Hello!
What a crazy year it has been! I opened my own Brick and Mortar shop "That Little Something Handmade" back in December! It has been such a fun adventure. We have over 53 Hoosier artisans in the store!

I have not had as much time to work on my Etsy shop, though I have remained open and accepting orders. Sew Frivolous has played a major part in keeping the store open. It has been a battle, but I'm doing my best!

I am really going to make a big effort in making Sew Frivolous my main shop for 2014!!  While I love my brick and mortar store, I have to have an income somehow! 

I am looking forward to many changes and challenges for 2014, but I am determined to make it the best year ever for Sew Frivolous!!

Cheers, Tracee

I'm still here.

Hello!

Yes, I still have this blog....have not been here in a long time. Life gets crazy, and I'm crazier than ever! We have moved into our new home (6 months ago) and still trying to sell our other home. Still running Sew Frivolous which had the best year ever last year! Along with taking care of my four beautiful daughters, to say the least I've been busy:)

What's new you may ask?? Why am I back....I have got some new plans in the making!

In a previous post..(somewhere back there) I told you about my dream of one day open my own shop, where I would sell all handmade items. I even had the location picked out which of course has now sold. sigh..but I'm a firm believer in Karma and when the time is right, it will happen. But...I just can't seem to let this idea go.

I have had an idea in the back of my mind for some time now about doing home shows. This idea seemed fun, but I never did anything about but tell a couple of other artisans. Then of ocurse, life would get crazy and I'd push it to the back of my mind. Then I read a post on etsy and a lady was looking for artisans for the same reason, and all of a sudden I realized, why not me? Why not now? (Don't worry this lady is in Oklahoma, nowhere near me).

So I put my idea on paper. Gave it to my husband Gary (who is the level headed one in our partnership) to look over and give me feedback. He knew about my desire to open a local shop and while he never called me crazy, I could tell he also wasn't on board. He actually thought it seemed like a good idea. No overhead (except inventory), no property investment, a good way to test the local market. His only concern is the time it may take away from the family. Which is also a concern for me as well, but I don't think it's not something we could figure out. I would book no more than 2 parties a week and I can do it on my own schedule and do all other work that would be associated during the day while they are at school and work.

Anyway, the idea is this:
People would book a scheduled party with me (I'm thinking open house style), and I would bring a wide variety of handmade high quality items to set up and display beautifully in there home. Their guests can shop and carry that night. I would purchase items wholesale and or consignment. I would like at least 75% of my handmade items to come from local Indiana artisans and still offer some items that are original from non local artisans. Each artisan featured would have a display with a bio of the artisan and their items. So you know who and how the artisans make the item you are interested in. Of course host would recieve some type of reward (discount, free product) for hosting an event. Hopefully each party will lead to new bookings:)

I will constantly be rotating inventory and artisans, so no two parties are the same. (Which I think is the problem with a lot of home parties, same stuff, same catalogue) Which I would hope would keep people interested, and want to see what's new.

So that is the general idea for now, as with all new adventures, I gotta roll with the punches. I'm setting a goal to host my first open house in May/June. Gotta make money to buy inventory (promised DH not to touch family money and use only my Sew Frivolous account). This was my idea...so I feel it should be my neck on the line:)

Step one:
Establish a name, and website.
-probably going to have to hire someone to do the website as I have no computer skills...any suggestions?

Will update progress, as for the idea, what do you think? Would you attend a show of this type if invited?

Few changes!

Hello, good morning to all! I have been so busy moviong and everything is complete chaos!! I never would have guessed how much stuff we have accumulated over the years!

As for Sew Frivolous, I will be back at the Columbus Farmers Market this Saturday (unfortunetly with very few new items) but back none the less! As for www.sewfrivolous.com I will be reopening probably on Monday! With that said, I will be making a couple of small changes. One of which will be hte twirl skirt lengths. I have had quite a few custom orders in the skirts I have noticed a pattern in the length of the skirts. Most custom sized skirts have been longer than what I have currently been making. So I'm going to revamp the sizing of these.

Currently here are the measurments I was using( from 1" below belly button, to the hemline of the skirt):

NB: 6.5"

3M: 7"

6M: 7.5"

9M: 8"

12M:8.5"

18M:9"

24M:9.5"

2T: 9.5"

3T: 10"

4T: 10.5"

5T: 11.5"

6: 12.5"

7: 13.5"

8: 14.5"

10: 16.5"

I'm thinking to add almost 2" in length to sizes 2T-6 and an additonal 1" to sizes 7-10. Honestly I really could use some feedback on these sizes, to make sure I'm not adding to much, or making them too short. If you have a "lil one and could measure them and get back to me, there age and length I'd really aprreciate it!!

Also, I'm loving this new pattern, such a pretty fun simple pattern!! Tell me what you think!!

New fabrics!

Today I celebrate my 2 year anniversary on Etsy!! I have all my wonderful customers to thank for sucha successful 2 years! I am offering a spcial for today only! Check out my facebook page for coupon code. www.facebook.com/sewfrivolous

Here are some new fabrics I couldn't resist yesterday, very limited amounts, place your custom order soon!! The pink and green with the dark chocolate flowers would make for great big sis lil sis dresses!! I can't wait to make some for the twins, if I ever get caught up..lol

And so on...

Ok, that last post was a draft when I saved it and went to back to finish it it posted instead of letting me edit it. I warned you I'm a computer idiot. So anyway, after discovering my mistake I got frustrated and shut the conputer off...I also have a short fuse!

So now I'm back to finish the post, early morning with coffee in hand...house is quiet...well almost my Emma is the only other one up in the house and and she is watching My Ghost Story 10 feet away. Yes Emma is only 8, she is addicted to all things ghostly, stories, scary movies, she actually wants a "ghost kit" for her upcoming birthday which she informed me I can order online from bio.com lol....that's our Emma she is a character! She gets it from my brother who is a huge scary movie buff..he even watches the B movies...he loves it and has passed it on to Emma. I know, I know, not age appropriate, but I assure you she is fine and they do not scare her..lol

Anyway, that was random, but caffiene does that to me. I just wanted to add a few pics of some of the new dresses I have listed in the shop. I need to come up with some new designs, but the classics are working for me now:)

Also, I wanted to mention, if anyone has been in my shop over the past week you may notice my designer fabric items went up a touch. Let me explain, a local shop has just opened up in town, www.treecitystitches.com and they carry designer fabrics. I love that I can help support a local business. They are higher than where I usually buy my fabric by about $2 a yard. They don't yet carry all my fav designers (they do carry Kaufman!)but asked who my favs were and are going to look into carrying those designers as well. So I have decided to split the difference with my customers. (Also, no more waiting for the shipment to come in when I run out I can just go three blocks and get some more) They have said they hope to start a customer appreciation program of sorts soon. I just hope its real soon:) I'm also listing these items on sale for the first week of the listing which makes it cheaper for my loyal blog and facebook customers to get the dresses at a good discount!!

Love you all!! Tracee

Summer is almost here!

We have finally had some decent weather here in Indiana! My girls have been able to wear a few of their new dresses! Unfortunetly they are grwoing up so quickly! Not sure how much longer I will get to dictate what they wear. I have pretty much already lost my older two they pick their own clothes, who will I get to model for me? lol... I"m sure I will find someone:)

I have recently purchased the right to make ruffled socks. They are really cute, I don't have them listed yet, gotta test them out and make sure they hold up, but keep your eyes out! Soon!

Designer fabrics!

These fabrics are beautiful! Yes the blue one I have had before, but I just love it!! had to get more!! Limited amounts available, so if you like it let me know!!