& CREATIVE STUDIO DIY girl's night out

By Molly Milroy

Looking for a fun girl’s night out? Need to let out some aggression? Are you crafty and want to try your hands at something new? Or perhaps you are not crafty but want to surprise yourself in your hidden talents. Check out Board and Brush Creative Studio, which offers a custom DIY experience through creating a home décor project. It’s a fun and rewarding way to spend an evening with friends, co-workers, or family members. With over 400 designs to choose from, you’ll be sure to find one that suits your style.

After attending a workshop in the Milwaukee area, owner Kristen Sawyer knew Duluth would be a perfect spot for a studio.

“I fell in love with the process and the atmosphere,” she explained.

After securing franchise rights, she opened the studio, located on the corner of East 4th Street and North 8th Avenue East in Duluth, in February 2018. Our group, co-workers from The Woman Today, tried our hands at it this past January. Overall, we were surprised at how quickly the night went by and were pleased with the outcomes of our boards.

“I really enjoyed the relaxing environment, we were able to laugh, chat, eat snacks and enjoy each other’s company,” said Ali Comnick, account executive at the magazine.

Kristine Jokela and her daughter Kaitlyn Sande have attended multiple workshops.

“It’s one of those things you think ‘I can do this at home’, but you can’t,” said Jokela.

“It’s convenient, everything is available right here,” added Sande.

Dominique Menard (top) instructs participants of a DIY class at Board & Brush Creative Studio in Duluth. Kathleen Pennington (middle) distresses her board with a hammer for her project. Renae Ronquist (bottom) paints the stencil design on her board.

“This is a DIY night, with the emphasis on ‘Y,’” explained employee Dominique Menard.

The process takes three hours. Five of us co-workers sprawled out on our high-top table. Our first task was distressing the boards. Using hammers, meat mallets, chicken wire, nails, and other tools, we pounded our boards.

“All of these can be used to create different impressions,” Menard explained. “And if you’ve had a stressful week, it’s a great time to let any aggression out.”

Jokela added, “You don’t realize how much work you have to do to make it look like that, to make it look weathered and give it character.”

After distressing we spent time sanding the boards, followed by choosing one of the variety of stains. When the staining process was complete, we let our boards dry and took a little break to indulge ourselves in the snacks and beverages we brought in. Once the board was dry, it was time to place our stencil on it and paint over it. The design you choose from their selection found online can be altered by several different stain options and a multitude of paint colors.

For those of you who are not as crafty, this is the place to be!

“I was surprised at how easy it was,” Comnick said. “I thought that I would need more help from the B&B team, but I was able to do my board completely on my own.”

Led step by step, it’s an easy to follow process and there are staff available to answer questions or assist when needed. “The process is very forgiving,” said Menard.

Workshops

Workshops are offered every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, but you can also book private parties, including bachelorette parties and parties for children 6 years old and older.

Jokela and Sande find that it’s a great mother-daughter night out.

“We’re best friends,” said Jokela, “and it’s a great way to spend time together.”

“I love it,” added Sande. “It’s therapeutic.”

“It is,” Jokela continued. “Working with your hands, it’s almost like coloring, it’s a great outlet.”

Each workshop can host up to 20 people, with four large tables to work on.

“Not only are you going home with a beautiful piece of home décor, but you also get to spend time with your girlfriends,” Sawyer said.

If You Go

• Select Your Design Online: When you sign up, you select one out of hundreds of designs. Be sure to check the size of the board as some are much larger than others. You can choose to use a different stain or paint color than the one in the online image.

• Wear Older Clothing: Although they supply aprons, it can be a messy process and you will be sanding and staining. As a precaution, be sure to dress in clothes you don’t mind getting dust or stain on.

• BYOB: The studio allows you to bring in food and beverages of your choice. They even have a small refrigerator where you can keep your beverages and they supply some of their own. Our group brought in a cheese and cracker tray, fruit, chips and salsa.

Board & Brush Creative Studio is the perfect night out for socializing, having fun, and making a chic home décor piece. The atmosphere is upbeat with great music and high energy from the employees. You’ll be surprised at how fast the three hours goes by, leaving you with wanting to come back for more.

“You are left with a beautiful finished product,” Comnick exclaimed. “I will for sure be taking another class.”

To sign up for a workshop and browse the designs, visit https://boardandbrush. com/duluth. D

Ali Comnick applies a stencil (top) to her board, paints it a crisp white, and reveals the finished product -- a snowman welcome sign.