The Retreat Begins

The hotel we stayed at is very nice.  I walked in the room and thought, I could live here (for a week).  My room looked out onto the swimming pool.  It was also the place where people went to smoke.  I wanted to at least dip my feet in the pool but I never did.  Maybe I'll have to go back!

This morning we want to go shopping at The Attic.  But first we have to find the Attic.  We went off the direction we thought it was.  We passed a gravel pit.  Then we passed an Indian Reservation.  Maybe we aren't going the right direction.  U-turn time.  We drove but didn't see any of the streets on our map.  Then finally we spotted a street that was on the map.  Oh, we are at the very top of our map.  Okay now we are cooking with gas.  We saw a Safeway grocery store and stopped to get a few things to have at the hotel like cookies, crackers and water.  You have to drink a lot of water here since the air is so dry.  We are still looking for The Attic.  We drive until we think we have driven too far.  U-turn time.  We finally arrive at The Attic.  Oh joy!

The Attic is a very nice store with many samplers on the walls.

I love all the stitched pieces in the cabinets.  It is great to see what things look like all stitched up.

I have a list of things I need.  Can I find the list?  No.  So I rely on memory to get some flosses that I need.  They have the Bijoux thread I was looking for.  There are several tables where you can sit and stitch.  When I check out I have way more stuff than I was planning on.  Maybe I won't go to that symposium in January.
It is always a treat to shop at a good cross stitch store.
I got a pair of readers that you can stitch a couple of flowers in the corners.  Cool.

I splurged and got the box and pattern to Grandmother's Button box.

I got some 50 count linen to try.  Am I crazy?!?  Of course, if you buy the linen you have to get the special silk, special needle and special needle threader.

I am such a lucky duck.

We drive through a Carl's Jr. for lunch on the way back to the hotel.  The diet is not going well at all.
We get back to the hotel just in time for the start of the first class.  We are so excited.  This is the Attic Sampler class.

 I am wearing my crazy shoes.  I've decided to always wear them at retreats I go to.

Jackie has brought lots of kits for us to buy if we want.  Be still my heart.  I already spent too much at The Attic, now more temptation.  I buy like five kits.  Oh dear.  Then a friend asks me if I want this special kit Jackie brought for her and she has decided she doesn't want it.  It is a wooden basket with smalls patterns in it.  Of course I do.

We work on the kit in class.  I feel so competitive.  I want to keep up with another stitcher.  It is a good thing I stitch at home by myself.  It just must be my nature to compete.  This is how much I gotten done (as of last night):

We break for dinner.  All of the meals during the classes are included.  And they are good.  This is a nice hotel.
What a fun day!  Shopping and stitching.
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