My Birthday Weekend

It's still my Birthday month and I'm finally able to sit down and write about my Birthday Weekend/SimpleArts Retreat. It was so much fun to hang out with so many creative women. I was excited to go and I don't think I realized just how much I needed to get away and recharge my batteries. I'm glad it happened when it did because ever since then I've been running around like a mad woman!

So anyway, here are some little highlights from the Retreat...

Friday was our little Shop Hop day. It's great because there's such an eclectic grouping of shops within a 45 minute drive of each other. Here's where we stopped:

• The Quiltery in Paso Robles: Most of their fabric is only $5 a yard, so it's a great place to stop! But be careful... $5 a yard can still be dangerous!
  

• The Quilter's Cupboard in Atascadero: I absolutely love the staff at this shop! They are the friendliest staff I have ever come across in a quilt shop. EVER. And I've seen my fair share of quilt shops!The orange and red collection is what I found at the Quilter's cupboard. The orange and purple collection is what I got as part of a ginormous door prize they gave us. What a treat!

• Susan Branch's Heart of the Home Store in Arroyo Grande: I just want to snuggle up and make this shop my home! We were also very lucky that Susan was able to be there to meet with our group. She is such a swell gal!

• Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab in Arroyo Grande: OH! MY! HECK! This is one place you don't want to go if you're on a diet! They custom create all of their flavours and they even have a Periodic Table of Ice Cream! If you're in the area check this place out. You won't be sorry.
• The Cotton Ball in Morro Bay: I love this shop. Plain and simple. I love it. They've got Fabric-Fabric, Decorator Fabric, yarn, ribbon, stuff for embroidery, and so much more! My most favorite "birthday gift" (thanks, Mom!) was the Sublime Stitching transfer packs and book I got at the Cotton Ball along with some floss and a hoop! I was in Seventh Heaven! Here's a pic:

All of my embroidery goodies now reside in my cute little Amy Butler sewing box I got at Joann's a while ago.
It feels good to be so organized!

What I got accomplished: Well, not very much got accomplished. If you count shopping, eating, shopping, eating, watching movies, fixing my Amy Butler Purse, eating, sleeping, getting my tootsies done and making another tote as accomplishments, well then, I was the most accomplished one there!

You can even see some of the movie we were watching in the background of the photo. I think we were watching Bride and Prejudice.

Here's a couple pictures of the other tote I made. I stayed up until 3:00 in the morning and my table buddy Holly stayed up with me! I got the fabric at the Cotton Ball and it's from Tina Givens's line. I just fell in love with those chandeliers!


The inside pockets are from Amy Butler's first line, Temple Flowers, when she was with Free Spirit. Because I was finishing my Amy Butler purse I brought my whole stash with me and tat fabric just happened to match perfectly. A girl has to be prepared!



And of course I have to talk about the food. The food! Annie brought one of Icing on the Cake's world famous German Chocolate Cakes and even had them write Happy Quilting! on it! It was so yummy and it lasted us all weekend. We had lots and lots of goodies on hand and, of course, the lovely people at Camp Ocean Pines kept us well fed. (Can you say "bread?") And of course, BBQ Monday! We stopped at Main Street Grill on the way out of town Monday afternoon. I so miss that place! Even if you're a vegetarian, stop there. They've got something for you, too! And, if anything, you can give yourself a good carb coma by eating a whole basket of their to-die-for fries!


A charming and relaxing time was had by all and I can't wait to do it again in September!
Until next time!