Felt Retreat - Waikanae February 2014 - Report

Hey there BFF's,

Two weeks on & I'm feeling kinda sad - got a whole year to wait for the next one!  Boo Hoo!

Anyhoo,  below is a message from the delightful Sharon.  I put this at the bottom so you would have to read my email to get to it!  She is currently away in Rotorua ensconced in the Majacraft Magic Camp!  I'm sure she will return with many tales (or woolly tails?).  I'm sat in our family room feeling dreadful - came down with an horrific bug over a week ago which is metamorphosing from one form to another and hopefully in its final stages of a nasty cough!  All a bit sad really but at least it wasn't the fabulous felting weekend.

 Before I wax lyrical any further, Flo has made a request for folks to send in photos/movies taken on retreat that can be put up on the blog.  You can also send in a few words to go with our pics should you feel inclined. Send any info to the following email address please: here  - it would be great if a few could do this to record the event for the blog.  I did not take any photos whatsoever so am feeling particularly slack.



Rita dares not to discuss in case she's
 next for the treatment

Lynn getting hand bag #2 to submit to her wishes
















With Sharon away this gives me a free uncensored rein with which to write to you all!  I'd just like to say what a great time I had this year - even with my bag disaster.  I have finished the replacement plum coloured bag which is already being used for its designed purpose going to and from work carrying all my crap that I seem to need where ever I go.  I know how Mary Poppins feels when unloading it & I would have to say it carries a fair old whack of stuff. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) this is the only similarity between myself and Mary Poppins although if I hold on tight to my umbrella the next time I'm using it in Wellington I may take to the skies!?  My cat cocoon that some may remember from my last furious morning of felting has become more of a cat seat.  Pepper my wee cat who is meant to curl up inside it has instead squashed it and is sleeping atop  - enjoying all the glorious gotland curls which she seems to use to clean her teeth with - a most unusual sight that has left a couple of curls a wee bit frayed!  I've decided to wet it down again, cut the opening a bit larger, give it a good thrashing on my old wooden picnic table (as you do) and re dry it on a blown up beach ball.  If she then decides to squash this I will give up and leave her to it!  Maybe in winter she will be more interested in creeping inside it?  I have since seen pictures of other cocoons shaped with a pointy top so this could be a good idea for a subsequent cocoon should I become set upon making another. Pepper of course does has a rather large ginger fluffy brother (called Pumpkin!) so I could try to make one for him - although he is the size of a small horse so this could be a challenge to make a cocoon that would hold him, never mind stay as a suitable hollow shape without collapsing in on itself.  



Shirley with a pair of slippers for herself
which she made many years ago



Shirley's finer points to slipper making

 








A particular fond memory this year for me will be the wonderful sing a long with Arapera and her ukelele.  I think that we should make this an annual event and call for others to bring with (as Miranda would say) their own musical instrument of choice.   Bugger the fashion parade, lets have a knees up!  At least we would stay warmer if we all got up to dance!  We may even perspire should we wear felted garments and dance - what a scene to imagine.  

Penny willing her slippers to shape

Nearly there

Megan's seascape being created - (please send us a final version)

Yvonne laying out her cushion

Flo thinking of places to conquer with
her helmet in the making 



Pru's Patchwork

After all had left on that last day Sharon & I finally had our dip in the pool which was deliciously cool and had the added benefit of extreme water jets at one end which were fantastic for massaging my "felters back". It was the classic anti climax coming home and 

Pool beauties

for the rest of that week I felt nostalgic for what had been coupled with the anticipation of what could I do next year…. am determined to work on small projects (at least once in my life) so I have to try to work on thinking small in a big way!?! Not unlike myself being short but perhaps a tad round?

Well, before this turns into an epistle I'd better sign off.  Thanks to all who came and participated.  If you had at least half the fun I had you will be back again.  The next time you hear from me will be when we are calling for those interested to put names down which will probably be mid year so you get a couple of months off from my missives.

Take care, carry on felting & I look forward to catching up with everyone again next year.

Cheers, Lynn

Message from the one and only SHAZZA……...

Hello fellow retreaters!

A quick email to thank you all very much for attending Felting Retreat at El Rancho, including our lovely traders and for helping make it such fun. Overall Lynn and I were pleased with the new venue and from the feedback we received, this was the general consensus. We intend to book the same weekend this time next year (14-17th February 2015) so mark it in your calendars now! Do let us know if you have any other feedback that might be useful.

Our best wishes to you for a happy year including lots of fun with felting. We will be in touch again in the latter part of the year with details regarding Retreat 2015!

Kind regards Sharon