Carrie Schmitt and a Flower Crown Workshop at the House of Miracles
Artist and author Carrie Schmitt has turned her house into a home, one she calls the House of Miracles. Read on to hear how she manages to stay connected and empowered despite a medical condition that keeps her confined to her home.
A Flower Crown Workshop at the House of Miracles with Carrie Schmitt
Due to a rare life-threatening allergy to the sun and heat, I am often unable to travel beyond my own front doors. I’ve had to figure out how to live adventurously while confined to my home. When I bought my first home recently, I asked myself, “Am I going to make this place my prison or my temple?” This led to the creation of House of Miracles, a retreat center, art studio, and bed and breakfast located in the quaint seaside village of Steilacoom, Washington. I cannot physically go on adventures, so I created a sacred space to bring adventures to me AND create adventures for others too.
House of Miracles is designed for women to get away and fall in love with their creativity, a source of their deepest joy. Whether someone comes alone for a quiet stay, brings a group of friends, or attends a retreat, this space is designed to nurture creativity, which is essential for our well-being. What greater adventure is there than to explore the endless depths of one’s creative expression?
Women are welcome to paint, write, or create in whatever way calls to them. One of the ways I like to explore is by collaborating with other artists to create unique workshops, such as making flower crowns, jewelry, and more. When we come together and create, something primal is stirred inside us. It is a memory of our belonging to each other and the joy we access through sharing our creative spirits. It is essential to have time and space to devote to our creativity to go on this internal adventure within oneself. I began painting when I was bedridden due to my severe allergy. Ironically, being bedridden gave me the time and space I needed to develop a loving relationship with painting, which everybody deserves.
House of Miracles gives women the time and space to devote to their beloved creativity. Each detail is designed to get us in touch with our playful, imaginative, child-like state of wonder and push us to question what is possible outside norms and constraints that stifle our creative expression. I often joke that this place looks like a child was left unattended with paint. The tables, chairs, walls, and doors are covered with painted flowers. Guests are invited to write and paint on the outside wall of “Blessings, Prayers, and Wishes” to invoke the magic of words and intentions. House of Miracles is an exploration of what happens when we stand in our creative power and believe in magic again.
Carrie Schmitt is an artist, author, and instructor who began painting as a therapeutic practice after being diagnosed with a life-threatening allergy to heat in 2009. Today, Carrie leads online and in-person art retreats at her home, House of Miracles, a space created for women to get away and make art. She invites everyone to prioritize their creativity as an essential aspect of their wholeness and wellness. Carrie’s art is collected internationally and licensed for clothing, home décor, accessories, toys, and stationery. Her most recent book, The Story of Every Flower, is a collection of her vibrant art and intimate writing that documents her 10-year journey as an artist. Carrie lives in the quaint seaside village of Steilacoom, Washington, and hopes you will visit her at her artist sanctuary. Keep up with Carrie online at www.carrieschmittdesign.com or follow her @carrieschmitt for more.
Find more from Carrie, including exclusive pictures, in the Winter 2023 issue! Subscribe today!
