☆ Witch Hats & Wants ☆

"The mature Ego wants, more than anything in life, to make real the dreams the Soul has been weaving since before our birth." -Bill Plotkin

What if desire wasn't a bad thing? What if your attraction to beauty, to lovely things, to possibility and a life you love was something to be celebrated?

Let's make it so by focusing on what we want to call towards us, what we want to pull down into being, as celebrate what's already come our way and create reversible nuno-felted witch hats*.

We'll carefully layer wool to form a witchy hat* over a resist.

Then we will spend several hours rubbing and rolling it into one cohesive fabric!

For the wool-curious 16 and up. Younger? Bring an adult! Wear clothes that can get wet. We will likely be outside, shaded, and you can expect to get some water on you, so bring anything to help you feel comfortable outside (hat, sunscreen), wear quick dry clothing, and bring a towel. Wet felting is a labor-intensive process, and includes lots of time spent standing. We take breaks, sit, and change position as needed. It is a workout for the arms, shoulders, and back. Expect pruny, soapy hands, and having fun getting to know your neighbors.

*It's possible to reduce the tip so that you have a regular, non-witchy, wide brimmed hat.*

Limited to 8 folks ages 16+. 4 minimum to make the class.

📍Event Details

6-hour class broken up into (2) 3-hour sessions.

Friday, September 5 · 4 to 7 pm and Saturday, September 6 · 9 am to 12 pm

Sliding Scale $150-250. Give what feels appropriate and great for you to give.

Additional Details:

Registration required. Registration closes 24 hours prior to the event.

The registration fee is non-refundable unless the event is canceled by the facilitator.

Parking Information

Shakti in the Mountains Website

✨ Led by Laura Marie Blankenship

Laura Marie Blankenship is a native of Abingdon, Virginia who believes in the transformative power of the arts, Mother Nature, and mindfulness practices.

Laura holds a Bachelors in Psychology from William and Mary, but is equally proud of the education she has sought out herself: her 230 hour yoga teacher training, the 1000+ miles she has section hiked on the Appalachian Trail; the 2 years she volunteered on a suicide & crisis hotline; the year she spent a year as a wilderness therapy field guide, and two winters spent teaching ski lessons.

You may know Laura if you attend local live music; in 2014 Laura began painting musicians live in concert under the name "LaMB Fine Art'; she has painted over 200 live music paintings, to the music of River Whyless, Amythyst Kiah, Annabelle's Curse, Leftover Salmon, and 49 Winchester, among others.

Laura has taken felting, painting, & meditation classes at Penland (NC), Snow Farm (MA), and Blue Ridge Fiber Fest (NC), and annually takes classes and teaches at various primitive skills gatherings. She has taught art in public schools since 2022.

Laura's approach to teaching art is "try it and see". At her core, she knows that arts offer us the opportunity to practice experimenting; cultivate confidence in our decision-making skills; and teach us to embrace creative choices both within our artistic projects and in the ongoing, ever-evolving project that is our life, so that we may create something truly new and unique to us. Her students say they leave feeling empowered and safe to be creative artistically, and that they learned the only "right way" to make art is the way that feels right to them.

Learn more here.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Shakti in the Mountains, 409 East Unaka Avenue, Johnson City, United States