I'm almost back to normal, well at least my normal.....

After three weekends of back to back events, we were exhausted...I was too pooped to function, but I'm coming back now and sitting upright and working.  But I couldn't let time pass by without saying what a wonderful weekend we had with the stitchers from the Delaware Valley Sampler Guild.  They are always a lot of fun to be around and talk to and we always pick up wonderful tips as we usually do from all the stitchers who frequent our shop.  But having stitchers living here for 3 days is always enjoyable so ladies, Thanks again for a wonderful weekend.  A special thanks goes to

Jean Toy who made me the adorable pin cushions you see pictured here.  The smallest one is over one and then inserted in an old Ball Jar lid.  She did a wonderful job with her finishing and it's a treasure I'll enjoy forever.  The second pin cushion is over two and again she did the most fabulous job of finishing.  She always says, "I don't do a good job with my finishing..." but honestly I can't remember ever seeing rushed ribbon around the edge done so well.  Excellent.  Treasures to go into my stitching room for me to fondle and look at often.  Thanks again Jean...love them.  Then we had 69 stitchers signed on for the Spring Retreat.  We had six of the ladies arrive on Wednesday to get a jump start on buying....and the rest trickled in over the next 2 days.  We had many old friends arrive but also several new stitchers and we had fun with all of them.  I knew I couldn't handle the cutting of fabric anymore as it gets really intense, so Stasi Buhrman offered to come on up from her house in West Virginia just to cut...God love her.  She was my angel.  She stood on her feet and cut for 6 hours each day....I couldn't have made it if she didn't so thank you Stasi...you were and are a blessing to me.

 

Friday night we started with our usual Italian dinner which is always interesting with so many people trying to get their food and find a place to eat it, but fortunately everyone is so kind and they make do with seating,etc.  Then at 7:00 p.m. we had our wine and hors d'oeuvres reception at which I was presented (actually it was for Sara, Mary and myself...but of course I've made it all about me) the Blue Ribbon piece you see here.  I couldn't believe this was stitched for us, and all the stitchers who actually took part...it's amazing and it meant so much to me (the girls to, but as I said it's now all about me).  Judy Brunclik started the ball rolling and coordinated with Stasi Buhrman, Stacy Stinson, Debbie Brotzman, Beverlie Ludy and Mary (my daughter).  Then those coordinaters saw that the communal piece got around to all the stitchers so that each of them could stitch on it.    Some of them stitched it while at retreats here but I was unaware (isn't that shocking)  but for the majority the piece was driven to a mutual location where it would be picked up and then send around to the stitchers in that area.  It's mind boggling to me that 47 woman stitched on this one sampler without incident and there was a time line which was met.  I cannot tell you how special this is to me.  I have actually decided to keep it right in the main Lobby where we hung it initially just for the weekend...but I love to look at it and I also love telling tenants about it.   I want everyone who wasn't here during the Spring Retreat to be able to see the finished piece as well, so stop by when you are in town and see the finished sampler.   I can't get the housekeeping staff at the hotel coordinated so I found this truly amazing.  Stitchers are a different breed of people...nothing beats a stitcher.  No task is too large.  Sue, one of the participants, is a teacher, had class the next day, tests to prepare for, but was given the piece to work with only the one night to do it so she sat up and stitched until she got her part done.  Now that's what a stitcher will do to get the job done...and we appreciate that dedication.  Anyway, if you happen to come to Ocean City, be sure to stop by the Lankford Hotel and take a look at this piece....and notice all the initials on it.  Each stitcher signed their part and some of the stitchers put initials for friends who wouldn't get the chance to stitch.  So I'm going to stop writing now with the list of the stitchers who did the actual stitching who I want to thank again here and I swear I will get thank you notes off to each and every one of you (now that will take me a while)...anyway, Thank you Mary Ammann, Diane Austin Attebury, Sue Baldwin, Debbie Brotzman, Stacy Brown, Judy Brunclik, Betsy Cole, Alberta Contee, Jean Crockette, Pat Croop, Helen Cropper, Tracy Doverspike, Trudy Edwards, Shiela Fitzhugh, Kay Fletcher, Lynette Florance, Jennifer Humphries, Belinda Karls-Nace (yes the designer actually stitched part of while she was here teaching last year), Jodi King, Becky Kohlermann, Sherri Kohlermann, Debbie Liming, Beverlie Ludy, Katie Ludy, Bernadette Mathews, Janice Meixell, Lois Modrell, Carolyn Newman, Teri O'Brien, Kay Owens, Pat Podziomek, Sherr Prutzman, Cynthia Radley, Julie Raynor, Kathie Renard, Sarah Sarvecky, Syd Serson, Kay Sheck, Pat Standish, Stacy Stinson, Theresa Venette (yes another teacher stitched...how lucky was I), Claire-Ann Vinci, Becky Wahl, Judy Welch, Teresa Wood, Phyllis Yurack, and Dina Zellers....thank you for all the time you spent on this project...you have touched my heart.  And thank you also for adding the initials of long time retreaters and friends, Jan Biel, Sue Blanchette, Ruth Bowman String, Ellen Cohen, Candy Connor, Dee Dames, Joan DeLong, Virginia Essick, Sandy Flynn, Dot Freitag, Ruth Goglia, Becky Gutin, Jackie Janovsky, Beth Jernigan, Nelsa Knight, Molly Linkz, Ellen Marx, Barb Meier, Evelyn Olgan, Mary Porter, Nancy Riley, Crystal Szmansky, Sue Twilley and Linda Wimbrow....while you may not have had the opportunity to put your initials on your friends thought of you so that I would be able to remember you as well....I love you all for your kindness of thought and generosity of spirit.