Getting to Know Your Needle Worker and Fancy Works Retreat

Getting to Know Your Needle Worker

3. Do you have any children? Grandchildren? 

I have three children boy, girl, boy) who have all been launched into the adult world.  Raising them was a wonderful time in my life but interacting with them as adults is absolutely delightful. It is so much fun to find you have interests in common and to have conversations about books, politics, current events, travel, sports, and most fun of all child rearing. The oldest is already discussing retirement planning and his dad and I are not yet retired.  They are accomplished adults who have each taken unique paths into adulthood. 

The oldest has always been in love with technology.  We bought him his first computer before he was five and by fourteen he was building networks in his room and learning all he could about Macs. He is a wonderful self motivated learner. Because of that college was not his cup of tea when he was 18. Now in his mid 30's having built a career in IT he is pursuing his undergraduate degree online while working and raising his two sons with his wonderful wife. 

The middle child is our artist with a type A personality. From the time she could hold a crayon she has communicated in pictures. She would often leave her dad and I pictures expressing her discontent or joy  at that time. True to form she pursued music as well as art and we have had the joy of listening to her beautiful voice as well as hanging her art in our home. She minored in English and received a BFA in Art. Her real passion and what she she received her MFA in is animation. She is a Disney fan and did two internships at Disney during her college years. While she has made and participated in a few short animated films she has a practical streak and works for a health insurance company. She is now a mother of a wonderful  little boy, nicked name by my husband as The Little One. 

So do we have Grandchildren ? Yes three wonderful grandsons aged 16, 10 and 1. 

So what about child number three you might ask?  We call him our California child because he is so laid back. He is the kind, gentle, and an advocate for the underdog child. He is a renaissance man in that he was a heavy weight wrestler, a member of the chess team, and a member of the competition chorus( a baritone I believe)  in high school.  He longed to be a big brother and became one for one of his friend's younger siblings when she went off to college since he attended college close to home. He too is a techie but unlike his brother his  focus is on the software side if technology.  While he has a significant other they are taking their time about marriage as they are in their mid twenties. 

My three children are blessed with talent, intelligence, and wonderful partners in life. 

Now the question that does not get asked directly is am I married? The answer is a resounding yes. I have been blessed to have married my perfect match. We have been married for 33 years and have weathered a few bad times and enjoyed the many good ones we have been blessed with together. 

4. Do you have any pets? 

At this time we do not have any pets. Over the course of our marriage we have had a salt and pepper miniature schnauzer named Chivas and when he passed away at 15 we went to the animal shelter and adopted a wonderful kitten who we named Nala. Nala left us a little over a year ago at the age of 18. 

While my husband and I loved having the pets in our life we are in the phase of our life where it's nice to just pick up and go without having to plan for children and pets. So for now we have decided no more pets. 

Fancy Works Retreat

What is a retreat all about?  One dictionary definition is " the act of withdrawing, as into safety or privacy; retirement; seclusion. ... a place of refuge, seclusion, or privacy" .  While I have been to religious retreats that fit this definition precisely  a stitching retreat is slightly different. I agree that I withdrew from my normal everyday life and I did go to a place that was secluded and safe. However, a stitching retreat is about sharing and stitching with other stitchers.  At the end of March the Fancy Works Needlework shop in Indiana hosted a retreat for about 60 stitchers at the Canyon Inn in McCormick State Park in Spencer, Indiana.  We stitched, talked, took finishing classes from the Twisted Stitcher, Vonna, and had the opportunity to shop at Fancy Works with a gift certificate that was included in our registration. The retreat was an overwhelming success. We were treated royally with gifts appearing at our stitching spot multiple times a day. Most meals were included and the Inn prepared wonderful food. The best part is that by the last day I was relaxed  and felt so much better than when I arrived. After all isn't that the purpose of a retreat ? To allow you time and space to relax, reflect and rejuvenate? I think so and I look forward to attending again next year. If you are interested in considering this retreat the web site with all the information is located at https://www.fancyworksretreat.com/


Below I are a few pictures I took. 

Arriving at the Airport

The McCormick Inn 

My very comfortable bed.

The main stitching room

Fancy Works Needlework Shop

The Product of the Flat Fold  Class

The reading and game room of the Inn

The product of the ornament finishing class.