Been Pining for Some Serious Time Off With the Girls?
Join Us at The Heart Sister’s Creativity Spa!
We so wanted to offer the Creativity Spa this year but life has a funny way of getting in the way of our best laid plans. So…stay tuned for news about the Creativity Spa 2009!
Jennifer Louden and Suzanne Falter-Barns proudly present their newest event:
The Heart Sister’s Creativity Spa
Silver Lake, NY
Coming in 2009!
When is the last time you got some serious hang time with the women in your life? That would be your dear old friends, daughters, mothers, sisters, former college roommates, cousins, god-daughters, the kid down the street, your very best girlfriends or even the gals at work you never get to have fun with?
Or maybe you do get to hang out … but you wish you could connect a little more deeply, laugh even louder and longer, and come away from your time together utterly drenched in love and renewal?
These are your heart sisters. And we’re here to help you have a memorable weekend together you will never forget.
Why a ‘Creativity Spa’ Is the Perfect Place for Heart Sisters to Hang?
Fact: When your hands are busy, you actually slow down, breathe, talk more deeply and tell the truth about pieces of your life you may not have noticed need your attention.
Fact: Creative endeavors release the feel good hormones that lower stress, promote healing, and deepen connection.
Fact: When the women you most want to connect with gather for a little R&R…and the focus of the weekend ISN’T on eating, drinking, or shopping too much, some amazing things happen.
What Exactly Goes on at a Heart Sister’s Creativity Spa?
Imagine a fun, relaxing hang-fest at one of the oldest YMCA’s in the country – a true Victirian ‘great camp’ with comfy quarters, a sparkling lake, delicious food, crackling fires, fun hiking trails, and crisp country air.
Then imagine you’re there with your truest buds – the ones who make you laugh til you cry.
THEN imagine that you’ve been given total creative license to have fun making stuff, or not, or seeing what comes up when you try totally something totally new.
Why You’ll Be Rooming in a Double at The Creativity Spa?
The Silver Bay Association is only making double rooms available for our group – which will be awesome! Past experience has proven that you’ll have twice as much fun this way, getting to know a roommate (if you don’t bring your own.) We say this based on 7 years of prior experience pairing up doubles who don’t know each other at The Taos Writer’s Spa.
Please note, some of our rooms are triples and you’ll be able to specify if you’re bringing two guests you’d like to room with – or we can room you with two doubles you don’t know.
Here’s why double rooms are so much fun:
- If you bring heart sisters you get to have a giant sleepover.
- If you don’t bring heart sisters, you get to connect with a fellow Creativity Spa mate, and add a whole different dimension to your time with us.
- You’re certain to get along. Only once in 7 years of leading our Taos Writer’s Spa has anyone requested a roommate change. We were able to accommodate that person quickly and everyone was happy.
- Most who share their room with a relative stranger leave with a friend for life.
- IF YOU DON”T BRING ANY HEART SISTERS TO STAY WITH YOU … Suzanne personally matches all Creativity Spa guests with the prefect roommate(s) based on several factors: age, sleep habits, creative work habits, health issues, personal preferences and any quirks we know about, and whatever we can tell about people from their application. This is actually Suzanne’s favorite part of getting ready for the spa… and how she knows she’s probably best employed as a Cub Scout Den Mother or maybe a dorm RA.
- You will probably laugh more. (Jennifer and Suzanne, who room together, certainly do!)
- You will probably stay in touch with your new friend/roomie after the Spa, and so keep the Creativity Spa experience alive for yourself for years to come.
“The Writer’s Spa was a phenomenal experience. Jennifer and Suzanne offered a wonderful combination of expertise, compassion, and humor. The setting added greatly to the specialness of the experience. MDL nestled in the gorgeous mountains of Taos offered exceptional beauty and peace. I highly recommend the Writer’s Spa to any woman who wants to honor herself as a writer and pamper herself as a creative human being.”
–Kiya Immergluck
What’s The Silver Bay Association … and Where Is It?
Suzanne is excited because Silver Bay is right in her own backyard – the Adirondacks of upstate New York. A place she knows and loves, lives in, and has been wanting to share with readers for a long time!
Silver Bay is near the well known resort of Lake George, about 90 minutes north of Albany, NY (the nearest airport), it’s not hard to get to. But in this grand old Victorian enclave, in a tranquil wooded spot on a lake, you’re going to feel like you’re really truly gotten away from it all.
Hint: If you’re flying, Southwest Air is a cheap, reliable way to fly to Albany with lots of flights.
Take a look at The Silver Bay Association’s wonderful video!
What Will You DO at The Heart Sister’s Creativity Spa?
Dig into art and craft making for the sake of process not product, learn new techniques and ideas, play with some music or performance possibilities (The Bad Girls Cabaret), lose yourself in a little intuitive writing…or play with any and all in as light or as intense an experience as you wish.
Or chuck the whole menu and spend the afternoon wandering on some pretty darn idyllic hiking trails, or sitting lake side, or in a kayak, with those you love, of just sittin’ on the porch in a big old Adirondack chair.
We’ll provide the gentle, playful, beautiful place to play and connect in this all-girl zone. All you do is bring a friend (or two and more!) and get ready to feed your creative heart at the same time you renew and deepen your most precious women-to-women bonds.
It’s sort of like summer camp, only without the mean kids, the whistle blowing AND with decent beds, cool stuff to make (if you want), adult conversation and even some high quality dark chocolate.
Here’s a schedule for the Heart Sister’s Creativity Spa
Thursday
3 PM
Check In begins
5-7 PM
Drinks and Snacks with Dr. Serenity Hawkfire
(and a few crafty surprises as well)7 PM
Dinner
8-9 PM
Heart Sister’s Mash Up
NOTE: All events below are entirely optional and up to you – design YOUR Creativity Spa to give you just what you need!
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Friday
7-8:15 AM
Yoga
8-9 AM
BREAKFAST*
Craft studio open all day *
9:15- 11:15 AM
Creativity Kick Start (with a little help from your friends), Part I; Jennifer
Noon – 1 PM LUNCH
1:30 – 3:30
Bad Girls Do It Loud - an improv/coming out of hiding workshop; Suzanne
3:30 -6PM
Artgasm Experts in the Craft Studio; meet Karen Booy and Debra Quartermain, two of Canada’s top crafters for drop in projects and instruction
3:30 – 6PM
Drumming Circle drop in
7 PM DINNER
After Dinner: Something that may involve a bonfire and Kumbayah … or not!
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Saturday
7-8:15 AM
Yoga
8-9 AM
BREAKFAST
* Craft studio open all day *
9:15- 11:15 AM
Creativity Kick Start (with a little help from your friends), Part II; Jennifer
Noon – 1 PM
LUNCH
1:30 – 3:30 P.M
Bad Girls Do It Loud, Part II - an improv/coming out of hiding workshop; Suzanne
3:30 -6PM
Artgasm Experts in the Craft Studio; meet Karen Booy and Debra Quartermain, two of Canada’s top crafters for drop in projects and instruction
3:30 – 6PM
Drumming Circle drop in
7 PM DINNER
After dinner: The Bad Girls Cabaret, hosted by Dr. Serenity Hawkfire
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Sunday
7 – 8:15 AM
Yoga
8 – 9 AM
Coffee, fruit and pastries
9:15 – 10 AM
Final Coming Together of the Heart Sisters; Jennifer & Suzanne
10 – 11 AM
Dangerous Games for Women (running around in the beautiful fall air, playing games like a kid); Jennifer & Suzanne
11 AM – 1 PM
Hedonistic Goodbye Brunch
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How We KNOW You’re Going to Have an Amazing Time
We simply listen to what past participants of our other big event, The Taos Writer’s Spa, tell us.
“This writer’s spa/conference was the best thing that’s happened to me in years. I really enjoyed myself and met some fantastic people. Thanks Jen and Suzanne.”
–Sherry King, 2007 Participant

“Jennifer and Suzanne create a sacred space with the Writer’s Spa where the spirit can soar, the heart can sing and the inner woman can roar I am wild, I am wonderful, I AM a Writer! My gratitude overflows and my groove is restored. Thank you! Thank you! “
–Debra NB Canada, 2007 Participant
“You took me from struggling to write for 15 minutes to happily writing for hours every day – it’s a miracle!”
–Isabel Gaddes, 2006 and 2007 Participant
Who the Heck are Jennifer and Suzanne?
We’re a pair of self-help authors, creative flag wavers, and speaker/trainer/coachy types who love to lead events and retreats that juice women’s up and get them doing, creatively.
You can read detailed bios of us by clicking on the links in the margin. But do know one thing about us. WE HAVE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF FUN TOGETHER.
Anyone who really wants to experience that firsthand, can listen to a recording of a call we’ll be doing on April 9, at 8PM EST – or sign up to hear us live at http://howmuchjoy.com/writerspa-call.html If you can’t attend live, you’ll automatically get a link to a recording sent via email once you register for the call.
What we guarantee are surprises, mega laughter, art, and crafting goddesses to guide you creating to your heart’s content, fab food, silly yet profound events, glorious nature, and a comfy bed at the end of the day to tuck into.
All this…plus your heart sisters? What more could you want?
The only question is…Who are you going to invite first?
We can’t wait to see you there!
Jennifer & Suzanne


