Shopping, Stash, and Surprises

My final box arrived from California late this morning...it was the box I was waiting for...the one with all my stash and surprises! Opening the package was treat, as I was excited to see all the pressies and pretties I collected on my trip...

This first photo is of the special Elegant Stitch Workshop gifties...the terrific treats that each attendee (and me) received...a wooden thread pallet and corner gauge - both engraved with Harvest Workshop 2011...and the most adorable little Moda pouch with three pockets and three tiny jars inside - one with needles, one with buttons, and one empty for tiny treasures.

...and I just had to show my name tag - how cute is that?! - with a pumpkin and a blue ribbon - all the attendees had one...so very creative and I just LOVED them!

I received several WONDERFUL gifts while at the Workshop - I am always touched by the kindness of retreat attendees....seems I always have a few special presents to take home. Pam, Lara, and Kim brought me the largest bag of Ghirardelli Chocolate I have ever seen (I plan to bribe my husband with some of it!)...thanks to the three of them, my sweet tooth will be taken care of for quite some time...here is a shot I took of just a few pieces....

...and after class I found out Sandy had left me a surprise gift bag...inside, it had the sweetest card and this LOVELY lavender scented sachet. Sandy - I'm not sure how you knew that I adore the scent of lavender - it is one of my favorites - thank you so very much - I love it!

Finally - take a really good look at this...it is my favorite new piece of jewelry! This is one special beaded button bracelet...Lois made it especially for me...all the buttons represent autumn motifs I used in the "Harvest Huswif" piece that I designed for the class. I truly adore everything about this bracelet...seeing it instantly makes me happy...and I will treasure it for years to come. Lois thank you so much for making me such a gorgeous memento of our time together....I heart you!

I did quite a bit of shopping at Elegant Stitch - in fact, after the events were over, I *made* Lois take me back to purchase a few more things. I can't show everything here, as I did some holiday shopping for my close friends...but I will show you what I am adding to my stash...

First of all - this beyond beautiful needlework accessory from La-D-Da (the very talented Lori Markovic) - I can't wait to get this on the arm of my stitching nest chair - the photos do not do it justice - it is spectacular...

Of course I picked up more pins and buttons...note the larger version of the owl button from my bracelet (I love him!)...and the pretty petite pins on the light blue card in the lower right-hand corner - these are Lady Dot's Marking Pins and they are just precious...

And finally, Annie had the newest installment of Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers Club ready and waiting for me (look at the fabulous autumn floss colors) - I have every single Loose Feathers design that has been released from the beginning - I have been on the automatic with ES since day one - now I wish I could find time to stitch them all... I also picked up Barb and Alma's latest book "A Schoolgirl's Work: Samplers from the Spencer Museum of Art".

I was lucky enough to spend a day in Berkeley, CA with Lois - she planned for us to visit some great shops and (as usual) I was a good little shopper. Our first stop was New Pieces Quilt Shop - and I LOVED this place...it had a lot of fabrics I had not seen before...and the staff was extremely helpful and friendly! As many of you know I love looking for fabric with trees...and I found several great whimsical "tree" fabrics...along with a fabulous panel style fabric with the best owls...plus a lovely line of modern vegetable fabric...yep, all these came home with me...

We then headed to Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics - and this shop did not disappoint - it had the most remarkable selection of fabrics for sewing, garments, home decor, and quilting - the aisles of bolts seemed endless. I was quite impressed with their selection of Japanese fabric and found a couple to splurge on - and of course the subjects were trees and owls. I also found a unique pile of quilting cottons. It was fun being in this shop on Halloween day - some of the staff were in costume and many shoppers were picking up last minute costume materials. The first photo is of the sign in their front window...

Our final stop in Berkeley was the Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles. I had wanted to visit this shop for quite some time, as they are known to have a very extensive collection of needlework books. This shop was a hodgepodge for me - the inventory was extensive and the book selection was fabulous...there were many treasures...but the treasures seemed to be mixed in with low-end merchandise. I did find a couple Japanese books to bring home - one on tiny embroidery and one on sashiko - there was a plethora of wonderful Japanese books and I had a hard time narrowing my purchase down to just two...I also picked up a copy of "Embroidered Stuart Pictures". It was a unique and interesting place to visit and I am so glad we stopped...

Whew...I had no idea I had so many things shipped home...what a great trip...I could not have asked for anything more - everything was perfect! Now to make time to put all my new stash to good use...

Purchases, Presents, and Perks

To wrap up my posts about the New England Stitching Retreats, I have to share the goodies I brought home from my teaching excursion....and yes, there is quite a bit...in fact, I couldn't fit everything in my suitcase, so I had to ship a box home.

We'll start off with my quilting/fabric stash from Keepsake Quilting...I thought I did pretty well, considering this shop was on my bucket list. If you took a look at the photos I posted of this amazing shop on October 10th, then you know I really had to show some restraint. My favorite purchase: the owl fabric in the upper right corner (it makes me so very happy!)...

Then of course I made multiple trips to ABC Stitch Therapy - one before the events started and then once with each of the retreat groups....and of course, three trips added up to three purchases. I rarely purchase any cross stitch charts because I am so swamped with my own designs (plus I have an enormous stash already) - but I couldn't resist the Glendon Place "Outrageous Owls" chart. I also picked up Homespun Elegance "Bird Pincushion Box", the limited Liberty Hill "Halloween Night Scissor Block", two pairs of Halloween scissors, the Just Nan "Give A Hoot!" Wee Whimzi Box, and a large assortment of pins from my very favorite Puntini Puntini (so fabulous!) and JABCO.

As if all that wasn't enough, I received an AMAZING assortment of gifts from the retreat attendees. I am always blown away by the thoughtfulness and kindness of my students...they truly spoil me rotten! At the first retreat, Debbie gave me the most adorable Halloween bracelet with whimsical owl beads...Donna gave me a BEAUTIFUL Shaker pincushion from the museum gift shop (LOVE IT!)...Ruth brought me a lovely gift bag filled with mementos from New Hampshire (including a moose-shaped dog biscuit for Simba - yep, she even spoiled my dog!)...Elizabeth gave me a GORGEOUS knitted scarf...and since I made my first ever visit to a Dunkin' Donuts (which caused quite a bit of laughter), I received a DD trick-or-treat bag and a Halloween Munchkins box...not too mention I was given all sorts of snacks and beverages! At the second retreat, Gail brought me the most delightful Lavender Vanilla candle...the group from Australia brought me a couple cute tiny koala bears and a kitchen towel featuring the words of Andrew Barton 'Banjo' Peterson (an Australian poet, journalist, and author)...and Teresa (Teresa's Heartfelt Stitches) brought me an array of fantastic gifts. The homemade goodie bag from Teresa contained a bunch of See's Candy (DELICIOUS), smoked almonds, an autumn Kleenex pouch (she made), and the most adorable little snap pouch for lip balm (she cross stitched and sewed it!) - and best of all - she knows how much I like my food SPICY and got me tiny bottles of Tabasco Sauce that fit inside, so I can always spice things up!...and to top everything off (knowing I am heading to California for the first time next week), she gave me a "California Here We Come" tote bag - how thoughtful was that?!! Seriously - I couldn't ask for better stitching friends. Oh and yes, there is a ladybug Halloween costume for Simba that Nataly found for me after I told a story in class about the 5-year-old twins across the street wanting Simba to dress up as a ladybug for Halloween...

So I know your are thinking that has to be everything...BUT WAIT...there's more! For both of the retreats, I was included in the Yankee Swap event- yep, the teacher got to play too (how awesome is that?!)...the gift I ended up with at the first retreat included a vintage looking pincushion box, a pair of Dinky Dyes scissors, and a My Big Toe Needle Threader (woohoo!). At the second retreat, various gifts passed through my hands...but in the end I had a Clover Mini Iron and a bottle of fray check - both perfect for me and all my crafting endeavors! I also had to share the card that was in my room when I arrived - it had a Puntini Puntini exclusive Loon button made especially for the retreat attached - so very special. Nataly also included me in several of the evening gift bags with threads, chocolates, and tiny embellishments - it was pure joy to return to my room late at night and find a little organza bag tied on my door handle filled with little pressies.

Finally, after all the attendees had a chance to visit the gift shop in the Enfield Shaker Museum, I made a few purchases myself! If you checked out my blog post about the gift shop on October 17th, then you know it is filled with unique Shaker items from local artists - so many, it was hard to choose what to bring home this year. After much thought, I decided upon a Round Dresser Tray, a Shaker Tomato Pincushion (they are so lovely, I had to purchase an additional one), a Swallowtail Utensil Holder, four pegs, and four peggies. If you would like to do a little shopping yourself, visit the Enfield Shaker Museum Store online at: http://www.shakermuseum.org

There you have it - my fabulous purchases, presents, and perks! Next week I leave for a teaching engagement at Elegant Stitch in Modesto, CA - I am staying a couple extra days, as it is my first trip (ever) to California - Lois (bless her heart) has sightseeing and shopping planned for us - this post just might make her regret that decision...

Scenery and Shopping

I'm a little behind on my blog posts, as I have been busy with teaching the last couple days...but I have definitely been having a blast in New Hampshire at the New England Stitcher's Retreat! The first retreat finished up this morning and festivities for the second retreat will start tomorrow evening. On Friday (special thanks to Bree, Elizabeth, Angela, Vicky, and Deb), I had a chance to do some power shopping at ABC Stitch and Keepsake Quilting before our retreat reception in the evening. I also visited a Dunkin' Donuts for the very first time, which amused many of the retreat attendees (I learned what a "munchkin" is and tried a couple different ones over the last few days)...

My day began with an early morning walk with Elizabeth and Debbie...we took an hour long walk in the area - we walked to the La Salette Shrine up the Shrine hill to the statues representing the Apparition and had quite a view from the top - the Shakers called this scenic area "Chosen Vale". The blue waters of Lake Mascoma, the birch, pine, and maple trees, and the surrounding hills and mountains are a breathtaking sight...and seeing it first thing in the morning with a light fog was a great way to start the day!

After our power walk and getting cleaned up, I headed down to breakfast and met up with Bree, Elizabeth, Angela, Debbie, and Vicky. We decided to make a trip to ABC Stitch Therapy first, then head to Keepsake Quilting in Center Harbor, NH. Our trip to ABC lasted a bit longer than anticipated, as there was so much eye candy to peruse...we were there for almost three hours (and this was knowing we would return for shopping and a tea party during the event). I picked up a couple things - some specialty pins (my favorite - Puntini Puntini), the limited Liberty Hill "Halloween Night Scissor Block", and a Homespun Elegance "Bird Pincushion Box".

With six people, we decided we needed to take two cars to Keepsake Quilting - after a comedy of errors and several wrong turns, we finally made our way to Center Harbor....it was a long, but scenic drive...and I was so thrilled everyone humored me, so I could visit this quilting mecca. After a quick bite to eat, I couldn't wait to get shopping...after all, this shop was on my bucket list and we were short on time. The manager was kind enough to let me take some photographs, just as long as I did not photograph their quilts....and the staff was quite helpful with all my questions and purchases. There was a fabulous Halloween display when you entered the shop...and rows and rows of fabric - I was in heaven...and again I found some stash I will have to ship home...but what's new?!...

I could have stayed quite a bit longer, but it was getting late and we still had to drive back to the Dwelling House in time for the tour and reception...luckily Bree is a fabulous driver with a great sense of direction and she got me back quickly and safely (thanks again Bree!). When we arrived back at the Enfield Shaker Museum, all of the attendees for the retreat had arrived and I got to see many long distance friends...I knew Sue, Ruth, and Patty would be there and I was excited to see their smiling faces! We got a short tour of the Enfield Museum, then headed to the reception for a lovely meet and greet, followed by some late night stitching.

Saturday and Sunday were jam packed with needlework, laughter, and fun. I spent most the days teaching and working with the students...and of course I stayed up late and giggled! I thoroughly enjoyed the first retreat and was excited to see many of the attendees finished a piece in the project....a handful even finished their Shaker chair.

This morning it was time to say goodbye to the first group...now that they are all a part of my needlework family, I hope to see each individual again soon! To those in attendance - thank you - it was truly my pleasure to have you in class....I appreciate all the kind words, support, and hospitality you showed me and hope our paths will cross again soon...hugs to you all....

So now, I am off to bed - Nataly is taking me on a scenic tour tomorrow before the evening events (so I will take lots more photographs)...I can't wait to meet the second group of attendees - it is going to be a great, fun-filled week!

My Fabric Stash...

I recently entered the AccuQuilt "Bust My Stash Photo Challenge"; AccuQuilt fans were asked to send in a photo of their fabric stash (mine is shown below) for a chance to win a GO! Mix and Match Starter Set. Voting started on Facebook today and runs through July 31st. Please take a moment to "LIKE" (vote for) my photo...here's how:

1. Visit the AccuQuilt Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/accuqu​ilt
2. Click on "Contest" under the AccuQuilt Logo in the left-hand menu
3. Scroll down, then go to page 3 - my photo is on page 3 in the second row, far right side.
4. Click on "Like This Entry" under my photo (shown below).

You can vote once every 24 hours until July 31st...tonight I am tied for 2nd place, so I could really use your votes (only the photo with the most votes wins)!...and to those of you who have already voted, thank you for keeping me in the running!! And yes, I know, I am addicted to fabric - I could only submit one photo, so I just fit in as much as possible...

Thanks friends - I heart you!

New England Stitching Retreat - The Stash

Let's talk about stitching! I think the most asked question when I returned from the retreat was "what stash did you bring home"?...I'm not sure why...seems there is a lot of interest in my purchases. First of all, I am a stitcher...I am just like all of you...I have stash accumulation beyond life expectancy....I am a needlework FAN (or probably more appropriate fanatic)...I still get giddy when I find a good needlework shop! Those days of being blessed in Des Moines with multiple needlework shops are gone, and I truly miss the ambiance of a specialty needlework store...there is just something about being able to see the charts in person and being able to see, touch, and feel the fabrics and fibers. When we visited ABC Stitch Therapy for a shopping spree and tea party, I felt like a little kid...it seemed I roamed the aisles for hours trying to decide what to bring home...and I am sure I was seen sitting on the floor slowing going through pegs and pegs of design charts. For those of you who are able to frequent this shop in person, I am so very green with envy...it was such a treat...a true candy store for the needlework enthusiast. I found it so organized and clean (which is a HUGE plus)...and there was fabulous natural lighting...and even comfortable chairs and sofas - with a fireplace - yep, you heard me correctly, a fireplace. I seriously would consider moving across the country to be near this shop....well, maybe that is extreme, but you get the idea!

I had to bring home several A Mon Ami Pierre charts - and it is a good thing needlework charts are a universal language, because the details for these charts are mostly written in French...I am such a fan of these designs and it was quite fun to have an assortment to choose from! I brought home "Porte Aiguille Angelots" and "Au Coeur De La Vigne". Also, being a huge lover of peacocks, I brought home Just Nan's "Keep A Little Secret" (this is a tiny tin...and for the inside, you stitch a peacock sampler and back it with wool to hold needles or pins)....and the Cottage Garden Peacock Stick Pin...and not pictured, I brought home the Daisy Needle Tweet, too.





Next...this was the hardest decision, EVER...I brought home only three packages of Puntini Puntini Pins....oh how I love these...and it was so very hard to choose the ones I wanted...I could have bought the entire rack (but I definitely would have needed a bigger suitcase!). It was a painstaking process to be good and narrow it down to these three choices....
















If you follow my blog, then you know I am a HUGE fan of Liberty Hill Boxes and I was thrilled to find this one from 2007 - it accompanied the Historic Stitches Pattern "Quaker Pynkeepe". And finally, from one of my most favorite designers, Maureen Appleton of The Heart's Content, "Splendor XIX A Colonial Coverlet ~ Treenware Sewing Box"...complete with the gorgeous treenware candle box. Over the years, I have collected quite an array of Maureen's kits...in fact, I have most of the "Splendor" designs. We all know I love tiny stitching, and this piece is stitched over-one on 40 count - WAHOO! I was super excited to bring this kit home...I wish I could make the time to start it right away...



So there you have it, a taste of what I brought home from the shopping spree. I know that seems like plenty, but there were several other patterns in my shopping cart - three from Carriage House Samplings, one from All Through The Night, and one from Homespun Elegance. Looks like I have plenty to keep me busy....

Wishing you a wonderful holiday weekend, filled with sunshine, family, and good barbecue...