We stayed at a really lovely Holiday Inn in Brattleboro, VT. Kristen and Suzanne had made arrangements to use their conference room for our other doings.  One of the things you may see in some of Tasha's books are wool-cut animals.  Hers are generally either bunnies, mice or owls.  Suzanne's workshop was first and she was going to teach us how to make them.  I had planned ahead and brought wool yarn from home (my own sheep) to  use on the animals.  It was my gift to everyone, a little something from Montana.  I had also plucked a barred rock hen who went to the big coop in the sky.  Her death wasn't in vain.  Her feathers were used on the owls!  I also brought along some hairs from our pony's tail for the bunny whiskers.  These are basically a graduated version of pom pom animals.  Suzanne's husband was diligently working on the wood forms for us to use at the same time she had been getting ready and I was looking for her 6th chick.   I think he retreated to his cool basement workshop for more than one reason! 

The wool-cut animals.  Mine's the owl on the left with antique black glass eyes.

After the wool animal workshop, we had a little tea party.  Linda had shipped an entire box of stuff out from Oregon to be used at the tea party.  Suzanne also brought many things from home to make it complete.  Cathy had been thinking and added her Tasha's books for a reminder of why we had all gathered there.  She also made jam thumbprint cookies from Tasha's receipt book and her friend Cindy (aka Betty Crocker, so we're told) made Tasha's brownies topped with Seth's fudge!  To die for!

The tea party was just enough to get us revved up again.  Before we got too far along in the evening, though, it was time for show and tell.  Cathy, Cindy and Sandy are all Corgi breeders.  Cathy had written to Tasha a time or two so she brought the correspondence she'd received from Tasha, complete with little drawings on each.  She also share her many prints.  Linda shared a little book and I shared my doll-sized picnic basket made by Tasha.  There were many stories told and Sandy suggested we each tell how we came to discover Tasha.  It was fun to hear all of those stories. 

Linda helping set up the tea party.  Sophia is just behind her.

The tea party tables laden with goodies from everyone!

On to the needle felting workshop!  With 3 Corgi breeders in the group, and Tasha being such a Corgi lover herself, it was only natural to pick a Corgi to be the project.  Besides, we all have Annabelle dolls who need a Corgi!  I had made a prototype, which was much to large for an Annabelle doll, so after Kristen showed up, I made sure she took that one home for one of her many dolls.  The women did an awesome job.  What a talented bunch.  I didn't have to do much teaching at all!

During this time is when Kristen granted us her surprise.  Just her being there was over the top for all of us.  Her poor husband was exhausted and one of the ladies suggested to Kristen that he go upstairs to her room and sleep for a while.  He was happy to oblige.  Why would he want to hang out with all of us anyway?! 

After a bit and closer to dark thirty, we were all getting hungry again.  We ordered pizza and I still can't get over the price.  Four large pizza's (and they were huge) for $10 ea.  I couldn't shut up about it.  Around here they would be twice that!  Kristen was fading and thought she had better get on the road.  He husband came down from Melinda & Wilhelmina's room to get her.  When he walked in he told them that one of their husbands had called and he had answered the phone.  We all got a big laugh out of that!  Someone might have some explaining to do.  Timing really is everything, isn't it?  As it turned out, it was Melinda's husband and he was so frazzled at home with their move and shuttling kids to and from work, etc., it didn't even dawn on him.  He just assumed he was part of the gathering.  I said to blame it on Farmer Stephen.  He's really the only man who ever posts to the Take Peace list.

Needle felting continued and some were able to finish theirs before midnight..  They turned out so well!  Can you guess that the 3 breeders were the 3 who finished and then stayed up even later for a photo shoot!

Cindy, Sandy and Cathy's wool animals.