Exclusive Workshop

Here is a sneak peek at the fibres used in this year's exclusive workshop

Moreover, as in previous years,  guessing the workshop is our first game of the weekend.  Two techniques will be covered during the workshop.  Guess the techniques and you could win a prize.  One winner will be drawn from all the correct ballots submitted.   Ballots must be submitted at check-in on Friday, April 5th.  Good Luck!!

This Friday is our Early Bird Draw deadline.

   We will draw winners Saturday morning, from all those registered by midnight Friday.
Winner's will have their rooms upgraded to either a King Suite or Penthouse Suite.

So if you have not yet registered there is still time.

Best of both worlds

I have had many inquiries from those living close to the Waterside Inn, wanting to attending Gitta's Retreat, but sleep at home.  My first thought had been how can you have a true relaxing weekend if you go home each night.  After giving it another thought, and of course checking with the hotel, this year Gitta's Getaway will evolve to a new level.

For those of you wanting to participate in a pampered weekend of stitching, relaxing, playing games, winning prizes, great food, attending an exclusive workshop, and making new stitching friends, but sleep at home - No Problem.  At the end of the evening as some of us will retire to our hotel suites, you now also have the option of heading home and then rejoining the rest of us in the morning for breakfast and all the day's activities.
This of course will also save you the cost of a hotel suite.  The new Registration Form reflects this third option. 

Not much longer!

I can't believe 2 months have gone by since my last post.  As we get closer to the Getaway, I am getting a little frantic even though I have been busy preparing and planning.  Much has been accomplished and many of the very generous donations from our suppliers are arriving.  So far, we have received goodies from

Sue Hillis Designs, Collonial Needle, Beth Russell Needlepoint, Ehrman Needlepoint, Needlepoint Inc Silks, Caron Collection, and Wichelt.  Plus many more have promised to send something for Retreat.  Yeah !!!

If you have not yet signed up, don't forget that the Early Bird Draw is Friday March 1st.

Registration now open!!

Over the last few months several events have greatly weighed on me.  Having put much thought into and worked through some of my concerns regarding next year, I am happy to announce that Gitta's 4th Annual Getaway Retreat will be held over the weekend of April 5th - 7th, 2013.  It will follow much of the same game plan as previous years -  games, prizes, great food, luxurious accomodations, wonderful company, an exclusive workshop, and surprises for which you will need to be patient.  It is however, with heavy heart that the NeedleWorkers MarketPlace will not be held in conjunction with the Getaway next year.

Do not dispare, this will in no way dampen our fun.  Many of my plans are already in the works, and the donations from Needlepoint Inc have already arrived.

See you in 4 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days.

Plans for 2013

2013 will be Gitta's 4th Getaway, and I have been trying to think of a theme to make this Retreat as memorable as the others have been.  This theme will inspire the designs for our exclusive workshop, and souvenier fridge magnet/ornament kit (that has always been one of Gitta's gifts to our attendees).  As the Waterside Inn is located by the Lake, one of the obvious themes I have been considering is "Water".  What  makes this such a wonderful theme, is that so much can be found on the surface and even more below, so don't assume the designs will only be blue, or filled with sailboats.  Remember, lily pads and frogs live in water too (and green after all is one of my favourite colours).  But before I get locked into one mindset, I would love to hear from you.  If you love the theme or have another in mind, please leave a comment.

Finished Tea Cup pin cushions

During our Getaway's exclusive workshop Carol Arsenault, our instructor, had commented that if even just one of us gets hooked on Stumpwork she will have been successful.  Well, Monika J. finished hers during the week after Retreat.  She has even bought several Stumpwork books and has incorporated stumwork critters into her "Nature" quilt.   

This is her finished Tea cup



Kim B. also finished her Tea Cup upon returning home, and has sent photos of her finished pincushion.  Kim even elaborated on the design to make it her own.

    Well done ladies.  

If anyone else has finished their Tea Cup Pincushion and would like to share it with the rest of us, email a photo and I will post it.

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. 

The weekend was a blast!   We all had a  great time! 

 

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.                                                                                   

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

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.403219469709865.94374.100000654471706&type=3&l=e8b8935faf