A retreat home for creativity

FINDLAY — Located at 1815 Brookside Dr. in Findlay, The Creative Point is a retreat home offering a space that fosters creativity as well as connection among friends and crafters. Co-owners Wanda Ward and Linda Myers created the space as a haven for sewing, quilting, scrapbooking or any craft a heart may desire. "I really wanted to get people together in smaller groups. I've been in large group retreats and it just doesn't seem to be as informal or personal," said Ward. "In other retreats, and I've been on several, they get these huge conference rooms where they have 30 people spread out all over the place and it just feels cold and impersonal." Ward wanted a space that differed from traditional crafting groups in the community. "If you read some of the signs I have here, this one says, 'Friends are family one finds along the way,'" said Ward. "That's what this is, you know, maybe five or six people get together enjoy the place and then what happens is they kind of become this family. They start talking about coming back as a group again so they can get together and feel the camaraderie between everybody. That's what you're doing here, building this love between different people." The Creative Point has not always been a retreat home. The property was originally purchased for Ward's brother, she said. After her husband passed in 2019, she decided to transform the space into a retreat home. "We tore it all down and built it from the ground up again," said Ward. "When I first got it, it was kind of like a blank space. I enjoyed going in and putting in things that I think people would feel comfortable with and enjoy." The retreat home is equipped with a full kitchen, walk-in showers, free WiFi, a washer and dryer, and a crafting area suitable for groups, featuring six individual height-adjustable tables. "We have a big craft room which has a large television if somebody wants to teach a group of people," said Ward. "It's really open to your own perception of crafts. The space is not here to just live in, it's to be creative." Ward is a crafter herself. At the retreat home, her handmade quilts and embroidered art decorate the space. As seasons change, she alternates the artwork on display. Since opening, the retreat home has hosted a variety of small groups from all over. "I do have a friend who lived in Findlay, but she moved to Tennessee," said Ward. "She comes up here with her friends and they play cards all weekend. They love the area and they just decide to come down here and play cards and they love it. They just love it." Although The Creative Point has not been open long, Ward wants to spread awareness about it. She plans to give out brochures to craft stores and craft shops across Ohio and Michigan, even potentially giving away some free retreat stays. For more information on The Creative Point, visit www.yourcreativepoint.com.