I’m sure Mary Anne Chanos and I were quite a site to other shoppers at
Collec-Tiques on Main:  two middle-age women on toddler-sized chairs, knees under our chins, surrounded by equally small aprons, miniature tablecloths, and tiny teacups; earnestly discussing family and the healing power of creativity.

Mary Anne and her husband, Steve, moved from East Atlanta to the Galilee subdivision off of Brockett Road 35 years ago. Mary Anne and her sisters went to Grady High School in Atlanta, and her Mother attended the old ‘Girls’ High.’

“We wanted to be closer to our church.”  Mary Anne explained. The family attends the Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Clairmont Road. “Steve and I were the first to move here, and eventually my whole family relocated to Tucker.”  Mary Anne’s sisters, Elaine Tissura and Christine Mannas both live in Tucker with their families, as does her mother, Violet Petrakos. “My sisters and I all sew,” Mary Anne said. “We have my Mother to thank for that.”

When she and Steve married, 45 years ago, Mary Anne needed curtains for her kitchen. “We couldn’t afford a sewing machine then, so I rented one from the Singer store downtown for $5.00 a month until I could afford to buy my own.”  She’s still sewing on the Singer she bought over 30 years ago. “The new ones are nice, but I wouldn’t know what to do with all those buttons!”  she said.

Her children, George and Chryse, grew up in Tucker, and attended high school here. “I used to sew for my children,” Mary Anne said. “Church dresses for Chryse, and costumes for both of the kids.”

She particularly remembers a George Washington costume she made for her son for a school play. “I made up the pattern, then Mother hand-sewed 40 buttons on that thing.” she laughed.

It was a hobby that would one day grow into a business.

“It really all started with the aprons.” she said. “When my oldest granddaughter, Alissa, turned six. We had a tea-party for her birthday. I made all the food and costumes for the dozen children who came. They had such a good time.”  Alissa is 13 now, and a little old for tea parties, but Mary Anne’s younger granddaughters, Taylor (7) and Ansly (6) have followed suite. “My grandchildren are my inspiration.” she said, smiling.

“The girls had this little play kitchen, and whenever I visited them, they wanted to take Grandma’s ‘order’ and play restaurant with me. So I started by making aprons for them. It just seemed that all the girls really enjoyed having tea parties.”  The aprons take her two-and-a-half hours to make. Trimmed in lace and ribbons, they are still sturdy enough to stand up to kid-sized messes and a good machine washing. The colors and patterns are lively and sunny. And she doesn’t sew just for the girls. A batman cape she made years ago for her grandson Steve (now 15) inspired her to create dress-up gear for boys and girls.

In January of 2005, her husband was diagnosed with an illness that necessitated many trips to hospitals and doctor’s offices. “I just don’t now what I would have done without something to keep my hands and my mind occupied. It saved my sanity.”  she said. In February, she began selling her creations at Collec-tiques on Main, and a business was born. The cheerful aprons are displayed along side reversible tablecloths (with matching napkins, of course), satin capes, feather boas, hand-sewn pillows – everything a little girl could dream of for a pretend tea party.

"We’ve spent so much time at the hospital.” She continues. “The gift shop at Eggleston is even carrying some of my things now. It’s so healing to me to have this as an outlet.” 

How healing it will be for those children to escape into her fantasy world for a little while. And how wonderful for Tucker residents that we can share her creativity through Pretend Tea Party.