I am at a point in my life where happy seems to be harder to find.  Maybe that’s because I have always led a bit of a nomadic existence AND I have been planted here for almost ten years. (the longest in any one place)! I feel am getting root bound and happy is getting strangled.  Is happy in the city, is it under a rock in some corn field?  I often wonder throughout my day, what is true happiness.

There was a time when I first opened the doors of my gift and tea shop that nothing could of made me happier!  After ten years I am no longer as happy as I was when I first had the excitement of putting it all together and spreading and sharing my little corner of the world with others.  I have made a lot of friends over the ten years that I have been doing this gig and that has made me very happy.  I have a great little dog who brings a smile to my face every day even though sometimes she’s a little bit bad.  My husband cannot be greater.  Especially after 30 years of putting up with my whims and sometimes bird brained ideas on how life would be so grand if I could only have a cool shop in which I could indulge myself when perusing gift catalogs and purchasing things and stuff to share with folks who find me.

I think the happiness of running this little business has, over time, started to shrivel up and it is time to find happy again.  Being shackled to this building in which I work and live for ten years now has run its course.   I should be happier and I am now feeling the wonder lust creeping back in to my heart and that makes me want to move. and shake life up a bit before I check out. Not move up out of a chair or off of the wicker couch, but move everything.  Pack up the house and just go and see where I can find true happy again.  I suppose happy is a state of mind and perhaps I am confusing it with excitement and adventure.  Adventure makes me happy and light of heart. This is usually fair warning to my sister the real estate agent.  I’m walkin’ yes indeed I’m walkin’.  (with my Mike of course).  He should prepare for another hair brained idea.  We are taking a little excursion north soon, a few states away.  Perhaps that is where I will look for adventure and subsequent happiness.  Living life to the edge.

I think it is time to hoist the anchor and set sail for a new land.  I’m not sure where that is but the Blue Lagoon in Iceland is looking pretty damned good at the moment.  Check it out and tell me I’m wrong!

Memorial Day in Saxonburg is pretty much like every other small town in America.  There is a blink or you will miss it parade down Main Street to the gazebo at the park where ceremonies take place honoring those who have served.  It is a prideful moment in time that we share every year and this one is always special. We line the Main Street and clap and whoo- whoo to the veteran’s as they march by with the flags, sporting their military uniforms and looking crisp and smart.

The current mayor comes out and gives a speech followed by a few more meaningful speeches and stories of such bravery most of us will never have to conjure up in our lifetimes.  It is a special weekend.

Then the town scatters to their prospective grills, picnics and projects for the long weekend.  It is going to be a hot one by Monday so take a minute  Friday or Saturday and come in to The Stillroom Gift & Tea Lounge and ask for our Red, White & Blue iced tea!  Ahhh, Yeah…What would a patriotic picnic be without it?  We brew it right on the spot and it is excellent.  If you are not feeling it, you may ask us to brew any of our fifty flavors of tea and we will do it up right before your eyes!  If you are not feeling that, take home a ten pack, throw it in a jar and make some sun tea.

The Lounge is air conditioned, the music plays softly in the background and St. Francis has the fountain running for the sounds that will relax you and put you in a chilled state of mind for a hot weekend!

Also, a follow up from St,. Luke’s Dig This event…if you missed it, try again next spring!  It was the first year and was as charming as could be.  The honeyman was there, several greenhouses sold their wares, the bird house man was there and so was the fellow teaching a little on the spot class on how to make a wild bird habitat!  It was really nice and it looked like a little fair in the park!  The Stillroom Gift & Tea Lounge kept the free lemonade flowing and the lavender pound cake was a  hit!  We had all of our herbal container gardens at the door so people could pinch and delight in the great fragrances.  We raffled off our tea garden to raise a few extra dollars for the youth group which was won by a local woman who was giving it to her mom.

I’ll be here the rest of the week as usual so if you come in to Saxonburg, stop in and visit us!  We’d love to see you!

Also, we will be updating the shopping guide one last time before next year.  Look for it at the upcoming Antique Show in the Woods in June at the Penn’s Colony Grounds.  This is the first year for that event so check out their website.  I don’t have the deets just yet but will nail those dates down soon.

Check the Penn’s Colony website in the meantime!

That said, I think if I write this on my blog, it will feel more real.  Yes, the rumors are true!  I have decided to start to liquidate The Stillroom Gift & Tea Lounge starting this summer.  (For any outstanding gift certificates, you will still have time to cash them in on merchandise).  My plan is to close the shop at the end of this holiday season.

After ten years of having a physical store and waiting daily for a handful of people to come through the door,  I am moving my store to etsy which will reach so many more people.  The other rumor is also true and that one is that we are looking forward to putting our property on the market next spring.

It is time.  While it has been fantastic living and operating my little shop in Saxonburg, I have always led a bit of a nomadic existence and I do enjoy moving around.  In thirty years I have been to the great states of Oregon and  Maryland.  But the best of all was finding my way back to the Pittsburgh area.  There are no better people than the ones you will find in our communities of The Steel City.

I don’t think I’m going away forever, (unless the good Lord sees fit) I am just wanting to move my business closer to the fine city of Pittsburgh.  I have found my tea customers and so many of them say how much they love my shop and hope I don’t close it up.  That is really nice to hear but all good things must come to an end. 

I am planning on closing for most of June while we get our son settled in to a summer program at Harvard and yes, I’m bragging and then getting him settled at The Savannah School of Architect and Design. Looks like I’m going to be doing one of my favorite things that I have not done in the many years that I have been tied down to my shop, that is, travel!

Life is short and I won’t let it pass me by.  It is time, and whatever will be, will be.  I have choices and I have made a tough one.

I had only one question as to how we advertise this event…well, we don’t, really.  The village shops pretty much can’t afford signs and ads in the local newspapers.  You wouldn’t believe what the cost is!  We do advertise in our little local free paper called, Weber’s Willow Tree.

This is a loosey, goosey sort of event but if you do find the ad, come over to Saxonburg today, May 12th and perhaps you will grab some great finds from flea market items to great prices to a little something free if you come in to The Stillroom Gift & Tea Lounge today only AND it will be appropriate for the mom’s in your life, especially if they are tea lovers!  Mention the blog!

On the porch of The Stillroom Gift & Tea Lounge there will be such great prices on vintage this, retro that collectibles you won’t believe it!

We are a stones throw off of the beaten path of Main Street so take a second and see us.  Look for our sign at the corner of Main & State that reads ‘older than dirt sale at The Stillroom’ and walk past Novotny’s fine pizza shop and you will find us at 111 State Street.  We will be wrapping up around three and will be finished by four.  It’s a great day to come to Saxonburg and find great gifts for mom, graduation, to decorate a corner of your house and of course great gifts from our shop! I could go on and on but I have to heat up the water so I can be ready to make you are great cup of coffee or tea!

Look for a fresh wrap up blog tomorrow!  Happy Mother’s Day,

When anyone decides to skip the major coffee outlets and head to The Stillroom Lounge for a simple cup of really great tea or coffee, it’s a joy to serve it up along with stellar baked sweets from Aunt Ann’s or A Taste of Heaven Bakery.  When they discover what a neat little space we have here at The Stillroom Gift & Tea Lounge, it’s even better!

I posted one of my favorite quotes the other day and another small business owner, Vab who owns and operates Divani Chocolate in Foxburg commented at how true this particular quote was.   It nudged my weary brain and helped me snap out of the dreamy state of mind that the more quiet  days in the shop can bring and start to create!  How I love working with the fragrant herbs and dried flowers and spices that grace my shelves.  I have been inspired to create some new scents so I will be off to the mixing room over the next few days to blend some fragrances to delight the senses.  Thank you, Vab!  I also want to mention that Foxburg has Maple Days coming up this weekend, I believe the 28th.  Stop in at Divani’s chocolate shop where you can delight in excellent hand made chocolate by the sweet Melissa in addition to maple goodies!

Moving on and coincidentally, there was another comment from a client that came in for wedding shower favors last fall and again this spring.  She said the guests loved (in capitol letters) the shower favors that we created together.  She reminded me that mother’s day is coming up soon (I lost track of how quickly April has gone by) and would like to come in to create gifts from the shop for  the mom’s in her life.

It is so nice to get feedback that says “hey, I appreciate you being here and I want to share what you offer with friends and family” and to know my friend Vab checked in, read and related to my favorite quote that says “herbs do comfort the weary brain with fragrant smells which yield a certain kinde of nourishment.”

Now I have to shamelessly plug the shop to let you know that the ambiance that I have created in our lounge is worthy of being in any city neighborhood be it Lawrenceville or The Strip.  Our coffee beans are locally roasted and there is no complicated machinery involved in brewing our  coffee and tea.   We pick out a selection of  baked goods  right here in Saxonburg along with excellent biscotti from Greensburg.  Our Harney teas are from a family owned and operated tea company here in the northeast, our candy comes from Pennsylvania and we offer great tea pots and accessories without having to go in to Pittsburgh.  Our shop is a little treasure here in Saxonburg.

I have kept the same hours for three years now.  After sort of keeping track of the busiest part of my day, that window is Wednesday through Saturday from 10-3.  Those are my advertised hours and I am often here beyond three and also am open by chance on Tuesdays.  If the flag is out, I am here.  Unfortunately for me, I have never been busy enough to hire help so it is just me and me alone, which is great for you because if you want to talk tea or coffee, I am your gal.   I could stay open seven days a week from 10-5 but that is just not practical for me as I enjoy getting out of here the second I lock up the doors. Who of us doesn’t watch the clock for the end of a work day?

Now I would like to complain!  I know, the more you complain, the longer God makes you live. I have had an influx of people coming in with folders (I cringe, I have to admit) that I have never seen in the ten years I have been in business and I know what comes with those folders.  It is always an organization of one type or another requesting gift baskets, gift certificates or a supply of tea for their various functions which are usually tea parties.  I rarely refuse anybody because I have great tea.  I have been advised by my business partner that I must control my urge to keep giving away the store.

That said, I am thinking about putting the property on the market  in the next year so that my husband and I can move on to the next chapter in our lives.  The Stillroom Gift & Tea Lounge has been very, very good to me but I feel the days here in Saxonburg are numbered.   I know it will be hard to shut it down and leave but I think after ten years it might be time for me to start thinking about what I would like to do next in my life and I don’t want to waste time thinking about what might be, I want to make it happen! That would be to relocate our gem in to a part of the city of Pittsburgh which could be anyplace from Shadyside, to Bloomfield to Lawrenceville to Point Breeze or Highland Park.    As Eva Gabor said, “I get allergic smelling hay.”  Not that there’s anything wrong with that… I think the city would be fun and  is the way to go!

Saxonburg has a May Market coming up on May 11th and 12th which will be the third annual!  I mistakenly thought the Women’s Club Rummage sale was on that weekend but that was incorrect information and I also thought St. Paul was having their annual herb sale but that too has been scrubbed.  Hey, I’ll be here with bells on selling clearance items from the shop, flea market finds, food samplings and some new products to enjoy!   We will also have the tea lounge in full swing for your enjoyment.

The Third Annual Saxonburg Village Shops May Market will be great.  The idea is to try to make it better every year so please try to make it out and see whats new in the village!

In the meantime, we have a little bit more cosmetic work to do on our exterior and a few more things on the inside of our building and it will be ready to put on the market!    That is very exciting for us.  A little nudge can go a long way.  Interested in owning a piece of Saxonburg in the next year?  This might be your chance!  Interested in an owner occupied business?  We are one of the last few remaining gems in this town.  When the improvements for Main Street start happening, this town is going to be the polished diamond I always knew it could be and I will be ready to move on to my next project!

“Herbs do comfort the weary brain with fragrant smells that yield a certain kinde of nourishment”~
William Cole~1656

One of my favorite quotes

Here’s the latest “buzz” on the streets of Saxonburg.  We will be preparing for our May Market Friday,  May 11th and Saturday May 12th!  Come rain or come shine, we will be polishing up the town for this fun village event.  From clearance merchandise to flea market finds, it’s a beautiful time to shop and explore our little town those two days from 10-4. 

Here’s what’s new or almost new in town.  I am happy to tell you that there are two new places coming in to the village.  One place is opening as Mimi’s Memories Antiques and Collectibles and the other is a new cafe/coffee shop coming in to where the Main Stay Bed and Breakfast is.  Not sure of the projected opening date but I will keep you in touch as I find out information. 

Once again, I am hearing that this will be “competition” for my business. I think after almost 11 years doing this gig not much will change.  No worries here.  My feeling is this, the more businesses that fill up our town, the less it will look like a ghost town.  There’s room for anyone who wants to play in the sandbox! (Just don’t throw any sand…that’s not nice).

See ya!

It’s Daylight Savings and I could not be happier in spite of the fact that I lost an hour of sleep on top of all of the other sleepless nights I have had.  It was a full moon this past week so I will attribute my lack of sleep to the gravitational pull of the earth AND to my excitement over growth on our Main Street!  On top of the expansion of my own shop that now includes the very well received coffee and tea lounge, we have a very cool new shop called Pangea Street, right next to the YOMA room!  I have not been in there yet but I hear it’s filled with tins of herbs and spices and is set up like an apothecary in addition to unique gift ware from all over this big, wide world.

So now we have the Saxonburg Area Artists Co Op, Pangea Street, The Chandlery, The C Matus Company, The Stillroom Gift & Tea Lounge, The Second Time Around and The Grey Wolf Gallery for you to shop around in!  We have Saxonblooms that moved in last fall for your flower needs and a smoke shop on the corner.  This is growth for our little village….and speaking of the village, the Third Annual Saxonburg Village May Market is coming up on Friday, May 11th and Saturday May 12th!  There are many activities to bring you out and about that fine weekend before Mother’s Day so be sure to mark your calendar!  The Anuual Herb Sale will be on at St. Paul’s and the Succop Conservatory in Butler has an event in addition to our Women’s Club Rummage Sale held at the VFW right down the street from Main.

The Saxonburg Shops May Market really took off the first year.  Crowds were down the second year, truth be told, but we are not letting that squelch our enthusiasm!  This is the time of the year that I like to say, “You are as welcome as the flowers in May”.  The shops have greats sales and new items for you to peruse and usually there are food tastings and other treasures from old to new!

Yes, our sidewalks are still in awful shape but we will still sweep them up and put out our flower pots just the same!  I do warn you to watch your step.  New sidewalks were supposed to happen but I think that project has been put on hold.  If there is a change in that awful situation, I will forward on my blog.

The Stillroom Gift & Tea Lounge has been met with great enthusiasm by everyone who loves a great cup of coffee, tea or locally baked goods.  I am happy to introduce our teapot shortbread cookies once again and the new Double Love Lemon Cookies.  These cookies are so delicious, a client tasted the first bite and her eyes rollled up in her head!  That is a good thing, dear reader.  These are baked for The Stillroom by Melinda’s bakery on Main Street, literally in my back yard.  How great is that?  They do not come any fresher than that folks!  Easter orders for these delectable delights can be made at A Taste of Heaven Bakery or here at the shop.

“This is like something you would find in Lawrenceville”.  That was a quote from a customer that came in for the first time since the holiday season.  That was a super high compliment and I will take it.  For anyone who is not familiar with this part of Pittsburgh, it is one of those places that went through some really hard times and through the tenacity and hard work of ambitious mostly younger people it has become one of the hippest parts of the city.  My vision was to create a space I would want to go that reminded me of that part of the city and  I think mission accomplished.  We seat twelve comfortably with a subdued cool ambiance.

We have a property located off of the beaten path of Main Street but with the expansion of the shop we are being found and revisited and hopefully we will see a growth period this year!  I am feeling very good about it.  I no longer want to “pick up my space and move it to the city”.   I wanted to bring the feel of a city coffee dive to the cornfields of Saxonburg and I think it is just that.

Pour over coffee from LaPrima, made by the cup right in front of you!  I noticed Starbucks is getting in on this trend (we have been doing it that way for years and years) but the one thing they cannot do is sell it to you for a dollar a cup.  Yes, a dollar a cup from me to you.  Locally roasted beans, supporting our local roaster and passing the buck to you!  Winning!

Here is how we are doing it.  If you bring your own mug, you get your coffee for a dollar and tea is included in this also, loose or bagged.  We file away a card with your name on it and with each purchase with your own mug we stamp your card, get ten stamps and you get a free ten pack of Stash Tea.  How cool is that?

If the shop gets super busy, we will expand our hours during the summer months with the hopes of actually adding some help to make this happen.  In the meantime, if you haven’t been here lately, please do stop in and see how we have grown up.  Change I can believe in.

You will find it to be a warm and cozy spot to sit and watch any snow that might fall,  Expect the gentle atmosphere that you have come to enjoy in the gift shop in the lounge as well.

We will be pouring hot water by the cup so that you can now enjoy one of fifty tea flavors, bagged and now loose!  We will be serving Newman’s Own Organic Keurig for our coffee customers and still have our La Prima available by the pound..As soon as I perfect the process, I will be also serving La Prima as well.

Opening day will bring our outstanding chocolate tea.  It might not sound like a great combination but once you have had it, you won’t believe the rich chocolate flavor and the fragrance is the tops.

The outstanding biscotti will be delivered today and we still have new tea arriving over the next few days.

I am keeping the operation simple to ensure great quality and care in our products.  Bring your own mug and receive a discount on your beverage of choice.  That’s our simple way to try and go green in this day and age.

I would like to throw a reminder out that we do not serve High Tea.  We are not equipped for that and I am happy to tell you who does it in the area.  If you go to www.teaguide.net it will list every formal and non formal tea shop in the country!  We are in there.

Enjoy shopping in our newly expanded gift shop.  Now there is room to move and I will be filling it with new and exciting gift ware over the coming months.  I always say I spend the first eight months preparing for the last four.

Besides coffee and tea, you will still find lavender for scenting and cooking, catnip, patchouli, perfume oils, fresh vanilla beans, nutmeg  scented products made right here in the shop.

I welcome you for the new year.  Look for our ad in the Willow Tree in March.  I wrote a little history of how The Stillroom Gift & Tea Lounge came about.

The Stillroom is a small neighborhood shop and out of town visitors should know that there is on sight parking for three cars if you aim them straight, any over flow may park in the church lot farthest from the church and is a short forty foot walk to our door.  Our lounge will seat ten comfortably with two bar stools along the brick wall.

Our winter and summer hours remain as always, Wednesday through Saturday, 10-3.

The tea lounge will be available for rent for small gatherings starting in April.  Details will be released as soon as I nail them down!

412-721-6357  my new phone number.