The Lost Art of Sewing.

We live in an age of convenience. Anything we want is at our fingertips and for an affordable price we can get it. Just a few decades ago sewing was a commonplace skill that most young girls were taught how to do by their mothers. Somewhere that skill stopped being taught in the home as most girls today have never even seen a sewing machine.

Why did we stop sewing? Where have all the sewing machines gone and why has no one even noticed? There are many possible reasons that our culture has shifted away from sewing. I thought there were tree main causes of the lost are of sewing so I broke it down for you:

• Convenience - we aren't used to working for things anymore. Literally at the click of the mouse we can find anything we want on-line. There is a plethora of items on ebay.com or amazon.com and through google.com other sites can find what ebay.com and amazon.com are missing.
• Time - it is no secret that we live in a fast paced society. Socializing and our careers tend to weigh high on our priority list. Sewing isn't exactly a group activity and it is certainly time consuming. It is a lot quicker to pick something out in the store than to find a pattern you like, pick out material that you not only like but that will work for the pattern and then sew it. Is is also completely accepted that women are not necessarily found in the traditional 1950 "housewife" role anymore. Many women work outside of the home and have their own careers. Household responsibilities are spread throughout the family and different in every home. Purchasing clothes for the family is a household responsibility and if both parents work there is little time for "recreational" sewing.
• Cost - because of chain stores and outlets buying cute clothes can be very cheap. Right now our society isn't to focused on "labels" or specific trends and so it isn't a big deal to have clothes that don't wear a well known label. However, in the fabric market prices have increased. At your average fabric store material can cost over $10/yard, that makes for an expensive outfit if you compare it to the $10.00 shirt at the mall. Also don't forget about the price for the actual sewing machine and all the materials that come with sewing.

There might be other reasons why sewing is become lost and maybe I am wrong and the art of sewing is still flourishing somewhere.

Flower Power Taking Over Porters

Porters monthly card making class is taking a springy spin this month. "Flower Power" is their chosen theme for the four cards they are teaching how to make in this months workshop.

The class is Thursday, April 15 at 6:00 p.m. The class costs only $5.00, a pretty good deal for four custom made cards. Don't forget to sign up at Porters before you go so they have enough materials prepared.

"Flower Power" Cards

Preserve Easter Memories With Porters.

Porters is holding their April Scrapbooking Class. This month Porters wants to help you showcase your Easter celebration on one (or both) of their pre-made layouts. Class will be held on Thursday, April 8th from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Don't forget to sign up at our Rexburg store to reserve your spot.

Here are the samples of what the pages will look like when you are done!

Etsy a Must See

Everyones heard of ebay but there is a new “E” word on-line that is attracting a lot of attention. Etsy.com was launched in June 2005 and within the first two years it was already a very profitable website. In 2008 it was estimated that Etsy had over 1.3 million members on its site.

So what is Etsy exactly? On Etsy, you'll find a huge selection of vintage items and home manufactured items such as candles, soaps, pottery, jewelry, apparel, gift baskets, and more. With over thirty-one categories to choose from almost anything can be found here. You won't find name brand products on Etsy, but you will find lots of unique things that can't be found anywhere else.

The way Etsy works is anyone can set up their own on-line store or sell individual items. It costs 20 cents to list an item and there is a 3.5% fee when the item sells. In 2007 Etsy reported selling 1.92 million items worth a total of $26.5 million. As of 2008 they had sold an estimated $90 million worth of items, tripling their profit from 2007.

If you have not yet checked out Etsy, go take a look around. You are guaranteed to find something unique and interesting.

http://www.etsy.com/

Some of My Etsy Finds.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=43881498&ref=cat1_gallery_14

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=43804762&ref=sc_1

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41971629&ref=cat1_gallery_6

The DIY Market: The Self Made Phenomenon

In recent years we have seen the growth of the Do-It-Yourself market. Bill Tancer in his upcoming book: “Click: What Millions of People Are Doing Online and Why It Matters” reports that “How To” queries represent nearly 3% of all US search queries, making it the most commonly searched question. In the last few years the on-line market has adjusted to the demand of DIY knowledge. There are numerous websites, blogs and on-line communities that are dedicated to sharing DIY yourself tips and projects.

Analysts for allbusiness.com said “Sales of DIY products in the US enjoyed substantial growth over the period 1999-2004. This happened despite the 11 September 2001 attacks and an economic recession, and was thanks in large part to a surprisingly strong housing market. US consumers proved willing to invest in their homes even as they cut back spending on other goods and services. Part of this stemmed from a cocooning effect: US consumers spent less on travel and more on activities that allowed them to stay at home following the 11 September 2001 attacks. Investment in home improvement was also encouraged by consistently low interest rates that allowed many US consumers to refinance their homes. Many US consumers are reaching retirement age and DIY projects that add value to their house are increasingly seen as a good investment.” The “cocooning effect” has had a great impact on the DIY market and analysts don’t see the trend going away anytime soon.

The trend in DIY has become a nationwide phenomenon so much that department stores and wholesalers have started changing the layouts of their stores to better assist DIY shoppers. Decades ago it was widely accepted that men took care of home improvement projects but there has been a major shift in that ideology. HGTVpro.com researchers discussed how retailers have adjusted to the shift in consumers “To appeal to women who are increasingly taking home improvement into their own hands, major retailers such as Lowe's and Home Depot are offering educational workshops, adapting product lines, and making store layouts more female-friendly. Mintel research reports that close to 60 percent of women surveyed had undertaken a DIY project in the last year... We saw retailers make many outreach efforts last year," said Justin De Santis, analyst with Mintel. ‘For example, suppliers introduced new lines of traditionally male-oriented products such as hand tools with ergonomic features, design, and packaging that specifically targeted the female DIYer. There is a major opportunity to provide more targeted products for this group.’” With 60% of women undertaking a DIY project in the last year it seems safe to say that this phenomenon has no intention of going anywhere anytime soon.

The Essig Motif

Laura Essig came to Rexburg in 2005 to study Art, Home & Family and Spanish at Brigham Young University - Idaho. While she was at school she met who would be her future husband. After she and her husband were married they were blessed with a little girl. With babies come a lot of “things” and “stuff” all of these items can add up to a lot of money. Part of the life of a student is being frugal and smart with money. Essig created her own design for nursing covers that covered everything and took away the stress of nursing. She says she received compliments on it frequently and decided she could have success selling her design.

In October 2009 she started selling her covers on Bulletin Board, an on-line site connected to BYU-I where students can post their own advertisements. Essig received a ton of positive feedback and soon her order list was longer than she could have ever imagined. On her initial success Essig said “I really liked the extra money and it was extremely satisfying for me to feel productive... I was contributing in a way to society, while still being a fulltime mom.”

Like most young entrepreneurs Essig has taken advantage of the abundance of technology that we have at our finger tips. After the huge response from her posts on Bulletin Board Essig created her own blog dedicated to her designs so that buyers could easily find her on-line. “Having a blog doesn't cost anything so I decided it was the best risk free way that I could begin to share my ideas and creations with others” To follow Essig’s blog or check out her designs you can go to http://www.theessigmotif.blogspot.com/. You can also become a fan of hers on Facebook. Her blog currently has 21 followers and she has 95 fans on Facebook.

Being a successful entrepreneur is not always easy though and Essig has felt her share of difficulties. Being a full time mom certainly has it’s challenges and throwing in a full time business is sure to create some interesting scenarios. “. For a while I felt like I was so backed up with orders that I could barely even spend time with my little girl during the day and I found myself really irritable as well.” With support from her husband she has been able to find a balance with her business and home life.

In February of this year another local entrepreneur Brittany Munk opened up her own Boutique in down town Rexburg. Essig was invited to be part of this business venture. “It (joining Brittany Rae’s Boutique) was a very hard decision for me because I had never really had to spend money in order to make money. I decided that I would try it for the first month or so and I did terrible. I barely made any money! This was really frustrating for me because I was so use to being successful online. I had a few hair accessories in the store and those all disappeared, so I realized that I should take my business in a different direction. Rexburg wanted hair accessories from me, not baby accessories, so for the store that is what I made.”

Essig shows that a big challenge of being an entrepreneur is adapting to your market. Essig still sells her nursing covers on-line but she now has her hair accessories on-line as well. She has found a lot of success at Brittany Rae’s Boutique with her hair accessories. “My favorite part about putting my things in a store is that I don't have to face deadlines. I can spend as much time with my daughter as I need and want, and then I do all my work on the side, early in the morning, during her naps, or when she is playing by herself. I feel peace when I have my family and my work life balanced, with the most important coming first.”

It just goes to show that even in a slowing economy it is possible to find happiness and success by doing what you love.

One of Essigs Hair Pieces

Nursing Cover

Porter's Annual Quilt Week is March 15th - 20th!

Join Porters for special prices, demos, & a quilt show at both of their locations. If you love to sew, quilt, or just buy cute fabric, you won't want to miss this sale!

Another Chance for Fun Scrapbooking

For those of you that are not keen on waking up early for the Second Saturday class at 8:30 a.m. Porters offers a Scrapbooking class in the evening too. On Thursday, March 11 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. you can attend one of their classes.

The class offers a choice between two different layouts and for those ambitious scrapbookers both layouts can be done. Make sure you register for the class before attending so there are enough materials for everyone! Also, don't forget to bring pictures.

Learn New Ways to Use Stencils in Scrapbooking

Porters Crafts holds a "Second Saturday" scrap-booking class. This month it falls on March 13. The class starts at 8:30 a.m. On Porters blog they said "It is a lot of fun, you learn new techniques, win prizes, receive special sales, and best of all get some much needed scrapbooking done!" This month their theme is Stencils so come prepared to learn new ways to use your stencils!

Spring is Just Around the Corner... and so is the Next Card Making Class

Last month myself and some friends attended Porters card making class with great success. This month with Spring coming quickly Porters is holding their card making class again. This month the cards are themed towards spring with colorful patterns and ribbons.

Porters March card class will be held on March 18, between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. which is a Thursday evening. Make sure you sign up at Porters before going because it is a well attended class and they need to make sure they have enough supplies for everyone.

Make sure you schedule this evening in your day planners. These fun cards will be sure to bring some sunshine into someones day!

INTERIOR DESIGN – Behind The Scenes

Students looking for new design ideas might want to go to the Spori Gallery this week. From February 15 through March 12 the Brigham Young University – Idaho Interior Design department is displaying their work and projects in the Spori Art Gallery.

The display divides the gallery into four different sections; Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior works. The pamphlet available to those touring the display says "Behind the Scenes takes you on a trip into the life of an interior design student at Brigham Young University – Idaho. You will travel through each year and learn what students study and are require to do throughout their time in the program. You will be given the opportunity to take a peek into what it takes to become an interior designer."

The display includes several different interactive displays to help individuals experience Interior Design. Those touring the display are given the opportunity to draw and arrange floor plans, and arrange material swatches. Visiting the gallery it is clear that many students have already visited the display as students can display their attempts at Interior Design.

The Freshman display introduces subjects that are taught during their first year in the Interior Design program. Elements & Principles, Color Theory & Texture, Line & Shape, Perspectives, Judging Good Design, and The Design Process are the different displays within the Freshman area. Each subject is given its own display and shows off different projects from freshman students.

The Sophomore display follows a similar pattern with different sections in the display representing some of the topics and projects covered in the Sophomore year. Drafting, The Hospitality Project, Samantha Ray, Kitchen & Bath, and Lighting.

In the Juniors display they showed off examples of Historical & Contemporary design, what Passive Solar is, the Masonic Hall, and different Codes that must be adhered to as an Interior Designer.

The Seniors section is the last part of the display. Internships, The Principle of Sustainability, Comprehensive Design, The Restaurant Project and ``Moving On``.

In the center of the display mini biographies and pictures show off the Seniors in the Interior Design department. At the end of the display is a metal comment board for visitors to leave their comments. The display is truly a showcase of hard work and dedication that is put forth by all the students in the Interior Design department.

The Final Masterpieces

Pictures From our Card Making Adventure

Card Making at Porters

Among all the paper cutters, stamps, glue, and flower decals in Porters on Thursday night myself and my two faithful crafter friends emerged ourselves into the card making world. Due to no cash in our wallets we showed up twenty minutes late but the staff was very accommodating and quick to help gather up some more kits for us.

While we waited we meandered around Porters looking for inspiration for our next project and there are a few potentials in the works. Once the staff had set up another table for us we got to work! All three of us were card making virgins so we entered the unknown territory together. The confidence within ourselves was undoubting as we began cutting and gluing our first masterpieces.

We made four different cards that turned out adorable. They look complex but they were simple enough to make that even the anti-crafter could handle it. The workshop was only $5.00.For a poor student it was a night full of affordable entertainment. Make sure you plan to bring cash though. Each card worked out to be $1.25 to make. I don't think you can even buy a decent card for that price anymore.

A tip for anyone interested in going; sign up with them before the night of the workshop so they have a kit all ready for you. It will save them time and yourself.

Mini Bazaar to Take Place This Weekend.

This weekend Brittany Munk, a recent graduate from Brigham Young University – Idaho, will be a little busier than usual. Munk is opening her own boutique in downtown Rexburg.

Brittany Rae’s Boutique won’t be officially opening its doors until February 1 but this weekend and next she will be hosting a mini craft bazaar in her shop. There will be numerous booths for locals to sell their own merchandise.

In corresponding with Munk she said “I just wanted a place to sell my clothing business and also to have a place where women can go to pamper themselves, or to share their talents, or to even just support the local small businesses in the area but for a cheap price! It's been really fun to have women tell me that they have had to start working outside the home because their husbands have lost their jobs yet they didn't want to be outside the home. So now they have a way to share their talents with others, make money off of it, and still stay at home with their kids.”

The bazaar is running from Jan 22-23 and Jan 29-30 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Brittany Rae’s Boutique can be found on 17 W. Main St. inside the old Alltel building.

You can check out her website at www.bpriceless.com.

Customized Card Making

On January 21 2010 Porters Crafts in down town Rexburg will be holding a Card making workshop. It begins at 6:00 p.m. and is expected to conclude at 9:00 p.m. The workshop only costs $5.00 and you will be taught how to make four different cards. Make sure you bring some scissors and glue. This is a great deal and sounds like a fun way to spend the evening! I will be attending the workshop and I plan on learning something new. How about you?

Inspiration for Rainy Day Promenade

Welcome to my blog! As I pondered on what to name my blog many different catchy names went through my head but I finally settled with Rainy Day Promenade. The name doesn't seem to have anything to do with crafts but one of my favorite things to do on a rainy day is crafts. So next time it's a Rainy Day grab a friend and go for a promenade around your nearest Craft store and hopefully my blog can help give you some inspiration!