January snows

January on the driveway...

Hi Friends,

Wow it has been a while. This blog is one of my New Year's resolutions.  I have missed writing to you all, and I am going to give it my best effort to write way more often.  We will see how that goes for sure, but I am very hopeful.  Winter came late to us here, but it has made a pretty good entrance.  Lots of snow, and shoveling and maneuvering on the ice.  But that is Winter and we need lots of snow to bring us water in the summer.  So...keep on snowing.

 Christmas is over, a new year has begun and we are already on the brink of February.  How did that happen?  But then the good thing is that days are getting longer.  I can leave work in the almost day light and that is so lovely.  Valentines Day is fast approaching, and then Market will be looming in our future...and so the year slips along pulling us with it.  In spite of this, I hope we can all slow down just a bit and take time to read a good book, cook something amazing, and of course stitch.  I have decided that I am in my happy place when I have a project that I can work on for even a short moment every evening.  I am about to start on a sweet Christmas sampler that I drew during the Advent season, so hopefully I will have it ready this coming Fall...so relax Time and cooperate with a slow stitcher.

Monday Musings:

We have been busy at the Bush.  In November, we started doing live videos through our FB page and it has been a lot of fun.  They are called  Monday Musings, and we come to you each Monday evening at 5:30 Mountain time.  The little videos are then archived so that you can view them later at your own convenience.  They are sort of eclectic in design--or non design--and include things that are new around the shop, often some instruction, and sometimes even a crazy recipe or project.  It is our simple way to share all the fun and funny things that are happening in our little corner of the world.  Hopefully it brings some inspiration, insight, warmth and laughter into your world as well. 

Retreat 2024

Registration for Shepherd's Retreat 2024 opens at 12 noon Mountain time on Wednesday, January 31st.

You will find more information about this on our website under the Retreat tab at the left on the homepage.  www.shepherdsbush.net

At that time the brochure will be available online which will show a brief schedule and the list of teachers in each of the 2 tracks.  We have a wonderful group coming this Fall and both tracks are fantastic.  You will need to be able to stitch on fine linen--32-36 count.  You will fill out the registration form at that time and email it back to us.  If you are accepted in the Retreat, the only charge you will have in February is the $50 non-refundable registration fee.  Good luck!

New arrivals at the shop:

Valentine's Display 

Here is a fun heart display, to tempt you with hearts and sweet stitching.  We have so many adorable Valentine stitches this year and everyone has been having a great time working on them

Heartfelt Tiny Town 

by Heart in Hand 

leaflet $13.00

We love Cecilia's Tiny Towns.  This one is stitched on a 30 count pink linen and the buttons are included in the chart.  It is framed in a marvelous frame from Jill, our friend and framer

Love and Carrots

 by Cross Eyed Cricket

leaflet $ 8.00

Button set $7.00

We stitched ( well Erin stitched it for us) this sweet piece last year, and it is one of my favorites.  It is stitched on a beautiful light rose linen and we added buttons. 

Kind Heart 

Kit by Shepherd's Bush 

$20.00

This beautiful tiny heart piece is stitched on 32 count pale purple gray 32 count linen.  The kit comes with the threads, the linen, and a couple of buttons

2023 Collector Heart

by Heart in Hand

kit $32.00

Isn't the framing on this sweet piece perfect?  Every year Cecilia designs a heart.  This one is so lovely, and the kit includes the linen and a beautiful skein of cottage garden thread. 

2024  Collector Heart 

by Heart in Hand 

kit $29.00

This year's heart kit is quite special!  Vibrant and whimsical, it is the perfect stitch for February...or March, or ...

Love Always

by Annie Beez

Chart $12.00

This is such a beautiful  design, we softened the colors and stitched it on 32 count linen, and it is a sweet piece at all times of the year.

New Needle Minders

Caterpillar Cross Stitch minders 

 $13.75 each

These are just darling!  

They come from England, and have been super popular. We might not have all of them left, but we have many.

Flamingo Toes minders 

$12.00

We always love these needle minders--they are happy and fun and very strong just like all of us.  :)

New Christmas kits from Shepherd's Bush

(well, new in December)

Sheep Bauble

kit $20

2023 Ornament kit

Dashing

pattern:  $6

kit:  $25

Well, thanks for spending a few minutes with me on this winter evening.  The next time I write, we will be into Market adventures, so that is both terrifying and fun.  Until then, be safe out there and find a project--new or old--to make yourself stitch happy.

hugs, Tina  and Teri

 

Midsummer Offerings

Hi Friends,

Remember me? 

It's ok if you don't, but I hope you do.  

Summer is slipping past me so quickly this year.  Right now it is nothing but hot on hot in Utah, and there are days when I open the front door at the shop to leave and feel like I have walked into a furnace.  That blast of ultra-dry, hot air takes my breath away, and it is a struggle to keep the flowers in our pots alive from morning to evening.  And then the other night we heard crickets for the first time this summer, and it made me realize that Fall is creeping up on us steadily. There is both a relief and a melancholy about that truth.  Our past winter was so severe here that the flock of deer living in our backyards and neighborhood stripped every growing plant and tree down to bare sticks, and I think that we have realized that they are part of our lives.  They are no longer afraid of our human presence and deign to tolerate our comings and goings.  The men on my street, are continuing to wage their passive/aggressive war against them, but I find myself worrying if I don't see them for a day or two, or if one darts out into the street. The flock in our somewhat communal backyards had 2 baby fawns--polka dots and all.  A month ago, when we first saw them, they were the size of small dogs, but they have grown a lot and circle around the box gardens rather possessively.  Between them and the heat...flowers have  been a bit of a struggle.

.  .  .  .  .

The shop has been fun and busy this summer.  Lots of locals dropping by to hang out as well as many vacationers passing through and stopping to spend the day with us.  Ogden is known as the "Crossroads of the West," and it is true.  We have met people traveling from the east heading to California, or from there on to the Midwest.  This year we have had tons of travelers hitting the southern National Parks and heading on up to Yellowstone and the Tetons.  So, when you think about it, 

Shepherd's Bush is right on the way no matter which way you are heading or where you have already been.  Well,  I think that is a line used on a lot of husbands, anyway.  But no matter how you want to spin it, we have had a great time welcoming and visiting with so many delightful stitchers.  And Ogden is a pretty great place to spend a day or two or three for sure.  Weekend evenings are crowded with people off to a baseball game, or the an outdoor play or concert, or joining a queue to eat at one of our fabulous locally owned restaurants.   I'm just saying....

We have a lot coming up at the shop as well.  Teri is finishing up a new bag and it is fantastic!  And I am trying to finish up the new stocking.  So, hopefully, both of those will be on the next blog.  And I don't mean in 6 months.  Well hopefully, I don't mean that.  

My Sheep Bag

Chart $10

Purple Bag $15.00

Pincushion and Fob kit $11.00 ( you need a pattern)

Leaflet, kit and fun extras from Shepherd's Bush

I am sure that you will have seen Teri's newest pattern for the fabulous vinyl bags.  She asked the folks who make the bags to think about purple and here it is.  Everyone has had the best time with this sweet project--sheep and purple--the perfect combination.

There is always an adorable kit for the "Littles" to go along with the bags as well as darling scissors, sheath and zipper pulls.

Santa's Flight

Leaflet: $8

kit available

This is an older leaflet with 3 ornaments on it.  Teri just had Erin stitch it as one piece, and everyone at the shop has loved it so much.  It is funny how different it looks done all together on the lovely blue linen.

Amy's Birds 

5 sweet patterns:  $8 each

Amy McClellan designed these darling garden birds in the early spring and our customers have gone crazy over them.  Each one is its own pattern and together they cluster on a little tray on our front counter.  They are a quick stitch and so cheerful and sweet.

Let it Grow

by Autumn Lane

Leaflet: $10.00

Such a fun new Halloween piece for the upcoming season.  We stitched it on a wonderful green/brown linen and hen Teri finished it in a cool, wrapped hoop.  So darling.

Bear and The Robins

 by Madame Chantilly

chart: $14.40

We have a quite a few of her sweet 

Christmas pieces stitched and framed in the shop.  They are such favorites.  This one is new for us this year, and I just love it.  I mean really--polar bear, ornaments, little birds and a holiday sweater--how can I resist.  I also love the frame Jill and Amber did for him.  Perfect!

2023 Prairie Schooler Santa

card:  $6

kit available

We have had so much fun with this year's Santa.  Everyone loves the snowflakes, and for me he is that iconic Christmas card Santa.  We finally have the backing fabric and  buttons, so he is ready for you to stitch as we approach coming season.  If you need something easy to stitch and fun to complete--he is your guy!

Ever Green

 by Prairie Schooler

chart: $12

Teri has been pretty good about her ornament quest which was to make new ornaments for our tree branch.  These 2 were ones I chose, and Teri finished them with a darling flat finish.  In the pattern there are 8-9 different holiday patterns and all of them are sweet.  It was hard to decide which to do, but they are so much fun,  I think they were stitched on a cool 32 count linen and they are quite tiny.  I wonder what else she has in the offing.   

Tiny Towns

by Heart in Hand

charts with buttons:  $13

I thought Teri was going to do a Facebook Live on these, but maybe she will soon.  It would be a lot of fun.  They are all darling and everyone has had such a great time working on them this summer.  Can't wait to see what is coming next.

Halloween Tiny Town

Patriotic Tiny Town

Christmas Tiny Town 

Love Tiny Town

Honey of a Tiny Town

Seaside Tiny Town

Bee display

This has been such a fun wall this summer.  It is buzzing with all things Bee.

Teri is a total bee girl. (when she is not in Halloween mode)  The center of the display is Hive Rules by Primrose Cottage.  On either side are wonderful pieces by Plum Street Samplers.  There are so many fabulous bee pieces.  

Teri's Garden Notes

I have had so much fun this year. We have lots of water, so everything is growing quite well.  

Tomatoes and cucumbers are coming along.  My tomatoes are ready to harvest and make spaghetti sauce.  That is the only thing I can- well I freeze it, does that count as canning?  

I love to do this, so in the middle of winter my spaghetti tastes like summer.  :)

Our grapevine has gone nuts... it has grown over the fence and around the poles.  

 I'm worried the vines will cover  our cars if we don't watch out. 

We have 3 lemons this year.  Most of the lemon tree's leaves have fallen off, 

but the lemons are going strong.  

I planted pumpkins this year, but I have yet to see one pumpkin--lots of leaves and blossoms but no pumpkins.... so far.  I'll let you know.

Well, hold on to August wherever you are.  Imprint the heat to remember this winter when we are dealing with snow and ice.  And cherish cool, late summer evenings.  Be kind to our world and to each other.  And when you need some zen...grab your needle and stitch,

hugs, Tina...and Teri

 

Market Jitters

Market Jitters,  2023

Hi Friends,

Teri and I are just leaving for the airport heading to market in Nashville.  Hopefully all our boxes will arrive and we will be frantically ready by tomorrow afternoon.  We won't blog again until I get home, but Teri will be doing very fun live posts throughout the weekend.  So keep an eye out for her.

We haven't had time to post our own new offerings for the market, so take a look below.  If you are interested in ordering any of these, please give us a call at the shop so that we can gather exactly what you would like.  801-399-4546

The Market Days at the shop will be March 

Here we go:

Sweet Land Sampler

kits:  $44

This sampler was such joy to stitch.  Very soft and muted reds, blues and cremes and a sweet and hopeful message.  This is worked on a hand dyed 32 count linen in soft browns and grays and worked with Weeks overdyed cotton floss.  It includes a few fun stitches as well as cross stitch.  Embellishments are included.

design size:  6 x 8

Where We Dwell

kit:  $30

This is a wonderful pin cushion worked on 32 count overdyed grey/blue fabric.  

It is worked with Weeks overdyed cotton floss and includes a little hand dyed button set.  Also included are a beautiful backing fabric as well as hand dyed Lady Dot chenille for the edging.  

design size: 4 x 4

Patriotic Pin Set

$12.50

The girls at Just Another Button Co. helped me create this darling pin set to perfectly match my design.

Liberty Bag

kit:  $24

Seriously, Teri's new little bag kit is the best!  Kit includes the pre-made zipper bag and Weeks overdyed cotton threads as well as a few perfect little buttons.  You can choose your favorite stitching accoutrements to fill it with when you are done.  

Red, White and Blue

kit:  $16

This adorable new little 10-count kit is fun and festive for the summer holiday.  I love 

Teri's stripes of posies and sheep on the flag.  Perfect for the new stitcher or the one who is looking for something quick and easy on the eyes.

Flowers For Ewe

kit:  $30

button only with pattern:  $10

This is Teri's newest addition to her Ewe series and it is right in time for Spring.  (Luckily 

Spring is a very long ways off in Utah, so we will have plenty of time to get it stitched.)This piece is stitched on 20 count Lambswool linen with a combination of overdyed cotton and wool threads. 

Dinah's delightful, hand crafted Coneflower buttons are perfect for this little piece. 

The kit includes everything you need to make this piece including backing fabric and dyed edging chenille-- thanks to Lady Dot.  It is sweet as a pin cushion for sure, but Jill's frame for it as also charming.

Gettin ready to make kits!

Spring Bag

booklet:  $8

also available in a kit

Spring Kit: not sure

Plaid Bag:  $15

Bunny zipper pull:  $8

This is our newest pattern in our bag series.  We stitched it with Perle cottons on a pink Mad For Plaid bag and it turned out perfectly.  There is a fantastic button kit available to go with it as well as a sweet bunny zipper pull.  The kit will come with the pattern, threads, buttons, and needle.  The bag and the zipper pull can also be ordered separately as well as the pastel polka dot scissors and the pink sheath. 

The picture below shows the tiny pin cushion and fob that can be made from the pattern.  We have kits with the supplies for these Littles as well.  Sorry, not sure about these prices.

The Littles

Scissors:  $12

Sheath:  $5

Littles Kit:  ?

Happy Place

Cookbook:  $12

Kit (minus pattern): not sure

Here is the pattern we designed for this year's Nashville Cookbook.  I think it turned out very sweet and was such a calming, fun piece to design and stitch.  The pattern will be in the cookbook which is such a popular thing at the market. We also have a recipe, but I cannot think what it is.  I'm sure is it absolutely delicious--well maybe not that delicious.  But that is always such a highlight for us to peruse the book and choose what we want to stitch and cook.  Lots of designers have fun patterns--I know Blackbird always has something lovely.  Recipes come from, many designers and shops.  It is very fun!

Thanks for stopping by to see what we have going on this week.  Don't hesitate to call us if you would like something.  We have tried to make lots of kits, but the supply chain is always so very tricky.  

Be safe and well out there in the world, and stitch for joy.  

fondly, Tina...and Teri

 

Wow! 2023

In the bleak midwinter, 2023

Dear Friends,

Remember me?  I know it has been a while, but it has also been quite a year!  If I were a resolution girl, I would make it a goal to write more often.  But I am definitely not.  And...I still am going to be better this year.  I find it hard to believe that we are a month into 2023--nearly 3 years after our world turned upside down.  I want to think that we are back to normal, but I know that isn't true.  We may never be back to that state again, but maybe we are finding a new and healthy equilibrium.  I hope, at least.  For me, last year was my time and space to soothe my heart and soul.  After 2 long years of worry and angst, I think I just needed a season of healing and looking ahead. I felt a bit battered and weary, and needed a moment to convince myself that everything was going to be ok, and the world was going to persevere just like we were.  Honestly, I did a lot of stitching and a lot of reading, and that was so restoring for me.

The shop was busy and fun as we frantically prepared for the Retreat that had been postponed for 2 years.  You would think that with all that extra time, we would have been ready, and in some ways we were.  But it is always a total sprint to the finish line.  I am such a solitary person--who became even more solitary during the past couple of years--that I panicked more than a bit at the thoughts of being out there again with lots of people...and people...and people.  Teri had to do quite a lot of cheering me on with her:  "It's going to be so much fun, I can't wait!"  (I know you can just hear her)  But in the end, it was such a wonderful time:  so many kind and lovely people, the best teachers with their beautiful, heart-felt samplers. and the joy of being together and sharing art, and stories, and life.  Honestly, it was a heart nourishing week for me, and I have to thank all of you out there as well as those in my immediate world for that. 

So, I am excited to see what this year brings for all of us.  I just know it is going to be great.

It certainly started off well as Teri and I did our Jane Austen January.  We both have a lot of stitching to do, so we decided to return to all of our favorite Austen movies.  Ok, that was good for the soul for sure, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.  

And, of course, the shop has so many amazing new things, that it is hard not to be excited and want to share all of them.  So...here goes.     

Winter Bag 

by Shepherd's Bush 

pattern: $8.00

Bag kit: $ 42.70

Blueberry plaid bag: $15.00

Teri loves stitching these bags.  You can purchase just the pattern, or we have a kit that includes the pattern, the perl cottons and the etoile thread, the buttons,  a needle, and the snowflake zipper pull. The perfect thing to do while the snow flies outside the window.  

Winter Bag smalls 

kit: $13.55        

pincushion and fob supplies only, pattern not included

*******

The Fold Scissor Fob 

by Lady Dot

$14.00

 Lois, from Lady Dot, has created this adorable scissor fob just for us.  

The scissors and scissor case are sold separately 

*******

New joys for Happy Heart Month

Here are a few great new patterns we have stitched for Valentine's Day

Love  

by Cross Eyed Cricket

chart: $8.00

We have stitched this on a soft pink linen, tweaked the colors and added a few buttons. I love how Jill and Amber framed this gorgeous piece.  

*******

2023 Collector Heart 

by Heart in Hand

Kit $32.00

Cecila's new yearly heart is so adorable.  The kit comes with the 32 count linen, a lovely skein of Cottage Garden thread, and a wonderful button.  The perfect gift for red girls.  

*******

Love and Joy Come to You 

by Heartstrings Samplery

chart: $10.00

                              Beth brought this to the retreat, and Teri loved it--such a sweet stitch.  

*******

Cardinal Kin 

by Plumstreet Samplers

chart $10.00

Paulette brought this fabulous piece to our retreat, and we just had to have it stitched.  We have not sent it  off to Jill yet, sinceTeri won't let it  go.  

*******

Valentine Villa 

by Threadmilk Designs

chart: $15.00

This is so charming!  The chart comes with a small notebook and a tiny pencil so you can leave love notes.  The instructions are in the chart to make a pocket on the back of one of the pillows. So fun. 

Thanks, Lori for such a darling series.

******* 

Easter Thread minders 

$20.00

Lori and Chris have made 2 adorable sets of minders.   Whichever one you choose, you will fall in love.  

*******

Popsicle scissors 

$9.00 

Crazy new scissors.

We have had a similar--beloved--scissor we called jelly scissors, but they have almost disappeared over COVID. These are back again but with a cool strap.  They are very sharp and plastic, so they are light weight.  

*******

Spring sundries 

from My Big Toe

Needle Minders $8.00

Thread Keeps $13.00

Spring Scissor Fobs:  $13

Valentine/ Heart Fobs: $13

Spring Fobs

*******

Stitching notebooks 

$4.00

These sweet notebooks are great for making or leaving a note. 

Sisters would like them, too.

******* 

Bags by Ginger

Large $45.00  (10" x 14")

Small accessory bag $20  (7" x 7")

plus a few little rectangles.

Our friend, Ginger, is making these bags for us.  They are so fantastic!  I promise that you will love them. We hand pick our favorite cotton fabrics and she magically turns them into these lovely, padded project bags with a coordinating lining fabric on the inside.  I received a darling retro holly print bag for Christmas, but I am going to be using it all year.  Oh....I could just buy another one, and save my holly for the holidays.  Which print shall I choose:  William Morris, Teresa Kogut, Blackbird, French General, or Lori Holt?

*******

Atomic Ranch fabric of the month

We are embarking on a year of a different fabrics every month from the Atomic Ranch Company.

This is January's offering.  Frieze is the fabric for January, it is a very mottled grayish tan color (not blue) and would be perfect for a reproduction sampler or a spooky Halloween piece.  We have ordered these linens in 40, 36, 32 count and Aida in 14 and 16 count. All are Zweigert base fabrics.   If you would like to be part of this, we could send you the count of your choice, in 1/8 (13" x 18"), or 1/4 yard (18" x 26").  Just let us know.  

Sorry...Frieze is sold out of 40 count.

Speaking of linens, we have received so many other beautiful hand dyed linens from a variety of companies:  Picture this Plus, Seraphim, Fibers on a whim, Fox and Rabbit, R & R, Weeks, Lakeside Linens.  If you are looking for a lovely fabric, stop by or give us a call.

As you can see by Teri's photos above, December and January have been very COLD and snowy here in Utah.  We have had lots of lovely blizzards and lots of not so lovely shoveling opportunities.  (Where are those boys?)  But we are happy for the water here in the West, so hopefully there will be more coming.  I think we are having 6 more weeks of winter.  I mentioned that I had done lots of reading this past year,  so here are a couple of books that I loved!  Just in case you need a suggestion.  The Maid by Nita Prose and Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.  These are both great reads that you won't want to put down.  Plus...if you listen to them, you can stitch and read at the same time.  So be well and safe out there in your corner of the world. Stitch, and read, and cook something for the soul. Teri's coming up with a recipe for the next blog, so get ready.

hugs...Tina...and Teri