We came, we crafted, we had a ball!

This is our logo, the symbol of Strong Women who are Passionate About Yarn!

We braved the Texas Summer Heat and arrived at the Lone Oak Ranch & Retreat near Gainesville, Texas, on August 7, 2015, to experience the wonderful community of crafting, fiber, fun, and friendship!  We were not disappointed. There were 37 of us this time, more than ever before.  New faces, familiar faces, sharing, laughing, eating, learning, crafting in the inviting atmosphere that is Lone Oak Ranch Retreat.  And the WiFi signal is strong and well-used, I must say. What would we do without our electronics and our knitting needles?  I do not know, but suffice it to say we can have it all here at the Chix Packin Stix Retreat, twice a year, and that is definitely a Good Thing!

It is a five-hour trip for me to get from Nacogdoches to Gainesville, so I got up before the sun and left home around 6:30 am on that Friday.  I have figured out ways to cut almost an hour off the trip by trying different county roads and highways.  There is absolutely no direct path to the destination from anywhere, but that doesn't mean it is hard to find. Along my route are horse farms, hills, prairie, and lots of beautiful bodies of water to cross.  It is a very satisfying and peaceful road trip for me.

Some of the Committee members and helpers met at a sweet little restaurant, Sarah's On The Square in Gainesville, Texas, for lunch, before heading a few miles south and east to our destination. Upon arrival at the venue, we immediately got to work, unloading cars and trucks, setting up tables and chairs, and getting organized for registration and the weekend's events.

As the self-proclaimed Goodie Goddess of Chix Packin Stix, I set about organizing all the donated "goodies" I had collected for our weekend.  For each and every attendee, in addition to door prizes, there was a "Bag O' Goodies" stuffed with a project bag, samples of recycled sari yarn, wool wash samples, stitch gauges, and other "freebies" from the wonderful shops and businesses that were kind enough to donate to our retreat.  Later there would be door prizes and some bright pink bags filled with the yarn and pattern to either crochet or knit a little sheep! What fun!

Cyndi and Joyce came up with this adorable idea of

a Survival Kit for our Retreat.  Enlarge the photo and 

read what is on the card!  Quite clever, I must say!

Setting up for the weekend.

In the midst of setting up, the attendees began to arrive, and, as sisters in crafting are inclined to do, pitched in to help after they had moved their things into their sleeping assignments. Foodstuffs, Ott lamps, knitting/crochet project bags, and spinning wheels began occupying spaces around the tables. Our buffet-style supper of baked potatoes and all "the works" was organized and set up along one wall, and large containers of tea and water, coffee pots and K-cups, and soft drinks appeared on the counter of the bar.

After supper, we had a fun "getting to know you" activity, then went straight into learning how to do our first planned project - shawl pins made of metal, taught by Terri.  Simple, fun, and lovely!  I am working on a prayer shawl for my friend, Judy, and I think one of these would be just perfect for holding it in place. And, I can definitely see myself playing with metal wire quite a bit in the future.

The first project of the weekend, a pair of metal shawl pins!

After finishing this first project, beginner knitters and crocheters were invited to learn the basics  of those yarn crafts, while the rest of us got busy on projects, or just making the rounds and visiting.  This really is a weekend of doing whatever you want, or nothing at all.  And there are always plenty of snacks!

I spent most of the evening visiting with old friends, and meeting and getting better acquainted with others. Smiles and laughter were everywhere.  And so ..... I didn't make it to bed until .....  3:48 am! Thanks, Gracie Lou, for my pink sheep pj's and the late night sharing!

As you can imagine, our continental-style breakfast at 8 o'clock Saturday morning came just a bit too soon for this old gal after such a late night. Our first door prize drawings were scheduled to start at 8:30 and I needed to be alert! Thank goodness for a couple of cups of coffee from the Keurig machine is all I have to say.  Caffeine totally ROCKS!

Breakfast time and relaxing before the beginning of activities on Saturday.

Door prize give-aways started off with my donning my Goodie Goddess Hat, which is quite the Attention Getter.  It is huge and, as I found out during this retreat, quite hot if worn for more than 5 minutes during this time of the year. This hat of mine is part of my costume when attending the Texas Renaissance Festival in late Autumn, when the weather is decidedly cooler and I have had a few tankards of Guinness.  I think it must be a lot cooler then!  I may have to reconsider my headpiece for the future ....

Me and my feathered hat at the Texas Ren Fest!

For this Retreat, whenever you saw me don my huge feathered
hat, it indicated that it was TIME FOR DOOR PRIZES!

Some of the awesome door prizes I was handing out.

At the Chix Packin Stix Retreats, everyone is the lucky winner of a door prize!  No one is left out of the goodness of donated gifts.  We are truly grateful to all of the wonderful shops and vendors who made a donation of something from their businesses for our weekend!  We couldn't believe all the wonderful things we received for this August event. There were hand-painted yarns, coloring books for adults, jewelry, chocolate, knitting books, handmade goat milk soaps, needles in various sizes and styles, notions and so much more!  AWESOMENESS!

Some hand-painted yarns for door prizes from Paradise Fibers. 

Darn Good Yarn not only sent a skein of their recycled chiffon sari yarn, they also sent each of us a
5-yard sample card of their sari ribbon, enough for using in a project.

When contacting the various shops to ask if they would participate, I would tell them we would have about 40 lovely crafty ladies attending and using that information, some sent 40 little gifts for our "Bag of Goodies" along with their business cards. One of those was Happy Ewe in Jonestown, TX, who sent a humongous box full of little pink bags.

A huge box arrived in the mail from Happy Ewe!

Inside each of the little pink bags was a pattern and the yarn to either crochet or knit a little sheep!  ADORABLE!

Joanna R. has finished her hot pink "sheepie" from Happy Ewe already.

I haven't made mine yet.  But when I do, it will be pink like Joanna's and it will find a home right up there on one of the window shelves in my den, along with the rest of my "flock".  It will really stand out, I think!  I really do need to get crackin' on that project ....

One of my window shelves in the den at HeartSong Farm. 

For every Chix Packin Stix Retreat, we have a Project For Charity.  I really love this aspect of our group dynamic.  We can give so much from what we have, and it is also quite a bit of fun for us to create something that is so appreciated.   

This was my contribution for our charity project - fleece  blankets for babies and kids in one of the
Dallas-area hospitals.

Saturday morning, after the first round of door prizes, it was Astrid's time to teach us all about rug hooking, traditionally done with wool fabric strips.  Wool fabric is quite expensive, so we were going to throw in some yarn and some other types of fabric strips for our creations this weekend.  There were traditional designs as well as some more modern looks to the projects the ladies were inspired to work on.

Astrid brought some of her finished work along with her expertise.

Mounds of fabric strips for the rug hooking class.

Intent, yet Conversational!  That's what it is all about!

Looks like the beginnings of a sheep to me!  

And here we have a Dominiker hen, I believe!

And a black cat .....

.... a llama with a hat and bandanna?!!!!  Why not?!

And .....  a mermaid under the sea!

As you can see, rug hooking can be anything that strikes your fancy ....  traditional designs or not.  We had some really wonderful interpretations of this very old craft.  I was too busy visiting to really get started on mine and am still contemplating what I want to make.  At the time, I was much more interested in going around and seeing what others were doing than sitting and concentrating on crafting that day.

A gorgeous pine needle basket creation was inspiration for the Saturday afternoon project class.

Rapt attention on Rachel B. as she introduced us to the craft of pine needle basket making.

Pine needles prepped and ready to be woven, walnut pieces for basket bottoms, and sinew to hold

it all together.

Basket weavers sporting our Retreat tee-shirts.

Around and around we go ....

I see the beginnings of a basket there!  Whoo Hoo!

There were a greater number of spinners at this Retreat than ever before.

And a new spinner being created right before our eyes!

Sunday morning it was time to learn our last project for the weekend:  crochet/felted flowers!

Diane P. showed us how to make some cute flowers using felted wool, yarn, and buttons.  As she remarked, the sky is the limit on the creativity this project can encompass.  Lots of almost instant gratification!

Quick and easy to make, these would be cute on a vintage hat or .... make two alike and put them

on a pair of flip flops!  And matching ones on a beach bag and sun hat????!!!

So pretty!  I can see this on a hat or scarf or barrette, can't you?!

After a wonderful lunch on Sunday, it was time to start packing it all up and heading home.  The time had come for Gracie Lou to part with her tree babies as she passed them on to me to care for on HeartSong Farm!  She brought me 6 seedling pines and 3 seedling pomegranates.  The pomegranates came from seeds from her grandmother's original tree in Laredo, TX, and the "mother tree" of the pine seedlings had been transplanted many years ago from Nacogdoches, TX, near where I live (and where Gracie Lou had attended college) to the Dallas area.  Now its babies are coming back to their "roots!"  Pun intended!

Gracie Lou and her tree babies.

Kissing her babies goodbye!  I promise I will take great care of them!

Gracie Lou and I believe that by sharing living things with each other we are also sharing a spiritual connection.  I have shared seeds and plants with my friends Jo, Judy, Astrid, Wanda and Ellen in recent years, and I plan on doing even more in the future with others.

The August 2015 Chix Packin Stix Retreat Group Photo.

With hugs and fond farewells to new friends and old, we packed up this version of the Chix Packin Stix Retreat and vowed to meet again in March of 2016 for more fun, sharing, learning and laughter.

Some of what happens at Retreat must stay at Retreat .....  for next time!

And back here at HeartSong Farm, we are anxiously awaiting the advent of Autumn and some much cooler temperatures.

OMG, did we have fun at CPS #3!

The lodge facility directly across from the Activities Room and Pool at Lone Oak Ranch Retreat.

The last weekend of January 2015 found me on a wonderful road trip with my friend, Wanda.  We were headed for the Chix Packin Stix Retreat about an hour north of the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex.  I was so excited that I didn't even care that it was also Super Bowl Weekend.  That says a mouthful, if you know me well enough!

Wanda was quite excited, herself.  She was looking forward to finally learning how to knit.  You see, Wanda is left handed, and that makes it hard to learn knitting and crochet because almost all directions for everything is geared towards being right handed.  So unfair, right?!  She desperately needed help and there would be at least two left handed knitters at the Retreat!

It took us the better part of 5 hours to reach Lone Oak Ranch Retreat near Gainesville, and, I am not kidding, we talked non-stop about anything and everything.  I had to hunt for my chapstick before I left my car.  Finding it amongst the stuff in my purse was a godsend, because I was going to need it quite often during the rest of the weekend!

The fun began with the opening of the door of the Activities Room on January 30, 2015, at the Lone Oak Ranch Retreat venue and site of the 3rd Chix Packin Stix Retreat.  I could hardly wait to see who would be attending, and what projects we would be exploring.  Pictures are said to be worth a 1000 words, and I think the following photos say a lot about how much fun we had!  Enjoy!

Early arrivals found a table to call home base and got to work on a project of their own.  Hugs and screams of delight were abundant as each new attendee entered the building!

After a Friday Night Potato and Soup Bar, we started things off with a "Get Acquainted" game that

involved trading lengths of yarn with everyone.  In the end, we were each able to make a Friendship

Scarf by tying, braiding or whatever we wanted to do with our colorful strands.  It was a loud,

rambunctious and crazy way to make new friends and greet the old!

There was crocheting and weaving on a peg loom going on.

At each Retreat, we make something for a charity.  This time we brought
fleece and crocheted around the edges to make blankets for the kids at
either Parkland Hospital or Medical City Dallas.

A finished blanket ready to be loved by a child at a local hospital.

Crocheting edges to blankets and crocheting a shawl for someone special.

A colorful tower of blankets for the kids at the hospitals to enjoy!  Mine
is the plaid one on the very bottom.

Gathering beads, button, ribbons and other pretties for making our Inspiration Flags.

And the process begins!

Each Inspiration Flag was unique!

Each was beautiful!

Each was ....  inspirational!

This Retreat,several of the ladies brought their spinning wheels and set them up in a group.  I wish I had brought my Joy, but I decided at the last moment not to do so.  Next time, she will definitely accompany me on my trip to the Lone Oak Ranch!

Oh, the colors, creations and equipment!  A fiber gal's dream weekend!

Sharing is what it is all about at Chix Packin Stix Retreat.  We all learn from each other throughout the weekend.  Sometimes it is about a technique; sometimes it is about life.  But we all learn something new.

Concentration on our projects did not interfere with our visiting and sharing.

As usual, I am talking with my hands .... even while doing
some handwork on my Inspiration Flag.

Some of the ladies learned how to use a small triangle loom.

Oh, my, YES!  There were plenty of snacks to keep us going throughout the day and night!

Saturday night we had an impromptu pajama party, and a fire in the
fireplace kept us all cozy.  A perfect place to handcard some fiber!

A new spinner shows off her handspun and crocheted alpaca shawl!

Saturday night we stayed up late working on projects, making new friendships, and catching up with old friendships.  

Lots of laughter and lots of smiles!  Busy, busy, busy!

Linda J. of Wildflower Studio brought each of us a kit and gave instructions
for needle felting an Easter egg!  What fun!

The kit for the needle felted egg came complete with a bandaid ....  just in case!  I started my egg!

Some of Linda's wonderful needle felted creations!  Visit her at
ljswildflowerstudio.com

After a bit of instruction from Linda, we got started on needle felting our eggs.

Lots of concentration and creativity going on here!  Mind those sharp needles, gals!

Needle felting is not hard, you just have to get in the groove!

The special felting needles are VERY SHARP, so you must be careful as you jab the fiber into your

design.

Let me just say that there are some people that, if  you hang out with them, craziness just has to happen!  That is all I am saying.  I am not calling out any names.  You know who you are!

The lamp post outside the Activities is just screaming for a yarn bombing!

Here is the whole gang right before lunch on Sunday.  Does it look like we have had some FUN?!

Another project was card stamping.  Here are the four I made.  Mine were

made in a hurry because I was so busy visiting and talking that they were

cleaning off the table when I finally decided it was time to make mine!

I hung my Inspiration Flag on the mantel in my den.  I like it!

Me and my roomies shared a hug after Sunday lunch, before packing up and heading homeward.

And then, Wanda and I talked non-stop the 5 hours we were homeward bound!  I was, by then, on my second tube of chapstick, but it was all very well worth it!  We were almost home when we noticed the most amazing sight to the west ..... a rainbow around the setting sun within the most gorgeous sunset I have seen in a very long time!  A rainbow around the sun, folks!  It is called a solar halo.  Awesome!

Well, I haven't finished my needle felting project yet, but I am working on it.  We also received several skeins of yarn and patterns for shawls, cowls and fingerless mitts.  I haven't had a chance to play with any of those yet either.  Maybe this weekend.

Retreats like this are a place for the communion of the souls of women, a coming together to share and learn and support each other.  Sure it is about the fiber and the yarn, the knitting, crocheting and creating, but it is much much more.  I know that I always leave such a gathering of women with a sense of worth and energy that allows me to return to the Real World and go forth on my Path with more confidence and happiness than I had before arriving.

And so, I came home after this Retreat so "tired, but happy" that I accidentally wore my Wednesday shirt with my Friday jeans to work on Monday!  Oh, my!



BTW, I have joined with the organizers of the Chix Packin Stix Retreat and will be helping to come up with door prizes for our twice a  year events.  I have chosen to call myself the Goodie Goddess!  (I have some nerve, eh?!)  And, there just may be a costume involved ....  Stay tuned!

SO ..... if you have any ideas for acquiring some goodies for our door prizes, please email me at chixpackinstix@gmail.com, attn: Sara.  I am looking for some sources of interesting items that would charm a knitter, crocheter, fiberist, woman's heart.  Yarn, fiber, fabric, notions, books, chocolate, soap, etc. is what I have in mind.  So, please put on your thinking cap (hopefully a hand-knitted or crocheted one!) and help me come up with some great sources!


And, if you would like to find out more about Chix Packin Stix and to sign up for the next Retreat  (August 7 - 9, 2015), you should visit the Facebook page and sign up to "Follow" us!  There is already a registration form there on the page.  Or you can go there to find even more photos of the fun we had.  For those of you who attended, it will be a walk down Memory Lane, for sure!



Feeling better after a bout of pleurisy and a sinus infection here on HeartSong Farm.