It's been too long - Sandy's been stitching too much! You all know what it's like - there's never enough time to stitch, so less "important" things are set aside, including updating the blog. :-)

Meanwhile it seems that summer has hit, the garden is overflowing, the grandkids are having birthdays - and the older two have asked to learn how to stitch!, so this grandma's had a ball teaching them. Their enthusiasm is so exciting! Paige (pictured here with red 6 count Herta), just turned four, told her mom, "I'm going to stitch just like Grandma when I grow up, all the time and everywhere." Love it! :-)

There are so many new things in the shop, beginning with Mill Hill kits; the spring set can be described as "Your Favorite Vacation" - Lakeside Retreat, wine tasting (red or white?) Tropical Hideaway, Seaside Sampler, On the Range...fall's set has a Midnight Farm, Autumn Wreath, Apple Adventure, Be Thankful, Lavender Fields and Country Welcome - really love them all, and they've chosen designs that work so well for our area! The pins are great, too!

Daylight has a new battery-operated (or plug-in) clip on light that might prove as good as or better than our Flex Lights from Mighty Brite, plus it has an optional magnifier and a shade which hides the light from the driver (you DO stitch in the car, don't you?!) or prevents glare on the TV, and has the natural daylight spectrum which is so much easier on the eye. Darn, there's always something new, isn't there??

From Vintage Bliss, apple and pear stand ups; Brooke's Books' Spirit of Quilting, Cross Stitch and Knitting angels; Kit & Bixby's Glimpse of Heaven and Haunted Wool; Lisa Cowell's "My Grandma's Attic" series; Mirabilia's Lady of the Mist and Mermaid of Atlantis, and under her other name, Nora Corbett, Ivy and Fern; new from England, The Stitching Shed, sweet-bright-and-easy baby samplers - the style reminds us of The Bold Sheep; tons of new florals from Ellen Maurer-Stroh; Bent Creek's Red Thread series; Lizzie Kate's Summer Crazy and new designs for weddings and babies; Humble Home from the Workbasket; and the ultimate, Inspiration from Rosewood Manor. ALL of these Sandy would be thrilled to stitch - the challenge will be - how many can she stitch before the NEXT round of new things??

A reminder to check Hoffman's Friday update, new books every week! Just let us know what you'd like! (You can see the new patterns mentioned above there or at Norden Crafts or Wichelt.)

Leisure Arts has a new online feature, their Library - where you can purchase single out-of-print patterns, as well as some that were never previously released, such as some Disney designs (the license has expired, so no new books will be published at this time). Check it out!

We have several boxes of books for half price - lots of treasure has been plucked from them, but there's plenty more - the racks were just too stuffed, so something's got to go! (Sandy bought them all thinking she'd of course stitch them if no one else did!:-) Please do come down and take advantage of her over-enthusiasm!

We hope you'll take some time from the flurry of spring/summer activities to relax and stitch a bit - there are so many good reasons, graduations, holidays, and always babies and weddings. Come stitch with us Wednesday mornings and every second and fourth Tuesday evening.