A Late Summer/Early Fall Catch-Up: Mahjong Canvases, Back-to-School Traditions, and a Crisp Martini Worth Batching
Some episodes have an agenda. This one does not. Natasha and Alonsa made a couple of delicious London fogs at Georgie & Lottie headquarters in Richmond, VA and just chatted about fall plans, new canvases, back-to-school rituals, and random things (yes, we definitely took some detours!).
Our First Needlepoint Retreat
Georgie & Lottie Co. is heading to the Greenbrier in late September as vendors at the Hobby Holiday retreat, and Alonsa has been designing (and painting). This is a Mahjong/Needlepoint retreat with classes and game time throughout. So, we thought Mahjong canvases would be a fun addition to our canvases! Natasha stitched the topiary Joker tile. It’s a topiary planted in a blue pot (because of course it's a topiary) with the word JOKER and Natasha used a few French knots on the topiary flowers and the Parisian Stitch on the background. Alonsa is going to “F”inish it as an ornament.
That's just one piece of a whole mahjong-inspired lineup debuting at the retreat: a floral tile on 13-mesh perfect for a bag charm, a boat tote with a mahjong tile detail on 18-mesh, and two larger designs built for framing or pillows, including one that reads "friends don't let friends miss mahjong" and the other says “Mahj on”. A needle minder shaped like the Joker topiary is being manufactured and should be available on the website right after the retreat.
They also discussed all the things that go into setting-up a vendor table and how much fun it’s been planning. This is a smaller retreat, which is perfect!
Back-to-School Traditions
Alonsa's deep in move-in mode, prepping to send her middle son back to college for sophomore year, complete with an unfurnished apartment. She’s ready to move him in and assemble furniture!
The conversation turned to the family traditions that mark the start of a school year. Alonsa's family has a back-to-school dinner the night before classes start, everyone picks their own favorite meal, mismatched menu and all, plus a placemat that records each kid's teacher and school year on the back. Natasha's version was a "dry run" the weekday before school started: a normal wake-up, breakfast, and a trip to the local coffee shop for hot chocolate, even in the late summer. It carried all the way through high school senior year, and then evolved into a Starbucks gift card tradition when the kids were in college.
What They're Loving Right Now
A few favorite things made the rounds:
The Hillstone Crisp Martini — gin, fresh lemon, elderflower liqueur, and a splash of Sauvignon Blanc. It sounds like it shouldn't work. It does, and it batches beautifully in the fridge for a small pour whenever the mood strikes.
The Calamity Club — an audiobook pick (Natasha's preferred way to needlepoint through a plane ride or a poolside afternoon) from the author of The Help, set in the Depression-and-Prohibition-era Deep South, with a full cast of voices that made keeping track of characters effortless.
Imperfect Women — a twisty, well-cast watch with Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss, and Kate Mara, which sent the conversation sideways into a story about a long-ago sister trip to see Cabaret on Broadway and an unexpected round of celebrity spotting.
Tan Luxe Water — a clear, non-staining self-tanner spray that's become part of the sunscreen-first routine. A gentle reminder tucked in here too: get your skin checked, and speak up about anything that looks off.
Happy soon-to-be fall!
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Until next time, happy stitching!