Winner! Winner! Winner!

The winner of our latest giveaway, a fabulous photograph by Caleb Weston, is ....

Beth Polinquin!

Send me a quick email at heidi@maryroseannes.com and we'll get you your photo!

Another Giveaway!

Can you believe it? We're going to give away another prize! For free! This time, Mary Roseanne's own art photographer Caleb Weston is donating an original photograph! Because we couldn't decide between the many awesome prints he has, we thought we'd let the winner choose! The winner of this contest will get to choose between the two prints below:

Tulips in Bergen, Norway, 2008

Waterfowl Lake, Banff, Canada, 2006

The photograph is 6x9 and comes matted in an 11x14 mat, ready for your own favorite standard size frame. You have until Wednesday, August 31 at midnight to enter. The rules are:

HOW TO ENTER (You may enter each way one time)

1. Leave a comment in the comment section below this post.
2. “Like” the Mary Roseanne's Facebook page. (If you already “like” it then you’re already entered.)
3. Repost a link to this contest page on your own blog, then leave the link to that page in the comment section of the contest page (below).

4. "Follow" this blog (just click on the "follow us" link at the right ... if you're already a follower, you're already entered!).

its almost here!

Mary Roseanne's opens just 13 weeks from today. Wahoo!

Sundress tutorial

I found this great free tutorial on making a super cute little girl's sundress. If you're looking for a fun project to make for a daughter, granddaughter, niece, or the girl down the street, this is the one! The pattern says it should only take about 3 hours. I can't wait to try it myself!

Christmas is coming!

Can you believe its only 4 1/2 months until Christmas!?! And we have only 3 months until Mary Roseanne's Holiday Shoppe opens for business! I hope you're already working on your Christmas lists, because its going to be here before you know it, and we will have something for everyone!

Quick and EASY crafty tutorial

Having a party or celebration of any kind this summer? Of course you are. Well, you need to make a few of these lovely wall fans. I cannot stress to you enough how easy they are to create. If you have scrapbook paper lying around, which we know you do, then grab a stapler and set to work using this tutorial.

We have a Winner!!

First of all, thanks to everyone who entered our giveaway contest for the reusable fabric banner. And now (drumroll please), the winner is:

Congratulations

Lara Wells-Krohmer!

Pillowcase Dress

Found a great FREE sewing pattern for a super cute kid's pillow case dress ... with ruffles! Ruffles make everything extra cute, don't you think? Click here for the pattern!

Tips for selling at a Christmas boutique

Observations from an Experienced Seller

by Judi Hammer

After fourteen years managing a large Christmas boutique, I had the opportunity to observe numerous crafters selling their wares. I also sold my own handcrafted items. There is definitely a thrill in seeing customers purchase your merchandise. There is also a real sense of discouragement when the beautiful items you have worked so hard to create just sit on the shelves rather than sell like hotcakes. There are many things that contribute to why some things sell and some don’t. Sometimes, there is no good reason, but more often than not, there are things to do to help you be successful in selling your handcrafts. It is always important to be aware of the venue where you are selling and the type of customer that venue draws. In other words, who is your target market and are you selling at the correct venue?

Some more ideas for success in selling your handcrafts:

· Quality is very important. Create each item with much attention to quality and detail.

· Uniqueness – Are your items unique? Think about style, design, color, fabric, originality, etc.

· Current – Items should be up-to-date in style, color, pattern, etc.

· Variety – Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, as the saying goes. Whatever your expertise is, think of ways to make a variety of items at a variety of price points (see next point).

· Price – First, be sure that your items are priced fair for the market. Check similar items to see if your prices are appropriate for the customer as well as covering your costs. Also, be sure to have items in more than one price range. (At Mary Roseanne’s, the average price of an item sold fell between $8-12.)

· Display & Packaging – Thinking of creative ways to display your merchandise as well as clever packaging, if appropriate, can really help your items stand out in the crowd. (How many times have you bought the more expensive bottle of olive oil because you liked the bottle better?)

Have fun crafting and good luck with selling all you make. Also, feel free to contact me with any further questions or insights!

Giveaway!! Giveaway!!

Mary Roseanne's is conducting our first giveaway! This reusable banner has been generously donated by MRHS crafter Amy Stokke of LouLouCreations. It will bring a little bit of extra class to every birthday party you throw. Enter by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, July 21, for your chance to win! See below for instructions on how to enter ...

HOW TO ENTER (You may enter each way one time)

1. Leave a comment in the comment section below this post.
2. “Like” the Mary Roseanne's Facebook page. (If you already “like” it then you’re already entered.)
3. Repost a link to this contest page on your own blog, then leave the link to that page in the comment section of the contest page (below).

4. "Follow" this blog (just click on the "follow us" link at the right ... if you're already a follower, you're already entered!).

Tutorial: Beaded Headband

Check out Pretty Ditty for this awesome tutorial on a fabric covered beaded headband. She gives easy step by step instructions. So cute!

Christmas Fabrics on Sale!

As you start thinking through crafts to make and sell at this year's boutique, you might need some Christmas-themed fabrics, right? Well, this week at M&L Fabrics in Anaheim, all their Christmas fabrics are on sale! And if you've never been to M&L Fabrics in Anaheim, you must go! It's kind of like Target, you go in for a toothbrush and end up spending $100 on stuff you didn't know you needed. They have EVERYTHING (well, everything fabric related, anyway)! And, now's a great time to check 'em out if you're thinking of making any Christmas-themed crafts. Enjoy shopping!

Mr. Darcy, John McClane and some UFOs

Life has been nuts over the past few months. NUTS! We had a new baby in December and then moved in March. Those two major changes alone have left very little time for crafts. For me, this has been detrimental to my actual health. Spending time doing creative things soothes my soul, calms my mind, and takes me to a happy place.

So a couple weeks ago I decided it was time to let the cleaning and organizing and unpacking go untouched for a while, and to ignore my great tiredness brought on my non-sleeping baby, turned on some of my favorite movies, and finished some unfinished projects (UFOs). I started with Pride and Prejudice, a full five hours of witty dialogue culminating in the great romance of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. I wasn't able to finish everything in that 5 hours, so I put in my newest favorite Die Hard movie, Live Free or Die Hard, and sewed to the sounds of gunfight and "Yippee-Kayay!"

The first thing I finished was this most awesome bag by Amy Butler. I'd bought the pattern and fabric last summer at a quilt show, got all the pieces cut and prepped before Ella was born, but then it was boxed up to make room for all the other things there were to do. The scarf I'd been working on since last May. It comes from one of my favorite knitting books, Scarf Style. With so many fun projects I was wanting to get started, it was time to get these long-standing projects off the books. And aren't they so pretty! I'm now working on finishing some household projects (curtains and small tablecloths) and then its on to some new knitting projects, a quilt kit I bought in January, and building up my inventory for Mary Roseanne's 2011!

I made a cell phone pocket! I did a lot of things on this bag I'd never done before, including a zippered pocket! Go me.

I still don't know what I'm going to use this bag for, but a girl can't have too many handcrafted tote bags!

The technique for this scarf is called Entrelac, and its just stunning! It was hard to photograph the fringe, but its one of my favorite parts of the whole thing.

The yarn I used is one of the reasons this turned out so beautiful. Its called Noro Silk Garden, and the slow change of colors is what helps show off the pattern so well.

Yay for finished projects!

an olfactory hypothesis

Hypothesis: There is no happier smell than that of bacon frying.

Proof: This morning I tried another recipe out of my most excellent Slow Cooker Cookbook, and it began with the frying of bacon. MAN does that smell good. You can never go wrong when the recipe starts with frying bacon. But it didn't stop there. Add some chicken to the bacon grease, brown on all sides, add some garlic and some fresh rosemary ... and then balsamic vinegar to scrape the bacon bits off the bottom of the pan (I wish you could hear my voice escalating) ... my house smells so good! Everything has been transferred to the slow cooker, but the smells still permeate my being. Yes, bacon is the best.

If you're interested in this slow cooker cookbook (and you are), you should check it out. I bought mine at Costco, but you can find it online if need be: Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever by Diane Phillips. It really is the best cookbook ever.

just in time for summer

A great knitting website out there is knitbot, and they've just released a great sweater pattern for summer! This one is the Breezy Cardigan, advertised as "the Featherweight meets the Effortless." I've already knit the Featherweight, and I love it. I was actually thinking about knitting it again, in a truly featherweight yarn (I used sock weight last time). But I think I'll try this one instead! I love the look, and I already know I like the pattern from which it was inspired. (Though, admittedly, I doubt I'll get to this soon ... too many unfinished projects to get to!). If you have a chance to knit this one, let me know! And if nothing else, check out Knitbot ... a great website with some fun patterns.

Breezy Cardigan

Pattern Review - Cynthia Rowley 2215

Every Friday afternoon, I daydream of all the wonderful projects and adorable crafts I can do and create, and last Friday was no different. With a new pattern, new fabric and all my matching notions I was all set for a great Friday afternoon.

Well, this weekend it was a pattern by Cynthia Rowley. A simple dress that I thought I could have fun with. Boy was I wrong. Here's the pattern review:

Overall Rating: D

Specific Issues:

-Directions for adding pockets was like trying to read minds.
-Unclear references and bad pictures led to a busy seam-ripper
-Installing the zipper per instructions was a nightmare.
-Sizing was completely off
-Darts don't bring in enough fabric.

This pattern led me to the point of desperation for my very own dress form! What a headache that would have saved me.

Sew at your own risk with this pattern! And let's hope next weekend will be much more fun.

simple curtains

Its all about choosing fun fabrics, but simple curtains for the kitchen can be super easy but have high impact. I made these fun polka-dot curtains for my new kitchen, recently painted a fun shade of robin's egg blue. I call it my "modern twist on retro 50s" look. Or something to that effect. Anyway, I love how my simple curtains turned out and really put the finishing touch on the new kitchen.

I simply measured the size of the windows and cut my fabric so the panel would be flat. I hemmed the size first with a double fold (no raw edges to see, even on the back), hemmed the top with big enough fold to fit the tension rod through, and gave the bottom about a 3" hem. So easy. After I hung them, I took 1/4" grosgrain ribbon and just looped it over the top, cut it the length of the curtain, then tied it up to where I liked it. Voila!

I did the two small windows first because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with the bigger window. The suggestion was made to do the same kind of curtain, only wider, and I'm really glad I did. It looks great! Although, I ran out of ribbon and had to substitute another for one of the ties on the big window ... I'll change it out the next time I get a chance to buy some more.

Curtains are such an easy way to spice up a room, and they don't have to be fancy to make a big impact!

FREE Patterns

Did you know there are a slew of lovely crafters out there who give away their patterns for FREE? (Insert face of disbelief here.) You can check out a full month of pattern giveaways at this wonderful blog I happened upon this morning.

http://grosgrainfabulous.blogspot.com/

You can also click on the Free Pattern link in the sidebar. Today's pattern is my favorite, Bali Bliss by Sewing In No Man's Land. So CUTE, right?

List It! How to create a Treasury List on Etsy.

Creating a Treasury List on Etsy is super easy and such a fun way to organize your favorite things! (unless you want to write a song like Maria Von Trapp.)

Here's a quick tutorial on creating your own wonderful list.

Step 1: Go to http://www.etsy.com/ and click on Treasury in the left-hand column under "Ways to Shop".

Step 2: Click on Create a List under "Curator Tools" on the right-hand column.

Step 3: Here comes the fun part: Pick what grouping of your favorite things you want to treasure and give it a sassy title. You can group literally anything, i.e. stitched leprechans, dresses with yellow stripes, orange flavored candies, silly string crafts, handmade hot pants, etc.

Step 4: Add your favorite products from Etsy using the URL from each shop and voila, you're done!

You can check out my first ever Etsy Treasury List here:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4dc04d18ad4d8eefd22d84b6/embroider-me?index=0

I feel the need to make a "curator" hat . . . something with a feather.

Holiday Shoppe 2010

Last year's first annual Mary Roseanne's Holiday Shoppe was a complete success! We've started this blog for crafters and shoppers to enjoy talking about all things crafty, as well as share ideas, techniques and unique online finds. We look forward to this being a place for those who love crafts to hang out and learn more! This will also be the place we keep everyone informed about how Mary Roseanne's 2011 is shaping up. Come back and visit often!