Tiara Retreat - Exchange

**PICTURE HEAVY**

We did an exchange for the first time at the Tiara retreat.  We played the white elephant game where your number is drawn so you go pick a gift.  It can either be from the table or you can "steal" someone else's.  You can only "steal" once but your gift can be "stolen" more than once.

I'd never played this game before so I wasn't real sure how it would go. Ends up the one I brought was stolen a bunch of times. I'd like to think it was the cute recycled bag I used. I say recycled because duh me didn't know I was supposed to wrap my exchange gift. See, I told you I'd never played this game before. Thankfully Marsha gave me that cute acorn in an equally cute bag. Problem solved...I recycled it!

This is what was inside the bag. I started stitching this when my honey and I went on our getaway. It was a quick stitch. I plan to stitch it again for myself. I may change the colors next time just to see the difference.

Design:  Autumn

Designer:  Lindy Jane Designs

Floss: DMC (my own conversion)

Fabric: 28ct. natural

Started:  9/4/11

Finished: 9/5/11

Completed: 9/8/11

Yes, the final keeper of my bag happened to be my peep Christie!  I was glad one of my peeps got my pillow.  She emailed her mom a picture of it from her phone.  Her mom loved it as much as she did.  She said it would look good in her curio cabinet...hint, hint.  She's so funny!

This is the little cutie Christie made for the exchange. I was sorry I didn't get that one but my buddy Janis did!

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I'm going to keep you in suspense for a bit and make you wait to see what awesome gift I got in the exchange.  In the mean time, here are the other exchange gifts. Check out all this talent. It's just too cool!

Can you stand all that awesomeness?!  I was just blown away by all the different things folks stitched with just the guideline of "make a small to exchange."  I'm not even kidding this is one talented group!

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So I'm sure you are still curious about what I got in the exchange.  Here it is!

Isn't this just the cutest?!  I love the colors.  Don't you love those pins too?!  I've never tried a mattress pincushion finish before and I feel so lucky to have one of my very own.  The cool part is my buddy Pam was the stitcher.  I just love it!

Here she is holding the pincushion.  Thank you again Pam for all the hard work organizing the exchange but most of all for stitching such an awesome pincushion.  I'm so thrilled to be the one who got to keep it!

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Well folks there you have it.  Tiara Retreat 2011 is now a memory.  Thanks to Rita, Pam and Marie for all their hard work making it such a special weekend.  I know we are all looking forward to next year!  I hope everyone has a good weekend.

Happy stitching,

The Inspired Stitcher