More Black Belt Stitching Wizard Stuff

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

What A Great Long Weekend!

Boy, its been such a great long weekend that it was a cruel joke to go back to work this morning! Now where to start... with lots of pictures as usual????
First of all let's start with our hostess, Kathy! Christin and I arrived on Friday night, to be greeted by Kathy, and our blogging buddy Judy (who we were meeting for the first time) was there as well. We arrived to find Kathy's latest hair-do! She and her granddaughter had a bonding experience with the hairdresser and some purple dye! I know they had a ball!
Saturday morning we had a special visitor in the recycling bin. I got to deal with this little cutie and shoo him off to another location.
After dealing with our unwanted visitor I zipped into town and did a last minute grocery store run for Kathy, where I picked up some gorgeous sunflowers for the hostess.
When I returned our stitching friends were starting to arrive! Here's the entire group Saturday afternoon! In the picture are : Beatrice, Laura, Marj, Donna, Judy (of the Cows), Fran, Beth, Barb, Bonnie, Christin, Nan, Rebbecca, Kathy, Judy (new), Trista, Me, Ann, Adriana, and Angie (Felicia)
Is this just not an idyllic setting for a stitching weekend???
Rebbecca and Trista, there was a lot of stitching and a lot of laughter that day!
Hungry was ashamed to watch Judy (new) and I enjoying some of the delectable deserts after the pot luck lunch!
Judy (new) enjoying some well deserved stitching time! Like me, she has been committing a lot of her free time to loosing weight and being more active. She's done a great job and looks fantastic!
Judy (of the infamous Cows) chatting and stitching.
Laura enjoying a tranquil stitching moment on the shores of Lake Ontario.
Trista and Fran (also has pictures on her blog, check them out) stitching away in the shade.
Christin and Bonnie (they seemed to have really bonded this weekend!). I've managed to corrupt Bonnie and she's started Ink Circle's Blackstone Fantasy Garden on the exact same fabric I stitched mine on! Also Chrsitin seems to have talked her into Long Dog's Paradigm Lost! Ooooh we're so evil!
Beth looks like she's "holding court" with Beatrice and Adriana's complete attention.
In the afternoon the breeze off of the water started to pick up, so many of the ladies moved inside. There was a lot of camaraderie around Kathy's kitchen table that afternoon.
Fran's hubby who came by on Sunday afternoon to photograph our get together.
Barb also joined us for a second day of stitching on Sunday
Ann who didn't join us until Saturday evening (for dessert no less!) was busy running her shop Knowledge and Needles, which I took a van full of ladies to go shopping. Ann was able to join us for a full day of stitching on Sunday.
My favourite 93-year-old stitcher, Adriana also joined us for a second day of stitching!
On Sunday afternoon we were treated to a lovely, intimate wedding on the waterfront. None of us knew the bride or groom, there's a nearby B&B (the one I go to for fall & spring retreats) who has permission to use the common area for weddings.
The happy bride and groom after the ceremony.
After the crowd on Sunday started to thin out late Sunday afternoon, Kathy treated a few of us to an ort box tutorial. Donna cutting out her wallpaper (above)
Bonnie, putting together her ort box.
Here's Hungry modelling my completed ort box (both open and closed)
Kathy, Chrsitin Judy and I were so sad for Monday to come along. There was a lot of smiles and hugs as us overnight guests started to head out. Judy and Kathy all smiles and hugs!


Judy, Me and Kathy on the swing overlooking Lake Ontario on our last day.
To prove that the weekend wasn't a total waste, with me helping out, and playing social butterfly, and accompanying Judy (new) on her walks... I finished Todd's Stocking! The level of detail in this stocking is just insane! There was so much BS to do!
Fishing Santa Stocking
cBucilla
Stitched on 28ct white jazlyn using kit fibers and charms

38 comments:

Lynn said...

Thanks for all the pics Dani! If you check out my blog you'll see that I was stitching right along with all of you even if I couldn't be there. Glad everyone had such a good time and I'm sorry I didn't get to meet Judy. Hopefully next time.
Todd's stocking looks great!

Unknown said...

Hooray! Hooray! I hope Todd LOVES it because it is really even more beautiful IRL.

valerie said...

Wow, sounds like a terrific weekend!! Congratulations on finishing Todd's stocking! It looks great!

Cole said...

What a fantastic group, looks like so much fun!

Your stocking looks amazing :)

Billie said...

What a great stocking! Unbelieveable...

Katri said...

That sounds like such great time!

And congratulations on finishing the stocking!!

Christine said...

Congratulations on finishing the stocking, its fantastic. Sounds like you ahd a great weekend too

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on finishing the stocking, it's really gorgeous!

Sadie said...

Sounds like you all had a wonderful weekend.
Congratulations on finishing Todds stocking. It looks great, the backstitch really does make it :-)

riona said...

I loved the photo-documentary of the weekend ... very vivid ...makes me nostalgic for all the times I stitched by the Maine coast or Chesapeake Bay coast. And I think Todd's stocking is a work of art.

Laural said...

Great finish!! The stocking looks great!
It looks like a fun fun fun weekend.

Mel said...

Looks like an awesome stitching weekend! I love seeing your pics of your stitching get togethers. Congratulations on the stocking finish too - I hope Todd likes it! Very cool.

Barbi said...

OH my gosh! You finished the stocking. It looks FANTASTIC! And the weekend, well you know that I am jealous as heck! The pictures are always great.

Bonnie Brown said...

The stocking looks amazing Dani!!
Great job!

Kathy A. said...

Thanks for the great pictures Dani.
It was a fun weekend and I sure appreciate my dish fairy!!!
Todd's stocking is wonderful.

Julie said...

What a great weekend! I hope you have another one planned before too long.
The stocking looks incredible! I love all the detail added by the back stitching.
Have a good work week!

Carolyn NC said...

What fun, what fun - looks wonderful! Stocking is fantastic! Congrats!

Kajsa said...

It looks like a wonderful weekend! Todd's stocking is amazing, good job finishing it.

Tama said...

Looks like you had lots of fun!
The stocking looks incredible, congratulations!!!

Andrea said...

Wonderful photos. Congratulations on the finish.

Book Wookie said...

So nice to meet the maker of my much-loved beaded scissor fob! I didn't see your stocking on the weekend. The pics look great. Perhaps we shall meet again at another retreat!

Jo said...

Sounds (and looks) like you had a wonderful time.

Huge congratulations on your HD - that's an awesome stocking, and just perfect for the fisherman in your life!!

Carmen said...

wow look like a great and fun wweekend, all look happy.
congratulations for the finish Tood Stocking,is gorgeous and complex work.

Mylene said...

Looks like you all had a great time.

Anonymous said...

Wow! You look like you had an amazing time! A whole weekend of stitching! Sigh!
Todd's stocking is AMAZING! (Although MY hubby saw the pic and now HE wants one! LOL! High praise!) Sneaky job well done!

Stacey in NS

Jennifer said...

What a great weekend you had. Stitching and catching up with friends . It all looks great! congrats on the wonderful stocking .
Jennifer in Ontario

Mary said...

I'm so glad you had a wonderful weekend. I love all your pictures. I do love the little mouse in the recycle bin. Congrats on finishing the stocking. It came out awesome. You took great photos of the bride and groom. What a beautiful place for a wedding. :-)

Karen said...

Dani, I am always so jealous (in the best possible way, of course) of these wonderful stitching retreats you post!! Talk about a little piece of heaven on earth. And let me just say, Miss Adriana is a total inspiration, and I hope to be just like her when I grow up!

vee said...

Sounds like you had a fantastic time! I am going to have to see if there are any such retreats in this part of the country!

Julie said...

Super stocking and wonderful pics of your weekend away.

Terri said...

Looks like a great weekend Dani.. I love the stocking. And Hungry looked happy. I would love to learn to make that ort box.
Thanks for sharing your pictures

CindyMae said...

Dani, it looks like you had a wonderful weekend! What a fabulous time!! The stocking looks fantastic!!

Aussie Stitcher said...

Congratulations on finishing the stocking, it looks fantastic Dani. Your stitchy weekend looks wonderful as always.

Wanda said...

The stocking is awesome!!! Great job!! I'm sure he'll want it to be Christmas all the time! And the pictures of the retreat? I loved them...ALL of them! It looks like it was so much fun. I feel I know some of you too through blogging and I feel like I was there too!! Thank you for sharing!

Deb said...

Dani, you are so beautiful. I love being a part of the weekend via your pictures. Wasn't Kathy wonderful to host this?! Your stocking finish must have given you a big sigh of relief, especially with all those BS stitches you had to do!! LOL I know Todd will appreciate the love that went into it.
You're awesome!
Hugs, Deb

Cindy F. said...

Congrats on finishing Todd's stocking! It's adorable!
You guys had an awesome turnout! I know it was another blast! and I LOVE Kathy's new do;)

Lhassa said...

Que c'est beau !!!! Un immense travail, beaucoup de patience mais le résultat est là, c'est une splendeur cette botte.

Karan said...

Fab pics Dani - looks like you had another great weekend too. WTG on the HD, Todd's stocking looks great. :0)