retreat time!

our spring retreat is so much fun!

every year i'm suddenly aware that retreat is "next week" and i'm nowhere near ready.

so then i spend that week running like a crazy woman organizing, making, writing, printing, stuffing, answering questions, sending emails...and then...it's time!

fabric box for door prizes

fabric box for door prizes

fabric box for door prizes

fabric box for door prizes

RJR donated charm packs from their Basically Patric line for our door prizes!

fabric box for door prizes

i send the girls off to friends for a night or two.

pack everything up and drive off into the sunrise (because it's too darn early even for the birds, it seems).

this year i was up at 4:45!!

(D was up getting ready for work and i simply couldn't get back to sleep.)

okay...maybe i don't drive off into the sunrise...i did leave home at 9:45am even though i wanted to go back to bed.

listen.

i'm not going to sugar coat it.

we sew in a big gym with bad lighting.

the rooms aren't terribly fancy.

and somehow toilet paper rolls always make their way into the nooks and crannies of my room...and sewing gear.

but, when it comes right down to it, it isn't about the gym, or the lighting, or the un-fancy rooms.

it's about the friendships, the encouragement, the support, the learning.

it's about hearing peoples stories.

crying with them.

cheering over life's successes.

and making really fun projects!

our ice breaker and swap on wednesday night, this year, was a needlebook.  everyone made one.
we then laid them out, put numbers on them and everyone got a number.
starting with #1 the lady picked the #1 item, introduced herself and opened the pressie.

and here's my finished (finally!!) mum's the word!
it was relieving to have it done.  :)

my second project up was a rag quilt.
it's not done but i accomplished what i wanted to get done.

toilet paper rolls!!

and more toilet paper rolls!!

did i mention that the retreat fairy always shows up??
she leaves pressies for us and it's always wonderful.  <3

saturday found me driving away from camp arnold with a deep sense of satisfaction because,

well, all of that happened this last weekend.

and did i mention that the mountain came out this year?

hmmm...mt. rainier really is an amazing thing of beauty.

i'm thankful for the ladies who come every year.

they make it a wonderful experience.

every.

time.

there are more pics...i'll share them in another post when they've migrated from my phone to computer.

happy sewing this lovely monday after easter.

i hope your weekend was as lovely as mine.

xo,

~ h