CCLQ @ The Bluff {Thursday}

(9/24) THURSDAY - Let the Mystery begin!!  SEW DAY and Show & Tell

Good morning, Bluffers!!  (That's what people call themselves up here.)  And, good morning to YOU!  Are YOU ready to be inspired???  THIS is the view from Joy's sewing machine:

Candy has her fabric set to go:

Ruth B's spot has some extra goodies.  Joy and Britt made use of these and plugged everyone in:

Britt's machine is ready to be unpacked:

Joanna made her own sewing machine cover:

Deborah has a really good view of the lake:

Donna (a year-round Bluffer) got her own table and a fabulous view:

This is the view from the Pressing Station:

Joy and Britt vied for the title of "She Who Sewed First @ The Bluff":

Britt MAY have won the title, but ALL of us are winners with a view like this:

Ruth S. sees the view all season, so she got the dining room table spot with Katharine (another Bluffer who is joining us for the retreat, as time allows):

Britt's all set up:

Joy's first project at The Bluff was a Maverick Star donation block:

Britt is working on her Jamestown Landing quilt:

Joanna is ready to sew the first set of instructions for the Mystery:

Deborah is ready, too:

Candy worked on another project while waiting for the first clue:

Here's Joy's completed Maverick Star block:

Donna is working on a project made of prints that her sister bought in Alaska:

Katharine and Donna chat for a bit while waiting for Ruth S. to arrive.  Thanks for helping Ruth make this retreat a reality!  We have ALL fallen in LOVE with your little piece of paradise:

CCLQ does Show and Tell for "The Bluffers", who were anxious to see what we bought in PA...

Britt shed some light on things while Ruth S. and Katharine are dazed by the fabric pheromones:

 

Joy's loot spread on the cutting table:

Candy's sweet prints for Baby Lily's quilt:

Ruth B's selections to fill in some of her collections at home:

Deborah's SEW sweet!  Her fabric choices included FQs for her "other" quilt group:

Joanna laid out her fabrics in nice, neat rows:

Ruth S. was a bit confused by some of the items in her gift box...

... but, was thrilled with the fabrics that we brought her from Lancaster:

Katharine's Bluff Quilt:

Along with the quilt from her bed:

After Show and Tell, we all got to work on our projects...

Ruth S. worked on the Mystery:

While Donna added borders to her quilt:

Joy felt the need to work on a few ORANGE blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge:

A couple hours of sewing time made for hungry quilters!  SEW...

We took in the beautiful view as we made our way to lunch at the Dining Cottage:

Let's EAT!!!

Donna brought over her Bluff Quilt:

After lunch we got back to work...

Here are the THREE String Block in ORANGE that Joy put together this afternoon:

Donna brought over a set of quilted placemats that she made:

Quilters, concentrating on their Mystery steps:

Next off Joy's machine was ONE Slab Block in ORANGE:

Before we knew it, it was time for an afternoon break:

Complete with a walking tour of The Bluff:

Don't get TOO close to the edge:

It's a LONG way down!!  Here is a glimpse off  the bluff:

Can YOU see Canada???  It's only 30 miles away... over that way:

Beautiful vistas, everywhere we turn:

This section of the Bluff has been graded and seeded to prevent further erosion:

Hello, to all of the CCLQ members who couldn't be here with us:

Off we go on our tour of The Bluff:

By far the funkiest cottage:

One with sweet gingerbread detailing:

Garage turned apartment:

Someone even has a spiral staircase:

Where can I get one of these quilt thingys?  We ALL need one of these for our homes:

Ruth's Bluff Quilt:

Along with her postcard swap:

Here's one she made for our friend Carol:

A shot of Britt in the "bird's nest":

Then it was down to the beach (for some of us), with Donna as our guide:

A cottage set among the trees:

A lovely view from the wooded area on the way to the beach:

This ain't your North Carolina beach!!  But just LISTEN to the waves:

Apparently, it's a good day for sailing:

Joanna, making use of the photo op:

Prepare to be amazed by the rocky shoreline:

Here's Britt, posing for the camera... Joy insisted:

A view of the bay through the trees:

And...  An artist's studio:

Some people think Joy is crazy for quilting with 1" squares...

However, Donna draws houses that size!!!  Dining Cottage (above) Sewing Cottage (below):

Check out this display!!  The artist is also an Orchid gardener and Sea Glass Collector:

The tour ended in time to head back to the Sewing House to wait for sunset...

We saw Wild Grapes along the way:

This sign welcomed us back to the Sewing Cottage:

Mildly lackluster after yesterday's stunner:

Here's a shot off the end of The Bluff:

Time passed and I took another shot to catch the change in the light:

Look how pretty the erosion-control plantings are:

Changing cloud patterns:

The afterglow is such a lovely sight:

Oh, look!  Donna brought over pictures of the erosion-control process:

Here's the beautiful sunset that we were hoping for... hiding on the edge of darkness:

Photos of The Bluff from days gone by:

Quilting after dark... Joy worked on her Tiny Nines in ORANGE:

As we stitched into the night, strange shadows began to emerge.  These shadows from the Ott Light fell across Joy's second block.  It MUST be an indicator that it's time for BED!!

As usual, Britt was Joy's "partner in crime", but the shots of her work didn't turn out well.  Sorry, B!

Until next time...
RETREAT!!!