploration tour, I've always been facinated by the Mayan culture and history.
     Antigua / Purto Quetzal / Guatamala - Wandering the markets and possibly heading out to the Mayan Cosmology & Ancient Ruins, though it depends on the time, need to do more research. Heard about a tour to a small outlaying town that makes the fabrics that you'll see in the local markets. Trip Advisor has a whole list of shops that I'm going to try to remember to print out.
     Cartagena - Not sure yet, ideas? Told mostly to just wander the town.
     Half Moon Cay - Chill out on the last day out on the beach, going to reserve a clamshell shade for me!

Welcome to Be Creative Retreats & Cruises!      Combine your love of beading, quilting and crafting with travel. On the cruises, we only work on projects when we are at sea. So you don't have to worry about choosing between sight seeing and creating. Come and go when you want. All classes are open session. You don't HAVE to be in class all day. Get started on a new project then take your project anywhere on the ship to work on once you're comfortably started.
     Not one for sea voyages? Come to my studio in the beautiful Skagit Valley, choose from many different bead, quilt or drawing projects, or bring a project you've been needing help with and we can work on that. We are located right next to Bayview State Park, a lovely little park that over looks Padilla Bay and the San Juan Islands. A few cabins and lots of camping and RV camping spaces are available. A great way to get away for a week or just a weekend!

Panama Canal Bead Cruise
Holland America - MS Maasdam
March 15 - March 29, 2016
 
We're headed through the Panama Canal shortly! With lots of other great creative events upcoming. It's time to get to know each other a little and join in the fun for planning excursions. This is a great place to share your ideas, questions and to learn more about the events.

Alaska Bead Cruse - August 31 - September 7, 2016
Holland America Cruise Lines - MS Volendam
There are spaces left for more beaders and quilters. We will be travelling to the northern

Open Studio - Dates TBA June - September, 2016
I'll also be offering summer open studio sessions in Mount Vernon, WA. On the edge of Padilla Bay where you can come and create. This can be anything from beading to applique quilting and who knows. I'll be talking with local instructors to host more classes.

There will also be a full 5-Day retreat, leaving you two days to explore this wonderful part of the country. We are just 30 minutes from Vancouver, BC. 1 Hour from Seattle, and just a short ferry ride away from the stunning San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island.

Japan / China Bead Cruise
Holland America Cruise Line
MS Volendam
March 14 - March 28, 2017

Now is the time to get your deposit in and start saving up for a trip of a lifetime!

There will be an optional 1-1/2 days at the beginning to explore more of Tokyo, the temple flea markets, craft markets, fabric stores, cherry blossom displays and maybe even a tour of the Miyuki Bead Factory. There is also an optional additional 1-1/2 days in Hong Kong. Enough time to have some custom clothes made, explore the wonderful markets in Kowloon and Hong Kong. Call me to find out more 360.271.1410.