Rookery Ramblings

New Year

2012-01-04T13:42:00.000-08:00

Hello my dear readers! Christmas has almost come and gone (don't forget the twelve days of Christmas start on Christmas, so I won't be taking down my decorations until Epiphany comes this week), and I can hardly believe I haven't posted here since Thanksgiving. We were kept quite busy...here in the office speaking to our lovely fans & friends, opening many delightful Christmas cards you saw fit to bless us with, making toffee & other Christmas treats, collecting new mercury glass ornaments, and so much more.

Before we settle into the New Year, I had a few things I wanted to share with you!

{2012 Planner from Japan Available Here}

{2012 Wall Calendar Available Here}

Of course, a new planner and calendar are one of the many joys of a brand-new year before us. I just love the fresh start, don't you?

Speaking of new, we have made a few NEW changes to our aprons. I'm sure you'll agree that in this case, new means improved, thanks to our seamstress, Margarita. The detail work is just darling and sure to make these keepsakes.

{an embroidered 'TTF' for Tasha Tudor and Family, in the corner}

{a beautiful new tag that says handmade in America with washing instructions on back}

And did you see how pretty that fabric is for spring? It's from our A is for Annabelle collection (heading towards being sold-out).

But our new, NEW fabric from 1 is One is just as charming! Have you seen it?

{My three favorites. What are yours?}

But just because we are looking for new, doesn't mean we must disregard old favorites! Traditions are very much a beautiful part of our lives. Marjorie Tudor's collaboration with the Boston Children's Theatre on The Velveteen Rabbit is one such tradition. It was sold out (even with additional shows) this third year running, and will now be an annual Christmas tradition.

{Hannah Tudor, Jen's daughter and Tasha's great-granddaughter, with BCT The Velveteen Rabbit cast members}

We hope to hear from you this new year! We look forward to a successful, joyful, peaceful 2012, and invite you to join us.

Be well!

~Natalie

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T10:36:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

I was over at Tasha's house the other day with Winslow, who said, "I think the new roof looks rather cheerful." Winslow spent the end of summer and the beginning of fall adding new cedar shingles to his grandmother's house, a job that has taken him through summer's high ferns to autumn's bright foliage...and will continue for much longer as he makes his way around the whole house. He posted a stunning photo of the finished portion of the roof in his latest tea story on the website, too!

Beginning the project in August...still lots of green!

The new, finished portion of the roof is indeed looking rather cheerful against a blue November sky. You can clearly see the difference between the new shingles in the foreground and the old in the background.

There are many other cheerful things to be found in the late-November sunshine...

There is a threshold in Tasha's barn where the darkness meets the whiteness in a moment of intense sunlight. The light was so strong my camera couldn't quite handle the contrast! What an uplifting experience to walk from the dark, chilly side of the barn into the warm, bright side.

On the porch, I found the remnants of candle-dipping...a copper pot full of wax candle ends, to be melted and reused next year, and a box (made by Seth Tudor) filled with wax-tipped dipping sticks.

In the Pantry, beeswax candles lie in a shaker box lid, ready to be our companions for the quiet, cold nights of writing and reading.

There are a few beautiful yellow ware molds used for Thanksgiving cranberry sauce in the kitchen.The original recipe for the sauce is in Tasha Tudor's Cookbook. Jen Tudor shared some tips on making your cranberry sauce a special success this year. Here's what she had to say:

"The Tudor family makes Tasha's cranberry sauce each and every year, sometimes not just for holidays! It's tried and true and tradition. However, I couldn't resist sharing some of these flavorful "additions" that you might add to the basic recipe.

- Use half chopped rhubarb and half cranberries.

- Add 3/4 cup honey instead of 1 cup sugar, 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger and a cinnamon stick

- Add 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary while simmering and 1 tblsp. balsamic vinegar at the end.

- Use orange juice instead of water and add the grated zest of one orange.

Enjoy and from my family to yours, have a peaceful and thankful holiday."

(more of Jennifer's Recipes here on our website)

Thanks for sharing, Jen!

As you head into the holiday (I'm sure many of you are busy in the kitchen already!), remember to take a moment and truly be thankful. What gifts of blessed beauty are within reach of grateful hearts...take hold of them.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Natalie

Weekly Planner New from Japan

2011-11-15T08:16:00.000-08:00

These weekly and daily planners for 2012 are chock-full of wonderful Tasha charm! I can't wait to start using mine next year! A new calender and day planner are some of my favorite things about a new year, don't you agree?

Published in Japan, with some Japanese text, but mostly just plenty of room to write your appointments. Several full-page photos of Tasha (some you may not have seen before), and adorable illustrations on most pages reflect the seasons. In January, a kitten chases a ball of yarn! Two colored ribbon bookmarks will keep your place. You may wish to write in the days (Monday, Tuesday, etc.), though the weeks all start on Monday and the dates (1, 2, etc.) are printed for you. Sized 6.5 x 4.75 x .5 for the perfect purse or desk companion size.

We have a very limited number of these, so get yours before they sell out {and before it's 2012}!

Order Here!

Goat Milk Soaps

2011-10-31T12:35:00.000-07:00

Our brand-new, handmade in Vermont goat milk soaps are in stock and ready to ship! The goats were the runaway best seller and sold out right away (two batches already!) so those won't ship for another 4 weeks. And your rooster will be cream, instead of green (but coming soon in Peppermint scent!)

Have you seen the darling packaging? I think I'll need one of each (make that two of each--one of each to display and one to use. Actually, come to think of it, they'd make great gifts...)

{Daffodil in Lemongrass or Unscented}

{Goat in Lavender So popular they sold out- our third batch won't ship for 4 more weeks}

{Hummingbird in Lavender}

{Rooster in Unscented & Coming Soon in Peppermint...but your soap will be cream-colored instead of green}

We love supporting small Vermont businesses like our soap producers. They are so wonderful! The box wraps were printed in North Adams, MA, and the boxes were made in Greenfield, MA. Packed right here in Vermont! A product you can be pleased to support. And they're so pretty, too! At the Rookery we have one displayed in a beautiful blue willow soap dish. If you don't have an antique soap dish, or a pretty blue willow or lusterware saucer to use, perhaps pick one up from a local potter. Or try a reproduction yellow-ware soap dish, like this one from East Knoll Pottery:

Soap dish on left from East Knoll Pottery

No matter how you display them, they are beautiful, moisturizing, local, and so reminiscent of the wonderful things we love about Tasha: nature, animals, goats, sweet scents, and handmade gifts.

Enjoy!

~Natalie

Frost is on the Punkin'

2011-10-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

Newfane Heritage Festival 2011

A classic poem for this beautiful time of year....

WHEN the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,

And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,

And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;

O, it's then the time a feller is a-feelin' at his best,

With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,

As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere

When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here—

Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossoms on the trees,

And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;

But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze

Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days

Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock—

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,

And the raspin' of the tangled leaves as golden as the morn;

The stubble in the furries—kindo' lonesome-like, but still

A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;

The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;

The hosses in theyr stalls below—the clover overhead!—

O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps

Is poured around the cellar-floor in red and yaller heaps;

And your cider-makin's over, and your wimmern-folks is through

With theyr mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and sausage too!...

I don't know how to tell it—but ef such a thing could be

As the angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me—

I'd want to 'commodate 'em—all the whole-indurin' flock—

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock

~James Whitcomb Riley, American Poet, 1849-1916

Things are coming to a close for our busy foliage season and heading into the (dare I say it?) holiday season. Foliage did manage to be beautiful this year, despite its late appearance due to the wet weather. Coumbus Day weekend brought picture-perfect days of sunshine and warmth (80 degress in October in Vermont!) for the Newfane Heritage Festival. We loved seeing all of the wonderful folks who came out to support the talented handmade vendors and to stop by our booth. Even the Boston Children's Theatre Showchoir joined us again...

We love to see these talented young singers perform (and the large crowd does, too!). Thank you to Toby, Burgess, David, Austin, and all of the BCT Show Choir team & performers. Wonderful job!
Until next year, dear Newfane!

Fans & Friends

2011-09-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

It is such a pleasure for us to share Tasha Tudor with all of you. We love hearing from you, and we especially love it when you send us pictures! These are some of YOUR wonderful photos and moments inspired by Tasha!

Two dear fans were inspired by the Mary Jane's Farm magazine article, and the recent post on our well-loved wellies. Oh how I just love that they went right out and purchased their very own!

Christie, who blogs at Grammy's House blog, and lives a beautiful life in her Storybook Cottage, had to have the wellies in her trademark purple! She sent me photographs of her wellies matching her irises, hydrangeas, and violets. It was hard to choose just one!

Patti chose brown, like mine. I love the outline of red around the logo, and how she matched it with the red in this photograph. So pretty! And do I spy a chicken in the corner? Patti brought these wellies with her on one of our Secret Garden Tours this summer.

Floating Birthday Cakes! We just LOVE floating birthday cakes! Look at this special celebration that Nancy sent over:

Linnie at the Butt'ry and Book'ry blog completely refashioned an old laundry room in her home back into the Butt'ry (she even found an old potato bin built in!). Her restoration looks great, don't you think? There are so many wonderful pictures to peruse on her blog, here.

{That green is so "Tudor", Linnie!}

Michelle from England sent me this picture of adorable bags she made for her twin daughters for Easter. They are just darling!

{she used Tasha's A is for Annabelle fabric, still available here}

Reading Material:
"An Historical Lady" and her dear husband popped by the opening weekend of the brand new exhibit "Tea with Tasha" at the Tasha Tudor Museum. She shares the story on her blog! Click here to read and view the pictures on her wonderful, wonderful blog. {they were even featured in our local newspaper!}

Fan Elizabeth sent in this article she wrote about Tasha for the Rare Books Digest:

Treasures illustrated by Tasha Tudor

We were also mentioned on the pocket.change website's "Best of the Web" roundup. View it here.

Please continue to share pictures with us at fromtherookery (at) gmail (dot) com. I would love to make this a regular feature. It is so wonderful to be sharing inspiration!

Checking In After Irene

2011-08-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! So many of you have been so kind, wondering how all of us are doing after Irene devastated Vermont. From what I know, We are all safe & sound though many of our "crew" are stranded in towns cut off from roads. I am thankful and blessed to be safe. Everyone is checking in, and seems to be fine (though stranded). There has been much damage to our entire state infrastructure, and it will take quite some time before things are back to normal. It is so, so incredibly sad to be seeing the news of our beloved state completely ravaged. It has been breaking my heart, especially of our covered bridges being swallowed by the swollen rives. I don't think I've ever seen so many roads just disappear. It is overwhelming.

We would appreciate your prayers and thoughts for the coming weeks.

There is no power at the Rookery (and I can't get there anyhow), so our offices are closed until further notice. We WILL be checking emails.

Thank you all so much.

Why Twitter?

2011-08-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

Photo copyright Richard Brown, page 103 The Private World of Tasha Tudor

Tasha kept record of inspiring quotations, thoughts, occasions, and quick sketches to save for later. She marked the arrivals of spring, corgis, goat kids, grandchildren, and record temperatures. The wall is marked with favorite greenhouses, phone numbers, and birthdays. Firsts of every kind, from the first iced tea on the porch to the first snow of winter. Sounds rather like our Twitter posts!

Over the past several months, some of you may have noticed the Twitter sidebar with short little comments over on the right-hand side of the blog. Twitter is one of those new-fangled "social media" websites that allows you 140 characters to type a "status" of sorts....a miniature blog post, a quotation, a link to a website, a link to a photo, or to leave a comment for someone else by using the @ sign. The message is then called a tweet.You can read more about what Twitter is and how it works here. It all seems rather computer-y and modern, and you may be thinking, "Tasha Tudor? Twitter? Wait a minute!"

Aside from being a great way to keep in touch with you for the smaller happenings at the Rookery (such as quotations from Winslow or comments from customers) that don't necessarily need a whole blog post, it's actually a rather Tasha Tudor-ish way to communicate. Remember all of those notes Tasha kept on the door frames and walls? I think she actually invented Twitter!

Twitter means the "chatter of birds" and I think Tasha would actually quite like that thought. The chatter of her friends, tweeting about the pretty little happenings in life....marking firsts, sharing quotations, noting arrivals. It rather sounds like fun, don't you think?

We like to think of the Rookery Ramblings twitter (@rookeryrambling) as the door frame notes that we can share with all of you. You don't need to be a member of Twitter to read our posts; you can see them on the right-hand side, or click through here to the full Twitter page to read the archives. But we'd love to have a bit more "chatter of the birds" to start a conversation on Twitter! If you are interested in following us on Twitter, here's a great resource to get you started. Then, you can interact with our posts, and post your own tidbits. We can't wait to see what you have to say in 140 characters!

Sweet Peas

2011-07-20T11:17:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, sweet peas. My favorite fragrant fairies of summer! Tasha loved sweet peas, of course. She is shown collecting a bouquet of them on the cover of Tasha Tudor's Garden, and she spills her sweet pea secrets on pages 123-124. Click here to order Tasha Tudor's Garden.

Keeping Woodenware in Prime Condition

2011-07-18T12:04:00.000-07:00

So many of the good things in life take some extra care. A garden, a special meal, tea time...they all take a bit of extra time and attention out of your day. But if you do them, and do them with a bit of extra love as well, you will be greatly rewarded. The same goes for woodenware--it is a workhorse in the kitchen, constantly at the ready to do battle with thick stews, or to carefully coax beaten egg whites into a batter. But if we take a bit of extra time to take extra care with the woodenware, it shines so beautifully! A well-oiled, well-seasoned wooden spoon feels so nice in the hand, and keeping your woodenware in prime condition will help it last for decades.

Tools for the job: A food-safe wood oil, a Scotch Brite heavy duty scour pad {or wet/dry sandpaper}, two soft rags, a shady spot outside under the tree, and some time.

Step One: Wash the woodenware thoroughly, scrubbing with a heavy-duty Scotch Brite pad, or a piece of wet/dry sandpaper. But do not let it soak, and do not use bleach. Be kind!

Step Two: Let the woodenware dry thoroughly.

Step Three: Pour a small amount of oil onto the soft cloth, and buff the oil into the woodenware. Use a bit of elbow grease! Let it sit for approximately 10 minutes. Then, using another clean rag, wipe off any excess oil. Your woodenware should gleam now!

Most of my woodenware collection is what we sell on the website. I just love it! Have you tried our woodenware? It's made by a small family producer, Whetstone Woodenware, and they do such a beautiful job. All of their tools are really useful, feel well in the hand, and are made of sturdy maple grown within miles of their workshop.

Browse our woodenware collection by clicking here!

Secret Garden Tours

2011-07-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

We had lovely weather this year for our June Secret Gardens of Tasha Tudor and Family Tours. We welcome this weekend each year with great anticipation, looking forward to new friends, old friends, invigorating conversation, and delicious Stillwater Punch from Tasha's cookbook. Everyone gathers from afar, bringing with them the stories that drew them to Tasha. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the weekend...

Ellie Tudor lead the way in Amy & Winslow's garden, showing her name tag (she begged for one when everyone else was wearing one!) and demonstrating watering with Great Granny Tasha's favorite style watering can.

Ellie also wanted to help her "Nana", Marjorie, on the Marjorie's marionette stage!

A stop at Seth Tudor's outdoor woodworking area provided little guest Konatsu the perfect opportunity to pick a dandelion for her mom!

Seth Tudor showed the candle-making display in Tasha Tudor's barn. Everyone enjoyed the brand-new tour of a portion of Tasha's home and barn this year. It was truly a special treat--the first time we've ever opened Tasha's home!

After quite a bit of walking through the family paths through the woods, our guests were treated to a lovely spread from Tasha's cookbook! I look forward to this spread all year! Notice the cookbook in the Seth Tudor art stand in the middle of the table? A bit of Stillwater Punch happened to find its way across the page! Of course we only send out the most beautiful copies for orders, so we'll be giving this otherwise perfect copy away in a future giveaway. Stay tuned for more details!

We hope you'll join us in 2012~ !

Rhubarb Pie

2011-06-28T07:09:00.000-07:00

I noticed the farmer's market this weekend still had rhubarb available, and an overabundance of beautiful strawberries. They were just calling to me!

Tasha Tudor was quite fond of her rhubarb plants, being sure to scoop them up and transport them from garden to garden. There are several plants in the gardens today. According to Winslow, she preferred the tender, young stalks for pies, and made hers open-crusted and quite unlike anything Winslow has tasted since. In fact, he stated with much conviction that it was the only rhubarb pie he ever liked. Unfortunately, he told me this after my pie was already made. Not to mention, that's quite a standard to live up to! I decided I'd better eat my entire pie myself and not let him judge it against Tasha's! Most especially since it was double-crusted, included strawberries, and {horror of horrors} was in a foil pie plate. Both of my beloved pie plates were left at friends' homes, so a dig to the very back of the cupboards revealed a foil tin that would simply have to do.

{this is our Early American Sauce Spoon. I love mine!}

And after an egg wash, a sprinkle of sugar, and a good bake in the oven...

And then it was gone in a day and a breakfast.

{because everyone knows cold rhubarb pie is the best for breakfast}

Receipt from Organic and Chic, with King Arthur Flour's Gluten-Free flour crust receipt. If you are looking for a gluten-free pie crust recipe, I highly recommend this one. It rolled beautifully, and was even flaky after baking!

Things We Like: Hunter Wellies

2011-06-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

{Tasha Tudor's Wellies}

We have finally encountered a day of sunshine here in Vermont! Like many of you, we've been swinging from 90-degree weather to 50-degree weather, complete with April or October-like deluges. Our trusty wellies have been given an unseasonable workout!

{Welly owners left to right: Josie, Ellie, Sophie, Jenna, Amy, Natalie, Christina, Tasha}

We all love our wellies here, from tiny baby Josie's first pair, to Tasha Tudor's cracked and worn pair. The majority of ours are Hunter Wellies. The company has been making fine wellies since 1856, and even the Queen approves. We bet her corgis love running alongside hers as well!

We're hoping they'll get to dry out a little bit soon. If you're inside from the rain, you can shop Hunter wellies here. They come in so many colors...Christie over at Grammy's House blog got a pair in Orchid after asking me what kind mine were. You can see hers here, in her sweet post.

In the meantime, things are drying out for a bit today between rainstorms, and we've got gardening to do!

First Tea on the Porch

2011-06-09T08:11:00.000-07:00

{Seth Tudor carries the picnic basket to the tea table on the back porch for the first tea of the year on June 7, 2011. Update 6/15: This basket belongs to Marjorie Tudor and is one of her favorites due to the beautifully carved handle.)

Tuesday brought our first official afternoon tea (lemonade) on Granny's porch! We were all so excited! This tradition is full of happy memories, and this occasion was no exception. Marjorie brought out our favorite picnic basket and juiced all of the lemons, Amy and Ellie picked some mint, and Seth carried the basket of goodies through the garden to the porch.

{a jar of simple syrup waits to be stirred into the lemonade}

{Ellie plays in Tasha's garden while we set up tea}

The spread looked so delicious that little Ellie could hardly wait...

{so adorable!}

We made Tasha's receipts for blueberry muffins (adapted to be gluten-free) and homemade lemonade. Both recipes are in Tasha Tudor's Cookbook, available here. The tempting combination of cinnamon, sugar, and blueberries made Seth proclaim, "These are very good!" Of course, I told him it was his mother's receipt :-)

As usual, tea time is a time to share the stories of the day....the triumphs and foibles. Conversation centered on the new trellis Seth built to replace the old one on the middle terrace, and how poor Marjorie had stubbed her toe in the garden.

Winslow took in the conversation while eating two (three?) muffins. "If they're there for the eating..." he said when I handed him the second or third. Indeed, they were. And we all looked out over the garden, content and reluctant to leave, as the 4 o'clock sun decided it might offer us a bit of shade for the rest of the afternoon.

Projects and a Call for Pictures!

2011-06-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

We've been sewing up a few little things here with the A is for Annabelle fabric...

This re-usable snack bag will be perfect for Ellie's crackers (or my ginger snaps!)...use it a few times, then throw it in the wash inside out. Can't you see this tucked into your daughter or granddaughter's lunch box? I made Amy one when Ellie was little, and she kept it handy in the diaper bag with a few extra pacifiers. These are one of my favorite little projects because they are quick, useful, and pretty. And no more wasting a handful of plastic baggies each day at lunchtime!

Now, I know all of our fans and friends are much better sewers than I am, so we want to see your projects made with the A is for Annabelle fabric! Did you complete the Quilt Kit? Are you working on sewing up a summer romper or did you make an Easter dress for a dear little girl? A crib sheet set for a new little one? Curtains for your crafting room? A few little snack bags to make the workday happier?

Send your photos to us at fromtherookery (at) gmail (dot) com. We'll round them up and do a post with your Tasha-inspired projects. Be sure to include your first name and a story about your project.

Easy Entertainment

2011-06-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

{Sophia, Elizabeth, and Amy; May 2011}

How to keep two little girls entertained on a garden tour? Let them hide and giggle under a tablecloth to their hearts' content.

A Child's Eyes

2011-06-01T06:27:00.000-07:00

{Sophia in Tasha Tudor's garden, May 2011}

The wonder of a child is a great blessing to behold. Dandelions may not be much compared to the glory that is Tasha's garden. But to Sophia, and to those of us who are lucky enough to witness her discovery, dandelions are a special gift, a precious bouquet to be carried with awe. I think this is one of the most universally appealing aspects of Tasha Tudor's work: she brought us all these little moments in life. She captured them and gifted them to us with trademark charm, delicacy, and delight. Tasha knew how to see with a child's eyes.

Springtime in Paris

2011-05-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

Tasha Tudor and Family is very grateful for gardener Jenna! Grateful enough that they sent her to enjoy springtime in Paris! Well, Springtime in Paris in Philadelphia: the 2011 Philadelphia Flower Show in March! This is one of the foremost flower shows, one that is mind-boggling in it's scale. They recreated just about every aspect of Paris in flowers: the flower markets, the underground, the cafes, the couture.

Jenna came back full of awe for the spectacular show. As she says, "We were there 3 days, at the show for 9 hours straight on Friday. The show was a block and a half long with the theme 'Spring in Paris'. Everything smelled amazing. There was still 4 feet of snow in Vermont."

All photos copyright and courtesy of Kevin Burke

I think her last sentence says it all : There was still 4 feet of snow in Vermont! What a treat in March! Can't you almost smell it? I'm certain that Jenna returned with renewed vigor and excitement for Tasha's garden. Now that the 4 feet of snow are gone, the hard work has begun!

Garden Update

2011-05-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

{Winslow weeding on the upper terrace, where Marjorie planted lots of pansies}

There has been so much wonderful work done in the garden lately! The gourd and sweet pea trellises have been built and installed by Winslow, the pansies have been planted in abundance by Marjorie, the weeding has been done with diligence by Jenna. How exciting!

{the rest of the pansies waiting on Tasha's porch}

And the bulbs look amazing! Tasha's garden has over 100 different varieties of narcissus and crocus...a veritable seed catalogue on the terraces and under the crabapple trees! The upper terraces feature many rows of the small tete a tete, one of my favorites. Here are just a few:

Christina, our shipper/packer, said the other day, "I only have a few paltry crocuses...but Spring really comes to Tasha's garden!" and she's right. Tasha's garden really comes alive in Spring.

{Jenna takes a break from gardening early in the season to say hello to Annie}

It's so exciting to see all of the life coming to Tasha's garden, both the joy of the gardeners happily working and the joy of the flowers bursting forth. As Tasha quoted in A Time to Keep:

"Welcome be thou
faire, fresshe May."
~Geoffrey Chaucer

Welcome, indeed! Has Spring come to your garden? What's blooming now where you live? We'd love to hear!

Cottage Gardening

2011-05-04T06:16:00.000-07:00

We have a (very) few spots left for our Cottage Gardening with the Tudor Family event in early June! The cuteness of these tickets alone makes you want to attend, right? If not, how about this:

{Ellie in Tasha's garden, June 2010}

Ellie wants you to come play in the garden with us! We'll spend the entire day on the Tudor Family property, working in Tasha's garden, touring Marjorie Tudor's and Winslow and Amy Tudor's gardens, eating delicious things, laughing, enjoying....come live the Tudor lifestyle for a day. Click here for more information.

Red Efts

2011-05-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

Red Efts are a familiar site in New England in muddy, soggy spring, but the first glance of one brings excitement indeed! I tweeted (more on twitter soon) two weeks ago that the Red Efts were crossing, as they make the journey from the muddy woods to the ponds. The Tudor family has long known this is a sure sign of spring, one of nature's many clues to us that winter will soon be banished for a few months of glorious Vermont summer.

So familiar, indeed, that Tasha included a watercolor of two boys discovering these creatures in Springs of Joy. {Check our Rare Book Shelf if you don't already own this wonderful Tudor volume. It's one of my personal favorites, and we have a few copies in stock.} This illustration is so characteristic of Tasha's work: old-fashioned children filled with an old-fashioned curiosity and excitement over nature. I'm sure Tasha was illustrating from her own life: her two sons or her two grandsons! Even little Elizabeth Tudor loves to wear her "puddle boots" to jump in puddles and loves to "smell the flowers."

{Ellie showing Natalie "How to smell the flowers" in Granny Tasha's greenhouse, April 2011}

Extra Thanks, Long Overdue

2011-05-01T16:03:00.000-07:00

{A bouquet of flowers from Tasha's garden after my Thesis Reading}

This post is so incredibly overdue, but still worth being posted, because I want everyone to know what a wonderful family we have here at Tasha Tudor & Family, even if we're not all technically family. I am so blessed to be a part of at what we do and who we are here at TT&F.

You may remember this post awhile back about our office hours changing because I was working towards my Master's in Creative Writing at Dartmouth College. Tasha Tudor and Family was so incredibly supportive (in so many ways) of my degree. I graduated in June 2010, and am so excited to be able to support them now, putting the degree to use with the Mary Jane's Farm article. And hopefully many more!

{Some Tasha-inspired fun decorations}

Of course we had a party last summer to celebrate. Have we ever mentioned how much we love parties?

{Sophia LOVES opening mail....even when it's her card to Natalie!}

All my thanks to Amy, Winslow, Seth and Marjorie Tudor for their support during my time at Dartmouth. I absolutely couldn't have done it without their flexibility and support (and their putting up with my poetic brain and my thesis printing panic! I had pages of my thesis all over the Rookery letting the ink dry!). Writing about our beloved Tasha is the least I can do to thank them.

Late-Spring Snow

2011-04-27T07:05:00.001-07:00

'Twas the Night Before Easter and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse

The Easter eggs were hung on the willow tree with care,

In hopes that the Easter Bunny soon would be there....

There was a snowstorm on Saturday, the day before Easter. It was beautiful, to be sure.Was it welcome? Well.....you see, there's just so much work to be done in the garden....and so many daffodils to bloom...and....

Instead of bemoaning the snowstorm right before Easter, Marjorie and I snuggled up in her cozy house, woodstove cranking. I hurried inside, leaving my wellies at the door, and she immediately plopped me in a cozy loveseat and covered me with a quilt. I snuggled with Ellie's favorite two stuffed corgis that she left at "Nana's" house (more on those later). Peppermint tea was brought to me in a beautiful mug, and Marjorie showed me her latest creations...two lovely doll heads/faces, while I happily sipped tea and 'ooooo-ed and ahhhh-ed.'

{click the photo to make it larger}

There's just something special about Tudor family homes in the evening. They fill my heart to overflowing with a sense of home and comforting familiarity. They envelop you in a hug. No matter how long you've been gone, the down pillows on the couch will cradle you like they've missed you ever so much. The dogs lay at your feet, as if they are helping to ease the burden of your day, that they, too, are commiserating the harsh blow of a late-April storm.

New Order Surprise

2011-04-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

We have a little surprise for you on your next order. Some of you probably received this pretty little thing with your Easter egg orders: our new mailing label. Don't worry, they will still be hand-addressed, but made even more charming with a twig border and parchment background. We're so excited about it! Let us know what you think when you receive your next package!

Decorated Easter Eggs

2011-04-05T14:11:00.000-07:00

{detail of Easter egg Dresden trim}

We've been busy-busy bunnies here at the Rookery working on our special, handmade Easter eggs that will be going on sale this week (tomorrow, we hope!). We use blown goose, duck, and quail eggs just like Tasha did; Victorian paper scraps decoupaged just like Tasha used; gold Dresden trims from Germany, just like Tasha used; the tiniest velvet ribbons and gold trims....just like Tasha did! We top each unique egg with a ribbon topper and a tassel for hanging (or, on the quail eggs, as Sophie loves to say, "tiny bows"), but not before giving each egg one final, glossy coat! These go quickly each year, so be on the lookout in the Kitchen & Home section of our website before they all hop off to new homes!

4/5/11 Update: Eggs are available NOW! Click here to Order.

Special Friends

2011-03-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

I received the most lovely little package in the mail from a special fan and friend in Estonia! Can you imagine? Tasha fans in Estonia! We love it!

{This map from Wikipedia shows Estonia in dark green in relation to the rest of Europe}

Epp Maria is an artist and proprietor of a wonderful little cafe/art gallery/cake gallery. She sent me this lovely package:

I'm quite enamored by the stamps.
But it only got lovelier inside!

The card featured her artwork of this regal woman and swans...and she included a datebook featuring her artwork (and three different languages!).

Ooooo...I think I spy a ballerina riding a corgi!

{All artwork copyright Epp Maria}

Thank you so much for such a lovely gift, Epp Maria, and for letting me share it! It makes me feel so grateful to be able to share Tasha's work and inspiration with friends all around the world.

Polka Dot Slush

2011-03-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

There is always something in nature to surprise us. Imagine my surprise when I looked out the window on a rainy/sleety/slushy/snowy/muddy Wednesday and found this cheerfully polka-dotted slush covering the driveway! I simply had to pull on my wellies (see, we weren't kidding in Mary Jane's Farm when we said our wellies are always at the ready, especially this time of year) and run outside to snap a picture. I'm sure there's a great, meteorological reason for the polka dots, but I'd rather just marvel in the blessing.

It was the perfect day to write a few letters on Tasha Tudor's "Springtime" writing paper. I truly love this paper...it is so charmingly detailed and happy. My pen (this one a previous gift from Jenna, our gardener, who knows I love to write letters) just writes so wonderfully across it's finely textured surface. Opposite my "Writer's Bio" in MaryJane's Farm this month, MaryJane talks about penmanship and the hand-written letter. As many of you know, Tasha enjoyed writing letters and wrote to countless fans and friends over the years. If you have a copy of a letter Tasha has sent you (or many, as the case may be), we'd love to see copies for the Tasha Tudor Museum's burgeoning collection.

And you know me, I couldn't resist baking some gluten-free scones on a rainy/sleety/slushy/snowy/muddy day. A treat is just required, it seems, with extra tea. It's the time of year where it's so back and forth weather-wise, that we need to fortify our spirits a bit. Spring will come, a day at a time...Friday was nearly 60 degrees! Pretty soon we will be marking the first iced tea on the porch, but until then...scones and hot tea to get us through.

Mary Jane's Farm and Tasha Tudor!

2011-03-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

We're very excited that the April/May (brand-new!) issue of Mary Jane's Farm features an article written by me, Natalie, on Tasha and the Tudor Family!

{L-R: Sophia, Christina's daughter; Natalie; Christina; Amy; Jenna...This photo is included in the article, but it's small! Even so, we've been getting a lot of requests for pinafore patterns, which we do hope to have available in the not-so-distant future)

I think you'll enjoy not only this article, but this magazine if you aren't familiar with it. Based out in Oregon, it's an organic lifestyle/women's farm-style magazine. What a perfect "sister" for Tasha Tudor and Family, Inc.! Since this issue is their "Sister Act" issue, we focused on the sisterhood of "the girls" on the farm...me, Christina, Amy, Jenna and everyone else (including the littlest girls, Elizabeth, Sophia, and Josie!). We have so much fun!

{I don't want to give away the whole 3-page article, so here's a sneak peek of Tasha, "a beloved American icon," on the Contents page}

"On the heels of mud season, we begin to make a garden. We dig shovels into still soggy land. We break ground together. If breaking ground together is nourishing, so then, is breaking ground to plant seeds...." ~get your own copy here to read more

We've heard from many of you (new friends and longtime fans) who saw the article in the magazine, but if you haven't seen it yet, you can order it here for your collection!

New Rare Books on Our Shelves

2011-03-10T06:50:00.000-08:00

Every few months, we fill up our Rare Book Shelves with beautiful copies of Tasha's rare and out-of-print books. This is the perfect time to fill in your collection!

Of interest this time around: English Cottage Gardening, a primer on the style, complete with an introduction to Tasha's garden (and did we mention the simple diagram of the layout of Tasha's house?). This book is often overlooked by collectors. Be sure to snap up your copy!

And Springs of Joy, one of my favorite Tasha Tudor books. The illustrations are so delicate and classically Tasha-Tudor...young girls sketching, young boys playing with corgis in the woods...all combined with poetry and quotations selected to bring the Springs of Joy to one's heart. A perfect gift-book for any occasion!

{We keep our dust jacket covers in this antique wrapping paper holder...don't you just love it?}

Getting our rare books ready for their new homes is a labor of love. We carefully select, describe, clean, and cover each book that comes our way. The books come to you straight from us in Vermont, with the new clear dust jacket cover embossed with our special "Tudor Rose." Aren't special touches so nice in this increasingly internet-saturated, special-touch-devoid world?

From a rainy, very gray Vermont,
Natalie

Things We Like: Traditional Medicinals Tea

2011-03-03T07:03:00.000-08:00

Introducing a new series for the blog: Things We Like! We're starting off with an appropriate "thing we like" today, as a cold is sweeping it's way through the office...Traditional Medicinals Teas.

{One of Rosemary's books, which includes the story of how she met Tasha, is available on our website here...hurry, only a few copies left!}

You may not know that Tasha's good friend, herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, was a co-founder of the Traditional Medicinals tea company and did all of the original formulations for the fledgling company. While the company has grown exponentially since then, their products and mission remain the same: pharmacopoeial quality herbs backed by tasty formulations founded on the basis of traditional herbal medicine.

While we certainly don't guarantee any medicinal qualities from the teas, nor do we endorse them or offer this as medical advice, we do love their teas! Across-the-board favorites include Throat Coat teas for sore throats and Gypsy Cold Care for soothing colds.

One of my personal favorites is Chamomile Lavender, which is a traditional combination known to soothe tension, stress, and nervous stomachs. It's a "treat tea" for me; somehow, it seems special to drink lavender in tea. I'm drinking some right now!

Of course, Tasha preferred to use her own herbs for teas. If you'd like to learn how to make your own teas from the herb circle in your garden, check out our booklet, 15 Herbs for Tea, available here on our website. In the meantime, I've got a good stock of Traditional Medicinals to ride out the rest of winter.

A is for Annabelle Fabric

2011-03-01T07:07:00.000-08:00

Our new A is for Annabelle fabric has been unveiled on Facebook, and orders have shipped. Oh friends, it is just so beautiful! We've received such a wonderful response to this new endeavor...it seems you agree that is is beautiful! Many of you noted it was, "worth the wait" for the pre-orders, but all fabric is in stock and ready to ship NOW for your spring projects!!! Click here to view the entire line and place your order.

Remember, when you order from us, we give you the special touches you don't get anywhere...generously cut and wrapped in pretty ribbon with our logo/care suggestsions card by Jenna; well-packaged in pretty tissue by Christina, sent out with a handwritten label by me~ it's like opening a present to yourself! And indeed it is...a present of new fabric and quilting inspiration... A present that opens doors for gift-projects and to making your own home more beautiful.

{the A-M and N-Z panels}

We've got plenty of ideas, and we're hoping some of them will make it to this blog soon...aprons, tea cozies, pillowcases, carry sacks, snack bags, bonnets, pinafores, children's dresses, doll dresses, curtains (for Ellie's room?), pillows, and of course...quilts! We have a few kits in stock too (though I am afraid we are still waiting on the backordered Tea Topper kits). The A is for Annabelle kit has been very popular... as I'm sure, will this new project below...

{images from The Quilter Magazine, design by Wendy Sheppard}

And, here's a sneak-peek at the newest Spring issue of The Quilter magazine, which features a Tasha Tudor A is for Annabelle fabric Ring of Roses project! You can order your copy from us by clicking here!

Sweets for Your Sweets

2011-02-24T10:09:00.000-08:00

Sunday afternoons...ahh, Sunday afternoons. There are some things that can only be accomplished in the empty space that is Sunday afternoon. Perhaps, for instance, handmade truffles for those you love?

{key lime truffles rolled and ready to be dipped in chocolate}

Yes, these truffles are labor-intensive and require the space of a whole afternoon to make a few kinds (one batch can be accomplished in a shorter amount of time). But that's what makes them such a special, handmade-with-love gift idea. Tasha often quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson, "The only gift is a portion of thyself." Giving must be of oneself...one's talents, time, and love...especially for Valentine's Day!

I made two kinds: Key Lime Truffles coated in chocolate, and Grand Marnier Truffles coated in cocoa with candied ginger on top. Together, the two textures look great in the little wooden box. And no, I didn't reuse little candy cups from previous chocolates (hehe), you can buy them here, or at your local kitchen store like I did (we like to support local businesses!).

{illustration copyrighted from Tasha Tudor's out-of-print book, All for Love. Click here to check for it on our just-updated Rare Book Shelves!}

Guaranteed to get you lots of Love and Kisses from those lucky enough to receive some of your delicious truffles!

Valentine's Day Party

2011-02-22T09:41:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that Tasha loved Valentine's Day, as do all of us here at Tasha Tudor and Family. But this particular year happened to be a "Secret Cupid" party! We drew names and each made or purchased a little present for our secret cupid. Kathleen, shepherdess extraordinaire, received a "Beautiful Sheep" book; Marjorie received a handmade birchbark paintbrush holder; and Amy looked lovely wearing the handmade earrings from her secret cupid! I have already written a few notes on the vintage-inspired stationary I received! (My secret cupid had a sharp eye...I write lots of letters!)

Fabric isnt just for sewing...we used plenty of our new fabric for decorating, tucking it behind Pink Luster and around the cupcake stand. {above: pink toile, pink stripe and blue toile} I also spy some Rhubarb & Custard lollipops in a little white jar!

Doves and cardinals were tucked here and there...

Those pink cupcake wrappers and the culinary lavender I mentioned earlier?

This cupcake stand holds some rose-and-lavender cupcakes that were quite delectable! Just a perfect little romantic treat. To your cupcake recipe (perhaps Tasha's White Cake Receipt from the Tasha Tudor Cookbook?), just add a splash of rosewater and a small amount of well-crushed culinary lavender (be sure it's an edible, non-sprayed kind!).

A friend made heart-shaped candy lollipops, pink Ginger Ale was the drink of choice, and Kathleen made a chocolate mocha cake. Kathleen also made the heart-shaped cookies for the Tasha Tudor Museum's Valentine event, and happened to be a few left for our own enjoyment. Accented, of course, by some of Tasha's lovely china that we keep and use at the Rookery.

We hope you enjoyed the day with your loved ones! All of my thanks to Jenna, Kathleen, Majorie, Amy, and everyone who made this party so lovely.

Teacup C Has a New Home

2011-02-17T10:15:00.000-08:00

{photo above from Indigo Pears}

Teacup winner Lila from our December Giveaway did a lovely blog post of the pink luster teacup she won! We thought you might enjoy reading her excitement (she "LOVES" it!) and seeing her lovely pictures.

Click Here to Read More!

Yogurt Streusel Coffee Cake

2011-02-02T16:36:00.000-08:00

Jen Tudor has done it again. Ruined my waistline with this recipe.

I'll just go snowshoeing again on top of the 20 new inches of snow we're getting as I type this...I have a feeling I will have to snowshoe very far to work off all of this coffee cake I'm eating.

But...wait. I just re-read Jen's introduction to the recipe. I see the word 'healthy'! Never mind that I also see the words 'little' and 'bit.' I'm hanging on to that 'healthy.'

This delectable treat is so pretty, too. Just the thing for a few cups of tea in front of the fireplace on a snow-day like today. I replaced the vanilla yogurt in Jen's Receipt with raspberry yogurt and swirled some jam in the batter.

Then I couldn't resist a rose-colored glaze. Warm up the kitchen and wipe away the winter blues. Replace them with pink...can anyone tell I'm ready for Valentine's Day? I'm bursting with Valentine's ideas...

{something involving pink cupcake liners}

{and culinary lavender from a dear friend and fan}

Oh dear, I see exactly where this is heading. More snowshoeing...

If it's storming outside, bake up a storm inside,
Natalie

Snow Day

2011-01-12T12:28:00.000-08:00

Our second major snowstorm of the year is in full force upon us... we are buried under 20 inches of snow and counting! I am relishing the day with hot chocolate, sewing, and planning our Valentine's Day festivities.

{Elizabeth and her Nana}

Elizabeth and Marjorie think it's a great day to curl up and read a book...Private World of Tasha Tudor and a cup of tea or hot chocolate today, anyone?

{Tasha's Hot Chocolate, sugar cookies, and a gold-rimmed teacup}

Today I made a pot of Tasha Tudor's Hot Chocolate from the Tasha Tudor Cookbook, and I must say, it was quite the revelation. I've made hot chocolate from "scratch" before (cocoa, sugar, salt, hot water or milk), but this is the old-fashioned way. Real chocolate and a double boiler transform this into something so luxurious it's hard to describe. The unsweetened chocolate lends a bittersweet taste that is well suited to a few sugar cookies.

Tasha's Hot Chocolate from The Tasha Tudor Cookbook
with Natalie's notes in parentheses

3 cups milk
2 squares Baker's unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup sugar
a few grains salt
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream

In a saucepan, scald the milk. Over hot water, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Stir in the sugar and salt, add the cup of boiling water very gradually (very gradually!), and stir until smooth. Then boil for 5 minutes (stir often so the chocolate does not burn). Add this mixture to the scalded milk and beat it with a whisk until foamy (by the time I got around to taking pictures, my hot chocolate had lost it's foam). Stir in the vanilla and serve in a pretty chocolate pot that you have warmed with boiling water. Whip the cream and spoon a bit on top of the chocolate as you serve each cup (I didn't have any whipping cream, sadly). Makes six 6-ounce servings. (You can also halve this recipe easily.)

{oh, there's always room for a few extra cookies while reading}

Tasha loved many of the classics, and of course, illustrated them as well (browse our rare books). I pulled an old favorite off the shelf today...ahh, the luxury to read and sip hot chocolate (in between dozing off!).
Oh right, and those Valentine's Day plans are calling to me...

Stay safe, stay warm, stay healthy,
Natalie

Teacup Giveaway Winners!

2010-12-23T11:14:00.000-08:00

Our warmest thank-yous to all of the beautiful, touching, wonderful entries in our contest! It was such an outpouring of excitement and Christmastime spirit to read through all of the comments. There is no way we could choose winners on our own, so we hosted a completely random drawing. Our six winners have been randomly chosen this morning from all 655 entries (including phone and email entries)!

Our biggest congratulations to the following fans who won:

Teacup A: Lauree French, whose granddaughter Annabelle's birthday was yesterday! (Happy Birthday, Annabelle!)

Teacup B: LilieM (submitted as an anonymous), whose birthday is TODAY! (Happy Birthday!)

Teacup C: Lila

Teacup D: Diane Shepherd Johnson from Corgyncombe Courant

Teacup E: Shirley Kallevig

Teacup F: Linda Grant

If you haven't heard from us already, please contact us! We want to ship your teacups out as soon as possible. Though I must admit, I will be rather sad to send them off to their loving new homes because they looked so pretty decorating my office!

Thank you again for entering, and may you and yours enjoy a cup of tea this Christmastime.

From Cold Vermont,

Natalie

December Giveaway

2010-12-09T17:20:00.000-08:00

{First Snow: November 27, 2010}

Oh, gifts to be finished, goodies to be baked, decorations to pull out, family to visit with...

Amidst the business of the season, one needs a quiet moment. A moment of reflection, to ponder the true meaning of the season, to reflect on the simple gifts. To see the beauty of the snow falling outside, the quiet purr of the animals at our feet, the warmth from the woodstove, all filling our souls with goodness.

Tasha knew how to relax. With her single, unique pink luster tea cup, she would take that quiet moment. Every day, always, a moment. But especially now, as the snow lays a quiet blanket over our ambitions for awhile and takes us indoors, we hold all of our memories and blessings close.

(Click on the picture to make it larger and see the designs!)

Now is your chance to win your very own special, single antique pink luster tea cup! We've collected a few special pieces and are giving them away this month. Six winners will win one cup each! A perfect way to enjoy your Tasha Tudor Welsh Breakfast Tea. Enjoy a cup and learn more about Pink Lusterware, one of Tasha's favorites, here.

How to Enter: Leave a comment on the blog with your email address (so we can contact you!!) and the letter of your favorite cup (though we can't guarantee it). One entry per person, please, open to US and Canadian residents. We are also accepting phone or email entries for those who don't have access to the blog. Just drop us a line or leave a message saying you'd like to be entered! Deadline for entries is midnight on December 22, 2010.

Spread the word, re-blog, and tell your friends!

Newfane Heritage Festival

2010-12-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

{You can tell I love the Newfane Heritage Festival!}

One of our favorite events every year is the Newfane Heritage Festival in Newfane, Vermont. This year's event did not disappoint. Though cold, the weekend was pleasantly sunny and held a few wonderful treats.

{the Boston Children's Theatre Show Choir}

Marjorie Tudor worked with the Boston Children's Theatre Show Choir, a non-profit entity, to bring the greater Boston area's talented young singers and their show tunes to the Newfane Town Green.

The crowd loved the performance! Marjorie's connections with the Boston Children's Theatre and the Boston Children's Theatre Show Choir continues to thrive. It's so exciting...more news to come on this Christmas season's performances.

It was such a beautiful fall weekend. Columbus Day weekend, the traditional Newfane Heritage Festival weekend, is often the very best time to come "leaf peeping" in New England. The sun shines (well, there was that one year we had snow....but we'll forget about that...) and the jewel tones of the trees radiate. Everyone is in such a festive fall mood!

{The view down our road}

A scene like this just makes me miss Tasha. Don't you think she'd look so lovely sitting here under the shade of the fiery tree, spinning away? This was the scene where our generous Jenna was spinning and teaching others how to spin.

{tools of the trade}

The out-of-print Heirloom Crafts may be available in our Rare Book Section!

Dear little Ellie brought her sunshine smile (and penchant for dogs! she just loves dogs, and there are plenty at the Festival)...

{How cute is Ellie in her fun pink outfit from friend and fan Charlotte? with Nana Marjorie Tudor, and her favorite stuffed corgi....a girl after our own hearts!}

Come visit us next year!

Ellie Turns One

2010-11-27T05:54:00.000-08:00

{the birthday girl and her mommy}

Dear Friends,

Almost two months ago our dearest little Elizabeth Rose turned one year old. Can you believe it? Time sure flies! She has brought such grace, laughter, and happiness to all our lives. We only wish that her Great Granny Tasha could be here to see her grow up each day.

{Ellie plays with one of her presents, a puzzle}

Elizabeth Rose is such a fun little girl...she gives the best big smiles, points to everything she finds interesting or pretty, and is a rather discriminating eater. Her personality just shines through.

{Ellie smiling and pointing with Daddy, Winslow}

{Sophia waiting for lunch}

Amy and Winslow planned a lovely autumnal celebration for their little girl. Hay bales served as seating for family and friends, whilst a trough became a table base. So clever and pretty.

{Christina, Amy, and Natalie trying to distract Sophie from eating hay}

The (adult!) guests dipped apples into a copper pot of homemade caramel. I just love how Winslow whittled real sticks to use as handles for the caramel apples.

Ellie politely tried some of the cake that Winslow made, but only once she was given a spoon, she did not want to use her hands!

But her best, most wonderful present was the rocking horse! She smiles so much when she rides it, I wonder if it's more fun for her or for those of us watching her. She just makes our hearts so happy.

Happy First Birthday, Elizabeth! We love you!

The Flowers of Our Labor

2010-10-18T10:29:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

This post is quite late as we have already had a few near-frosts here in Vermont! Brrr.....I needed to remember those glorious late-summer days...

We really wanted to keep Tasha's vegetable garden alive, and came up with the idea of a community garden. So this summer, we all got together on Wednesday mornings and gardened, almost like a CSA (learn more about CSAs here!). We all pitch in with the work, then share the harvest. The family atmosphere really brings to life all that Tasha was so fond of...warmth, family, the spirit of togetherness, and simple pleasures. It feels so good to work together, and then see the reward. How many opportunities do we have to do that in our daily lives? So few!

{ready for harvest}

I have to admit, it was one of my favorite times of the week, because I got to watch Sophie and Ellie! It's loads of fun to just garden together, run after the little girls, and share about life while staking tomatoes or weeding....(or running into the amazing, giant Cercropia caterpillar like we did one week...or discussing the porcupine damage!). Tasha always did what she called a "tour de estate" and that is the first thing we do each week!

A month or so ago, we had some lovely zinnias, calendula, and of course goldenrod (a few foxgloves! a few sweet peas!). After we garden, we all eat lunch together back at the Rookery, outside on the picnic tables Seth Tudor built if the weather cooperates. I spent some time outside after lunch making a few bouquets for each of us to bring home.

Tasha always managed to create such perfectly lovely bouquets that mine don't begin to hold a candle (have you seen some of them in Tasha Tudor's Garden?)

But ah, the flowers of our labor smell so much sweeter! Don't you agree?
From a sunny, but chilly, day in Vermont,
~Natalie

Tiny Painted Turtles

2010-10-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

{our painted turtles just making their way through the ground to the surface}

Dear Friends,

Remember back in May, I mentioned that Seth Tudor had seen a few painted turtle nests? And if you came on our garden tours this summer, you saw the nests carefully marked off with bricks and a sign. Well, on September 7th, we happened to all be gathered when the nests started to make a rustle. I can't believe how lucky we were! Nearly twenty teeny-tiny painted turtles emerged, one after the other, their faces dusty and their bellies burnt orange. Oh, how Tasha would have loved to capture these in watercolor!

A quick dip in the rain barrel brought their trademark colors to life. Aren't they just the cutest little things? About the size of a quarter I'd say, though some were a bit smaller and some a bit bigger.

{Sophia with her daddy, looking at the little turtle}

Of course, Sophia was fascinated. She kept yelling, "They're so cute! Awww, look how cute they are!" which was quite entertaining, and I'm sure a bit startling to the sleepy little turtles!

{Sophia and her mommy, watching the turtles make their way out of the ground}

We safely transported them to the pond so they wouldn't have to brave the trek themselves, and watched them swim out.

{Sophia letting the turtles into the pond}

I can imagine Tasha dropping everything to do many quick sketches to save for future use. I think she would get those colors just perfectly vibrant in her illustrations. I can see the turtles peeking out of her flower borders near the edges of ponds, or a sweet tow-haired child enthralled with the prospect of watching them swim out. Tasha painted from real life. And when we live with nature, it never ceases to amaze and invigorate us with simple pleasures, if we take the time to alert our senses.

Take the time, dear friends!
~Natalie

Newfane Heritage Festival

2010-10-07T07:31:00.000-07:00

Hello friends!

{picture courtesy of the Newfane Heritage Festival from 2009}

If you're looking for a wonderful excuse to get out and enjoy the foliage, drive up to Newfane, Vermont for their 40th Annual Newfane Heritage Festival. Tasha Tudor and Family will have a booth on the Common like we have for many years. I'll be there all weekend, with some help from all of my friends: Amy, Marjorie, Jenna, and Kathleen. It's one of my favorite events of the year! The church makes fantastic pies (with cheddar!) and the Carrot-Ginger Soup is delicious (did I mention the fudge-covered apples?).

{image courtesy of the Boston Children's Chorus}

We also have an extra-special event happening at the Festival on Sunday....Tasha Tudor and Family is hosting the Boston Children's Theatre Show Choir! This talented group of young folks from the greater Boston area will be performing from 12-2 on the Common.

If you are in the area, we highly recommend that you stop by to see them (and us!).

It's going to be a great weekend to enjoy the area and season that Tasha enjoyed so much, and we'd love to see you! Tell us you saw the Rookery Ramblings post :-)

From Vermont,
Natalie

Giveaway Announcements!

2010-09-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

{I think someone snagged a cupcake while they were waiting to hear who won!}

The time has come to announce winners!! Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments and for following our blog. We are glad you're joining in and can't wait to keep sharing behind the scenes with you!

Let's start with the winners of our "Making Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt" booklets. We have five winners:

1.) Natasha at GourmetSailor (thanks for following!)

2.) Robin's New Song

3.) WF Deb

4.) Shelly (posted as an anonymous)

5.) Tiff at Folded Gingham

The winner of the Tasha Tudor Cookbook is:

Caroline! Who was going to be making the raspberry cakes, too! (How did they turn out, Caroline?) She'll be able to do plenty more cooking/baking now!

and last but most certainly not least, the winner of the Old-Fashioned Hand-crank Ice Cream Maker is.......

Rebecca's Tea House!

All winners, please contact us immediately so we can get your prizes out right away! We will try to contact you, but I did not see email address for a few winners!
Thanks again to everyone who participated. Be on the lookout for our next giveaway in a few months!

On a sunny but chilly September day,
Natalie

Tasha's Birthday Celebration

2010-09-07T05:55:00.000-07:00

{Natalie waiting for the festivities to begin, in a dress handmade by Marjorie Tudor}

Thank you SO much for joining together on August 28th, (aka Tasha Tudor Day), what would have been Tasha's 95th birthday. It was so wonderful to know that so many were celebrating and remembering with us. Whether you had a snatched moment for tea in the middle of a busy afternoon, or a whole day of festivities, I hope Tasha Tudor Day brought you a bit of the quiet, comforting pleasure that Tasha's world and work evoke.

{Sophia with handful of cookies, watching Winslow}

Seth, Marjorie, Winslow, Amy, Ellie, Christina, Sophie, and myself celebrated on Saturday with some good old-fashioned hand-cranked ice cream and a picnic! But wait...we didn't make just any old ice cream. We made Once-A-Year Cheesecake Ice Cream (recipe by Leslie Newman of Food & Wine, available here)!

{once-a-year cheesecake ice cream}

Oh what a delectable, indulgent treat! Even Elizabeth Rose Tudor got in on the action:

{I love this picture of Elizabeth Rose Tudor at 11 months old, wearing a dress gifted by her Grammy and Grandpa who brought it back from Germany!}

{Natalie cranking ice cream rather energetically!}

I baked some of Jen Tudor Wyman's Raspberry Coconut Cupcakes, her recipe for the month on our website. They were the perfect indulgence (and the bright pops of berry were refreshing!) with our Cheesecake ice cream.

{Raspberry Coconut Cupcakes}

So delicious that they were quite difficult for a two-year-old to resist!

{Sophia}

Since a few of us on the Tudor property are gluten-free, I attempted to make this recipe gluten-free. It actually worked out marvelously. I used Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Mix (mine was Hodgson Mill) in place of the flour, and added an extra 1/4 cup, and that was it. Everyone said they'd never have guessed they were gluten free.

{with Anna's Swedish ginger thins, one of Tasha's favorites}

Now, I know you are all anxiously waiting to see if you've won anything, and we will be announcing that just as soon as we can this week.

{Meggie is also impatient to know the winners! Or maybe she was just wanting Marjorie to share some ice cream with her!}

As we head into autumn,
Natalie

Tasha Tudor Day Giveaway Closes at Midnight!

2010-08-30T12:37:00.000-07:00

{sneak peek of our Tasha Tudor Day Festivities}

Our Tasha Tudor Giveaway (see post below) ends at Midnight tonight, Monday, August 30th. We'll announce the winners and share our Tasha Tudor Day festivities shortly! Thanks for all of the wonderful comments so far, keep 'em coming!

Tasha Tudor Day Giveaway!

2010-08-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

{one of the beautiful birthday cakes Winslow Tudor bakes with pretty Japanese candles}

August 28th is a day that holds much weight as it approaches. Of course, we are joyous, because it is a day to celebrate Tasha's birthday, but it means we feel the 'missing' even more. But she left us with so much to celebrate, and so many blessings.

image from Storybook Woods

Many bloggers have joined in celebrating August 28th as "Tasha Tudor Day" thanks to Storybook Woods and other bloggers (check our new "Blogs We Like" links on the right!) who spread the word and the love for Tasha. It's a day to do something "Tasha-esque" in her honor, to take a moment or two to sip some tea, flip through a favorite Tasha book, or perhaps garden or bake something special. Isn't it lovely to have traditions, to have things that make us stop for a minute amidst the busy-ness and remember? Not only to remember dear loved ones, but to remember that every day we have with dear loved ones is precious. That every day we have the ability to bake something or dig in our gardens or enjoy the way the light reflects off the pond is a day to be grateful.

We'll probably spend some time doing all of the above...reminiscing, taking afternoon tea, perhaps making some ice cream and a cake to celebrate. Speaking of ice cream, did you read Winslow's most recent Tea Story? He talks about the Tudor traditions surrounding ice cream, which are also liberally sprinkled through Tasha's illustrations. Perhaps that could be your Tasha Tudor Day exercise...find all of the drawings of ice cream (and corgis and children licking the dasher!) in your collection.

Tasha used a traditional old-fashioned hand-crank ice cream machine, much like the one below. In honor of Tasha's birthday and the blog world's Tasha Tudor Day, we're hosting a give-away! We will be choosing a whole bunch of winners, so be sure to enter!

Grand Prize winner will win an old-fashioned hand-crank ice cream maker AND a copy of Tasha Tudor's Cookbook (which, of course, has her ice cream and cake recipes!). A second-prize winner will win a copy of the cookbook! And last but not least 5 lucky participants will win the "Making Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt" booklet!

To enter: Follow us on our blog and/or leave a comment on our blog (go ahead and do both for two entries!), being sure to leave your email address or a way for us to contact you. Please note that the giveaway is only open to US residents due to shipping costs. Entry will close at midnight on Monday, August 30th. Spread the word! Link to us on your Tasha Tudor Day post!

Porcupine Destruction

2010-08-16T16:56:00.000-07:00

(photo courtesy of National Geographic)

I had this rather glamorous view of porcupines in my head until I actually saw one in person. I didn't realize they had tails (silly me)! They're rather...cumbersome looking, a bit awkward, slow, and apparently, quite destructive. We all arrived in the garden one seemingly innocuous morning, and were walking around inspecting and chatting as we tend to do first thing....and came upon this sad sight:

At first we (Winslow, Jenna, and myself) thought it was the bear that roams the property. But then we saw this:

Which is obviously not a bear mark. The clean cut made Winslow immediately claim porcupine. Upon the mention of which, we immediately found the proof!

quill in Jenna's hand

There is actually a porcupine den in our woods. I'm trying to decide if I want to brave a hike there....hmmm...thoughts? Have you had any experiences with porcupines in your woods/yards/gardens?

Tasha had many incidents with porcupines, who loved to steal her raspberries. It was always a fight to get enough to make raspberry jam! Of course, homemade raspberry jam is the best in her thumbprint cookies (from her friend Linda de Christopher), available in the Tasha Tudor Cookbook! I love reading the story behind all of the recipes in the books, and this one has a good story, too. Pick up your copy and take a look. These are so lovely on the porch with a glass of lemonade! Or...of course, Stillwater Punch, which also requires Raspberries for the syrup (recipe also in cookbook).

On yet another hot Vermont day (is it fall yet?),
Natalie

For the Love of Pinafores

2010-07-07T06:56:00.000-07:00

If you've read the little "bio" about me on the right-hand side, you'll see that I love wearing my pinafore. The way that bottom ruffle flounces out with every step just makes me feel so feminine! They are just so charming, especially with the straw hats and bare feet! I thought I'd share a few photographs of us here at Tasha Tudor and Family, wearing out lovely pinafores recently for garden tours. If you have good pics of us from the tour, please, email them to us, we'd love to see!

L to R: Sophia, Natalie, Christina, Amy, and Jenna (A picture of Jenna! She's hard to catch!)

Little Sophia saw the tour group arriving and came running to greet us! (Sophia and Natalie)

But then she got distracted by the chickens! (Amy, Sophia, and chickens)

Even Elizabeth Rose enjoyed the garden tours (and the watermelon):

Winslow and Ellie with watermelon

Ellie was a very good helper on the tour, making sure everyone saw all of the best views:

The garden tours are done for the summer now, until September. It is always a bit sad to see everyone leave at the end of the tour. But we'll be seeing some of you in September, so we'll try not to be too sad!

Several of you also bought pinafores of your own on the tours, I think. We'd love to see pictures of you wearing your Tasha Tudor style pinafores, too! You can purchase yours here if you still don't have one!

Happy Pinafore-wearing,
~Natalie

Found: Tartlet Pans

2010-07-05T20:00:00.001-07:00

Remember how I couldn't find small tart pans after going to three stores? I found them! Should you be in the same predicament, wanting to make Jennifer's beautiful Lemon-Blackberry tarts smaller, Williams-Sonoma to the rescue! Click here to purchase these tart pans from Williams-Sonoma, which get rave reviews on the quality for the (not too terribly high) price.

image courtesy of Williams-Sonoma

Happy Baking!
~Natalie

Lemon-Blackberry Tart

2010-06-09T11:32:00.000-07:00

Jen's receipts (the old-fashioned spelling of recipe) are always the best, hands down. I don't know how she does it, especially working full-time and with her two kids, but I am amazed and grateful that she takes the time to share with the fans. The idea of lemon and blackberry together was just too much for me to resist, and wouldn't you know I had just the perfect occasion to try this recipe: Amy Tudor and our gardener Jenna's, birthday party!

As you already know, we love parties! Amy and Jenna have birthdays close together, so we celebrated them on one sunny, perfect May day, after spending the morning in the garden. Winslow made some mac 'n cheese, Christina brought a beautiful salad, and we had this gorgeous tart from Jen Tudor's receipt.

party setting

I have to admit this is one of the easiest recipes for such a sophisticated and enviable result! Jen says (on our recipe page) that this is easily play-around-able. I searched high and low (three stores) to find miniature tart pans, but to no avail. I couldn't even find miniature pie pans! So I improvised and used just a regular pie dish, which worked out just fine. The crust shrunk enough in the pan that it was the perfect height for a tart. I also opted to make my own lemon curd (this recipe from Joy of Baking is quite easy), but for those of you in a rush, the jarred variety will work perfectly fine. Lemon curd might seem intimidating, but it's just eggs, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and butter over a double boiler.

ready for lemon curd

I've noticed that thin-skinned lemons have the most juice and are not great for zesting, but thick-skinned lemons have less juice but great zest.

I made the lemon curd the night before, and baked the crust, too. The next day I just assembled everything. I had some lemon curd leftover, so I spread a thin layer on top of the cream-cheese/lemon-curd filling for good measure. You can't have too much lemon in my book! I arranged the blackberries in a circle, and decorated with some johnny-jump-ups from the barrel right outside the Rookery door.

Too pretty to eat? Almost, but definitely not!

Jen suggests spooning the sauce over the tart, but we served this with vanilla ice cream and spooned the sauce over the ice cream. Easiest sauce ever, I will be making that all summer (it's just jam and lemon juice! But so delicious!).

This truly received rave reviews. I think it will be my new standard "summer entertaining" recipe. Have you tried it? Let us know what you think, and send us pictures so we can share! Don't forget, the recipe is available by clicking here!

Happy baking!
Natalie

Painted Turtles

2010-06-02T17:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

We have some new friends at the Rookery! A few days ago, Seth Tudor happened upon a pair of painted turtles laying eggs in our sandy/gravel driveway. There is a pond right behind the Rookery, so we see painted turtles occasionally, but we've never had any nests! Seth very carefully marked the nests with bricks and made sure to tell us all not to disturb them.

We all did a bit of research because we were curious to see when they would hatch. It looks like (Thanks to Wikipedia) they take approximately 72-80 days to hatch. We spotted them on May 24th laying their eggs, so we have a pretty good idea when to look for them to hatch now, though another source told us it really depended on the weather. Wikipedia also tells me, "Females prefer soft, sandy soil with good exposure to the sun for their nest site. Nests are dug with the turtle's hind feet, usually within 200 metres of water. The nest is no deeper than 10 to 12 centimetres. The females will lay 4 to 15 oval, soft shelled eggs, in a conical flask-shaped hole. The eggs are elliptical, white to off-white and are mostly smooth with slight pits.Once the eggs are laid the mother will cover the hole with dirt or sand and leave the nest unattended."

(above photo from wikipedia.com)

Look at those gorgeous colors on that painted turtle! I also read that the turtles hibernate for the winter in up to 3 feet of mud under up to six feet of water, for up to 5 months in temperatures of about 37 degrees F. Fascinating to know that is how they survive our cold winters, insulated in the mud. Wikipedia says that is, "longer than any other known air-breathing vertebrate."

I will be sure to let you know if we are able to see them hatch!
On a lovely Vermont Wednesday,
Natalie

Sophia Turns 2

2010-05-19T10:06:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

Oh, where did our wonderful spring weather go? It has been cold and rainy for what seems like days on end! But we know how to fix that...a party!

Christina and birthday girl, Sophia, eating strawberry shortcake!

Goodness, has it already been a year that we've had this blog? My very first post was on Sophia's first birthday (you can read about it here). My, has she grown up, as you can see from the pictures below! Sophia, of course, is Christina's (our wonderful packer/shipper extraordinaire) little girl. Of course this occasion called for a party, because we here at Tasha Tudor and Family love an excuse to celebrate (don't you?).

Party table!

We gathered at the Rookery with lots of food (mmmm...pasta with edamame and chicken, baked brie with grapes and crackers, and more!) and all of our favorite people, including Kathleen of recent needle-felting fame. Of course we decorated with the ribbon banner Christina made for Sophie's first birthday, that she plans to add to each year with new ribbons and pictures. Isn't that such a wonderful keepsake idea? You can see it in the top right corner of this picture below.

Sophia with Kathleen, watching Meggie the corgi

Sophia was actually taking her nap right before her party, and was a bit sleepy at first. Christina made the most delicious strawberry shortcakes for birthday dessert, which of course woke little Sophie right up! Then, presents! Sophia LOVES dogs, and a dog sticker book was very exciting!

She was also given If You Give a Mouse a Cookie the book and stuffed animal (to which she promptly tried to peel the cookie out of his hand!), some adorable clothes (including a set that matches with Ellie Tudor!).

Little Ellie and Soph are good friends, and of course Ellie was interested in the dogs, too!

And Sophia also received a....Haws watering can! Tasha loved to use this traditional English brand of watering can, and now they make them tiny (and in plastic), in a huge range of colors, for children and indoor plants. She'll be a Haws aficionado in no time... and, of course, we need her help in the gardens!

It kept her entertained (and soaking wet!) for quite some time :-)

Would any of you be interested if we carried the Haws watering cans, in regular and/or tiny sizes?

Happy Second Birthday, Sophia!! We love having her and her mom around, and we are so blessed to be able to have such a family business. Thank you for your support!

On another rainy May day in Vermont,
Natalie

Needle-Felted Menagerie

2010-05-12T06:10:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

We have such a talented bunch of people here at Tasha Tudor and Family, Inc. and we are always sharing inspiration and projects with each other. I am so impressed by the wool needle-felting that Christina and Kathleen from our team have been doing...truly, they are art! I just couldn't not share with you all! Let me tell you how we got started...(yes, it involves cake and ice cream!)

The year our dear Tasha passed away, we wanted to celebrate her birthday with a special gathering of close, special friends and family. Kathleen (whom you'll learn more about below) taught us all how to make these wonderful little felted pumpkin moonshines, as we sat on the porch with homemade lemon-lavender ice cream and lemon blueberry cake. Here they are, finished, sitting on the porch. Since then, I think Kathleen has hooked a few of us, especially Christina, on needle-felting!

But before I introduce our wool-felting artists, you may be wondering what I'm even talking about! Needle-felting uses wool roving and a special needle with little hooks on the end to 'sculpt' almost anything. Wool roving can be a bit difficult to describe, but one site I found says, "The wool is combed to remove impurities, washed, carded to pull the fibers so that they are oriented in the same direction, and then gently twisted." You can find more needle-felting resources online, there is plenty of information available!

I'm not sure if you all are familiar with our dear family friend Kathleen, who helped Tasha in her elder years? She helps us out for a lot of events; you may have met her at the Tasha Tudor Memorial Event at Adams Farm, or perhaps took her needle-felting class at the Pumpkin Moonshine fundraiser for the Tasha Tudor Museum a few years back. Kathleen keeps rather busy with her sheep farm and grandchildren, but manages to find time to make wonderful needle-felted critters, mostly from her own roving! She makes these dog portraits for pet owners...they are so cute and clever and the perfect gift for any adoring pet-mother. Kathleen even creates corgis!

But my favorite of her creations is her Vermont moose, with real-wood antlers carved from Maple by her nephew. It is truly a Vermont product through and through! You can find all of Kathleen's creations and supplies (and request a custom dog portrait or item) on her Etsy shop, by clicking here.

You all know Christina, I hope, she's our fantastically wonderful packer/shipper who is also the mother of almost-2-year-old Sophia. We love both of them so much! Christina learned the art of needle felting when Kathleen showed us all how to make pumpkins at Tasha's memorial birthday party. Since then, Christina picked it up in her spare time and is making a flock of chickens (amongst other animals) for our sometime-project of a marionette production. Aren't they just the most adorable little things you've ever seen? Complete with real feathers, each one has such a personality.

Christina also made this wonderful flower pin that she normally pins to her gray wool hat, but that I always want to steal to wear in my hair, on my purses and tote bags, on belts, on jackets....(Christina, you know what I want for Christmas now!!). She's experimenting with all sorts of other flowers as well. While Christina doesn't have an Etsy shop yet, we are persuading her to sell her things, so if you're interested, just let us know at Tasha Tudor and Family.

There you have it, some of the crafts and projects we are working on here in our spare time. Hope you enjoy! Do you needle-felt?

Long Abandoned in the Corner of the Cupboard...

2010-04-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

...lay the Velveteen Rabbit. Or, at least, lay the pictures of Marjorie Tudor's collaborative production of The Velveteen Rabbit with The Boston Children's Theatre.

Marjorie spent much of the latter half of 2009 working diligently constructing 7 velveteen and wild rabbits, along with a plethora of animals and a rocking horse. They were joined onstage by child actors from The Boston Children's Theatre for their first-ever production of The Velveteen Rabbit (adapted for the stag by Burgess Clark from the Theatre, from the book by Margery Williams).

The collaboration resulted in some great connections, lots of stories, and a fabulous production that got rave reviews. One review says, "Mr. Clarks adaptation, of course, is based on Margery Williams' beloved tale about a stuffed rabbit -doll who becomes doubly-real (first, in his owner's eyes, and then as an actual real rabbit), acted out by BCT students as actors on stage, as voiceovers, and as the life-force behind enchanting rabbits designed by Marjorie Tudor, daughter-in-law of the late Tasha Tudor..." (read more here).

I just found out there may be other opportunities in the future to see this wonderful production, so please keep an eye on our website (and this blog!) for updates! All images courtesy of and copyright The Boston Children's Theatre.

Art Stands and Airplanes

2010-03-22T17:42:00.000-07:00

Hello dear readers and friends,

I'm sure you all saw the adorable doll-size copies Seth made of Tasha's art stand a few weeks back. They sure sold out in a hurry, but don't worry, he made a new batch and you can still order them here.

One of our fans, Bridget from Massachusetts, wrote us to say how much she is enjoying her art-stand: I've received the doll-size art stands and they are very special. I'm never disappointed with my garden visits or whatever I order. Be sure to let Seth know these are very nicely done! I have two doll-size (or salesman sample) dressers on my full-size bedroom dresser, and they are perfect scale to sit on top of those little dressers. And with a book or small picture on display, it is delightful.

She even sent us this wonderful picture of her little vignette, complete with a locket with pictures of her mother and father at age 16. We just love to hear these stories that show Tasha's inspiration and lifestyle still carries on in family traditions like this.

Bridget also let us know about the article in the Boston Globe a month back, you may have already seen it, entitled 100 Years Ago, First Plane Takes Flight in Region. It has some great information on Tasha's father, W. Starling Burgess and his aviation endeavors in the early 1900s. "The showstopper was a 'heavier-than-air' biplane built in Marblehead by W. Starling Burgess, an assemblage of wood, paper, and linen..." It is quite a legacy. Click here to read more!

Don't forget: Garden tours go on sale Tuesday, March 23rd at 10am EDT! Info here!

Also, I miscounted the stock on the little blue blown duck eggs for Easter, and we still have two left in stock! We also have a handful of the larger goose eggs, too! Click here to see...

On a rainy and muddy Vermont evening,
Natalie

Snow Storm and Easter Eggs

2010-02-25T08:23:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Oh my goodness, we are finally getting winter here in southern Vermont! Our friends in Virginia, Washington, DC, and even Texas had more snow than we did up until this week. It's been snowing for about 48 hours, giving us two feet so far. It has changed to rain now, but we're supposed to get Round 2 of the snow this afternoon. The power was out for about 24 hours. Unfortunately, that means we aren't in the office this week, but we are monitoring email and will get your orders out just as soon as we can possibly get out of the driveway!

On a much brighter note, I have a sneak peek of our annual Blown Goose eggs for you! Tasha's traditional blown goose eggs inspire the ones we create each year. We searched long and hard to find the same thin velvet ribbons, Victorian paper scraps, and vintage Dresden trims. This year, we even have some new trims and designs (and colors and sizes!), and can't wait to share them with you. The eggs will go on sale in the next Early Bird Post which should go out early next week, after we dig out from the storm(s)! Until then, a few pictures of the eggs that inspire ours, made by Tasha and her family many years ago...

Good thing we like to snuggle up by woodstoves, read, finish half-forgotten projects, sew, and, of course, finish our garden plans!

Our very best from a Vermont winter wonderland,
Natalie

Peppermint Shortbread Valentines

2010-02-02T11:34:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Jen's receipts are always so tempting, aren't they? This chocolate shortbread receipt was particularly attractive to me because peppermint and chocolate are two of my favorite ingredients. I could just see (and taste!) them in my mind...doves and hearts, iced beautifully, just like something out of one of Tasha's books (maybe All for Love? edit: the one copy we had on our rare book shelf has been sold)!

This "love dove" is my favorite of all the cookies. I must admit I tried to make pink icing for these cookies. I knew I should have taken the time to find my gel food colors (somewhere in the back of the baking cabinet), but instead I reached for the easily found liquid red coloring. I knew better, I really did; but I learned my lesson again. The frosting was a day-glo pink/red before I could help it. Gel food colorings are best for delicate mixtures! While my finished product didn't quite measure up to the rather ornate images I had in my mind, I think they are marvelously fun! Tie them up in a cellophane bag, add a handmade valentine, and love will be in the air!

Baking on cold Vermont days,
Natalie

One Last Christmas Post

2010-02-02T08:33:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

We share your stories and pictures here in the office and love to hear from you, so keep 'em coming! I had a few emails from our dear friends and fans with their Christmas projects, and I was so inspired I thought I'd share.

Nancy in Pennsylvania gave this store-bought 4-ft. tall Nutcracker a stylishly old-fashioned, one-of-a-kind makeover. She says, "I gave him beautiful blue eyes and rosy cheeks. I covered his hat with muskrat fur, and he has a mink collar made from and old coat of my mother's, and racoon fur around his leggin's. He has various braids and gold ribbons, and a gold medallion around his neck. I cut the cheap vinyl strap off his drum and glued on a leather one from some of my horse tack in my barn. But the crowning glory is his hair! I attached wool from the Petosi sheep farm down the road from me." He looks fantastic now, Nancy! She also sent this beautiful picture of her "Pennsylvania Primitives" barn in all it's snowy glory...

Audrey from Colorado sent this charming picture of her family's first ever creche in the woods, though, as she admits, it is a "creche in the backyard." Nonetheless she says, "it was lovely and magical and Tasha was shining down on us."

From Vermont in February,
Natalie

Christmas Catch-Up

2010-01-09T19:11:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Whew! Here we are, at the end of the first week back to the 'daily grind' after all of the holidays. I'm so sorry I wasn't able to update the blog during one of our busiest times of the year as a business. I hope you were all blessed this holiday season. Just to catch you up a bit...

It was time to make Jennifer Tudor Wyman's English Toffee, a yearly tradition for me. I divvied it up for my friends and family in pretty Christmas tins lined with parchment paper. Honestly, I pick the tins up at the dollar store. They very often have old-fashioned themed ones, and if you're grabbing a bunch to give away, why pay more? Of course, I made sure to save a platter for our annual office party (and it disappeared in minutes...before lunch!). Thanks to Jen and her amazing recipes for making me very popular!

Of course Amy Tudor carried on the Tudor tradition of Dundee Cake. Even if you don't like fruitcake, I can almost guarantee you will like this. It's almost like a sugar cookie with fruit! Unfortunately, I was unable to snap a picture, because we were too busy with our office gift exchange. It is so great to have an office where we love having parties!! Jenna, our gardener and office elf, did a wonderfully festive job of decorating the Rookery. I almost moved my office downstairs for the month of December to soak up all of the holiday spirit!

And, of course, it was Elizabeth Rose Tudor's first Christmas. I know you all have been waiting so anxiously for more pictures, and here is her first Christmas portrait (edit: taken by mother, Amy Tudor), looking beautiful in her green velvet dress!

Indeed, we were very blessed, as we hope and trust you were. Here's to a wonderful 2010! One of my New Year's Resolutions: more blogging! I'll be back soon.

Take joy,
Natalie

The Velveteen Rabbit with Marjorie

2009-11-17T06:11:00.000-08:00

Marjorie Tudor has been working diligently all summer and fall to create these incredible Velveteen (and wild) Rabbit puppets for a very special project: they will be gracing the stage of the Boston Children's Theatre's Christmas production of the classic children's story. It is quite the project, with many rabbits and other creatures to create. These are also hand-puppets (with a few rod puppets), but they were a departure from Marjorie's marionette expertise. She is becoming quite adept at the workings and creation of hand puppets! Here you can see the pieces before they are sewn together, and her beautiful 1950s hand-crank Singer that she so dearly loves:
And here the rabbits are 'becoming real' with their velveteen pieces so beautifully and intricately made (Marjorie lines each piece and they are almost seamless) in a basket, ready to be sewn together to come to life:
The children are just falling in love with the rabbits! They are so life-like and cozy. Marjorie searched high and low for some of the best velveteens and fake furs you've ever seen, it is truly amazing.
The play opens in Boston the first weekend in December 4th. You will certainly want to come see this mix of imagination coming to life with puppetry AND live actors. Marjorie is quite impressed with the caliber of talent in the young performers as she has been in Boston quite often to work closely with the cast and director. In fact, myself and Marjorie went to one of the Theatre's summer productions and were simply astounded at the professional level of production. Here's a picture of ready for the show (we got to go behind the scenes and had V.I.P. seating....very fun!):

Purchase tickets NOW as they are sure to be very popular!!! Click here to go to the Boston Children's Theatre website

New Apron Fabric Coming Soon!

2009-11-11T04:18:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year, dear ones, for cooking and baking! In fact, a friend just gave me some lemon squares and butterscotch bars she'd baked up :) I'm about ready to tie on my apron and make some more goodies myself (though we've all been baking apple things right?).

New apron fabric is coming soon! We have two beautiful dark prints for fall and winter. They are 1800s reproduction fabrics, and we chose with Tasha in mind. Let us know what you think!

It's also sewing and knitting season again, with all of those projects we've been putting off for Christmas presents! What sorts of projects are you working on?

Besides whipping up aprons, I've got some other personal projects up my sleeve (with that pretty green and yellow almost byzantine-honeycomb fabric, isn't it lovely? The green print is my notepad, always handy to have nearby for quick calculations and ideas while sewing!) These are just a few pics from my sewing studio, which I straightened up this weekend. When it's chilly outside but still sunny, I love a productive sewing day!

Elizabeth Rose

2009-11-04T18:27:00.000-08:00

Ellizabeth and I had a great time together at the office today while Amy caught up on a few emails. She likes to be swayed to sleep, and here she is, asleep after a good sway with me! Amy took this picture! More pictures to come...and the Early Bird Post is flying out soon :)

Lovely Name

2009-10-21T11:38:00.000-07:00

I am sure you have all seen on the website that Amy and Winslow have named their little one:

Elizabeth Rose Tudor

and we are so blessed. Just wanted to let you know in case you hadn't heard.
Still waiting for photos!

From a sunny and (amazingly) warm Wednesday in Vermont,
Natalie

Welcome Baby!

2009-10-04T03:59:00.000-07:00

Baby Tudor (it's a GIRL!) arrived safe and sound yesterday (October 3) and all are doing well. I stopped by to see them and what a PRECIOUS family. There aren't words!! Oh my goodness, we are all so blessed and excited.
Amy and Winslow haven't settled on a name...they need to get to know the most adorable little one first.

More news and pictures to come soon.

Booties for Baby!

2009-09-21T05:44:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness, our good friend Sarah from Japan sent Amy the prettiest little package of things for baby! You wouldn't believe how luscious these colors are, the picture doesn't do them justice. Sarah sent the sweetest little leather booties in pistachio green, and a darling little handmade dress. The dress is from a famous designer in France, and Amy had admired a scarf of Sarah's by this designer. Sarah is such a selfless person she gave the scarf to Amy as a gift, and now baby Tudor can have a little outfit to match mom. Isn't it gorgeous? We have the best fans!

P.S. We don't know for sure it's going to be a girl!

Baby Shower Blessings

2009-09-21T05:31:00.000-07:00

Can you believe baby Tudor is due almost any day now? We are so excited and I'm sure you are too. We had a baby shower at the Rookery for Amy and Winslow a few weeks ago, and boy (or girl?!) was it fun! Bright pinks and greens decorated the Rookery, with crepe paper flower streamers hung from the ceiling, balloons tied up, colorful tablecloths and beautiful bright flowers everywhere (thanks, Jenna!).

Our dear friend Kate (those of you on the September tours met Kate working the marionettes in Marjorie's theatre) made this lovely flower crown for the guests of honor! And our other dear friend, Kathleen (whom you can meet if you come to the Hildene or Newfane craft shows coming right up) knit this beautiful little sweater set. I think Amy is going to use this as the "bringing home baby" outfit. You can see some jars of baby food in the foreground...yes, we made Amy and Winslow taste-test some baby foods. They didn't get a single one right, but I think they decided it's going to be natural foods for baby instead of unidentifiable jarred food.

Overall we had a splendid time preparing for the new baby and are just so excited to meet our newest office staff member. We'll have another little one calling out to you when you place your phone orders!

On a chilly Vermont (almost-Fall) Monday,
Natalie

Office Hours

2009-09-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

Most of you probably notice that recently our office hours have been changing somewhat sporadically...I just wanted to clue you in on the reason, dear friends! I, Natalie, have been commuting up to Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH, to get my Master's degree in Creative Writing! But Dartmouth has this funny quarter-term system, so my class schedule changes every two or three months.

Since I'm the one in the office most days, answering your emails and phone calls, I am SO grateful to Amy and the rest of the family for allowing my schedule to be flexible. We really are a family business here (even if I'm not quite family!). Thank you so much for your patience and support!

Naturally Clean Home

2009-08-05T07:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Have you seen our great new little book of interest, The Naturally Clean Home by Karyn Siegel-Maier? It's bright, cheery, modern cover is so refreshing, as are the recipes inside. I never liked breathing in so many chemicals, and certainly neither did Tasha! Why did we have to do so much damage to our bodies and the environment just to keep things "clean"? I love how Siegel-Maier says that cleaning naturally is actually--gasp!--a pleasure!

I gave a few recipes in her book a go, and I must say I'm impressed and rather addicted to natural cleaning. With only a small investment (mostly in the essential oils--even the book itself is only $10.95) and common household ingredients, you can clean every surface in your home. I do mean every surface: your septic system, your delicate laundry, your wood floors, your mini-blinds, your tools, the leather upholstery in your car, wicker furniture, your barbeque grill....and of course, the kitchen sink! Phew. Good thing all that cleaning is fun :)

I used one of the simple recipes on my old, stained porcelain sink. It turned out beautifully and I didn't have to plug my nose and open the windows after scrubbing. I did have to use a bit of extra elbow grease compared to the 'chemical' cleaners, but it was worth it. The lavender and lemon essential oils I used made the kitchen smell so fresh and comfortable at the same time.

Porcelain Sink Saver, by Karyn Siegel-Maier

1 part sage, rosemary, lemon balm, thyme, or mint, fresh or dried
1 part water

Brew a strong infusion by steeping the herb in hot water for 2 to 3 hours. Strain, reserving the liquid. Close the sink drain, pour in the liquid, and allow it to work for several hours or overnight. If the stain persists, place 4 to 6 drops of your favorite esential oil directly on the stain and then scrub the spot with a baking soda sprinkled on a damp sponge.

Simple Sink Cleanser, by Karyn Siegel-Maier

Bon Ami brand cleanser is made of grated detergent and feldspar and is nontoxic and nonabrasive. Sprinkle it freely in the sink basin and add 5 to 6 essential oil of choice. Scrub and rinse well.

Recipes used with permission: The Naturally Clean Home by Karyn SiegelMaier © Storey Publishing, pgs 37–38. http://www.storey.com.

Both Siegel-Maier and I are fans of Bon Ami cleanser. Have you tried it? It's an old-fashioned favorite, and here in Vermont, I pick it up whenever I visit the Vermont Country Store. If you haven't heard of the Vermont Country Store, you'll love it, I'm sure! They are "Purveyors of the Practical and Hard-to-Find." Here is their website: Vermont Country Store.

Truly, this little book will change how you think about cleaning. Snap up a cute little copy and indulge your senses in the process of cleaning. You'll feel so connected and satisfied...and Tasha would be pleased! You can view and order the book by clicking on this link to our website. Let me know what you think of this book! Tried any recipes? Have any of your own to share?

Greetings from Vermont!

~Natalie

Whale of a Good Shelf

2009-08-02T13:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

First off, thanks so much for the great response to the blog! I received so many wonderful emails, notes, and comments (and followers!). We're off to a great start.

I just wanted to tell you about Seth's Whale Shelf today. A dear woman just ordered one and I'm sure she'll love it when it arrives. Seth makes them from pine on the family property, and they are just like one on the wall in Tasha's winter kitchen. The silhouette on the side is that of a whale. It has so much old-fashioned charm!

Tasha had hers painted blue, but the one we just sent out was unfinished. I'm telling you, the wood was just a thing of beauty. Creamy white, smooth as can be, I wanted one myself right then and there! I think they'd be perfect for a nautical-themed little boy's room (or an adult study, for that matter!), or any room in a country home. Bathroom, kitchen, living room, hallway?

You can find Seth's Whale Shelves and other items by clicking on this link to our website: Seth's Furniture. Do you have one of Seth's Whale Shelves or an antique one? Tell us about it!

Baby Goodness

2009-06-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Isn't the excitement and anticipation of a new baby wonderful? With the announcement of Amy and Winslow Tudor's baby arriving this fall, we have lots to celebrate. A few days ago, Christina and I were able to feel baby Tudor kick! It was such an uplifting moment and we were all smiling the rest of the day as we took your orders and answered your emails. What a wonderful existence we have.
This weekend I held a baby shower for a friend who happens to be named Marjorie. Everyone was asked to bring a favorite book for baby, and I chose "Around the Year." This book just seems to capture all Tasha's lifestyle so well, in an easy to read (and memorize) form that both kids and parents love. I also had her choose a print for the baby's room. She and her husband Jimmy chose "Bathtime" which I think was an excellent pick!

That has been my standard gift for the past few baby showers I've attended--a Tasha Tudor book and a print for the baby's room. What do you like to give for baby gifts? Do you have a favorite Tasha Tudor book you give? There are so many to choose from, it is fun to pick one that fits the family's personality.

Take joy, always, and greetings from Vermont on a rainy Tuesday.
~Natalie

Potpourri Ponderings

2009-05-26T15:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

We are gearing up for our summer tours here, and that means making a few batches of potpourri. I love this task; it is so satisfying to all of the senses. The mixes of dried flowers have such wonderful hand-feel, the scents are uplifting, and the sight of a finished row of potpourri bags makes me smile.

Tasha's potpourri starts with wild-crafted herbs and flowers that are free from pesticides, dyes, and preservatives. They hold their color and scent amazingly well. Since it happened to be a sunny day, I set up production on the picnic table (that Seth Tudor made) in front of the Rookery. With a giant Canton china bowl, and glass measuring cups, the rose petals, lavender, lemon peel, cinnamon sticks, and hibsicus flowers got mixed into our four potpourri scents: Citrus Spice, Golden Flowers, Lavender, and Garden Rose. We then add pure essential oils to help the scent last in your home. I kept thinking of dear Tasha, using nature's gifts to craft something to share. I think she would be pleased that I used the giant Canton bowl on the picnic table like she used to.

The Rookery smelled soooooo good when I brought all the labeled paper bags inside. But poor Jenna came in from the garden and started sneezing---she's allergic to the cinnamon sticks! Can you imagine? For the finishing touch, we set out tiny Canton bowls with samples so visitors can see and smell each variety. What a great day's work!

We now have these in stock online. It's just one of life's little pleasures that Tasha always loved. Which scent is your favorite? Do you have a new suggestion for us? Let me know!

Greetings from Vermont on a sunny potpourri-making day!
~Natalie

Sophia Turns One!

2009-05-06T14:46:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I hope you remember our shipping department extroirdinaire, Christina, had her baby a year ago. We were all so excited, and have gotten to know our sweet Sophia over the past year. You've probably heard her laughing or shrieking in the background when you call--she's lucky to be able to come to work with her mom!

We held a small lunch party for Sophia's first birthday. Christina's turkey-spinach meatloaf, rolls, and salad filled us all up but we had to save room for dessert. Winslow baked a vanilla cake with marshmallow frosting, and it was so high that it didn't fit under the dome of the cake plate!

Christina made a ribbon banner that she is going to add to each year. She asked all of us for colorful ribbon scraps (Jenna brought in a big bag!) and strung them together, with a flower made from Sophia's birth announcement in the center. It's going to be used every year, with new ribbons and photos added. Isn't that a great idea? I just don't know where she finds the time for such endeavors, though!

Sophia and her daddy blew out the candle on the impressive cake, and then she dug into her cake and ice cream with abandon. She loved it! But when she tried to put the entire scoop of ice cream in her mouth at once, she had such a surprised look on her face at how cold it was!

We love having Christina and Sophia here in the office, and thank you for your continued support of our family business. It is wonderful to be able to be family-friendly.

Best wishes to you and yours for the month of May!
~Natalie