The Salty Trip - Day Three

On our first night at the Lankford Hotel my BFF comes down to my room to stitch.  She's working on her pre-stitching and I working on a Drawn Thread needle case I started eons ago.  We watch two episodes of Downton Abbey on my IPad.  My BFF is hooked on Downton Abbey now.
Then in the morning I meet Stasi at 7 a.m. and we walk the right on the boardwalk.  Paola joins us.  It is so nice to see her again.

 The hotel is near the middle of the boardwalk which makes it easy to walk half of the boardwalk.  Stasi has been coming to Ocean City since she was a child so she knows where everything is.  It is great to get to the end of the boardwalk with a lovely view and benches to sit on.  But we can't sit, we have to get back and get ready for class.  There is breakfast in the lobby.  I just grab something as I have to get ready.  I'm wearing my crazy shoes and a pin I have made.  This is becoming my habit when going to stitching classes.
The class is being held at Sara's which is the top floor of the next building.  We cut through the Salty Yarns shop.  Oh do I want to shop!

Sara's house/apartment is fantastic.  It has a  gourmet kitchen and views to die for.  We are in the dining room.  There are antique clocks all around.

I have a thing for clocks so I am loving this.  My favorite moment is when we get a new complete kit placed in front of us.  Today (and tomorrow) we are making the Elizabethan Etui.

Our project today is to finish the crown pin cushion/thimble holder.  We also practice the stitch that will join the pieces together.  Betsy is a great teacher.  She is patient with us.  Her instructions are good.  Let me repeat because this is rare, her instructions are complete, understandable and good.  I think the crown pin cushion is a wonderful design.

So clever and well put together.  If you follow the directions, it is foolproof.

We get to pick out our wooden thistle for the top of the etui.

We have lunch right there at Sara's.  Sara puts together a very nice lunch and there is a choice of several salads and desserts as well as subs.  We sit out on her porch looking at the ocean as we eat.  Pinch me, this is so great.  Someone thinks about putting silk chenille around the crown.  So Sara goes down to the shop and gets some.  Everybody gets a hunk of it to put on their crown.  I love that I have an almost finished crown by the end of the day.

Time to shop!  I go shopping at Salty Yarns.  They have a bag and a tag for us.  We can put things we want to buy in a bag and just leave it in the shop until we are ready to check out.  There is so much to see in the shop.  It is so full of everything.  Truly, everything.  In fact I don't think I saw half of what is in there.  It would take days to really see everything.  They had all the new stuff and old stuff and French stuff and boxes, fabrics, threads etc.  I find several things I have been looking for.  It was hog heaven.
Tonight for dinner I want to cross off my list some of the "must try at Ocean City" things.  I get an Alaskan Stand hot dog and drink (refillable for 1.50!).

  Then we go over to Thrashers to get some fries.  I was a bit surprised at the cost of the fries.  The 9.95 size is a bucket - a whole bucket - of fries.  My BFF and I split a small size and can't manage to finish them. There is no ketchup for the fries, just bottles of vinegar.   We go eat in the lobby of the hotel.  Lots of people are there stitching, eating, watching TV, looking at their IPads.  There is a box of toys in the lobby and kids are around.  Well behaved sweet children.  This is a family place.  I feel like I am a distant cousin come to visit.  I get my bag of show and tell.  It is really fun to talk about my stuff and show it to people who appreciate stitching.  Paola has two of the most fabulous samplers with her, Ann Bowers and Mistress L's Band Sampler.  I love seeing her work.  It is perfection.  She has a few other things too. She has made Sally a lovely bag, all by hand.   Someone has a Merry Cox box that is gorgeous.
What a great day!
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