This is it!

This is what we've been waiting for!

Jane_kiwi, quiltslots, MountainLaurel and I will be leaving for Pennsylvania tomorrow to get things rolling for retreat this weekend :) The rest of the committee will be coming in Wednesday and Thursday.

I'm pretty sure we have everything ready for you to have a good time this weekend - all we need is you! Everyone have safe travels. My cell phone number is  513-267-9574 -- CALL ME if you need to and I will do what I can to help you :)

I think there's a phone in the airport to call directly to have the shuttle come get you.  The hotel's number is 717-939-7841 - call them to have them send the shuttle to you after you get your luggage - if you have checked any.  Ask for the shuttle and you will be told where to go to wait and approximately how long.

If you are driving be sure to check traffic reports. Call if you need help with alternate routes.

Have a great time - Remember, getting there should be half the fun!

Lori

One Month 'til COF!!!

I don't know about you but I'm really getting excited about the trip! It'll be so much FUN -- friends, food, sewing, shopping, learning, prizes, games, laughter, hugs -- REAL HUGS not those computer <<<hugs>>>!

I hope you've started getting your fq's together for bingo. And how is that 1/4yd Challenge Project coming along? I'm working on the quilting of mine - but I started it yesterday morning by marking it, then I had some things to do and when I got back to it last evening  ALL MY MARKING had disappeared!!! I didn't realize I had used an air erase marker! I was NOT happy. So now I get to go back and mark it again before I can finish it. argh.

Phew!

That crisis has been averted! Only one pair of people need a room on Saturday and I am sure they will have one :) Now my biggest concern is getting everything to Harrisburg!

I've been receiving the row robins and they are looking REALLY good! It'll be great to see them all hanging side by side :)

The committee is working on the final details of the retreat and it's coming together nicely. I think we will all have a great time!

Well, only 38 Days left untl we're all together in Harrisburg!

I don't know about you but I'm gettting excited - and nervous! I have never hosted a party this big before and I really want to do a good job. So far the only major glitch is the lack of rooms on Saturday night...I guess if that is the worst thing that happens, I'll consider the retreat a success!

 

Here is the OFFICIAL and most current list of attendees:

 

1. aka Teddylady

2. Aliquilt

3. Ambher

4. Amiko

5. AngelaC

6. angelinamor

7. Aunt Jo

8. Auntie Reba

9. Big Sister

10. califgal

11. chanlady22

12. Charmingsister

13. ChesapeakeJane

14. cksvett

15. Cr8tve1

16. craftylady1924

17. DJBrown

18. EBGQ

19. Elainetoo

20. fishingwidow

21. FLEUR55

22. GAQuilter

23. Gemsq

24. Gonesewin

25. Headielamar

26. Hot Potter Momma

27. Iluv2quilttoo

28. islandtime

29. Jane_kiwi

30. Jayardi

31. kblue

32. Kiwi_Sue

33. lakequilter

34. lindaj52

35. LisaP8

36. mcpatches

37. MissMommy

38. motqltr

39. MountainLaurel

40. musiclady

41. needlecrazy

42. NT Quilter

43. PatriciaAnne

44. Quiltslots

45. quilted magnolia

46. rondiquilts

47. royalboomer

48. sewlove2quilt

49. sprmom

50. TeaSea

51.Terrimae

52. Tisme

53. ~~Tx~~ Wildflower

54. Warm Buns

55. 3grandkids

56. Famous Amos

57. Tweety Bird

Hey there everyone!
Do you realize it is only 2 months 'til retreat!?! Where has the time gone? I hope you are getting ready. Do you have your itinery? Tickets? Travel buddies? Spending money? Room mate? Fq's for bingo? Your 1/4yd project? Remember to bring it in a plain brown bag with NO name on it.

Classes have been announced. Please thank Jackie/quiltslots for all her hard work in getting this set up for us. It was quite the task :)

I'll be away until May 6th - I am going to see my daughter and her husband in Germany then we are all going to Norway to see the girl who was our exchange student and her family and then going back to Germany for Alannah's college graduation.

When I get back we'll be entering the home stretch. I really hope everyone has a good time. We've worked really hard to put this party together. It isn't as easy as I thought it would be...jk - I never thought it would be easy!

There is a new Sunday Sur-prize - let's hear your answer!

Stay tuned ~
The agenda is coming soon...

See the "agenda" tab above? Click your mouse on it and you will find the agenda. I reserve the right to change it as circumstances warrant. ;)

Retreat is getting closer and closer! Are you getting excited? I know I am!

I went to Lancaster County last weekend with my girls and we stayed at the Village Inn in Strasburg, PA and had a wonderful time. We went to Sight and Sound Theater, Zook's Quilts and Crafts, Hershey Factory Tour, Lancaster Brewing Co., Kettle Kitchen Village & The Amish Experience.

The weather was great, we spent way too much money and do/see things we'd never done/seen before. I would recommend all of these places :)

But I also found out that there is SO MUCH MORE to see and do that I will HAVE to back multiple times :) I hope you enjoy your time in Amish Country as much as we did :)

Early Bird Dinner

Ladies...I am really excited about the restaurant that has been chosen for our Early Bird dinner! It looks and sounds fantastic!

In the past the job of hosting this dinner has fallen on jayardi. This year she is extremely busy with many other things (one being the scraps 2 treasure challenge, one of my favorites) and so I asked her if I could have someone else take over this task so we could get the ball rolling and I wouldn't have to feel like I was bugging the stuffing out of her. She graciously accepted the reprieve and I recruited a seasoned bird for the job. SavedSinnr has done a great job in the spread sheet department making it very easy for me to make decisions. If you have any questions post them on the message board's thread or PM her.

We are ready to begin signups for the Early Bird dinner. Now, this is not part of the retreat since it is on Thursday, the day before retreat officially begins and that is why it is a separate fee. This is just out there for everyone who gets in early to get together and start meeting each other and so no one has to eat alone. If you bring guest(s) they are welcome to come too! If you don't want to join us, you don't have to but we'll miss you...

Please look over the meals that are being offered and REPLY TO THE THREAD ON THE MESSAGE BOARDwhen you have decided. Tell us what you would like, what your guest (if any) would like and the total cost. Each meal will be $25 and that includes the entree, a soda, a green salad, tax, gratuity and a special dessert back at the hotel later that night. Send the check to me, Gonesewin, and sit back and let your mouth imagine the meal for the next 3 months.

Here are your choices of sandwiches (There are NO substitutions):

HOUSE SMOKED PULLED PORK hop hog spiked bbq, house coleslaw, house-made chips
LBC STEAK flatiron steak, caramelized onion, sautéed mushrooms, gruyere, house-cut fries
PORTOBELLO spinach, roasted red pepper, gruyere, caramelized onion, pepper aioli, chips
BREWERS CHICKEN caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, cheddar, aioli, house-made chips

Drink choices ~ they sell pepsi products, or iced tea or water

The Early Bird dinner will be held at ~
LANCASTER BREWING CO
469 Eisenhower Blvd
Harrisburg PA

Thursday, June 20th
5:30 pm

Since this IS a brewery, there IS beer (LOTS of different, award winning beer) available. IF you should indulge while at dinner, PLEASE, keep it in moderation. And if you are driving PLEASE refrain from partaking of the stuff. You will be given a separate bill for alcoholic beverages by the wait staff.

The restaurant is about 3 miles from the hotel so if you drove, could you give a non-driving retreater a lift? Thanks

T-Shirts!!!!

What would retreat be without our wonderful T-Shirts?? Well now is the time to order them. Short sleeves, price $7.00 for size small to XL, $8.00 for 2XL, and $9.00 for 3XL and you will have the choice of 7 colors:

red
orchid
navy
carolina blue
azalea, which is a pretty pink
white
black

Now long sleeve is a little trickier...
$9.00 for small to XL
10.00 for 2 XL
choice in colors are red, forest green, carolina blue, white or black

$11.00 for 3XL
The 3XL in long sleeve is only available in black or white.

The shirts must be ordered by May 1st, and I need the money by May 15th. I will deliver the shirts at the retreat on Thursday or as you come in, so you can plan on wearing them at the retreat! One less thing to pack.

Oh almost forgot the lettering will be in white, unless you get a white shirt.

Go to the HGTV message boards and send a PM to tisme to place your order, when she receives it, she will give you her address for your money to be sent.
Also we will be doing a group picture on Saturday, so anyone wanting to, can wear the shirts.

As she receives your order in a PM, she will also post here so if there is any mistake, you can both catch it!

Let the orders begin!

Driving in PA

Hi All :)
About a year ago I purchased a new Brother Innov-is 2000 and I took all this time playing with and getting to know it before I signed up for the class on how to use it. Well today I was driving in to the store in PA where I bought it and as I was driving I came up with some questions like - Can I use my cell phone to make phone calls while driving in this state? (legally, I mean) What about texting? Then I got to thinking about you all and how many of you may not have ever come across horse drawn buggies such as you will most likely see in June. So I came up with this list of helpful information for those of you who are driving - and for anyone who rides with someone who will be driving.

So, for your educational edification I present the following:

Before we start that, here's a link for cellphonelaws from Fluer55 that might be of use to those of you who are driving to retreat. You can look to see what states you will be driving through and any tickets you DON'T get is money saved for shopping!!!

PARKING AREAS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
According to Pennsylvania law, there are two (2) conditions necessary before an individual may legally park in a designated parking area for persons with disabilities:

1. The vehicle being parked must display a disabled person or disabled veteran registration plate/parking placard.

2. The vehicle must be operated by or for the transportation of the disabled person or severely disabled veteran.

 

Any vehicle unlawfully parked in a parking area for disabled persons may be removed from that area by towing and reclaimed upon payment of the towing costs. This parking violation is a summary offense. Individuals convicted of this offense will be fined between $50 and $200.

 

SEAT BELT LAW 

• All drivers and front seat passengers in vehicles, light trucks and motor homes must wear seat belts.

• If you are transporting passengers age eight (8) or older but less than age 18, they must wear seat belts, no matter where they are riding in the vehicle.

 
ANTI-LITTERING LAW
It is against the law to drop, throw or deposit upon any highway, upon any other public or private property (without the consent of the owners thereof) or into or on the waters of this commonwealth, from a vehicle, any waste paper, sweepings, ashes, household waste, glass, metal, refuse or rubbish or any dangerous or detrimental substance, or permitting any of the preceding without immediately removing such items or causing their removal.

STEER CLEAR LAW
Requires motorists to move into a lane that is not adjacent to an emergency response area. An emergency response area is an area on or near a road where services are being provided by police, sheriffs, coroners, medical examiners, firefighters, fire police, fire marshalls, rescue personnel, emergency medical service personnel, towing and recovery personnel, hazardous material response team members and/or highway construction and maintenance personnel. If drivers cannot move over because of traffic or other conditions, they must reduce their speed.

 

HEADLIGHT/WINDSHIELD WIPER LAW

This law requires motorists to turn on their headlights anytime their vehicles wipers are in continuous or intermittent use due to weather conditions. Daytime running lights are not enough. Your tail lights must be illuminated as well.

 

ANTI-TEXTING LAW

Violating this law is a primary, summary offense with convictions carrying a $50 fine.

 
SAFE PASSING IS THE LAW

Be sure to check for oncoming traffic. When passing, you must allow at least four (4) feet  between your vehicle and a bicycle in order to pass safely. If necessary and if you can do it safely, you are permitted to cross the center double yellow line so you can maintain the four (4) feet of clearance between your vehicle and the bicycle.

 

Safe Driving in Amish Country

Driving through rural areas of Pennsylvania, among the sites you will see are cornfields, cows and barns. The slow-moving vehicle sign is applied to farm machinery, construction equipment and animal-drawn vehicles. If you come upon a vehicle displaying the sign, you should slow down and use caution since those vehicles are often moving slower than 25 miles per hour.

Of particular concern in rural areas are horse-drawn buggies, which are dark in color and difficult to spot. They also tend to ravel slower than 8 miles per hour. In addition to being hard to see and slow-moving, horses can be unpredictable and easily  spooked. Instead of blowing your horn in frustration, you should slow down when approaching and passing, allowing plenty of room to pass where it is safe and legal.

café Driving in Amish Countr

Often drivers of horse-drawn vehicles may not be able to see you behind them. Following too closely is especially dangerous, as it puts yourself as well as the occupants of the horse-drawn vehicle in a difficult situation. You should leave a cushion of safety between you and the horse-drawn vehicle, maintaining a measurable distance from the front of your car to the rear of the  buggy. This cushion gives you a chance to react if a dangerous situation arises. When stopped at a stop sign or light, remember to stay back since buggies often roll back a few feet after coming to a complete stop. An easy way to measure distance is to stop your vehicle far enough back so that you can see where the rear wheels of the buggy touch the road. If you have a larger vehicle, you need to allow more of a cushion. Since a horse-drawn buggy moves at a slow speed, it only takes seconds to  overtake a buggy. Remember to always allow a cushion of safety.

 

P.S. - as of this posting it is legal to use a hand held cell phone while driving - just PLEASE be careful!

I hope everyone is getting excited about COF 2013 in Harrisburg, PA! It won't be long now :)
There are sign ups for t-shirts and the FQ bingo fqs have been listed...Look for a post by Tisme if you are wanting a t-shirt. I gotta say that I am not a t-shirt person but when I saw some of the ones in Branson I really wished I had bought one! That said, I'll probably get me one this year :) And for the FQ Bingo you'll need to read the post by owie to know what to bring.

Check out the new Sunday Sur-Prize and give it a guess, you could win!
Stay warm...

Cute!

Marion2 shared this on the board and I thought I'd re-share it here for you...I know it's all true for me personally!

 

Nine Patch Kittens

Over the many years that I have been quilting, several general principles have applied: 1. There is no cure for the quilting habit. 2. We all buy fabric as though it will suddenly become unavailable next week. 3. We spend an irrational amount of time using as little as possible of one acquired fabric. 4. Many quilters have a soft spot for cats. We love cat motifs in all sizes, shapes and configurations. I hope you and our furry friend enjoy this quilt as much as I do.

Designed by Linda Denner