Getaway Goodies

I received a wonderful surprise in the mail today.   Having thought that all the supplier donations had arrived, you can imagine my delight.  Gloriana Silks has always been very generous every year, and this year is no exception.  She has sent several fibre packs, each with a collection of her various fibres.  I generally use these beautiful fibre packs as the prizes for our Name Tag Contest.

So I hope you have all worked hard on your nametags!!  Good luck to you all.

There are so many other wonderful prizes to be won, and as our attendance is low this year everyone is sure to go home with a nice stash.

Our suppliers have been soooooo generous !!!!

Those suppliers that have donated to make our Getaway memorable are :

A Needle Pulling Thread

Alessandra Adelaide

Beth Russell Needlepoint
Brenda Franklin Designs

ByGone Stitches

Caron Collection

Colonial Needle

Dessins

Ehrman Needlepoint

Elizabeth Bradley Needlepoint

Gloriana Silks

H.A. Kidd ( Canada's DMC distributor)
Hearthside Craftworks

Hoffman Distributor

Ink Circles

Jeannette Douglas

Kreinik

Linda Meyers Designs

LoopyLou

Needlepoint Inc. Silks

Notions Marketing (Laurel Burch bag)

Rainbow Gallery

Riolis

Rosewood Manor

Silk & Ivory threads

Sweetheart Tree

Stoney Creek
Stitching Studio

Sue Hillis

Thread Gatherer

Vervaco

Victoria Sampler

Weeks Dye Works

Wichelt

Zweigart

and lets not forget the Maggie B bag and your Souvenir kit from Gitta's 

If anyone would still like to join us for a weekend of fun and stitching, there's still time!!!

The Weekend's Meal Plan

All our meals at Retreat are prepared by the chef of the Breakwater Restaurant.  The Breakwater is the only restaurant in Mississauga to have a 3.5 star rating from Toronto Life, the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator and a CAA 4 Diamond Award.

Friday evening during our Pajama Party we will enjoy chicken skewers, stuffed Mini Pitas, Spring rolls, Hummus, and more.  Also brought back by popular demand are the warm home backed cookies at 10pm.

Saturday morning we will enjoy a "Farmers breakfast" in the Breakwater Restaurant.  With it's floor to ceiling windows we will have great views of the Port Credit marina and the Credit River.

For Lunch we will have a market fresh soup, salad, and a selection of assorted Paninis.  The dessert is my absolute favourite and brought back by popular demand - Crème brûlée.

Afternoon Tea will be held in our Stitching lounge.

For Saturday's Banquette dinner you will have some decisions to make.
There is a choice between French Onion soup with french baquette and gruyere cheese OR Caesar Salad with crispy bacon, shaved parmesan cheese and anchovy dressing.

Then there is a choice between Thyme & lemon marinated Grilled Chicken Supreme, Veal Tenderloin medallions, OR seared Atlantic Salmon.

And lets not forget dessert - Cranberry Cheesecake.

Sunday Morning we will awake to hot coffee and fresh muffins. Just something light to tide us over until 10:30am when we will enjoy the Breakwater's fabulous Sunday Brunch lasting 4 hours.

Delish, can't wait...

Room Upgrade Winners

The Winners of the Early Bird draw this year are 

Linda C. and Catherine B. 

 Congradulations ladies your rooms will be upgraded to either a Penthouse or King Suite.

If you would like to view more photos of the luxurious accommodations at the
Waterside Inn please visit their website www.watersideinn.ca

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.