💛 End of Season THANK YOU 💛

Dear Friends,

It feels like only yesterday we were announcing this year's retreats, and in the blink of an eye we've wrapped our 2026 season at The Smiley. What a year it was. We opened with Lynn Giunta's Collage & Lettering week, followed by Helen Dardik's Blooming Whimsy, then settled into the height of summer with Lori Seibert's Junk Assemblage. As the leaves began to turn, we closed the season with Victoria Johnson's Fall Florals. Four weeks, four extraordinary teachers, and a barn full of makers who left a little more themselves than when they arrived.

To Lynn, Helen, Lori, and Victoria: thank you. You brought your skill, your generosity, and your particular magic to The Smiley, and each of you left it a little brighter. And to everyone who packed a bag, drove up the barn driveway, and gave yourselves a week in Vermont—thank you. You are the reason this place works. The retreat center is only ever as good as the people who fill it, and this year you filled it beautifully.

Now the barn goes quiet for a bit, but we won't be. We're already hard at work on 2027—new teachers, new workshops, and a few surprises we can't wait to share. Look for our 2027 retreat announcement in November.

We'd also love to hear from you. What did you love this season? What do you want to see next? Email us—we're all in this together.

Wishing you a warm and creative winter,

Jennifer