Retreat... what retreat?

With suitcase and project bags filled with yarny goodness and glorious beads in hand, I headed off to a three day knit retreat. So why do I feel absolutely exhausted? I'm in brain overload and it's all I can do to not nap all day.

A retreat is supposed to be restful and rejuvenating, right? We were staying at a local boutique hotel with meals, wine, super comfy beds... oh, and snacks all day long. That's sounds restful, doesn't it? We were well taken care of while we sat in the creating room learning from Sivia Harding, the Queen Bee of beads!

Oh wait, maybe that was the "problem"... trying to absorb as much as we could from Sivia, a truly patient and delightful instructor. From casting on and understanding the crazy mobius cast on for Harmonia's Cowl to all the beaded treasures with the Fluency Gloves a little wrist bling, along with all of the little tricks of the trade Sivia shared with us... my brain is in information overload.

Overload is certainly better than underload, don't you think? I did confirm with myself how much I love knitting with beads... socks with beads... shawls with beads... and now, bracelets with beads. Crocheted or strung... so many tricks to knitting with beads and that I finally sorted out how and where to use them which, in this overloaded brain is a feat in itself!

Yup, this ol' bird is still learning new tricks. Now I need a real retreat of rest... maybe runaway to the mountains for a few days and apply the new learnings... except, where's my Lady's maid?