Scrap 'n Paradise Retreat, Blanchard

On Saturday morning, a scrapbooker puts the finishing touches on a fresh page. Steaming coffee rests in a cup holder in front of her, and all around her, other crafters are quietly running sewing machines, ironing ribbons, sorting through photographs. There are no chore lists waiting, no families demanding breakfast, no dog waiting by the door for a walk. For the entire day, this room of earnest scrapbookers, sewers, and quilters have nothing to do but focus on their work.

This serene artists' getaway was a paradise realized for its owners, sisters Diana Stavinoha and Carla Rushing. Avid scrapbookers themselves, they designed a 3,000-square-foot retreat to share the gift of time and community with fellow crafters. Clearly designed by experts, the space features a 1,100-square-foot workroom outfitted with a private 6-foot table for each guest. Artists share some professional equipment—a printer, cropping area, sewing machine, stamping station with 300 rubber stamps, and a Cricut station—and shouldn't be shy about bringing their own supplies: the studio has a loading dock and ramp entryway. When not working, crafters can cook in a galley kitchen, lounge in front of the fireplace, or crochet a racket on the tennis courts. Part of the retreat's appeal is the camaraderie shared between visitors, who share four comfortable rooms, gather around a dinner table, and display finished layouts on a "show it off" wall.