It’s been a year since we opened the store. I can’t believe how fast its gone. Twenty years from now I’ll be looking back saying the same thing (I hope).

Yes, I love the store. Yes, I love all the wonderful people that are involved with it from my customers, to my staff to all the vendors with the beautiful threads and canvases. To all of you I say a heartfelt THANK YOU!

I thought it would be fun to have a piece of needlepoint that will always make me remember this time in my life and the people I share it with. I talked to Sandy Gilmore and asked her to design something for me. (I was too close to the subject) I love Sandy’s canvases and thought she would be a perfect choice. She said yes!!!!

I wanted something that I would love looking at for a very long time. It actually took me a while to come up with the concept and I’m convinced Sandy thought I was nuts when I told her what I wanted. But here’s the story. When I opened, the store was filled with flowers. Big beautiful flowers. It was gorgeous so I thought it would be cool to have a floral canvas that represented all of my friends in flowers.

There’s lime green hydrangea for Karl and his family; calla lilies for Missy, my dearest friend and right hand; orchids for Lisa and purple tulips for Brenda Hart. And then I needed a tree frog for Linda who collects frogs, a ladybug for Rachel, a heart for Harriet and finally a bumble bee as it is part of my logo. (Oh and the lily is just because I love lilies!)

Somehow Sandy managed to tie all of this together into one big beautiful canvas. And now Brenda Hart is writing the stitch guide for it! How wonderfully cool and full circle is that. This is a piece I will always treasure as I will always treasure the friends who have made the store what it is today.

I love you all.