join me…
…and an intimate group of creatives, on a colorful journey to Todos Santos along the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur in Mexico that will leave you feeling inspired by the magic that is natural color!
The Cookin’ Color Natural Dye Retreat is designed for those who are curious about the earth’s rainbow palette and how to capture its unique hues on all kinds of fiber.
You’ll have time away from daily life to slow down and soak up both the vibrant and more subtle shades of the local landscape by working with your hands and welcoming the gift of organic color into your creative practice.
Our time together will include a balanced mix of daily workshops, as well as plenty of time for creative play in the dye studio, rest by the pool, walks on the beach and exploring the coastal town of Todos Santos.
Color
This retreat is designed to experience the full rainbow that is possible solely from organic matter gifted by Mother Nature. We will spin the natural color wheel, working with yellow, blue, and red dye sources to blend into a gorgeously expanded palette in the dye pot and beyond.
Cloth
Woven fibers of cotton, silk & wool will be our natural substrates to dip into our bubbling cauldrons of color. We’ll also invite paper into the material mix as another fibrous friend who loves nature’s hues as well.
Create
Get ready to snip, crush & grind your way to brewing dyes for a bundle of natural textiles in all shapes and sizes. Keep your fingers busy with folding, twisting & tying to make unique resist patterns and designs. We will explore simple ways to capture the surrounding flora as a treasured memory of our days in Baja together.
Coast
With our outdoor studio just steps from the beach, we’ll take our sandy toes on a foray or two to collect local plants for solar dyeing & ink making. The sound of crashing surf will connect us to the sea while we forage the land.
Commune
At its very colorful core, this retreat is a safe space to play, experiment and discover together with a small group of creatives who find joy in the magic of nature’s palette.
about your host
Margaret Byrd
Margaret is an installation and mixed media artist with a serious case of wanderlust. Roaming the globe, vast landscapes and naturally derived colors have inspired her artistic focus and visual aesthetic. Weaving her creativity into a daily practice, Margaret is currently working with organically dyed fibers, encaustic and dreaming up her next site-specific installation project.
Margaret shares her creative journey on her YouTube channel, Margaret Byrd: Color Quest, building a community to celebrate organic color through hands-on tutorials and vlog-style film dedicated to nature's palette. To connect more closely with other natural color loving creatives, Margaret teaches workshops and destination retreats around the world.
About Todos Santos
Located on the Pacific side of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, Todos Santos is a haven for creatives, surfers and travelers seeking an arid escape to relax and rejuvenate on its sandy beaches. An easy one-hour coastal drive north of Cabo San Lucas, this ‘Pueblo Magíco’, or Magic Town, is a charming destination with a colorful architectural center to wander and a bustling artisanal vibe to enjoy. Known for its friendly hospitality, fresh-food dining and quaint galleries, visitors make magical moments to cherish beyond the breaking waves. With a cooling marine layer, the desert climate of Todos Santos has pleasantly warm weather that is an ideal early-spring getaway.
The retreat property
Vista Tortuga is a beachside oasis of desert plants & palms with six stylish casitas nestled together around a beautifully designed outdoor living space. The garden area and rooftop terrace transform into our creative studios where we will explore natural dyeing under covered palapa. Between workshops, take a dip in the heated pool where a patio area is equipped with a bathroom, outdoor shower, and lounge chairs to relax and enjoy the sun.
There are three casita types, all of which are fully equipped with a kitchen space, bathroom with shower, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and a private outdoor sitting area.
The King Suite (2 units) on the ground floor has a separate bedroom with a king bed, full kitchen & living room with sofa sleepers for those who want to invite a friend to share in the dye retreat (double occupancy option available). This suite can be booked as single occupancy as well.
The King Room (2 units) on the 2nd floor is a studio configuration with kitchenette and its own private balcony with sweeping views.
The Queen Suite (1 unit) on the ground floor is a double occupancy room to be shared by two retreat creatives. It has one bedroom with two double beds, a separate living space and full kitchen.
Located in the quiet Las Tunas neighborhood and steps from Las Playitas beach, Vista Tortuga is a perfect place to mix creative inspiration and relaxation, allowing yourself to melt away with each sunset over the shimmering Pacific Ocean. March is an incredible time to watch whales migrating or experience the turtle hatchling releases that happen on the sandy dunes across from the property at Tortuguero de Todos Santos.
itinerary sketch
DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN TODOS SANTOS & WELCOME DINNER
You’ll be met by a group shuttle driver at Los Cabos International (SJD) Airport and taken to Vista Tortuga in Todos Santos where you will dye colorful creations and relax for the next 5 days & nights. You’ll have a chance to refresh and settle into your cozy casitas before our sunset welcome circle and Cookin’ Color retreat dinner. This evening, you will love drifting to sleep to the sound of the waves just outside your window.
DAY 2: yay for yellow
From 8:00AM - Enjoy a continental breakfast in one of the many patio spaces, private or shared.
9:00-12:00PM - Morning workshop: Inspired by the sun, we will start our natural color exploration with yellow. Pericon will be the star as we brew yellow dyes and bind cotton for soaking.
12:00-2:00 - Lunch to be enjoyed on your own with free time by the pool or on the beach.
2:00-5:00 - Afternoon workshop: Let’s forage for aloe vera to make solar dye for a silk ribbon soak later in the retreat.
After 5:00 - Find the perfect place for dinner in Las Tunas on your own or with new friends, watch the sunset and relax.
DAY 3: baja blues
From 8:00AM - Continental breakfast available to commune with others or on your casita terrace.
9:00-12:00PM - Morning workshop: Inspired by the sea, we will continue our natural color journey with blue. Indigo is today’s focus as we build a vat together and tie cotton totes for a resist dip later in the retreat.
12:00-3:30 - Shuttle together to Todos Santos for lunch on your own & explore artisanal markets and galleries.
4:00-6:00 - Afternoon workshop: Let’s gather and crush bougainvillea petals to steep for ink-making later in the retreat.
After 6:00 - Enjoy dinner on your own or cook up something fresh on the poolside grill with retreat friends.
DAY 4: the red of roja
From 8:00AM - Take your continental breakfast by the pool or down to the beach.
9:00-12:00PM - Morning workshop: Inspired by the nopales cactus, aka prickly pear, we will spin our natural color wheel to the red range. Cochineal grinding and pH shifting in multiple dye pots will help us welcome the warmer tones of this remarkable scale insect. Wind skeins of wool to soak up all those reddish hues.
12:00-2:00 - Free time to lunch on your own or enjoy some solo dye studio fun.
2:00-5:00 - Afternoon workshop: Indigo vat open for dipping fun & exploring the other colorful dye pots in free studio time.
5:00-6:00 - Let’s make ink! Bottling up our bougainvillea ink and paper play.
After 6:00 - Dinner & relaxation on your own to enjoy the sunset over the Pacific.
DAY 5: rainbow run & farewell dinner
From 8:00AM - Enjoy continental breakfast in your favorite terrace space.
9:00-12:00PM - Morning workshop: Today is all about the rainbow! The dye pots will be open for you to create unique magic on your buttery mull cotton shawl or build new colors with over-dyeing.
12:00-2:00 - Free time to lunch by the pool on your own or keep the dye vibes brewing.
2:00-5:00 - Afternoon workshop: Free dye studio time to finish dipping & drying of all your fiber goodies to bring home.
After 5:00 - Time to celebrate all of the colorful fun we’ve had together with our sunset closing circle and Cookin’ Color farewell dinner.
DAY 6: departure day
From 8:00AM - One final continental breakfast to enjoy with your new creative cohorts.
9:00-11:00 - Time to pack up and prep for your travel onward. Tissues for tears optional.
11:00 - Check out. You’ll have the option of taking a group shuttle to Los Cabos International (SJD) Airport which will be scheduled to best meet the majority needs.
please note: this is our prospective itinerary which may change based on unexpected opportunities both in and out of the dye pot.
the cookin’ color retreat includes:
Daily natural color workshops with Margaret & all dye supplies
Natural fiber samples & finished pieces for you to create and bring home as a colorful memory
Lodging for 5 nights at our private retreat property, Vista Tortuga
Fresh continental breakfast daily on site
Welcome & farewell dinners
Local group transportation for one afternoon excursion to visit Todos Santos Centro
Round trip group shuttle from Los Cabos International (SJD) airport
video highlights & testimonials - cookin’ color 2024
frequently asked questions
IS THIS RETREAT FOR ME?
This workshop is designed for creative souls who have a love of organic color. The only prerequisite to joining is a curiosity & wonder of nature’s palette, an openness to experiment and a willingness to share your knowledge & experience with others who may be at a different stage in their natural color journey.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL ATTEND THIS RETREAT?
The retreat property has six casitas with room for 1-2 people - including me!
HOW DO I GET TO todos Santos?
You fly to Los Cabos International (SJD) airport and a private group shuttle will transport you to the retreat property. It’s between 1-1.5 hours from SJD to Todos Santos. You are welcome to arrange & rent a car if preferred at your own cost. Airfare is not included in the price of the retreat.
Are there payment plans?
Full payment is required at the time of registration. There are no payment plan options at this time through my web shop, so please contact me to discuss if a payment plan is needed.
What is the CANCELLATION POLICY?
Due the nature of this retreat and reservation requirements, there will be no refunds offered for any reason and travel insurance is required. When you register, be sure to know all you can about traveling to Mexico.
Do i need travel insurance?
Yes, proof of purchase for a travel insurance policy covering your trip is required for you to attend the retreat. It will cover any unexpected or last-minute cancellations, as well as medical emergencies. A “cancel for any reason” policy is recommended. There are many to choose from, so please do your own research. You can check out Travel Guard as one option.
What isn’t covered in the cost?
· Your airfare is not included in the cost.
· Any meals not included in the retreat or alcoholic beverages.
· Anything you buy on outings, as well as any extra tours/excursions you may schedule during free time and before & after the retreat.
Make sure to note the cancellation policy under the FAQ’s above and that travel insurance is required.
All rooms are on a first come/first serve basis. Please note, the King Rooms are both on the 2nd floor. All other rooms are on the ground floor.
For further questions, feel free to contact me directly at margaret@margaretbyrd.com