A Tea Party at ABC Stitch Therapy

I am finally back with another post about my recent teaching trip to New England. It has been a few crazy days playing catch-up after traveling for most of the month...I still have a pile of correspondence and various work tasks to accomplish, but things are slowly getting back to "normal". As of this afternoon, the to-do list is completely out of control, but I hope to get a handle on it over the next week...in all reality, I could really just use a day or two off to catch my breath and get some much needed sleep - but right now, that is not an option.

Today I wanted to share with you a little more about the New England Stitcher's Retreat that was held at the Enfield Shaker Museum (The Great Stone Dwelling House) last weekend. Marie (owner of ABC Stitch Therapy), Tricia (the shop manager), the entire staff at the shop, and Gail and Jackie (the marvelous hosts for the weekend) made sure everyone had a phenomenal time. Every little detail was taken care of, including: little gifts each day, special treats and snacks (some warm right out of the oven), a fun "Yankee Swap" game where everyone got a stitching prize...and even a tea party at the shop! I was able to spend lots of time with each attendee (my favorite part of my job!) - and I was happily surprised to see each of them in the classroom extra early in the morning...and each staying late well after class was supposed to disperse...and many stayed up with me until the wee hours stitching, giggling, and laughing - many finished their scissor fob and some finished their fob and pinkeep (or got a really good start!). The entire dwelling house was full of enthusiasm and smiles and it truly filled my heart with joy!

Earlier in the week, I shared some photos of the Dwelling House, the classroom, and the Enfield area with you - today, I thought I would share some photos of ABC Stitch Therapy...including the grand tea party! Marie recently moved the shop to a new location, just a "hop, skip, and a jump" from her previous building...and the new shop was incredible! There are lots of windows and good natural light - and TWO floors - when I walked in a was completely astounded. Standing in the doorway, there was a "mecca" of threads to my right...linens and fabrics with a cutting table straight ahead...and cross stitch charts, kits, accessories, and notions to my left...with models EVERYWHERE...upstairs was needlepoint heaven, with hand-painted canvases galore. If you are a needleworker, this shop is definitely worth a trip! So here are some photos I took of the shop (with Marie's permission) and a few photos of the tea party (as always, click on the photos for a larger view)...

ABC Stitch Therapy - Grantham, NH

Thread "mecca"....

Looking down from the upstairs level...

Stairs to the second level...

Needlepoint Canvases (Upstairs)

Me surrounded by beautiful needlepoint canvases...

Teacups for the tea party...

I'm pretending to serve the tea...check out all the wonderful treats....

Sharing a cup of tea with my dear friend Ruth (Sis, you look happy and beautiful!)...

My English Breakfast Tea and plate...
(a scone, an apple spice petit four, a roast beef tea sandwich, and a fruit tart)

I think you can see why I love teaching at the New England Stitcher's Retreat - the events, the shop, the food, the area, the accommodations - everything was a treat! I have to thank everyone who worked on the event planning - the hard-working and happy hosts (Jackie and Gail)....and all the attendees who made the journey to Enfield, NH - I hope to see you all again next year!!

In the next day or two, I will share some photos of my sightseeing with you...including some from King Arthur Flour...and a few from Delectable Mountain Cloth in Brattleboro, VT. To see all sorts of additional photos from my trip to New England, check out the albums on my Facebook page...and smartphone users can check out my Instagram album (user: BRDGIRL)...