Awwwww!!!!! It's all over!
This year's Getaway once again followed a very successful and proven agenda, but with it's own unique surprises to make it another memorable year. On Friday all our retreaters were welcomed with a MaggieB bag filled with wonderful treasures donated by Gitta's very generous suppliers. We later started our evening with a Designer Meet & Greet, pizza & chicken skewers, and playing "get to know each other" games. We played Bingo, completed a Designer matching game, and ended the evening with a "Guess the Teddy Bear" Trivia and a Pajama contest - and all winners were rewarded with prizes. But in between all the games, we had our "Teddy & Me Tea Party" workshop.
Our surprise designer/instructor this year was Carol Arsenault.
She is a Stumpwork artist, and in the current issue of "A Needle Pulling Thread" magazine, Spring 2012, you will find an article about and a pattern from Carol.Our workshop project was a Tea Cup pincushion. The floral top was embroidered with some of the flower's petals done in stumpwork. Carol was an excellent instructor and made it all seem very straight forward and easy. She stayed for the weekend, answered all our questions, and finished her workshop on Saturday at afternoon Tea. Thank you, Carol, for all your wonderful insight and tips. You took the "stumped" out of Stumpwork!!!!!
Every year we have had decadant warm cookies later in the evening for that sugary boost. This year, with Gitta's Birthday being on the Friday we all enjoyed decadent Birthday cake - Blueberry Cheesecake and Chocolate Fudge. I had to have one of each - absolutely to die for!!!
This is a photo of myself, my mother and sister.
The rest of the weekend was worry and chore free - stitching, chatting, playing more trivia games, winning prizes, and enjoying free access to the NeedleWorkers MarketPlace.
Saturday evening, at our Banquet Dinner, Carol once again held our complete attention with her inspiring words, encouraging us all to devote our time to those projects we feel most passionate about.
During dinner we played our traditional word game - this year's phrase was "Collaboration Sampler" - the winning table found 514 words contained within the phrase. Congatulations ladies.
The winners of our Nametag contest were also revealed after the dinner, names were drawn for 5 Grand prizes, everyone received a gift package, and someone at each table won the table centre piece - a Bouquet of needleart Goodies.
So much so, that some of us were not anxious to head home!
There is much work that goes into a weekend such as this, and I want to take this chance to thank everyone involved in making this weekend the success that it was.
First off, I would like to thank YOU, all our attendees;
without you handwork and needlework would become a dying art form, the Stitching Lounge would be a very quiet room, and all our preparations would be for naught. A few of our attendees need an extra mention. Sam C., attendee at every Gitta's Getaway Retreat and just recently turned published designer, presented each of us with a kit of her first design, Winter Sampler. Marilyn R. knitted a stash of dishcloths, more than one for each of us. Jessica C., a first time attendee brought bags and bags of Hershey chocolates straight from the Hershey Chocolate factory in Hershey, PA. Delish.!!! And finally Darlene K. who once again was a great help, especially with our "Guess the Teddy Bear" game by bringing along her power point projector.
Next I would like to thank the Waterside Inn. 
The staff goes well beyond their job description and service expectations to ensure we are all happy and want for nothing. Tony the night manager, was our evening contact again this year. He put on quite the show for us, when we asked him to once again take our group photo. He had us laughing so hard we were almost in tears. Thank you again for a wonderful experience.
The staff goes well beyond their job description and service expectations to ensure we are all happy and want for nothing. Tony the night manager, was our evening contact again this year. He put on quite the show for us, when we asked him to once again take our group photo. He had us laughing so hard we were almost in tears. Thank you again for a wonderful experience. 
A heart felt thank you is extended to all of Gitta's staff, in preparing all the kits for the Getaway, for my Make-it & Take-it workshop kits for the NeedleWorkersMarketPlace and packing for the weekend; those that kept the shop running while I worked on the Getaway - designing this year's souvenir ornament, designing my MITI Tea Cup, designing my contribution for the NWMP Sampler, finishing my Stitch for a Cure fundraiser, contacting suppliers for gift donations, and planning our games. And finally to Margaret for all her work in helping with the plans for the weekend, all the paper work, organizing all the supplier donations, and keeping the weekend agenda flowing smoothly.
And lastly a much appreciated thank you goes to our suppliers. I was blown away this year with their generousity and the wonderful products they donated for our Getaway, making this weekend even more memorable. And these generous companies & designers were:
Access Commodities
A Needle Pulling Thread
Beadaddict
Brenda Franklin Designs
Brown Paper Packages ( Silk & Ivory)
By Jupiter (charms)
Caron Collection
Christine's Swedish Weaving
Daylight Company
Elizabeth Bradley
Gentle Art ( Sampler threads)
Gitta's
Gloriana Silks
H.A. Kidd and Company Ltd. (Needleart accessories & notions)
Hoffman Distributing Company Inc.
Ink Circles
JBW Designs
Jeannette Douglas Designs
Jesse James and Company (Button It Up buttons)
Just Another Button Company
Kelmscott Designs
Kelsea Sales (Distributor of LoRan & Clover products)
Kreinik Mfg.
Lizzie Kate
Needlepoint Inc. (Silk threads)
Quiltsource Canada Inc.
Rainbow Gallery
Riolis
Rosewood Manor
Stitching Studio
Sweetheart Tree
Threadworx, Inc.
Verachtert / Lanarte
Victoria Sampler
Wichelt Imports
X's and Oh's
Zweigart
Thanks to everyone for their efforts in making it another memorable weekend.
If you would like to see the entire photo album from the weekend please visit my facebook page, Kathrin Ellison or click on the link below
1 comment:
Sounds like you had a great time! I love going to these get aways with friends. We have them twice a year in our area.
Happy Stitching
Denise
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