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December 24, 2012 Hello Stitchers!
Tonight we’ll open some gifts from friends far away, and then sit by the light of our Christmas tree listening to music, talking and reflecting. Just before bedtime we sneak away to fill each other’s stockings, and then off to bed we go. On Christmas morning we have a traditional Maple Danish that I make, along with chunks of cheddar cheese and steaming coffee. Then we dive into our stockings and presents.
By evening, my 91 year old Dad will be toast and ready for a looooong winter’s nap. He pretty much short circuits when he gets tired these days and makes little sense. We had some of my husband’s family over yesterday for dinner and Dad forced himself to stay awake as long as he could, then he slumped over onto the dining room table narrowly missing some chip dip! LOL! We are thankful to still have him with us to enjoy another holiday. He is quite excited about Christmas. It’s almost like having a child in the house. The holidays are a lot of fun for us, but the older we get the more we find our memories are sometimes bittersweet. We find ourselves thinking of loved ones who have gone before us and we miss them – but we also can’t help smiling as we remember the funny antics and endearing qualities of each one. Somehow it’s a bit like getting a hug from them as we recall the part they played in our lives. We have been blessed to know each one. Whatever holidays you celebrate this season, I wish you and yours the very best and merriest ever. May your stitches be perfect and plentiful in 2013! Sue
December 1, 2012 Hello Stitchers! I have just now opened up registration for the 2013 Alumni Retreat to be held on Friday & Saturday, February 22-23 -- Yahoooooooo! I am sure looking forward to it!!
I have been fighting to find ways to keep the costs down at Sturbridge, and have discovered that I can reduce the cost significantly by holding the retreat on Wednesday & Thursday, July 10-11, instead of a weekend. This also happens to work out really well because of other events in the area during that time that will likely interest many of the attendees. On Monday, July 8th, is the Vintage Fashion and Textile Show in Sturbridge, MA, and the Brimfield Antique Show will be taking place on July 9-14. And, of course, there is Old Sturbridge Village to explore! Our instructor for the Mystic 2013 retreat will be Thea Dueck of Victoria Sampler!! Woo-hoo!!!! This retreat will have a Christmas Theme. I will post more information as things develop. If you are not already on the Stitcher’s Hideaway email distribution list and would like to be, just email me at Stitcher’s Hideaway and I’ll be happy to add you. This way you will receive notification when retreat details are posted and registrations are open. As the holidays approach, keep in mind that you can let folks know that Stitcher’s Hideaway Gift Certificates are available toward retreat registrations. This could be a perfect gift for you to receive -- or to give to a stitching buddy! Oh, we have some great stitching adventures to look forward to in 2013!! See you at a retreat! Sue November 21, 2012 Hello Stitchers!
I am also very thankful for the many wonderful stitchers I have met through Stitcher’s Hideaway, and thankful for the great designers, instructors, and donors that have been a blessing to us all. Life can get pretty crazy at times with so many things continually tugging at us for our time and attention. I wish for each of you some peaceful moments on Thanksgiving Day to be still and to remember the many things you are thankful for. As we begin the holiday season, may you continue to have moments of peace, contentment…and time to stitch! My best to you and yours - Sue November 5, 2012 Hello Stitchers! As many of you know, I just held the Spooky Retreat on October 26-27. We had an outstanding time! However, with Storm Sandy heading toward the East Coast, some attendees left a little early on Saturday night and some very early on Sunday morning to get home in time to prepare. Several attendees were from NY and from NJ in hardest hit areas. I’ve heard from almost every one of the attendees now. Many lost power and some in NJ are still without power and expect to be for at least another week. I’m still waiting to hear from some, but so far no one has lost their home. This was a storm that certainly impacted a huge number of people. Some have lost everything but their lives. It’s hard to even imagine. Although I was going to open registration for the Alumni Retreat on 11/1, I am delaying the opening until perhaps December 1 when things have settled down a bit. Dawn Boisvert of A Sweet Stitch is from NJ. I have a message from her that I would like to share with you all in case some of you would like to participate in a project she is organizing. “We are just devastated here. Spared the worst of the storm and had some trees come down, but nothing like our neighbors elsewhere and along the coast. Having spent many times at the Jersey Shore, to see what has happened down there... makes me feel broken inside. :*( Feeling helpless, I had to do something... so I organized a quilt project, Stitching for the Jersey Shore. I would like to reach out to as many stitchers as possible to let them know that they may contribute a stitched square for the quilt. More information is on my home page, http://www.asweetstitch.com, with a link to the quilt project page. Half the battle for me is spreading the word about my project. Would you do me a favor? Would you kindly send a message to your mailing list on my behalf? And let your attendees know about my project? I would be most grateful to you. Thank you so much.” I have heard from some diehard stitchers that had battery operated lighting so they could stitch while the power was out. Some of these hurricane-seasoned folks put on fingerless gloves so that they could stitch without heat! Gotta love an addict! My very best to each and every one of you – and here’s hoping those affected will have their power back very soon! Sue September 13, 2012 Hello Stitchers! I have just posted the Fun Report for the Sturbridge 2012 Retreat. I hope you enjoy this glimpse of our fun time together!
And all the while I’m working on spooky stuff....I’m thinking about all the great stitching adventures planned for 2013 -- Woo-hoo! My plan is to open registration for the Alumni 2013 Retreat around November 1, and I hope to open registration for the Sturbridge 2013 retreat by December 1 -- so keep a watch on the website or -- better yet, if you’re not already on the Stitcher’s Hideaway email list, just email me at Stitcher’s Hideaway and ask to be added so that you’ll receive the latest information hot off the press! In brief, here are the plans for 2013. Winter Escape Alumni Retreat, February 22-23, 2013. This is a no-instructor-involved stitchers-gone-wild retreat! Registration is open to Alumni first, and then if there are any openings it is open to other stitchers. Sturbridge, MA, July 10-11, 2013. Jeannette Douglas of Jeannette Douglas Designs will be teaching a fantastic patriotic sampler at Sturbridge, MA!! This retreat will be held on a Wednesday/Thursday to significantly reduce registration costs for all attendees! And…during this week the Brimfield Antique Show will be taking place! Between that and nearby Old Sturbridge Village I’m sure that many attendees will be planning to spend some extra days in the area. See you at a retreat soon! Sue July 19, 2012 The last few months have been quite a ride for me! When I last wrote, the Spooky Retreat scheduled for October 26-27, 2012, had just been opened up. That retreat is now full! How exciting! We are going to have a wonderful crazy time together! I also was about to have shoulder surgery, which took place on May 10th. It was very successful and I’m SO very happy that I had it done. My injury had created so much pain that I actually had to stop stitching back in December, 2011. HOW HEINOUS!!! But by mid-June after having my surgery and some physical therapy, I began stitching again with a vengeance. Don’t NOBODY try to stop me!! Hehehe! During the months when I couldn’t stitch, I had a design in my head that I was super eager to chart out. Before even charting it out and stitching it, I picked out linen and threads and ordered them in advance for everyone that attended the Sturbridge Retreat in July. FINALLY, just 3 weeks before the retreat my shoulder healed enough for me to do the charting and stitching. Here’s the results:
I’m still in physical therapy but each day my shoulder/arm is making rapid grounds toward full recovery and already I can do almost everything I did before my injury. I was able to stitch for hours at the Sturbridge Retreat! The Sturbridge Retreat was so wonderful. What great memories. Ellen Chester’s Fruit of the Vine design was far more beautiful than pictures were able to convey. All the little details that went into turning it into an exceptionally gorgeous huswif were a delight. The colors were outstanding! Ellen led us through the many stitches involved in the project and then took us step by step through the finishing instructions. I know that some are planning to stitch the design as a sampler, some as a bell pull, and some as a huswif. It is a very hard choice to make! The Sturbridge Retreat marked my coronation as Frog Princess!
In my new role as Frog Princess, I bestowed my first frog gift to Ellen! Lucky, lucky lady!
Ellen has posted some great photos of the retreat and of some of her post-retreat fun on her blog. You must visit! http://withmyneedle-ellen.blogspot.com/ I will be working on a Fun Report about our time together at the Sturbridge Retreat over the next few weeks. But let’s talk about 2013 Retreats!!! Winter Escape Alumni Retreat, February 22-23, 2013. This is a no-instructor-involved stitchers-gone-wild retreat! Registration is open to Alumni first, and then if there are any openings it is open to other stitchers.
If you aren’t already on the mailing list and want to be so that you’ll receive first word when retreat details are posted and registration is opened, just contact me by email and ask to be added to the distribution list. So that’s the news from my corner of the world. I hope you are all able keeping cool in this summer heat! Happy Stitching – Sue
April 20, 2012 Hello Stitchers! Wow! Do I ever have news! Here’s the scoop!
The newly reformatted Spooky Retreat will still be run on Friday & Saturday, October 26-27th, but not as an instructor-led 2-day class. Instead, it will be run similar to the annual Alumni Retreat, with some exciting new options, and will be open to non-alum as well! The cost will be $180 ($170 for alum in Celebration of the 10th Anniversary of Stitcher’s Hideaway). Everyone can stitch on whatever they’d like and enjoy all the spooky fun and great meals together. Now here’s what’s different -- and I think it’s an exciting idea to try! Dawn has agreed, for the first time ever, to sell her class kits at the retreat for $90 each! These kits will include the Haunted Huswif, Lady Washington Sampler and Alphabet of Stitches. At the retreat, Dawn will hold mini-sessions to go over each of the kits with anyone who purchases them, and after the sessions she’ll be available for questions and help. This is a HUGE bargain and fantastic opportunity not only to get the Haunted Huswif, but for anyone who missed the retreats when she taught the other two classes!
Also...for those who would like another adventure, we can take an optional field trip to Mystic Seaport on Friday night for their Sights and Frights program! I am so excited about this and so very thankful to Dawn for offering! I would never normally be able to do this because I usually carry a lot more of the expenses for my instructors. Dawn ROCKS! But that’s not all the news! Dawn also played around with her design to make it possible to stitch it as either a Haunted Huswif or Spooky Sampler!! Jump over to the Spooky Retreat page now for all the details! I hope these changes make it possible for so many more of you to join in the fun this year! Oh - I need to mention that I am having some surgery on May 10th on my right shoulder to repair a tear in my rotator cuff. There may be some delays in my responding to your emails right after that. Thanks in advance for your understanding! Sue April 7, 2012 I am wondering where on earth the days go! It’s Spring once again!! Tomorrow is Easter and Michael has baked his wonderful Greek Easter Bread. The whole house is filled with the wonderful aroma of orange peel, cinnamon, allspice, and anise. I am impatiently waiting for it to cool off enough to sample it! Mmmm!
I’ve been very busy working on Easter music for our church service tomorrow. I play piano and sing in a band there, along with 3 guitarists, drums, a fellow who adds fun with a keyboard, and 3-4 part harmony. There will be a lot of celebrating going on!! Are you still looking at Michael’s bread? Is your mouth still watering? LOL! So let’s talk about retreats! I have just today finished the Alumni Winter Escape Retreat Fun Report. I hope you enjoy reading about the great time we had together. It was so much fun!
The retreat in itself will be a fantastic time, but what makes it extra fun is that it is being held right after Independence Day! Many of the attendees are planning to take in fireworks at Old Sturbridge Village on July 3rd, and then enjoy the special programs OSV is offering on July 4th. Some attendees are making it a family event! Some attendees are also extending their vacation to visit the Vintage Fashion and Textile Show on July 9th in Sturbridge, MA followed by the Brimfield Antique Show on July 10-15! In other news, Dawn Fisher, instructor for the Spooky Retreat being held in Mystic, CT on October 26-27, has been busily designing and stitching her Haunted Huswif project into a sampler so that attendees will have a choice of creating a Haunted Huswif or Spooky Sampler! I’ll post a picture as soon as I have it. Dawn and I are planning some spooky fun for everyone! The Spooky Retreat marks the 10th Anniversary of Stitcher’s Hideaway, so to celebrate, all those who have previously attended a Stitcher’s Hideaway retreat and are registering for the Spooky Retreat in October will receive $10 off their registration cost! Woot!! Celebrate with me!! And now...I must tell you that I have sampled Michael’s Greek Easter Bread and it is OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!! See you at a retreat soon! Sue February 18, 2012 Hello Stitchers! What an exciting time it is for Stitcher’s Hideaway! This October 2012 marks the 10th Anniversary for Stitcher’s Hideaway!! That’s ten fun-filled years of creating stitching adventures!! The Alumni Retreat is just a couple weeks away now and we have a full house! This is a wild and crazy bunch for sure and I’m expecting Stitchers Gone Wild!! LOL! There are 5 first-timers attending. I wonder what they will think of us? Hehehehehe.... Next up after that is the Sturbridge Stitcher’s Hideaway Retreat right after Independence Day! That’s going to be a great time. Many of the attendees are planning to take in July 4th at Old Sturbridge Village, where there will be special programs during the day and fireworks at night. And then the next day begins our retreat with Ellen Chester of With My Needle -- and what a project she has for us! Her Fruit of the Vine design can be made into either a sampler or a huswif. The colors are gorgeous and all the little bits that make up the kit are such fun! Also, on Friday, July 6th, there will be a presentation at the retreat on Celebrating Patriotism by OSV staff members Jean Contino, Coordinator of Households, and Rebecca Beall, Collections Manager, with a look at how early New Englanders expressed their patriotic sentiments through everyday objects. And then for those that are extending their vacation, after the retreat on July 9th is the Vintage Fashion and Textile Show in Sturbridge, MA followed by the Brimfield Antique Show on July 10-15! And now....for the news many of you have been waiting and waiting for....the Spooky Retreat information is now posted and registration is officially opened! Get ready for instructor Dawn Fisher’s Haunted Huswif! In celebration of Stitcher’s Hideaway’s 10th Anniversary, all those who have previously attending a Stitcher’s Hideaway retreat and are registering for the Spooky Retreat in October will receive $10 off their registration cost! Woot!! Celebrate with me!! See you at a retreat! January 10, 2012 Hello Stitchers! I have finally posted the Fun Report for the Mystic 2011 Retreat with Jeannette Douglas as instructor - Enjoy! Sue January 4, 2012 I have just opened registration for the Sturbridge Retreat!! Woo-hoo!!! Here’s to a wonderful New Year filled with stitching adventures!! Sue |
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What fun! It’s Christmas Eve! Today we’ll finish wrapping up gifts and decorating cookies I baked earlier. Then I’ll be making up a batch of healthy soup for tonight, which will surely be followed by cookie consumption! Then I’ll be practicing some music for a Christmas Eve service (I play piano). We all look forward to this special service. We’ll be singing carols together in the beautifully decorated church, there will be an inspirational message, and then we join together in a very large circle with candles. The room is slightly darkened and everyone is quiet. From one candle, representing the Light of Christ come into the world, we then light each candle. When all candles are lit, we sing “Silent Night” together. It’s a beautiful traditional and a time to reflect on the true meaning of the holiday.
In the afternoon family will arrive and we’ll have a wonderful dinner and presents for the children. The adults usually give baked goods to each other. Then we’ll settle down around the fireplace and talk and laugh for hours before each family group heads for home. 
On January 1st I plan to open registration for the 
I would like to wish each of you a wonderful Thanksgiving -- and also share with you some very good news that I am especially thankful for this year! My father, who is 91-years-old, has been very ill for 2.5 months and had two long hospitalizations, two surgeries, and two stays in nursing homes to recover. There were times we thought we would lose him, but just this morning he returned home and is doing so well! It is really quite amazing and our family is so very grateful. Many of you prayed for my father and sent me words of encouragement. I so appreciate it all.
I’m busy getting things ready for the Spooky Retreat coming up on October 26-27. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!! Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
I’ve been contacted by quite a number of regular attendees who are begging me to run a non-instructor Spooky Retreat because they just can’t afford to attend otherwise this year and they don’t want to miss out on their annual stitching adventure. They would like a “recession retreat” of sorts right about now. At the same time, there are those who would kill (how spooky is that?!?) for Dawn’s Haunted Huswif project, so I have come up with a great way to accommodate everyone that I think will be fantastic for all!
We’ll also have an optional spooky exchange! Those that would like to participate should bring some spooky stitching (it could be a fob, pincushion, biscornu, framed piece, whatever), gift wrapped for the exchange fun.
Next I’ll be working away on the