Wildflower Wisdom Journal
Create a journal that blooms with meaning
Instructors: Dee Gray & Patti Euler
Dates: March 14th & 15th, 2026
Time: 10:00 - 4:30 Saturday & 10:00 – 3:30 Sunday
Cost: $225.00 (Most Materials are included)
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Join Dee Gray and Patti Euler for an intimate mixed-media workshop handcrafting a deeply personal art journal using beautiful handmade and curated papers. In this delightful session, you will embark on a journey to create two hand-bound Journals, one to keep and maybe one to give as a gift. These journals are ingeniously crafted from a simple packing envelope—because who knew recycling could be this fun?
The experience is thoughtfully divided into three enriching parts: we’ll kick off by creating the covers of our journals then Patti and Dee will guide you through the essential techniques of book binding, showing you how to create beautiful signatures and stitch your journals together like a pro. Next you will have the opportunity to work in your journal using collage materials and color-harmonized collage imagery, and quotes chosen to inspire reflection, growth, and wisdom. With gentle guidance, you’ll explore layering techniques and journal prompts that tell a story, and you’ll be encouraged to add your own words whenever the moment feels right.
To finish, you’ll design unique hanging strands of handmade shrink-plastic flowers and beads that attach to your journal’s spine. These delicate, dangling accents add a touch of whimsy and beauty — a reminder that creativity and personal growth often flower together. Once you learn this amazing and fun shrink plastic technique you can use this newly developed skill for other art projects and jewelry making.
Workshop objective
Whether your journal becomes a sanctuary for secrets, a canvas for dreams, or a
treasure trove for travel adventures, this workshop is all about carving out precious time
for your artistic expression. If you are a seasoned artist or a curious beginner, this
workshop invites you to unleash your imagination and embark on a journey through the
pages of your art journal. So come ready to engage, create, and most importantly, have
fun! We'll provide all of the materials, just bring a few tools, and your enthusiasm!
What You’ll Experience:
Day 1
- Techniques in creating an art journal with 4 signatures using an easy pamphlet stitch.
- A focus on creating decorative journal pages using collage material, quotes, positive affirmations and journal prompts.
- A powerful practice of self-reflection and creative empowerment
Day 2
- The art of creating beautiful flowers with shrink plastic and colored pencils
- Embellish your journals
We Will Provide:
- Four sheets of Handmade Papers 22x30 (There will be a variety to choose from)
- 27 sheets of parchment paper for each book
- 12 sheets of graph paper for each book
- 4 sheets of decorative card stock for each book
- 10x13 Packing envelope
- 9x12 Packing envelope
- Bookbinding adhesive
- Ephemera/Collage Pack
- Imagery
- Words & Phrases
- Wax Linen and Tapestry Needle
- Shrink Plastic
- Flower Template
- Headpins
- Assortment of focal beads
- Bead cocktail of mixed seed beads
Shared Tools
Heat Guns
Awls
Jewelry tools
Double-sided tape
Shrink Plastic Molds
Students Bring:
- Detail Scissors and Regular size scissors.
- Self Healing Cutting Mat
- Colored pencils (Prisma Color, Derwent or other Artist brand pencils recommended)
- Paint Brushes (1-inch or 1 ½ “flat brush - nothing smaller. This brush will be used to apply the bookbinding glue on your covers and collaging some of your journal pages.)
- If you have them, bring flat nose pliers and needle nose pliers
- Pencil and paper for notes
We hope you will join us for this remarkable two-day event that is sure to rejuvenate your spirit and ignite your passion for art.
For more information, please contact Patti Euler 301-346-3773
Hotel and Travel
Hotel Accommodations: If you need hotel accommodations there are two within 3 miles of the studio. A quick and easy Uber ride if you don't have a car.
https://www.extendedstayamerica.com
Extended Stay 805-692-1882
4870 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93111.
https://www.sbramada.com
Ramada by Wyndham 805-319-4314
4770 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93110
Air Travel: Santa Barbara is the closest and easiest airport to get in and out of
Refund policy - Retreats are an intimate experience and this one is capped at 12 students. Please fully commit to attending and taking part in our retreats when you book. Payment in full is due upon registering. Cancellations within 30 days of the event are refundable minus a $50 processing fee.
Bio for Patti Euler
Patti Euler is an inspiring mixed media artist and a Golden certified artist educator based in Mt. Airy, Maryland. Her profound passion for art shines not only through her own captivating creations but also through her unwavering commitment to nurturing the artistic journeys of others. Over her remarkable 24-year tenure at The Queen's Ink, Patti has cultivated an atmosphere of generosity and warmth, transforming her classes into joyful experiences filled with laughter and creativity. As the visionary behind The Queen's Ink
online art supply store, she has meticulously curated a selection of materials designed to ignite the creative spirit in every artist. Her latest initiative, Art Escapade, promises to be an
exhilarating series of mixed media retreats that will feature a diverse array of guest artists, giving a unique opportunity for participants to explore and expand their artistic skills. Patti serves as a true catalyst for artists at all levels, from beginners to seasoned artisans, encouraging them to embrace their creativity and express themselves authentically.
Bio for Dee Gray
Dee Gray is an artist whose life has been shaped by the rhythm of creativity — a dance between color, form, and soul. A weaver of stories through paint, paper, and found treasures, her work spans decades as both creator and guide. Dee’s journey has always circled back to art’s power to heal, inspire, and transform. Through intimate workshops scattered across Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, she offers a sanctuary for curious hands and restless hearts — a place where layers of paint and story intertwine, and where each person is gently led to uncover the artist within. — Dee’s creative life grew from roots that ran deep. Her hands have shaped sculptures, conjured images in paint, captured light through a lens, and embraced the beauty of forgotten objects, reborn in assemblage. To her, art is a conversation with the unseen, a bridge between the inner world and the tangible. Teaching is an extension of this dance — an offering, an invitation — where she calls others to step into their own flow of creation, to let intuition guide them beyond fear, and to find, within the process, the quiet joy of becoming.