Retreat

The Sampler Guild I am a member of has an annual retreat which all of us look forward to.  It is a great place that believe it or not has no TVs or Phones in the rooms.  Most rooms now do have a fan provided because there is no air conditioning in the rooms.  This year was I believe my fifth retreat and leaving the windows open with fans works even though it is August.  The nights usually get fairly chilly and a sweater is usually all you need when out and about.  Cell Phone reception is basically really don't bother you will end up frustrating yourself.  It is spotty at best and you will see folks standing one spot trying or trying to get as high as they can hoping their phones will work.  The part we stay in was built in the mid-1800's and given it is located in Virginia the facility did spend some time hosting wounded Confederate soldiers.  If the walls could talk the stories they would tell.  

Open space by the walkway heading
from room to our meeting room

View from my window -
what a treat to wake up to this every morning

I always look forward to this weekend not only is it is stitch filled weekend it is so nice to go somewhere that really does force you to get away from our electronically distracting world.  The meals are served camp style so a bell is rung and everyone goes to the dining hall.  The food provided is always home style meals with plenty of fresh veggies grown nearby.  Not that food is an issue since all of us bring something to share - there is just as much food in the room, or I should say plenty of yummy snacks.  We have two wonderful ladies who handle coordinating the retreat every year and always have an adorable retreat project, games and of course door prizes.  All of the ladies bring all of their stitching goodies, items for show and tell and we just have an enjoyable weekend stitching the weekend away.

Friday night stitching room

Stitchers and all of our goodies

The M&M's were our game pieces for Bingo on Saturday night.  Don't you love how they give us

loose ones and then a couple of packs of M&M's to eat while you are playing.  They are always thinking, because we all know if you eat one M&M it never stops there!!

Show and Tell Table - the empty space didn't stay empty for long

Button Tin

One of the ladies bought this tin full of buttons that she had purchased, we were free to go thru them and take the ones we liked.  We had so much fun going thru all of the buttons.  No matter how long you went thru them you still found ones you had missed earlier.

Ultimately the buttons were spread out,
some sorted into groups of like buttons or like colors

Photos of our Show and Tell Table

Sharlotte DeVere of The Queen Stitch pinball examples

We have several designers in our guild and for our September meeting class examples were on display.  Those who signed up how to make these wonderful pinballs.  I can't wait to start my pre-work - - I need to get moving though....may be a good way to spend Labor Day Weekend.

The Winner is.......

Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to leave a comment on my recent blog entry.  There were eleven comments so according to the random number generator the winner is lucky number six.

According to my counting abilities - which are heavily enhanced I might add by all the counting required to stitch!  Denise was the sixth person to comment.  So Denise please email to me your snail mail address and I will send to you some stitching goodies.  Since I want it to be a surprise for Denise, I will post pictures after I know she has received her package - don't want to ruin the fun!

The comments were all wonderful and I am happy to see the majority enjoy a mix of stitching related and personal.  This combination is something I have really toyed so I am happy to see that is information that would be of interest.  I will begin to incorporate more personal information along with sampler information that I come across. 

WARNING:  I will warn all of you in addition to being married to my wonderful husband for twenty-three years.  Who by the way has always understood my passion for needlework.  His Christmas gift to me for our 2nd Christmas after we were married was every color of DMC floss available at the time.  Yes, my husband went to at the time the local Ben Franklin and bought one of every color for me.  That was a sign of a true keeper and how much he really understood me.  During our twenty-three years we have added to our family three wonderful boys, William "Will" who is 21 and is pursuing his Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering, John who is 16 and will be a Junior this year and Lance who is eight and going into third grade. 

Help me out folks....

I am struggling with information to put on my blog and whether or not I should maintain two separate ones.  I would love those of you who stop by to let me know what you would like to see.  Here are a few questions I have.

1. Do you want to see just information about samplers?
2. Interested in sampler information I come across to share or just stick to my reproduction and original designs (yes I do have some original I am working on)
3. Do you want it to be more of a blend of a personal blog and my samplers?
4. Feedback and any other suggestions I would love to have....so share freely

Thanks so much and to encourage some comments and feedback if you make your comments and suggestions by August 20th, 2012 I will use the random generator to pick a number.  The one selected will have some stitching goodies coming their way.