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.
ever fondly, Tina
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......
