It Shore was a Great Retreat! 🏖

Oh my, it's been over a month already since the fantastic shore retreat!😲 But here's the fun that we had there.

It's always a good time in a house full of stitchers, eating, stitching, drinking, and laughing, with some frogging along the way!

Getting ready for the Gone Stitching NJ Shore Retreat and Miss Mia doesn't want to be left behind! If only she could join us.

This sweet piece was stitched by Annette K, and finished by her daughter-in-law, Kathy. A combo of the LinAnn retreat patterns.

It was a beautiful day when I arrived, just a bit breezy.

My stitching view, just gorgeous.

I added some more stitches to my Halloween Hijinx.

I know this will take a while to finish, but I'm not in any rush.

Our little walking group and what we saw that evening.

So Amy, Robin, and I started this sweet pattern as a SAL together. We all started it there.

This is Amy's, beautiful fabric.

This is Robin's, another beautiful fabric choice.

I started the one on the left over two, then decided I didn't like it so big. Lucky for me, Amy brought some extra fabric with her that I liked. I restarted, and it was back to over one on the right!

Deck views

Mermaids on a morning walk.

The lovely Janis @Noteworthy Needle was there too, and she had her beautiful pieces to show and purchase. Amy will be showing these models and charts in her shop.

Do you have any of her designs?

The group photo inside since it was too wet outside to take it that day.

The annual lunch at Wallys, yum!

More gorgeous beach photos. It was definitely a little chilly, and certainly windy, but still lovely.

It was windy, but time for another group photo.

On Friday, Amy, Janis, and I headed to Amy's shop to get goodies for the others to shop from.

Now this is teamwork! Having everyone help with bringing in the goods in and out went by so quickly.

And the set up - looking good!

The nerve, this is the thanks we get! 😠

Although the dates were wrong - we were framed! 😝

Well shoot, we still had fun! 🤣

The Barnegat Lighthouse is nearby, but I have yet to visit it. Maybe next year?

I started this about nine years ago for a friend's mother. I was close, but didn't quite finish it. (That friendship ended - don't ever tell anyone that you love unconditionally but don't reciprocate the same.)

I know I could still give it to her sweet Mom, but knowing that she'll end up with it puts a damper on it. I know that sounds awful, but it was a really upsetting and hurtful situation.

So, I would still like to finish it and thought I would bring it next year for everyone there to put some stitches in, it only needs the ocean to be finished. Then it can be a gift for the owners of the house, as a thank you for all the great times there.

Not really wanting to wish the year away, but I'm already looking forward to next time!

Nashville Market Weekend at Born To Stitch! 🛍

After Amy left on Tuesday afternoon from Nashville, I joined her on Wednesday. And we got to work!

So many charts to organized for orders and then placement in the shop. This does not include all the fabric she bought!

I also forgot to take a photo of the Market display, but here's one she took afterwards.

So many beautiful charts!

Amy brought back four trunk shows from Market.

And WoW, they didn't disappoint! So many beautiful and fun charts. 

The Artsy Housewife

Boomerang Stitches

December Stitches

The Stitchin' Kitten

It was busy in there, lots of stitching and shopping going on!

Thank goodness for sweet Dori helping out on Friday and Saturday morning! I'm sure even Bruce appreciated it!

Amy's husband brought her a birthday cake to the shop on that Sunday, isn't it gorgeous?

Once again, I bought way more than I should have, but I tried. And I'm sure I'll find some more charts the next time I'm there - you know, the ones I must have missed!😉

The Bees 

Misc goodies

Halloween

Christmas and Misc

More Tiny Towns, I have a few from last year I still need to start!

The Happiness is Homemade is a sweet cookbook filled with recipes from designers and shops. And adorable patterns too!

I knew I HAD to get this one since we went on a British Isles cruise last summer with the family.

All in all, it was a great Market Weekend!

Our Nashville Needlework Market Madness 🪡

The adventure begins...

Hey, don't forget me! Silly Mia thought she was coming with us, I wish!

And off we went to the Nashville Needlework Market to get all kinds of goodies for Amy's Born To Stitch shop!

Of course we had to stop at Buc-ee's! This year we passed three of them since one in Virginia opened last year.

Amy drove for over half of the trip, then it was my turn... easy peasy!

11+ hours later, we made it there!

We stayed in the hotel this year, it was so much easier than making multiple trips to the car and commuting from another hotel.

I didn't take as many photos this year, but I have some. The hotel was at the tail end of being renovated. Sadly, the lobby and atrium were not finished and it was a hot mess.

I was 2nd in line for getting fabric, so I figured I might as well stitch while waiting.

While in the hallways, I kept thinking my glasses were dirty. Nope, it was from all the dust downstairs. 

Amy was in another fabric line, but not stitching!

You'd think from Friday until Sunday late afternoon we would have gotten to every room, but we missed some! Next year we'll do better.

AuryTM had this lovely pattern, but I wish it was a mermaid or a dragon! 😉

I thought about getting it, but knew I wouldn't have the patience to put it together. She sure is pretty!

Can you tell we were exhausted the first day?!

Those two free drinks each evening really helped!

Mel and Simone (sisters) of December Stitches were able to share a room this year with Cherry Blossoms.

Since Cherry and her DH stayed in that room, Mel and Simone stayed in our room on the sofa bed - such fun with these ladies! I'm so glad they were able to get a room this year, I think they learned a lot being there.

On Sunday night, we went out to dinner together and celebrated Simone and Amy's upcoming birthdays!

Also on Sunday, some designers offered new patterns called Plate-itudes. I just HAD to get the one from Fox and Rabbit, it has dragons!

And then before we knew it, it was time to pack up all those stitchy treasures and head home.

The little red wagon was filled too!

What a beautiful flag to see on the way home driving through Virginia.

We had to make one last stop at Buc-ee's, you know, for the things we forgot at the last one. 😉

We ran into Diane, from Silver Creek Samplers, while we were there, that was a nice surprise. I actually have her story to tell you that I'll be posting after this one.

We made it home safely and Amy spent the night again - we had a birthday to celebrate the next day! 🎉

Then all too soon, she headed back home. But no worries, I was taking a break for a day before heading her way to help get ready for her Market Weekend! 

That will be another posting.