Mid December

Mid December, 2013

merry, merry….

Dear Friends,

Happy holidays to one and all. 

 As if the weather itself is determined to usher in the Christmas spirit, Winter arrived with a vengeance blanketing us here in snowflakes and single digit cold.  We drove home from work on Saturday night in a blizzard and had to slip and slide our way backwards down the first hill we came to and continue down our main street calculating each street we passed to determine if we could make it up that one.  And all I could think was--Really?  Could it possibly have been a whole year since we were last doing this?  And of course, December or not, a Christmas snow always catches me scrambling for a coat, digging for mittens, and wondering if boots are really necessary.  Definitely no flip-flops.  So the whole long and slow drive home with me grousing and grumbling only brings out the most enthusiastic remarks from Teri who comments cheerfully in her most Pollyanna-esque voice:  Well at least we aren't riding horses.  OK, thanks for that.  I know that she secretly hates the cold weather and the snow as well, but she pretends to enjoy it--I think just to bug me.  Two nights ago we stopped at the bank drive up after work and while we waited for our turn, we watched a man on the other side of the street trying to get his car out of the gutter where he was stuck on the ice.  She kept making suggestions--to me--on what he should be doing to get himself going, and before I knew it she was zooming across 4 lanes of traffic to help him get going again.  He was a little surprised I think, but impressed when she got him on his way.  Teri thinks that kitty litter is good to have in your car in the winter, but I think that it is really Teri who is good to have in your car. 

happy winter…happy snowflakes…happy ice…happy shoveling…happy sliding…happy Teri...  

Shepherd's Fold--2014

Well, here we go with a new Shepherd's Fold.  It has been a few years since we did this, but Teri and I have been wanting to do it again for a while, so we are ready to embark on the best Fold ever.  If you join us you will be promised a year of fun, excitement and wonderful projects plus the joy of a surprise in the mail when you least expect it.  Yippee!  This Fold is going to be a delightful little sewing box filled with sweet and lovely necessities for the true stitcher.  We will begin in late January or early February and send out a new little treasure to stitch about every other month.  When you sign up for the Fold, you will automatically receive these kits and be charged for each one as it is ready.  We have had Stephanie from Lone Elm Lane make us 8" round, wooden sewing boxes in a fabulous deep Shepherd's Plum color so that we can each keep our finished pieces safely tucked inside to be ready when we need them.  The box is actually an optional part of the fold--you could certainly use your own box or little basket.  However, if you are in for the full ride,  you can order it in the beginning or anytime along the way.  We actually have some of the hand-made, hand-stained boxes all ready to go, so it might make the perfect Christmas present just for you.  

The first kit that you will receive will be a darling sampler that you will use to cover the top of your box.  Of course, Jill will be doing an absolutely sweet mat and frame for it if you choose to frame it instead.  (She doesn't know about it yet, but she will by the time it is ready.)

After that each kit will be a new item to stitch and keep in your sewing box. ( Perhaps a pin cushion or a scissor fob…..)  All the different pieces will go together and make a fabulous complete set.  There may even be special extra items which can be purchased along the way.  Hmm…intriguing.  

Now for the nitty gritty:

When you register with us, we will keep your information on file so that you will automatically receive each new kit.  It is always fun to get a little surprise in the mail.

Prices:

The wooden sewing box:  $160.00  (This item is optional)

Your first kit will be larger than all of the rest and will run $50.00 for the complete kit. 

After that we anticipate the remaining kits to be between $15.00 and $25.00 each.  

One final thing:  We love our friends who have retail shops like us, and we really want to include them  in on the fun.  If you would like to sign up for the fold through your local shop, just give them a call after the first of the year and arrange to pick it up from them.   

If you would like to sign up through us, you can call us anytime and we will be happy to get you registered and ready to go.  

Merry Eweies

by Homespun Elegance

$9.00 

We just received this back from the stitcher.  It is so darling.  We will be framing it after Christmas...

Ok--as promised-- here we go with some absolutely awesome gifts for your last minute giving and receiving.  Remember it only takes about 2-3 days to get from our house to yours, so there is still time to gather in those perfect presents.  Just give us a call.

Leather zipper cases by Namaste $8.00

These sweet small bags match the Namaste boxes and are great for a pair of scissors, or even a coin purse.  They are small, and would be great tucked in a stocking.   Choose from any of these fantastic colors:  Lime, Hollywood Pink, Eggplant, Peacock, Pumpkin, Black, Red.  They are great.

Zipper bags

Large $29.00,  medium $27.00

These bags just arrived, and everyone here loves them.  By the end of the day, Nancy had purchased a Santa bag, and 3 new projects to put inside it.  She is so darling.  I will be posting other styles on the web site:  we have Nutcrackers, Gingerbread houses and snowmen just for Christmas, but we do not have very many of any of them so call right away if you are interested.

  

Nutcrackers

Gingerbread Houses

Winter is in the air/ Snowmen

Scissor Sheaths $5.00

I thought I would faint when I saw these new scissor sheaths, and I actually think that the front girls were keeping them a secret from me.  I LOVE polka dots!  They only come in red and black so far, but they are just darling on matching scissors.  We love the red scissor sheath on green scissors and also on red ones, and the black one is perfect on our orange stripe scissors.  It also looks wonderful on black scissors, and the red one looks great on black scissors and the black looks good on gold scissors--you know like bees.  Ok, I could go on and on.  Sometimes when I am bored, I just go out and try them on all sorts of colors and drive everyone crazy out in front.  These are just darling and will make you smile.  

Needle threaders  $10.00

by JABCO

These are perfect for your Nameste Box, or your stitching  essentials.  they thread like a dream and are a great help to failing eyes.  

Teri's Terrific Custom Gift Wrap and Namaste boxes

Teri loves to wrap- watch out she will wrap up almost anything.  This is one of her best:  when you buy (or your husband buys for you) a box fully loaded with wonderful things, she will do a "wrapped stack" which will appear under your tree on Christmas morning and you will never want to open it up because it looks so darling.  But eventually your curiosity will get the better of you and you will just have to rip it open and spend the rest of the day arranging and rearranging all your little accessaries in your fantastic Namaste box.  So if you are ordering or buying a gift--be sure to say "wrap it up please"  and she will get to work.  

Winter Wienerland $10.00

by Plumstreet Samplers

two brand new designs by Plumstreet- both are so darling.  We are just contemplating how we are going to stitch them, so if you are interested, we will help you figure it out.

Wintertide Friends $10.00

by Plumstreet Samplers

We stitched the Thanksgiving stockings and they were stellar!  Can't wait to see these, they will be fabulous as well.

Lizzie Kate Hearts and Holly Mystery

When Nancy brought this back, everyone here was thrilled.  It is sweet and  so Christmassy.  

We still have sets available for this beautiful sampler.  

Little Sheep Virtues

By Little House 

We are almost finished with this amazing piece.  It has been such a great year project.  You can still order this beautiful sampler and have fun stitching it all next year.  

Well, here we go hurtling towards Christmas week.  Have fun amidst the hustle and bustle of the season.  And I hope that we will all have a chance to find a few stolen moments to sit back and truly enjoy the intended peace and joy of the holidays.  For me that is usually while I spend some time with my needle and thread as I quietly relish the lights, the music, and my family.  Until next week..be safe and warm.  fondly, Tina

ps--I tried a new fudge recipe yesterday and it was yummy and super easy.  However, it needs a little tweaking.  If we get it perfected this weekend, I will post it on next week's blog.  Something to look forward to.  T

Thanksgiving Week

First of December, 2013

Hi friends.  

Well, our Christmas Open House is over and we had a wonderful time.  Lots of delicious treats, creamy eggnog and darling, happy visitors.  We had a great time.  Thanks to everyone who made the effort to get out (or call in) and support Small Business Saturday.  Thank you.  It really does make a difference!  After we left work, we joined the fun, battling the Santa Parade, and continuing on our own small business celebration by going to our favorite little Japanese restaurant and then on to a little shopping spree.  

Don't you just love Thanksgiving weekend?  I really do.  This year, we stayed home and cooked and had a wonderful time.  For the first time both of my boys were too far away to come home for Thanksgiving, so I had to be very, very busy in order to not think about it.  I guess it sort of worked.  Luckily Teri and Bob were both in a mood of constant projects for me--Bob in cleaning (yay) and Teri in cooking and making things like these turkeys (super yay.)  Well anyway, it did keep me busy, and I ended up with a clean, semi-decluttered house, and new kits for work, and homemade treats for the open house, and a pretty yummy Thanksgiving dinner and…a flock of these turkeys…(I did the yellow feet and Teri did the rest.)

   

So here is the front door of the shop all ready for the holidays.  Teri loves the holidays and as always she has been going full tilt getting the shop all dressed up.  She even made her traditional day-after-Thanksgiving trip to get the 14 foot tree for work and we all pitched in to get it decorated.  It truly is lovely.  So come on in and enjoy a part of the day's festivities with me.  It will be almost like being here.  

 Here is our table of treats.  Are you impressed?  The eggnog was delicious--creamy and sweet--and surrounded by Nancy's fantastic shortbread (the best part of the holidays), mint brownies, date balls, thumbprint cookies, date bars (actually jawbreakers), fudge, and peppermint balls.  Nothing like starting out December on a sugar high!  

Come on into the shop and I will show you some of our great new things.  

Three Ships
  kit $70.00

I just love this song:  I Saw Three Ships.  I guess I just like old Christmas carols that have odd verses that really make you wonder.  This lovely sampler is stitched on a 32 count beautiful hand-dyed linen with gentle hues of silk threads.  A sweet border of holly frames the verse of this old carol.

'Tis the Season 
kit:  $20.00

‘Tis the Season is our newest little pin cushion which is stitched on 32 count lambswool linen with sweet, overdyed threads in soft Christmas colors.  You will love the ribbon which Teri hand dyed especially for this piece and best of all--you can finish it before the big day arrives.       

Naughty or Nice 
kit: $16.00

A sweet Christmas sampler to stitch during the holidays.  It is worked on 32 count Willow linen with over-dyed and regular cottons.  I think it is just adorable.  

                                                              Merry & and Bright 

Leaflet:   $6.00

Complete kit also available

This is a quick fun project to stitch.  Worked on 12 count jute fabric with Weeks over-dyed and DMC #3 Perl.   It is finished with a darling set of buttons

Merry Yuletide

 by With Thy Needle

leaflet:  $

complete kit also available

We just picked this piece up from Jill and it is gorgeous.  The santa and snowman are darling and I am sorry you can't see how fabulous the mat is.  Jill has written the words in a sparkling white glitter.  Really great.

Santa Biscornu

By Barbara Anna Designs

Leaflet $ 

This fun pillow is stitched on 7 count Klostern.  Teri was intending to make a biscornu (stuffed pincushion) but  couldn't ever figure out how to do it,  so Lonii just finished it as a darling pillow.  It is cheery and darling

2013 Kissing Ball kit

By Just Another Button Company

Kit $

Teri just loves stitching these kits.  They are easy and so darling when they are done.  This one is an ornament or a scissor fob.  The round 2013 is a button on one end, and a wool ball of mistletoe on the other.  Super fun. 

Well it is time to get this letter posted and off to you. This is going to be the best December ever, so be sure to check back each week and see what is going on in the world of Shepherd's Bush.  So far I have kept to my schedule--2 posts in 2 weeks.  But then remember I am keeping busy.  Have a great first week of December.  Be safe, and I will see you next week.  fondly, Tina  

Thanksgiving week

Join us for a 

Christmas Celebration

November 30th

11:00- 4:00

New Shepherd’s Bush Designs 

Yummy Treats  • Holiday Cheer 

• Find your perfect gifts •

(Do come by...it will be such fun)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear friends,

This is definitely that time of the year.  I know--a bit early--but it will be here before we blink.  I think it is everyone's favorite time, and yet it slips by us so quickly that we never seem to have enough time to truly savor it.  Our lovely, long Indian summer has brought us many gifts including our cherry tomato tree in the back yard of the shop which is still giving us sweet little ruby gems for our lunch salads.  Oh woe to us when it finally figures out that it is too cold and turns up its toes.  Teri transformed our summer pots by the front door into darling harvest bouquets, and they are still looking quite perfect--and not one of the little gourds has been mislaid (knock on wood.)  

But soon they will be gone to make way for festive pine boughs and holly.  Here it comes.......Please do join us for our holiday Open House on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  It will be such a lot of fun and we would love to see you here.  We will hopefully have our new Christmas designs ready for you to peruse and get a jump on December stitching.  The shop will be decorated, and hopefully our tree will be up and smelling exquisite.  Besides I am trying to make some silly garlands for it and you have to come take a look.  We have yummy treats planned and lots of darling ideas for Christmas stitching and giving.  Remember--as the month progresses--we have fabulous gift ideas and our wrapping is the very best.  I always long for a gift wrap from Shepherd's Bush under my tree--and sometimes I even get one.    And if you are too far away to make it in to our open house, here is something for you to look forward to:  

A Little Blog Advent Calendar 

Thanksgiving Week:  New and finally ready Shepherd's Bush Holiday Designs--with luck 

First Week of December: An amazing announcement about the upcoming Shepherd's Fold--might be good for Santa

Second Week of December:  Super fun Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers

Third Week of December: Extra exciting new Christmas/Winter Projects--'tis the season you know  

Something to remember is that also on November 30th is the American Express Shop Small Day.  I love this day myself  You have to register your card online between Nov. 24th and 30th (but I would suggest that you do it earlier than later) and then you can come to our open house, spend at least $10.00 and Am Ex will credit your card with $10.00  That is pretty cool.  It only happens on November 30th and you can only get this deal by shopping at designated Shop Small Merchants.  That's us!  This will also work on mail orders--but you need to let us know so that we can run your card on that day.  Fun!!!!

 I haven't written for so long that I have a lot to tell you, so come on inside and see what we have got going for these late autumn glory days. 

Our Awesome Autumn Display 

Don't you just love this darling group of Fall designs?  Some of them are new, and some of them are just our great old favorites.  From Blackbird Designs to Plum Street's little hare harvest to Not Forgotten Farm's Thomas there are so many to choose from and certainly the perfect one to curl up with after the Thanksgiving Day dishes are done and the boring football has begun.

Feast of Friendship 

by Blackbird Designs

leaflet:  $9.00

complete lovely kit:  

I just adore this piece.  You know how much I love baskets--or even fruit bowls--and this is a sampler that I have wanted to stitch for a while.  Perhaps this will be my piece to cuddle up with on Thursday evening.  

If, however, you are ready to move along to Christmas stitching, just keep on reading and I will share some of this season's best with each of you.  

The Center Santa Cupboard

This is our center display for Christmas.  It is brimming with holiday pillows, pictures, and lots of season cheer.  Click on this photo and enlarge so that you can see the pieces up closer, and let us know if there is one which you would just love to get started on.

The Religious Display

 This is our religious Christmas table.  Filled with nativity scenes, angels, shepherds and other gentle sentiments.   

Holiday Favorites

This little wall is showing some of our newest favorite pieces.  In the center is Christmas at Hollyberry Farm by Stacy Nash.  Right top:  Shining Star by SamSarah.  Underneath:  Holly House by Chessie.  Center:  Joy to the World by Lizzie Kate and Top left:  Christmas Rules by Lizzie Kate.  

The Garland

Teri has been busy all month long getting the shop totally decorated for Christmas.  It seems like every day when I wander out from the back she has something else all set up.  One of my favorite things is the pine garland which is twined with darling stitched ornaments which we have collected over the years.  It is a little nostalgic and a lot inspirational, and every day I find myself spying a new one and thinking that I would like to stitch that one.   

Lizzie Kate Santa 2013

leaflet:  $4.00

leaflet with LK embellishments: $7.50

complete kit:

Here is this year's new Santa from Lizzie Kate and he is quite a charmer.  We love to stitch them on 10-count Tula with fabulous overdyed cottons and the fun set of buttons which we have chosen for it.  Don't you just love him?   

 Shepherd's Retreat 2014--Save the Date

I know that this is much earlier than we usually start talking about our upcoming retreat, but it is never too early to let you know the dates so that you can also begin to plan.  Teri and I have already started making our plans, writing our lists, and thinking of a million wonderful ideas.  We will be going back to the Canyons because it is just the greatest place to cozy in for our weekend of bliss.  The dates, however, have changed due to cosmic forces beyond our control.  So...the dates for next year will be

 October 16-18 with our shop open house on October 15th.  I am not going to tell you anything else just yet, except that we are planning the very best Retreat ever and you just have to come!

Well it is time to post this letter and get back to working on getting our new kits ready to go.  I will write again next week when I can show you photos of our newest offerings for the Christmas season.  I wish for each of you a calm and wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, warmth, and love..and perhaps a little stitching.  hugs, Tina

Early Autumn 2013

Early Autumn, 2013

Hi Friends!  October....Really?  I have been so busy at work and stitching every single second in the evening, that I seemed to have no idea what was happening outside my world.  When I came back home from Virginia, I woke up to Fall.  When I left, the sugar maple outside my bedroom window was still that brilliant light green of middle summer.  But this week it has turned that breathtaking pale yellow of early fall.  I came home to a kitchen full of pots--flowers, tomatoes, lemon trees--that Bob dragged in trying to avoid an early frost. The cucumbers have totally given up, the peppers seem to be holding their own, and the tomatoes seem to be straggling half-heartedly along.  Although our tomato tree at work finally has millions of tiny green tomatoes, so I am counting on a few more weeks of warmish weather to get them to turn red. 

Happy Fall!    

Yes, it is here at last!!!  Oliver's Stocking

  This beautiful stocking has  a king, sheep, a kingdom, and fabulous buttons and charms.  The perle cottons are quite lovely and include both DMC colors as well as Weeks Dye Works Overdyed Perle.  We used a fun skein of DMC Color Variations, and our friends at Weeks dyed two new colors of Perle for us:  Crimson and Terrapin.  I hope you will love them.  We have complete kits available, or we are happy to send you just the parts you need.   

Oliver's Stocking $8.00

Oliver's Charm Pack $20.00

Complete Kit $86.05

by Shepherd's Bush

We just returned from a fabulous week at the R & R retreat.  The weather was beautiful, and the company stellar. We had a great time visiting with everyone and loved spending time with all the teachers.  This was the view from our window-  amazing.  

A whole group of us went to the Leaping Lizard Cafe, a wonderful organic restaurant.  My cobb Salad was amazing.  from left to right- Jeanette Douglas, Tina, Teri, Pam Reid, Stacy Nash, Paulette Stewart

Jeanette and Paulette released some darling new charts while we were there, and Teri graciously volunteered to carry some back with us to lighten their suitcases.  How fun!  You will just love them as much as we do.  

Nimble Nettie 

by JeanetteDouglas

chart:  $10.00

This is a new primitive series for Jeanette.  Isn't it great?  They are all named after members of her family.  

(Nimble Netty is Jeanette)

Prim Penny 

by Jeannette Doulas

chart:  $10.00

This one is very sweet.  I love all the different motifs, but I just can't decide which on I want to do first.

Alphabet Annie 

by Jeannette Douglas

$10.00

Mini Pumpkin Stitches

by Jeannette Douglas 

Chart:  $14.00

Chart with threads and embellishment pack $34.00

This is such a darling piece.  Jeannette uses so many wonderful, odd stitches, it looks like it would be a blast to stitch.   The colors are beautiful.  

Numero Vintage Pillows

by Jeannette Douglas 

Chart:  $15.00

Chart and embellishments:  $61.00

This little box of wonderful pillows looked so fun.  These would be perfect for that little token for a friend.  I think they would be great for Valentine's day as well.  The embellishment pack has the trim, buttons, ricrac, and threads.  

Here are Paulette's new charts-- (they won't be out for a couple of weeks, but we have a few)

Teri is just in the process of cutting fabulous linens and pulling the gorgeous  overdyed threads for these pieces.  If you are interested in the complete kit, just let us know.

Thankful for Thee 

By Paulette Stewart

Chart:  $10.00

Darling!

Halloween Delivery 

By Paulette Stewart

chart:  $10.00

Did you notice who is driving the carriage????  

Delivering Autumn 

By Paulette Stewart

chart:  $10.00

This is so fallish, the basket of pumpkins and flowers is gorgeous!

His and Her's Stockings 

by Paulette Stewart

chart:  $15.00

These are absolutely adorable.  They are small stockings perfect for a gift--maybe for the perfect Thanksgiving host and hostess.  (And if that is you--all the better.)

Note:  If any of you are considering working on Paulette's Sunday Sampler (Mary's Sampler) and are looking for the perfect piece of linen, just give us a call.  We have great choices in either a neutral or the wonderful Black Forest that she suggests.   

Lizzie Kate Christmas Mystery 

Complete kit:  $70.00 + shipping

Here is Part 1 of this lovely sampler.  Aren't the colors and motifs quite beautiful?  We just received Part 2 today and have put it in the mail, so if you are a part of this club, be watching for it early next week.  If you still want to join in give us a call.  We are having so much fun with this sweet piece.  Parts 1 and 2 are out - part 3 will be available next month.  We are using our own beautiful hand dyed fabric called Christmas Cake.  It is actually creamier than the photo above.  We have tweaked the colors a bit.  You may have your choice of 28, 32, or 36 count fabric, and the price for the entire kit is $70.00 plus shipping.  Just think...a lovely piece done just in time for Christmas.  

Sneak preview:  

Teri and I just wanted to let you know that next year we will be bringing back the Shepherd's 

Fold.   I know, it is hard to believe, but we have such a truly fun thing planned.  I don't have any details yet, but as soon as we are ready, you all will be the first to know.  Just stay tuned...T