| Scrap and Spa: A Scrapbooker's Paradise | |
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Nestled in the gorgeous splendor of a brilliant Midwestern Autumn display is a lovely cottage designed by a Chicago architect and inhabited by, yep you guessed it, Scrapbookers. Most weekends, September through May, groups of ladies descend upon Union Pier, Michigan, with two goals in mind: First, to crop 'til they drop, and then second, to be revived and relaxed by spa-style pampering. The brain-child of Diane Anderson, Scrap and Spa was founded in 1997 as a place for women to get away and to have uninterrupted time to work on their scrapbooks and to just "be." Diane has set up the weekend to be an unstructured time for ladies to be comfortable, and "leave their watches at home," while being pampered and allowing someone else to do the cooking and cleaning. What more could you ask for?
The Cropping
The focus of the weekend is of course the scrapbooking, although the
massages are lovely. Large tables are provided, with each scrapbooker having a
space delineated for her. Each scrapbooker brings her own supplies, however,
loads of great tools are available for shared use, including a new Accut-cut die
cut machine with the upper and lower case "dot-alphabet." Supplies,
including stickers and paper, are also available for sale at prices below most
retail scrapbook stores. Lana, of Villa Park, IL, was surprised by the amount of
stickers and other items available. She said, "I was also surprised
at how reasonably the items were priced; some items here were cheaper than at
the store where I regularly shop."
The
Food
Diane has chosen to provide a selection of tasty meals that may not be in
the average menu of most wives and mothers. Leaning toward vegetarian, the
food choices are things that "women may not be able to cook for finicky
children or husbands, thus giving them a chance to have a weekend of delicious
'grown-up' food." Karen of Woodbridge, IL, declared the food to be
"superb and gourmet." And Michelle from River Grove, IL, said,
"The food was excellent, not to mention endless; Diane is a most gracious
hostess." So many complements have been handed out about the food served
that Diane has added a "Recipe of the
Month" to her web page.
The
Accommodations
The cottage that is currently leased by Scrap and Spa is gorgeous and a mere
four blocks away from the shores of Lake Michigan. The house next door provides
extra bedrooms and space for spa activities. Kim, from Des Plaines, IL, said the
accommodations are "very cozy. It truly feels like home." And Karen
summed up the style of the housing by saying, "I expected rustic, but this
is 'country chic.'" By Fall of 2001, Scrap and Spa will be moving a few
blocks away to a permanent location remodeled specifically for these activities.
The
Spa Choices
Scrap and Spa offers a menu of Spa choices that can be enjoyed right on
location, and an even larger list of selections that are available a five-minute
drive away in New Buffalo, Michigan. A Peppermint Twist Massage is an exhilarating
break in the middle of a day of furious scrapbooking. Karen declared the Earth
Stone Spa Treatment to be "heavenly...warm and relaxing." A complete
list of spa selections
available can be found on the Scrap and Spa web site.
Beginning in the Spring of 2001, Scrap and Spa plans to be able to offer franchise opportunities. So if this sounds like the perfect business for you, be sure to check their web site often to find out more information about this upcoming venture.
I had a wonderful time during my weekend at Scrap and Spa and would gladly recommend it to fellow scrapbooking enthusiasts. Diane is indeed a wonderful hostess, who I am also glad to now call a friend. I am looking forward to a return trip next Fall, and hope to meet some of you there.
Happy
Scrappin'
Rebecca
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