Retreat

There is only one way left to escape the alienation of present day society:
 to retreat ahead of it.

~Roland Barthes

The gorgeous view at the house we stayed at!

This spring's scrapbook retreat was at a new location.  I am not sure if you can tell but those trees in the distance are in water.    Sure, it's a swamp, but nice to look at all the same!

I was not really prepared for this retreat due to all the illness in our house.  I was still recovering from bronchitis and Button woke up last Friday morning with a horrible croupy cough.  And an ear infection.  I arrived late to the retreat so I could take him to the doctor and get him all fixed up for daddy duty!

I did MORE resting than scrapping at this retreat. They had couches IN the scrapping room!  I could grab my Tumbleweed quilt and curl up and take a nap or just rest and listen to the chatter!

  I was able to work on this year's album and am officially done with our family albums from 2008 through mid-April 2013!  No need to remind me that I have '96-'07.  And vacation albums.  And three of the five baby books.

A few of my scrapping friends and I bought a few t-shirts from Two Chicks Design.  I also picked up a few quilting shirts too.  I am not usually into these types of shirts and PROMISED hubby that they were retreat/home only shirts.

I don't want to become one of "those" scrapbookers!

Now, my next goal? 

To try to find a group of girls to go on a quilt retreat with!

75 Scrapbook Pages Down....

.....A million more to go.......

  I am now "current' from mostly 2008 through this weekend.  The retreats are two fold, however.  Good progress, but more importantly?  Reconnecting with good friends!  

It is nice to know that I am making progress each time I go on my retreat.   I actually chuckled to myself at one point because I remembered a some comments a few weeks ago that my quilts are often "uncluttered".

My scrapbook pages are mostly like the one in the photos above!  So I guess I like a lot of things uncluttered!!!  Occasionally I do a complicated and elaborate page...but they sure do slow the process down.  Choosing my paper, deciding which layout to fit all the photos, and picking embellishments is complicated enough.

And no, I am not afraid to put ribbons, flowers or use feminine paper on my scrapbook pages.  I used to try to be "masculine" about my family album, but after I had completed two 100+ pages of my Sports Album years ago....I did not want to do one more "blue" page!

I still do them occasionally....Just not all the time!!

The one tricky part about leaving all my boys behind?  

They manage to be a bit mischevious!  When I saw this blurry picture pop on my phone, my first reaction was "Awww, Button is doing his favorite thing.  Pushing his shopping cart!"

Until I realized that what I thought was a brown floor was actually the coffee table!!  

I proceeded to laugh out loud.

  But when I read this caption on Mr. Boss's Facebook:

I snorted out loud!  

Then posted this:

Did he really think that a picture like that could make me leave my retreat!??!

Packed Up

I am super excited!

It is SCRAPBOOK RETREAT time!!!!!!

The only two problems?

image via instagram: Buttons and Butterflies

I think I overpacked.

Again.

And Button is on a rampage.

Image via Instagram:  Buttons and Butterflies

He is looking for his "ba-bas".  

We are finally making him go cold turkey since we found a cup he will drink milk out of.

Pray for Mr. Boss this weekend.

He is going to need it.

Whole lot of nothing WIP Wednesday

The week has proven to be unproductive, other than adding a label to the back of Hartley's quilt and going to a scrapbook retreat.  

(I know, I know...I DID get a few things done, but I am never completely satisfied with my progress)

Finished:

I was wrapping up Hartley's quilt to send it off Friday, and I forgot to do a quilt label?  I think I lost my mind.

Coincidentally, I fell upon a cute hexagon idea for a quilt label HERE.  It had to wait until I got home Sunday, but due to all of the chores I had to do HERE, I did not get a good start on it until yesterday. It will officially be in the mail this afternoon!

Photo taken before completely hand-stitched down.  I promise...no gaps right now!

I did mine a bit different because I did it post-quilting, printed fabric, and I used leftover binding that I had from the quilt.

In Progress:

The 8th grade auction t-shirt quilt bin is out and I am scanning the t-shirts today. 

 I have very little time to get it done now.  

But I WILL get it done, I promise Daniella!!!!

 

The rainy weather outside is definitely conducive to getting some work done.

  

As long as Button takes a nap through the current hailstorm!

Unfinished:

Twin quilt for nursery

Christmas quilt 

Auction t-shirt quilt 

Baby girl quilt kit 

Thank you quilt 

Bunny's sharpie roll project

New project:

Retro Flower QAL:  Not even started so it goes under the "new" heading.  I still haven't made my final decision about fabric and I am leaning towards buying the templates over making them with stuff I ever have.  

Which will motivate me more? 

Button's Easter Outfit:  I know.  Only a few more days...but I can't resist the urge ever since his bluebonnet outfit!  

Non-quilting projects: 

All at a halt.  Things happen when you go scrappin' people!

And I think I finally learned what it is like to be without a good camera.  My camera battery will not charge today.  It has been acting goofy for the last few months, so I should have seen it coming.  Now I get why all the bloggers lament when their good cameras are out of commission. 

WAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!

I am almost afraid to go check out WIP Wednesday links today.

I sure hope I have a better Wednesday next week!

The Consequences

"Be willing to have it so. Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune."

~William James

Consequences of going on a scrapbook retreat 

via Flickr "Buttons and Butterflies"

 The Good

Invited best friend to come with me for her first time.
 She is HOOKED!

3 days spent with all my good scrap-booking friends.  Trials, tribulations, and triumphs of our lives shared with each other.

No male testosterone in my vicinity for the 3 day weekend except the retreat owner's husband, who simply restocked the fridge and washed dishes.


29 pages completed to have an completely updated 2011 Family Album.

30 pages completed to have a completely updated 2012 Family Album.
 
The Bad 

Was only able to start my Hawaii vacation album.  3 pages started? Photos are still not completely sorted properly.


All the scrapbook supplies had to be unpacked and put away. 


Next scrapbook retreat isn't until September.  That means if I don't do any scrapbooking in the meantime, I will have too many pages to update 2012 to even think about my Hawaii album.


THE UGLY

Mr. Boss's car overheated approximately one hour after my arrival to the retreat center.  The story of how the car did not arrive to the dealership until late Saturday night is one for the books, but too long for the blog!


Button was wandering most of the weekend calling for "mum-mum" despite various Face Time sessions with my iPad.


Button cried for 20 minutes at bedtime Saturday wanting his "mum-mum".

Button does not allow me to be more than 10 feet of his eyesight since I have returned.  He would also prefer to be on my lap or in my arms.

Button woke up two times in the night just to make sure I had not left, despite the fact that he has been sleeping through the night since he was about 8 weeks old.

 10+ loads of laundry are calling my name.

220 blog posts to read in my Google reader.

45 notifications on Facebook.

40 new emails in my Buttons and Butterflies gmail.

191 new emails in my personal email account.

168 messages in my online account for my sewing and grief support groups.

 One science fair project due Wednesday. Bunny insisted that mommy be the one to help.

One auction t-shirt quilt to be cut, pieced, and quilted with a deadline in a mere few weeks.

 I am reminding myself the good outweighs the bad and the ugly.