4 weeks to Christmas, 2012
Dear Friends,
It's 4 weeks to Christmas and as you can see, the shop is dressed up and ready for the festive month ahead. Everything looked so great for our annual Christmas Open House: garlands outside across the front windows, pine boughs with fairy lights around the front door, pots re-planted with winter greens and red grosgrain bows, stockings hung, candles lit, 10-foot fresh tree aglow with lights and ornaments, yummy treats and creamy eggnog... Ok, you get the picture. We had a blast and loved seeing everyone who came in to visit and start off the holiday season with a measure of good cheer and laughter. We had lots of new kits, stocking stuffers, and plenty of tempting new projects. ( Even I picked out my annual advent project.) Teri and Chyrl also had made adorable reindeer gloves to give each guest who visited us that day. All in all, I think a good time was had by all. And now that everything is decorated and ready to go, we are all just patiently waiting for the final visitor--Santa not included: SNOW! Actually, we have had 2 pretty good storms so far this fall, but the past 2 weeks we have returned to fall or spring or something quite pleasant and almost warm. Now don't get me wrong--I don't really want it myself. I am not such a special fan of shoveling or sliding or sloshing about, but now that the Christmas music is playing everywhere, and the storefronts are glowing with the red/green spirit, and shoppers are bustling about with their carrier bags full of packages, it just seems like we ought to be spying those little frozen crystals of water wafting down from the heavens. This morning when I was in downtown Salt Lake City, I saw two people talking together on the sidewalk--one in flip flops and shorts and the other in huge fur topped boots and coat. Wished I'd had a camera.
Come on in!
Teri's famous egg not--my creamy fudge--Macy's cream cheese brownies--Nancy's crisp and buttery shortbread still warm from the oven. Just try something. It won't have any calories for the looking.
Reindeer Gloves and Games...
Dear Santa
kit: $14.00
Here is a darling new 10 count kit we brought out at the Christmas open house. You might just have enough time to get it stitched before the big day. (Don't you just love Jill's frame?)
Shining Star
complete kit: $43.20
leaflet: $11.40
This new design from Sam Sarah is simply adorable and we have had a hard time keeping it in stock. Stitched on the perfect hand-dyed fabric with gorgeous Christmas over dyed colors, it will be a joy.
Make a Joyful Noise
pattern plus: $15.00
complete kit: not sure
This darling piece is new from Charland designs. It includes the chart and photo and a wonderful bell straight off Santa--Bob's--harness. We have made it into this dear little pillow and tied the bell right on the corner.
Kringle's Crow
leaflet: $10.00
complete kit: $36.85
This piece comes from a very fun new company--Threadwork Primitives. We stitched ours on a 19-count linen making it a quick and fun project which will be easily completed well before Christmas.
Joy to the World
partial kit: $16.00
Teri fell in love with this new piece from Lizzie Kate and had it stitched up immediately. The pattern and fabric both come in the kit, but the tweaked threads and buttons must be purchased in addition. This sweet and timeless piece would be perfect for a quick gift for a loved one.
Pin Cushions--yippee
In our shop, we have a whole garland of these darling little pin cushions/ ornaments stitched. It is so much fun that everyone stops and stares at each one. Here are 4 new ones for this year.
top left: Merry Birdies--$8.00 leaflet
Fabulous on a piece of dyed red check!
top right: Peace and Cheer Santa--$8.00 leaflet
bottom left: Rudy Reindeer--$20.00 kit
bottom right--Poinsettia Sampler--$4.00 leaflet
This is a darling new design from From the Heart. She brought it to the Retreat and
we fell in love with it.
Merry Christmas
complete kit: $39.00
leaflet: $9.00
We just got this darling new piece of Blackbird Designs back from Jill. I just love it and am planning to stitch it this Christmas season. It looks so beautiful in the wonderful frame Jill chose for it.
Holly House
leaflet: $7.00
Don't you just love this sweet new piece from Chessie & Me. We had it stitched and ready for the Retreat and have loved it hanging in the shop. Perfect for the holiday season and just as great from the winter season to follow.
Nutcracker Glow
leaflet: $8.00
Eric from Ship's Manor brought his new nutcracker in to us a week or two ago and has kindly lent it to us for a while. I think his nutcrackers as really quite beautiful and this one is a perfect addition to any Christmas collection. It has beautifully shaded floss and sparkling highlights of metallics.
You'll love it.
Embroidered Ornaments
instructions and printed fabric: $7.00
Teri went nuts over these when a customer from back east brought them in for her to get the threads. She has reordered them several times and is planning to stitch them herself for gifts for friends. The best part about these little ornaments is that the fabric in each one comes already stamped with the design and background color so all you have to do is grab your floss and get stitching. They just use regular embroidery stitches that we all learned as kids and is a perfect way to use up odds and ends of overdyed threads. Add some buttons of your own and you are good to go.
Close-up of Star and Tree
Close-up of Heart and Santa
Close-up of Stocking, Candy Cane, and Snowman
Kitty--not pictured since we are out for a minute.
Ornament #1
pattern: free in an order or with a SASE
stitching kit: $10.00
I told you that we were going to feature ornaments for the weeks leading up to Christmas, so here we go. This first one is a darling piece by an Italian designer: Primitive Hare. We love her beautiful designs and this tiny ornament will be a cinch to stitch up. Our kit comes with the pattern, a wonderful dark, hand-dyed fabric, overdyed threads, button, hand-dyed ric rac, and backing fabric. What a deal.
OK, Teri had a lot more pictures than I realized when I first started out. She, of course, left me writing and went flying off to Old Navy shopping. Thanks. But I have to admit that we have so many fun new things for the holidays that she knew you would want to see them. Luckily we have as many for next week as well. So stay connected. She didn't even have a picture of the piece that I have started to stitch. Hint: it isn't my own design. If it is on her pics for next week, then I will tell you. Otherwise, maybe I will take a picture of my progress and let you guess. Until then, have fun getting ready for the Big Day! I am a last minute person--who longs to be an early bird--so I haven't even begun. Oh well. I would rather stay home and work on my project and watch Christmas movies--some sappy and some sweet. Still watching for snow--fondly, Tina
