Four Local Workshops Offer Inspiration When It’s Needed Most

As we pass the one-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., many of us can say we have spent the extra time at home tackling new projects. However, many of us can also say we have learned that brainstorming and acquiring materials for these endeavors can cause major burnout.

In the past year, several local DIY workshops in Central Virginia—with their expanded, pandemic-friendly offerings—have become an outlet for those wishing to create meaningful and beautiful home décor, without all of the guesswork and legwork. Regardless of your desired DIY experience, inspiration is teeming in and around the Lynchburg community and is only a mouse click—or short drive—away.

For those seeking an at-home DIY experience without spending hours scouring Pinterest for ideas and deciding on materials at home improvement and craft stores, take-home kits are ideal. For a more social experience, you may want to consider signing up for a virtual class or arranging a virtual party so you and a group of friends can delve into your kits and create together.

Board & Brush Creative Studio in Forest now offers BB@home kits that include everything you’ll need, including tools, to create your own custom wood sign.

“The BB@home kits are perfect because they come with everything you need to complete the project!” says owner Stefanie Feese. “Your board comes already stained and your stencil is ready to be applied. You get paint, sponges, cups for mixing paint, sandpaper for distressing, a B&B sticker for the back of the board, a color mixing guide to help create desired colors, and a full page of instructions, complete with pictures!”

Feese adds that Board & Brush has sold the kits for art classes for children doing virtual school, for birthday parties, and for people of all ages simply looking for a rewarding new activity. Virtual workshops are also available.

AR Workshop Lynchburg, which offers a wide variety of DIY projects, opened in November 2020. As such, kits and virtual events were immediately an integral part of the local workshop’s offerings even though they were new to AR Workshop as a corporate entity.

“The pandemic truly made us think outside the box on how we could better serve our community and continue to create a DIY outlet for them,” says owner Jessica Herndon. “Our DIY kits include all materials including stencils, wood, a PrimARy Paint Essentials Kit, brushes, and instructions. Our PrimARy Paint Essentials Kit includes a color-mixing guide to give you endless color options!”

If painting is your passion, Imagination Station Studio in Forest has a couple of kit options for you. “Our Take Home Kits include everything you need to create a project,” says co-owner Gladys Attin. “Ceramic kits include a ceramic character, a set of paints, a paintbrush, and an apron. Paint at Your Own Pace kits include a pre-drawn canvas, paints, brushes, an apron, and a video tutorial that will go step by step for you.” Imagination Station also offers Zoom parties and art camps.

Like AR Workshop, Lynchburg home décor workshop Blue Mountain Barn opened in June of last year and thus had to quickly find its footing during the pandemic. Co-owners Tressa Sariñana and her daughter, Ashtyn, are working to expand their kit offerings, but they are focused primarily on offering small in-house DIY experiences.

“We began to offer classes right away,” Sariñana says. “We offer them in an intimate setting of usually five to eight people. We make sure to space appropriately, wear masks, and have the appropriate PPE on hand. The intimate setting we offer creates a cozy, warm atmosphere. We have a fireplace and a big screen TV with HGTV or the DIY Network on.”

Individuals and groups of two or three people are able to stop by and create whenever the workshop is open, and groups of five or more people are encouraged to reserve exclusive times to come create.

Although DIY class sizes have decreased across the board due to the pandemic, local workshop owners are taking the changes in stride.

“I will admit that I have loved the smaller class sizes,” says Feese. “I thoroughly enjoy the relationships that are built in the smaller setting. You are creating a piece that will be on display in your home, and in the process, you will also be creating memories with the people you choose to attend the workshop with.”

She adds that the most popular class at Board & Brush is currently the PYP (Pick Your Project) class. “These workshops allow each person who registers to select and create their own piece rather than everyone making the same thing,” she notes. “Half of the fun is looking around the room and getting ideas for your next project!”

Herndon says that in-person classes at AR Workshop have continued to thrive because of an enduring desire for connection. “As humans we long to connect with others,” she says.

“Our workshops are such a great way to get together and share laughs, memories, and lots of sawdust! I love the laughter and smiles the shop brings people.”

She notes that porch-related projects such as signs, doormats, pillows, and door hangers have been popular lately because “there is nothing better than a refreshed porch to come home to.”

At Imagination Station, paint nights are now limited to 16 people with precautions in place and two-hour time slots for small private parties are available. Attin hopes that their projects—whether done at the workshop or at home—are therapeutic. “Painting can help you experience and express feelings, gain skills and confidence, and learn coping skills that will provide an outlet for stress,” she says.

Regardless of the particular DIY experience you choose, local workshops can help you find the perfect balance of creativity and connection. “DIY is very important because of the many things it can accomplish,” says Sariñana. “DIY is not just a trend, a meme, or initials. It offers an outlet and provides people with a sense of purpose and a sense of community. Helping people explore their own creativity is so rewarding.”

Since last summer, we have watched the site of the 2021 Lynchburg Living Idea House be transformed from an empty piece of land to a classic Colonial-style home with the latest technology and amenities.

The ongoing pandemic caused product delays, and mother nature played her tricks from time to time. But we pushed through and, by February, we were finally able to put (most of) the finishing touches on the interior and exterior.

Photographer Ashlee Glen took on the task of taking more than 10 portrait shoots for our Idea House Preferred Partners in only a few days before our print deadline. Working alongside her was photographer Woody Watts, who was available at a moment’s notice to take the final interior shots and then returned to the house once ice had melted to take photos of the exterior.

We are proud to unveil this year’s home—flip to page 42 to read the full feature!

Mark Your Calendars

“Ordinary Time: A Visual Record of the In-Between”
March 5 (opening night) – March 31
Local photographer Laura Beth Davidson will be showing her documentary-style collection of family photos at the Academy Center of the Arts’ Up Front Gallery. The collection features real, everyday life with four children. Learn more at www.laurabethdavidson.com. In the May/June issue of Lynchburg Living, learn more about Laura Beth’s work including her family’s challenging year that has made her appreciate the “in-between” even more.

Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express
April 8-11, 15-18, 22-25, 29-30 and May 1, 2
Winner of Wolfbane Productions’ 2021 Audience Choice Poll, don’t miss this thrilling, suspenseful roller coaster of a murder mystery, presented in their one-of-a-kind immersive style. Will you survive the ride? Find more information at wolfbane.org.

United Way 5K on the Runway
April 10, 8 a.m.
Experience Lynchburg Regional Airport like you never have before! This race is perfect for participants who are able to complete a 5K in 60 minutes or less.
The flat course on the taxiway parallel to the main runway is a great place to try and beat your personal record. Register at runsignup.com.

Historic Garden Day
April 20
Part of Historic Garden Week, this annual springtime event allows you to walk through four beautiful properties in Lynchburg at your own pace. Learn more about the history of Historic Garden Week, as well as more details about Lynchburg’s tour, in our This City feature starting on page 93.

Historic Flowers on Display
April 30-May 2, May 7-9, and May 13, 15.
Located in Lynchburg, Stormy Weather Iris Gardens is a private house garden consisting of over 200 varieties of tall bearded iris.
It is one of only two Historic Iris Display Gardens in the state of Virginia. All tours are free
but must be scheduled in advance. Learn more at
www.stormyweatheririsgardens.com.

Reimagine Grocery Shopping
While a trip to your local grocery store is inevitable, you can find a wide range of items for sale in downtown Lynchburg and support local businesses at the same time!
From ramen broth at Aji to oysters at The Water Dog to an expanded grocery store in the Lynchburg Community Market, there are so many diverse products to be found in the heart of our city.

Read more in the Downtown Lynchburg Association’s latest blog, “Creative Ways to Stock your Shelves,” at www.downtownlynchburg.com/our-blog.

Local Openings & Closings
Hello! to a new location of Simply Vanilla Gourmet Cheesecakes at River Ridge.

Hello! to That Latin Place, reopening with new owners on Jefferson Street.

Hello! to Pho Viet, a Vietnamese restaurant in Forest.

Hello! to Black Diamond Day Spa on Timberoak Court.

Goodbye to Jimmy’s on the James, for now.
The restaurant closed down due to COVID-19 restrictions and is currently up for sale.

Hello! to Drift Draft, a mobile tap trailer for rent that serves Bedford and beyond.

Hello! to T.C. Trotter’s on Commerce Street.
The long-time Lynchburg business opened a downtown store specifically for its popular Moose Mix.

Irvington Spring Farm is a family-run flower farm in the heart of Lynchburg that is open to the public from March through October. They sell fresh cut flower bouquets, bunches, arrangements and pollinator-friendly native plants. They also offer two affordable and 100 percent locally grown wedding flower options: DIY buckets and Farmer’s Choice flowers.

Just this year, Irvington Spring Farm started a new “Bouquet Club,” offering memberships for the entire season, spring, and fall. These make a great gift for the flower lovers in your life. Also new in 2021, the farm is offering annual flower plant “starts” and dahlia tubers for sale in the spring/early summer that are perfect for the home gardener to try their hand at growing flowers.

Learn more about the farm, as well as their upcoming outdoor classes, at irvingtonspringfarm.com.

While I can’t remember everything I learned in my college journalism program, there is one foundational lesson that I carry with me: Always plan for
Murphy’s Law.

Murphy’s Law is loosely defined as: “If anything can go wrong, it will.”

So—let’s chat about this issue of the magazine.

If anything could go wrong, get delayed, be quarantined, be running late, be canceled, be snowed/sleeted/rained on in the past month, it did.

I hesitated even writing this editor’s letter—because isn’t that what we do nowadays? Sob uncontrollably behind our phones (an exaggeration… maybe) but then post all of the perfect stuff for everyone to see?

But I thought, maybe it’s okay to admit there were plenty of challenges in making the 2021 Lynchburg Living Idea House a reality, because anyone who has built a new home or attempted any type of major home/garden project—especially during a pandemic—is familiar with the concept of Murphy’s Law. When there are so many balls in the air, something WILL go wrong. It’s how you handle the issues that determines the final outcome.

That being said, after all of the ups and downs, I believe our final outcome is a showstopper—from the classic Colonial-style exterior to the elegant gold fixtures to the high-tech amenities. We are thrilled to take you room by room through this year’s Idea House in our main feature, starting on page 42, and sincerely hope it gives you “ideas” for your next project. Also in our Home & Garden Issue, learn more about the latest in smart home technology, colorful cabinetry, starting plants indoors, Virginia Garden Week, and much more.

Finally, to everyone involved in making this publication a reality—from our numerous Preferred Partners (found on pages 52-67) to the Custom Structures team to the incredible group of freelance writers and photographers I consider myself lucky to work alongside—I thank you for working hard, pushing through to the end, but most importantly, showing a lot of grace. You all are proof that in a world where lots can go wrong, there is plenty going right.

All My Best,
Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com

Top Teacher Awards
While we didn’t get to do many in-person presentations this year, that didn’t stop Lynchburg Living from spreading joy to local educators through our annual Top Teacher Awards. After reviewing dozens of nominations sent in by the community, our panel of judges selected 10 teachers to feature in this issue. In early February, Editor Shelley Basinger delivered a framed certificate as well as a swag bag from Chick-fil-A Wards Road/River Ridge to each teacher.
Flip to page 103 to learn more about this year’s incredible Top Teachers!

“Thank you so much for everything! It was such a great surprise!”
– Itzel Nogueras, Heritage High School

“Thank you so much for this honor”
– Kevin Latham, Fort Hill Community School

– Lauren Hensley, R.S. Payne Elementary School
– Lindsay Donaruma, Yellow Branch Elementary School

We Want To hear From You!
Send us an e-mail to shelley@lynchburgmag.com. Correspondents must identify themselves; names may be withheld on request. Lynchburg Living may edit or condense.

Roll out the red carpet and give me a trophy, because I actually kept one of my New Year’s Resolutions last year.

As 2020 began, I told my husband, “I’m going to reclaim reading this year.” As a child, my nose was always in a book. (Humble brag: I was the number one Accelerated Reader in my elementary school for a couple of years in a row.) But through the years, reading became less of a priority, usually saved for the beach or a plane ride.

So, I set a modest goal to read 15 books in 2020. I figured that was reasonable after only reading maybe one or two books each year in the recent past. Well, not only did I reach that goal (in September as a matter of fact) but I also managed to read five more titles before the ball dropped.

I can now officially say that reading has reclaimed one of my top hobby spots. Getting lost in a book at night after my kids have gone to bed gives me something that’s just for me—it’s a way to refill my cup when I’m often running on empty.

I think there is a stigma that New Year’s Resolutions, or goals in general, have to be something that’s either super hard or something we don’t really enjoy. But with all that’s going on in the world, who has time for that?

As I saw on a fitness-related Instagram post the other day:
If you don’t like running, don’t try to run as a way to shed pounds. If you love breakfast, don’t choose the intermittent fasting diet.

Remember to be true to yourself when goal-setting or resolution-making as we enter what’s expected to be another roller coaster year. And also, remember to take care of yourself first, before trying to help others. There is a reason why flight attendants tell you to put on your oxygen mask first. An empty cup has nothing to pour out.

What will you change this year to improve your life? I would love to hear from you.

Also, book recommendations are welcome—I’m shooting for 30 in 2021.

All my best,

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com