Sunday (4/3) we left at around 8:15am from my house for our 3 hour and 15 min. drive. We had to stop in Bryan so my friend Sandy B. could follow me to the retreat. We were doing good on time. As we drove I told Sheryl I can just hear my friend Sandy following us "Who in God's name drew this map". It was pretty twisty turny but it was actually the fastest way to Stone Creek Lodge quilt retreat. We wound our way through Sam Houston National Forest. It's at least scenic and very little traffic if any.
This retreat is #18 and I had 20 ladies joining me. My biggest retreat ever. By the time we got there, there was a few hiccups. Let's see.
- No room numbers. They had been removed
- And the number of beds in 2 rooms was different.
- Tables were set up differently than expected
- My car navigation and phone weren't cooperating
- My hatch on my car only opened a couple feet and it wouldn't shut..
Minor things.. LOL Sorta Of course this retreat almost everyone showed up at the same time which made things a tad hectic.
I sorted out the room assignments once I knew the number of beds in each. Pulled a person out of each of the rooms that had the most people to join me in another room. Most people had already started setting up at the tables with no problem. And the I got out the car manual to figure out how to shut off the auto button to close the hatch manually. Whew.
Everyone was busy setting up their machines and projects until 5pm the dinner bell rang (me yelling dinner time) Tonight we went out to dinner at Tia Juanita's. It's a Mexican/Cajun mix. The food is really good and I'm told the margarita's are the bomb. The rest of the rest the retreat would be cooking for us.
Oh and driving to dinner the ladies in my car had to listen to a constant ding. A warning sign popped up saying the hatch was still open but it wasn't not really. I finally determined it was the glass window of the hatch that we closed once we got to the restaurant and the drive home was much quieter.
My former co-worker/friend from 20+ years ago was on her way home to Port Neches and she joined us. She sat at the table with Kathy (left), Suz (Also a former co-worker), Denise (right) and Elly who I didn't get in the picture. The 4 of us worked at a freight forwarding company. There were 3 tables of us ladies spread out in a back area of the restaurant. We behaved.
Tosdas And my Seafood enchiladas. They were filled with shrimp
I think these were Seafood nachos. Whatever things were we couldn't complain about the quantity. And the jalapeno margarita's looked pretty dang good. I was told they were delicious.
The ladies got to work after dinner and projects were starting to appear on the design boards.
I think these were Seafood nachos. Whatever things were we couldn't complain about the quantity. And the jalapeno margarita's looked pretty dang good. I was told they were delicious.
Some of the work was tedious, like this one of clipping corners. Sheryl was working on her felting project.
Anna, one of my lady's teaches classes and she asked if we wanted to make a bag using the burrito method. Like making a pillowcase. I was game and so were several other ladies.
This is her bag. And Kim E. is styling with her bag. Isn't she precious?
This bag is called a Mary Poppins bag made by Bekki. Isn't it pretty?
Did I mention this post is on photo overload? Well it is.
Pat finished a cool quilt top and Bekki finished her wall hanging. Adorable.
Picture on left is in progress and on the right it's complete.
Have you ever played Left Right Center? It's played with dice. We used to play with Fat Quarters but it was hard picking a fabric line that everyone would like so if they won the pot they could have a good start to make a quilt. But at the fall retreat we played with five $1 bills. What a hoot. Now they go buy what FQ's they want or fabric if they win. Connie had won the last 2 retreats and it was looking like she might win again. 
She did the winning toss of the money.
Some of us took a field trip to Quilts Etc in Sour Lake. These two ladies were great. I believe their name was Dana & Sharon. Donna Marie was waiting for her itemized ticket for her purchase so she could go pay. 
This is Sandra, my other new retreater. I do hope she had fun and is able to come back again when I have space.
Every piece is individual pieces including the stain glass look. Can't give a detailed description since I've never done this before but it sure took a lot of beating, water and pressing. WOW Cool piece.
The game was knocking people out Left and Right. (hehe) Kathy here was feeling pretty confident that she might have a chance at winning. Unfortunately that confidence was not enough to keep her winning streak going.
Now there's Donna Lynn. The girl who didn't want to play but ended up winning the pot. She was very happy she played!
One of the girls picked up some of it and stuffed it in her shirt and dared Donna Lynn to get it. Welll...... Never dare Donna Lynn.
On the 2nd evening I opened this pretty bottle of wine from my niece Jessica to share. No quilts were harmed or body parts. You can't get drunk while cutting and sewing. 
Donna Marie
Donna Lynn & Kim R. (came all the way from New Mexico)
On the left is one of my new retreaters, Robin. She's Sheryl's long time high school friend. Sheryl also does felting.
Pat, Diana, Anna (our bag teacher) and Connie.
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Pat, Diana, Anna (our bag teacher) and Connie.
Me & Vicki Me & Anna
This is Elly. She won one of the bags I had as a door prize. She was so excited! She had both bags filled up within a few short minutes.
This is Elly's bee fabric. Can you see the sparkle? I love this fabric. She was working on her blocks.
Cute Cute.
Love all these ladies. They are always doing something nice for me and giving me little gifts. Gifts to me and for me to use as door prizes. Thank each and everyone of you for your kindness and generosity.
This is Elly. She won one of the bags I had as a door prize. She was so excited! She had both bags filled up within a few short minutes. I had a couple of others I gave away to excited recipients. Didn't get a picture of them.
This is Jane.
This is Elly's bee fabric. Can you see the sparkle? I love this fabric. She was working on her blocks.
Cute Cute.On Wednesday 4/6 we went outside to take a group picture. You can imagine how much fun it is to position 20 ladies. I was telling that person #5 & 6 should stand directly in front of the camera.
So as I'm looking at the camera the face of Kathy was filling the frame. She is a mess. LOL
Here we are. All 21 of us. And some still got almost lost in the picture.
Then these two jumped in before taking the camera down.
Love this cup at retreat.
This is a 6" block. Those baskets are really tiny. My Hands can't do that tiny. Nice Work Denise.
This beginning and the finished project. Too cool!
So many fun times, so many laughs, and lots of projects completed. I even finished my vintage Santa quilt. It went home with Donna Lynn who does most of my quilting.
This beginning and the finished project. Too cool!
This little donkey is one of my gifts from Kim R. and Donna Lynn. They know I love my real donkey, Jerry. And some of my other gifts that are sew sweet and thoughtful. Thank you all.
This is Sandra, my other new retreater. I do hope she had fun and is able to come back again when I have space.
There is sew many more pictures I wanted to share. Like more the quilts and the girls but I do believe this post is long enough. So if you click On "Material Girls Photo Album" it'll take you to the album with all the crazy pictures and beautiful tops completed.
4/7 Thursday came and it was time to load up for the last time from Stone Creek. They have the venue and the 10 acres it sits on for sale. As of now the last retreat they'll hold will be in September unless it sells sooner. The ladies, Dani, Sharon and Jamie were wonderful and great cooks. We wish them the very best in their retirement. We loved this place.
Welp that's it for now. What else have I gotten into since then. mmmmm you'll have to wait until next post...
Until then...§ Our friendship is a tapestry/
Woven through the years/ With threads of joy and laughter/ Happiness and tears
