Cobblestone Creek Studios creates crafting paradise in Damascus

Published 5:00 am Wednesday, July 30, 2025

: Leslie Rodriguez opened Cobblestone Creek Studios in Damascus as a go-to place for creatives and crafters. (Staff photo: Christopher Keizur)

A business in Damascus is all about empowering customers to stoke their creative fires and join a community of crafters who value friendship and collaboration above all.

Cobblestone Creek Studios, located at 20414 S.E. Highway 212 in the Damascus Home Center, has become a go-to destination not only regionally but also in the Pacific Northwest. Folks drive from hours away to shop at the small business.

On a sunny Wednesday afternoon, July 23, a dozen chatty ladies brought a buzz into the shop. They were on an annual road trip from Seattle. They cruised down the highway to visit Cobblestone Creek and a few other local craft stores. The whirlwind of activity had them not just marvel at the latest items, but also laugh and talk with owner Leslie Rodriguez.

Rodriguez opened Cobblestone Creek Studios in the spring of 2022 after working in the craft industry for much of her life. The business offers a wide range of creative products, with a focus on high-quality, unique paper crafting supplies. The dizzying array of products is carefully selected by Rodriguez, who leans on her past connections as a buyer.

“Everything in this store are things I use myself,” she said. “I try to highlight local, small businesses before anything else.”

There are stickers and stamps; scissors and glue guns; cardstock and binders; tape and glitter; sequins and googly eyes; dies and stencils; ribbons and string; and everything else you can imagine.

“We have products for any experience,” Rodriguez said. “Coming into the store lets you use the items and learn about everything available. My store is open to everyone.”

There is a robust online store with the ability to deliver, and the shop hosts classes and events throughout the year to fuel that creativity.

Lifelong hobbyist

Rodriguez runs Cobblestone Creek Studios like only a lifelong hobbyist can. She grew up in the world of scrapbooking and creativity.

She got her start working alongside her mother and grandmother. They were avid quilters and scrapbookers. The result was tangible memories and moments that can continue to be passed down to each new generation.

“It is about celebrating memories in a beautiful way,” Rodriguez said.

Cobblestone Creek Studios fills a regional void. The only other similarly sized operations are located on the west side or in Hood River.

“When I was 15 you could throw a stone and hit lots of scrapbooking/hobby stores like this,” Rodriguez said. “A lot has changed.”

The shop is part of the Alliance of Independent Retailers (AIR), an organization dedicated to supporting small, brick-and-mortar stores in the paper crafting industry. That membership not only offers exclusive products, but also provides a support system that Rodriguez can lean on.

“Having a brick and mortar location is important because the ladies who come in need that face-to-face time,” Rodriguez said. “They want to be around other people, chat and laugh.”

While Cobblestone Creek Studios was her first time helming a business, Rodriguez has never felt daunted. It helps that she loves the industry and has a passion for creating and teaching others (and the needed patience born from raising three boys as a single mother).

“I get to play every day I come into the shop,” Rodriguez said. “It can be hard to take time away from family, but it never feels like work being here.”