June, 2021
Dear Friends,
It is so good to write to you again, and I hope you are all doing well. It's odd that this past year seemed to drag on forever, and yet here we are already half way through 2021. Time is strange and never more so than this past 18 months. But I feel like we are emerging from our bubbles-all in our own moment-and beginning to adjust to a new and ever changing normal. This has been such an era of reflection for me. For my introvert self, that long year of isolation had its challenges, but it held its comforts as well. But now seems to be my watershed moment. I see everyone around me rushing back out into the world, and I have reverted back to my teenage self--hovering in metaphoric doorways partly wanting to walk through them and join in, but in the end always retreating back to my solitary comfort zone. I know, I will get through it--we all will in our own way. I'm sure that one of these hot summer days we will be going out to restaurants, movie theaters, and parties...but maybe not quite yet for me.
I have learned many things during this time of Covid.
I realized that we could celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas and birthdays and even just Sundays with our boys all on FaceTime, and it is not too bad.
I found out that architects can give a pretty good hair cut in a pandemic-even if it ended up a few inches shorter during the final even-ing process.
I discovered that weekly choir practices outside with masks--in the heat and noise of summer and the bitter cold of almost winter--may not have produced the finest music, but it bound together good friends.
Now--on this end of the year--I realize that this new world is so much louder than the previous one. Some neighbors stopped by to visit out in the yard last week, and it was very fun, and everyone was talking as fast as possible--as if to make up for a year of just waving through car or house windows. And then quite suddenly, I thought it would be nice if we could just all be quiet and enjoy each other's company--in silence. I know--that is pitiful. My whole psyche has become quieter--and that is pretty hard to imagine.
But I think the most important thing I learned is that we are all so different from one another. Everyone faced the plague season in their own way. Some in anger and judgement, but for some it brought out a deeper measure of kindness and compassion, which somehow balanced and made more bearable the moments of fear and grief and worry and exhaustion. It made me really think about and understand that life is not so much just about me and my loved ones, but about a whole planet of people dealing with a new life in the best way that they can. I had a litany of mantras that I had running through my mind and heart all the time as I tried to mindfully navigate my corner of the world. And in the end I want to hope that this strange time will have made us a better people as we now face this brave, new world together.
For me...I think I finally grew up, and maybe that isn't such a bad thing.
After our year of being closed to walk-in customers, the shop has been open again since mid-April, and I think we are easing our way back into our normal rhythm. It has been challenging to try to be respectful of everyone so that each person feels welcome and safe. We are still requiring masks, but it seems to be working for us, for now. It is a joy to visit with people again and have them inside. It was funny, but for a whole year--when no one but our Shepherd's Bush team came inside--Teri faithfully changed out all her displays for each month and season just like every other year. I confess, I sometimes thought she was a bit mad, because no one ever saw them. But I think it was her own personal mantra, her way to bring normalcy to the absolutely un-normal, to practice a familiar and comforting routine amidst the utter chaos. On the day that we opened our doors again, the shop was so tidy and organized and perfectly ready it was amazing to me. Our strange and frantic year of answering telephones, scrambling through mail orders, window shopping, tiny tables on the porch, running packages out to car trunks, good natured and loyal customers shivering and sweating and huddling under umbrellas on the front step, seems like an unreal sort of dream.
Except it was our dream ...and worthy of every minute and memory.
So...if you find yourselves in our neighborhood, grab your mask and come visit us. We are a calm and gentle refuge from the world around us.
New from Shepherd's Bush
Busy Notes
by Shepherd's Bush
chart: $8.00
complete kit: $41.50
Frame: $32.00
Teri could not let summer slip away without a new note, and Busy Notes is just perfect. We have the leaflets almost ready, (just waiting for photos), the fabric is cut and ready and the buttons are on their way. We also have the darling buttercup frames available. If you are on the Notes auto, we will send it along to you. If you would like a kit to kick off Summer, give us a call.
Patriotic Pop up
Surprise box: $70.00
We are very excited about our upcoming Patriotic Pop Up. It is going to be a lot of fun and super cool for the hot summer ahead. I kind of wanted to include a popsicle, but you know...So you might be on your own for that. Everyone here at the shop is busy working on the various parts and pieces, and we are hoping to have it ready to go out to you soon. If you signed up to be on the Auto, it will just come directly to you. If you didn't, and you are intrigued, we have a few spaces left. Just give us a call to get signed up for this one.
New Pincushion display
One of Teri's Covid projects was this new pin cushion display. It turned out so sweet and now everything is gathered together in mostly one place instead of scattered throughout the shop or just simply missing.
New shadow box display
Our friend, Maryanne, told us about this beautiful shadow box from Pottery Barn a few years ago. It has been sitting in our front hall for quite some time, until Teri tackled it earlier this year. It is quite large and heavy, so that was a challenge, but with genius help, she has it up by the front counter and filled it with our little box kits. Everyone loves it and it is fun to switch it out now and then to match the season--or not.
New at the shop
There's no Place Like Home
by Scarrlett House
Chart: $12.00
Wonderful new designs from Plum Street Samplings
Flag Flock
by Plum Street Samplers
chart: $14.00
Always Remember
by Plum Street Samplers
Chart: $14.00
Equality Samper
by Plum Street Samplers
Chart: $18.00
Hedge Row
by Plum Street Samplers
Chart: $10.00
Flirting
by Plum Street Samplers
Chart: $10.00
These have been so much fun, which one to start first.....
Land That I Love
by Country Cottage Needleworks
Chart: $8.00
Such a sweet piece
Thread Manners
by Lady Dot
$10.00
These are a great way to keep your threads for one project managed. There are all sorts of patterns and designs, and we have different ones in all the time. So pretty and thoughtful. You will love them.
When I think of Spring
by Punti Puntini
chart with buttons: $15.00
We have had these darling pieces stitched from Punti Puntini
When I think of Autumn
by Punti Puntini
chart with buttons: $15.00
These great charts have been a hit on our "window shopping." Everyone started with one and then came back for the others. She is a darling designer out of Italy who makes such sweet buttons that we have carried for years. On these, we have hand-chosen the linens and tweaked the colors and honestly, they are just adorable.
Prairie Schooler Santa 2021
Card: $6.00
Complete kit: $62.25
(doesn't include backing fabric)
Can you believe it the new Santa is here and so early. He is stitched and ready, Teri is just looking for the perfect backing fabric. All of us just love the friendly animals in this year's design, but Teri has been a bit less enthusiastic since she seems to be having nightly fights with the raccoons in the neighborhood. They seem to be driving her nuts. Not quite sure who is going to win that battle.
Autumn
by Madame Chantilly
Chart: $15.00
This beautiful piece that we just picked it up from Jill will be a wonderful piece for
Fall. We stitched it on 32 count linen with 1 strand of overdyed thread, and it is amazing.
Merry Christmas
by Cottage Garden
Chart: $10.00
Twinkle linen - 32 count $12.00
My niece stitched this while recovering from surgery. It is so delightful. We had her stitch it on a gray blue 32 count linen with sparkly stars printed onto the fabric. We changed a few colors and it turned out very fun. We did a virtual shop tour with some guilds in North Carolina, and they just wanted us to keep returning to look at this piece.
New fabric from Fox and Rabbit
36 count
$118.00 per yard
Ocean Air (light blue)
Waratah ( watermelon red)
Watermelon Ice (pink)
Ballet Slippers ( Peachy cream)
we also have Hogsbristle, Eureka, Baked Clay, and Lyrebird Dell ( Med Blue)
Patriotic Display
This is one of the areas that Teri set up during Covid. It is sweet and there are so many fantastic designs. Enough summer stitches to keep a person busy through many hot and sticky months.
Babies Don't Keep
by Shannon Christine
Chart: $14.00
This is a darling update on a favorite baby saying.
Sea box
by Rovaris
kit $100
This is such a fun thing, but we only have one left. It comes with the box, pattern, fabrics and buttons-- threads are separate.
Needle Minders
by Flamingo Toes
$12.50 each
w and colorful. It is hard to choose my favorite one, and then we get a batch of new ones.
by Hands On
chart: $10
This special piece looks completely different from the pattern on the chart. We stitched it in one long line and we just love it! Everything that Teri did with this piece is just fantastic! You will just love it as much as we do.
by Brenda Keys
$26.00
This is an amazing book of sampler motifs. It has been reprinted and updated and is a total gem of a book. If you need any small design, look no farther. I have a copy from her first printing many years ago and I just love it and have to be very careful to keep track of where I keep it. Now she has reprinted and greatly expanded it and it is truly a treasure. Now I have 2 of them to keep track of. They are all taken from old samplers, or they have the sampler vibe. This is a must have for any sampler stitcher.
Oh yes, the garden is growing. It was going fine until we had 2 epic hail storms, and now the broccoli and the peppers are a bit the worse for wear. But they do seem to be coming out of it. The clematis is always a sight to see. It has climbed up one of our poles and is just beautiful. I have a feeling that this sudden and intense heat we are having will bring the tomatoes on quickly--I hope. Getting so excited. The garden is definitely our happy place--within our happy place.
We finally bought new pots for our front porch after a passerby chose to toss our old ones into the middle of the street where they exploded--tulip bulbs and all. Yay! Teri carefully harvested seeds from last year's zinnias, and our friend, Linda, so kindly brought us seeds from her own harvest, so they are all planted and up about 2". Right now they are safely in the back yard, because I am half scared to put them out on the front step. But I think the time is nigh, so maybe next time you will see a pic.
Hugs to all
Tina
Garden pics...
Oregano, broccoli, and tomatoes all are growing great.
Our herb garden, we made chive and bacon pasta (delish) because we have so many chives...
