The Salem Plant Witch

03/23/2025

03/21/2025

🎉🎉🎉

Happy first day of Spring! 🌺

03/14/2025

Derby Square, many years ago. 😻

Derby Square has changed a bit over the years. There was a time when drinking establishments of questionable reputation that created many memories dotted the area.

02/27/2025

Credit to TheRunicWitch

02/20/2025

Dear fiber friends,
It’s with a very heavy heart that I’m sharing that our brick and mortar location is closed until further notice. Yesterday a pipe burst in our building, and flooded our store with an inch of standing water. We’re hoping to be closed for no more than 2-3 weeks. In the meantime, our online shop will stay open.
The good news is that a very small percentage of our inventory was damaged, so we’re able to keep the online shop going. The bad news is we don’t know how long it will take us to re-open, as our flooring needs to be pulled up, and damaged drywall needs to be removed.
We need your help to stay afloat. We’re working with our insurance company to cover as much of the loss as possible, but we already know they won’t cover everything. One of our uncovered expenses will be payroll: we’ll continue paying our staff while we’re closed. Our dye studio and workshop space will remain open, and workshops will run as scheduled.

How you can help:
- Our online shop is open. Please think of us for your next project. If you have the budget but no project in mind, maybe you can send a crafty friend a gift?
- A low cost way to help out is to buy some of our digital patterns
- Sign up for a workshop
- Visit Toil & Trouble Studio and pick up some hand dyed yarn
- Share our shop with your crafty friends!

With your support, I’m sure we can make it through this and get our little shop back up and running. Thank you, as always, for making Circle of Stitches possible.

xo, Ana (and Annie, Joyce, Vanessa, Melissa, and Drea)

02/10/2025

Remember, quite a few flowers are toxic to cats, but ESPECIALLY lilies. Even grooming a bit of lily pollen off their own fur can be deadly.

02/07/2025

Quannapowitt Cottage swooped in for Salem So Sweet weekend with some new Cauldron planters. 😍

02/07/2025

The City of Salem, MA is pleased to announce the commencement of the Old Town Hall Restoration Phase 1: Exterior Preservation and Accessibility Improvements Project. For the past five years, the City has worked with the community to develop a plan for Old Town Hall and secure funding to restore, preserve, and enhance—in historically appropriate ways—this beloved iconic historic structure in the heart of downtown Salem.

The full project will take place in two phases. This initial phase is strictly focused on the weather-sealing and restoration of the exterior of the building and the creation of fully accessible entrances. Design and permitting is complete and construction will begin this month.

Work is projected to begin on Thursday, February 13, 2025 and has been approved to take place 7:00am-6:00pm Monday through Friday with no substantial noise before 8:00am or after 5:00pm, and 8:00am-5:00pm Saturdays. Sundays and holidays are excluded. While this work will impact the areas in Derby Square directly adjacent to the Hall, pass-through pedestrian access will be maintained at all times. Old Town Hall itself will remain operational throughout construction. We anticipate the project to be fully completed by June 30, 2025.

A summary of the exterior work to be completed during the initial phase is as follows:

*Improve existing accessible entrance at north façade doors and sidewalk area.
*Provide accessible entrance to basement at southeast corner along east elevation.
*Repairs to exterior doors for improvements to life safety and egress conditions.
*Provide selective masonry repairs to brickwork and brownstone sills.
*Remove five abandoned grilles at exterior façade and tooth-in brickwork to match.
*Selective repairs to windows and provide exterior historically appropriate storm windows.
*Upgrades to existing snow guard rails and ice melt system.
*Selective restoration of slate roof
*Restoration of cupola
*Miscellaneous in-kind repairs to exterior and prep/repainting of previously painted wood.

Funding for this phase of the project comes from the City of Salem and grants from the Salem Community Preservation Committee, Massachusetts Historical Commission, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. The second phase of the project will focus on the interior and includes structural preservation as well as heating, cooling, fire prevention, accessibility, and acoustical improvements. It will take several years to secure funding for the second phase.

Should you have any questions or concerns about this project or its impacts to Derby Square, please contact Julie Barry, City of Salem Senior Planner for Arts & Culture at [email protected] or 978-619-5685.

To learn more about the project visit: https://www.salemma.gov/old-town-hall/pages/renovation-and-restoration-project.

02/06/2025

Whether you're looking for your purrfect match or just a one-time fling, your one-of-a-kind valentine's date is waiting!

For less than the cost of dinner and drinks, support shelter pets and meet nine adorable and adoptable dogs or cats in a fun, relaxed setting. You’ll have approximately eight minutes with each pet over the course of an hour and a half to show them some love. Adoption interest is NOT REQUIRED to participate - we welcome flings here!

If you are interested in adopting, you may fill out a pre-approval adoption application so you can take home your new best friend same-day! Your event registration fee can be applied towards an adoption, or donated to other animals looking for their fur-ever match.

Spots are limited, so sign up today! bit.ly/fureveryours

02/01/2025

Hi friends! The shop will be opening at 2pm today 2/1/25