This past weekend I attended Charlotte Lyon's House Wren Studio Session to learn how to make a felt cottage. Pam and Amy picked me up, and we headed to Tarrytown, New York for a wonderful weekend.
We meet Charlotte for a quick drink the night before class (before having dinner at The Red Hat, it was delicious!) and I immediately remembered why I like her so much. She is so warm, funny and down to earth. She is a joy to be around.
We headed to the class the next morning and walked into the room with tables set up with vintage pie tins filled with treats from the sponsors and Charlotte herself at every seat (mine even had a tiny bride and groom in it since I was recently married) . There were tables piled high with felts and tables covered with baskets of trims, fabric and lace tumbling out of them, and a sweet vignette of her own felt cottages lined the centers of the student tables. It looked wonderful.
Luckily, Charlotte is very patient and helped me sew the walls of my house (as I am a pre-beginner). It was so fun learning how to assemble the structures, and then decorate them. The day flew by, good friends, a fun course, great teacher, lunch was lovely (catered by Suzanne a friend of Charlotte) and next thing we new, night was falling.
After lots of goodbyes we headed out for dinner before heading back to our hotel to craft some more and reminisce about the wonderful day we had. Below is my felt cottage it still needs some work - it's a fixer-upper.
The next morning we got up and started to head home via Maplewood, NJ where friend and client Michele Bessey has her wonderfully sweet shop, Perch home. I had never been, and was delighted when I walked in. It was a dream...
See! (photo by Perch home.) I bought quite a few things!. She and her Find and Go Seek partner Sandra came with us for lunch at Indigo Smoke, which was great (we really ate very well the entire weekend!), and I loved getting to spend some time with Michele in person after knowing her for over 2 years via email! If you live anywhere near Maplewood, NJ, this shop is a must!
And then I came home, to my new husband - and spent a quite Sunday night with him... the perfect end to a wonderful weekend!
I love your wee little house...it reminds me of the very first little cottage I ever rented when I was working in a book shop in a small town. I lived many happy months in my cranberry cottage and it looked just like yours.
Kelly
Posted by: Kelly in Canada | October 27, 2009 at 08:44 PM
I would love to visit her shop. How far is it from NYC? I visit my family up there often and I would love to stop in on my way up or back if its convenient to do so.
My Casa Bella
Posted by: Arlene | October 29, 2009 at 07:49 PM
Fun times!
Carol
Posted by: Carol Ryan | October 30, 2009 at 08:12 AM
Can't wait to go to Perch Home!!
Posted by: cammy@freckledfarm | October 30, 2009 at 11:30 AM
It was so wonderful to hang with you Hope! Can't wait until you return.
michele
Posted by: Perch Home | November 19, 2009 at 07:43 PM