Spring, finally...2018
Dear Friends,
It's May--just--and here in Utah, Spring has finally come. The weather seems to be warm one day and cold the next. Everything is coming into bloom, and hay fever is raging--certainly at my house. Teri has been busy getting the box gardens ready to go and has already planted peas, radishes, carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes. It's going to be a delicious summer. As you can see, she has had a lovely crop of lilacs and loves to cut them and put them in a vase bringing their sweet, old fashioned scent into the shop. It's odd, but those flowers can take my breath away with the unexpected memory of my mom. She loved lilacs and had huge bushes at home which she grew from starts gathered at our grandparents' house. When we opened our shop, she brought starts down and planted them in the backyard in the middle of the city, where they have grown into beautiful mini trees. It is funny how random things can trigger a memory in our souls, and sometimes it is spring flowers that can do that for me. When the roses bloom in my mom's garden, it takes me back to my childhood and walking home from school to see her working in the roses and waving to me as I approached. Or she and Teri gathering the lilacs and wrapping them in newspapers to take to our grandparents' graves. Or the first appearance of grape hyacinths which grow in abundance in our front yard. Christian loved them so much when he was a toddler and would lie on his stomach watching them and pretending they were soldiers in a great army--each color a different regiment. He never picked them, but would concoct elaborate countries, wage battles and crown kings and queens. I thought it was odd and endearing when he was small, and now my heart catches with the first appearance of those lovely little plants. It is those unexpected colors and smells that emerge after a long winter that remind me how much I miss my mom and my grandparents, and those sturdy little boys who have grown up and no longer play in my garden.
Ahh....Spring
New things coming from Shepherd's Bush
This little sneak peak is to let you know that we have been working on fun new summer designs. Watch in the next couple of weeks for our new designs to be ready. Yay.
New Market Bags
by Shepherd's Bush
$35.00
Here are some great new bags a friend is making for us. When we were in Florence a number of years ago, I bought a sling bag at the outdoor market there and carried it everywhere for many years. It was the perfect size to fill with almost anything, sling over my shoulder, and get on my way. These sweet new bags are inspired by that well loved treasure. The market bag runs $35.00, the small pouch bag is 12.00 and there is a long zipper bag that matches each set. (We were out of them when Teri took the photo, but we will add a photo when Merri brings us more.) Fabrics vary, so please give us a call for what is available now.
Joy Kid's Kit
by Shepherd's Bush
$15.00
Summer is the perfect time to start your little ones stitching. We had the most darling girl in this week who had finished one of our kits- Shine. Alice is 6 and has stitched it for her kindergarten teacher. You can see Alice and her stitching on our Instagram). We have just added a few new kids kits, and as always they come with the pre-marked fabric, #3 perl cotton, and each kit is already started. Joy comes with the dancing lamb button.
Winter, Spring Summer, Autumn, Kids Kits
$7.00 each season
These kits come with the pre-marked fabric, threads, needle and frame. Please check out our website to see more of our Kid's Kits.
Christmas Noah's Ark
by Plum Street Samplers
$10.00 each pattern -set of 2 squares
Teri went nuts over this piece, when she saw our friend Pat Ryan stitching it at market. She called right home and told the girls to get it all pulled together to be stitched. Each square makes me chuckle. The next two are just coming out,soon (see below) and we can't wait to add them in. Give us a call if you want to join our auto program. Choose your fabric, and we can send you whatever parts you want... patterns, threads, fabric.
Christmas Farmhouse Series
by Little House Needleworks
$6.00 each pattern
This is a great new series. Nancy is stitching it and can't wait for the each new installment. She is stitching it on 36 count, and will add a button on each square. (Nancy is waiting to the end to add the buttons) I love the border on this project, it is just so sweet.
Deck the Halls
by Blackbird Designs
$20.00
Teri and Reeta have had so much fun cutting up all the colors of fabrics for the strawberries. They are fantastic all together, and the one that Teri finished, is absolutely adorable.
Darling Buds of May (Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day)
by Blackbird Designs
$18.00
I finished it!!!! It is a miracle. I have always loved this little piece, and started it as soon as we got home from Nashville. It was such fun to stitch and turned out just lovely. I tweaked the colors a bit, and I love how it looks. I want to make it into a large pin cushion and back it with one of Lady Dot's gorgeous overdyed velvets, but for now it is on the front counter in a little stitching frame. One of these days...
And Blossom as the Rose
by Blackbird Designs
$20.00
Ok, this is my next one. Not that I have a large amount of free stitching time, but I just love it. I was helping a customer find the threads and the perfect piece of linen for it, and by the time she bought it, I had also fallen in love. I admit, I just love Quaker samplers, and I am also taken with the addition of adding family names to this one. The colors are odd and lovely, and I can't wait to get started. I will let you know how I am coming along with it. But don't hold your breath.
New displays
Our center display is spring-ish, family, One of our fabulous sheep displays
and Mother's Day.
and Mother's Day.
Our new Americana display Heritage Sampler
by Plum Street Samplers
by Plum Street Samplers
Our good friend Leslie brought in her Heritage Sampler to show it to us, she had just picked up from Jill, the framer. Teri was rearranging the Americana display and somehow it found it's way into the center of the display. I think she was hoping Leslie wouldn't notice. After a while Leslie looked a little confused, "I didn't know you had this stitched?" Teri just smiled and said " Isn't it gorgeous".
She did take it home with her. Thanks, Leslie, for letting us take these photos.
Turn and Grab- Pincushion turning tool
$12.00
This is a surprisingly cool little tool, you can stick it into your pincushion and grab the corner and pull it inside out. Then use the blunt ends to push out the corners. It is perfect when I have not left enough room in the side to turn the pincushion- which is always. I love it!
Scissor case
$6.00
This little case holds 3 small pairs of scissors and has a clear top, so you can see what is inside. It's quite genius for those times when you just can't decide which pair you want to use. Most clever.
Word Plays
by Brenda Gervais
$9.00- each month
Lynnette brought in her Word Plays, and we were blown away how amazing they all look. What a great series. We have all the patterns and a wonderful set of linens to go with, so give us a call if you need to fill in your collection, or you want the whole set of 12.
Here are a few brand new patterns just in:
New from Plum Street Samplers
Noah's Ark III: $10.00 Snort Stack: $10.00
Sheep Heap: $10.00 Goat Load: $10.00
Very darling pin cushions!
Sampler Lesson 3
$10.00
Yippee we have this stitched and are so happy it is finally coming out.
To Thee From Me By Brenda Gervais
Chart $12.00
A very sweet little basket for summer. I think it would make a delightful little pin cushion as well.
New Patterns from Heartstrings Samplery
We love all things bee related...
Bee Skep Gaden by From The Heart
Chart $8.00
Sweet bee sampler, I think Teri wants to stitch the pincushion for our bee display.
Garden update
Our garden is just getting going for the year, Peas are up and going strong. Teri is trying radishes and she ordered multicolored beans, carrots and radishes... sounds like colorful salads this summer...
And I can't wait. Happy Spring.
