The Countdown

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Merry Christmas to Everyone!

Just a quick note to all you wonderful retreat ladies!  Hope your Christmas and New Year’s is filled with love, happiness and joy! 

I am also posting a very in depth look into the comments made by you lovely ladies regarding the last 2 retreats.  I truly took the time and reviewed all your comments and have made some changes as you will see.  Should anyone wish to comment further please do not hesitate to respond.

Comments from the Feedback Forms for 2010

Well after spending several hours going over this year’s feedback forms I have listed below some of your most common concerns and comments.

Lunch

· This past retreat we tried a different approach to lunches and several of you gave very good and thoughtful comments in regards to the buffet lunch.

- Comments were that the lunch was just average compared to the 5 star meals we have had in the past

- Others did not like the buffet lunch at all

· I will discuss this further with Ami, but will be keeping the idea of a light lunch buffet style but with just a little more class per say, the lighter lunch is a much easier form of meal as some of the retreaters prefer to stitch rather than take a long time off for a big meal

Dinner

· Several of you commented that you did not enjoy the varied time schedule for the dinners and would prefer to eat all at the same time.

- To assist those who need to eat a little earlier due to health concerns, I have sat down with Ami and stated that we will be only working with 2 seating times – 6:30 and 7:00. I would love to have everyone sit down at the exact same time but if we would like to pick from the menu or have varied choices we need to have at least 2 sittings.

- As discussed with Ami there should be no problems with the kitchen and she does know our concerns and is working the best she can with the kitchen staff they have at the Inn.

· Tables at dinners will be set again as they were in the fall with varied settings of tables of 4, 6 and 8.

- I hope that everyone will make the most of it and try to mingle with each other during the dinners. It is nice to see everyone mix it up a little so that everyone gets to know each other, again your retreat director and her helpers will definitely be mingling between tables!

Market

· Comments were made regarding the posting of hours and that the market was not open long enough, also that lighting was not good enough to see fabrics while looking at them for purchasing.

- To fix this and make the market more a part of the retreat and a lot easier for everyone to get to, we will be moving the market to downstairs in the St. Lawrence room. Lighting here is much better and lights can also be set up for viewing fabrics and patterns. I spent some time on Monday measuring the area and feel we can set up the market in the corner where we had the Stitching Gallery.

- This will allow everyone the opportunity to see everything without having to go up and down the stairs, and allow both the market participants to be more a part of the retreat during the day. Hours can also be expanded as we will now be there within the room with you all.

Themes, Prizes and Stitcher’s Gallery

· Comments were made in regards to the themes and that they were not sure about them, we did want to say that they are just a way of making the retreat a little colourful and fun. We do not intend to ever let the theme take away from your initial reason for attending the retreat which is to stitch.

· Prizes are a part of every retreat and we have and hope to in the future have plenty more surprises for you . We may change the way we have handed prizes out in the past to ensure that everyone gets the opportunity to win a prize. Therefore as each name is pulled it will not be placed back in until the final grand prize, ensuring then that everyone gets a chance to win a prize. We will still keep on giving you that one gift that each of you will receive ensuring that no one goes home without something!

· The Stitcher’s Gallery at this point will still be a part of the St. Lawrence room on the one side of the wall where the store will be. Voting for the top 3 best designs will now instead of being voted by you the stitcher’s will be done by your retreat director and her assistants.

Again, to all I wish you the best and will see you in 2012! 

                                                  Laura

Friday, November 18, 2011

2012 Registration

Well I am back from a lovely vacation and fast at work trying to get organized for 2012.  The time just whips by so fast that you cannot dilly and dally around!

I have finally been able to set up a registration form online for you to fill out. I have put up both a Spring and Fall registration form.  I will say that as mentioned at the retreat the price for the fall 2012 Retreat may increase, presently the registration form has 2011 prices, the spring retreat price remains as is.  Amy has not at present given me the indication of the new rate but should have it any day, once I have the rate for the fall I will change it on the registration form and advise everyone!

Filling out the forms is quite easy and you can print a copy for yourself though you cannot save the file.  When it comes time to submit there is a button at the bottom to click on then you need to save the file to email to me.  Direct submission for some reason does not yet work, if I can fix this I will advise.

Amanda is already working on all the treasures and fun and frolic for the Spring retreat, though she knows to ensure that you gals have all the time in the world to stitch.  Since everyone was great about discussing the changes we would like to see in 2012 I can say that we are hard at work making those changes possible, will keep you informed of the changes as we implement them. 

I want to thank each and everyone for the wonderful comments and feedback that you gave during the retreat.  I will ensure that whatever changes that are necessary will be taken care of, as I want to ensure that we will see you in 2012.

Registrations have already started coming in for 2012 and those who have sent them to me already, there is no need to do the online form.  Watch for more changes on the website and further blogs regarding 2012 retreats!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Contest time!

Can you believe we’re only 24 days away from Retreat?  We’re getting pretty excited over here.  Laura tells me that lots of prizes have been coming in from various suppliers and sponsors.  I think we’re going to have a great time!

So, to get the ball rolling, here’s a survey for you.  Fill it out and we’ll enter your name for a chance to win $50 to spend in the shop!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VJKR2L2

Remember that you have to be attending the retreat in order to enter!  We’ll announce the winner at the Retreat!

See you all soon!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Let’s Eat!

We’re starting to make our food selections for the Fall retreat, but we’d really like some input from all of you!  We’ve created a survey about our dinner menu.  Please take a moment and fill it out!  You can find the survey at:

 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5SL7WPH

 

We would appreciate your responses by September 1st so we can get the menu finalized!  Thanks so much!

And keep your eyes peeled for another survey next week.  I have a feeling we’ll be offering a prize to someone for the next survey……..

Sunday, August 7, 2011

TNNA-Baltimore Bound

 

Sent many of you this by group e-mail but for those not in my group mail yet. I thought I would post this to the blog as well!

Gals,

Hope everyone is having a great summer and enjoying the sunny and hot days!!!

The fall retreat is fast approaching and we are putting everything together. Several of you have already sent in your registrations, thanks! Plenty of time yet to get your registration into us!

I am off to Baltimore for the TNNA show this Wednesday where the fall wholesale show is being held. Plan to spend a day or so touring and sightseeing in Washington, D.C. since its only a 1/2 hour train ride from Baltimore.

Thought I would drop you all a line to see if there is anything you may want that I can pick up at the show for you. Plan to have my i-phone with me so you can e-mail all week long as the show runs Friday August 13th until Sunday August14th. Sending along the link to the TNNA website that shows the exhibitors should you want to know who is attending,

http://www.e-offinger.net/assn_search/tnna/FallExhibitors.cfm

I will do my best to get everything that is requested, also going to look for neat and new things to bring along as well for the fall retreat!

Well off to believe it or not stitching, since I have been busy all week dying fabric for the show!

Laura

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Invites to the Fall Retreat

Well since the mail strike is now over the invites to the fall retreat have been sent out.  Am starting to get the ball rolling for the Fall Retreat and hope to have lots of fun and revelry for the weekend. Registrations have already started coming in …..

Amanda is busy putting together the photos in a grouping so that i can make the booklets for each of you that attended the Spring Retreat.  The class for the fall that I will be offering I hope to have the picture up sometime in the first of August, once it’s finished.

There will be another survey in the next week or so as mentioned previously.  I am looking to get your thoughts on some new things we would like to implement at the Fall retreat. 

During the summer the court jester and his court are gathering things for us this fall… plenty of fun filled items shall be had for all!  Will be off to Baltimore in August to attend the TNNA show and will also be looking for lots of new designs and fibres that i can bring as well to the fall retreat. 

Well back to the designing board for now!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Fall Registration and News

Presently I am in the process of hopefully setting up the website so that you can do a PDF registration form on line since it looks like this strike is going to be going on for a while.  Mail here is only coming in every couple of days and when I went to send out some letters was advised that not to get worried if they took quite a while to get to their destination.  So instead of worrying about mailing, once I have it up  on the web I will send out a mass e-mail to everyone advising that the form is up to fill out.

Working right now with the Inn and setting up the fall retreat and hope to spice it up a little more from the Spring 2011 retreat and do some things again you would not be expecting.  Want to thank everyone for their comments and feedback forms that you filled out on the final day.  I have taken the time to look closely at everyone’s thoughts and concerns, and am considering implementing some of your ideas.

Will be posting on the blog and the website next week a little of what we will be doing this fall. Hoping to see many of you again as Erica, Amanda and myself will be there with bells on.  Okay, maybe not literally but we will be there ready to have a great time!

Laura

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Update

Hope everyone is well.

Finally getting back to normal at home. Though my husband is now on disability until we can get him in for surgery.  Having him around the house is a little difficult at times but working it out.

Since May is almost over its time to get to work on the fall retreat, plenty to prepare and do. Amanda, Erica and myself are putting together our ideas and are hoping to create a fun time for all.

Had hoped to get out letters to each of you this week, but am not sure that I will send them just yet as I heard there may be a postal strike. If the strikes does not happen little packages will be arriving next week to you. Will post once they have been mailed.

Have been working on the website and will be updating the blog as well over the next several days. Amanda is bringing the pictures of the retreat this weekend and hope to post just a few on the web and the blog. want to get them all together so I can create your little books for the fall.

Back to paperwork and organizing!!!

Update

Hope everyone is well.

Finally getting back to normal at home. Though my husband is now on disability until we can get him in for surgery.  Having him around the house is a little difficult at times but working it out.

Since May is almost over its time to get to work on the fall retreat, plenty to prepare and do. Amanda, Erica and myself are putting together our ideas and are hoping to create a fun time for all.

Had hoped to get out letters to each of you this week, but am not sure that I will send them just yet as I heard there may be a postal strike. If the strikes does not happen little packages will be arriving next week to you. Will post once they have been mailed.

Have been working on the website and will be updating the blog as well over the next several days. Amanda is bringing the pictures of the retreat this weekend and hope to post just a few on the web and the blog. want to get them all together so I can create your little books for the fall.

Back to paperwork and organizing!!!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Updates

Just a quick note to everyone to say that I had a wonderful time with you all at the Spring retreat!

For those who stayed over on Monday you know that my husband was rushed to the hospital with a seized back.  I can say that he is now home and recovering and we are now waiting on getting him in for surgery in Toronto.

The website is slowly being changed and the new website address will www.enchanting-escapes.com the old website address will be not exist as it was up for renewal and since we were doing a name change I did it all at the same time.

Watch for many small and neat changes to the website and the blog over the next several weeks.  with trying to get my husband organized and set up at home it will be taking me a little longer to get everything changed completely over but it will be done.

Talk to you all soon!

Laura

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

11 days to go!

Well I am busy working away at getting the retreat information together and packing what we need.  It 3:30 in the morning and I seem to have more to do each time I turn around.  Cannot wait to see everyone and your projects you will all be working on.  I even have a few that I will be bringing to stitch on!

Sorry that the letters I sent you will be coming out later than I expected, but we have been dealing  with a very sick dog.  Our companion and best friendIMG00001-20100318-1055

“Peanut” my Bull Mastiff/Rottweiller has been diagnosed with bone cancer and we are trying to deal with having to put her down over the next weeks or so.  She is on so much medication that she is either very tired or very sore, but its hard letting go.  Though it will not be fair to make her suffer too much more, as she is having a hard time walking for very long and that was what we did a lot of over the last 8 years.

Then too add to this dilemma and make my life even busier one of the young ladies I work with lost her mother suddenly and there was a puppy that needed a home the same day we found out Peanut was sick.  So whether it be fate or kismet we decided to take the puppy…..

busah3 bush1

but though the puppy is only 18 months he weighs 151 pounds already and going to grow some more.  He is a cute English Mastiff who we just fell in love with and Peanut even gets along with him and they are walking together for the time she has left with us.

So again my apologies for not getting out your letters earlier they are on there way today and I should be completely organized and prepared for the retreat!  So I am back to work on the stuff and more stuff!!!!!

See you all soon!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Survey and the Draw

Just a little note to everyone that we will draw for the Gift Certificate on the 29th of April. So if you are interesting in going into the draw make sure to submit prior to the 29th, the draw is only available to the retreaters attending the Spring Retreat, but for those who answer the survey and are not part of the retreat we will draw for a little something special that we will send out to you!

Your answers and comments in regards to the survey will help us ensure that we have the best retreat possible!

Laura

Monday, April 4, 2011

Pre-Survey and Contest

Thought to get the ideas flowing for this year and the following years I would put out a pre-survey and get your comments regarding a couple of things.

Just to make it interesting for those who fill out and submit the survey you will be entered into a draw to win a $ 50.00 gift certificate to purchase some of our gorgeous hand dyed fabrics.

All comments are appreciated and will be considered and reviewed, hope you will take a minute and fill out this pre-survey!

Please click on the following link to go to the survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FVYZWGG

See you all soon !

Laura

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Latest News!

Time is fast approaching and soon we will all be together!

Since I am down in Toronto at Gitta’s Retreat I am spending time with some of everyone’s favourite designers.  So I will be bringing along a lot of their new items for you to see and purchase.

The weather has been great though I have not had time to get outside, our weekend though I do plan on enjoying more of this lovely sunshine and taking a walk along the shoreline, okay and a lot of stitching!

While sitting here posting to the blog i am working on several little things for the weekend, which should be filled with plenty of fun and stitching!

Will be sending out a small packet to each of you this week, with an overview of the weekend and some other tidbits.

See you all soon!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Classes–Framing on a Stitching Budget

tn_framing

For all those ladies who are interested in learning how to stretch and frame your beautiful stitched pieces we will be having class on Saturday sometime around 1:30.   To sign up I ask that you just drop me a quick e-mail. 

The class will take app. 1 1/2 hours and will be taught over in the Cedar Knoll House allowing those who do not wish to take the class to enjoy stitching without interference of hearing me explaining the steps of framing!

For those deciding to do the class you will need the following to bring to class, the rest will be supplies by me ( example - booklet with pictures with step by step instructions, foamcore, pins and rulers and all those neat little framing tools….. )

- a stitched piece no larger than 11 x 17 for the first time framing I recommend doing a smaller piece more the 8 x 10 size

- you will need to purchase the frame you wish your stitched model to be placed into and you cannot spend more than $ 20.00 if its 8x10 or $ 30.00 if its 11 x17

 

Any questions please do not hesitate to ask……

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Updates

Since the packages have gone out many of you have sent in your registrations, which is great and it looks like we are going to have the same size of group as last year!

With the retreat fast approaching I am working on getting everything together so that your weekend will be filled with fun, excitement and plenty of time to stitch and shop.

It looks like Sue from Needleworks in Peterborough will be coming to the Spring retreat to set up shop in the chart room.  Of course, I will be bringing along  fabrics with even several new colours for you to drool over.  Hoping that Gisele might come back as well, but have not yet received confirmation will keep you advised once I know.

Watch for those who registered already for a small little packet in the mail, confirmations have gone out with a little something extra.

Well I am off to work on dying fabrics need to ensure that I have plenty for you when I come to retreat! 

Little note for Leslie – I may even have the Santa stitched on a new hand dyed fabric !!!!!!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Registration Packages

Just to let everyone know the registration packages and information for the Spring and Fall Retreats for 2011 have gone out, yea!

Since I presently do not have confirmed registration for either the Spring or Fall I  have sent the  packages to everyone.  For those who may have already filled out paperwork my apologies but I would like to ensure that I have my  own confirmed registration.  Would hate to give away someone’s room that they have requested. 

Each package has a registration form for both the Fall and Spring Retreat. For those who have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

As previously mentioned we will be adding information onto the blog in the next day or so regarding class times, retreat information, and a contest or two where you have the opportunity to win something.

Spring is fast approaching and I am working hard at creating new colours of fabrics, even had time to design a few new pieces that will be displayed at the retreat . Pictures to follow as soon as I have them stitched.

Have to get back to dying fabric , no time to stitch at the moment!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

News 2011

January 5, 2001

Happy New Year to all!

Well it has been a little busy and hectic around here since the fall of last year!  Spring is fast approaching and its time to get the letters out to everyone in regards to what is up and coming! 

The packages that you should have gotten at the fall retreat have been redone and will be going out in the mail later this week.  For some who attend Maria’s stitch night you will receive your packages at the next stitch night.

Please note that there will not be a lot of change to the format or cost of the Spring or Fall 2011 Retreats.  The Gananoque Inn has been quite accommodating in keeping the fees the same as the last several years.  We will be adding a few classes (complimentary) that will be available on either Saturday or Sunday.  More news about the classes and sign up in the next week or two.

That’s it for now, but more to come!

Laura