Inauguration Day

In no particular order, here are my thoughts on this momentous day:
l.  I watched it on the flatscreen while walking on the treadmill.
2. I did not trip or fall off of the treadmill.
3. I really like the music and the choirs every time.
4. The pageantry is impressive.
5. There is much to be concerned about from this day forward.
6. I believe Heavenly Father watches over this country and guides it's leaders.
7. Faith and Fear cannot exist in the same space at the same time. (Mark 4:35-40)
8. The sun will rise tomorrow and there will be another day.

Not and eloquent post to be sure for today, but it has been a day of many words from many directions.  It is yet to be seen who has the correct perspective.  Hang on for a wild ride.

Sunday

Somewhere I have heard that Sunday is a day of rest. I wish.  I am tired and it is 5:41 right now.
Sundays at our house are as busy as any other day.   We just have a different schedule.

5:30 1st alarm rings
6:00 Hubby starts to get ready
7:00 Everyone up. 
7:30 Hubby out the door to first meetings.
8-9  Get Sunday lessons ready to go
9:30 Teens begin to whine about not want to go to church.  Much more whining from the parent.
10:00 Shower and dress to set a good example for the teens
10:30 Hubby back for breakfast
11 Hubby leaves for next meeting
11:15  Spend the next 90 minutes strongly encouraging teens to get ready.
12:30 leave for church in two cars for four people.  Church is 4 blocks away.
1:00 Nice service.  Teens are quiet.
2:00 Sunday school. Class of teens.  Need strong control on frustration and temper.
4:00 Everyone is Home and GRUMPY
5:00 Fabulous dinner is on the table and everyone is GRUMPY
5:40 Blog about being GRUMPY after church

Can we do this over??? Time to  nap now.;

Tribe

The people who visit make my shop hum.  They are the life blood of the place.  They are some of the most creative, loving, fabulous humans in our community.  It's one thing to start a business to make money.  It's quite another to develop a group, a community, or a tribe.  These folks are a tribe.  They come from vastly different backgrounds and perspectives.  They have vastly different skills and materials preferences.  But they love and support one another through thick and thin.

It's one of the unintended consequences.  Who sets out to form a tribe?

A little more than a year ago, we almost lost a member of the tribe.  She broke into a bazillion little pieces but somehow managed to survive.  This pic is one of her first times back in the shop.  Feel the joy in this pic.  There were a few tears that night and a lot more laughter.  Her best friends pulled off a massive surprise that night and found a way to bring her sister in from California.  A surprise party from the tribe converged at the shop. 

The past year has seen the tribe change and stretch and grow.  Two members moved, a beloved parent died, pipes froze, serious illnesses were endured, children were born, teens rebelled, and lovers left.  The tribe listened to it all and provided support in the most loving of ways. 

May you all have a tribe like this.

Why?

When you visit the post office in our small, small town, you are recognized.  It goes with the territory.  In a town of 5000 people, the postmaster and anyone else knows you, your family, your address, your frequent mailings from businesses and a lot of other details.  The same 2 people have dropped off my mail for the last 30 years.  As I visited the post office earlier this week, the person behind the counter asked about the packages I was mailing and how things were going at the shop and then asked the question that has been asked a thousand times. 

"Why did you start a business?"

I don't know.

Did I want to be a fantastic knitter?  Did my grandma instill a love of knitting?  Do I really love yarn?

Maybe to all of those things, but...  I wanted to do something really different and way out of my comfort zone.  When your reach a milestone birthday, sometimes things shift.  There are flashes of things to look back on and anxiety of how the future will unfold.  There is the realization that many, many people never reach the milestone you are facing and enjoying.  All of those things happened that summer. 

Someone I thought I would know and grow to have other adventures with passed away suddenly.  My oldest kids were leaving the nest.  A career that had been exciting for decades was too easy. It was time to do something else and starting a business was a really logical choice at the time. 

Starting a business is a lot like falling off a cliff or sky diving or downhill racing.  The first two activities I can only imagine.  The third I have done, but not well.  You prepare with skills and equipment.  You talk to others who have done it.  You get your nerves together and then there is start day where it's either "do" or "do not".  The right shop front, the money and the right people came together at the right time and a shop was begun. I didn't know what it took to run a business prior to this.  I learned by reading and doing.   Six and a half years later, I am still learning and doing.  That is my "Why".  I need something really challenging to do and learn about.   If it ever becomes easy I will do something else.

Visit the shop online at juliayarnshoppe. com
Visit our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/julias.shoppe/
Tell me what your thoughts in the comments.

Pinterest

Our shop has a Pinterest Page!

I have added patterns for yarn, consigning ideas and loads of other goodies that will spark ideas for you and your family.  Go check it out.

How Consigning Works at Julia’s

With a consignment shop the process is as follows:

We have a section of the shop for selling clothing and handcrafted items on behalf of other people .

You select your items in good to excellent shape and bring them in. The first time you visit the shop, we will talk about pricing items and bringing them in in “Ready to Sell” condition. You set the prices and get them ready for the racks. In follow up visits, you can use “drop and run” procedures and we will hang them, price them and get them ready for you. As a consignment shop owner, I then take your items, display them attractively in the shop, post photos on the shop’s webpage, Instagram and facebook pages.

We strive to give our customers a great deal on a gently loved item that would otherwise cost much more in retail stores and our seller a convenient way to clear out clothing and toys to generate a little cash. Many stores have different policies and ways of doing things so make sure to ask as many questions as possible when you are consigning with anyone. I do a 40/60 consignment split on clothing items and a 30/70 split on handcrafted/boutique items, which simply means whatever the final price of the item sells for we split it with 60% (or 70% for craft items) of the selling price going to you. We keep most items for a 90 day period. The items must be in good to excellent condition, no rips, tears, stains, pulls of any kind. The items are all washed, dry cleaned, pressed and ready to go.

Now as a customer walking into a consignment shop some might feel that prices are too high in general, while others are brand conscious and see the great deals they are getting. As a seller, you can be assured that we market all of your items consistently and we strive to take the stress out of the selling process for you. Any items that are unsold and in turn donated after the allotted time period then go out to local places or people with the need for them. Most consignment shops are very friendly and their goal and purpose is to help you dress your family for less.

You can always find some great deals if you are a bargain hunter like myself! In most cases all sales are final and there is a no return policy in effect. Never be afraid to ask any and all questions. I feel there are never any stupid questions. You don't have to spend a lot of money to look like a million dollars!

Summer Clean Out Challenge

Summer Closet Cleanout Challenge

Most of us have more junk/stuff/clothing/knick-knacks than we need or use.  This week I am proposing a simple challenge for each day of the week to clean out those items we don't use/need.  The weekend is a holiday, so let's get this done before the big celebration and then we can celebrate our cleaning efforts too.  Each day I will tackle a room or area of the home with you.  At the end of the week, you should have 5 boxes or bags of stuff that was great once but not loved now.  Collect all of those gently used items and recycle them into vacation cash at the shop.  We can help find another home for those items and you can use the cash to have a great time with the family this summer.

Here we go:

Day 1 challenge:  The Master bedroom and closet

Find these items and put them in a box or hang them near the back door:

1.  The fancy dress you needed for a color coordinated wedding/anniversary party/ball that you will never wear again.

2.  Those great shoes that were a great buy but have a spot that rubs your foot the wrong way.

3.   That wool sweater with the great buttons that is too warm to wear to the office or around the house.

4.  The wonderful candle set that you hid in the closet but will never use.

5.  The books on the nightstand that were a great read once but you probably won't read them again.

6. The shirts that were on sale and a great color but just didn't get worn last season.

7.  The slippers your auntie gave you for Christmas that just aren't your style and are too nice to throw out.

8. The necklaces and earrings you wore with a work wardrobe that is long gone.

9.  The colorful scarves that went with that same wardrobe.

10.  Any other item that was a great buy at the time, but just didn't get out much.

Something Special

One of the nicest things about a consignment shop is "The Thrill of the Hunt". We have great items in everyday and the stock changes quickly.  Today there is a great emerald formal in a larger women's size.  Yesterday there was a gorgeous party dress for a young lady.  Tomorrow, maybe someone with bring in a fabulous vintage wedding dress or a brand new leather tote.  You just never know.  We have special, one of a kind, items in all of the time but they just don't stay long.  If you want it, get it, because tomorrow it will be gone.

1st Annual Gumball Sale

1st Annual Gumball Sale
Friday and Saturday June 19-20
10 AM - 6:00 PM

We want to invite you all to our 1st Annual Gumball Sale! 
This is your chance to grab some big savings! This two-day sale will be on June 19-20 10 AM-6 PM

Grab your savings by taking a turn at the gumball machine! The available gumballs will range from 15% to 50% off! 

There are a few rules:

Only one gumball per customer.
You must select everything you would like to purchase before selecting your gumball. Selecting your gumball is the last step prior to payment. NO ADDING TO YOUR PURCHASE, NO SUBTRACTING.

Minimum discount is 15%, maximum discount possible is 50%.

ONLY ONE REWARD REDEMPTION PER PURCHASE ON GUMBALL SALE DAY, please.

#juliayarnshoppe  #creativity  #yarn

Why consign or shop consignment?

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1. It's good for you and it's good for the environment.

It's good for you because it keeps your closets and cupboards filled with only the things you actually love and use. It turns your cluttered closets into cash. It keeps usable items out of the landfill.

2. Consigning adds space to your home and money to your wallet.

Your home is  freed from items that you don't love or that don't add usefulness to  your life.  The money in your wallet allows you to participate in other activities that add joy to your life.

3.  The thrill of the treasure hunt

That cute dress that costs $40 in the department store is $8 at the consignment shop.  It's a thrill to find, not a guilt trip.  

Consignment shops are full of treasures that will bless your home and not dent the wallet.  Selling your own items there blesses everyone.

Bigger, Better, Beautimous!

The new shop is coming together and we are enjoying all of the extra space to fill with new yarn and more colors.  Come by and visit us soon.

New things...

We are all moved in and unpacked.  This is a peek at the new department.  There are lots of unique items on the racks just waiting for our new customers.  The new shop has two big rooms.  One is filled with yarny goodness and one is filled with clothing items that will make everyone smile.  Several of the regulars who have helped move us have already walked out with great finds.  

We accept gently used women's, children and infant clothing on consignment.  One of our most popular sections is the maternity section.  If you are interested in consigning items, bring them in clean, pressed and ready to sell.  We list most items for 3 months. Payment is sent out via Paypal when the item sells.  If you would like more information, email or call the shop.

And in the next chapter....

I was a little emotional last night as I locked up.  It is the last time this shop will look like this.  Friday afternoon Stacy will begin to pack up all of the yarn and shrink wrap all the spinners.  She thinks it can be done in 2 days.  I am not sure you can pack up all the stuff in this space in 2 days.  It took 4 years to get this way.  It is a lot of stuff.  There is a ton of yarn, tools, kits, and fiber.  The memories are here too.  In my wildest imaginings, I didn't see this coming.  This was supposed to be a career plan and a business move but it has become a destination and a series.  People hang out here when they can.  We have a cast of regulars and guest stars.  We have a background music and laughter that is not canned. 

The same people that hang out here are helping the shop to move.  I am truly appreciative of that.  It is enormous.  In our new space, we will have more room for more people and creative energy.  We have room for more yarn and fiber and tools.   We will have the same laughter and vibe in the little shop just more of it.  See you in the new space soon.  

StitchBox!

Every month you can have a box of yummy yarn and notions delivered right to your door.  We look for the most wonderful, yummy yarns and send them right to our most special shoppers.  Order yours on our facebook page or through the website.

Moving Day Preps

Preparing to move a shop requires a lot of planning and a fair amount of time.
We don't have any of that.
The landlord wants us in the new unit by May 3.
 A process that I thought we could ease into over two or three months just got compressed into two weeks and change.

I began with a scaled drawing of the new space and put everything in it's place in the new space.  That will help all of our helpers to quickly move things into place.  Thank goodness we have a lot of helpers.  Today the new racks arrived for the consignment part of the shop and there is no room in the old shop for them to sit.  A neighboring business offered to keep them sheltered for a week until we get going in the new space.  A crew of about 8 women will be loading up the yarn and moving it all 2 doors down to it's new spot.

Tonight I make the list of all the vendors who need our new contact information, the utilities that need to be notified and the government agencies that will also need to know.  I hope to send out a form letter with everything essential on it.

I surely hope we get some consignors interested in the new venture quickly so that this new space fills up.  Otherwise we will have lots of pretty yarn in a big echo chamber filled with happy knitters.  We need more stuff to fill this space.

Moving Day Approaches...

It looks very likely that we will be moving the shop the first week of May.  Please watch the facebook page for dates that we will be closed and then the opening date in the new shop.  The new space is only 2 doors south of the existing shop so we are very easy to find.  Please come visit us soon.

It's about to happen.  We are moving sooner than expected and it might be the most stressful thing ever.  I haven't moved my house in over 30 years and now I have to move the inventory of this lovely shop 2 doors down to the south.  Fortunately, there are lots of lovely people who have offered ideas and support and the muscle to pull this job off.  We will be able to offer lots more yarn, more classes and more services in this new area.  It is almost twice as big as the current spot and it will have decent restrooms too.  Renovating anything takes time and patience, so this will be done in phases.  Please bear with us as we create a lovely space for creative people.

New section of the shop coming soon.

We are adding to our shop and offering more to our fantastic customers.  A lot of young families need a way to stretch that family budget and we hope to help with that.  Children outgrow their clothes so quickly and they are nearly new when they've been worn just a few times.  Recycle those clothes and put a little money in your pocket by selling them with us.  Come see us at the shop for details.

November Knit Along

Beginning on November 5, we will be doing the Lolo Shawl as a quick, elegant Christmas gift.  This shawl uses increases, decreases and short rows to form a garter stitch shawl that can be crafted in any weight of yarn.  The size of the shawl is determined by yarn and needle choice.  Sign up at the shop or via email for this great project.

See the pattern here:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lolo-shawl

Happy Knitting!

StitchBox!

So excited!! The October StitchBox is going out in today's mail and the plan for the November StitchBox is already in place. You will love the yarn and the pattern. For the first time, we will be offering a choice of a box featuring a knit pattern OR a crochet pattern with the appropriate notions. It will be amazing so order early. You need a great treat for the holidays.

Here's a link to our offering this month : http://www.juliayarnshoppe.com/