3 cups crushed/mashed strawberries (or raspberries, or orange juice/pulp, lemon juice/pulp, blueberries, whatever fruit!) Make sure you use real fruit.

3 cups water

3 cups sugar

Heat the water and sugar on the stove so the sugar dissolves completely (when the syrup is clear, it's done).

Allow that mixture to cool all of the way (especially if you use something delicate like watermelon). Mix in the fruit by hand, and put in the freezer (Tupperware works fine -- anything you'll be able to use your hand mixer in).

After an hour or two, take the mixture out of the freezer, and blend through with your hand mixer. It will still look a little lumpy, which is fine. Stick back in the freezer, until frozen, and blend again, until smooth or the consistency you like (it tastes great either way!) Keep it in the freezer. It will probably stay a little mushy, because of all of the sugar/fruit. It's a great treat on a hot day! (Martha Stewart would probably serve it with little crisp sugar cookies and a sprig of mint!))

A few weeks ago, I travelled to Tennessee for a Shepherd's Bush weekend hosted by Always in Stitches in Collierville. I had a few reasons for going: one was to meet my good friend Kim (an Internet buddy I've had for a few years but never met). We had a great time getting acquainted in person! And I also met Beverly, a customer of mine, who is sweet as sugar. I also like to get away once a year to have a weekend that's a vacation by myself. With two young boys, and now a dog (another acquisition this month -- a sweet black lab puppy we named Bea), and a busy business (as well as housework!), I need a break now and again. The price was definitely right -- $250 for two nights' lodging, a Shepherd's Bush kit, and food, plus the price of airfare (I kept my eyes open for a coupon, and found a pretty good deal).

I also have thought about hosting a similar event, and wanted to see how I might put one together! I'll tell you more about my ideas below. First, about my weekend...

My flight left Fargo at 6:15 on Friday, so I looked shot by the time I arrived for my four-hour layover at the Minneapolis Airport (an enormous airport with a Liz Claiborne store, a Bath and Body Works, numerous bookstores, and I swear at least five Cinnabons!) So I didn't look too terrible for my arrival into Memphis, I had my hair washed and done at the barber shop there in the airport (what a treat!) When I arrived in Memphis, the shopowner picked me up (along with two other guests), and took the group of us to the hotel. The hospitality in Memphis was top-notch! Everyone we dealt with the entire weekend was so kind and pleasant.

As the 33 guests arrived (locally and from around the country), they started stitching and showing off needlework gadgets and accomplishments. I'm sure I was a lovely shade of green; the needlework items the stitchers brought were so clever and beautiful. One stitcher brought two Shepherd's Bush long band samplers she had finished -- one all by herself of all different stitches in Shepherd's Bush kits and charts, the other a round robin of bands. Another showed off TINY needlerolls she had made out of the Button series by SB (Button Moon, Button Sheep, etc...) She did these OVER ONE on 28 ct. Cashel, I think, finished them like the larger needlerolls Shepherd's Bush puts out, and they were to die for! I thought, "Wow, that's exactly what should be done with those charts." (You'll find those charts on sale this month with the rest of the Christmas things -- they'd be perfect little firecrackers to pearch on your evergreen boughs). One stitcher brought Hillside Sampling's Sampler Basket, which everyone appropriately oohed and aahed over.

The one thing that struck me, really, throughout the weekend, was how nice everyone was. Since we were not in a classroom setting (it was just free stitching time), there were no competitive comments, none of the one-upmanship that sometimes accompanies a needlework class. Everyone was there from the brand-spanking new beginner to the accomplished pro. And everyone loved Shepherd's Bush, which made us all sisters in a way.

So, we spent the weekend nibbling, stitching, looking, and shopping. There is a great square in Collierville with antiques, homemade ice cream, candy, needlework, and a beautiful little square with lovely flowers, walkways, a gazebo, and trees. I bought a few goodies, the best being a table runner with tatted edges, in pristine condition and so starchy white, for $25.

The weekend ended too quickly; Kim and I stuck around until Monday (we visited another needlework shop called Stitchers that was neat). I got to see the Pyramid in Memphis, and Monday morning, before my flight left, I took a cab to Graceland by myself. I must admit that while I'm not a big Elvis fan, it was kind of groovy to take a step back in time to the 70s: Avocado Green Shag carpet (on the ceiling and floor), brown kitchen appliances, and enormous swirly ashtrays. The only needlework I saw at Graceland was a needlepointed scrapbook a fan club had made for Elvis that hung with a group of others in his tropy building (not far from the high-collared white sequenced jumpsuits that The King made famous -- uh-huh-huh.)

So now, I'm thinking I would like to host a group next summer (or sooner?) for a similar weekend. Below are some of my ideas about the weekend. Please give me feedback on whether or not you would be interested in coming. If I hear enough interest, I'll start making plans. Of course you're not obligated to attend just because you expressed an interest in the Shakespeare's Peddler's Weekend Away.

I would be hosting this weekend, I think, the middle of July (this is open for debate....) The weekend would run Friday around noon through Sunday noon (48 hours of stitching!) The weekend would cost approximately $300 per person, and would include two nights' lodging, around $80 worth of needlework supplies (see below), meals (Friday supper, Saturday all day, and Sunday's breakfast), doorprizes and other goodies, as well as some transportation (pick up and drop off at the airport, for example). The price would drop to about $240 if you wanted to room with another stitcher (which I think would be a great bargain!) You'd also have to get here -- the airlines that fly into Fargo right now are United and Northwest. Fargo is on the eastern border of North Dakota, about four hours north and west of Minneapolis.

We have a few great hotels in town, the one I'm thinking of (called, unfortunately, the "C'mon Inn") is brand new, with a nice pool and sauna, separated from everything else so you don't get that pool smell, five hot tubs interspersed among trees and tables/chairs, and a wonderful room for stitching, complete with a TV, a fireplace, sofas, comfy chairs, tables, a fridge, a sink...and lots of windows! The rooms are very nice, with some balconies over the whirlpool/tables area where you could also sit and stitch (this is all indoors).

Some other ideas I have:

• $80 or so worth of supplies/kits, which would depend on what interest was in the weekend. I'd need a theme -- Shepherd's Bush kits could be one, or a specific designer like Just Nan, Drawn Thread, Prairie Schooler, or reproduction samplers. You might be able to pick your projects, or you might just narrow them down for me, so what you get might be a surprise! • a popcorn/pajama party with the movie to be determined by the participants • I'd set up shop for the weekend at the hotel, so participants could have fun acquiring some new stash. The Nordic Needle is also located in Fargo, so there's another reason to come! • show and tell of needlework gadgets and current or finished projects • meals catered in to save stitching time • every two hours or so, half of the participants would have to switch places so they could get to know some other stitchers • a Saturday trip to the Street Fair downtown for those interested, around lunch time (picture hot buttered popcorn, cheesecake, gyros, fresh squeezed lemonade, tacos, chili dogs, Chinese food, you name it, for lunch -- those attending would get an allowance to spend for lunch or goodies!) The street fair is BLOCKS and BLOCKS of pottery, watercolor paintings, beeswax/handmade candles, homemade candy, caligraphy, jewelry, stained glass, and more! A show and tell would be appropriate Saturday afternoon for those who brought back goodies from the Street Fair! • a fiber/needlework gift exchange -- each participant would bring one small needlework item (chart, fiber, something small to pack in the suitcase, wrapped.) Then we'd all swap gifts based on drawing numbers, or something like that... • doorprizes and giveaways • everyone would go home with a directory of those who attended so you could all keep in touch • I would probably limit the weekend to 30 or so participants

What I need to know from you: Does this sound like something you'd consider attending? If so, which designer or type of embroidery would you like to focus on? Remember, it wouldn't be a class per se, although everyone is there to help everyone else. You would be getting projects you selected (either specifically or a by a narrowed down list). What other ideas do you have for a get together? Maybe you don't want to wait, and want to come earlier? Ha! I'd love to organize a weekend getaway, so let me know, either way, what you think. The above ideas are subject to improvements/changes :) I figure after I handled all of registration for our EGA Regional Seminar (culminating in the seminar this May), I could probably handle 30 of you ;)

I hope you have a truly wonderful July. I am reminded every Independence Day of how proud I am to live in this wonderful country. Eat some watermelon for me, and try to stay cool.

© 2007 Theresa Venette. Articles on this site may be reproduced in needlework group newsletters or other handouts with permission of author and proper attribution. Send questions, comments and suggestions to: xspeddler@yahoo.com