Christmas Week, 2009

Dear Friends,

Here we are to the final week, and Christmas seems to be rushing towards us. To some, December seems endlessly long, but to me it just flies by. I never really seem to be ready, and I never have taken enough time to just enjoy the moment. LIke the rest of the country, December weather never seems to cooperate with our needs to be out and about shopping and working and partying. Here in Utah we had a week or more of frigid weather hovering near the 0 mark in the mornings and evenings, and my soul longed for blankets and books. Teri and I chose this time to take wreaths and wire stands to the cemetery. Truly could there be a more bleak time to be there than in mid-December? We arrived on a Sunday evening about five o'clock, abandoned the car at the turn of the road and headed off across the frozen snowy ground. There seemed to be a brisk canyon wind tunneling down the cemetery as we set out causing a wind chill of at least 50 below-- (Teri says 250 below)--and reminding me not a little of a scene from Doctor Zhivago. We were part laughing and part crying as we made our way to the first set of graves, little thinking that in this cold the ground beneath the snow was harder than a rock. We hammered, pushed, dug and jammed trying to get the wire stand into the earth at least an inch. No way. So we set the evergreen wreath on the rickety stand--Teri even apologized to heaven and air--and started to run across the ground to the next spot. When we got there we saw the the stand and wreath had blown over, so we ran back and set it back up then returning to our final destination where we had to guess the approximate place to set up our pitiful offerings. By then we really were sort of crying--and laughing--and headed back to the road to make our way around and back to the car. By the time we got there all wreaths and stands were flat out on the ground. Teri's suggestion was that next year we get to the cemetery before Thanksgiving. Good idea.

This past week we have had a little break from the cold, but lots and lots of snow. Still not that conducive to shopping, so I am still no further ahead. We have cooked a lot, which is sort of unusual for us. Normally, we just think about cooking a lot and never actually do it. This week we have been making snack mixes --chex, cheerios, etc.--for all the delivery guys who come to us. Every night Teri gets busy and makes a new boat load of munchies and then packages them up into big and little bags to give away. We have to give large bags to the UPS guys and the Post men, and little bags to give to customers on Saturday as well as for our family party. Peter came home this week from school and was happy, but a little bored, so she has enlisted him in her cooking projects which is sort of nice for me, because it lets me off the hook. She and Peter have made many successful things, and I can just hang out and watch without having to help much. She really does have a large number of darling gift bags filled and ready riding around in her car with her. Imagine my surprise when we pulled up to the gas station window to get her bi-daily diet coke and she pulls out a large bag of treats and hands it to the folks inside. Well,OK then.

Here is a recipe for the sweet Chex mix that we made. It is a little soft and very yummy. Just make a big bowl full of it and munch your way through the holidays. OK, sorry, I have to send you this next week. I keep forgetting to bring it from home. Oh well, perfect for January.

Now you might think that we haven't been stitching, but that is not exactly true. I have been working on a tiny tiny fob for New Year's. I should have had it done in 2 evenings, but it has taken me most of December. Maybe that tells you the quality of the piece. Teri has been stitching ornaments. The one that I think is so darling is a new one from Homespun Elegance. She is giving them to friends and has them all finished with darling red silk ribbon. They are very, very sweet! Now she is working on a little snowman one that is a companion. It is so darling.

Well, as you can see, Christmas week has overtaken me. I fully intended to get this off on Christmas Eve, but we've been slammed at work and at home and Christmas arrived. So I am hoping that your holidays have been filled with peace and joy. As the New Year approaches, my wish is for you to have a safe, healthy, and happy new year. We are frantically getting ready for our New Year's Day sale on Friday from 1:00 to 3:00. It will be a blast. I am also frantically working on the new scissors and fob for 2010. I am just finishing packaging the fobs and need to be at the engraver's before he closes. It has turned out so darling. Next week I will include a picture just to tempt you.

Happy New Year!!! If I don't see you tomorrow, I'll write next week.
many hugs,
Tina

December 7th, 2009

Dear Friends,

Happy Advent! I love December. I love seeing Christmas lights in people's yards and homes. I love little lighted candles in windows. I love Christmas music and movies. I love having time to enjoy all of these things and still squeeze in a little shopping. Cheryl and I were just talking about this and wondering what it is about it all that is so comforting. I am not nearly in shopping panic mode yet, so I am perfectly happy to just sit back and enjoy all of these things. Teri and I have actually been doing a fair bit of cooking, and we have had a lot of fun. It sort of started with the shop open house. Normally we just buy everything that we serve, but this year we were just in the mood to look up old recipes of our mom's and nana's and try them out again. So--for more than a week, we have spent a few evenings making toffee, fudge, date balls, Christmas bread, and cookies. We turn on the Christmas lights, and find a movie to put on in the kitchen and get going. I mostly watch the TV and read Teri the recipes--some things never change--but I do have to pitch in in moments of distress when hot candy is cascading off of our inordinately tiny marble slab. The boys usually drift by: Bob to disparage whatever movie happens to be on, Chris to linger and catch a bit of Elf, but mostly we ignore them and continue with our project. No one comes in when we watch the Muppets' Christmas because we like to sing along and they just roll their eyes. In a moment of complete insanity, we even tried making fondant for chocolates that we had learned several years ago from Judy, the candy master. Of course we started just minutes after completely ruining a batch of toffee, so that should tell you something. But undaunted, Teri forged forward. I have to admit there were a few dicey moments when it became truly apparent that we had no idea what we were doing. But Teri, in her unfailing optimism, continued on and may have salvaged the lot. I was extremely busy following her around the room cleaning up unbelievable amounts of sugar sloshes when she announced that: "a good 2 weeks in the freezer ought to remedy this." I am only a little worried that she will want to try another batch. Actually, I think the food for the open house was a stirring success, so it seems that the downward spiral happened after that.

OK--now I am including an old recipe of my mom's that is very delicious--if you like the flavour of dates. It sounds extremely weird, but try it. I think they are quite yummy in an old fashioned way. We made these last year when Charland and Sydney were visiting us, but they seemed sort of stunned that we cooked them in an electric frying pan and had to run to the store at least 4 times to gather supplies.

Date Crispies

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups dates chopped---just buy them that way

2 eggs--well-beaten

2 TBS milk

1 teas. salt

2 teas. vanilla

4 cups Rice Crispies

Now here is the thing: use an electric frying pan. ( I suppose a pan on the stove would work, but I have never done it that way.) Melt butter, sugar and dates. Before they are very hot, add eggs and stir well. Add milk, salt and vanilla and cook until mixture leaves the sides of the pan. This takes a while--10-15 minutes? My mom writes: "this is very obvious," but for us--not so much. When you think this has been accomplished, turn off the heat and add the rice crispies. Stir well. Scoop out little balls and roll them in coconut or powdered sugar. They might also be good rolled in chopped, toasted nuts. Eat right away, or store in the fridge. Enjoy, Let us know how you like them.

If we cook something else successful, I'll send on the recipe next week.

We had a very fun surprise this week. As you know we are sort of food network junkies here at the shop, and the Ace of Cakes is one of our favourites. Well they aired a Christmas episode where they made a cake like one of our stockings. A woman had stitched over fifty of them for her family, and her husband had commissioned them to make a cake like Teri's Stocking. It was so much fun to see the painstaking process--the cake looked cross stitched--as well as the darling finished product. So watch for it on your TV. Teri spent most of the next day corresponding with Mary Alice, and all in all it was very fun.

Who would have thought...

Now, back to the shop. Everything is decorated and lighted and it all looks very lovely. It is super cold and snowy here, so the shop looks especially inviting. Our temps have been down in the teens, but taking wreaths to the cemetery yesterday with a bleak wind blowing, it seemed about 40 below. Oh well, the perfect time to snug up and stitch.

Finally, I think we have the picture of our new 10-count kit: Seek and Ye Shall Find

I think it is very sweet and certainly still do-able for the big day.

Teri has had several darling ornaments stitched and finished and I think that they are very sweet. The Stitching Santa by Homespun Elegance is very old-fashioned and adorable. I love the little things he is holding.

And another darling ornament/pin cushion from the same designer is this little Reindeer Joy. I just love all the little parts of this piece: the stars, the bird, the reindeer and the joy. It is in my pile to do this season. I even think the odd colours are quite sweet. This is actually just a small part of a larger sampler--not too large, which is also very sweet. I haven't decided whether to do the bigger piece which has a great holly sprig and very cool ABC on it. Hmm.... I'll let you know.

And finally, Teri has taken pictures of our 3 main Christmas displays in the shop to give you some holiday inspiration. The shop really does look very festive and nice and inspiring. I might have to leave off my recipe reading and stitch, stitch, stitch.

I actually have designed quite a lot, but they are going to have to wait for next year now. Besides the new Christmas things I have been drawing, I am just getting ready to stitch the scissor fob for 2010 to go with the Gingher Elena scissors. Oh boy, we are in a bit of a state here trying to decide what it will say. I'm not even sure myself. The new scissors are very pretty and very different from last year's. Remember, if you haven't gotten your Roberta scissors or the 2009 fob yet, the time is drawing short. Let us know if you need them for Christmas. We do a fabulous wrap job and can always help out a weary

husband.

Well, I guess I have to go. It is almost time to close here and we will soon have to face the bitter cold. We are closing around 5:00 for the rest of the month, so if you are coming to us, drop by early. Until next week--stay warm. fondly, Tina

Merry Christmas from Shepherd's Bush!!!

Merry Christmas from
Tina, Lynnette, Sue, Chryl
Nancy, Sophie, Teri, Jillian, Kari
Elisabeth, Kristin and Reed

Thanksgiving Week, 2009

Dear friends,

I woke up one morning this week, and Winter had arrived outside my bedroom window. Perhaps it was Sunday, the only day I don't stumble up in the dark, or perhaps it was the slightly heavier than a dust of snow on my back lawn, but I thought somewhat sadly that Autumn had left us behind. Ogden still wants to pretend that it is fall, and the sun is trying valiantly to fool us with its weak resplendence, but nope, I'm just not buying it--it's winter. I can tell by the sudden burst of light in my bedroom where the windows are no longer sheltered by cheerful ivy and maple leaves, I can tell by my shivers--and groans from a sleeping Bob--if I climb into bed too long after the heat has shut off for the night, I can tell by my Christian's frozen swimmer's hair as he dashes home at dusk. Ugh...I guess I've turned old because I find myself dreading the thoughts of the icy season ahead. We've had several good snow storms already this year, but this week I noticed that the leaves are gone--victims of the rake, the mower, and the wind, and the trees which seemingly yesterday provided a verdant cave around my home are bare and scratchy leaving us open to the world around us. Don't get me wrong, I'll happily take any sunny, warmish days the earth wants to offer up, but I shan't be fooled, and I know I must shortly give up my flip-flops.

Wow, here we are at Thanksgiving, and I think we all must wonder where this year has gone. We have been busy here at the shop getting ready for our Christmas Open House which always falls on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Teri and the girls in front have been busily working all month towards this as they lovingly put away the Halloween pictures and bring out the Christmas ones. If you are nearby, don't forget to come by on Saturday, November 28th between 11:00 and 4:00 and have a bit of fun with all of us. We have lots of new things stitched which you will love, we will be completely decked out for the Advent season, and we have prepared fabulous treats to serve for the day. So if you are in the mood for home-made mint brownies, scrumptious date crispies, crunchy English toffee, creamy, chocolatey fudge, and Teri's famously delicious egg nog, you must drop by. Yumm! Of course it is supposed to snow, but won't that just make it ever the more festive. Oh--I am trying a new artichoke dip recipe, so you won't want to miss that. (OK, perhaps you will.) There should be lots of fun for all, so don't miss it. Plus-- we have very cool gifts and ornaments for Christmas. Those of you who were lucky enough to get some of the Halloween figurines that we had, we absolutely love the Christmas ones that are waiting. See you then!

One of the fun new things we will have is a book and kit by Shepherd's Bush. Santa's Coming is a sweet leaflet that will work up very quickly for you. If you need a quick gift, this would be perfect. I think that the santa face button is darling as well.

Then a new 10 count kit of Teri's is Seek and Ye Shall Find. Ok, I confess, I might have the name wrong and I am not sure she has a picture ready for this blog--but it is very special. It shows a little Bethlehem village with the stable, star and grazing sheep. I know you will love it, and it will also work up very quickly.

Ok, we finally have Lizzie Kate's Letter By Letter Christmas sampler finished and framed. Isn't it fabulous! We have a wonderful button set available if you are in the mood. I think that Jill did a lovely job on the frame. It suits it perfectly.

Another darling piece which we just finished and framed is Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room. This is a sweet piece that would work up quite quickly, and I think that the cool green fabric which Teri chose is quite stunning. If you think you don't have time for a new project, I think this would be a pleasant surprise.

Oh and you cannot miss one of Prairie Schooler's new pieces: Santa in a sleigh--Christmas Eve. As always, Teri just has a knack for choosing the perfect threads and fabric for these projects and in the end it is quite wonderful. What do you think? Of course by the time Jill adds her finishing touch, we all want to just take it home with us. So, if you are in the mood for a piece to enjoy for many years, come and take a look at this one.

I love to stitch for Christmas, but I am never really in the mood until the first snow has arrived. So I guess I am sort of toast for doing projects for the coming Christmas. Thus, I always have to choose either smaller pieces that I can get done in a month, or work on something for the next year. This year's pick for me is Miss Snow Fairy. I think I might be safe with this one, because it is more of a snowman so I could use it in January and February. Anyway, she is so unusual and sweet, you are sure to fall in love with her. We have tweaked the colours a bit, and I love her so much. I have to get busy.

I have to go. People are whining that I am not helping. So have a truly wonderful and safe Thanksgiving with plenty of turkey and pie to go around. And....hopefully I will see some of you on Saturday. hugs--Tina

November 4th, 2009

Box Paintin' Blues

Hi friends,

I'm back. I know it is hard to believe, but I really am back. I think I wrote you last just as I was leaving for market the middle of September since then we have been to St. Charles and back, celebrated our shop's 25th birthday--complete with homemade ice cream, cake, and new t-shirts--been to Virginia Beach and back, battled a semi-losing battle with a leaky roof and painted hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of black boxes. All in all this has been a funny fall. Market was wonderful. We took a Mrs. Backers cake on the plane with us and were laughing our heads off the whole time. Teri had a framed model for Holy Night which was too big for our completely giant suitcase that she was trying to juggle on board and stash, and I had my lovely cake box which actually worked out pretty well. And the best part was that we had lots of cake for lots of people. We were crazy busy during the market and loved chit-chatting with tons of friends. However, because of the chit-chat we didn't really get a lot of sleep.

We returned home Monday and on Tuesday we had a birthday open house all day for our 25th birthday. If I had not been on some kind of life roller coaster, I might have waxed nostalgic. It is hard for me to believe that we have had the shop for 25 years. Teri and I were just kids then--not that we thought we were. She had just finished college and I was just back from grad school when we embarked on this singular adventure which included renovating a hundred-year-old building. We opened our doors with almost nothing in the shop and had a big party to celebrate. It was fun and scary. I nearly gave myself an ulcer with the worry of the venture and Teri never even looked back. What amazing times we've had here, and truly how quickly the years have gone by. And through it all, what wonderful customers we have met and befriended during this time. what wonderful friends we have been lucky enough to work with throughout the years. Blessings.

From there, we packed our things for Pat and Ann's retreat in Virginia Beach and flew out on Thursday. We had a great time there with Charland and Sydney, Jeanette Douglas. Barb and Alma. All of the women at the retreat were darling and great stitchers and it was such a pleasure meeting old friends and new. I know that I am a mountain girl at heart, but there is something about the ocean that just stirs the soul. We walked the beach hundreds of times and laughed until I thought I had cracked my ribs. The weather was perfect with plenty of sand and sunshine. We designed a little sampler called The Journey as well as a sweet pin cushion to match, and Teri showed everyone how to make a very clever acorn pin keep. I hope that everyone in our class liked it. We had a great time getting it all together, and plan to release it next summer. Watch for it.

October has been totally swamped at work. Everyone has been excited to be stitching for Halloween. Between dealing with the roof--which my boys and the girls here at the shop heroically fended off rivers of water while we were gone-- and shipping market orders, the month has flown by. When we designed our little Halloween box, Here We Go a Haunting, we painted like insane people to get plenty of them painted. Well, they were gone within the first few minutes of the market and we took many more orders. That's where the Box Paintin' Blues comes in. That is pretty much all we have done at night for weeks. My family thinks we are insane, but I have to say that it became rather therapeutic the more that we painted. You sort of enter a zen-like mode and it restores your soul as you paint. One Sunday evening while we were painting, my boys wandered through with guitar and harmonica and jammed for us. It was really quite beautiful, and I am always amazed that they can just improvise together on 2 different instruments and make it sound so perfect. Unfortunately the rest of the nights, we have had to revisit hundreds of hours of Jane Austen.

OK, I know that this is way more than you really wanted to hear. I promise to return next week and show you all the things Teri has done in the shop. Sadly, Halloween is down and Thanksgiving and Christmas are going up. We have some fabulous things to show you and I will hurry along. Just one little teaser of what is in store comes from Ruth Merrill. Her Thomas is so fabulous. And this is just the beginning.

One more thing before I go. Our website has experienced a tragic crash which has caused its demise. So---eventually we will be completely re-doing it. In the meantime it is still there with lots and lots to look at. But if you are wondering why we haven't updated it since summer, it is because we can't. So just be patient and enjoy it as it is and click on our Blog to keep updated on everything. I promise, I won't let you down.

Until next week--ever fondly, Tina

New Stuff!

Our website is having technical difficulties, so we are posting all our new Market stuff here on the blog. Enjoy!

Jeffrey’s Stocking
Leaflet: $6.00

This is our newest stocking. Reed Jeffery is the brother of Sophie, Elisabeth, and Jillian. He was a darling to photograph and was so excited by the treasures he found in the stocking. Take a look at the stocking pattern, and you will see what I mean. We have charm packs available for $20.00 retail.

Holy Night
Leaflet: $6.00

A sweet verse meanders down through this pattern of the nativity, Holy Night is stitched on 19 count linen with cotton overdyed floss. We have a great set of clay buttons that will finish off the piece.

Holly And Ivy Sampler:

Kit: $ 40.00

Stitch this beautiful sampler with silk floss on 32 count hand-dyed linen. Kit comes complete with fabric thread and charms.

Scaredy Sheep Fob:
Kit: $16.00
A spooky fob to go with the Halloween box. Kit comes complete with all materials needed to complete it. Witch scissors are not included, but we sell them separately.

Halloween Grins
Leaflet: $5.00

This pattern will make you smile. Fabulous Frankenstein button is available from Shepherd’s Bush.

We Will Go A’ Haunting:

Kit: $40.00

This new kit comes packed inside a rustic Halloween Box. What a treat! The kit comes complete with 32 count linen, overdyed cotton floss, and a spooky tombstone button.

Spooky Night
Kit: $14.00

Pumpkins, bats and a full moon, stitched on 10 count tula. Quick and perfect for Halloween.

Dear Friends,
I am just writing a quick blog as we leave for the St. Charles Market I have wanted to write before now, but honestly we have been doing preparations for market pretty much 24/7. As a result, I think we have fabulous new things. I can't wait for you to see. We will have them up on the home page on the weekend, but I do have a little teaser right here. First of all we have our 2009 stocking book ready. It is such a huge process that it is a relief to have it to this point. Sophie, Ellie, and Jill's little brother, Reed Jeffrey, is on the cover and you will see what an angel he is. He truly was a wonderful little trooper. You would think that he modeled all the time, he was so good. I hope you like the stocking, too. It is one of my favorites.


Holy Night is a beautiful new Christmas book. We have loved watching Teri designed and stitch this pattern. She had such a blast doing it and I think it is very lovely. Enjoy.


Well, I have to go catch an airplane. This is just the tip of the iceberg for the new things we are taking to market. Hopefully I will write next week with more details, but this is an insane, crazy 2 weeks for us. We come back from market and turn right around and go to Virginia to teach a class. I am hoping October will be calmer. Yeah, right. Stay safe and stitch, stitch, stitch.
Ever fondly, Tina

Dear Friends,

When I was a very young child, my parents bought a piece of beachfront property on Bear Lake up on the Idaho border. I still remember that very first summer when they rented a tiny little trailer and we camped for a week on the edge of the lake--all seven of us squished inside. I was only about 4 and my mom set up a tiny table and chairs on the beach for my brother and I to color on. It was so much fun and the lake--in my memory--was as big as an ocean could be. For all of my growing up years we spent many days and weeks up on this property, however never again right on the sand. We could never seem to gather the money to build a cabin, so we stayed in the most amazing assortment of shelters over those years. We weathered rain, and hail, and heat, and bats and loved every minute that we spent there. Just after I got married, our family finally built a cabin under the massive cottonwood trees that had sheltered us for so many years. We hung a huge wooden swing on one branch and a hammock on the trunk and scattered Adirondack chairs on the lawn in front of the lake, and it has become a small corner of heaven. Last week, my little family and Teri finally made it up there for our annual summer trip. We ended up with tremendous night storms and cool, cloudy days, but we enjoyed every second of our time. The boys swam and coaxed Teri in under the guise of a game of bocce balls. We stitched, and designed, and did puzzles and Scrabble. I curled up in a blanket on the hammock and read for hours. And we walked Lindbergh along the quiet beach for miles and miles, our toes and paws splashing through the icy mountain water. And finally I returned to reality with my soul refreshed.

Now I still want to be in summer mode--as does the weather evidently--but school is well under way and fall is fast upon us. We are busy, busy at the shop, and everyone is stitching Halloween. As you can see by Teri's pictures below, she has darling things on display and her biggest challenge is keeping the books in for more than 1 day. We just received the new Blackbird Halloween book, and it is very wonderful. It is not only filled with their tiny stocking patterns, but it has a pendant and a pin cushion that Teri is setting out to make this weekend. Fabulous!!! Now's the time to get going. And if you are not ready to get going on Halloween, check out this lovely new Ackworth sampler--Mary Busby. This pattern is part of the Acworth School, but not printed by Needleprints. You will love it. I am so tempted to try it out, but really I have so many started I have to finish something first. Besides we are busy getting ready for the St. Charles market the end of September. Can't wait.

Finally, as September approaches swiftly, here are some dates to keep in mind. First of all we are always closed the Saturday and Monday of Labor Day. This year will be no different. We will be open on Friday the 4th and closed on Saturday the 5th and closed on Monday the 7th of September. Soooooo don't plan to come by on that long weekend. The other fun date to keep in mind is September 29th--a Tuesday. This year marks our 25th birthday party here at the shop and as always we will be having an open house. We will be open just in the day--up until 6:00 and in the afternoon we will be serving homemade ice cream and cake. Yippee!!! We will have just returned from market the day before, so we should have lots of great new things for you as well as a few surprises. Hope we see you then.

Well, I have to go and think about what to fix for dinner--always my nemesis. Have a wonderful and safe week.
Until next week--ever Tina

We have have had a great time this year with our Halloween display, I just get it all up and suddenly we are out of patterns, Everyone here is starting early, so I am posting the things we have displayed, to get you excited about Halloween too ( we should have all the patterns back in stock). There is something about Halloween colors and the great dyed fabrics that makes me so happy. Here is the main display, some old patterns and some new. I do have a few pictures below, so you can see up some of our favorites up close. Sorry I don't have the prices, I am writing this from home, feel free to call and ask Sue. She will tell you anything you want. (801-399-4546)

This is the center display, decked out for Halloween.


Here are three of Samsarah's pearls stitched and finished into tombstone shapes. We have a fabric set of one of each color tied together, and we edged them with ric rac.

Here is a great Halloween addition to our collection, Hocus Pocus by Waxing Moon, It looks great on this purple fabric.


Cat VS. Spider is a fabulous piece by Prairie Moon. We just got it back from Jill the framer and she did an amazing job, don't you think???? It was new last year, but we only had it up on Q-snap frames. It totally had to be part of the center display!!!


This is a crazy crazy pattern from the Button gals. (JABCO) We have stitched it on a hand dyed purple linen and used their colors. The mummy is hilarious!!!! The best thing is the pattern is free with the purchase of the buttons. Great!!!


This is a small card called a Quick-it from Lizzie Kate. I think it is called Halloween sampler- Quick-it. We stitched it on a brownish 10 count fabric and it makes a great pillow.


This is the side display, be sure to notice the J is for Jack O Lantern bauble in the bottom left. Jill has out done herself with this frame.


This is the side of the main display and has some great pieces on it. One of my favorites is the Eyes Have It, by Cricket top right under Costume what Costume (another favorite). The smiling 4 faces are so happy, and they even glow in the dark!!!!! So darling! Can you tell I LOVE Halloween. I wish I could get the girls here to dress up... maybe this year they will! I will start hinting early......

Well I have a few more Halloween pics. to show you next week that are at Jill being framed. We should have the new Blackbird Halloween Stocking book in our hands by then, hooray!
Until then, take care and happy stitching- Teri

Dear Friends,
How did it get to be August, let alone almost the middle of it? Why is it that summer seems to go by so quickly we hardly notice that it is whispering past? This weekend I noticed the crickets in full voice, and it made me notice how fast it is going by. Near the end of May I face the next, long three months in dismay. But by this time in the year, I face the beginning of school with the same sadness. Once we get into the rhythm of things, I love the lazy, hot days without homework or early mornings. I love to grill outside and eat out by our creek in the early evening instead of rushing through every moment to our next scheduled event. I love sitting out on our Adirondack chairs with my little dog at dusk soaking up the hoped-for coolness of the early evening air. So when I think about the school year starting, I feel sad. In Utah--or at least in Ogden--there is someone who thinks that school should start the middle of August, and I want to know who it is. We have to hurry, hurry to get out in cool May so that we can hurry back in the heat of the summer. The lovely, old high school where my Christian goes will be around 105 degrees for at least the first 4 weeks of school, and I have to wonder who is learning there. Oh well, my mother used to tell me to just enjoy each and every day as it comes instead of worrying about those that haven't even arrived. I wish I were better about that. Perhaps it is our generation of planners--paper and electronic. We spend so much time looking towards the future, that maybe we forget to just enjoy today.
This past weekend, we had an unusual cold front come through, so perhaps our bad heat will be done for the summer. A little group of us took the opportunity to go see the movie Julie and Julia, and just as I thought, it was delightful. I have read both of the books that it is based on during the past few months, so I was surprised and excited to see that a movie was coming. I was drawn in from the very first minute when the Child's Blue Flash arrives in France. I even clapped, which annoyed Bob greatly. So------if you need a great, feel-good movie, I would urge you to go this very night and enjoy. The movie will also make you want to cook, cook, cook. Boef Bourgonion--sorry about the spelling--has long been on my list to make, but I will definitely have to wait until cooler weather for this.
July has been too hot to really cook much here. I have enjoyed grilling and trying to think of cool dinners and a few cool treats. We had a little work party on the patio a week or so ago and Sue taught us how to make fresh mozzarella. It was so much fun and unbelievably delicious. I am somewhat indifferent to buffalo mozzarella, but this was utterly different--creamy, milky and scrumptious.


Then Teri found a recipe for a frozen pie and we tried it. It was very yummy, but one night in our heat and boredom, we tried changing it around. We came up with this new pie and it was very good. Here's what we did, so if you are bored and hot--give it a try. I hope you like it.


1 pint heavy whipping creme--whipped
1 can sweetened, condensed milk
1 14 ounce--large--can of Minute Maid Limeade--thawed in fridge
1 large, pre-made graham cracker crust

Whip your creme and gently fold in the milk and the limeade. Pour into the crust and freeze. When ready to serve, let sit out of the freezer for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with any fresh fruit. Enjoy.
( Next time, I am going to try an Oreo cookie crust)
The shop is very busy, hence my difficulty getting this blog written. Teri has been putting out Halloween and all of out customers have gone crazy. I have to say, it does put you in the mood. Next week we will show you her new displays and some of the spooky new things. So be ready. Here are some very fun new things from this week.

Here is a great new Country French sewing series. There are three things in the series, a pincushion; a sewing roll, complete with buttons and pins; and a set of tape measures, one is wide and the other one is narrow. They are very nicely made and would be a great addition to a sewing box.


This little lamb is a find from the Columbus market this summer. She is sweet and will work as a pincushion, but that is not all, she has a ribbon where her tail should be to hook onto your scissors, She can sit beside you while you are stitching and you will always know where your scissors are.

Here is the start of the pin cushion display.
I found a fun shelf on a scavenge in Salt Lake City and
brought it home to display our great pincushions.

Here is a close up of Miss Merry Mac's Pincushion and "I will stitch you in my heart" Great, aren't they.

This is a table full of treasures. Bees wax sticks, Ort Boxes, the blackbird pincushion... their new pincushion is here and Judy is stitching it for us. I will put it up as soon a I get it finished with the ribbon edging, maybe next week.

Well, I have to go home. If you need something to inspire you besides your stitching, might I suggest going to the movie--J and J--and having a freshly frozen Limeade pie waiting for you in the freezer when you come home. Enjoy each and every day of August and try to soak up and cherish the heat for next winter. Just don't let it go past too fast.
ever fondly, Tina