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rainbows, birthdays & big kids

December 2, 2016

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a couple of weeks ago, Mr. Duerksen bought us a new bed and mattress.
it’s so grown up.
we are loving it so so much.
i’ll show some pics once i have that room in order again.

our bed we had before… moved into the guest room.
but the guest room is now the rainbow room because annie moved to a new room.
everything is getting switched up over here!
she was ready to have a room that was more HER style instead of MY style.
she’s so 12!
🙂
it would’ve bothered me (and it did!) with my first child… but thankfully i have learned a thing or two over the past 20 years of parenting.
NEWSFLASH – each child has their own personality.
crazy right?
just kidding… it’s not crazy at all! it’s completely normal!
their style doesn’t have to be ANYTHING like my style.
and even if i don’t necessarily like their design choice – it doesn’t mean it’s wrong! (i do like her new room)
it just means it’s not my design choice.
thank goodness we aren’t all the same!
YAY for everything that makes us unique!!!

i am grateful that we could move her to a different room so that we could keep the rainbow stripes because they are just so cheerful and fun!

we painted the old bed – i have wanted to paint it for YEARS!
i was painting in the late afternoon and looked up to see the orange & red tree glowing perfectly centered in the window around the orange curtains… it was just so pretty and so typically fall!

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so now it’s all ready for guests!
the rainbow pillow & the yellow polka dot shams are from the Land of Nod.
i found the bedskirt at Goodwill several years ago 🙂
my friend sent me the rainbow quilt that was from target several years ago as well.
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Talby turned 15!
she’s got such a great heart!
it’s been such an honor to watch her grow up!
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by the end of her birthday evening these 3 ended up in my bed – wrestling, laughing and being crazy.
i was loving every second of it.
of course there’s plenty of fighting and normal sibling stuff but when it’s good – it is SO GOOD!!!

we went out for dinner to celebrate both annie & talby’s birthday together to a restaurant we had (half)jokingly told them we would never take them to because of the cost of 7 of us and the behaviors of the past. But since we combined our celebration and only went out once instead of two separate times… we said yes!
It was the best dinner out that we have ever had!
not kidding.
the food was great but our time together was suddenly different.
conversations were good and real.
it was truly enjoyable!
i didn’t know if we’d ever get to this point of a time at a restaurant with all of us that was like that.
it was as dreamy as i had imagined.

i love them but i also really like them. 🙂

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we still have all three dorky dogs.
kobe has adjusted and isn’t as goofy as he was in the beginning (he was terrified of grass!)
he is a good cuddler too.

i put up a few christmas decorations at the Craft House last week.
the wreath was at sam’s club (what in the world???) and then it was officially time to get a white tree to rainbowtize.
the tree is not too big and definitely not fancy but it was pre-lit so i went for it.
i got it at walmart – impulse buy but no regrets.
the ornaments are all from Michaels.

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this was me on black friday.
i drove lauren home the morning after thanksgiving and thought i’d stop for a bit and check out the deals.
ummmm…. i spent THREE HOURS just in Dick’s Sporting Goods!
long story short – i came home at 10:30 pm.
ha ha ha!
just a quick 13 hour black friday shopping day… no big deal.

but seriously… i was alone. i had coffee. everything was on sale.
it was perfect!

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renee - i love your blog! maybe because you’re a few seasons ahead. mine are 7 months, 2.5, and almost 4. i enjoy them and i’m trying to soak these seasons up and be grateful for the time but i’m really looking forward to getting to know them as they’re older too. my brothers in law are 15 and 16 and they’re so fun! love these posts and glimpses into your family life 🙂 how did you not lose your mind when they were all tiny!?! 🙂 haha

carol - hi meg- would love to know where you bought your bed its gorgeous! thank you!

Lori - Congrats on a new bed! And, I love the bedding in the rainbow room. So happy ❤️💛💚💙💜

Andrea - Prefacing with this statement: I know you are really busy being a mom and wife and businesswoman. That said, I MISSED these kinds of posts! The assortment of family stories, house projects and dog faces. It’s what drew me to your blog years ago.

Every time you say “older kids are awesome” I’m nodding my head. While we still parent, and help where needed, we get to enjoy them as humans. People we like to hang out with. I’m fortunate to have one ‘kid’ left (he turns 12 this week) and a 19 and next-week-22 year old. Watching them together is fun, being around them is the best.

Wendy C - Ditto on seeing your new room and Annie’s new room. And the boys rooms? We never see those. Please share! Even if they are messy – any Mom of boys would totally understand 🙂 My definition of “bed made” and my 16 years old son’s definition of “bed made” are very different! HA!

Tracy - I can’t wait to see your room!

Can we see Annie’s new room?

What restaurant did you go to?

My kids are now 20, 19, 17 & 17 and I feel the same way you do. They’re so fun to be around!! <3

carrie - Love the rainbow tree, and yay for you on Black Friday. We had a marathon shopping spree as well and it was so much fun!

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Craft House Colors

July 18, 2016

we have switched a few rooms around at the Craft House so i took some pics to update the Craft House Details.

we moved the queen bed into the bedroom with the yellow striped floors.
It’s the only bed in this room.
At Camp Create we use this room for our speaker so she can have some extra quiet time between all her leading.
For your group stay it can be for someone who is a light sleeper or for the gal who snores a little too loudly.

the master bedroom now has five twin beds but still plenty of room to move around.

and the map room has five as well.
it’s like summer camp for grown ups!

no change in this room for now.

and no change in this room either.
“if it ain’t broke – don’t fix it” right?

the Craft House is such an awesome place!
i love that so many many women have gotten to enjoy time here.
i have loved all the work we have put into it!
100% worth it!

Looking at the Reservation Calendar… there are only TWO fall weekends open for 2016!
October 28-30 and November 18 – 20.
Get your girls together and take one of those dates!
You will love having something to look forward to with your friends.
(there are also two August dates left if you can’t wait that long!)

🙂

email at cdduerksen@yahoo.com to reserve a weekend stay.

right now 2017 is very open so it would be a great time to reserve the date you WANT.

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Tiffany - Sigh…. I want to go baaaaaack! You’ve created the most beautiful space/experience!

Melanie Sidwell - one scoop of cookie dough, one scoop of cookies and cream (my local ice cream shop Sweet Cow in Boulder, Colo., refers to this combo as the Cookie Monster) with hot fudge and whipped cream. I die!

Andrea Gleich - The craft house is looking dreamier than ever!!!

Connie Krebs - Oh my goodness! Where do you get all these gorgeous quilts from? I am drooling over the beautiful colors and fabrics!

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - I think we need a reunion. With Sonic. And Pam’s cheesecake. And Pam.

Elma Riedstra - Love it all but the pink room is my favorite!!!!

meg duerksen - Cassie – We are taking a break and aren’t sure yet when we will start up again. 🙂

Cassie - Meg,

Are you do longer doing craft weekends?

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the Craft House

May 29, 2015

i think you need to come to The Craft House with your friends! 🙂
We have several dates at the end of this post with special discounts for you!

we have work space for 16!

the entire house has gigantic 8 foot windows everywhere.
this house is flooded with natural light every where you look!
the bedrooms, hallway and main floor windows have leaded glass as well!
so beautiful!

there are three full baths each newly remodeled.

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the ongoing bedrooms are like staying in the happiest Barbie Dream House.
bed after bed covered in vintage quilts and chenille.

the master bath is light and airy… with so much space!
the large soaker tub is truly a dreamy place.

the newest addition to the house is the Rainbow Stairs up to the bedrooms off the kitchen.
they are pure happiness!!

the kitchen is fully stocked with dishes, pots & pans, glasses, utensils and appliances.
the island is 9’x5′ which is amazing for cooking and working together for meals.
we also have two 10′ barn wood tables for eating together.
they can be separate to accommodate a full house or pushed together for a smaller group.
this kitchen is an awesome place for sharing a meal!

the kitchen is surrounded by six floor to ceiling windows! It’s fabulous!

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So… how can you reserve the Craft House for your group?
these dates remaining for 2015:

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you can read more details about the house if you would like HERE.

you can also look ahead and reserve your weekend for 2016 if you would like.
several groups already have!

any reservation made for 2016 will get $100 off!

and last weekend… we had a girls scout troop come to stay!
how sweet is that?!

so… get creative! it doesn’t have to be a scrapbooking/crafting group!
there are so many ways to use the Craft House!
family reunion? wedding party? church group? women’s retreat? girls’ weekend?

email me at cdduerksen@yahoo.com to make your reservation today!

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cece - Keeping this blog spot for future rental reference.

Amanda Lee - What does the price include?

Heather - Love the craft house!! Wish I could live there full time. I could be like the house mom!! Covet in a good way the Evie Sign!!

Gayle Williams - Where is the Craft House at? Address/phone number please!

beth larson - OMgoodness Meg, this was such a fun post!!! I absolutely love your house and every little amazing detail you have put into it! You could have your own show you know- such amazing taste you have girl! If I didn’t have to hop a plane to get to you, I’d so wrangle up a group of friends and rent the house for a girl friend’s getaway!!!!

Meredith - I don’t know if the cost of living is perhaps ridiculously high in Sydney but I can not believe how affordable your MASSIVE, gorgeous, beautiful house is!! Bargain of the century!! If only the plane tickets wouldn’t set me back a gazillion dollars, I would be there! Run, don’t walk people!

Lacey - Meg, where is the “live a creative life” wooden sign from? I love it.

Gail - So much inspiration! This is on my bucket list for sure. Especially since I am just down the road in ICT.

jill - would love to know where everything came from.

Kelly - Sorry for questions two days in a row! The bathroom floors! Are they original? That is what I want for my bathroom remodel but I don’t know where to find it. If you guys did it can you tell me where it’s from? Thank you so much!! Kelly

lara sheriff - i love it…..each room is just adorable!

Sasha Greene - You’re my favorite. Seriously. I stalk your blog all the time, because it is a bright spot in my sometimes crazy life 😉
Thank you for sharing your life with your readers.
God’s most abundant blessings, peace, and protection be upon your family!! Amen.
Sasha

sharon / theprincipledtype.blogspot.com - someday yes! wishing upon a star!

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RAINBOW STAIRS!

May 26, 2015

The Craft House has a back staircase off the kitchen leading up to bedrooms and a bathroom.
and for the last ten years it has looked like this…

for the past three years i have wanted to paint them but i just couldn’t get it done.
this spring i finally had a long enough break in rentals and craft weekends and i got busy.
i cleaned everything really well.

then i primed all the wood surfaces with Kilz2.
two coats.

and then i painted the walls and the ceiling all same color – Ultra Pure White by Behr in Eggshell finish.

after the walls and ceiling THEN i painted the doors, baseboard, window trim and the treads in Behr Ultra Pure White Semi Gloss paint.
painting wood white takes like a million years and then three more coats after that.
but it is so happy and bright that it is worth it to me.
wood color honestly makes me feel sad to be around… not at your house but yes at my house.
it sucks all the light out of the room.
i wouldn’t be sad visiting your house all decked out in wood everywhere but if i had to LIVE in say… a log cabin?
i would either go into a deep depression or paint the log cabin white on the inside.
(and maybe the outside too)
i know me.

it felt like it took FOREVER to get to the fun part!
i was dying to start on the color.

i taped the edges around the stair riser to help me have straighter lines.
and then i could FINALLY start.

i got the smallest size of paint i could… i think it’s a pint?
i used Valspar paint for the colors.
– Bright Red
– Hint of Cherry
– Orange Ochre
– Dandelion Wish
– Chopped Chives
– Lavish Green
– Wishing Well

i am not brand loyal for paint.
it is purely based on which store i am closest to at the time i need the paint.

and i used a foam brush for the colors.
it just seemed like it would be easier to control for such a small area.

(i am aware that i still need to caulk the baseboards… one step at a time)
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stairs
i mean???
is there anything happier?!
no.
there is not.

i touched up my mistakes with a little paint brush – OY VEH!
i had lots of time to think and pray and sing and plan while i was working on all of this.

and this is the polyurethane that i use on white painted wood projects.
i like it.
i used it a lot.
i used many coats since stairs get a lot of traffic.

i may hang things on the wall.
i may not.

it took a ton of time but it was worth every second.
i wish i would’ve done it when we lived here.
i wish i had it my house i live in now just so i could see it everyday. 🙂

rainbows forever!!!

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Diane McVey - This is one of the most beautiful, awesome things I have ever seen! I absolutely adore it! You are right it is just plain HAPPY!!! It’s GREAT! You should be very proud of yourself for doing this!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Yes! Yes! Yes!

Leslie - Those are some happy stairs – love them!!

Ruth Elder - You are one for being creative so….. go online, maybe Pinterest and look up wall art done with paint chips. You find a picture and make it out of ‘pixels’ of paint chips. I think that would be perfect in that hallway.

Kimberlee Jost - It’s stunning! LOVE it. It makes that area so bright and cheery!

Kristy Mendler - I love this! Looks awesome!

Bethany - Obviously this is the happiest staircase ever. And the fact that it’s a back staircase…just another reason to love the craft house. I’ve dreamt of one day having a house with a back staircase since I was a girl.

The Love List | Gloria York's Blog - […] Meg’s stairs make me happy […]

Andrea - I love this….. don’t you have stairs going to a basement???? boy would that be fun!!!!!!

Carol S. - Sensational. And yes, a ton of work!!

Gevay - I am so with you on the painted wood. It looks so clean and happy and bright. There is a designer on that design channel we all love who goes on and on about how awful it is to paint wood and how people are terrible humans for doing it. She’s been shaming me and now you have set me free to enjoy my painted wood again! Thank you MEG!!! 😉

Beth - Yep, SO COOL! I love it. Job well done!

Judy - Those stairs just make me happy to look at them! Fantastic idea!! I bet you feel happy every time you walk upstairs!! :0)

Talia - LOVE this! Please do this at my house! 🙂

jennyonthespot - Oh Meg. So much the very, VERY BEST!!!

Lisa - I freaking LOVE it! I am with you on the wood being depressing, I would have to paint it all white too…I know lots of people would not approve of that, but oh well!

jennibell - Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. Really, there are just NO other words. These are the BEST!!!

Kimberly - That staircase looks so light, bright, and happy now! I love it! Kudos to you for the patience it took to paint all of that!

bekkah - wow! this is impressive; your dedication/patience is inspiring 🙂

i totally know what you mean about being comfortable in your space vs someone else’s. i LOVE all the colors in your home/craft home but at the end of the day i am a neutrals/minimalist girl.

Kathleen W. - That is so awesome, bright & cheery ! Makes me want to paint my stairs ! You rock Meg !

iralee poore - yup- i love it! i know it was hard and a long process but it looks lovely!!

Megan - Meg-
you are sooooo awesome! thanks for posting the whole shebang…..I can hardly wait to do my back staircase! I have to wait until school lets out (I teach) but as soon as the end of June rolls around….I am breaking out the rainbow paints!

Thanks so much for inspiring me and helping me to be creative!

Jen@thecottagenest - It looks amazing! I could move right into the craft house!

robin - Best.inspirational staircase ever!!…

Kristin S - That is a true labor of love and I so love the end result!

I painted my two garage steps lime green a few years ago and it still makes me happy when I pull in my garage. Rainbow would be dreamy.

Corinne - Hi
Wondered what poly you used there’s no pic. All the ones I’ve tried on white turn yellow and I end up sanding and repainting. Looking at my coffee table now and I have to repaint again to get back to white. Love the stairs. Thanks

Janelle - If I had a million dollars, I would offer it to your for your house. It is so well done, with so much love & thoughtfulness!

Kristen - Meg, I love the way that you feed my need for COLOR!!!! There are 7.2 zillion projects that I should be doing at our house, but I just wanna paint my stairs now!!!!! You did an amazing job!!!

Kristin F. - They look amazing!! And I am completely with you on the painted wood bandwagon. We are in the process of buying my parents’ 1987 log home and the VERY first thing on our agenda? Paint every surface white. I cannot wait to live surrounded by painted wood logs.

Julie - Such a light bright cheery stairway to walk up and down in now. How old is the house Meg?

Kelly - I have never seen a prettier set of stairs! I bet it just makes you smile every time that you see them.

Oh.. and I completely agree about wood tones!

Su - I don’t like purple either. Noticed it got left off the stairs 🙂

And I could not live in a log cabin or a house with wood cabinets, wood trim, wood paneling either. . .when we moved into this house I painted everything white. . it was definitely 70s, Brady Bunch style wood. . .now it is happy.

Thanks for sharing the colors. . pinning it. ..I want to do my dining room chairs each a color.

Pam - Good heavens, we just did some painting so I can imagine how much time it took. And glory how hard to have done all that work and not see it every day. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful!

Cathy - I love it! A trick I’ve learned in all the painting I’ve done: paint, let it dry, tape, paint over the tape with the same color. After it dries, paint the bordering color. The first color is what will bleed under your tape a little bit and that’s ok because that’s the color you put down first. The bordering color won’t bleed through. Remove the tape and you’ll have a perfect clean line.

Ame - That is brilliant – what a fun, incredibly happy idea!

kim - lady, you are DEDICATED. this looks like SO much work (and love) went into them. the payoff is GRAND, they look amazing!! can’t wait to see these in person!

Kit - Meg! Way to go, it’s completely awesome!

sharon / theprincipledtype.blogspot.com - you are so brave and i am so chicken! lol. your ‘more color’ life beckons.

KWolff - Way to go! This would definitely make trekking up stairs a lot more fun! 🙂

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craft weekend – february

March 4, 2015

what a beautiful group of ladies!
they were each so kind to each other and had a happiness about them.
i like meeting all these women each year.
Craft Weekend makes for some great friends!

there was major EPIC swag in february too!
the post about each one is coming later week filled with discounts.

this is the “christmas morning” part of CW…opening all the swag.
we go over each item sent and talk about the fabulous companies that sent them.
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my sister painted that cow for me. she oversees all that goes on at the CH. Moooooo.
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and then we get down to business.
friday night is for new friends, margaritas and ruffle aprons!

so many decisions to make… fabric patterns and colors and the ribbon… full or a half apron… what other details to add… what time to stop and go to bed… how to sew for the first time (for some).
it’s a big project that takes much longer than it seems like it would.

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kimberlee makes the dessert while we are apron making just after dinner.
like… starts and makes the whole thing right there!
what a gift she is to all of us.
having someone bring you a plate of warm bread pudding just out of the oven… covered in carmel sauce… while you craft is probably in my top ten good things about life. HA!
this dessert is to die for!

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finished… at 1:00 am.
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The Burlap Bag sent some candles to make The Craft House smell amazing.
you wouldn’t guess but Unicorn Puke smells pretty awesome.
like… starburst? skittles? we couldn’t pin point it but it was close to that.

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creme brûlée french toast with homemade raspberry butter… cheesy potatoes and strawberries.
i mean… WHAT!?
amazing kimberlee!

we were sure that saturday would be freezing but it turned out to be blue skies and sunny!
which made shopping at Bearly Makin’ It and the Mill so much more enjoyable!
i always like to see piles of old things whether it’s locks & sanders or green dishes, potato mashers or scoops.
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the blue sky was much needed!
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Mhairi is die hard… she searched through all those cubbies!

does anyone need a salt & pepper shaker??
i liked the silver toaster on the second from the bottom… the salt was a piece of white bread and the pepper was dark bread.

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several of these metal gold letters came home with me.
i spelled out c r a f t and f u n.
dianna got M e a t.
ha ha ha… she did! but the M will be displayed separate from e a t 🙂

sarah was shocked to see a banner from her hometown in this little kansas antique shop!

those look like happy shoppers!
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there was show-and-tell when we got back.
i love seeing what caught people’s eye.
and it’s sweet how everyone says “ohhhh this is cool! who got this?”
or “i never saw this! i LOVE it!”

we get right back to crafting on saturday night.
keri taught us how to make string & nail art.
not a quiet craft… but a really fun project!

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i took more pictures but my pictures look weird so this maple leaf is the one i will share.
it is super cute!

the stamped metal cuff bracelets are so fun to make that we made them again!
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stephanie didn’t want sarah to go home with out her cuff completed so she finished it quickly for her.
new friends are awesome.

we made pillow shams too!
we cut circles from scrap fabric and sewed them down in a line on the front side of a pillow.

every ruffle is awesome!
so much color and happiness. 🙂

these are the roomies at the big Craft Weekend slumber party!
our friend keri came from california to be a helper & our friend Dianna came from across town to be our helper too!
it was so fun to have friends from near and far!
kimberlee made us such great food all weekend & takes care of all kinds of details.
our helpers keep so busy cleaning up and making sure everyone has what they need.
this month they even fixed a toilet!?!
you never know what might happen at Craft Weekend.

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the california and arizona girls were loving the snow… for a minute.
then they were cold.
🙂

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wishing we were still crafting together girls!
thank you for letting me have the world’s most awesome job!

if YOU would like to come a Craft Weekend someday… all the information is HERE.
there is a reeeeeeeally long waiting list but we use a lottery system to pick so everyone has the same chance to get in.
but you will never get a chance if you don’t get on the list. 🙂

Also… you and your friends can reserve The Craft House for your own weekend getaway!
All the details on using the house with your friends is HERE.
it’s perfect for a church group… quilting/sewing groups…. crafters… or just a girls getaway.

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Susanne - A craft weekend may be added to my bucket list – and I don’t even know how to sew – but you make it look like SO MUCH FUN! (I sewed in home ec once – I made a pair of kids pajamas. I got a C- because she knew I tried really hard.)

Tracey - Would you please, please tell me where you found the nesting doll fabric?

Amy Woods - Swoon. Just swoon.

I’m on the waitlist…but, I’m such an introvert, I’ll probably back out if I ever get picked. I hope I don’t though..back out that is! 😉

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Hey beautiful girls! So awesome. Miss you guys. Especially Kim-Burly’s desserts.

leslie - Hi Meg-

Can you do a quick rundown of how you make the name badges. The obvious part is cut scraps and quick stitch together. What I want to know is- do you use a special ink, and does it bleed when wet? Do you stiffen the back and how do you attach the pin (hot glue? hand stitching?). Just curious, they are adorable. Thanks!

Renice - Even before I read which salt and pepper shaker you liked, I was looking for the little toaster. My grandma had a salt and pepper collection and the little silver toaster with white and black slices of bread was always my favorite. Before she died she asked me if I wanted to pick one and that’s the one I picked. I just love it! I noticed a few others she had too. I’d love to search through those antique stores you have there. They look like so much fun!

Pam - I would love to make those aprons with my girl scout troop. Would you email me the measurements for the ruffles, and do you use a premade apron to start with?

thanks a million
pam creech
pea ridge, AR
Troop 5780

tiffany day - So fun! I am on the list and keep trusting/hoping that when my name is picked I will be able to go – it will be perfect timing!

But just so you know, I would LOVE – LOVE – LOVE to come as a helper for sure! I have NEVER used a sowing machine – i know! I am willing to try/learn but honestly – I have a heart to help, no matter where I am – so being a helper at a Craft Weekend would be SO great! Just sayin’ 🙂

also, for the shopping at the flea market – are there arrangements to ship your stuff home?? I would so over buy and not be able to bring it all back in my suitcase!

Love your blog – your IG and well you! So glad I found you on the “internets” 😉

xo
Tiffany

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you should do this.

November 19, 2014

Craft Weekend is super fun.
but of the several thousand on the wait list…
only 12 people get picked per weekend.
AND we know that we aren’t doing as many CWs next year as we have the past two years.
so that leaves you with one more option…..

RESERVE THE CRAFT HOUSE for your own girls weekend!
pick a date and get your friends together!
they can come from all over the US!
you can pick them up at the airport!
did you know the Amtrak train stops in Newton?! So you could even take a train!?
you can see friends from way-back-when reunited at the craft house!
or get your best girlfriends from right now… your neighbors… your co-workers… your sisters or mom… your church group… your exercise group…. your homeschool coop moms… your college roommates…. your sorority sisters… your scrapbook friends… your quilting group… your crafting friends…
🙂 and my best idea yet…. get your best ONLINE friends together and MEET each other!
AT THE CRAFT HOUSE!!!
i PRoMiSE that you will have the best time!
it’s comfy and bright and everything you need for a relaxing weekend!

it is also 100% fine to come to the Craft House and NOT make crafts.
you will still love it here.

i also share with you all my favorite places to shop and eat too.

if you Reserve your date for 2015 by November 30 you can get the sale price of $1200 for friday- sunday!
that is $300 off!
20% discount for planning ahead for your awesome weekend!

11.14crafthouse-01 11.14crafthouse-03 11.14crafthouse-04 11.14crafthouse-06 11.14crafthouse-07 11.14crafthouse-08 11.14crafthouse-10 11.14crafthouse-11 11.14crafthouse-12 11.14crafthouse-14 11.14crafthouse-15

You can go through the 2015 calendar HERE.

or to make it easier still – here are the available dates left:

December 12-14 …… December 19-21 …….. December 26-28
i list those because maybe you want to have a last minute christmas craft night… or have all your family in one place without having to go to a hotel?
this is funny but at my past december girls weekends i would bring all my gifts and wrap them! productive while having girl time too!
The house is available for one day uses also for parties… for work or church or just for fun!

January 2- 3 …… January 23-25 …… January 30 – feb 1

March 13-15 ….. March 20-22 ….. march 27-29

April 3-5 (fyi…easter weekend)

May 8-10 …… May 15-17 …… May 22-24 (memorial day weekend) …… May 29 – 31

June 12-15 …… June 19-21

ALL of July is open!

August 7-9 …… August 14-16 ….. August 21-23

September 4-6 (labor day weekend) ……. September 25-27

October 2-4 ….. October 9-11 …..October 23-25 ….. October 30- Nov 1

Nov 6-8 …… Nov 20-22 ….. Nov. 27-29 (thanksgiving weekend)

i hope you pick one and make it happen this year!

if this isn’t your kind of thing… would you kindly share this post with people you know that would like it?!
because you are nice.
🙂
thanks!

more DETAILS on RESERVING the HOUSE are HERE. and HERE too.

email me at cdduerksen@yahoo.com with any additional questions you have!

and thanks for the photos Ashley!!!

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Lisa - So sad. I was lucky enough to get picked once for CW and the timing for me was off. Fingers crossed my name is picked again.

meg duerksen - Hi Kristen! It’s totally ok to ask. YES i own the craft house. my family lived here for seven awesome years and remodeled it top to bottom. The same year that we were looking to move since our kids were attending a different school district, the idea of craft weekends came to be. So we moved but decided to keep the craft house for my business and also open it to share with other women’s groups. When i talk about Craft Weekend… i am hosting them. We provide everything at CW (food, craft supplies, lodging) and the women purchase tickets to come. When i talk about reserving the house… i am not there. The renters get a key and use the house on their own for the weekend. Did that answer your questions?

kristen - I hope it’s ok that I ask this! I’ve always been SO confused by the craft weekends – do you own the craft house? Do you put the craft weekends on? (I realize that in this post you are advertising the house for rent/use.) Thanks for clearing up my confusion!

Amy Woods - I would LOVE this!!! But, I’d want to use your yummy craft supplies! 🙂

Jacci M - I was able to stay in the Craft House over Fourth of July weekend this past summer, and it was SO TERRIFIC. Truly beautiful. I would love to get a group of friends together some time and go back!

Michelle from Australia - Wishing Newton was closer to Australia. Or Australia was closer to Newton. I don’t mind which 🙂

Katie Skiff - I wish you were closer!! I would love to do that. I have plans – God sized plans and dreams – to do something here closer to home. I just want you to move the craft house to MT. That is all.

Heidi DeGroot - Shared on my Facebook page. I would love to go to the craft house for a family reunion!

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you need to get here.

April 30, 2014

You need a break.
you need time to talk late into the night and starting over at breakfast.
Your friends miss you.
You miss your friends.
You need some creative time that is uninterrupted.
You need to use the bathroom without someone knocking on the door.
You need a diaper free weekend.
You need to sleep in.
You are singing frozen songs alone in your car.
The Craft House is waiting for you…
it’s time to pick a date and get here already!

🙂

i asked the groups that have stayed at the Craft House for their own weekend some questions about their stay. It was so much fun to read their answers! It made me so happy! it’s lovely to see this home that we loved so deeply & cared about every detail being used in this beautiful way. God is so cool how He works out the dreams in our heart! His plans for us are always so good and amazing.

(the different colors are different answers. not every color means the same person. it just looked pretty)

1. What did your group use the Craft House for?

* We use our stays for scrapbooking and crafting, and just hanging out with creative people!

* we had a crafting girls weekend

* We set up our own craft weekend. We shopped oggie’s barn, downtown Marion and downtown Newton. We slept in, stayed up late, chatted, laughed, enjoyed our friends.

* we stayed for a conference that we watched via the internet

* Everyone in our group did their own thing. Some crafted, some scrapbooked, some quilted, others just drank wine and thrifted.

* Our group was a combination of scrap-bookers, quilters, crafters, and jewelry-makers. The space accommodated all our needs quite well.

* Momma bonding time, sewing, scrapbooking, crocheting, arm knitting, and relaxing.

2. Did you cook your own food, go out to eat or get take out/delivery while you were at the Craft house?

* We normally cook our own food. We learned the first time that we had way too much food, so our second trip we tried to plan better and not get carried away with meal planning. We did make a Friday night trip to the donut shop. It was fun, but I am not sure the donut shop will ever be the same!

* We take turns cooking meals in groups of 3-4. That way, each person only ends up having to cook one time the whole weekend, and the rest of the meals are homemade awesomeness done for us by the rest of our group! We also love having themed meals like Italian, Mexican, etc…

* we brought most of our own food to cook. some of it was easy and pre made, and one of the nights we went out to dinner out on the town.

* We ate out on Friday night (can’t remember the place?!) and did a late night donut stop 🙂 For the rest of the weekend, we cooked! Our sweet friend who lives in Wichita did all our grocery shopping for us. We made a big breakfast and dinner on Saturday and snacked all day long. It was glorious. The kitchen is well stocked with every tool or gadget you need!

* I paired up girls and each pair was responsible for providing 1 meal for the entire weekend for everyone… All meals were prepared ahead of time to minimize time in the kitchen while we were there.

* We went out to eat Friday night and cooked soups made ahead of time for Saturday night. We all divided up and brought sandwich stuff, chips, fruit, etc for lunch. Everyone brought their own breakfast. It was nice for no one to have to spend time cooking! We also checked out the midnight donut run!!!

* We split up the meals and cooked. It worked great for us and the kitchen is amazing which made it more fun for me than cooking at my house. Or maybe that was just the other women cleaning up after me?

* We split up the meals and everybody helped cook and clean up. Dishes are much more fun with friends! We also had everybody bring candy to share so we quite the “sugar station”

3. Did you enjoy your stay? What was the best part of staying at the Craft House?

* Of course we enjoy our stay! I would go once a month if I could, but I think my family would get a bit suspicious! My favorite part of my stays at the Craft House is always walking in. I am selfish and get there a little bit early and just wander around alone (shhh-don’t tell the girls I come with!) It is truly magical to me, I think because as a mom, wife, and business owner, especially with sons, it is a beautiful peaceful place where I can spend a little time focusing on myself even if I am with a group of friends. Walking into the craft house means that I am off duty for a few days, and I LOVE that. I come home refreshed and ready to be a mom and wife again. I also enjoy waking up in the mornings without the sound of televisions or little ones wanting breakfast. Plus, with only women, I know the toilet seat will be down. 🙂

* YES!!!! Bonding with girlfriends, playing hide and seek in the dark (yes, we totally did and it was awesome!), staying up late, laughing until we lost our voices, getting to work on projects without interruption, enjoying the beautiful house and décor.

* it was such a blast. it felt like a giant slumber party at the cutest, most well decorated, pinterest-came-to-life home ever! the best part was that it felt like we were staying in someone’s actual house, being hosted, thoughtfully and comfortably. it was just nice to go to a home, that could accommodate that many women (who usually take care of everyone else’s needs), and feel like we could rest.

* Heck yes!! Our favorite part was EVERyTHING!! Staying in a super cute, creativity-inspiring, clean home… Far enough from home to experience freedom, close enough to not spend majority of time off traveling. Uninterrupted time chatting with girlfriends, treasure hunting… Livin’ the dream!!!

* YES! Can’t wait to do it again! Our favorite part was the ENERGY at the house! It was inspiring and relaxing and rejuvenating.

* We absolutely enjoyed our stay…it was hard to leave! My favorite part was the bright, open, airy, beautifully decorated space. My home is fairly “neutral” so it was very refreshing to spend time in such a colorful, inspiring home.

* I LOVED it. I would live at the Craft House if Meg would let me. I don’t think I can come up with just one “best part.” I love everything about the Craft House. It’s where I was born to live.

* The house is incredibly beautiful and comfortable. We all felt incredibly cared for while we were there. My favorite part was spending time with girlfriends in a beautiful home!

* We absolutely loved it!! My favorite part was the togetherness getaway with friends. As for the actual house, the fact that there was so much room to spread out and leave it all out while working.

4. What do you think every lady needs to know about the Craft House?

* Every group of ladies needs to know that they should come to the craft house! It is so refreshing and wonderful. You will not regret your trip!

* you need to know that it’s a great hideaway, nearby, but far enough away to escape daily routine and mundane. so good for the soul.

* Go, even if you are not a crafter, go! We had crafters and non crafters, some close friends, others just meeting for the first time. We were all young moms needing a weekend away. All raved about their time, each blessed on a very personal level! The craft house is a beautiful… huge home, with enough adorable beds to sleep all of your nearest and dearest. While it is perfectly designed for crafting with large tables, numerous outlets, and space to spread out… It is a cozy, bright, cheerful home, with amazing character that invites visitors to feel comfortable in their home away from home. It is wonderfully clean and tidy. An environment that is both refreshing and inspiring. To spend time in such a place with friends is a blessing! Communication with the owner at any point prior, during, and after rental was incredibly efficient and kind. Any instructions were simple and clear.

* It is the most amazing place ever and once you go you’ll find yourself wanting to go back. We started planning our next visit before we left. It’s addictive. You’ve been warned.

* I think everyone should know that it is truly an amazing home – and you’re not going to want to leave!!

* It is even more awesome than you can imagine! Be prepared to wish you could stay longer and/or come back annually at the least. It’s like getting to have a grown up slumber party! 😉

* You need to make it happen! There is something so special about being in a beautifully decorated, immaculately cared for home that inspires creativity and relaxation. Meg is so easy to work with and truly cares about making your stay enjoyable and comfortable. Call all your friends – make your Craft House weekend happen!!

* It is amazing!

* This is the best value for a group of ladies to be able to escape and have a low-key weekend with friends!

these are the dates left to choose for 2014.

MAY 9-11 =====$925
MAY 23-25 ====$925

JUNE 6-8 =====$1100
JUNE 13-15====$1100

————————————
remaining weekends $1250 if you reserve now.

JULY 18-20
JULY 25-27

AUGUST 8-10
AUGUST 15-17
AUGUST 22-24
AUGUST 29-31

SEPTEMBER 5-7

OCTOBER 3-5
OCTOBER 24-26
OCTOBER 31- NOV 2

NOVEMBER 14-16
NOVEMBER 21-23
NOVEMBER 28- 30 (maybe your entire family should meet at the craft house for thanksgiving weekend!)

DECEMBER 12-14

the May dates that are available are up for grabs at $925 each!!
the June dates are $1100!
if you make your reservation in the next two weeks the cost of the weekend is only $1250.
that’s $250 off!

email me at cdduerksen@yahoo.com to reserve your date!

do you have questions?

you can read the information HERE from the button at the top of the blog about the Craft House.

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Michele - I am cracking up because as I read this post the Frozen song was running through my head for the billionth time today!!

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1. What did your group use the Craft House for?

2. Did you cook your own food, go out to eat or get take out/delivery while you were at the Craft house?

3. Did you enjoy your stay? What was the best part of staying at the Craft House?

4. What do you think every lady needs to know about the Craft House?

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