Stitching Retreat

...Having photo problems - will try again later...

The retreat was in Little Switzerland, North Carolina at the Big Lynn Lodge this year.  This was only my second Camp Stitchaway, but what a wonderful setting it was - view was fantastic, accommodations were comfortable, staff members were over-the-top, the food was delicious, and of course, Peggy, Carol, Lorraine (LNS), and Meg (Flower Thread) are just the best!  If you don’t feel like family when you arrive, you will by the time you leave!  I didn’t go up until Friday this year, but will try to go on Thursday next year since it just wasn’t long enough!  It was nice, spring-like weather on Friday.

I have lots of photos of participants, but thought I'd share the most junior and senior.  There was Ms. Iris - a precious little lady dressed to the T (lots of us in our sweats or jeans or pjs at some point) who is 88 this year.  Then there was Bailey - the five-year-old granddaughter of the lodge owners - who was very much a part of the weekend; so much she didn't want to go to school on Friday!

We did a small match box project that allowed for toasted marshmallows when complete! 

There were certainly some awesome completions for Show and Tell!  Saturday we began our class project which was a beautiful Ladybug biscornu designed by Meg using the cobblestone stitch. Saturday evening we continued working on our projects and Nancy planned to “educate” the group on the art of yodeling … and your old lady, too!  It was hilarious fun.  There were nice drawings and gift bags and a special gift project from Sue Hillis. 

This year, I finished my project AT the retreat!  In addition to the herringbone stitch that was in the design, I added the date, Camp Stitchaway, and my initials to the back.  That center thread you see is for adding a tiny bead or button as well.

  Sunday morning as we made preparations to leave, got in a final few stitches, and said our fond farewells, atop the mountain it was quite foggy, rainy, and cold which did make it a LITTLE less sad to leave.  I believe arrangements have been made for next year, and I can hardly wait to sign up! 

Before I left for the retreat on Friday, I had Thursday off to do a bit of thrift store shopping.  There aren’t that many around, but I did get a few things.  I have a thing for hands, and this pretty white and pink one just struck my fancy!  I enjoy old coffee pots, too.  Sometimes I use them for simmering cider.  Pretty blue and green bottles are also hard for me to turn down.  Have you ever had a great pair of shoes that you wished you could just stretch a tiny bit?  Do you think these may work for that?  I have high hopes J.

April 1 is International Tatting Day.  Here's an article that shares more information about it.    

Thank you for visiting and leaving kind words for me.  I really do appreciate y’all.     

    Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!

Charlene

Signs of Spring

It’s been a while since I posted, but there’s not that much to show for all the time passed!  Do you believe that I’ve been sicker in the past four months since I quit smoking than for the last 10 years?  How can that be?  I quit in November – had the flu in November and an awful intestinal virus in March.  Oh, so awful – lost eight pounds – but you’d never look at me and see it.  Do you think it’s because the lungs are clearer and you breathe in more germs?  One doc told me it was because the lungs are so busy cleaning themselves they can’t protect as well for a while.  Don’t know the facts, just that it seems so!

The last new moon was Monday, March 15, so here’s my TuSAL for the month.  Note the beautiful sunshine outside the window?  If you’re interested in joining the Totally Useless Stitch-a-Long, you can join here.

Signs of Spring … Not only is the temperature supposed  to be in the low 70’s this weekend, but there are buds and blooms around as well.  The tiny daffodils are usually the first to show their bright little faces.

Remember in a previous post that I’ve dropped out of the Weather Poems Round Robin?  Take a look here at what tempted me to join.  Jo has done a fabulous job, hasn’t she? 

This does not prevent me from wanting to do more… I saw the finish of Jan’s ‘Lettre F’ design by Gigi, and had to have the ‘Lettre C.’  If you would like to be tempted, have a look here … and she is working on more .  If you’d like to see some already stitched, click here.

During that week off work being sick, didn’t even feel like stitching – now that’s a real waste of time; right?  After the worst, I did a bit of weekend stitching and some finishing on a project.  Next weekend is Camp Stitchaway – the stitching retreat of my LNS, The Stitch and Frame Shop.  I’m excited and really looking forward to getting away with that single focus – stitching!  Last year’s project was a small stitching tray. 

Meg’s challenge to us was to create a larger tray before this year’s event.  Well, mine isn’t perfect, but it is finished.  I really wish I’d used a different color thread for the piece, but that is hind-sight.  The tray is an inexpensive one from Hobby Lobby that I’ve painted, sanded, and urethaned.  The altoid tin is my first, using Plum Street Samplers, Lovely You, as the top cover.  I got the idea of the Pin Ball from Blackbird Designs using an unfinished napkin ring painted with the same tray paint process.  The little birdie motif came from one of The Stitcherhood designs. 

I also finished the OakHaven Design March SAL.

That's it for today.  I'm going to get ready to take Ms. Pixie for her checkup at the vet, then to ramble around enjoying the gorgeous weather!  Thank you all for visiting and leaving your kind words for me.  I really do appreciate them all.     

   Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!

Charlene

Giveaway

Kim over at Threadheads, Unite! is having a giveaway of one of her Thrifty Thursday unique items.  Hop over to see what she has decided she can part with this week.

 Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!Charlene

Awarded

Wow, friends!  I am so honored to be recognized by Sarah AND Faye for this special Blogger Award!  It is such a treat for me to visit your blogs, and a real sense of coziness when you visit and leave your comments here with me!

These are the rules I was given:

1. Thank the person who nominated you.  √
2. Paste the award to your blog.  √
3. Link to the person who nominated you.  √
4. Tell 7 (6) unique things about yourself.  √ 
5. Nominate 7 blogs and post links.  √
6. Leave a comment on your nominated blogs to let them know.  √

Here are few things about me that you may not know:

1.      work full-time for over 25 years at a college ~ would love to change that!

2.    been divorced for over 25 years ~ don’t plan to change that

3.     former auto sales

4.    the town in which I was born is where I live

5.     can’t stitch and listen to books at the same time, but can ‘watch’ TV

6.     have an only child and am one myself

Nominations ~There are SO many blogs that I love to visit, so here is only a small sampling:

Stitch Along with Me

Becky Bee’s

Orts and Ends

Threadheads Unite!

Blacksheep’s Bit of the Web

Plum Street Samplers

... and the final one is YOURS!  Please consider yourself nominated and let me know so I can read unique things about you!!

Peace~Love~Joy
and Happy Stitching!

Charlene

Sun Shining

The sun is shining beautifully out the window…and it’s only 45`, but that’s better than it could be; right?

We had a bit of a snow event ~ everyone was saying, oh, it snowed on this day in March last year…  It snowed wet, heavy stuff, but pretty to watch, from about 10 am Monday until after midnight.  Since it had been a little warmer, the results only caused a two-hour delay for work.  This is how it looked around midnight.

I’m sorry to say I’m dropping out of the Round Robin for the Weather Poems.  As generous and kind as Ally is, and as sweet and pretty as the graphs are, I just don’t think I can handle twelve of these.  I’ve stitched for hours and hours on this little March chart, and see what’s finished? 

After that decision, I picked up Paulette’s Trifle (Plum Street Samplers) and began happily stitching away with DMC #48.

Want to see a little of the stash I’ve collected over the last little while.  These are some finishing fabbies and a few linens…

…and speaking of Paulette, on her blog she recommended some soaps from Wendy at BeSem Natural Scents.  With the cold weather induced dry skin, and all the butters and oils included in these little beauties, I had to give them a try. They arrived quickly, and they are THE best smelling, soapy, soothing soaps I’ve tried!  Wendy offers a ‘sample pack’ so that you can give several a try to pick your favorites!  She also threw in an extra-Pine.  I also got the Travel Bar, but it's in the shower - and yes, I did use it to wash my hair, too - as a test to see if it would really be a sub for shampoo bottles in the cosmetics case!  Yep, believe it can.

Thanks for stopping by, friends!  I really appreciate all your tips, suggestions, and concern last week, and have put some to the test.  Will let you know how they work out - and I am feeling better.  Hugs and love to y'all.

Happy Stitching!

Charlene