Dying To Stitch Retreat Post 2

Ok Ladies... These pics are a little out of order ... but I am just wanting to get them on here so that you can share in the fun time that was had by all that were there! So here goes...

This is Barb and Alma- BlackBird Designs and they are showing the WONDERFUL project that they had for the gals that took their class... Oh I loved all of the projects so very much! These girls are a HOOT!!!! They are so funny and you can just see why they are as close as they are... Their stories are so wonderful... and the way that they take a piece stitched... and show you so many different ways to change it and use it and add this or that to it to give it a different look! It is WONDERFUL!!!!

This is my best Friend Debby and my DD stitching together at the welcome and make it take it time! The room was so awesome... the sun was out... it was bright... and you could see ocean from all around you! It was just Lovely!
The day before it all got started ... we went to the Dying to stitch shop... and bought some things that "wecould not live without!" giggle! If you have not been to their shop... it is a MUST SEE!!!!! They have so many models... and samplers Galore!!!! It is a very tempting and enabling place. Then there is a bead shop next door and a few doors down there is a Quilting and fabric shop that is just as bad... all those lovely Blackbird Stockings... well look no further... they have the PERFECT fabric for each one of them!
After the shop and some lunch at the Ruby Tuesdays... We went to the hotel and checked in and then was off to Fort Story... It was interesting getting in but worth the time we had in there.... This is a pic that shows the 2 lighthouses... the black and white one is the Newer on and is ran by the Coast Guard... you are not able to go inside of it... but can go up to it. The brick on is further out and you can go into it ... 6+ floors of steps and a terribly straight up ladder later ... the view is AWESOME!!!! The Brick lighthouse is the first place that the settlers stepped onto shore from their journey to the new world. It is very exciting to see. The small cross in this pic is a memorial site!
This is just a closer View of the Fully Functional Light house there at Fort Story!

OK... well this is the Horseshoe Crab that we Named Phillip. He was a good ole crab! and we had to take a moment of silence... and to memorialize his life! giggle... He was if nothing else very educational. He was a very pretty crab as far as crabs go!

This is Jeanette Douglas... and she is a HOOT and a Half... I just love her dearly! She had a Beautiful Kit for the girls that took her class and also had an exclusive accessory chart to go with it. LOVELY things... and in this accessory kit was a sissor fob... I thought this was soooooo cool... She included a Canadian Quarter... and you were to place an American Quarter in it too as a weighting system... that was the Circle of Friends Continues!!!!! WOW how smart!

OH and she showed us how to make FREE Fireworks... HOW FUN!!!!! 1...2 ... other side... 1...2... up above ... WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

See ... Fireworks!!!!

This was one of my projects... I took the track that Had Charland and Shepherd's Bush... so on the Second day I had my class with Charland and Sidney(her daughter) as usual... Charland is a WONDERFUL teacher... She tries to remove all anxieties that a stitcher might have. She is so comforting and I feel as if I have sat with a loving mother and learned so much each time I take her class.

I nearly Cried when she showed her project at the reveal... This is so perfectly what I am into at this time in my stitching cycle! I love the Colors... the fabric... the flosses used... the way it is finished and of course I love the charm. I took several pics and none really do it justice! Thank you so much Charland for this LOVELY piece... I am stitching it and will cherish it always! What a treasure to add to my collection!

This is just the other side of the piece...

This is the Package that it came in and shows the pieces all together! Isnt it lovely!

Finally for this post I wanted to show the Group picture of the Designers and the Dying to Stitch Girls... and to be able to thank them...

BlackBird Designs- Barb and Alma

Jeanette Douglas

Charland and Sidney

Shepherd's Bush- Teri and Tina

Dying To Stitch- Ann, Pat, and Bindy

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!

Thank you for your hard work... for the many calls... the planning... the dealing with the hotel that could not have been more perfect... the kitting... the designing... the sewing... the boxing... the behind the scenes issues that were dealt with and taken care of so that we had this wonderful time. Thank you for all the thoughts that went into this lovely retreat.

Thank you Teri and Tina for the many extra gifts that you gave us in our class...

I just can NOT thank everyone enough for this awesome retreat!

I must also add that there were MANY girls in the Dying To Stitch shop that assisted with getting things completed... Fabric cut... and the little boutique ready and staffed for this event! Thank you to them also!