Le Retreat....5 Years...and Counting

 I few weeks ago I headed up to Gainesville again for my annual scrapbooking/quilting retreat.  This was my fifth year.  Last year I brought scrapbooking goodies, this year I joined the quilters.  We go every year around the same time, bring whatever supplies we want to work on, and we work, eat, eat, work.  It's an awesome time.  Not only do we have the great old house to ourselves, we are close to really delicious eats.  The house is equipped with digital tv, wireless internet, lots of works space, irons, cutting boards, etc etc,  everything a house should have, most of it we don't use, and four full bathrooms. 
This year some of the gals brought their finished projects from last year.  Scrapbooks, and quilts.  Above is Jolene's gift to her grandson.  She makes a quilt for each grandchild for their second birthday.  She was working on her granddaughters quilt this year. 
I also love that she adds a tag to each quilt.  She said there is fabric you can purchase that you can run through your printer. 

 This is Mary's quilt from last year.  The goal was to use up some of the fabrics in her quilting room.  That's a lot of cutting.  Can't wait to see this quilted.  She worked on a quilt for her son this year.  She is going back and making quilts for each child, and she makes an alphabet panel quilt for each of her grandkids. 

 This is one of the work spaces.  Lots of lighting, track lighting, windows, work lights over each table....

 These gals were doing some digital scrapbooking this year.  I usually join the scrapbooking crowd, but this year my sewing had been put off longer than my scrapbook, so...it became my priority. 

 Mary....hard at work.  She was my mentor the first year I taught and I adore everything about her.  She's such a blessing, and full of spunk, and humor, and wisdom...

 These are some of the blocks from Jolene's current quilt.  After this one she will have one more to go for her very last grand kiddo (#6). 

We have our dates booked, I completed three projects I'll be sharing as soon as I get them back from the quilter, but the best part about each trip is just spending time together.  Learning a little more about each lady.  Laughing.