Forage the Forest Floor: Framing Nature’s Small Wonders

By late November, the woods are full of quiet beauty — textured bark, soft moss, skeletal leaves, and fallen twigs, all the small things we usually walk right past. Maybe this year you might want to try to forage the gifts left behind. This workshop is your pre-holiday sanctuary: no pressure to sketch or paint, just an invitation to slow down and see the extraordinary in the ordinary. Together, we’ll forage and select the best natural elements and arrange them into striking, modern 3D shadow boxes that bring the quiet energy of the woods into your home.

🌰 A quick but important note on timing

 If you’d like to forage your own materials (highly encouraged!), plan to gather in early October. Pressing and drying takes about six weeks, so anything you collect now will be perfectly ready by our November class. Don’t worry if you can’t get out to gather — I’ll bring a gorgeous buffet of pre-dried natural elements too.

🌟 What we’ll explore and create:

• Double the fun — You’ll design and create two custom shadow boxes: one to keep, one to give.
• Staining & prep — Learn to stain raw pine for a warm, finished look.
• The forager’s eye — Master visual balance using organic textures and shapes.
• Tactile materials — Work with dried flowers, pebbles, shells, birch bark, twigs, and grasses.
• Artistic accents — Layer in colorful yarn, glass tiles, and ceramic pieces.
• Seasonal aromas — Add dried citrus peel for a cozy, wintry scent.
• Hang it up — Want it on the wall instead of the shelf? We’ll attach a twine handle, so your shadow box can hang.
• The perfect gift — These make beautiful, personal Thanksgiving tokens for the people you love.

📋 Workshop Details

• When: Saturday, November 21, 2026
• Time: 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM (3 hours of cozy creating)
• Price: $45 — includes two boxes, stains, and all materials
• Where: Whatcom Art Center, Bellingham, WA
• Class size: Limited to 14
• Ages: 14+

👉 [RESERVE YOUR SHADOW BOX SPOT TODAY] — Spaces fill quickly for our cozy late-fall sessions. Claim your seat!

A quick note on cancellations: I know plans change! If you need to cancel 7 or more full days before class, you’ll receive a full refund within 3 business days. Canceling 3–6 full days before class earns you 100% store credit of the amount paid, toward a future class. Canceling less than 3 full days before class earns 50% store credit of the amount paid. Unfortunately, day-of cancellations and no-shows aren’t eligible for a refund or credit, since materials are prepped per person in advance. Thanks so much for understanding!