RETREAT!!!!

I am so excited (can you tell?)--the annual Girl Gang retreat is less than two short weeks away. And I just found out this past week that I could go--we're short-handed on staff at the moment at work and the boss wasn't too happy about both paralegals being away. But he knew how important it was to me and told me, "You have to go."

YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am gearing up for 7 quilting-filled days of bliss and fellowship with my Gang. Oh, the joy!

The last 2 times I went I was very conservative in the amount of projects I took with me; one year I only took 1 project:

Think Big, designed by Lorraine Hofmann
...and it's still in this status

The last time I went was 3 years ago; Sharon and I carpooled and there was only so much we could squeeze into her Honda, but squeeze we did! The retreat took place one month before Sharon passed away; she was so exhausted that she spent a lot of time in bed and got very little sewing done. But it was good that she could go; she even went to another long-distance retreat a couple of weeks later.

So now I get to return and I want to take EVERYTHING. I need to temper myself, but it feels so good just knowing I'm going! 

I started packing yesterday. I'm up to 6 projects; here's one:

I started it in 2005. I taught a class on it at the shop. And then I apparently started another one! So I plan to finish this one and work on the other one at home later this year.

And this is a new project--Hubster's boss is retiring at the end of May and we both wanted to do something special for her, so she's getting a quilt. I made the first block yesterday; this one will be fun:

The Christmas Burgoyne Surrounded is going along, and when I found the bin with the 2005 project in it, I found another one that I had forgotten about; it's from the 2005 Girl Gang projects called "Under the Stars". I have all the applique pieces prepped and just need to cut a few more background squares.

I'll also take Broken Crayons and another secret project. Seven days, six projects; IT'S ALL GOOD.

On Valentine's Day, I stole a few moments away to the studio and pulled out bins with projects that have been languishing oh so long...seeing them made me smile, which means I'm ready to tackle them again. It felt like Christmas!

I'm cutting up the pieces for the retirement quilt, and want to get the secret project cut before I leave. Then I can just sew, sew, sew...

GO QUILT!