Stitcher's Week-end

Let me start by saying that I pay dearly for having such a good time. It's Thursday and I'm just getting to tell of my wild week-end. First mistake, I forgot my camera! I do want to thank Vicki for opening her home to us. And to all the new friends I've made, you're wonderful and inspiring!
Oh what fun! I left home at O-dark-thirty to get to Pat's at 7a.m. We drove to Portland and arrived at a bulging Acorn's & Threads. Tracy Horner of Ink Circles had a nice display of her finished works and lots of charts for sale. What a thrill to meet Tracy! I've been stitching her almost-year-long freebie, BOINK.
After much oohing & aahing and touching & buying we left for Sweet Tomato's for a delicious lunch. (with much restraint I spent less that $100 which was my self-imposed limit(and against my new year's desire to resist buying stash and work only UFOs)).
Vicki's was our final stop and location of the Northwest Stitcher's GTG. I claimed a spot at the dining table although stitching sites were set up all over her house with ample lighting all around. It's guestimated 30 people were in attendance each day. Some, like my friend Rita, were only able to be there one day or the other. Food and drink were abundant all week-end. Thanks Vicki and Randy!
Oh my, there were some gorgeous pieces being worked on in this group! I only took along some smalls to complete, the SanMan freebie alphabet "It's All Square" and a Christmas Ornie. That doesn't mean I came away without a ton of inspiration and some freebies!

I'll should show off some of my stash so you can all be soooo jealous:
First are my A&T purchases. The threads are for the IC's "Cirque des Carreaux". Notice the A&T shoppiing bag?

Next are my Ink Circles purchases, "Bloomers" and "Cirque des Carreaux". Tracy and her DD Hannah entertained us all week-end. What a pair of jewels and so talented!

Then a freebie from Tracy, an Oregon ornament chart, "She Sells Seashells" by Country Cottage Needleworks and a Stoney Creek magazine from Vicki with the chart for the beautiful rooster on front. She has this hung in her kitchen and I fell in love with it.

These are freebies given out by Lynda Keske of Keslyns. She was with us all week-end and is quite a character.

Adelia "Dee" Childers of Sweetbriar Needle Design sat next to me all week-end and is such a delightful woman. She had quite a few freebies in limited quantities so I only got these two. Am planning to order several more for sure.


All in all a terrific bunch of ladies! We talked & laughed and sat & atitched and ate & ate 'til we were sore. I can hardly wait for the next GTG in May!

Pat & I left in time to make a stop at Fabric Depot (and spent less than $10 each). We arrived at her place well after dark. By the time I got home I was on my last breath. Right to bed and I slept for most of the next 36 hours. I have just now unpacked my stitching to take photos. Obviously I haven't been getting much stitchig done this week. Man, it takes me a long time to recover!