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

May has flown right by. I know Tina is really working on her thoughts for the blog, but I thought you might like to see a few of the pincushions we just received from Nancy the felt lady. . . . They are so fun and springy.

I have been on a pincushion wave length. I designed an Americana one for our class in Chicago and had such a great time; I am working on a few more to come out this summer. The Liberty pincushion ( from the Chicago class) won't be available until next summer. Here are some great reproduction pincushions from the Civil War. The original one was filled with cotton, buck shot and sawdust. They are made out of interesting solid fabrics and are filled in the same manner as the one made in the 1860's. They look like stars. I fell in love with them at market a couple of years ago, and we have carried them ever since. They run $38.00 and are very cool.

This is a sweet Blackbird pin cushion we have stitched and added silk ribbon around the edge. The pattern is available for $ 7.00. The fabric we used is $3.10 and the silk ribbon runs .50 cents per yard; I used about a yard. and added tiny beads to anchor the ribbon in place. I just love stitching the ribbon on like that.

I have just sent out Miss Mary Mac's pincushion to be stitched and it is going to be wonderful. I even bought a little shelf to display them all on. I will keep you posted. Take care and happy stitching.

Teri

PS-I am still waiting for Tina to make her famous lemon bars.....

Friday, May Day, 2009

Dear Friends,
Spring has finally--tentatively, shyly--arrived in my yard. I have been watching its progress out of my bedroom window, which is still mostly shut against the chill April air. The yellow daffodils which Bob planted in the fall are up and quite cheerfully competing with the sudden and impossible greenness of the grass. My trees are more sluggish to awaken. Only the Cherry has committed to her blossomed glory while the Oak and Maple seem still stuck in their winter slumbers. Even the Virginia creeper on my window refuses to unfold its leaves despite my watchful coaxing. Be patient, I tell myself. Our creek, however, in its noisy tumbling torrent shouts Spring as it thrusts down the barely melted snows from the mountain behind us.
I wonder each year at the beauty and joy of this time, so much surprise and colour after the endless grey of Winter. And yet, Spring also makes me oddly sad. Perhaps it is the continual switching from sun to rain, but I think it is more likely the understanding that Spring is a harbinger of change. I don't really like the end of the school year always with its progression of grades for my boys. My soul simply longs for things to stay comfortably the same, and Spring just quickly pushes everything on and on--from grass, to water, to children. Christian turned 16 this week and has been been the beaming owner of his driver's license for about 48 hours. During the past year, he has always driven with Bob or me--usually me, finished Driver's Ed at 6:00 in the morning, possibly completed double or triple the required 40 hours of practice--yet still I am in a panic. Of course we had to go the the DMV the minute school was out on his birthday, and that evening he asked if he could drive around the block--alone. Sure..OK...I guess, I answered, and then plied him with instructions for getting out of the driveway. When he returned 47 seconds later, I was nonchalantly waiting on the curb. Last night, he asked if he could meet us at the restaurant we were going to for dinner--about 2 miles away. I called him three times before he left the house to give him advice, admonitions, and instructions, which he took in good humor. When he reached the destination, I was waiting on the sidewalk. This weekend, he has asked if he could drive to a friend's house to watch a movie. I said--perhaps--and that seemed to satisfy, but a minute later he asked if I would be waiting in their driveway. Ah...16.
I have decided to overcome my spring blues by finding and mastering the perfect Lemon Bar. I am going to start this weekend and I shall keep you apprised of my progress. If you are even now in possession of the perfect recipe, let me know. If I actually get a good one, I will send you a picture of it and include the recipe. Teri also tells me that I should stitch her new pillow, Be Happy. This darling piece fits in with our other Be-attitudes and is the perfect answer to our current times. As if the economy, the war, and global warming weren't enough, now we have the swine flu to worry about. So might I just suggest a few quiet days stitching--Be Happy--to remind us that we can't really do much else. So we might as well...be happy.
Now here are a few very fun things from Barb and Alma at Blackbird designs which our friends--as well as me--are thrilled with. They are doing a series of sewing implements through Moda, the company who prints their fabric. I don't know if any of you bought one of their sewing rolls a few months back, but I did and I love it so much. I hang it from a lamp where I sometimes stitch and it is supplied with all my stitching necessities. Well now we have received several new things in this sort of series. I am pretty sure that Teri has a picture down below of these things. There are 2 darling pin cushions which are machine made, but look like they were hand made. They are so adorable. One of them is in creme, green and odd purple and the other one is in blue and browns. I love them both and I might have to buy them both so I won't have to choose. Take a look at the picture and see what you think. They each have buttons in the corners. I know I won't be able to order them again, so choose quickly. Then, my even more favorite thing is their little pin pocket. It is very old-fashioned and darling in soft cremes and sea blue. As you can see in the picture it is made out of a soft, sort of homespun linen and folds up with a button. The front has a little cross stitched picture and the back has a sweet button-holed and buttoned pocket for storing. When you open it and unfold it, it has a little fabric loop to secure your scissors, 2 pieces of button-holed wool felt for pins and needles and a tiny partial pocket for tucking threads or fabric. It really is very sweet and I already have mine well stocked and sitting on my table at home. And finally--they have been very busy--they have a new book out and ready for stitching. It is the April stocking book and it is wonderful. We have ha d so much fun with their little stocking series, and this one--designed just for April--is the perfect thing. I am not sure if Teri has a picture of this one as we have had a hard time keeping it in stock, but if you are collecting them, it is ready, and if you haven't been, now is a great time to start.
Remember, it is almost Mother's Day and gift certificates make wonderful presents. So if you are looking for something for that fantastic wife, mom, or grandma in your life, think about a beautifully wrapped gift certificate from the shop. Teri says that they make a lovely gift for that special aunt in your life as well.
We are busy here at the shop and it has taken me all day and then some to write to you. Today has been both fun and crazy, and I love seeing everyone heading home with fantastic projects to work on. It makes me want to start something new. Teri and I have been busy designing and stitching some new things, so I will tell you about those next week. Be safe this week, use plenty of disinfectant wipes and don't get sick.
fondly, Tina

Be Happy was the first of the Be-Atitudes... We have stitched it in  
soft spring colors and finished it with a gorgeous floral fabric that  
just arrived in the shop.  It is so nice to finally  have flowers in  
my yard to use in photographs ( not the lilies).  The pattern was  
released this week and we have all the supplies available.

Here are a couple of wonderful stitching accessories from Blackbird Designs. They are already finished and all you have to do is enjoy them. We have 2 pincushions shown above. They are larger than you think, about 5 inches. They are made of a woven fabric, the letters are woven right in. I think they are very sweet.


We also have a very few of their sewing cases (shown above). They all come in soft sage green and cream fabric they have a sweet house on the front with the words "Pins ands Needles." The inside of the case has a pocket and a place to put your needles. Both of these would make a great addition to your sewing basket.

April 15, 2009--waiting for Spring

Hi Friends,
We are in the midst of a huge blizzard here, and I am waiting for my hair to dry after running 2 errands on my way to work. Last week I read a little article in a magazine about waiting while I was waiting to pick up Chinese take-out. The writer was waiting for fish to bite and maple sap to run--both things I know almost nothing about, but it made me think all weekend long how much of our lives are indeed spent in waiting. I am patiently waiting for each new episode of Little Dorrit to come each Sunday. Christian is waiting for his 16th birthday in 2 weeks so he can get his driver's license. Teri is waiting for our accountant to bring her taxes, and we are all waiting for Winter to end. I am not sure what this means about our humanness. Perhaps we are impatient beings.
This week sort of starts the birthday times in my family. We took Simon--our Chinese exchange student--along with Christian, Raphael--France--and Chin Wey--Taiwan--with us on our Wednesday night dinner with friends to celebrate Simon's 16th birthday. We went to the Mongolian barbeque and had a blast eating, talking and laughing. I think Teri has a picture of the 4 boys down below. I can hardly believe that they will all be returning home in about 6 weeks. Where has this year gone? Raph and Chin walked down to our house last Sunday evening to teach Teri how to make French Crepes. They brought another neighbor with them, and Peter hadn't gone back to Salt Lake yet, so we had a kitchen full of giant teenage boys, 2 guitars, 1 dog, and small containers of "secret ingredients" to go in the crepe batter which the boys were whispering and chuckling over. Raph made a bowl of batter that was almost as big as a hot tub, and after making 3 crepes, he left Teri to make another 200. They were very good, and she did learn well how to make them. The boys gobbled them with Nutella, we served them at work with ice cream and caramel sauce, we took them to all our family with whipped creme and strawberries, and then had several meals with chicken and mushrooms. I am not sure how soon we will be making them again, but when we have the hankering, we will be ready. Next, he is going to teach us "the world's best pasta carbinarra." I am excited, but I think we will need to invite a large number of friends in for that night. Want to come?
I have no idea why I have rattled on about all of that, but now to the business of the shop. In spite of our crazy weather, we have been busy here. Teri and I are working on designs for the Columbus market in June, but she has had some very darling pieces stitched for the shop as well. One of our favorite new samplers is one by Lizzie Kate--ABC Lessons. Marilyn stitched it for us, and it is fabulous. Both Teri and Lynnette are working on it for themselves. It really is quite lovely, and expresses sentiments we badly need in this world. The original colours that come in the kit are sweet and cheerful, and we chose to do ours in sort of muted, unusual colours. If you want to buy the kit from us, we can give you a choice between the two colours pallettes. We have not been so good about keeping up with SamSarah's alphabet baubles for this year, but we have just finished the Bees and it is very sweet. I think we have a picture of it below. I'm fairly sure you will love it. Then be sure to take a good look at some wonderful new scissors we have just received. The little ones from Kelmscott in darling colours are just perfect for keeping in a little sewing pouch. Plus some of the new bigger stitching scissors are unique and fun.
I'm on my own here now as Kari is sick and Sue has gone for the day, so I am on the phones. I am going to send this on so I don't forget. Have a great April week, and I hope spring is there even as you are reading.
Until next week--fondly, Tina

The way we love bees, how could we pass up B bauble by Sam Sarah. It is great fun!!! I am starting to assemble a bee display. I am very hopeful for spring. It has been cold and snowy here, but the weather men say there is warmer weather on the way!

This is such a great piece by Lizzie Kate!!! We have so many customers stitching it. The kit comes in great pinks, aquas and browns for $32.00 (fabric is not included). Marilyn stitched this one in dusty colors, isn't it fabulous!!!!! We also added a few buttons for fun!

We have received a few more colors of the Little Gems scissors. Pink, Matte black ( looks like olive in the photo), red, purple, green, and yellow. They also come in gold and silver. The owl scissors in the center are brand new!!! Great!

Chris on the right with the other exchange students - Simon is next to Christian. It was his birthday and we went to a favorite local spot. The owner speaks Chinese so both Simon and Chin Wai could converse with her. Raphael (on the end) is from France.

Just as we started hiding the candy for the annual Easter hunt, It
started to rain. Look at those clouds.... We had a great time and
everyone was so happy to out of their houses and visiting!!! Can you
see Jillian and Sophie in the crowd? Where is Ellie????