Sew Craft Retreat

Last Saturday I was lucky enough to snaffle the last ticket to a Craft Retreat. It was held at the Sebel in Kiama and was a fantastic day away from the phone and computer and the nagging housework that usually consume a Saturday morning... Lisa had actually told me about this months ago but at the time I was not working and we had the doom of Stef's redundancy hanging over our heads, I had to decline. But, things change and I am working now so I didn't feel quite so guilty about choofing off for the day!

Amelia was safely installed at a friends house for a sleepover after a dinner invitation and cards night, which JUST so happened to be perfectly timed! I drove to Lisa's place in Carringbah and we went down to Kiama together... I left home at 6.45am and arrived at Lisa's about an hour later. I was amazed at just how much traffic was on the roads at that time of a Saturday morning. How lovely it was to escape without children together for the first time ever! 

Kirsten Doran and Mel from Paperklip were the forces behind the day and it really was a terrific day out.

The day was broken up into 2 parts and a whole lot of eating! The activies were embroidery and paper craft. When we arrived we got to select an embroidery design (I chose a hot air balloon), some tissue paper for the paper craft (I chose hot pink) and some paper for a cut out bunting (I chose pink/green). We were also given a goodie bag on our chairs which was full of lots of little treasures, some of which I haven't had a preoper indulge just yet.

We had a welcome from some inspirational businesswoman and then broke for morning tea. Straight into it after being fed and watered. We had hand sewing to start. Kirsten was terrific and taught us (or more reminded me how to) back stitch, chain stitch and satin stitch. I didn't get as much done and I would have liked to but I am pleased with my progress and I did enjoy it enough to buy a second print to do as a gift for someone for Xmas. I don't have a picture of this as yet...

After a break for a fabulous lunch which included a jug of lemon lime and bitters, no one touched the coke and orange juice jugs! (the only thing I will say is there was no carbohydrate option that was gluten free so while there was lots to eat I wasn't full - oh and don't get me started on the lady with the yellow scarf...) we were back into paper craft...

I do like paper craft, I do like scrapbooking, I am not a fan of fussy. But. This was okay. I perhaps was in a hurry to move on and get back to stitching!

We made this birdie cut out garland... pretty enough... hanging in my kitchen... couldn't think of another place to hang it!

Subtle enough to not 'take the stage' but we know they are there...

 Then we moved on to making the tissue paper pom poms that are all the rage. Not 'simple' to make but not difficult either, more time consuming than anything.

Hanging on Amelia's light fitting. We don't use the main light often and coming into summer her room is suprisingly light so it should be fine.

I was offered a second kit of tissue paper and I made another pointy ended one for Miss Maggie as a thank you for having her last night. It too is hanging from her light!

We had a good day, it was very long and I was knackered when I got home but it was refreshing and to get back into embroidery was good. My hands were a little sore a few days afterwards but it could also be the additional computer work I have been doing.

Lisa has some photos on her blog and I am almost in one of them!

So thanks Lisa for the invite, thanks Kristen and Mel for a great day out and thank you to the Sebel in Kiama for looking after us so well.