It's the rainy season ... we knew it was coming!!!

Hello-o-o-o from the wet and wild west coast!  Rain and grey today - yesterday was 'eat on the deck in the sun' day ... but hard to even remember that today!!  The weather - it's always "what have you done for me lately!!"  And the weather everywhere this year has been ... well, let's not go there!

Last weekend was the Finishing School 2014.  I organize this retreat and it's a blast!!  There's a retreat center above the Bandon Quilt Store: Forget Me Knots - you're already liking it, aren't you!!  The retreat center holds 8.  There are 3 bedrooms with twin beds - with quilts on each!!  An awesome workroom with  ceiling to floor windows and great lighting.  A full kitchen with another table to eat at.  AND it's AwEsOmE!!  We had such fun this year.  We stayed up late, got up early, made excellent meals for ourselves, shopped the store in our slippers and laughed as much as we possibly could.

Each year I SWEAR I will make the official pin cushion early ... I failed big time this year!  The night before the retreat I'm stuffing those little gems and slipstitching them closed.  And I'm pretty grumpy about it!!  But seeing their shining faces when they receive them ... well, next year again for sure!

The first year (this was our second annual Finishing School) the schoolhouses were red.  So this year they are a 'beachy' green.  Last year I ate a whole lot of Trader Joe's Frozen Birds Nests (not a problem, try them, they are delicious!!) and saved the trays they are frozen in.  Why??? Because the trays are perfect to set beside your sewing machine and put all those little tools you need into. The ripper, the empty bobbins, etc. It keeps them all together and keeps you from brushing them off the table with your elbow too!

I offered a prize to anyone who brought the last year's trays back this year ... would you believe 5 of the 7 from last year did!  Didn't expect that!  Headed down to the store and picked up sale FQs for the prizes.  Everyone else got a new tray for this year.  I put the pincushion; an emory board, a scissor fob with their name on it and set it on top of a hand-stamped stationary pad I made!!  Three people brought back their red schoolhouse pin cushion!!  You realize that they had to keep track of those items for a whole year!! No way that happens unless they are using them!  I'm so excited they found them useful!

This is A - she's a garage sale and thrift store queen!  She was designing a fall quilt with bits and pieces that she's picked up everywhere!  It was so fascinating watching this develop ... the retreat center has this entire design wall that we all used alot!!  

Okay - I have to admit - that's my sewing space front and center.  I am not a neat, organized quilter - hard to believe, I'm sure - [okay, I heard that snickering from friends!!  Stop it!]  I have the bow on my machine because my light that attaches, well the brackets that hold the cord up and out of the way keep peeling off.  I tie it in the bow and it seems to take the pressure off the remaining brackets.  That baggie full of stuff was a garage sale purchase that was being passed and oohed over.  We did decide that a good song for the Finishing School was the Theme from Jaws!  Overflowing stash and supplies sneaking up on you, ready to pounce on your sewing space!! Da da, da da da da!!!

The was one of the Quilts of Valor I worked on.  It's a disappearing 9patch but the setting is a variation.  It's a pattern card available at quilt shops.  Bandon gave us it in our welcome packet.  I, of course, have put it somewhere safe ... I don't have to say anything else, do I??  When I come across it - I'll let you know the name - it starts with T???

We also rented the AccuCut machine from the shop during our time there.  Oh my goodness!  Did we have fun with that!  We cut Jelly Rolls; Hawaiian Applique blocks; and lots and lots of wool applique goodies!!  Those machines are pretty slick and I can see renting it again!!

Here's our intrepid class!  Thanks ladies - it was so-o much fun!  We're already booked for next year. We added an additional day and we're full!!  That must be a sign of a good time had by all!

Monday, back to reality.  We were all EXHAUSTED!  Sore from all the hauling up and down the stairs and nobody went to the guild's Fun Day!  7 of us went to the evening guild meeting, many of us didn't stay for the activity!!  I know I napped ALOT this week.  Didn't even sew for 5 days, but I'm back on track now!!

Stay tuned for the report from the "DH is away; Doni's sweat shoppe report!!  Wa-aahh-aahh!