Wednesday, February 24, 2016

From Concerts to Retreats

I need to play catch up again because it really seems to be my MO to let my blogging time slip away.   Okay  When I last left off before the Bag Lady post - I was sharing that we were going to the "Little River Band" Concert.  Well it was very nice and we had a great time.
We had really good seats - 8th row.  :)




It was a very nice Saturday night out and great music. 

Sunday morning we slept in a little and then got the sad news that Mrs. Shop Owners Mom had passed.  It's a relief to know that she is not suffering but hard for all of us that knew and loved her, especially her daughters, husband and grandchildren.  They are holding a memorial for her on March 4th.  I again will be helping at the shop to facilitate a potluck after the service.  

Monday - we did a little running around and had some lunch out.  Picked up a couple of belts for myself. and got our taxes ready to mail out. 

Tuesday  - I worked at the shop - Mr. Shop Owner had asked me to on Saturday and given that her Mom passed on Sunday morning that was a good call.  I was actually pretty busy so the time went by fast and Mr. Shop Owner came in and relieved me by 2 pm so not too bad.  Also I didn't have a meeting or a workshop at the cottage so I was able to just come home.  

Wednesday - was another run around day.  We hadn't mailed the taxes yet so we went to the post office and then we went to cottage and picked up my quilts that were at the quilt show.  Hubby and I stopped by the shop to check on them.  Mr. Owner talked to us. Mrs. Owner was in the back but we didn't want to bother her.  Then we stopped by Jo Ann's and picked up a sewing machine case.  My granddaughter had given me a gift certificate for my Birthday in October and I hadn't used it yet - so with the upcoming retreat this weekend it was a great time to use a coupon and my certificate and get the rolling cases.  I'm really liking it.  I had fun the rest of the day organizing my sewing tools and notions in the other little cases.  There are 3 plus the main sewing case.    :)  


Then I got the rest of my projects ready that I wanted to take to the retreat.  I want to work on the train quilt for Caleb and one of my oldest UFO's Snowman Collector. 

Thursday - morning was our CRQ Guild Business meeting.   We got our Challenge quilts from the show back and got some preliminary numbers on the quilt show but won't know for sure until they get all the expenses in.  Sounds like we did pretty good. There were more than 700 that came through the door.  Awesome!  
Then I came home and finished packing my stuff and took a nap.  I knew it was going to be a long weekend so I wanted to get what rest I could before I went.  I've been battling some sinus problems and feel a bit tired to begin with.  Then we headed over to the Tropicana to check in and set up for the sewing retreat.  The hotel was letting us set up our sewing stuff on Thursday Afternoon instead of Friday morning so we booked another night and were able to sew for a few extra hours.  Double Yay!!!  Non quilters don't understand - but it's great.  Let the Party Begin.   


This is the view behind where I was sitting.  I had my back to the room but was facing the door - so I actually got to see everyone that was coming and going.  :)  Good and bad I think I did way more talking this weekend than I've done at previous retreats.  

We stayed up until almost 11pm on Thursday night and then got up and started sewing around 4am on Friday morning - we're animals.   These retreat are about sewing - talking and eating.  I didn't get a picture of breakfast, but here was our lunch on Friday.  I love deli sandwiches. 

I started working on my Train Quilt for Caleb.  
I need to put the 5 borders on the panel I had 2 small 1 large and then 2 more small and then I could put the trains on. 
So here are the 1st 3 borders
Then with all 5 borders - now to put on the trains.  ... But wait, hmmm I'm getting input from others.  Maybe it would be cut to put his name on there.  Like Caleb's Express - or Caleb's Railroad.  
So I'm plotting which way and where the trains need to go.  My friend Barbara said she could cut the letters out on her AccuGo Cutter.  
And guess what 2 days after retreat she's done and sent them to me.  Wow this Lady is amazing. 
After I get the letters on I will then add extra train cars to go around them, but this is how far I got with the quilt at the retreat.  

For dinner we had a salad bar.  We were heading down to the quilt shop - Mrs. Owner was having a chocolate party for us.  She dips all kind of stuff in chocolate.  It's awesome.  Also we shop and get a discount for being part of the retreat.  This will be the first time we'll see them since her Mom passed.    It was emotional.  Her Dad came up to me and thanked me for running the store so they could be with him in the last days, that choked me up.   Then she looked me in the eye while cutting fabric for someone and said thank you so much for all you did and do.  I couldn't talk - I just blew her a kiss.  

Then when we were driving back to the hotel/casino we got a big surprise... An old oil filled transformer had blown and caught on fire and knocked the whole city of Laughlin NV out of power.  And the generators couldn't keep up. 
So what do you do while you can't sew and can't Iron - you trace on fusible and you trim blocks and cut fabric.  I traced on fusible 

This is one of the Row by Row kits from Kansas.  It was so cute I just wanted It.  I don't know what I'm going to do with it - but I wanted to do it.  So while I couldn't sew I traced it all out. 

So we sat around the sewing room for awhile but when they said it could be 2 am before it come back on one of my friends and I braved the 6 flights to her room to check it out or get a pillow for a slumber party.  Once we got there and realized it was fine.  We went back down for our purses and others and did the walk again.  We dropped her off at the 6th floor and then continued to 10th floor where the rest of us had rooms.  Here is the view from my room looking across Casino Drive looking at Colorado Belle.  If you look really hard you can see it.  
Ya it was pretty dark.   I just laid on the top of the bed and zonked out.  About 1/2 hour to 45 mins after I laid down - the power was restored.   Needless to say I slept in the next morning.  Not a lot but until 5:30 am.  :)

So first off I went ahead and Ironed the fusible to row by tow kit.  Then I got started on one of my oldest UFO's  - Snowman Collector. 

I had all these fused on and some of them top stitched - the ones in the second row were stitched, but needed to finish the top stitching on the top and bottom rows - it takes a lot longer than you think.  
This took me the rest of Saturday and what time I had on Sunday before I left around 1pm.  Of course I always think I can get way more done but I am happy with all I did get completed.  I have another Retreat next month - we only get Friday and Saturday and I'm not sure yet what I'm taking to work on but I'm sure I'll have fun. 
Here are a few other pictures I took at the retreat. 
Friend Barbara's VW Bug Quilt
 Saturday Nights Dinner.

A Lady name Cheryl's Quilt 

My Friend Aggie - This is one of 2 quilt tops she made.
Well That's about it.  I get wrapped up in the fun and forget to take more pictures. 
Monday was a relaxing day of resting after my busy weekend. 
Tuesday I went to the shop for my regular Open Sew - was able to have some one on one time with both of the shop owners.  It was good.  I worked on a Birthday gift for a friend.  Pictures later.  Then Tuesday night I had a workshop for SNR guild at the cottage.  Pictures of that later when it's finished.  We did a paper pieced block that we'll use for next month to hand quilt. 
That's brings it up to speed.  Wow - it was a busy week. 
Have a Blessed day
Lynn 

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