We have have had a great time this year with our Halloween display, I just get it all up and suddenly we are out of patterns, Everyone here is starting early, so I am posting the things we have displayed, to get you excited about Halloween too ( we should have all the patterns back in stock). There is something about Halloween colors and the great dyed fabrics that makes me so happy. Here is the main display, some old patterns and some new. I do have a few pictures below, so you can see up some of our favorites up close. Sorry I don't have the prices, I am writing this from home, feel free to call and ask Sue. She will tell you anything you want. (801-399-4546)

This is the center display, decked out for Halloween.


Here are three of Samsarah's pearls stitched and finished into tombstone shapes. We have a fabric set of one of each color tied together, and we edged them with ric rac.

Here is a great Halloween addition to our collection, Hocus Pocus by Waxing Moon, It looks great on this purple fabric.


Cat VS. Spider is a fabulous piece by Prairie Moon. We just got it back from Jill the framer and she did an amazing job, don't you think???? It was new last year, but we only had it up on Q-snap frames. It totally had to be part of the center display!!!


This is a crazy crazy pattern from the Button gals. (JABCO) We have stitched it on a hand dyed purple linen and used their colors. The mummy is hilarious!!!! The best thing is the pattern is free with the purchase of the buttons. Great!!!


This is a small card called a Quick-it from Lizzie Kate. I think it is called Halloween sampler- Quick-it. We stitched it on a brownish 10 count fabric and it makes a great pillow.


This is the side display, be sure to notice the J is for Jack O Lantern bauble in the bottom left. Jill has out done herself with this frame.


This is the side of the main display and has some great pieces on it. One of my favorites is the Eyes Have It, by Cricket top right under Costume what Costume (another favorite). The smiling 4 faces are so happy, and they even glow in the dark!!!!! So darling! Can you tell I LOVE Halloween. I wish I could get the girls here to dress up... maybe this year they will! I will start hinting early......

Well I have a few more Halloween pics. to show you next week that are at Jill being framed. We should have the new Blackbird Halloween Stocking book in our hands by then, hooray!
Until then, take care and happy stitching- Teri

Dear Friends,
How did it get to be August, let alone almost the middle of it? Why is it that summer seems to go by so quickly we hardly notice that it is whispering past? This weekend I noticed the crickets in full voice, and it made me notice how fast it is going by. Near the end of May I face the next, long three months in dismay. But by this time in the year, I face the beginning of school with the same sadness. Once we get into the rhythm of things, I love the lazy, hot days without homework or early mornings. I love to grill outside and eat out by our creek in the early evening instead of rushing through every moment to our next scheduled event. I love sitting out on our Adirondack chairs with my little dog at dusk soaking up the hoped-for coolness of the early evening air. So when I think about the school year starting, I feel sad. In Utah--or at least in Ogden--there is someone who thinks that school should start the middle of August, and I want to know who it is. We have to hurry, hurry to get out in cool May so that we can hurry back in the heat of the summer. The lovely, old high school where my Christian goes will be around 105 degrees for at least the first 4 weeks of school, and I have to wonder who is learning there. Oh well, my mother used to tell me to just enjoy each and every day as it comes instead of worrying about those that haven't even arrived. I wish I were better about that. Perhaps it is our generation of planners--paper and electronic. We spend so much time looking towards the future, that maybe we forget to just enjoy today.
This past weekend, we had an unusual cold front come through, so perhaps our bad heat will be done for the summer. A little group of us took the opportunity to go see the movie Julie and Julia, and just as I thought, it was delightful. I have read both of the books that it is based on during the past few months, so I was surprised and excited to see that a movie was coming. I was drawn in from the very first minute when the Child's Blue Flash arrives in France. I even clapped, which annoyed Bob greatly. So------if you need a great, feel-good movie, I would urge you to go this very night and enjoy. The movie will also make you want to cook, cook, cook. Boef Bourgonion--sorry about the spelling--has long been on my list to make, but I will definitely have to wait until cooler weather for this.
July has been too hot to really cook much here. I have enjoyed grilling and trying to think of cool dinners and a few cool treats. We had a little work party on the patio a week or so ago and Sue taught us how to make fresh mozzarella. It was so much fun and unbelievably delicious. I am somewhat indifferent to buffalo mozzarella, but this was utterly different--creamy, milky and scrumptious.


Then Teri found a recipe for a frozen pie and we tried it. It was very yummy, but one night in our heat and boredom, we tried changing it around. We came up with this new pie and it was very good. Here's what we did, so if you are bored and hot--give it a try. I hope you like it.


1 pint heavy whipping creme--whipped
1 can sweetened, condensed milk
1 14 ounce--large--can of Minute Maid Limeade--thawed in fridge
1 large, pre-made graham cracker crust

Whip your creme and gently fold in the milk and the limeade. Pour into the crust and freeze. When ready to serve, let sit out of the freezer for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with any fresh fruit. Enjoy.
( Next time, I am going to try an Oreo cookie crust)
The shop is very busy, hence my difficulty getting this blog written. Teri has been putting out Halloween and all of out customers have gone crazy. I have to say, it does put you in the mood. Next week we will show you her new displays and some of the spooky new things. So be ready. Here are some very fun new things from this week.

Here is a great new Country French sewing series. There are three things in the series, a pincushion; a sewing roll, complete with buttons and pins; and a set of tape measures, one is wide and the other one is narrow. They are very nicely made and would be a great addition to a sewing box.


This little lamb is a find from the Columbus market this summer. She is sweet and will work as a pincushion, but that is not all, she has a ribbon where her tail should be to hook onto your scissors, She can sit beside you while you are stitching and you will always know where your scissors are.

Here is the start of the pin cushion display.
I found a fun shelf on a scavenge in Salt Lake City and
brought it home to display our great pincushions.

Here is a close up of Miss Merry Mac's Pincushion and "I will stitch you in my heart" Great, aren't they.

This is a table full of treasures. Bees wax sticks, Ort Boxes, the blackbird pincushion... their new pincushion is here and Judy is stitching it for us. I will put it up as soon a I get it finished with the ribbon edging, maybe next week.

Well, I have to go home. If you need something to inspire you besides your stitching, might I suggest going to the movie--J and J--and having a freshly frozen Limeade pie waiting for you in the freezer when you come home. Enjoy each and every day of August and try to soak up and cherish the heat for next winter. Just don't let it go past too fast.
ever fondly, Tina

Dear friends,
I think that July is that quintessential patriotic month for all of us in the U.S. We all look forward to July 4th and get out our flag shirts--for Teri it is an entire closet of red, white, and blue wear--and prepare our barbeques. This year in Ogden there were so many fireworks that we ended up going up to the foothills behind us and watching the display spread out all over the entire valley. It was pretty neat. Then we came home and Christian did street fireworks with neighbors out in front--lots of fountains and screamers--but also plenty of applause. In Utah, however, the fun does not end there. We also celebrate July 24th as sort of our state's founders' day marking the entrance of the early Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley. There is still this continuation of patriotism oddly mixed--at least in Ogden--with Pioneer Days which seems to encompass everything from week long rodeos, western shoot-outs--which can come upon you downtown at any unexpected moment--parades, and of course more fireworks. Our 24th of July parade has always been the high point of Teri's year. She and Nancy go to her favorite spot 2 days ahead of time and block off our area, and then she drives past it hundreds of times in the next few days to make sure no one has moved it. No one ever has yet, and by the 23rd, all of downtown Ogden is covered with tape, and blankets, and chairs. On the morning of the parade, we congregate early and Teri brings tons of treats and cold drinks. Then everyone comes and brings their friends and their friends bring friends--and it is so much fun. Beyond the 100 degree plus heat, the parade is somewhat frightening, but that is part of the true joy: everything from fire trucks, school marching bands, elderly Pioneer Queens, Shriners on motorized magic carpets and always a plethora of horses. Everyone shouts and claps and the kids scramble for candy. And then we all go home for a nap. Baby Reed was the star this year arriving in his cowboy get up.


And Anna and Ellie share the shade from an umbrella.


Teri thinks I am a spoil sport, but I confess, I am not so sad to see July waning. I don't mind--after 30 days of mind-numbing fun--bidding goodbye to the horses, the cowboys, and the heat.
On the other hand, it is nice and cool here at Shepherd's Bush and we have loved welcoming many a traveler into our tiny sanctuary. We have been busy getting our new market stuff put together and sent off, and we have been busy re-decorating the front of the shop. Teri has had a great time making her various collections for the main displays and we have gone through a wonderful patriotic display, a darling bee/beehive display, and a sweet summer collection. Now we are on the brink of starting on Halloween. Yippee!!!
A wonderful new piece from La D Dah is Live, Love, Laugh. We used 3 beautiful colours of overdyed silk to stitch this with, and I think it is a treasure. It actually works up quite quickly, making it a perfect summer project.


Speaking of quick and simple projects, Nancy's Lord's Prayer by My Big Toe would not be one of those. However it is simply spectacular. She brought it in to show us after she picked it up from Jill, and we have been lucky enough to keep it for a few days. Don't you think that it is such a beautiful piece. I love the colours she chose to use, and I think that whoever gets it is going to be thrilled.


I think that super stitcher Nancy has also finished her Lizzie Kate Boo Club as I saw her and Teri picking out buttons. So be watching for us to show it to you when it is finished. I have to say that it is fabulous. But speaking of that, I have to mention L.K's newest Double Flip Series--Merry Christmas--which our friend Judy is working on for us. I know that the original cheerful colours are darling, but when you see the more quiet, old-fashioned colours that Teri has chosen, you will faint--so be sure you are near a couch. I just can't believe how lovely it is turning out and I know that she is choosing a different set of buttons for it as well. She has also picked out a perfect hand-dyed linen to stitch it on. I actually have no idea what the fabric or the colours are, but if you order any of it, I know she will change it for you as well.


Our friend, Diane, has some new things to go along with her popular thread spinners. Everyone here at the shop has loved them, so I need to share them with you. Her newest collection includes: Needle Nannies, Thread Winders, and Scissor Minders. Each one is exquisitely hand-crafted and lovely and serves such a delightful purpose in your sewing box. I am sure you will enjoy them.


I know that there is more I haven't told you, but I am just sending this off to you and I will write again next week. I hope that you can find a way to stay cool this week and that your evenings are pleasant. Be safe and stitchful.
fondly, Tina

July 9th, 2009

Hi friends,
My good friend, John, was in the shop yesterday and gave me a good dressing down about the blog. I did feel sad because I haven't written for a while, but it made me happy that he watched it all the time. OK, John, I'm going to be better. I had planned to write from market in Columbus, but the week just flew by and every evening I was busy chasing down stuff I had inadvertently left at various restaurants and credit cards I left in machines at Kinkos. It was all very exhausting. Actually market was a blast, and we did fulfill one goal of eating so many times at Jeni's Ice Cream that even Christian was done in. Unfortunately after we returned home, half of us here at the shop were taken with a grave and cranky pestilence. Three of us were just down and out leaving the others walking on eggs for fear of catching it. Happily, no one else has succumbed--knock on wood--and the rest of us are almost well except for the lingering cough. It is surprising how that can set you back. I haven't even had a cold for several years, so I was determined not to really be sick. But unfortunately, I spent a week moving from bed to lawn chair strewing blankets wherever I went and feeling like I was in a tuberculosis sanitarian. I believe I have had an inkling of what lepers of ancient times felt like--you know--wild eyes and crossed fingers whenever I approached anyone in my family. My one consolation was that I read a lot. After having read the Julia Child book earlier in the year and LOVING IT, I found the book Julia and Julie that Bob had given me last year and I had forgotten about. It was funny and darling and totally brought me through my personal plague. I can't wait for the movie, I think I will go on opening night. But now I am back and the shop is going to be well for the rest of the year.

We are starting to ship our market orders this week, so be watching for fun new things at your local shop. I hope everyone is as excited as we are. Teri--who has not been ill happily--has been moving and nesting here at the shop. It started 2 days ago with finding a new spot of all of our wonderful Americana things, and the next thing I knew everything was off several walls and there was enthusiastic talk of re-painting. You have to realize that we could never re-paint the whole shop at one time unless we closed for a few weeks, so we just paint a wall or two at a time. As you can see below Teri chose a cool colour--rambling rose--and away they went. It looks so different, that it startles me every time I walk past. Today she has been hanging our Americana display up and you wouldn't believe how fantastic it looks. Fun--smart, Ter.

Teri: "I started to put the 4th of July display away, and decided to give it it's own section. So I started rearranging all the pictures, which is always a bit of a puzzle deciding where to put everything, when I discovered the wall I wanted to use, had more nail holes than wall. Kari and I decided to spackle and paint. Two tubs of spackle later, we are ready to roll."

Teri: "Christian came down to help, and between the three of us, and a busy afternoon in the shop we were finished. The color seems a bit brighter in the photos. It is really a wild berries sort of color."

Teri: "I am sorry to say this was the last wall with stenciling.
When we first opened the shop, we sold stenciling supplies, and
taught classes.   We stenciled all the walls, and the shop looked
great. Over the years, we have repainted and covered all the
stenciling. A part of me still hankers to pull out the flat topped
brushes, and stencil swirling leaves and flowers. but I know
what Tina will say..... I'll just leave it at the lovely
rose-colored wall."

Here are some fun new things that we have in the shop this summer. Our sweet customer, Joanne, wins the prize for being the first of all of us to finish her Boo Club. And of course it is utter perfection. I am not sure how Sue and Nancy are doing, but I know that they are not too far behind. Now that the new Christmas one has started, we have to sit down and decide how we are going to do it. I'm sure Teri will have a wonderful idea. She always does. So keep watching.

Something very fun that we got at market were the new pins from Just Another Button Company. What a clever idea. We have them on our counter and they are quite irresistible. They come in a pack of 5 pins for $14.50 or we also sell them separately for $3.00 per pin. I think Teri has a cute picture below so you can see them. I love them just poking out of our little pin cushions.


Something else that Teri found at market were scissors. I don;t know what it is about scissors, but we all just love them. She stumbled upon the most darling Americana Gingher scissors and bought everything that they had--which wasn't many. These are similar, but a little different, than the Glory scissors from a couple of years ago, and they look darling with our Glory Fob. I know that we don't have very many, but while they last we will be pleased. $36.00 Then she also found these sweet little plastic scissors in fun jelly colours. They come with a nifty protector and are only $7.00. You can't beat that. Plus they are sharp enough for Hardanger. I think she was a pretty good shopper.


Thanks to Lori who has taken over sewing bags from Loni for us, we finally have Envelope Bags back in stock. We have not really had these for a long time, and I had forgotten how darling they are. There is a pinkish red set that it so sweet--I have my eye on it.

Finally, we have something fun from Access. They are starting a series of stitching implements based on French hand workers. The first one is here and is very darling. It is worked on beautiful dower linen with elegant black silk. It is a little needle case with a picture of a Victorian bird and a letter with a space for a wreath and monogram. It comes with wonderful, antique lining fabric. All you have to provide is your initial or monogram. I am excited to see what else they come up with.


Next week watch for new pictures. It is now late Friday afternoon and I have got to send this off or I am toast for the weekend. I have been doing Sue's job while she is gone on a family reunion, and I think it is hard. I have loved talking to people on the phone, but I am not doing so well keeping everything straight and no one here seems to feel my pain. Come home, Sue. I hope that wherever you are your nights are cool and you are enjoying a perfect summer weekend.
I'll write next week--promise.
fondly, Tina

Bee Sampler is a new Little House pattern. We stitched if on a great fabric from Lakeside linen and added a button. I am working on an entire bee display , I will post a photo next week.


Here is our From Sea to Shining Sea. This comes in 6 individual kits with the silk floss.


Here is one of our summer displays.

June, 2009

Hi friends,
Just a quick note to say that we are back from market in Columbus. I will have lots of fun new things to show later next week. We had a great time in Ohio. Teri and I lived in that strange indoor space between hotel room and convention hall for 4 days, coming out for breath only in the evenings. Bob and Christian came with us but mostly did their own thing driving around the state while Bob argued with the GPS woman.

Market is always fun and we loved seeing everyone who was there. We were in a little area with other cross stitch companies who are friends which is the most fun. We usually are across from a little open space area which is set up to look like a little park, and we love it because it becomes a gathering space. This year the convention folks had made the "park" with black carpeting and black, spooky street lamps. Interesting. It didn't deter us from having great chats on the park benches. I started a new project while I was there, and I was quite consumed by it. So whenever I wasn't helping someone, I was busily stitching away. I tried to talk Teri into just staying in the booth and working while I sat and stitched and chatted, but she insisted that she needed to shop the market. Oh well. I even tried bribing her with Jeni's ice cream. Here are some of Teri's Pictures:

Tina and Charland loading in some of Charland's and Syd's booth.

This is what our booth looks like when we arrive at 9:00 am to start the set up. All our treasures have been sent ahead in a trunk and a large box. I always hold my breath that they are there when we arrive. Over the next 7 hours we transform this little "room" into a corner of Shepherd's Bush.

As we finish up, the boys came to do the lights (my least favorite part.) Christian was happy to help Bob string up the lights we send. They are so tall!!!! It is great!

Unfortunately Columbus is a Pepsi city.... no Diet Coke, Yikes!!! Here is the booth almost all done. We just have to clear away the trunk and the box, and organize the table.

Charland Garvin, Sharon Crescent, and Tina taking a few minutes for lunch in our scary park area. We love visiting with shop owners and venders. We were near Charland and Sydney of Charland Designs, Sharon of Crescent Colors, Patti of Samsarah and Just another Button Co. John and Miranda Weeks of WDW threads were around the corner and Ceci of the Thread Gatherer was on our other side. Also near us were the Nordens and the Nordic Needle girls, what a fun group!!!


Christian relaxes in the booth as we finish up.

It seems like we left Utah in the rain, enjoyed Columbus in the rain, and returned home to---more rain. I am definitely not complaining because it is still quite cool here and we can barely keep our windows open at night. Our front lawn was a veritable hay field and it has taken Christian 2 days to get it mowed---and a lot of complaints. I love the sign at our local pizza shop---Spongy. I'll take the cool rain over 100 degrees any day.

I know that our new offerings are up on the main page of our web site, but watch the blog next week for new stuff at the shop.
Summer joy--Tina

PS--Chris at the Nordic Needle--whose booth was kitty-corner from ours at the show--sent me her recipe for lemon bars. I can't wait to try it.

End of May, 2009

Can you even believe how quickly the year is flying past? As usual, Spring has hurried right past us, and I already feel summer in the air. I sat out in my back yard 2 nights ago and wondered at the perfect evening. I love it when the days are warm, but the evenings implore a sweater. I watched the squirrels skittering through the oak and listened to the deafening roar of our little creek swollen with last winter's snow melt, and I thought--Summer is really here. Of course there are other signs as well. I see Peter a little more often--at least when his band is playing in Ogden. We get to sleep in, and Christian and I are already arguing about lawn mowing techniques. But how truly blissful to have those long, evening hours to stitch and read. I also know it is summer because all the spring birthdays are behind us--many cakes eaten, ice cream slurped and present unwrapped.


I know that I am a little slow with this blog, but honestly I have just been so very busy making lemon bars, that I haven't had time to get back to it. Actually, I did come up with one very good batch. I had to do it on my own, because even though many friends told me they had the best recipe in the world, no one really came forth with one. Oh well, this one was delicious, so I can't complain--a crumbly crust, thick custard and very lemony. Hmmm--what next? I was going to put the recipe up, but I have to confess it belongs to the Barefoot Contessa and I found it on the Food Network on line. So, if you are inclined, look it up and try it out.


The shop is busy right now with all of us getting ready for the Columbus market. We leave in another week or two and we are quite crazy getting everything done. Besides a lot of new things for this market, we are coming out with several new things this week to celebrate summer.


This darling pillow is worked on the windowpane fabric and finishes up quickly. The leaflet is $5.00 and the hand-made button is $6.00.

Flag Bag is the newest addition to our little burlap bags. The kit comes packaged in the little pre-sewn bag, and includes all the floss and instructions plus a little button to complete your project. Lots of fun and quick to do. Kit: $12.00


Wave is a new kit which was so much fun to do. It worked up quickly and seems the perfect thing for a good Americana summer. It is worked on a 30 count hand-dyed linen with lovely silk threads. Cecile, at Jabco, has made us a darling green fish to swim in the ocean. Kit: $24.00.


Home is the newest in our sheep with hats series. I have been asked a lot to design a new patriotic sheep as the first one I did--Oh Say--didn't actually have a hat. I love the muted tones of the silk threads in this kit, and it simply made me happy to stitch it. It is worked on 32 count flax linen with all silk threads and a sweet striped hat made by our friend Diane. As I finished it up, I just wanted to put Home instead of a more patriotic word. And if America isn't your home, just leave the flag off or change it to a fun striped, or bright coloured summer flag, and let it remind you of your own home. Kit: $18.00.

So there are our fun early summer offerings. I hope they inspire and beckon. But keep watching for our new market things because we have some fabulous designs we are preparing. We also have some wonderful new things here at the shop. Most exciting are the armloads of new stitching bags which we have just received from 2 friends who are now sewing them for us: Lori and Mavis. Teri has had much fun out in the backyard of the shop hanging them on the clotheslines so that you could see them. Sadly it has been high school baseball playoffs in the stadium behind us, so she had to be sharp to avoid getting his by foul balls speeding over our fence. Don't hesitate to call us--Sue is back now--and we can describe any other bags that might not be in the picture.


Here is a darling picture which Judy just stitched for us here at the shop. It is called Bless this House and it is designed by Mosey 'n Me. It is sweet and simple and makes you just feel good.


And here is a snapshot of a darling customer, Linda, who brought this Prairie Schooler sampler in for us to see. It is one of their monthly series--July Brings--and was simply fabulous. She had stitched it on a larger count linen and it made such a statement. Everyone at the shop loved it.


I am sneaking this letter in on a Saturday morning, and I know that they are busy out in front, so I guess I have to sort of wind up. It just seems so long since I wrote and it is fun to be back with you. Oh--I almost forgot to mention that some of you called about the Blackbird's pin book after we had run out of them. Teri was able to get 6 more, so if you are still interested---give us a quick call. I know they won't last, but for a few days we should have them. And finally, Teri and I are in the midst of working on a new Shepherd's Fold. I think it is going to be quite wonderful, so we will let you know more in the fall. Just be savouring the deliciousness of this prospect. Have a lovely, safe summer. If Bob will take his laptop, I will write again from market--if not before.
Many hugs--fondly, Tina