Tea for One......

 The little tea room near me just reopened recently. The owner had to close down the beginning of the year to have a kidney transplant. She is doing wonderfully and back to making us tea lovers happy! She also had to relocate, as the shopping center she was in was bought out by a developer. But she persevered and is actually closer to where I live. 

During Covid she offered a "tea to go" and I enjoyed doing that a few times. She still offers a "tea to go", so I treated myself today for my birthday, since she is closed on Mondays. The shop is called Tea with Kip and she is a lovely upbeat human being.  Formal teas in the tea room shop are reservation only, but a shop opened right next door that sells scones, cookies, sandwiches, tea, etc. There you can eat in or get carry out; it is called Teaberries. Delicious goodies abound at each! 

Here is how my tea in a box looked:

I wish you could all join me for tea some day.

Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi

They Say it's Your Birthday; Well it's My Birthday Too, Yea ............

 

I couldn't resist the Beatle song reference.......yes, today is my birthday. I am starting my 72nd spin around the sun and find it so hard to believe!!!  I am not going to say much more than that about it, time is a-wasting!!! Except......I  woke up to a light dusting of snow last night and Rich whispered in my ear that it was for my birthday.

We had my birthday dinner at my daughters last night and her family gave me an advent calendar of teas, a "tea" shirt and a year of home made scones...4 each month for  year delivered to my door. I really can't wait for this to begin...I love scones!!!

I received some lovely gifts from my friend, Robin, and wanted to share them. I feel so spoiled!!! She stitched the sweet bee and had it made into a needle book...love, love, love!!! The other goodies will all be put to good use Robin! Thanks so much for thinking of me..it is much appreciated.

And, I couldn't wait to open the Christmas gift, and it is hanging proudly on my tree.

Thanks again, Robin!

I also received two unexpected holiday gifts from Guilds I belong to. The first is from the Western Reserve Sampler Guild...... a thread catcher highlighting the state of OH. This will be a lovely  remembrance of my 15 years living in OH.

Then I received this from the Sampler Guild of the Rockies:

I will be enjoying these Christmas Eve and Christmas morning as the tea bags denote. 

Even though I can't attend these Guilds in person, it's a new way to reach out to other stitchers and feel part of the larger needlework community. I am so thankful the zoom meetings have continued after Covid.

On a disappointing note, I've been participating in a "secret stitcher" exchange with the DVHSG. We're supposed to send something to our secret person 4-5 times a year and reveal ourselves next September. I received the above envelope in the mail 2 months after it was posted. It had been opened and whatever was inside was removed and just the card was left. I felt terrible I hadn't acknowledged my person on FB, which we are asked to do, and hoped they didn't think I was ungrateful. What is up with the USPS these days????

Rich is taking me to the movies this afternoon, then out for dinner...a very quiet low key celebration....just the way I like it. 

Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi

A Visit to Liberty Hill Needleworks........732-737

ands

 I said I'd be back with photos from the new needlework shop in Williamsburg, so here I finally am! First let me say how nice and welcoming the owner and worker bees are. Second, you would never know they were a brand new...just opening shop...they are well stocked with charts, fabric, fibers and accessories. It is bright and cheery with lots of models and cute displays. Here you go with the photos...in no particular order:

Every customer received a little gift......

Folding scissors and a needle minder

.......and I made some purchases...new to me fabric, some Nurge hoops, embroidered ornaments for the grands for 2024 and a sweet sampler featuring the Governors Palace in Williamsburg.

So excited to have a "not so local" needlework shop a  75 minute drive way. Plan to visit if you are in the area for some "stitching happiness"!!!

And...ta da...I FFO'd the grands 2023 ornaments...Polar Plunge series from Hands on Design...I even did one for me.

Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship. Hope you have a great week as we head into the very hectic holiday season.

Stasi

A Jingle of a Weekend......

 I've been busy catching up...putting up the tree and decorating.... after a fun weekend away with stitchy friends. Last Friday afternoon I drove to my friend, Lisa's in Toano, VA for a long weekend with three other friends from PA. Our plan was to attend the Jingle Ball and watch together on a TV. We could not figure out how to "mirror" the internet on the TV and it was not fun if we were all just watching on our own devices. So, we did our own version of the Jingle Ball!!! 

This was our official "check in" photo!

LtoR: Me, Deb, Vickie, Lisa and Janelle

We played games...this is Left, Right, Center played with floss. Vickie was the big winner!!

We gifted!

Gifts top to bottom: Vickie and Janelle, Deb and Lisa. Deb stitched the adorable beekeeper for me on the left...love it!

Janelle and Vickie jointly worked on the project bag and thread catcher

Janelle made this bowl cozy...works perfectly for my morning oatmeal

I gifted a thread catcher and needleminder but forgot to take a photo of the cute little Christmas bracelets

We shopped!!! We went to the grand opening weekend of a great new shop in Williamsburg, Liberty Hill Needleworks......and "stitching happiness" it was!!!   More on that to follow another day.

We all had our reindeer ears and official Jingle Ball shirts on

We ate!!! Sadly, I did not take any photos of the food, but we chowed down on pizza, chicken salad and chicken gnocchi soup, Cincinnati chili, Mexican, Greek, breakfast casserole, bagels, eggs and sausage, cookies, candy etc., etc., etc.. Haven't wanted to weigh myself since! LOL

 We toured!!! Christmas in Williamsburg is magical and we walked the whole of Duke of Gloucester Street checking out the beautiful door displays. Sadly we missed the Grand Illumination due to rain. 

And, last but definitely not least....we stitched!!!  I decided to work on a Christmas project and chose this piece by Merry Cox, 'Tis Christmastime'. I managed to get it all stitched except for the outline, which I did when I got home. It's done on 40 ct. Vintage Country Mocha with a combo of GAST, WDW and DMC. It will become a sweet needlebook.

Whew, I am worn out reliving this weekend. We stayed up late, shared stories, packed a lot in and thoroughly enjoyed each others company. Lisa and her hubby, Bob, were the "hosts with the mosts" and treated us royally. It is such a blessing to be able to share our love of stitching...and stash enhancement...with people of similar obsessions. Thank you ladies....and gent...for a fabulous weekend!!! I hope I didn't forget anything! 

Thanks for stopping by and your "twisted threads" of friendship!

Stasi

PS I thought I'd share a photo of Jax's visit with Santa this year. I love the expression on Santa!!! Jax...I hope he wasn't too traumatized, but I think we all have a shot like that!!! LOL