Yes, I know this should have come before the Nashville start, but I didn't have time. But as I sit here in my room in Nashville, I want to thank all those who made the weekend such a success for us. The ladies on retreat during the weekend are shown in the picture, a wonderful group and lots of fun. Stitchers started arriving last Wednesday, Debbie, L, Phyllis Y, and Janie Mae arrived first. Thursday Kay F., Kathie R., Jean arrived. And Friday everyone else pulled in. Stacy S., was hosting her own retreat with Sandy J., Jane and Marnie from the Delaware Valley Guild, and those ladies were coming down to join the retreats we had at our place. It was a r
etreat extravaganza....the more the merrier. Friday night we held a double birthday celebration for Kay F., and Phyllis Y. Sara and Mary and I had been cooking for days. Oh, I have to tell you a couple of funny stories...when Sara was at the funeral for Vernon's mother, one of the ladies served Chicken Salad, but told Sara she didn't put "waterchestnuts" in it because a lot of people were allergic to nuts so she didn't want to take a chance on someone having an allergic reaction. Sara still laughs everytime she tells the story. Obviously the woman doesn't have a clue what waterchestnuts are, but it certainly picked up the funeral reception for Sara. Anyway, back to our reception. Kathy R., had brought a cake she had made for Kay. It was very much Kay with quilt blocks surrounding the cake. Very pretty. But how she got the cake to the party is the funniest story. She went to pick it up (after the ice storm in her area) and the woman who made it lived on top of a hill. Kathy couldn't get her car to navigate the hill, it kept sliding down and she couldn't leave the cake as she had told me I didn't need to make the cake for Kay as she was bringing it. She finally grabbed a blanket from her car, walked up the hill, got the cake, then sat on the blanket with the boxed cake in her arms and slide down the hill. She almost slid right under her car but was able to grab it in time. I'm telling you, that's dedication...I think I would have just stopped at Food Lion and called it a day. Anyway, I had to tell you that because I still get a chuckle out of it. I think the majority of the ladies had a good time...there were a couple of hiccups, but when you have so many different personalities together there are bound to be a few hiccups. But it was a glorious weekend, the weather was wonderful, sunny and cool, but sunny. While it was hectic for Sara, dealing with not only the retreat but the funeral as well, she still managed to get through it beautifully. The weekend moved along at a fast pace, with retreaters in an out of the shop all day long, except Janie Mae who only visits us during this event each year and spends her entire day volunteering in the shop cutting fabric for everyone....thank you Janie Mae. I do the cutting for the May weekend and Jamboree and I can tell you now....I get so tired from cutting...so I was grateful for the respite. And...I got gifts...not my birthday, but Debbie L., Phyllis Y., Janie Mae, and Stasi B., all brought me gifts....whoppee!!!! I'm so lucky...and they also brought Sara gifts, so she is also thrilled. But what we loved the most....the show and tell that people brought. I see what others have done and I'm inspired to work harder and longer. I am so inspired by the work of others. I've hit somewhat of a wall...only because as usual I've gotten a little bored and want to start a new project, and I'm not allowing myself to do that. I'm working on the "Quaker Christmas" by ByGone Stitches...I love this piece...quaker and almost a monotone and no specialty stitches, but my God, it's gi-normous or at least feels that way. I also started a Merry Cox piece that's over one from an on-line class....well, all I have to say here is it's over one. I'm coming right along on both pieces, in fact the Merry Cox piece is 2/3 of the way done and the Quaker Christmas...well it's not 2/3 of the way done, but I'm still itching to start something new. I brought only the Quaker piece with me to Nashville to force myself to keep stitching it to get it done....but I also brought books with me and I've gone through 1 1/2 books already in 2 days...you can see how much stitching I'm not doing. But tonight I have high hopes for
myself as we get ready to do our dash tomorrow. Sara, on the other hand, brought several pieces with her and couldn't get over my lack of projects. However, the very first night she came laughing into my room announcing that she pulled out her Valentine's Day piece which she could easily have finished in one more night, only to find that she left her directions home. (we had seen Sue Hillis on our way in so she actually gave some thought to going to her since it was her cupid, to see if she brought the pattern with her.) I suggested she pull out a different project and get on with it. So she pulled out her Teresa Layman project, one that has sat in the shop for at least 3-4 years half finished. She started the knotting and found that the greens on the piece already completed has faded in the light of the shop and now the same green she was using appeared to be a different green. With overdyed thread I don't really think it's going to make a difference so she is now knotting, or at least 2 nights ago she was, can't say what she did last night (it's now 8:39 a.m.)..as she was laughing so hard over the price of my lobster she decided to go to her room and stay there. Anyway, we have one
more day before we start running the gauntlet...signs are going up, but for now this is what the atrium looks like. Today it will be transformed with all the designers banners hanging from the railings....and the excitement mounts. Just had breakfast downstairs (considering last nights meal costs we decided to eat free this morning)...where we grabbed unknown amounts of butter for the lobster lunch we will be having later (so now we can say it was $242 for 2 meals) and we saw a lot of old friends...Linda from Chessie and Me who asked that we join her for dinner tonight (as long as it's not the restaurant from last night I'm on board), we ran into Jeannette Douglas yesterday and had a nice chat, oh, I'm not going to name everyone we saw but it's like the Oscars of needlework and all the famous designers are here (well, almost). I must go now to get ready for the day ahead. Have a great day and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
etreat extravaganza....the more the merrier. Friday night we held a double birthday celebration for Kay F., and Phyllis Y. Sara and Mary and I had been cooking for days. Oh, I have to tell you a couple of funny stories...when Sara was at the funeral for Vernon's mother, one of the ladies served Chicken Salad, but told Sara she didn't put "waterchestnuts" in it because a lot of people were allergic to nuts so she didn't want to take a chance on someone having an allergic reaction. Sara still laughs everytime she tells the story. Obviously the woman doesn't have a clue what waterchestnuts are, but it certainly picked up the funeral reception for Sara. Anyway, back to our reception. Kathy R., had brought a cake she had made for Kay. It was very much Kay with quilt blocks surrounding the cake. Very pretty. But how she got the cake to the party is the funniest story. She went to pick it up (after the ice storm in her area) and the woman who made it lived on top of a hill. Kathy couldn't get her car to navigate the hill, it kept sliding down and she couldn't leave the cake as she had told me I didn't need to make the cake for Kay as she was bringing it. She finally grabbed a blanket from her car, walked up the hill, got the cake, then sat on the blanket with the boxed cake in her arms and slide down the hill. She almost slid right under her car but was able to grab it in time. I'm telling you, that's dedication...I think I would have just stopped at Food Lion and called it a day. Anyway, I had to tell you that because I still get a chuckle out of it. I think the majority of the ladies had a good time...there were a couple of hiccups, but when you have so many different personalities together there are bound to be a few hiccups. But it was a glorious weekend, the weather was wonderful, sunny and cool, but sunny. While it was hectic for Sara, dealing with not only the retreat but the funeral as well, she still managed to get through it beautifully. The weekend moved along at a fast pace, with retreaters in an out of the shop all day long, except Janie Mae who only visits us during this event each year and spends her entire day volunteering in the shop cutting fabric for everyone....thank you Janie Mae. I do the cutting for the May weekend and Jamboree and I can tell you now....I get so tired from cutting...so I was grateful for the respite. And...I got gifts...not my birthday, but Debbie L., Phyllis Y., Janie Mae, and Stasi B., all brought me gifts....whoppee!!!! I'm so lucky...and they also brought Sara gifts, so she is also thrilled. But what we loved the most....the show and tell that people brought. I see what others have done and I'm inspired to work harder and longer. I am so inspired by the work of others. I've hit somewhat of a wall...only because as usual I've gotten a little bored and want to start a new project, and I'm not allowing myself to do that. I'm working on the "Quaker Christmas" by ByGone Stitches...I love this piece...quaker and almost a monotone and no specialty stitches, but my God, it's gi-normous or at least feels that way. I also started a Merry Cox piece that's over one from an on-line class....well, all I have to say here is it's over one. I'm coming right along on both pieces, in fact the Merry Cox piece is 2/3 of the way done and the Quaker Christmas...well it's not 2/3 of the way done, but I'm still itching to start something new. I brought only the Quaker piece with me to Nashville to force myself to keep stitching it to get it done....but I also brought books with me and I've gone through 1 1/2 books already in 2 days...you can see how much stitching I'm not doing. But tonight I have high hopes for
myself as we get ready to do our dash tomorrow. Sara, on the other hand, brought several pieces with her and couldn't get over my lack of projects. However, the very first night she came laughing into my room announcing that she pulled out her Valentine's Day piece which she could easily have finished in one more night, only to find that she left her directions home. (we had seen Sue Hillis on our way in so she actually gave some thought to going to her since it was her cupid, to see if she brought the pattern with her.) I suggested she pull out a different project and get on with it. So she pulled out her Teresa Layman project, one that has sat in the shop for at least 3-4 years half finished. She started the knotting and found that the greens on the piece already completed has faded in the light of the shop and now the same green she was using appeared to be a different green. With overdyed thread I don't really think it's going to make a difference so she is now knotting, or at least 2 nights ago she was, can't say what she did last night (it's now 8:39 a.m.)..as she was laughing so hard over the price of my lobster she decided to go to her room and stay there. Anyway, we have one
more day before we start running the gauntlet...signs are going up, but for now this is what the atrium looks like. Today it will be transformed with all the designers banners hanging from the railings....and the excitement mounts. Just had breakfast downstairs (considering last nights meal costs we decided to eat free this morning)...where we grabbed unknown amounts of butter for the lobster lunch we will be having later (so now we can say it was $242 for 2 meals) and we saw a lot of old friends...Linda from Chessie and Me who asked that we join her for dinner tonight (as long as it's not the restaurant from last night I'm on board), we ran into Jeannette Douglas yesterday and had a nice chat, oh, I'm not going to name everyone we saw but it's like the Oscars of needlework and all the famous designers are here (well, almost). I must go now to get ready for the day ahead. Have a great day and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
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