If ever you have the chance....

 for a stitcher's weekend.......run, don't walk to pack your suitcase.   A weekend with your girlfriends is always awesome but imagine a weekend with girlfriends who stitch.   NIRVANA!  I didn't take my camera as I promised I would, but I did snap a photos of the view I enjoyed most of the weekend.  (Now if only I can figure out how to get it off my cell phone and into my blog I'd be alright.  I thought I emailed them to myself but they never appeared so some random person perhaps in Siberia is wondering why a stranger is sending pictures of the sun and sand.)  I am not much of a photo taker of people probably because I don't like my photo taken and figure others don't like their photo taken either and then there was that time at work when some one's photo showed up plastered all over the office after a company community service event......I paid for that one with a lot of groveling .....teaches you a lesson not to photograph people.

Did it, from phone to blog, download arrived.   This is my view
for sipping  coffee and stitching.  Rough life.  Work hard/play hard!

But I can attest there were 21 of us merry stitchers in Ocean City Maryland enjoying the Lankford Hotel and shopping at Salty Yarns.  A very diverse group - Diane, all the way from Tennessee; Kathy,  a cello player with the Philadelphia Orchestra who sat on her balcony and serenaded us while she practiced (she is leaving for China on Tuesday for a concert tour); Stacy who coordinates the weekend as well as being a mega stitcher turning out oodles of awesome pieces; Susan the awesome stitcher and quilter from K of  P;  Lynn who really thinks she is no one special when in reality she is so special, she stitches things like "And they sinned" or "The French Alphabet Sampler" and thinks it is no big deal...I am in awe of her; Francine our import France with all her gorgeous finishes she shared; Pat - one of my roomies - who proudly finished two pieces this weekend; Theresa, a designer in her own right who designs the most beautiful, intricate pieces; poor Carol who seemed to frog everything she worked on and only accomplished a bit of knitting on the ride home today; and so many more talented stitchers and friends.  Sarah entertained up with an awesome cocktail party and tons of scrumptious food;  and of course Sally, owner of Salty Yarns and the hotel, has us in 'stitches' with her stories.     The weather  was great, the friends were great, the meals were great and the shopping wasn't bad either.

For now, you get sideways pixs.    I got home to unpack, do some laundry, sweep and swiffer and think about making dinner but wanted to share my treasures.   I am fearful if I sit too long I may fall asleep sitting straight up so for now, it is sideways pix!

my bag overfloweth...

I just love Blackbird Designs

Look what Diane brought us from Hobby Lobby for this Blackbird Design  project

Yes, I could have lived without this but it was calling me.  At least I held off on the fabric and floss.

Another Blackbird Designed......third of a series.  Note to self - check which one of the 3 I still need.

Splurged on the Belle Sioe in Cranberry since a snagged the fabric out of the remnant basket.

Another indulgence....all these overdyed and the humongous piece of fabric  which ended
up being the culprit as the big ticket item on my receipt.  

the humongous fabric and overdyed are for this Birds of a Feather - part of my retirement stash I am accumulating.   lol

And I treated myself to a cord maker.   No more tied to the dining room chair and using a pencil to twist, twist, twist

Seems by all accounts I won the lottery for who spent the most but I don't know how!  I really didn't over indulge except for the fabric that I didn't even pay attention to the cost.....why.....because I wanted it!  If you don't stitch you don't get it but that's OK too.

So until later ladies....for me it is time to fold the clothes, turn in early and have a three day work week for I am off to Lowell, Massachusetts heading out Wednesday night to visit my daughter.  More girl fun, me and my two daughters.   We will have fun and I am sure to get in some stitching time since I am the luckiest mom ever to have two stitching daughters.  

Updates next time on my Ellen Chester class piece.   Pat finished her stitching and I am 99% finished.  yeah!