Sew Frivolous Boutique

I have been super crazy busy this past week!! I have had lots of etsy sales:) Good, gotta pay for that fabric:) Had a girls night out Wednesday for my cousins bday! My kids have been busy!! Yada yada yada....

Sunday night I got a text from a friend of mine, (who makes jewelry, and business cards she ahs two etsy shops now(I introduced her to etsy:))asking if I still made childrens clothing? Of course, and she starts telling me about a new oppurtunity in Batesville (15 miles away)! It is a large 4 story warehouse (sp?) and you pay for your booth and keep all your profit. It is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. I hate to have to work all weekend, but that is when people shop, so sacrifice right? It is only $25.00 a week (for an 8x8) if you buy it monthly!! No lengthy contract you can purchase weekly or monthly.

So I check it out online www.romwebermarketplace.com and I emailed them for information. They contacted me yesterday and I went and picked out my booth. I am on the main floor right next to my friend (they actually were nice enough to ask the people next to her to move and they did, they are so nice). Everyone is on the main floor right now. Tehy have been open about 3 months and only have 2 more spots to fill on the main floor before they start moving to the second. I'm so excited. I start moving stuff in tomorrow and open Friday!! So fast!! I liek fast though!! No other sellers there sell childrens clothing!!

My booth is rather dark and it has a poll thru the side, It has three peg board walls (that I can't paint). So i went on a shopping spree yesterday. I'm thinking to do it in Black and white and Green. Like my business card. I bought white and green sheers and light weight rods and hooks. So one wall will be covered in those. I can put those hanger hooks in between the panels. I'm going to cover a table (foldable card table for now, eventually I'd like to have a 2 foot tall by 5 foot long table for display and still be able to use the wall:) in black fabric and I bought two wicker baskets for my eco bags and coffee wraps. I will be using my manniquins on th etable. I also bought a small metal rack shelf (like for a kitchen cubbard) and will try to fill it with pj sets. The booth has hardwood floors and I almost bought a green (shag) rug to help make it cozy, but backed out it was only $25. though. and I keep thinking about it so I may go back and get it.

I go in tomorrow to start setting up (I have very little inventory as of yet, but I will in time:) ) I will take befoe and after pics for you all, and would love any advice you got for me!!

Flowersand Bats and Plaids... Oh my!

I just got some beautiful new fabrics in!! What a fun, I tend to like Michael Miller it seems, most of them are his fabrics:)

Just had to share them with you first!!

Lovin' my Cardi

This is the second cardigan I have made form this pattern, you will remember the first fleece one, I loved but will never make again..... This one ...I'm in love all over again!! Gorgeous, and so many options!! This cardigan design would be great with courdoroy too.....

Had to share, my photography skills suck, it doesn't do the cardigan justice!!

Is it Friday yet?

Ok, last weekend was kind of a bust, and it continued on threw this week, is it ever going to end? I had two new patterns I was excited to try, One was a really cute tank top that ties at the shoulder and has a cute ruffle. As I made and completed this task, my excitement grew. I fi8nished it up and put it on Makenna (it was a 6) and it just didn't work. i think I need some adjustments to the pattern. The chest and back were too long and ran under pits. It poofed out so much a the bottom , she looked about 10 months pregnant:(

The other pattern is for a dress I already have a pattern for(of course I made my own adjustments) but in smaller sizes:) So as I finish up this size 18m dress I'm looking at it and thinking" are you for real?" it was about the length of a 4T, no lie!! My nephew who is 16m and wears a 2T, wasn't as tall as this dress! Patterns really make me mad. On top of it, they left exposed seams and did things the hard way (for no apparent reason). Crazy.Brand new wasted fabric!! I knew I should have just used the bigger pattern and cut it down myself, but , No....I thought it would be easier...............

Then the week began and I htought, I'm gonna tackle this pattern that has been haunting me since I first started sewing, I can't get it to come out right. It has the circular neck on it...anyway, again I tried and again, I failed (or I follow directions and I can't believe they would leave it like they say too, it would rub against little ones skinb and chaff(sp?) anyway, more wasted fabric..... though I was able to convert the dress into a cute pleasted skirt and list it, so if I sell it I won't be $$ short :)

I did get several things accomplished but then today I decided to get my hair highlighted and paid double what I planned too and it doesn't even look that spectacular:( So I'm hoping now that it is Wednesday, and I'm over the "hump" the week will finish out on a good note......

I hope everyone has had a better week, sorry my post was so gloomy, but .....
THAT'S LIFE:)

Fall 2010 Fabrics

i hadn;t meant to buy anymore fabric for a while, but since I had to go to Columbus anyway, I figured I would just sop in.................................

This black with pink lace is cotton. It is gorgeous! I can't wait to create!!

Also I bought a new pattern last night for little tank tops that tie at teh shoulders, they have little ruffles on them. I have to buy a license before I sell them (though I can use this license for any of their patterns, i just have to buy the pattern) The other place it requires a license per pattern!! So I'm excited about that.

A Dream....

I thought todays post would be a good time to share my dream.....cause without dreams, your life is pretty dull!

My dream has been to own my own business. Over the years it has bounced around a bit. I wanted a used bookstore (that also carried best sellers), I did a lot of research on it, I mean lots. I love read alot!! i love books!! I hate paying the price for books! I had a couple problems with this idea though, that I could never get off my mind. Sure enough as soon as I open my store Some big book store would decide to open up in this town since it woulod have no competition for 30-35 miles. Second issue, is the library, when times get tough, why pay for something you can get for free?

That was the end of those thoughts until I started my second etsy store (oh, my second? yes I also make soaps, lotions, all natural beauty products. It was called Body Luxuries, never went any where, people make some really cool stuff in very large batches on there) I closed that shop up, but not before I started meeting other etsy atisans. What an absolutley amazing group of people! I soon learned to sew and started making clothes for my girls that would actually fit them, then discovered I was addicted. Something about seeing something I made on a child thrills me!! So I decided as soon as I had some free time again, I was reopening my etsy store. (Obviously I had to use a different name) My first 10 names were taken:( Very discouraging! I soon had things up and running, and I joined INCrowdteam ( an etsy group of Indiana Etsians) I met some of the people on there and chatted with many!

It was great to hear other people having the same issues as I was, and we all have the same goal of making our stores successful. Many of them travel to craft shows every weekend, others host parties, they all help promote each other and their shops.

Light Bulb!! I want in on this. I want to help my fellow etsians, as well as myself! I want as many people as possible seeing my dresses!! More views, means more sales right!! I want to support local artisans!! I'd love to help everone, but you have to start small.

Needles to say I knew what I had to do. I had to create an environment that would allow multiple artisans to sell there wares all in one place.. First thought is flea market style or booth rent... but I would prefer something more organized...I'm a mother of four, I don't need any more chaos!! Then I did some research to cover a cheap rent, insurance, advertising, utilities, etc...I would have to have excessive sales. It would take me 5 years to save up enough money to stock the store. Not a very feesible idea....not for someone that has to have things NOW!! I have no patience.

Then I spotted a building here in Greensburg that use to be place artists could display their art. I rememeber walking by it as a kid and looking at paintings in the window. This place is now split into two apartments (one in front and one in back) and I'm staring at it and picturing what I could do to make it into my shop!! It is about two blocks away from the square, but there are houses on both sides. Parking is street only. I bet I could get it for under $500.00 a month though!!

I tell my cousin, who has walked through this dream with me for a couple years now, about it, she comes down and we go look at it. On the way there I tell her I think 60/40 (40% I keep) consignment would be the way to go, to get it off the ground quicker. She says the same thing I do, the location isn't perfect for an unstablished business. Price is decent. If we did enough advertising, we could make a good go of it. We continued on walking and I showed her a place on the square I have had my eye on. (top picture, Where the Cookie Crumbles) they are moving by August 1st. The building will be vacant....hhhmmm I wonder how much more it will be? The traffic would be a lot better and you could get the visitors (yes, people actually come from all around to see our courthouse, it has a tree growing on top of it. I'm serious.) Anyway, it's not a very big place but that should make the rent less, right?? Of course no rent sign on it yet....

Then we notice teh building right next door (Nut Cases- see what I deal with in this town) they are moving to Batesville July 31st. I would love to be able to get that building it is a little bigger than the cookie place. So I'm getting very excited. Oh yeah did I mention I already had called about a store on the square about a year ago (I've been giving this alot of thought for a while) it is a very large space very clean office, storage. They wanted $700 a month. But he wanted a three year lease. So Dawn (my cousin) and I get to the house and we are discussing it. What we would need to do, I show her some figures I made abnout how much sales I would need yearly, monthly, weekly just to stay afloat. It comes down to about $100 a day in a 6 day week. For a $500 rent. We talk about trying for a grnt (this is daunting, I have looked into it before and took off running!! Very Scary and confusing!! She says she will check into it for me! Great!! I owe her already and it still just a concept:)

Anyway, my husband loves me, but he is terrified. He did admit this morning though that I have the passion to make it a success:) He does business financing, so all he sees is $$$.

Dawn and I discuss what if I went full force with this now, could I get it up and running in time for Christmas!! (November 1st opening date) that way I hit the busiest shopping season of the year. Possible add a little cusion to the slower months that might lay ahead. Wow, I got about 3 hours of sleep last night trying to figure out if its possible.

So today I walked up to the post office to drop off a couple of dressesand went around the corner to see if the "For Rent" sign is up yet, nope, but guess what another building is opening up, this one is perfect!! Except the price of course, of which I don't know what it is.( Third Picture) It was some kind of used clothing store I went into once and it was for old ladies, I think I know why it didn't suceed. Anyway, here is where things get tricky. All three of these businesses are attatched to each other with one other building in the middle(It's a restraunt, and I'm pretty sure the guy who runs it, owns that building.) So why are all three businesses closing or moving on the same date(or same two days) and no "For Rent" signs are posted??

Think the owner upped the rent? I'm pretty sure the cake place does a heck of a business ( they have really good "cheeseart" cheeseball dyed and decorated into art, no lie its pretty cool and inexpensive) they may be just upgrading. Nut Cases, just opened less than a year ago, and only sold nuts and a few candies. The place always looked like it was getting ready to close down, even when they first opened I thought well they just didn't get it finished, i went in one more time and it was the same. Not sure they planned that out real well. So, Am I just making excuses for them leaving, or is it the location. I think the square is the perfect location, if it is going to work. I'm not paying the $3000 dollar rent the strip malls want, it's not the right setting for my store either. I'm not looking to get rich, I just want to do something I love. But I don't want to drown in debt either?

I'll share my write up on what it would be like to be a customer walking into my shop, another time. P.s. I want the name to be Indy Made

Anybody else have a dream?? Please tell me yours?

Layaway...just in time for Back to School Shopping!!

Oh....Back to School shopping, with four daughters this is a daunting task.....and expensive!! I was thinking baout how much I should be saving back for this August expense, when it hit me that it would be so nice to be able to start shopping now....lightbulb......





LAYAWAY!!

So I'm so excited to offer layaway to all my wonderful customers!! For more details checkout my shop http://sewfrivolous.etsy.com . As little as $5.00 can reserve your entire order!! While you are in my shop checkout my new banner and tell me what you think....is it too girly??

One Shot Cardigan

I spent 4.5 hours on this cardigan today! It is beautiful!! The pictures do not do it justice! Niether does the bow, I( just can't seem to make a bow to save my life. Yes, I have had many people show me how, to no avail!

Anyway, I will never make one like it again!! I broke two needles, my back hurts, it was very involved. I'm not saying I won't use this pattern to make many more cardigans, cause I will. I will just never use a fleece ruffle again. Wow, it was not an easy task.

I think I could cut an hour of my time out by using a white premade cotton ruffle instead. I don't think it will take too much away from it. Do you?? I really wanna know.

I can't stop picturing how cute this cardigan will look on some little girl! Paired with boots and jeans or over a delicat dress!! So many uses. I think it would be adorable amde out of light weight denim too!! Oh, the possibilities are endless.

I just had to share it with you.....til next time.........