Off we go to Nashville!!!

Next week at this time we will be in Nashville for the wholesale Needlework Show!!! Holly, Jessie and I will be going. Pam, Cindy and Amy will be in Branson keeping Cecilia's running. Jessie will be updating our Facebook page with Nashville previews this week, so if you see anything that you would like us to pick up for you, just let us know. And on Monday February 27th we will have our Market Day at Cecilia's! The shop will be full with all kinds of new goodies to enhance your stashes. Drop by and check it out - we'll be looking forward to seeing you!

I've got a couple of quick pictures to show you. I am still working on The Petite Sampling Etui - a limited edition collaboration. It has been in my "rotation" for a while so i am happy to be getting it stitched. The colors are so much prettier that the picture.

For our friend, Carol in Illinois, I am including a picture of Pam's completed Witches Wheel. Pam really enjoyed stitching this piece - the solar fabric really makes it unique!!

And for all of you scissor people......we all know who we are ;-) ..........we received some new scissors into the shop today. They are made by Bohin of France. Beautifully made with a "stained glass" design on the handles. A wonderful addition to anyone's scissor collection or needlework bag!

I've got to get going , hope you all have a wonderful week. Enjoy your stitching time!

Take Care,

Margaret, Jessie,Amy, Pam, Holly, Cindy and Ann

the new yarns are here!!!

Happy February!!!

It is Superbowl Weekend and the New England Patriots are in the game!! Life is GOOD!!!

I thought I would take a few minutes to update the blog in between customers in the shop. We are having a Superbowl Sale this weekend, so we have been really busy in the shop, on the phone and online.

Got some quick updates for you.........the new yarns are here!!! We have so many new colors and specialty yarns to choose from. Yes, we are all knitting and crocheting the "twirly" scarves. But for those of you that do not knit or crochet - we have a knotted scarf that can be made with scrap yarns ( Cindy modeled it for you!!). Pam will be starting Knitting classes - so come by and join in the fun!! We also hage 2 tubs of 50% discounted yarns........come in and check them out - we caught Cindy "playing in the yarn"!

We have also gotten alot of new Tatting supplies - shuttles, books and threads. We expanded the tatting section in the shop. Our Stamped cross stitch, crewel, needlepoint and embroidery has recieved ALOT of new kits, iron ons, quilt squares, doilies, quilt squares and baby items.......come by and check it out!

Pam has been knitting up a storm with all the new yarns, so we have new models in the yarn department. Jessie, Ann and I have been stitching - Ann finished her Man of the Month snowmen - they are all so cute - one for each month of the year. Jessie just finished and framed the new Lizzie Kate Valentine Kit - it is a quick stitch and looks so pretty with all the pastel spring colors. I have finished the new Little House Christmas Ornament ( first one for 2012)Blessed (it's an adorable angel) trimmed with Crescent Colors Chennille. And I am also working on a Petite Sampling Etui - a collaboration of Sampler designers charts that will be finished into a Etui (sewing box).

Holly has been busy putting the finishing touches on the Spring Retreat Weekends - it is a Mardi Gras theme - she has lots of fun games and goodies for the ladies attending. You won't be disappointed!!

I've got to get going.........more orders to fill and customers to help!! Enjoy the weekend!!

GO PATS!!!

We look forward to visiting with you all when you come by the shop!

Take Care,

Margaret, Jessica, Amy, Pam, Holly, Cindy and Ann

Upcoming events!

Good Afternoon!

We hope you are all well and enjoying the mostly mild winter that we are having so far. Less time to shovel snow, more time to stitch!!

I have a couple of things to let you know about...........We will be having trunk shows in the shop this year.......so far we have My Big Toe Designs coming in the beginning of April and Rosewood Manor in November!!! Both companies have wonderful deisgns, it will be great to see their models!!!

We still have a few openings for our second Spring Stitching Weekend Retreat (April 19th-22nd) - if you would like to come for a funfilled weekend of stitching, shopping, eating, and meeting new friends just call or email us - we look forward to hearing from you!! Holly does a fantastic job of organizing these weekends - she always makes it fun!!

The Nashville Needlework Market is coming up the end of February..........if you have anything you would like us to bring back for you just let us know. We are making our lists, and would be happy to bring back any goodies that you would like. The designers always have something special each year - they really make the shop owners feel welcomed!! Holly tells me that our Market Day will be Monday February 27th - the day after we get back from the Nashville Market - it will be a BLAST!!!

Be watching for our mid February (hint- around Valentine's Day) "We Love our Customers" SALE!!! Big discounts, surprises and free gifts!!!

Ann has been stitching like crazy in Florida........she finished the Lizzie Kate 6 Fat Men.......I added the buttons for her and I will include a picture......it looks so cute!!

The biggest thing around here lately has been the twirly scarves!!! Cindy was happy to model them for this picture. We can barely keep the yarn in stock. I am not a big knitter, but I have made 2, so far. Each scarf takes 1 skein of yarn and about 2-3 hours of knitting. It is really great for a beginning knitter or a super fast knitter like Pam. There are yarns that have so many colors, sparkles, sequins, chennille, lace patterns, solid colors...........you'll be creating beautiful, fun scarves in no time!!

I think that's all I've got for now..........tomorrow we are having 3 grandkids birthday parties at our home - Alice will have her first birthday, Tyler will be 14 and Andrew will be 13. Grandma (me!!!) has made their birthday cakes and an extra cake for Katelyn (her birthday is in March).

So we'll be partying tomorrow and watching the Patriots -hopefully the Pats will win and move on to the superbowl - YAY!!!

I will add the pictures and wish you all a great week! Keep Stitching - it is just too much fun!!!

take care,

Margaret, Jessie, Amy, Pam, Holly, Cindy and Ann

new fabrics! and Pine Mountain pillows!

Good Afternoon,

January 2012 !! Can you believe another year has gone by? We have this new year to look forward to - new things to stitch - new colors of floss and fabric to play with!! It's going to be a wonderful year!!

This is a quick update on a couple of new items that have come into the shop - Pine Mountain has a couple of new pillows featuring frosty little snowmen!! They are great take along projects - the pillows are finished for you - just stitch and fill with a pillow form and you're done!!

Zweigart fabrics arrived in the shop today. A really sparkly over dyed 16 count metallic called French Vanilla - very subtly shading. We also received a 32 count Lugana called Enchantment - different shades of blues and splotches of white (great for a sky background). The blues are not baby light blues, but darker and richer blues. And finally we got some 28 count cashel linen called peach orchard - mostly muted peach with soft greens blended in. Very pretty!!!

We all stitch the models for the shop, and about a year ago we asked Pam to stitch Rosewood Manors Quakers and Quilts for the shop. She is a fast stitcher and usually finishes the projects for the shop very quickly. Now that we have so many new yarns we have kept her busy knitting!! So i have been working on the last segment to the Quakers and Quilts chart......it is really fun and easy to stitch. i have never used the Valdani threads for crossstitch, just punchneedle. They are great to work with and the colors are just gorgeous!!! I am including

pictures for you all to see.

We look forward to seeing you in the shop and at our Spring Retreats in a couple of months!! We have moved some displays and shelving in the shop - change is good - as long as you keep the lights on. (my toes have already smashed into the rearranged shelves several times!! ouch!!).

I've got to get going. Hope you are all doing well and we wish you a blessed New Year!!!

Take Care,

Margaret, Jessie, Amy, Holly,Kacy, Pam, Cindy, and Ann

Happy New Year 2012!!

All of us here at Cecilia's Samplers want to wish all or our customers and friends a Happy and Healthy New Year !! We wish the best for all of you!!!

The shop has been busy this week with our week long after Christmas Sale going on. Threads, fabrics, chaerts, kits - all going out of the shop as quickly as they arrive!! Are you planning your 2012 stitching projects? I always have a plan, well mostly,but if something new comes out, well, then the plan changes!! (hense the pile of full project bags by my stitching chair). The most important thing is we are having fun!!

We got some new reading glasses in the shop today - they are from Foster Grant and they have led lights on either side of the glasses, so the light and magnification is right where you are looking!!! Neat colors ,too!!

We also have these cute ducks that are tape measurers, too. We sold bunches before Christmas - great stocking stuffers -and they are finally back instock.

I have also finished the La-D-Da Margaret Cottam Mystery Sampler......it was fun to stitch and the colors are just wonderful!! We also have a really cute miniature footstool from Sudbury House that has come into the shop recently. I used a couple of motifs from a Blackbird Design book to make this cute pincushion. It also has a small storage area under the pincushion - great for needles or a small pair of scissors.

I've got to get going.............more ladies are heading into the shop and Pam needs help !!!

We hope you will always make some time for yourself to stitch, we are all so busy in our lives it is hard to find the time, but it is well worth it!! the benefits of doing anykind of hand needlework are great - good for the spirit, mind and body!!!

Take care and Happy 2012!!!

Margaret, Jessie,Amy, Holly, Pam,Cindy, Kacy and Ann

Merry Christmas!!

Ho, Ho, Ho!! Merry Christmas!!

Only 2 more weeks til the big day!! All of us at Cecilia's wish you a Blessed Holiday Season, and a Happy, Healthy New Year!! We want you to know that we appreciate your friendship, loyalty and business. We hope that we have helped to make your stitching time a peaceful and happy time for you.

We have busy weekend planned in our family. We will be setting up our Nativity, decorating our Christmas Tree, and constructing our gingerbread houses. I have lots of help - my 4 grandkids - Tyler, Andrew, Katelyn and Alice. It is something we do each year and have so much fun doing it!! They are all very imaginative and create very unique gingerbread homes!!

So what have we been up to in the shop??

I have been stitching the new La-D -Da mystery sampler - Margaret Cottam. It is fun to stitch and wonder what part 3 will look like..........I have just started part 2. Farms of Hawk Run Hollow will be my next adventure in the stitching world - I think.........there's just not enough time to stitch everything that I want to!!! Then i just finished Plum Street Samplers Salem Hornbook. The frame is just Great for this piece!!

Our good friends, Jennie from Just Jennifer and Mary from Ozarks Delights, have been busy creating some new item for our enjoyment!! Mary has added wool to her pins! She has an Angel, Cat and Heart shaped pins - they would make great stocking stuffers or small gift for a friend. She has many different colors to choose from.

Jennie has a new quilted vest pattern.........she is "famous" for her quilted sweatshirt jacket pattern and has added this new vest pattern for us to have fun with!! Both the vest and jacket are as unique as each person that creates it. We also have the fabric packs for them, too. No worring about matching colors, patterns, stripes, solids - Jennie does that all for us!! The fabric packs are enough to make a jacket or vest.

One of the neatest accessories that I have seen in a long time is our new "mug wrap" - it can be wrapped around a standard mug, has pockets inside and outside to help you organize all your stitching (quilting, sewing, scrapbooking, knitting, tatting, and possibly Hershey Kisses) goodies.

We have these "mug wraps" made in several different fabric colors and designs. After the New Year we will have more coming into the shop. They are so neat and handy to use!!

Pam has been knitting up a storm ..............we have some new yarn that is flying off the shelves. One skein makes one scarf............I made one, took about 4 hours. It is quick and easy, but looks really lacy and fancy!! Good for a novice knitter like me!

Holly has been planning and organizing for the next round of stitching weekends in April. She has finalized plans for our Summer weekend with our special guest from Cherry Wood Designs!! More to come later............

Jessie has been busy with Katelyn and Alice - and she also finds the time to get our orders in to our wholesalers and keep the website updated, too!!

Ann is in Florida for the Winter with her family. She'll be back in the Spring - we miss her and can't wait to see her again!!

Amy is still managing AJ's One Stop (next door), but she still helps out in the shop when we need her.

Cindy visits us on Saturday and should be back full time in the Spring.

Kacy will be home from College soon........(she helps me to make Baklava for Christmas!!). And she works in Cecilia's as often as we can have her here with us.

I think I got everyone included.............got to get going. Still have to find Santa and give him the grandkids wish lists!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!!! (just in case I don't get to update before Christmas)

Enjoy your stitching time!!

Margaret, Jessie, Amy, Holly, Pam, Kacy, Cindy, and Ann

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!! We sure have ALOT to be thankful for in this wonderful United States of America!! I always think of the brave men and women in our military, far from home and loved ones, they are always protecting our freedom. I am so thankful for their sacrifices, please remember them, especially during the Holidays.

We have had a busy month - 2 retreats at the beginning of November. We had a great time, met a whole bunch of stitchers - the ladies had a really fun weekend with us. We enjoyed seeing them all - some we met for the first time and we can finally put a face to the voice on the phone or the email writer. Jessie has the pictures on our facebook page.......you should check them out and see what a fun and crazy weekend we had!

We have a new Mystery sampler in the shop. It is by La-D-Da. Comes in 3 parts - it is a reproduction sampler with a La-D-Da twist!! I have already stitched part 1.......waiting for the next part to come in. It is fun to stitch - you start from the bottom and work your way up!! The thread colors are so pretty!!

We also have a really neat Limited Edition kit from JBW designs - Santa's Sleigh Ride. it was quick and easy to stitch. I added a red bead on the reindeer's nose. (Rudolph is my favorite reindeer!!).

Holly is taking sign ups for our 2012 Ornament club. She has some really cute designs picked out. It will get you a head start for your Christmas tree next year! Call or email the shop for more information on this fun monthly club!!

I am going to add some pictures..............ornament club, JBW Santa's Sleigh Ride, La-D-Da's Mystery Sampler and my family Thanksgiving picture. My camera had broken about a month ago.............so I had to get another one (I do not like change, so it took a bit to pick one out). These are pictures taken with the new camera.........I am still learning how to use all the buttons and levers!!

I will do my best to update the blog more often. I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving. Please take time to stitch during the Holiday Season..............it is very hectic and busy.........stitching helps to ease the stress. And as Holly reminded me today - only 30 days til Christmas!!!!

Take Care,

Margaret and all the "merry elves"at Cecilia's