Pre-Shepherd's Bush Retreat 2012

I just recently returned from Utah and the Shepherd's Bush Retreat.  For a cross-stitcher, it just doesn't get any better than this that I'm aware of!  This was my 4th retreat of their's and I've never been disappointed.  The theme this year was Christmas and I felt like a kid waiting for Christmas before I got there and like a kid at Christmas the whole time I was there.

Getting there could have been better however.  After boarding our DC-9 at Tri-Cities Airport in Johnson City, TN to Atlanta for my connection to Salt Lake City, the captain announced that there was a puddle of hydrolic fluid under the plane and they were looking into where that might have come from.  A few minutes later, he announced that they would be flying in a part AND a mechanic to fix a brake problem and we should deplane.  He estimated that it would be at least a 3 hour wait . . . say what!?  

I told the Delta agent that I had arranged my flight so that I would arrive only an hour after my BFF Jen at noon.  The rental car was in my name as was the hotel in Ogden where we would spend the night.  I told her that we had a 3:00 p.m. function to attend in Ogden.  (Ogden is where Shepherd's Bush has their shop and they were holding their birthday party/open house there at 3:00 p.m.)  NOOOO!  This can't be happening!!!!

The Delta agent said they could drive me an hour to Asheville, NC . . . hmmm . . . with a connection that would get in to Salt Lake around 6:00 p.m. . . . UNACCEPTABLE!  I'd miss the whole thing . . . and what about Jen!  They could drive me two hours to Knoxville, TN to catch a flight to Memphis and get me to Salt Lake about 4:00 p.m.  It was the best they could do.  Jen was able to rent a shuttle to Ogden.  They wouldn't let her check-in at the hotel, but they did keep her luggage for her.  My driver said that this is the 4th repair made to the DC-9 since they purchased it!

I landed in Salt Lake City 14 hours after I had woken up that morning . . . could have driven a little over halfway there by that time.  I landed and grabbed the rental car and drove like a MANIAC to Ogden!  FINALLY MADE IT!

Their shop is a stitcher's dream!!!!

They had these adorable stitched and stuffed sheep made out of newspaper in the window . . . how cute is that!?!

It would take at least a full month to sift through everything they have in that shop.  With each walk-through, I would see something different.  It's overwhelming!

Ogden is a cute town with some interesting shops and good restaurants.  We had dinner at our favorite:  Roosters.  They could improve on their Cosmopolitans however . . . not the best.

We also have to visit Jill Renzel's frame shop while we're there.  She has an open house before the retreat as well each time.  Her painted and cut-out mats are amazing!  I took a stitched piece for her to frame and am giving her full creative license to do whatever she wants . . . I won't be disappointed.

Here is a petit point piece I did that she framed two years ago . . . how cute is this:

 I've also ordered her mats for two Shepherd's Bush pieces I stitched:

 This is Happy Haunting

And this one is Sail Away
















Too cute . . . Jill is AMAZING!

I will keep you in the same suspense we were in for the Retreat . . . you will be spending the night in Ogden and tomorrow I will continue . . . gotta drag this out . . . there's too much to tell!!!!
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