Fun time in Wiliamsburg, Va.

I just finished unpacking the car, giving love to my puppies, feeding the guinea pig and cats.  Dying a wool blanket I bought from the antique Yard Sale and taking pictures of treasures I purchased from both there and the Antique store in Roanoke Rapids, NC.  Good thing the car was full or I definitely would have gotten a few larger pieces.

I went up Wednesday to have some quality time and lunch with my friend Mary Jane -

I met her at Randi's (my sister) Craft Club in her community - then we went spent time at Elly's last applique academy and have kept in touch.  However, I left at 10:30 am and hit so much traffic I didn't get in until 3 p.m.  Soooooooooooooo ...... we couldn't have lunch together.  We did get to visit at craft club on Thursday.  Thanks for my great treats- non caloric too. 

I had my hair cut and a pedicure while I was there too. The massage chair was a little violating and I had to turn that off at one point but other than that the rest of the pedicure was great.. 

I was also in Virginia for a Primitive Society Stitching Retreat.  We checked in at hotel, met a few people and then .......

Thursday night, myself, Randi, her husband, my friend Pat and her husband Jim all met for a great dinner at Deraldo's.  All in all other than the weather - and the initial day of delays things were great. 

Friday, Randi and I woke early to get to our 9 am class with a quick run to Starbucks for me and Dunkin Donuts for her.  Our class was with Lori Brechlin from Not So Forgotten Farms.  We made a needle case...........Here's mine. 

the upper part is a wool pocket and the patch is a velvet swatch for needles.  

I haven't put the finishing touch on the bottom with "Prim Society Retreat 2015"

We met an amazing group of woman including Nan Lewis, Lori Brechlin, Faye Rigsbee, Kathy Barrick.  I even purchased a beautiful cross stitch made a long time ago by Kathy that I had signed by her.  I was so excited about the piece that when I showed the ladies in the stitching room - before it was signed - they suggested the signature.  I never even thought to do it.  I assured Kathy I was not stalking her. Here's the piece...............

so much prettier in person.  

We did a make and take project which was a mason jar lid that was our pin cushion and a needle minder which was a magnetic button that holds your needle when stitching.  

quick, easy and cute!

Randi and I went to Ocean and Ale for lunch and had fish tacos - 

I found some great items on closeout at the Longaberger outlet store which was going out of business 

Then went to Kate Spade to see what they had on sale. 

I even got the sales girl to audition some bags to take pics of ......she said it's a "tough job but someone has to do it" 

We then went back to the hotel - and stitched until the dinner Friday night with the ladies.  

We had a "country buffet" - Fried chicken, pulled pork cornbread, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, green beans and for dessert apple cobbler. 

We both were exhausted when we got back to Randi's house.  It was my first time seeing the house and it was very pretty.  

The Berkowitz Mini Tour

I took that video before I left this morning. 

Saturday we went to the Antique yard sale and I bought a few boxes, a red wood ladder to hold quilts, an amazing caned wood little child's rocker, a feed sack, a wool horse blanket and a couple of wood boxes. 

I bought some other special antiques as I mentioned in the beginning from Riverside in Roanoke, NC

a hand stitched and hand quilted "crazy quilt" over the red wood ladder 

behind the child's chair is a very old doll cradle , on the chair is a vintage sewing tin, and behind it a feed sac and on top of that an embroidered runner. 

wood boxes , glass bottles , cotton sacks in the box. 

this is a ceramic covered dish that is almost an exact replica of a dish my grandmother had.  She said they were given out at the movies back in the day.................

Randi and I went to lunch, went to a craft show and went to Steinmart before returning to Stitch.  The finale of events was a gift exchange - this was what I made that Peg got ........

it's a journal cover

and then I received this beautiful  treasure - made by one of the ladies from the retreat..........

We then had a fairwell dinner and all recieved gift bags with a One of a kind pattern designed by Nan Lewis, a pin, with PSS Retreat 2015, scissors, thread, and more.  

Next year it will be in Atlanta.  

All in all a great weekend.