SBTS Last Minute Notes – Fall 2015
It
is getting close to time for our sewing and arts retreat Thursday afternoon October 29 through Sunday November 1. The studio will be open by 8 AM on Wednesday, October 28, for early birds. The retreat Opening Program will be at 8 PM on Thursday.
Here is some last minute information that may be useful to you.
MEETING ROOM: We will be using the Ballroom on the 4th floor.
The entrance is near the elevators.
HOTEL: You should have made
your hotel reservations. If you have not, call the Grand Hotel immediately. The
hotel’s reservation number is 1-800-447-6779 or 410-289-6191. (When you make
your reservation you must identify yourself as part of the NeedleArts
Adventures Group to receive the special group rate.) Check-in is assured by
4:00 PM. Checkout is 11 AM.
Remember,
there is a 72-hour cancellation policy. This means if your plans change you
MUST cancel your reservations at least 72 hours before your scheduled arrival
or you will be charged for the first night’s lodging. It is hotel policy to
charge for the total nights originally reserved by guests when they check out
earlier than scheduled. If your departure date is changed by 24 hours prior to
arrival there is no early checkout charge. There is an additional charge for
more than 2 in a room. We hope there are no family emergencies and no one gets
the flu, but these things DO happen so please be aware of the hotel policies.
CLOTHES: Casual clothing is appropriate. The weather can be
changeable so plan accordingly. Bring a bathing suit if you wish; there is an
indoor pool.
BASIC EQUIPMENT: Bring the sewing, beading and art supplies and equipment
you need. You will have one 6-foot banquet table for your workspace. You may wish to bring a chair cushion for added height and comfort. A long heavy-duty
extension cord, power strip and a work
light may also be useful. It is a
very large room so we will need lots of long power strips. If you have one it
will come in handy. We will have two irons and ironing boards set up for all to
share. A “wheelie” (a carry-on bag with
wheels) or collapsible rolling box is handy for transporting your supplies and
equipment.
We
can leave supplies in the ballroom overnight. (Note: Some people use small
chains or computer security cables
[wire covered with plastic] with a lock to secure their sewing machine to the
table when they leave the studio area. You may want to do this.) The hotel will lock the door when the last
person leaves the room. We have never had a problem, but you don’t know what
may happen.
Also,
we recommend you put your name of your tools.
Many tools look alike. If you name is on your tools they are more likely
to find their way home if mislaid.
OPENING EVENING
PROJECT: Our project will be led by Tricia Mattes. Come
to the Ballroom for the Opening at 8:00 PM on Thursday. We will provide all of
the supplies.
[If
you have an idea for a future project please bring a sample and show Sandy. We
are always looking for ideas for future retreats.]
SHOW-&-TELL: We will have our
show-and-tell of our weekend’s
accomplishments on Sunday morning 10:00 to 11:00. We must keep Show & Tell
to 1 hour. Please do not take photos during Show & Tell. We’ll have a lot
of really interesting work to see and a very limited amount of time in which to
do it. So, if you want a photo of something please arrange to take it before
hand.
INFORMAL SHARING: Carrying on our
tradition of sharing, we are planning several informal workshops during the
retreat. You should have already
received the workshop descriptions and schedule. If you have not pre-registered
for the workshops and you want to take a class you may sign up at the Opening –
if there is space available. Kit fees are paid to the
session leader in cash at the
workshop.
The workshops are:
1. Scherenschnitte/Fancy
Paper Cutting by Jean Stahl
2. SNOWMEN!!!....or ladies.... by Judi Ward
3. Twister Bas
by Lillian Kreider
4. Envelope Books
by Chrissie Hines
5. Urban Doodles Journal Cover by Lorine Mason
6. Message in a Bottle Necklace by Tricia Mattes
7. Button Charm Bracelet by Luanne Hargadon
Remember you will
need to bring whatever is on the supply list
----- or make a run to WalMart or Michael’s :-) !
First Aid supplies: We will have a few first aid items (like band aids) in a
box on the registration table. You may use them if needed. We do NOT offer
first aid to anyone. You are responsible for taking care of yourself. Hopefully
nothing will be needed J
Things Needed: Lois Uditsky is still collecting soaps and personal
hygiene items --- like the shampoo,
lotion and soaps you get in a hotel room.
Bring whatever you may have to share and save what you do not use at the
hotel during the retreat.
“GOOD STUFF”
EXCHANGE: We all have a lot of fun sharing “good stuff”
we no longer need. If you have some fabric, books, sewing, art or craft
supplies, patterns, etc. that need a new home please bring them to share. We
will have “Give Away” tables in the Ballroom. These must be things you’re
willing to GIVE away --- no sales. We will put out these treasures after the
Opening on Thursday evening.
Note: Please be sure your give away items do not have pet hair in them.
Some people are allergic to cat/dog hair. We want to keep everyone healthy!
Button
Buffet: Judi Ward will again organize this buffet. Have
some fun with your unneeded buttons! If you wish to dispose of those
"thousands" of buttons you have but are not using please bring them. We
will have some shallow bins to dump them into and cups and/or plastic bags to
fill with the buttons you find.
The Button
Buffet will open on Opening Night, just like the give-away tables, so you can
pick and choose some new buttons …… and have fun doing so.
Just pack up those
old buttons and be ready to pick out new ones to take their place or simply be
rid of the no-longer-needed buttons for good!
SNACKS: The hotel policy is
that any food in public spaces, for general consumption, must be provided by
the hotel catering services. This is because of the health laws. This means we cannot have a snack table from
which we share. You may have your own snacks at your own table and share as you
wish.
SOUND CONTROL
REMINDER: If you want to bring
a tablet or CD player or a TV, it should be small enough to fit in your work
area and MUST have earphones so it does not disturb others.
SAFETY: Here are some safety
items to keep in mind. (We usually announce these at the Opening Program on
Thursday but so many people come early we want to share them now.)
ALL power cords must be taped to the
floor. There will be duck tape in the room, probably on the registration table,
for you to use. Please return the tape as soon as you are done with it.
When you leave the room UNPLUG YOUR
IRON if you are using one.
Last person out should check that the
two irons at the shared ironing stations are unplugged.
The last person to leave the ballroom
can call the front desk (there is a house phone in the hall near the entry to
the Ballroom) to have some one lock the door.
If you arrive in the morning and the
Ballroom door is locked just call the front desk and ask to have someone open
it.
SPA: Shiela, the Manager
of the Aqua Day Spa wants us to know that the spa is giving a 10% discount to
our group on services over $25. Tell them you are with the NeedleArts group
when you make your appointment. They offer a variety of services including manicures, pedicures, hair styling,
massage and facials. Many of us have been very pleased with the Spa
services. The staff is highly skilled
and they always take good care of us. You
may wish to make your appointment before you arrive. Call 410-289-4066. (The massage and facial appointments fill
quickly.)
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU
ARRIVE: When you arrive
check into your hotel room and get settled. A lot of us are coming a day early
and departing on Monday morning. Our studio space is on the 4th
floor in the Ballroom. The room will be
set up by 8 AM Wednesday for Early Birds. Someone from NeedleArts Adventures will
be in the area Wednesday. Stop by the Ballroom and pick up your nametag and
find your workspace.
Some
of you have asked to sit with certain other people. We have asked the hotel to arrange the tables
to accommodate your wishes to the best of their ability. Because of physical
constraints in setting up the room we are limited in the placement and sizes of
clusters of tables.
Near the entrance we will post a map of the
room with the table clusters marked and a list of the people we expect will be
sitting in each cluster. We will put all the table markers and name tags for
that cluster on one table in the cluster. The people in that cluster decide who
sits next to whom. *****Please DO NOT move table markers to/from another
cluster without consulting Sandy Sapienza or Judy Lapato. ***** Do not move tables. We have done our best to
assure that people who want to be together are close to one another. We can
make last minute adjustments when we arrive but we need to be coordinated about
it. Remember, while it is nice to sit
with old friends it can also be good to meet new ones. We have a large group so
we need your help to get the final seating arranged as smoothly as possible.
You can set up and start working when the
room is ready. We strongly recommend that you do not leave your sewing machine
unattended. While the hotel is safe and secure, anything can happen. (Remember:
Some people use security cables to secure the machine to the table when they
leave the studio area. You may want to do this.)
DIRECTORY UPDATES: See Sandy during the retreat.
This is going to be a
wonderful, relaxing and productive retreat. We are looking forward to seeing
one another! There are a number of new
people joining us. In the mean time, if you need more information, please call
me at 410-923-6133 or e-mail at sandra351@comcast.net. NeedleArts Adventures,
PO Box 331, Crownsville, MD 21032
