I want to start with some of my favorite pictures from this weekend!
This first one gives you an idea of exactly how short I am and how tall Jennifer Aikman-Smith of dragon dreams is! I'm 5ft 2in! Its when you get cozy with The Dragon you realized just how tall she is!
And here Jennifer and I are having some fun!
If you notice on the wall behind us are the models for two of Jennifer's newest designs, Dragon of the Deeps, and To Trim of Tree which I had stitched the model for her. So it was nice to visit one of my old stitched pieces!
Here's me and To Trim A Tree - a model I stitched for Jennifer
And here I am with Magic In My Needle - A model I stitched for Jennifer
Okay, now that I've shared some pictures with you let's go back to Saturday morning. The morning's breakfast was buffet style from scrambled eggs to fruit and cereal! It was a moody morning on the St. Lawrence River.
Fall was certainly in the air...
But everyone was warm and cozy inside the Ganenoque Inn
Our full day Saturday class was with Jennifer Aikman-Smith of Dragon Dreams, she had designed for us a lovely little sampler called "The Time I spend Stitching"
Here's Jennifer teaching us the Crown Stitch - which was a new stitch for me!
Chrisanne and I are madly stitching away seeing who can finish it first (Chrisanne aka : Pennygwen was way a head of me!)
Jennifer was kind enough to sign the mat on my framed Blackwork Princess! She even drew me a little draggie!
Then the charts for sale came out... and it was like vultures descending!!! As you can tell we're all stash-o-holics! I was good, I'm "trying" to stay on The Wagon. The only thing I bought was a box of Girl Guide mint cookies from Maria (foreground of this photo)
Lunch on Saturday was just as excellent as Friday's Dinner
Appetizers : Potato and Leek Soup (yummy!), Mixed Green Salad, Pasta Salad, and Greek Salad
Main Dishes : BLT Wrap and fries (yummy! minus the T of course!), Chicken Stir-Fry with basmati rice, Fish & Chips
Desserts : Chocolate mousse (yummy!), Fresh Fruit, Vanilla and Strawberry Mousse Cake (yummy!)
Our class continued all afternoon then we all went off to our rooms to get ready for Saturday night's formal dinner! Now this is a sight to behold as we rarely get dressed to the nines!
left me, center Christin, right Chrisanne
Of course in the process, the room kinda blew up! (we had a lovely suite)
Dinner was another to die-for menu!
Appetizers : Wild Mushroom Soup, Mixed Green Salad with toasted almonds and citrus dressing (this was the most amazing combination in a salad I had ever tasted!!!)
Main Entrees : Rack of Lamb, Grilled Salmon, Vegetable Lasagna (yum!!!), Prime Rib au Jus or Grilled Chicken Breast with orange champagne sauce
Desserts : Pecan flan, chocolate Cheesecake, Warm Peach Cobbler
Dinner was a long affair with goodie bags and door prizes! We didn't get back to our room until after 10:30pm. So off came the fancy duds, on went the jammies, and out came the stitcing. Chrisanne and I kept working on our class pieces. She kicked my butt and finished hers Saturday night. I kept working until 1:30am but I just couldn't get it finished. I had to go to bed.
Sunday Morning was much the same as Saturday cool and wet. Breakfast was the same buffet we had the day before (still just as tasty!).
Today we had a 1/2 day class, of course I took another of Jennifer's classes! This was one of her illustrated blackwork pieces, a princess, unicorn and a castle. I meant to get a picture of it for you folks, but I forgot. I was so focused on finishing yesterday's class piece (especially since Chrisanne totally beat me!). I sat in Jennifer's class in my little "nest" as I listened to today's class but continued to work on yesterday's piece(the chairs were killing my back by the second day). I was surrounded by everything a girl needs to stitch!
Chrisanne of course was the evil instigator....
Just as this morning's class wrapped up I celebrated my HD with the designer!!!
Then it was time to wrap up the weekend for those of us who can't/don't stay the extra day. Everyone congregated for lunch, Jennifer asked us if she may have lunch with us today. That is so cool! Of course I said yes!
Now I wasn't able to keep my menu from lunch so let's see if I can remember our choices...
Appetizers : Beef and Barley Soup, Cesar Salad, Pasta Salad
Main Entrees : Turkey and pesto on a roll, Bowtie Pasta with Shrimp, Beef Dip Sandwitch with fries (yum!!!)
Dessert : Assorted fruit pies and squares.
After lunch a couple of more prizes were given out, including a free retreat for next year. I sadly didn't win any of them. Next year.... next year....
We met up with Christin's parents for half an hour after lunch, they drove up from Kingston which is nearby and had a nice visit. Then it was time for hugs and goodbyes.
Until next year....
10 comments:
Very cool update! Now you have me wanting to go that next year too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whew! What a weekend! Sounds fantastic! The blackwork piece sounds interesting - looking forward to seeing that. Hope you saved a piece of the chocolate cheesecake for me!
Great recap - looks and sounds like you had a wonderful time!
You aren't short or at least to me. You got me beat by 2 inches!! Jennifer is one of my favorite designers, you are a lucky girl!
Dani, it sounds like the weekend was great.
Cindy
You're not short, she's just really tall! :) That sounds like a very fun retreat!! Luck you. Thanks for sharing photos. It is fun to see all the stitched up designs, too!
New to commenting on your blog, but I've been reading it for a short while - the retreat sounds amazing ... and your coverage of it is fantastic. What a wonderful experience!
Wow you all had a fantastic time, wish I was there with you all
Hugs xxxx
You short? Barefooted you beat me by two inches! There's a reason I go for heeled boots. It sounds like you had a lovely time. Thanks for letting us all know of the fun you had. :)
Dani, thanks from me too, for posting all those photos along with the comments. I almost felt like I had been there with you. Gosh all you Aussie readers - we are going to have to get something up like this! What a sensational event - and to have a celebrity designer there as well put the icing on the cake.
PS I am 5'2" like you!
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