What a weekend !!

Well, here I am back home in CO after a wonderful weekend at the Shepherd's Bush Retreat in Park City, UT. I haven't had this much fun in a long time !! I absolutely loved it and I'm all bummed that it is over. It was hard to go back to work on Monday. The girls from Shepherd's Bush did a wonderful job, my goodness, a lot of work goes into organizing this retreat. We were over 170 women, all obsessed with new releases, limited editions, classes, shopping, eating.... you name it ! I got to hang out with the greatest people: Katrina, Karin, Valerie and Sara. Katrina, is the one that pretty much saved my life everyday... Katrina is the organizer, planner, save seats for everybody, stand in line early so we can get great goodies, person. She is the one that guided me and explained things to me over and over again every time I fell behind, which was most the time !!! LOL. Being a newbie at this, the retreat was a bit overwhelming for me at times.... so much information to absorb. Well, Katrina was always there for me. Karin was our official driver and did a wonderful job at it !! Thank you, Karin !!. She was also the one that kept us centered, focused and relaxed. It was such a pleasure to finally meet her after hearing so many great things about her from Katrina. I think she is wise and experienced in life and I love her accent !! There is a calm about her that I certainly appreciate. She is a fast stitcher too and could just tune us out when our chatter became too much. LOL !! I look forward to staying in touch with her through blogging and to seeing her again soon. Valerie is sweet and quiet and she would just let me talk, talk and talk about everything with amazing grace. I truly enjoyed meeting her and hope to see her again soon. I know we'll stay in touch through our blogs also. Valerie, we didn't get to speak much spanish though !! We'll have to do better next time :-). Wonderful Sara was the one that convinced me of the fact that stitching on 32ct is just fine versus my obsession with 40 ct :-). I think Sara was the one that most often needed a break from our excitement and hyperactivity, so that she could recharge and come back to us with renewed energy. I can't blame you, Sara !! She is a classy lady and I enjoyed sitting next to her in my classes. I also met some other wonderful ladies and got to see sweet Donna again, whom I had met during the Mediterranean Cruise I did in June.

Queridas amigas, ya estoy de vuelta en casa después de pasar un fin de semana maravilloso en Park City, Utah, donde fui al Retreat de Shepherd's Bush. Creo que este ha sido uno de los fines de semana mas divertidos de mi vida. Ay, lo que me costo volver al trabajo el Lunes. Las chicas de Shepherd's Bush hicieron un trabajo maravilloso organizando este Retreat. Madre mia el trabajo que esto conlleva !! Eramos un total de mas de 170 mujeres, todas obsesionadas con nuevos productos, ediciones limitadas, clases, compras, comida.... de todo !!! Para mi fue un placer pasar este fin de semana con mis amigas Katrina, Karin, Valerie y Sara. Katrina fue la organizadora de todas las actividades durante el fin de semana; ella era la encargada de que llegáramos a tiempo a las clases, también era la que estaba en la cola antes que nadie para que no nos perdiéramos ninguno de los nuevos productos. Ella era la que me guiaba y me explicaba todas las cosas que no entendía, que fueron muchas !! :-) Karin era nuestro chofer oficial. Ella nos llevaba y nos traía. Una chica estupenda muy relajada y muy sabia. Ha sido un placer conocerla. Valerie es muy dulce y me dejaba hablar y hablar sin fin con mucha gracia. Espero verla pronto otra vez. Sara también es una señora estupenda y de vez en cuando necesitaba alejarse de nosotros (que no parábamos de hablar) para recargar las pilas. También tuve ocasión de ver a mi amiga Donna, a quien conocí durante el crucero por el Mediterraneo en Junio.

Park City is almost as beautiful as Colorado this time of year. The Aspen trees are changing colors and the mountains look like somebody painted yellows and oranges all over them. I think it is soothing to look at them.

Park City, Utah es casi tan bonito como Colorado en esta epoca del año. Las hojas de los Alamos estan cambiando de color y parece que alguien haya pintado las montañas con pinceladas de amarillos y naranjas.

Below are some pictures of many different things !! The first one is of the bag we got from Shepherd's Bush at registration. Isn't it adorable? Our first project was to stitch the button with our initial... or whatever we wanted, and then assemble it with a handy tool that they gave us. Actually Karin was the one that assembled all our buttons !!! LOL.

Abajo podeis ver fotos de distintas cosas !! Esta es una bolsa que Shepherd's Bush nos dio cuando not registramos para el fin de semana. ¿A que es preciosa? Nuestro primer proyecto fue bordar el boton con nuestra inicial y luego montarlo y coserselo a la bolsa. Gracias a mi amiga Karin porque ella fue la que monto la tela sobre el boton !!

This is the button with my initial. Nice, huh??

Este es el boton con la inicial de mi nombre. Bonito, ¿verdad?

I really enjoyed each and everyone of the classes I took. The teachers were just outstanding and I learned so much from their instruction and their tips.... We should all take some classes at some point. I thought I knew it all and I just found out that I am a total newbie !! LOL.

The picture below is the project designed by Jeannette of Jeannette Douglas Designs. It is a Sampler called "My Story, A Sampling of Myself" and it is truly beautiful with the possibility of changing some of the motifs to personalize it. It has all these different stitches that, I know, will be a challenge for me, but hey who doesn't like a good challenge? :-)

Me encantaron todas las clases a las que asisti. Las diseñadoras que enseñaron en las clases fueron maravillosas y yo aprendi muchisimo de ellas. Creo que todo el mundo deberia asistir a alguna clase. Yo que pensaba que lo sabia todo y he descubierto que soy una novata !!

La foto de abajo es un projecto diseñado por Jeannete de Jeannete Douglas Designs para la clase. Es un Sampler que se llama "Mi historia, un sampler de mi misma" Es precioso y te da la opcion de cambiar algunos de los diseños para personalizarlos. Tiene distintas clases de puntadas (¿se llaman puntadas???), algunas de ellas muy complicadas. Va a ser un reto para mi.

Below is the project designed by Charland of Charland Designs for her class. It is a really cute needle book called "My Stitching Companion" In my picture you can see it closed and open with the front and back showing. The inside is really nice also, but I don't have a picture of it !! Maybe when I finish it I'll be able to show you.

Abajo podeis ver el diseño de Charland, de Charland Desings para la clase. Es un needle book que se llama "My stitching Companion" En mi foto lo podeis ver cerrado y abierto con la parte de delante y la de atras. La parte de dentro tambien es muy bonita, pero no tengo fotos !! Quiza cuando lo termine os lo podre enseñar.

Of all the designers, I have to say that I have a soft spot in my heart for Alma and Barb from Blackbird Designs. I have always been a big admirer of their work and, after attending their class, I can tell you that I am crazy about them :-). Just to hear their stories, how they work together, how they come up with the designs... Just so interesting and fun. I can now really see a lot of their personality behind their designs. Below is the picture of the project they designed for their class. It is a little stitching tray, isn't it adorable? It comes together with a little pin cushion. I am stitching it right now and can't wait to finish it. During their class, we also learned to make cute pin needles with beads. So much fun !!!

Tengo que confesar que, de todas las diseñadoras, tengo debilidad por Alma y Barb de Blackbird Designs. Siempre me han encantado sus diseños, pero después de asistir a su clase y escuchar sus historias, como trabajan juntas y como diseñan, tengo aun mas debilidad por sus diseños. Ahora puedo ver su personalidad reflejada en sus diseños. Abajo podéis ver la foto del diseño para la clase. Es una bandejita con un bordado de punto de cruz. Me encanta !! La estoy bordando ahora mismo y estoy impaciente por terminarla. Durante su clase, tambien aprendimos a hacer agujas bonitas para el pin cushion que va con la bandejita.

This is a picture of the Shared Stitches project. It is designed to go inside the box that you can see in the picture also, but I think I'll refinish the box and put the stitching piece on the top so it can be seen. What do you guys think? I think I'll just make a pincushion for the inside top.

Esta es la foto del diseño de Shared Stitches. Esta diseñado para in en el interior de la caja de madera, pero yo creo que voy a pintar la caja de otro color y poner el bordado encima envez de dentro, para que se vea. ¿Que os parece?

And finally, this is all my stash !!!! My goodness, everyday there was something to buy and when I thought I was done, something new would show up !! LOL. I have to thank Katrina again for getting up early and picking up all the goodies for me. I am not a morning person and by the time I arrived to the little boutique, she was already in line with stuff she had picked up for me ready to be paid for. Can't ask for more !!!

Y esta es una foto de todo lo que compre !!! Todos los dias habia algo nuevo que comprar, y cuando pensaba que ya no quedaba nada, algo nuevo aparecia por algun sitio. Tengo que darle las gracias a mi amiga Katrina por levantarse temprano e ir a la tienda a recoger todas las cosas nuevas para mi. A mi no me gusta levantarme temprano y si no hubiera sido por ella, no hubiera conseguido ninguno de los nuevos diseños. Cuando yo llegaba a la tienda, ella ya estaba en la cola esperando a pagar con todas mis cosas. Que maravilla !!

Boy, this is one long post !!! I hope you enjoyed it and, for those of you that have never gone to this retreat, I hope you have the chance some day. For those of you that have, I hope we get to do it again. It was really worth it. I thank you for stopping by and I wish you a wonderful rest of the week.

Pues esto es todo, amigas. Espero que os haya gustado ver todas las fotos de los distintos diseños. Espero tambien que algun dia podais ir a este Retreat. Es simplemente maravilloso y vale la pena. Muchas gracias por pasaros por mi blog. Espero que pasais una buena semana. Un abrazo.

Stitch in peace....