Dear Friends,
Can you believe it is almost the end of February? I cannot. After our snowy days last week, we have had a few warm and sunny days this week. I had to laugh because yesterday our temps reached the high fifties and it felt like a veritable heat wave. Christian hauled through his drawers for last year's shorts, and I even pulled out my flip-flops. Bob makes fun of March--my birth month-- for its tempestuous and fickle nature, but I love March in all its phases because it shouts of spring. I know that tomorrow it will snow and my flip-flops will have to be traded for boots, but I can enjoy it while it lasts.
Life here at the Bush is busy. Purple Snowman is finally done!!! Yippee. I think there is a photo below, so be sure to take a look. I love how it turned out. I think the picture Teri took has the 3 snowmen hanging together. Now they are happy. (And so am I.) Teri has totally re-arranged the shop and she is quite thrilled. Of course when I work out in front on Saturday I am not going to be able to find one thing. But that is my usual predicament. I am always in the back during the week, so my Saturdays in front are always interesting for me. This past Saturday, Teri had to leave a half hour early and I assured her I would be fine. Come on--it's only 30 minutes. Well, my first customer had at least 10 pictures scattered around the shop she needed me to find books for. I thought I was doing quite well--in a panicky sort of way--until she kindly patted my arm and said: "Honey, maybe you could find someone in charge to help you." I just smiled and thought to myself--good idea! Anyway, look on the photos below for Teri's new Easter display and St. Patrick's Day table.
Something fun that Jill has just finished for us is the Easter Egg frame. Our 4 little hand-dyed Easter egg kits are some of my favorite. They are sweet and quick to finish, and every year I stitch a couple to give as gifts. They are just some of my favorites. The year we designed them, we dyed fabric with the egg dyes which we had made up. While my boys dyed eggs, Teri and I dyed fabrics. They were so darling that we sent samples off to Pat and Ann and begged them to dye fabric to match them. So this year we had a great idea to have Jill frame the 4 eggs together like they are sitting in the grass waiting for chubby fingers to snatch them up. I think you will agree that she did an awesome job. Anyway, you will see many fabulous spring things to get excited about. Something else brand new is the bunny from Not Forgotten Farm. We are just getting it stitched, so watch for it to come. It is quite wonderful
We have received so many new things in the past week, it has been very fun. Prairie Moon has some darling vintage American boxes. Each box is darling--just hard to decide which one you want most. It comes with a pattern for a sweet flag pin cushion which fits just inside the box. I love stuff like that, so I have to decide which one I want before they are gone. We have also unpacked new scissors from Kelmscott. They have a line of tiny scissors--with big finger holes--called Little Gems that come in fun colours like pink, purple, etc. Just the perfect thing to tuck into a little project bag. We have also gotten back in the For the Cure scissors and black heart love scissors. Good luck choosing.
I know I could go on and on. Kari needs the computer for shipping, and I have got to track down my 15-year old and see what is on his schedule for the night. Have a safe and lovely almost-spring week, and I'll write again next week.
fondly, Tina

Purple snowman is finished and it is so great!! It is stitched on a fabulous 30 count hand-dyed purple fabric with sweet colors of silk threads. The kit comes complete with a button pack.

If you are ready for spring, just take a look at the amazing frame, our friend Jill has made for our colored egg series. There sweet egg kits run $14.00 each and they are very quick and fun to stitch. each colored egg is a separate kit, but they look so wonderful together, don't you think?

Purple Snowman, Red snowman, and Green Snowman, hang together on a winter wall. Don't they make a great set?

This is the start of our spring display. It is so refreshing to see pastel colors. Spring may a bit late this year as we are still expecting snow! But it will come!!!!

These are some super scissors that we just unpacked. The tiny ones run $9.00 and come in a variety of colors we have pink gold, purple, black, silver, red and green are still coming. We have also received more of the Breast Cancer Scissors and the darling black heart scissors; I always need new scissors. The tiny ones are perfect to slip into a stitching pocket or embroidered case.

This is something crazy fun. They are pincushion sets. You get the pattern (center) and one box for $18.00. Then you stitch the pincushion and pop it into the box for a surprise. The boxes are so darling!!!!! I am not sure which one I want; they are all so great!

Oh yes, of course Prairie Moon did Halloween boxes!!!! And they are just as great!. The pattern for the pincushion is a bat with boo! Great fun!

Hi Friends,
It is just like a beautiful Christmas card here in Ogden. It snowed all day long yesterday, and we ended up with a lot of snow. As we were coming home from work, the sun had just barely peeked out and turned the mountain and the tips of all the trees blush pink. Teri was riding with me, and I was busy concentrating on moving forward along totally unplowed streets while she kept telling me to stop and let her take a picture. She kept saying how beautiful everything was and I just kept answering--u-huh. Then Bob called to tell us to look at the sunset which was indeed quite wonderful--totally pink and orange. I guess we should have just walked and experienced nature in its fullest. Of course, then we got home to 15 inches in the driveway and had plenty of time to enjoy. Christian was at a debate meet--thus we missed the joys of his strong shoveling arms. When I went to pick him up at 8:00 a swarm of kids simply piled into the car begging for rides. It was fun, and all their combined weight sped the car well along the icy roads. I always think that February snows melt quickly, but today is cold and our world has remained frozen in snow and ice.
However----Shepherd's Bush is quite warm and toasty, the perfect spot to spend an hour or two of browsing and chatting I think that Teri has put up a picture of Scatter Luck, which turned out so very darling. It is ready now and we have even put together sweet little kits that put everything all together. Be sure to scroll down and take a look, you will love it. There should also be a picture of new pin cushions that Nancy has sent us. Everyone loved the Valentine pin cushions so much that she sent us adorable flower ones to make us think we are heading into spring. Very sweet. Scatter Luck makes me think about what is new from the Nashville market. Our new pillows were new, and now we are receiving the things we ordered from friends. OK here is the fabulous line-up:
BLACKBIRD DESIGNS: Wow, Barb and Alma have been very busy. When we unpacked their order on Monday, there was a great gathering around the counter--both customers and S. B. workers. They have done a lot and each one is more fantastic than the next. OK First of all is the beginning of their tiny stocking series. The first three booklets are here with 3 little stockings in each one. January has a sweet flower basket on one, an old fashioned New Year's verse on another and the most adorable birthday/wedding cake on the third. February sports 3 sweet stockings with birds and flowers and alphabets. March has a wonderful daffodil, a Quaker motif and shamrocks. I have to get busy to be ready for the next 3 in the series. We are going to do a garland here at the shop, so stop by and see its progress. My Heart is True is a fantastic new book filled with Blackbird at their best. It has patterns for lots of little things from tiny pictures to pin cushions and stuffed hearts. Everyone here has started on something different. Teri is working on a little friendship piece and I would love to start on Flock of Birds. Actually, I could be quite happy just pinning the photos on my walls at home. Finally there are 3 little patterns for pin cushion/pin keeps sorts of things. Small Token has a bird and flowers for a pin and needle cushion. Wild Rose--totally wonderful!!!--has birds, a vine, and a vase of flowers. Bluebirds Thread Keep has a fruit basket and birds. You will have a hard time choosing which to do first.
LIZZIE KATE: We have 2 darling new things from Lizzie Kate. One is a cute little kit called Chick Kit. It is cheerful and quick. Perfect for spring stitching. ABC Lessons is fantastic! I think we sold every one we received within 24 hours. I know that we just got more in. It has a darling, quirky alphabet with thoughts for each letter. It is warm and sweet and full of those sentiments that we all want our children to follow--or the whole world for that matter.
Well, next week I will tell you what else we have received. I know we are expecting new patterns from Prairie Schooler as well as sweet new scissors from Kelmscott. I guess I have to go. I have been sequestered back here with the computer for a while, and everyone thinks I am shirking. Have a safe week.
fondly, Tina

Scatter Luck is the newest in our scatter series. Complete kits are available, or we would be happy to send you whatever you need. Please be sure to check with you local shop first, but if supplies are not available in your area, give us a call.


Nancy has been busy felting up some spring pincushions for us. Very fun!!

Hi friends,
When I was 4 years old, I hated that my older brothers and sister got to go to school and I did not. The one great highlight of my day until everyone came back home was when I got to watch Romper Room on our minuscule black and white television set. My mom would always tell me when it was ready to come on and she would prepare milk and graham crackers for me just like they did on the show. I loved every bit of that program--especially Willie the Weatherman. I even had a little Colorform set so that I could put his raincoat and boots on if it was raining. But my very favourite part of Romper Room was at the end when Miss Julie would get out her magic mirror and look into it to see all of the other children who were watching that day. I always loved hearing her call out the different names of the lucky boys and girls she could "see" that day, and I closed my eyes willing her to say my name. I don't know why, but I thought of that memory this week when we received a fax and an e-mail from friends in Arkansas and England who had been reading the blog and "popped" in to say Hi. It made me feel somehow connected with friends all over the world. I guess computers are almost like magic.
Can you even believe that January is over. We have had nice sunny--cold--weather this week but are expecting a big storm this weekend, so I have to get a new project ready. I think that we have the new Scatter Snowflakes and My Valentine photos up at the end of this blog, so be sure to take a look. Then you have to look for a photo of the most darling Valentine pin cushions imaginable. We have a friend who makes them for us and she called to see if we wanted some heart ones. We have them all in a basket and they look so sweet. If you want to buy one, you will just have to call us for prices and we can tell you what we have available. They are each hand-made, so every one is quite different from the next. As soon as I send this letter off, I have to go look and choose one for myself. Something else fun for those of you who live near us: we are going to be having a little class next week--Thursday, Feb. 12th-- to make one of the heart-shaped cushions. If you are interested, just give us a call and we will have more details.
I just got an e-mail from Julia Line--Longdog Samplers--and she has a new design ready--Tyler's Lion. It is fabulous! She says it is a tribute to the North American pioneer weavers and is named for one of the most famous men. I was very excited when I saw it and it reminded me of a sampler of tiny blankets, each one quite exquisite. I just love it. We should have it in the shop any day now, so if you are interested give us a call.
We should also be getting new things in during this next week from the Nashville Market, so I'll try to keep you updated. We are hoping for lots of fun new stuff.
Well, I guess I have to go and get on with my evening as you probably do with yours. I wish I had a little magic mirror to say Hi to all of you along with Penny and Julie. Have a perfect week filled with gentle inspiration.
fondly, Tina

Oh wow!!! Here is a sweet basket of hand felted pin cushions. All are one of a kind and range in price from $14.00 to $26.00. these are so so so fabulous!!! We just unpacked them and had to show them off. I am hoping to see if Nancy will come teach a class... What a great idea!


It only took Mindi a couple of days to add the next section onto her From Sea to Shining Sea. It is stitched over 1 thread on 28 count fabric and is stunning. Thanks Mindi for letting us show it off.


Nancy is stitching her way through the new Halloween Flip it series from Lizzie Kate. Isn't it so fun!!!!!!! She is adding buttons as she stitches. She is using a great piece of 32 count overdyed fabric. If you are not comfortable with linen, we have the same fabric in 16 count.


My Valentine is a sweet valentine to give to a loved one. Stitched on Cream Newport with overdyed floss, this design is finished with a darling hand crafted button made especially for Shepherd's Bush.


Here is a new leaflet from Shepherd's Bush. Scatter Snowflakes runs $5.00. The fabric is 19 count Summer Khaki linen, stitched with Crescent colors floss. A great button set is also available from JABCO.

Check with you local shop, but if supplies are not available in your area, we would be happy to send you whatever you need. Backing fabrics are available on a limited basis, while they last. We have put everything together into a complete kit for Scatter Snowflakes and My Valentine. If you would like one please give us a call.

Hi friends,
It's already Thursday, and I thought I would write a quick note before I head off to Parent/Teacher Conferences. I hope you are all weathering this cold and icy weather. I finally had a night last evening when I could just sit and stitch the whole night long. It was most lovely, and I actually go a lot accomplished. I am hoping for another one tonight. If I do, then Purple Snowman may be finished and on its way to completion. Our Sundance run is finally over and of course I am a little sad and a little happy. We saw 4 movies this year and they were such a mixture of types. We saw and very fun animated--clay--film from Australia--Max and Mary. It was not for children as it dealt with many adult themes--autism for one. We all loved it and the thoughts of making it were somewhat mind boggling. The director and producer were there to answer questions afterwords and that was super interesting. Then we saw a movie--sort of a documentary--called Before Tomorrow. This was about the Inuit people and was in Inuktituk with subtitles in English. I know--I have all the spelling wrong. Anyway it was very fascinating, but grim. Honestly, I didn't warm up for days. Then last Friday after going up to the University in Logan--an hour drive up a mountain in a cloud--for Christian's Region swim meet, we had a double feature at Sundance. An Education--a British film--was my favorite of all. I think it was done by the same person who did another of my favorite movies--About a Boy. The second one was called 500 Days of Summer, and we all loved this one as well. It seemed like a chick flick--but I guess it was sort of an anti chick flick. But lots of fun. Every movie we saw was jammed packed at the theater, and every director who talked said that our venue--the Egyptian Theater in Ogden--was the most beautiful they had been in. Yay!! So there you go--we have one up on Park City. Now I am ready for a while of boredom with lots of time for not-boring stitching.
OK, I just have to say it. Wasn't it fun watching the Inauguration? I was just glued to it and I thought it was so much fun. I thought her dresses were so beautiful and I think it is so much fun to have little kids in the White House again.
Nancy and Sue have been working hard on the Lizzie-Kate Halloween banner and it is very darling. Teri was supposed to take Nancy's picture yesterday, but I think they both forgot. So watch for it on the blog next week. The have been having so much fun, and I can see why. We just got LaDDa's Daisy heart back from Jill and it is so darling. I think we have the picture down below so be sure to take a look. It turned out bigger than I would have guessed which is good for a framed picture. I love it!!!
Teri has been very busy and has 2 new darling patterns ready. I think there are pictures somewhere for each of them. Be My Valentine seems to be part of a series she is doing. It is sweet and perfect for February and features a darling button especially made for us by Cecile at JABCO. The other leaflet is Scatter Snowflakes. It is just right for this time of year when it never seems to stop snowflaking. Don't you think the colours are just fresh and fun? Keep scrolling down to see the pictures of each of them. Both of them are ready now, so don't hesitate to give us a call.
Well, I have to go, so I guess I'll leave you to your stitching and hope you are warm and cozy as you read this.
Until next week--fondly, Tina

Here is our Valentine display.


Live Simply is a great patten by the Primitive Needle. We have stitched it on a brownish pinkish overdyed fabric and it is very fun. Please remember that we are happy to give you our color changes with the purchase of any of the parts of the project... pattern, fabric, thread.


Love Birds is a free pattern with the purchase of any of the parts... fabric, thread, buttons, frame. We also have it available as a complete kit, for those of you who like it all together. This is a great quick valentine project.


I love how this turned out!!!!! It is so darling! Jill did a fabulous job with the framing! This is as La D Dah pattern; doesn't it make you smile!


This is a pearl of a pattern... by SamSarah. I think it is just called Heart. Kari has painted up a few frames so you can stitch it and frame it in the same evening- Great!


This is a tiny heart in hand pattern Mr. Byrd.. Just perfect for a winter evening's stitching.


This is just a little project to make you happy. We have stitched it on 8 count navy fabric with overdyed #3 perl cottons. and we did add buttons. Give it a try.

Another GREAT Recipe!

Chyrl has been on a roll, She has shared some great yummy recipes.   
This one we brought to share with everyone at work on Wednesday.  It  
was super easy and very delicious!!!

Easy Corn Chowder
4 Cups chicken stock
1 package frozen O' Brian Potatoes -shredded or chunk whichever you  
prefer
1 package frozen corn or 1 can corn 15 oz  -drained.
1 jar real bacon pieces
2 Tb. cornstarch
1/4 cup warm water
1 pint fat free half and half
1 tsp rosemary dried or fresh

Bring your chicken stock to a boil.  Add the frozen potatoes and  
simmer 10 minutes.  Add corn, rosemary and bacon pieces.  In a small  
bowl or cup, stir together the cornstarch and the water until  
dissolved.  Add to the soup and bring back to the boil.   Add the half  
and half and heat.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with  
shredded cheese sprinkled on top.  we used a chedder /colby mix- just  
one of those pre-shredded packages.  Enjoy!!

Thanks Chyrl!

Great New Projects

These are the first 3 Lizzie Kate Halloween Double flips. They are soooo darling. Both Nancy and Sue's daughter Mary are stitching them. As soon as they bring in the stitched pieces I will put that up. We are stitching them on a fabulous hand-dyed 32 count linen, and adding buttons It will be great!!!

Here it is all put together--DARLING!!

Mindi Bruner has kindly let us borrow her "From Sea to
Shining Sea." Isn't it fabulous!!!!!  She has stitched it over
1 thread on 28 ct. The way it works is that each part of the
pattern comes with Crescent colors silk like a little kit.
There are 6 different parts.

Lynnette and I are rearranging the Christmas pictures.  It
is the perfect thing to do on a quiet afternoon.  Lynnette
said she is glad there are not very many of those!  In
order to reach the highest pictures,  I have to stand on
the top of the wall.  That makes everyone
nervous--except me.

Dear Friends--
Happy January! Easy for me to say with much of the country frozen in zero and sub-zero temperatures, while we are having a week of nice weather for a change. Lots of sun and blue skies sparkling off the snow. Can't beat it. It almost seems like spring is right around the corner, but we cannot let ourselves fall for that deception. The Sundance Film Fest is starting this weekend, so that is fun to look forward to. We are seeing 4 films, so I'll let you know what they are like. I'm very excited. January is when I want to stitch, but then I am torn because I usually get books for Christmas and I also want to read. I did get books this year, and I have been horrible. I read a lot during the holidays, and now I take Christian to school in my pajamas at 6:45 and then instead of continuing on my day, I crawl back in bed and read. I have already finished An American Wife--which Bob gave me--and really liked it. It is loosely based on Laura Bush, and I found it very compelling. Now I am on to My Life in France--or something like that--about Julia Child. I have liked her forever--really since I was young--and this little book has been a lot of fun to read. I am almost finished and then I have to stop being so lazy and get something done. I did have to stay home from work one day while we were having a hot water heater replaced, and I wanted to just lie down and watch TV, but I was kind of embarrassed so I did a little cleaning and then I started a journal. Inspired by Barb and Alma, I have wanted to do this for some time, but I can never find the time, or the perfect scrapbook/blank book, or anything to go in it. So...I have been careful to collect silly stuff since the fall and keep it in a little box where it would not go astray. Then I just used a little blank notebook that I love and jumped in. Now that's all I want to do. I have a few photos--many xeroxed--and ticket stubs, scraps of ribbon and paper--whatever I was inclined to save. I have even put in pictures of things I finished stitching. It is crazy and messy and eclectic, but I love it. Now I have to make myself write a few things in it here and there even if it is just movie reviews, etc. Fun for the new year. I'll let you know if I am good about keeping it up. I'm not usually. That made me think of something else--I'll keep track of things I read as well.
We have been slammed at the shop. Once the blizzards stopped, everyone has been coming by for new projects, and the phone has been busy with mail orders. Lots of people are starting stockings for next year, so that has been keeping us hopping. Yay! Now we are in that funny limbo zone between half the shop still sporting Christmas pictures and the other half hearts and Valentines. I am starting my new Snowman tonight. I think I said that last week, but I have been sort of busy with my books and my new journal project. Tonight, for sure.
Two new things that have been very fun in the shop--for those of you ready to move on from Christmas. First is a wonderful little series from Little House called "From Sea to Shining Sea." Each pattern comes separately and includes Belle Soie--lovely silk from Crescent Colours. We are having it stitched, but it hasn't returned to us yet, so we have the piece of a sweet customer--Mindy--who has let us borrow it. It is fabulous. The first picture is West Coast, then Southwest, then mountains, and we have just received the 4th pattern--sort of Midwest. We have lots of people who have signed up for an automatic, so if you are interested, let us know. We will put a picture up right away. The other fun new thing is Lizzie Kate's Halloween sampler. It is done in a long narrow design. Each leaflet includes 2 of the designs and there will be 12 in all. The first six are here, and they are unbelievably fabulous. We are doing it on a wonderful piece of overdyed linen and Nancy is stitching it. We are bugging her to hurry up so we can see it and take a picture of it. You will love it. I know, it is a little weird to be starting on Halloween already, but that's because you haven't seen how darling it is. Watch for the picture---when Nancy stops lazing about. Just kidding.
Next week we will have some Valentine pics for you to see. Until them, stay warm and safe, and share your reading and stitching time.
ever fondly, Tina