Who used to like playing with fuzzy felt...?

Just another teaser of one of our Gloucester 2 classes by the fabby Susie-Woo, who's been getting felt up - bwaahaaahaaa. Ain't it purdy?! Well, I can see the whole thing, and believe you me...it IS purdy!!

Am I a meanie teasing you all like this? I am genuinely very excited for this retreat to just BE HERE because you ladies who are attending are in for some lovely, lovely classes, and I really do mean that.


The challenges are beginning to get sorted too, and I would like to say a big thank you to Anna Bowkis who is The Angel Kisses Lady (these loooooovely flowers that I've fallen in love with over the last month or so...every time I see Linz with her shop (Crafty Pastimes) just lately I'm always there buying another packet...or two...in green, pink, peach...). Well, HANYWAY, Anna is going to be sponsoring an Angel Kisses challenge at the retreat. Yey! She's a star. Thanks Anna!!! Anyone else out there who fancies sponsoring a challenge, then please get in touch :D

The challenges are always such a lot of fun and the gorgeous work all over the walls by the end of the weekend looks beautiful. It's funny watching the hotel staff at every retreat...they seem to find some excuse to wander in just so they can look at the layouts up on display. Last year at Gloucester there was a wedding in one of the other function rooms. We'd seen the wedding party leaving for the church that morning and then we had the idea to create a layout of their day for them as a present (didn't know them...just thought it would be fun). Well Julia (who has a very posh camera...posher than mine!) and I asked the bride and groom if we could take their photo. The bride quite honestly thought we were utter nutters (and not in a ha ha ha sort of way!) but they both (reluctantly) agreed. Then Ruth (one of the delegates) printed the snaps on her photo printer. And then Rach, Amber and I started creating the layout. It was pretty funny... all of us bent over the 12x12 sheet, moving things, brainstorming...one of us would suddenly dart off and come back with a perfect colour of cardstock or an embellishment or something. I would post a pic of the finished layout but Blogger’s just started playing silly beggars and won’t let me. Anyway, we (me and Rach I think it was) took it through to the bride and groom who were now at the top table eating their reception meal. The look on the bride’s face was “Oh my word, what do they want NOW?” but when she saw the layout she was completely stunned and the groom kept saying, “Wow! That’s lovely! Wow! Look at that mum. Look…look at this” and the bride was really smiling and loved it. Awwww. No weddings there this year though (I happen to know).

Funnily enough, one of the lessons at church today was on being kind to others and how we need to think specifically of things we can do and say to specific people (and not only just being kind generally or only to people who are our close friends and family). It does make not only the giver but also the receiver feel so good. Well, there you go...a bit of chicken soup for the soul for this Sabbath day - lol!

Right...a bacon buttie is calling my name.