Part 1 of the Retreat

Happy Tuesday!  I know I know... it's taken forever to get to the retreat report! To me it seems like it's so far in the past.. and it's been what a week? Or is it two? I'm not even sure! It seems like the time is just speeding by me right now. Anyway, the retreat was set up by my  friends Deb and Debbie, and I was excited to be invited into this long time group of sewing friends.  The retreat was held along the Central California Coast in Templeton at the Dancing Deer Farm. The location was great, very picturesque and the weather was perfect.  Nice during the day and cool at night!

 

Of course there were deer! Everywhere was green and lush. I brought my binoculars and watched the birds, it was great. Lots of outdoor seating for reading or relaxing. It was very unstructured so you could go out and go shopping or stay in and sew or nap or read.. lots of room to spread out.. really a great time.  The food was wonderful, and who wouldn't want to have meals appear without having to think them up or make them!

 

We had a block swap. Debbie and Deb provided instructions for the block and most of us made one, then we put our names on them and put them into the pot.  That was fun. 

 

We also played Left Right Center, I had never played before.  We each brought 3 batik fat quarters to play with.  Mary won all of them!

 

We had the famous cake (Black Forest) from the infamous Madonna Inn.

 

Julie and Deanna made cute bags for everyone.  Deanna made the cute bag with the sewing machine on her embroidery machine.  Super cute.

 

I worked on some blocks for Holly and then some projects for me.

 

I sat across from Debbie who was working on the basket quilt we started in a workshop with Laura Nownes.   I'm embarrassed at how long ago that was and how I'm not any farther than I was in January a year ago when I blogged about it here.

 

But her Pam Kitty Love baskets make me want to get it back out again.  For sure.  She's close, she'll be done before me I'm sure. 

 

So later I'll take you on a tour of a cute quilt shop and show you some great show and tell, well the quilts are great, the photos are lackluster but you'll get the idea.