Made Boutique & Gallery

The store has closed...

2008-05-01T08:44:00.003-05:00

If you haven't already heard, I closed the store in December. It was a hard decision to make but since closing I am a happier and more relaxed person so I am confident that it was the right decision to make.

If you want to know what is going on in my life check out my personal blog. There's not much on there right now but I plan on starting up again now that I have more free time.

Thanks again to all of my lovely customers and consignors. You were amazing!

-Sara

Queen City Craft Bazaar

2007-11-25T18:31:00.000-05:00

Well I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! Let the Christmas shopping season begin...

Take the handmade pledge this year and get all your shopping done at the Queen City Craft Bazaar. The Skinny Pancake will be on site selling the yummiest crepes all day long, there will be a raffle where you can win all kinds of crafty goodness from the Burlington Craft Mafia, plus 35 of Vermont's most amazing artists, crafters, and designers!

Hope you can make it!

We're in Nylon!

2007-10-27T07:57:00.000-05:00

That's right- we're in the November issue of Nylon! There's a 2 page spread about Burlington and Made is one of the featured shops. Yippee!

In other store news, we have new earrings in from Alison Murphy aka drawnonward designs, plus holiday cards are here from Pink Livingroom Press. Oh yes I said HOLIDAY cards. Can you believe it's already that time of year!?

Happy Halloween!

Worst blogger ever!

2007-10-11T19:10:00.000-05:00

Shame on me for being such a bad blogger! I really need to get internet at the shop...

There are loads of pretty new things at the store just in time for Fall. New hoodies from Holly Hue, cute tunics from Nice Face, and new necklaces from Mingi!

Plus, the Burlingtion Craft Mafia is having a trunk show at Red Square tomorrow night from 5p-8p. It should be a lot of fun and will be Holly's (aka Miss Hawklet) last BCM event because she's moving to New Hampshire. So stop by and say Bye to her!

Yesterday Kacey and I went through all of the applications for the Queen City Craft Bazaar. We got a ton of applications this time around! It was really hard to choose vendors since there were so many great applicants. If you applied, you'll be receiving an email notification by Sat. Oct 13th.

See everyone tomorrow at Red Square!

News Update

2007-09-19T20:34:00.000-05:00

There is lots of stuff going on right now at Made Boutique! Sorry I have been such a bad blogger!

1- New fall apparel is in from Joanne Kalisz and Ava Bishop. Plus we just got in jewelry from new artist Michelle Kendrick aka Recycled Rings. Don't let the name fool you though- Michelle make necklaces and brooches too. Every single piece of jewelry that Michelle makes is one of a kind! Here are some pics of the pieces she sent to the store:

And there is more fall stuff on the way!

2- We will once again be putting on the Queen City Craft Bazaar. We are currently looking for artists, crafters, and designers so please submit your application by Oct. 6th.

3- The Burlington Craft Mafia is getting ready to put on its second trunk show. It's Oct. 12th from 5-8p at Red Square on Church St.

4- I'll be closing a bit early tomorrow so that I can make the opening of the new exhibit at the Fleming; Material Pursuits - "a large-scale exhibition exploring how contemporary American artists are creating conceptually based artworks utilizing methods, materials, and strategies usually associated with craft. It's starts promptly at 5:30p.

5- The new season of America's Next Top Model starts tonight! I can't wait!

Hope everyone's Fall is going well so far!

Press and Spinning Demo

2007-09-05T19:31:00.000-05:00

There are a few exciting things going on at Made Boutique this week!

1) First of all, last Sunday Made was featured in the Burlington Free Press article on Fall Fashions for Teens. They didn't put any of the pictures online but I took some pics to show you if you missed it:

They featured two tops from Nice Face, and earrings from elm bellishments and drawnonward designs.

2) Tomorrow, Joanne and I are going to be interviewed for the Made in Vermont segment on Channel 3 News. I think it's going to air on Friday but I'm not positive. I hope I sound ok!

3) Starting Friday (9/7) through Sunday, we'll be participating in the Fortune Cookie Sale on the Marketplace. You can save 10-40% on everything in the store!

4) Holly aka misshawklet will be doing a yarn spinning demonstration on Sunday (9/9) in front of the shop from 10a-3p. There will be lots of hand spun yarn for sale!

New Designer & New Hours

2007-08-30T05:46:00.000-05:00

We've got new journals in the shop made by Montpelier based Kelly McMahon aka May Day Studio!

They are pretty adorable and perfect for all your writing needs. We've got two different types in the shop right now, the Bingo Journals and the Pretty Peeps Journals. I can't wait to run out of pages in my current journal so I can get one of these!

Also, as of August 27th our Fall hours will be:

Closed Monday

Tues-Fri: 1:30p-7p

Sat: 11a-7p

Sun: 12p-5p

I've got some inventory left over from the summer sale so I'll be putting it back out this weekend in honor of Labor Day and all the students who are back in town. If you missed the sidewalk sale you should really check it out!

Hours for the week of 8/20

2007-08-21T09:25:00.000-05:00

Our hours are still a little crazy so in case you're wondering here are the hours for this week:

Mon: Closed as usual
Tues: 11a-2:30p
Wed: 1p-7p
Thurs: 11a-7p
Fri: 1a-7p
Sat: 11a-7p
Sun: 12p-5p

Sorry I've been such a bad blogger lately! I promise once things settle down I'll start doing normal updates again.

In wedding news, I started looking at dresses this weekend with my mom, my sister, and Kev's mom. We went to two shops in VT and then went up to Montreal. I think I must have tried on about 50 dresses and didn't see anything that I really fell in love with. I guess I'll have to keep looking...

Hours and New Designer

2007-08-14T09:07:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to let you know our hours for this week:

Tues. 11a-7p

Wed. - Fri. 1p-7p

Sat. 11a-7p

Sun. 12p-5p

Also, we have a new designer in the shop! Desira Pesta is a Brooklyn, NY based designer and makes everything from totes and cards to apparel.

This is one of the totes available at the shop right now. It's the perfect size and the face screen print is so awesome!

Come and take a look!

Wonky Hours

2007-08-09T06:51:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to let you all know that it is going to be hard for me to keep normal hours in August. Thanks in advance for your patience! I'll be posting updates here on the old blog so check first before you make the trek up the stairs.

Today I'll be open from 12:30p - 7p. Fri, Sat, and Sun will be regular hours (11a-7p and 12p-5p respectively)

Thanks again!

Handmade Julz

2007-08-08T08:22:00.000-05:00

We got more rings in from Handmade Julz the other day. They are adjustable so no need to worry about ring sizing. Plus they're VERY affordable (only $20) and super cute too! A perfect back to school accessory...

New Designer Alert!

2007-08-01T07:35:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I received new tops from Canadian designer (our first international artist!) Pretty Raccoon. I don't exactly remember how I found out about Andrea's awesome clothing but I had actually bought a few tops from her before I even opened the shop. Here's an example of her great designs:

Come and check them out!

Sidewalk Sale = Success

2007-07-31T07:26:00.000-05:00

Well the Sidewalk Sale was definitely a success! The majority of customers were new which is great because it means that many more people know about the store now. Friday was a little slow because of the thunder storm but all in all it was terrific! Yesterday was my day off and I slept in super late and took it easy all day.

In product news, we got more totes in from Birdie Handmade, more napkins and such from Ferocious Textiles, and more earrings and wristbands from Alison Murphy.

Also, a few Made Boutique crafters will be at Studio STK this Friday participating in their Art to Go event. I'm going to try and make it over there this time. You should try to go too!

Look what I found!

2007-07-29T07:45:00.000-05:00

This morning I was checking out my website statistics and I saw that people were getting to my site via the Sacramento Craft Mafia Blog. They chose the Burlington Craft Mafia as their mafia of the week on 7/13 and they mentioned the store! What a nice Sunday morning surprise...

Sale! Sale! Sale!

2007-07-27T07:27:00.000-05:00

Holy Canoli- The sale is going great! You have 3 more days to get in on the action and watch me run up and down the stairs like a crazy lady. I could take it easy and just stay upstairs and wait for people to come up but I can't stand being upstairs while all the action is going on in the tent! Well I'm getting lots of exercise which is good for me so I can't complain.

Hope you can stop by this weekend if you haven't already!

New Stuff!

2007-07-25T06:32:00.000-05:00

With all the Sidewalk Sale craziness I forgot to tell you about all of the new stuff that's in the store! Yesterday we got new dresses/tunics in from Nice Face. They are the most comfortable jersey dresses and Whitney sent a whole size run (S,M,L) of the faux collar tunic which I want so badly.

We also got the prettiest clutches in from August Lately. They are perfect if you're going to a wedding or even just for a night out on the town.

And, we now have a small selection of planners/journals from Little Otsu. My favorite is the 3 in 1 book designed by Lart Cognac Berliner. There is a to-do list section, a sketch page section, and a notes section. Like all Little Otsu products, it's printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with vegetable based inks.

See you at the shop!

Sidewalk Sale Crafter Schedule

2007-07-24T07:47:00.000-05:00

As I said in a previous post, in addition to all of the lovely sale items, there will also be Made Boutique crafters under the tent selling their own wares.

Here is the schedule:

Wed. July 25th - misshawklet (11a-3:30p)
Thurs. July 26th - Joanne Kalisz and Stacie Mincher
Fri. July 27th - Joanne Kalisz and misshawklet
Sat. July 28th - Alison Murphy and elm-bellishments
Sun. July 29th - Joanne Kalisz and Ferocious Textiles

The weather is looking a little iffy for this weekend but we do have a tent so unless it's really pouring the show will go on. IF the weather does end up getting really bad, we will move everything inside to the hallway in front of the shop. Hopefully the weather will hold out!

New Jewelry!

2007-07-21T08:57:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Claire Barrett came by the shop to drop off some of her beautiful jewelry and I am so excited to have it in the shop! Claire is a metalsmith student at Pratt in Brooklyn but is originally from VT and is home for the summer. She's keeping busy at the Williston Farmer's Market every week as well as participating in Studio STK's Art to Go monthly events.

The rings range from $20-$35 and come in a variety of sizes.

The pendants range from $40-$80 and come strung on brown leather cord. The human heart is my favorite!

Stop by this weekend to see them!

Holly Hue

2007-07-19T08:29:00.000-05:00

Holly Hue is a Buffalo, NY designer whose clothing has been in the shop since last September. You probably recognize her very unique side zip hoodies. Each one is made from mostly recycled materials and that means that no two hoodies are the same.

Well, when I was at Renegade in June, Holly had a booth and I got to see some of her newest designs. She has added a hoodie dress to her line and let me tell you it is adorable! They are empire waist and even have pockets! I got three in yesterday but they won't actually be out in the shop until the Sidewalk Sale. Just one more reason you should come on down for the big sale...

Felt Inspiration!

2007-07-17T08:13:00.000-05:00

I've been really inspired by felt crafts lately and according to Wikipedia, felt is the oldest form of fabric known to humankind. A quick search on Flickr just fueled my fire and these are a few of my fave pics.

And I'm not sure why but my favorite Flickr felters seem to be from Spain and Portugal. I'm thinking of making some felty Christmas ornaments to sell at the shop this holiday season. We'll see if I actually do it...

Happy Birthday to Made Boutique!

2007-07-16T10:45:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was our One Year Anniversary! It went by really fast but boy was it a LONG year...

So many things have happened since opening; I organized two craft fairs, had 5 art openings, hosted a knitting class, participated in a fashion show, moved locations, and even got some press!

I also learned a lot about myself and a lot about the retail business. For example, not everyone is going to find something they like in your store- do NOT take it personally. Having someone come into the store and tell you they LOVE EVERYTHING, makes up for the small percentage of people who don't like anything.

For those of you who are thinking of starting your own business, here are the top 5 things I love and hate about owning my business.

LOVE:
1) I am my own boss. I do whatever I want whenever I want.
2) I get to worry about fashion and style and not importing and exporting. Reading fashion magazines is an essential part of my job.
3) Telling people you own a store and then hearing them say they've always wanted to do that is very gratifying. I did something people only ever dream of doing.
4) No office politics or drama.
5) Variety- every day is a different challenge.

HATE:
1) It is a lot of work. I work 6 days a week and every weekend is spent at the shop.
2) Financial instability- you never know if it is going to be a good sales day or a bad sales day.
3) It is so hard telling artists that I have chosen not to accept their work in the store. I usually take the cowardly way out and just never email them back.
4) Trying to explain to customers why an item costs more at my store than at Old Navy is really starting to get old. It's HANDMADE people!
5) I think about the store 24/7. It is always on my mind and it's very hard to "take a break" from it.

Generally, the Love outweighs the Hate and if I could go back in time I would do it all over again.

Thanks to all of my awesome customers and my amazing, supportive family- I could not have done it without you.

I can't wait for our Second Anniversary!

Sidewalk Sale & One Year Anniversary

2007-07-13T08:06:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up on the mega sale that will be going on from July 25-29. The Sidewalk Sale takes place on Church St every year and there will be some great deals to take advantage of.

The store will have a tent on Church St. in front of our doorway with a rack of 75% off items and another rack of 50% off items plus a table of sale accessories. AND local crafters will also be on street level selling their own wares. I'm still trying to put together a schedule of who's selling when but I will keep you posted.

And because it's our One Year Anniversary every regular priced item in the shop will be 15% off!

Can you believe it's only been a year?! Sometimes it seems like I've been doing this forever...

Rain Rain Go Away!

2007-07-09T11:08:00.000-05:00

What a bummer that my one day off is rainy and grey...at least I get to spend it lounging in my house rather than at the store.

In store news, Erin Meharg aka elm bellishments brought by some new earrings as well as check book covers made of vintage ties. We also lowered prices on all of the older earrings she had in the shop so if you saw a pair that tickled your fancy now is the time to come and get them. Also, Joanne Kalisz will be bringing by a few more bubble dresses similar to this one:

Plus Xenos Designs will be sending some larger sizes which I can't wait to see.

The opening on Friday was a blast! If you didn't make it, Ethan's stuff will be up for the next few months so definitely check it out the next time you're downtown. This is one of my favorite pictures of the night:

And local massage therapist Hanna stopped by and she just happened to be wearing some Made Boutique items and I had to get a picture:

She is wearing a shrug made by Rohm Custom and a tank dress made by Kahri. Doesn't she look great!?

Stay dry!

ps- It was Kev's birthday yesterday so HAPPY BIRTHDAY to him!

I Hate Blogger

2007-07-06T07:57:00.000-05:00

I just wrote this long post and then it kicked me off and didn't save it!

Anyway- Come on down to see Ethan O'Hara's art tonight. There will be treats and refreshments for all. Ethan actually came by last night to put everything up and a couple from NH came in and bought a piece before he even hung it!

In TV news, my new favorite show is the Andy Milonakis Show on MTV2. It's really funny in a "What the f***?!" kind of way.

Happy Friday!

New Artist + Flickr

2007-06-28T07:22:00.000-05:00

We've got a new artist in the shop! Mandy Gerth is based in PA and makes the cutest skirts and ceramic pins and magnets. If you're on Church St. this weekend, come and check them out.

On a completely unrelated note...In the past I've turned to magazines for inspiration but my addiction is costing me a lot of money, not to mention it's not the best thing for the environment, so I've switched to flickr for all my inspirational needs.

When you search flickr, you can add other people's photos as 'favorites' which saves them for you so that you can go back to them whenever you want. Here is my current faves page.

And here are some inspirational wedding pics. I'm trying to come up with a color scheme for the wedding...

Renegade made the NY Times!

2007-06-25T15:22:00.000-05:00

Go read the article here!

Store News Update

2007-06-22T07:18:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note to update everyone on some store happenings:

1) If you haven't already voted for this years Seven Daysies please consider voting for Made Boutique as 'Coolest Craft Gallery'. Voting ends June 25th! Go here to vote.

2) This Sunday, I'll be closing the shop at 2p to head down to Boston with Kev. We're going to see Manu Chao at the Avalon. I'm pretty excited about it!

3) The store will have Holiday hours on the 4th of July which means I'll be open from 12p-5p instead of 11a-7p.

4) It's been a while since we've had an art opening at the shop but join us on July 6th to see the artwork of Burlington local Ethan O'Hara. Opening reception is from 5p-8p.

5) Get ready for the sidewalk sale/ one year anniversary! It's July 25th-29th and there will be lots of stuff on super sale plus everything else in the shop will be 15% off!

That's all for now. Happy Friday!

What a good weekend!

2007-06-20T07:18:00.000-05:00

I had a great time this weekend in NYC! I drove down to my parents house on Fri night and then took the train down to Grand Central on Sat morning. It's been a year since I've been in new york and I really felt like a country girl down in the big city. I missed my subway stop going to my old apartment in Brooklyn and my feet were killing me after a whole day of walking...

Anyway, I made it to Kate & Tom's apartment (which used to be mine and Kate's apartment), dropped off my overnight bag and then got back on the subway to go to Renegade. This year, the fair was double the size it was last year and was actually in an empty pool. You can't really tell from the pictures but trust me it was in a pool.

I wanted to buy everything! But I held myself back and just took it all in instead. The highlight of my day was getting to talk shop with Faythe Levine who owns the Paper Boat Boutique in Wisconsin and who is making the Indie Craft Documentary. It was great meeting people who I've only ever talked to over email.

After Renegade I went back to the apartment and Kate and I just got to hang for a bit. Kate is my oldest friend in the entire world. I've known her since we were in 2nd grade together and through all the years we've never lost touch. (Love ya Kate!)

That night, Kate, Tom and I went out to dinner and then to a bar where they had Magic Hat on tap! We stayed out pretty late; well much later than I'm used to anyway. But I guess when you usually go to bed by 10p any time after that is late.

On Sunday I had brunch with my old mini boss J. Chase. I hadn't seen her in two years! I really need to get back to nyc more often. Then it was back to my parents house to see my Dad for Father's Day and go look at more potential wedding sites with my Mom.

On Monday it was back to VT and I brought Boomer back with me since my parents will be in Italy for the next few weeks. We are also watching Irma right now since Jess is in Asia so we'll have two dogs until after July 4th. Look how cute they are!

Alright that's enough for today. Also, I want to say THANKS to Kev for watching the store this weekend and doing an awesome job!

Congrats to Nice Face!

2007-06-14T09:03:00.000-05:00

A big, huge congrats to Whitney of Nice Face who is a winner of Fred Flare's Next Big Thing contest! Come to the shop and check out more of Whitney's great designs.

In other news, I'll be closing the shop a few hours early tomorrow because I'm heading down to NYC for Renegade Craft Fair to scope out some new artists for the shop. And I'll be seeing the fam and a few friends too. I sooooo excited!

Since I'll be gone all weekend, Kev will be manning the store. Go visit him!

I've been tagged?

2007-06-13T07:23:00.000-05:00

So Lorraine has tagged me and I am supposed post 7 random facts/habits about myself to my blog and then I have to choose another 7 people to get tagged and list their names.

Here are my 7 facts:

1) I was born in Italy and have dual citizenship
2) I have scoliosis and wore a back brace from 8th-10th grade (it was better than getting a metal rod put in my back...)
3) My favorite foods are beef jerky, pizza, and good chocolate.
4) I have a pretty big collection of VHS tapes and I will never get rid of them
5) I've been to Morocco and while there I rode a camel in the Sahara Desert
6) I love snowboarding but unfortunately because of the store I only went one time last season
7) I don't like driving and look foward to one day moving to a place where I don't need a car

Well that's me in a nutshell...

In store news, we have new tees in from HarriLu plus crocheted earrings from Mingi which are so cute I want them ALL.

Seven Daysies

2007-06-07T08:20:00.000-05:00

For those of you in VT, you probably know that every year Seven Days gives out Seven Daysies awards to local businesses voted on by the public.

If you love us as much as I think you do, please vote for us for Coolest Craft Gallery. Go here to vote.

Also, there is a category for Best Craftsperson so come into the shop to check out all of the amazing local crafters.

Thanks for supporting Made Boutique!

June 6th - High of 65

2007-06-06T08:06:00.000-05:00

Vermont better get its act together! It's June! It should be sunny and at least 75 degrees.

Anyway...in store news, we've got more EKRA rugs in stock and new apparel and accessories from Philly designer Nicole Rae Styer.

Nothing else to report today- Hope everyone has a great day!

Web Shop Update!

2007-05-31T08:47:00.000-05:00

Within the past week I've updated the web store with over 20 new items! Some of my favorites are:

The Bird Tote from new MBG artist Birdie Handmade. Birdie Handmade is actually VT artist and crafter Zoe Loomis. You might recognize her work from the Queen City Craft Bazaar.

The Always Lovely? card from Pink Livingroom Press. It's pretty funny.

The Summer Breeze Bracelet from Subsixstudios. It's big and chunky but delicate at the same time- love it!

That's all for store news. Let's hope it stops raining for at least few hours this weekend...

Mandy the Mannequin has passed away...

2007-05-24T08:39:00.000-05:00

It's true- yesterday I was trying to re-dress the mannequin by the window and things got out of hand and I lost her. She's always been a little bit of a leaner (she was only $0.99 on ebay...) but she didn't even last a whole year!

This is her right before she completely fell over and broke in two. I tried to screw her back together but she wasn't having it.

Oh the joys of owning a store...

Ferocious Textiles

2007-05-23T08:14:00.000-05:00

We got new stuff in from Ferocious Textiles yesterday! The VT ladies (Julia & Sara) behind this crafty company make pillows, placemats, napkins, totes, and all around cute home stuff. I'm so excited to have their stuff in the store AND the ladies themselves will be the Artist's Market every weekend this summer.

Plus, Kev put the air conditioner in yesterday- yay! No more sweating in the hot sun. And just in time because on Thursday it's supposed to be 90 degrees!

Also, if you haven't signed up for the mailing list yet, you really should because I'm going to start doing some super secret mailing list only discounts.

500 Handbags

2007-05-22T08:36:00.000-05:00

I received a Contact Form Message last week about an upcoming book called 500 Handbags. "To be released in the fall of 2008, this book aims to showcase a fabulous, fun, and funky collection (of bags) that will inspire amateur crafters, professional designers, and everyone in between. " They're still looking for bags to showcase but the entry deadline is July 16th. Here's the website for more info: 500 Handbags The submissions will be juried by Jay McCarroll, winner of the first season of Project Runway.

I've already told a few MBG artists about it and hope they all submit something. It would be so great to have one of the store's artists' work in a book!

So yesterday was my day off- unfortunately I had heartburn pretty much all day...ouch! I did buy a few herbs from City Market though so I can start my herb garden. I bought basil, rosemary, and parsley but I think I want to add cilantro and maybe a few others. The front porch smells so good now.

It's going to be sunny all week! Welcome back sun!

And the winner is...

2007-05-17T08:20:00.000-05:00

Jaslene! Renee did not even make it to the final two! I guess if Natasha couldn't win, I'm happy that Jaslene won. But Renee was definitely the fan favorite according to a lot of ANTM message boards. Oh well...

This blog is suppossed to be about the store right? ...in store news, I received new stuff from Nice Face yesterday. Everything is of course adorable and I want it ALL. Especially the Red Dress- so flippin cute!

Jazz Fest is almost here and there will be two stages on Church St, (one on the top block!) so I'm expecting lots of people that week and a half. Which is why I've been getting so much new inventory the past few days. And, because of the new inventory, older inventory has been moved to the sale rack. Plus, I'm still waiting for new jewelry from Handmade Julz, tops from Nicole Carey, and cards from Pink Livingroom Press. Yippeee!

ANTM Finale Tonight!

2007-05-16T08:31:00.000-05:00

So tonight is the finale of America's Next Top Model. I'm rooting for Natasha but the competition is pretty stiff and I think Renee has a good chance of winning. I'm excited for the finale but what on earth will I do on Wednesday nights without ANTM?! I think Shear Genius is on Wednesday's so I may have to start watching that. Anyway- back to ANTM. Remember Elyse from the first cycle? She was 3rd runner up I think and definitely my favorite. She is a working model now and has a terrific blog chronically all of her model adventures. Here is a link to her LiveJournal. She's got great pics on there and she's quite funny.

Moving on- my new favorite website is www.indiebride.com Anyone planning a wedding should check out this site. Thanks to Vanessa for the tip! And I think we've decided where we're having ours. I don't want to say where yet since no paperwork has been signed but I will let you know once it's all finalized.

In store news- Ava Bishop brought by the prettiest tops and dresses yesterday. The best word to describe them really is pretty. I just wish it was warm enough to actually wear them...It's May 16th and I have the heat on. Oh Vermont!

Happy Mother's Day!

2007-05-13T18:40:00.000-05:00

This has nothing to do with Mother's Day but Joanne Kalisz brought by a bunch of new stuff on Friday. Here is one of my favorite pieces:

She also brought in a bubble jumper dress which happens to fit me perfectly and I have decided to keep it for myself! There is another one available which is equally cute but in a medium so if that's your size you're in luck.

Also, Alison Murphy's new wire earrings have literally been flying off the shelves. This picture doesn't really do them justice but trust me they're cute.

And here's a picture of the cherry tree that Kev's bro gave us last year:

Isn't it pretty?

Anyway- Happy Mother's Day!

More new stuff

2007-05-09T07:35:00.000-05:00

I got new cards in yesterday from Pinecone + Chickadee. They are all hand silk screened in Portland, Maine and super cute. Also, Alison Murphy brought by some new earrings and they are so freakin awesome that I sold a pair before I even put them on display! Love when that happens...

We also have Mother's Day cards made by Erin Brackenridge and Kacey from Subsixstudios is bringing by some new jewelry this week so come by and check it out and get something pretty for Mom.

It was insanely hot yesterday in the shop and unfortunately I still don't have the air conditioner in. If you plan on stopping by within the next few days, I highly recommend coming in the morning when the sun isn't shining in and creating a sauna effect. It should be cooler by Friday though so feel free to come by all weekend.

America's Next Top Model is on tonight- Go Natasha!

Reflections on the weekend

2007-05-08T07:28:00.000-05:00

So Sat. was the first ever Queen City Craft Bazaar. If you came down to Union Station and saw all of the great work made by some of VT's finest- THANK YOU!

The day started out and ended pretty good but there was definitely some slow time in the middle of the day. I think the majority of vendors had a pretty good day and I've gotten some great feedback so I think the Holiday edition will be even better. We definitely need to focus on more marketing next time but that will mean increasing the vendor fee. And I'm not sure if we will use the upstairs next time. In general, vendors don't like being on the 2nd floor but maybe if we charge less for an upstairs spot that will make it more fair. Anyway, I have lots to think about before the next one...

If you are an artist/ crafter/ designer and missed the application deadline for this event, we will be posting application info on the site for the Holiday edition starting in September.

Here's a pic of the store's table at the QCCB:

Here's Alison Murphy of drawnonward and the Burlington Craft Mafia:

Alison is moving to New Hampshire after she graduates from UVM and will no longer be a VT local...sad! We will miss you Alison!

More pics of the event on my Flickr page.

Tomorrow

2007-05-04T07:59:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the Queen City Craft Bazaar! I just want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone helping out with the event. It's a lot of work putting this all together and I wouldn't have been able to do it without the lovely Kacey from Subsixstudios. She has been freakin amazing and it has been so great working with her on this. Also of course I can't forget Holly from misshawklet and Erinn from Urban Farmgirl plus all the other ladies from the Burlington Craft Mafia.

In shop news, new cards arrived yesterday from Little Otsu. I got some Thank You cards and a notecard set from artist Kate Sutton. They're adorable! Also, I finally ordered more Reading is Sexy and Knitting is Knotty stickers. People have been asking for them so I really need to make sure I keep them in stock.

Alright- I have to go pick up the keys to Union Station. See you tomorrow!

Only 3 Days until the QCCB!

2007-05-01T18:47:00.000-05:00

And I have so much to do...today I made a gazillion buttons which will be turned into magnets, pins and (drumroll please) rings and earrings. That's right rings and earrings! They're really cute and I'm excited to see how they sell at the Bazaar. They will of course be available at the store and online after the Bazaar so no worries if you can't make it this Saturday.

Also new for this Saturday, will be items from graphic design lady extraordinaire Stacey Carnell (she designed the QCCB logo- isn't it swell!?) and items from crafty UVM student Jessica Anderson. Holy Canoli I'm so excited for Saturday!

Oh yeah, and did I mention that Viva Espresso will be there selling coffee and yummy treats? Could it get any better?

New Stuff!

2007-04-27T08:38:00.001-05:00

New tops from 57 Giraffes are here! I'll take some pics today and hopefully post them to the shopping site next week. I'll also be adding new yarn and felted rings from Miss Hawklet and some crocheted bags from Urban Farmgirl...

In QCCB news, I dropped off our banner to have it put up in front of Union Station and tomorrow I'll be photocopying more flyers to put up around town. And I still have to finish making my own goodies plus figure out how I'm going to set up my booth. But I have finally figured out where to put all the vendors. Which was very hard let me tell you because I don't want to make anyone upset with their spot. Honestly though, I really don't think there is a "bad" spot in Union Station.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

SUN!

2007-04-23T15:10:00.000-05:00

It's finally sunny in VT! This weekend was gorgeous and today is also nice but I did hear a nasty rumor that it's going to be in the 50's for the rest of the week. We can't seem to catch a break...

Before it gets too warm though I need to get an air conditioner up to the store. Between 3p-6p it's like a sauna in there with the sun beating down through the floor to ceiling windows. I had a fan in one of the windows this weekend but let me tell you it was still H-O-T-T in there.

Isn't it funny how people shop in packs? This weekend everyone was buying bags- lots and lots of bags. So many bags that there is now a noticeable lack of bags in the shop. No worries though, more bags are on the way...

Hope everyone is enjoying this lovely day!

Joanne Kalisz Belt Sale

2007-04-19T20:22:00.000-05:00

All Joanne Kalisz belts are 20% off starting today thru next Thurs. 4/26! They're reversible and a great addition to any spring wardrobe. Trust me- they're cute!

Plus I'm expecting a shipment from 57 Giraffes any day now. Jessica is a bay area designer and I can't wait to see all the awesomeness that's coming our way.

Also, there is going to be a new jewelry designer in the store! I first saw Art School Dropout at Renegade last summer and immediately loved Jessee's stuff. It's completely different from anything that's currently in the shop and she uses a lot of flowers and bright colors perfect for summer.

In other news, just to let you all know- there is going to be a lot of wedding talk on this here blog for the next year and half. That being said, Kev and I have started looking at reception sites. It is EXPENSIVE to have a wedding. I knew it was going to cost us a bit of money but my goodness I had NO idea what I was in for. Did you know that the average wedding in the US costs $25,000??? Well neither did I! If anyone has had a wedding in VT and knows of any unique reception sites please let me know!

The Handmade Nation

2007-04-14T08:43:00.000-05:00

So the Indie Craft Documentary has been officially titled The Handmade Nation.

For a sneak peak go here.

Enjoy!

Tomorrow is Friday the 13th!

2007-04-12T07:58:00.000-05:00

So tomorrow is Friday the 13th, that's April 13th and yes it is snowing. It's mid April and they're calling for 3-7 inches of snow. I can't take it anymore- I need the SUN!

In store news, I'll be putting out a bunch of new clothing from Brooklyn based Mignonette today so be sure to stop by and check out the cuteness.

AND, my sister is coming to visit and she'll be spending Friday at the store with me looking at bridal magazines. I can't wait to go dress shopping!

I'm back!

2007-04-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

And I'm engaged! Yup- Kev popped the question in Italia. It was so perfect and I'm so excited!

This is where he proposed:

It's the Fontana Maggiore in Perugia. It was a beautiful day and it couldn't have been better.

The whole week was awesome and Kev loved Italy. It was great seeing my family but it was so sad to leave. A week is not enough time when you only see your family every few years.

But I'm glad to be back and ready to be in the store full time. I'm expecting new Spring/Summer items from two new designers this week so stop by and check them out later on in the week.

There are of course many more pictures on my Flickr page. So go take a look!

Vacation!

2007-03-27T06:24:00.001-05:00

So if you haven't heard, I'm going on vacation! Kev and I (and my mom!) will be heading to Italy for a whole week to visit my family and of course see the sights. It's been 2 years since I've been back to the mother land and I am so excited! I can't wait to see my family and Kevin will finally get to meet my Nonna and try her famous home made pasta.

I'm definitely starting to get nervous about leaving the store for a week but as long I'm able to check my email a few times while I'm there I think it will be okay.

This is also my last week at the Big B! The steady paycheck has been nice but I am looking forward to being able to focus all of my attention on the store.

What does this mean for you- my dear customers? The store will be closed until 4/9, re-opening on 4/10. AND, starting on 4/10 we will have new spring/summer hours:

Tues-Sat: 11a-7p
Sun: 12p-5p

Check the blog when I get back to see pics of the trip!

See you in April!

I'm sorry I yelled at you interenet

2007-03-22T07:12:00.000-05:00

So I don't know what happened but the shopping site is working and I am so pleased with how it looks! It's still not perfect and I can't wait to be able to pay a professional web developer; But for someone who has little to no web development knowledge I think I did a pretty dang good job!

If you haven't been to the new space, definitely check out the web store to see all of our amazing new products!

**GO SHOP NOW**

I'm mad at the internet

2007-03-21T22:54:00.000-05:00

I finally finished everything on the shopping site and just when I'm feeling good about it, I go to turn on the shopping cart and everything gets messed up! Dang! I really thought I was going to be done tonight but I guess I have some more work to do tomorrow...Yikes!

Don't forget about the Subsixstudios sale!

2007-03-21T17:22:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to be hanging out with Kacey for the day! We'll actually be able to chat in person instead of online or on the phone like we usually do. Plus we'll be looking over all of the vendor submissions for the Queen City Craft Bazaar and deciding who will be participating. So if you're planning on applying you better do it before Saturday!

It's been almost a week

2007-03-16T07:14:00.000-05:00

since my last post... And a lot has been going on since then.

We are still accepting applications for the Queen City Craft Bazaar. But there's only one week left so all you potential vendors out there get your applications in before next Friday 3/23. Seven Days has generously decided to be our Media Sponsor for the event which is great news and Viva Espresso will be on hand that day selling yummy coffee and pastries.

If you're looking for something to do tonight, head on down to Studio STK to see the ladies of the Burlington Craft Mafia showing off their spring designs. There will be a cash bar, live music, and some of the best crafters in VT. They're calling for 10-20 inches of snow between tonight and tomorrow morning but I really hope it doesn't start until after the event is over. They already had to postpone it once because of snow and I would hate for them to have to postpone it again!

Next Saturday, 3/24, stop by the store between 10a-4p to check out the Subsixstudios jewelry sale. Kacey will be at the shop so you can meet the lady behind the jewelry.

Also, I'm going on vacation! Which is great for me but bad for you since I have to close the shop while I'm gone. The store will be closed from 3/30-4/9 and re-open full time on 4/10. I'm excited to get away but also nervous about leaving the store. More about that later...

Anyway- Hope to see you at Studio STK!

Queen City Craft Bazaar

2007-03-07T22:02:00.000-05:00

I am so happy to announce that Made and the Burlington Craft Mafia will be sponsoring and producing the Queen City Craft Bazaar!

This is a juried craft fair that will take place on May 5th at Union Station in Burlington. Only 35 spots are available and we are now accepting vendor applications.

We are looking to showcase a wide range of products so all types of crafters, artists, and designers are enouraged to apply.

Go to queencitycraftbazaar.wordpress.com for information on how to apply.

Spread the word!

Prairie Days

2007-03-01T08:06:00.000-05:00

So I know that the weather is going to be bad tomorrow but hopefully it will die down by tomorrow night. That way you can come by the shop and join us for the opening reception of "Prairie Days"; new work by Beacon, NY artist Lorri Lagerbloom.

The opening is from 5p-9p and we'll have some refreshments for you to enjoy while taking in all of Lorri's awesome work.

Hope you can make it!

New Stuff!

2007-02-27T07:52:00.000-05:00

If you haven't been in the store lately, you haven't seen all of the awesome stuff from our new designers! We have super cute tops from Xenos Designs and new tops and necklaces from b-kao. Plus Burlington local Joanne Kalisz will be dropping off some new tees and other goodies this weekend and I'm also expecting a shipment of some seriously amazing headbands from The Candy Thief.

In web store news, I've been hard at work taking pictures of all the new items and trying to get them up on the site as quickly as possible. It's taking me forever but I think everyone will be pleased once they see the semi-new site. And I'm learning a lot about photo editing and html in the process...

So the Mardi Gras parade was postponed

2007-02-20T23:14:00.000-05:00

If you haven't heard by now the Mardi Gras parade did not happen last weekend because of the massive amounts of snow on Church St. It will be going on this Sat. 2/24 though so stop by and say HI! if you're downtown.

I also wanted to let you all know of some other fun things going on this week- tomorrow night at Higher Ground you should all go see my friend Susan play with the Hero Cycle. It should be fun and I think it will be over before 10p so that everyone can get home in time to watch LOST.

On Thurs. you should go the Fleming Museum at UVM for the Opening of Burlington & Winooski 1920-2020. The fun starts at 5:30p and there will be free food and a cash bar. It should be pretty interesting even if you're not a history buff.

Yay for short work weeks!

Blizzard!

2007-02-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what the official total was but at our house we probably got over 2ft of snow. Kev shoveled our driveway three times Wednesday and we still had to dig ourselves out yesterday. Thank goodness our neighbor let us borrow his snowblower...

Here's a pic of my car last night:

Because of the snow, the big B was closed yesterday so I got to go snowboarding! It was the first time I was able to go this season and my legs are killing me this morning. The snow was super heavy and I am seriously out of shape so my legs will be hurting for the next few days. After snowboarding we went to Piecasso which seriously has the best pizza in VT.

In store news, I found out that the Mardi Gras parade on Sat will not be going down the top block which means I won't be able to see it from my window. Kinda stinks but also good because I wouldn't be able to put my sign out if it went in front of the store. If you're downtown at the parade tomorrow don't forget to come and visit! We have new pants from Ava Bishop and new Spring tops from Xenos Designs.

Happy Friday!

Did I say I had no news?

2007-02-12T22:54:00.000-05:00

Every few weeks I google "Made Boutique" to see if I find any random tidbits about the store. Usually I already know of every site that mentions the shop but this time I found this great little site called Cowgirl Curio "Wrangling the best gifts from the Wild Wild Web". They posted about the Kiku Lucky Belt Buckle on 2/6 and the next day they posted about the Kristina Bilonick Fork Tee, letting the world know that they can get both of these great items at Made! Thanks Cowgirl Curio!

And speaking of online shopping, I have temporarily closed the online shop so that I can make some updates. Hopefully it won't take me very long but realistically I will probably not be done until the end of March.

And speaking of March, join us on March 2nd from 5p-9p for the opening of "Prairie Days"; new work by Beacon, NY artist (and one of my all time great friends) Lorri Lagerbloom. There will be refreshments and fun so be there or be square.

Also, that same night, the Burlington Craft Mafia is having a craft fair/expo at Studio STK so even though I will sadly not be able to go, you should go after stopping by the store to see Lorri's work.

Is it only Monday? Have a great week!

No news is good news...

2007-02-11T10:29:00.000-05:00

Not much to report in the way of store news. Although Jessica Anderson did bring by an awesome clock that she made from a David Bowie record:

And Ava Bishop will be bringing by some new Damn Fine Pants this afternoon so you should stop by and check them out next weekend.

In TV news, have you seen Campus Ladies on the Oxygen network? It is freakin hysterical!

Happy Sunday!

I'm watching the Superbowl

2007-02-04T19:21:00.000-05:00

Ok not really- but I did start watching it. Granted I was eating chilli that Kev made (so good) with fritos and a lovely ice cold coke.

Anyway, it was the first weekend back open and it went great! I am so glad to be in a more central location.

Next weekend on the Marketplace there will be a Snow Sculpture Competition. Being on the 2nd floor means I have a great view of all of the Church St. happenings without having to deal with the crowds. So stop by and watch some ice sculpting from inside the warm store next weekend!

Today is the day!

2007-02-02T08:07:00.000-05:00

We're opening today! I'm so excited to be back at the store and I can't wait to see how the business will change now that we're on Church St.

So yesterday was my birthday- I'm now 26 years old. I had such a good day! Kev had a mug made for me with the store logo on it. I'll post pics later. And I got an email from Kacey Boone of Subsixstudios saying "Congrats on the press in Seven Days". I had no idea what she what talking about but then I saw this. Meghan Dewald of Seven Days was at the ONE Fashion Event last weekend and wrote up a lovely little article about it. Here's the best part of the article: "My favorite outfits were from Made Boutique, a Burlington-based, DIY-centric gallery featuring local labels Urban Farmgirl and Damn Fine Pants, among others." Thank you Meghan!

Stop by the store this weekend and say HI! And I guess since you're there you should also do some shopping...

ONE Fashion Event

2007-01-24T23:24:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that I didn't post this sooner!

This weekend the store will be featured in the ONE Fashion Event at Higher Ground to benefit the Boys & Girls Club. More info here. We will be showing 5 outfits featuring designs from Ava Bishop, Urban Farmgirl, Subsixstudios, Nice Face, Angela Johnson, Identity Crisis, Nicole Carey, and the list goes on and on...

Tickets are kind of pricey-$35- but all the proceeds go to B&G's club AND you'll be able to see me strut my stuff on the catwalk. Oh that's right- the model walk I've been practicing since I was 13 will once again be put to good use. Plus, you'll be able to bid on a $50 gift certificate for the store.

We have a dress rehersal tomorrow and I can't wait to see what the other stores are showing. All of the other stores participating are locally owned but none of them sell handmade so I really hope this event helps to open up some minds about the handmade thing. You CAN be fashion forward and socially conscious at the same time.

All of the outfits and accessories shown on Saturday will be available for sale next weekend during our grand re-opening! So exciting!

T minus 9 days till re-open...

The home stretch

2007-01-22T21:10:00.000-05:00

Only 11 more days until I re-open! I feel like I am on track though and will be able to get everything done in time. We got a lot done this weekend and I got new stuff from Subsixstudios, Miss Hawklet, Erin Meharg, Pink Livingroom Press AND the Amy Jean Bindery. So exciting!

I am a huge list maker and checking things off really helps me feel like I've accomplished something. My list for today had 9 items on it and I only have one thing left to do! And it's only 9:15p!

If I make it through the last thing on my list, I think it will be the first time in history that I actually complete an entire list. I must be growing up...

New Artists

2007-01-17T22:55:00.000-05:00

I want the re-opening to be good. I don't want people to come into the store and see all of the same stuff that was in the old space. I want NEW stuff! So in addition to moving, I have also been seeking out new artists to add to my already awesome roster.

I will be introducing 7 new artists and 4 of them are from VT! They all make something different and of course their stuff is amazing. Plus, many of the current artists will be sending over new items as well. I've already received new belts and totes from Joanne Kalisz and new hoodies and hats from Squadron. A few more locals will be dropping stuff off this weekend and I should be getting everything else next week.

And now I have to go to bed.

Good night!

You can get a lot done in two days...

2007-01-15T11:11:00.000-05:00

My parents came up from NY this weekend and we got so much done in the new space! We borrowed Dave's truck (Thanks Dave!) and moved the rest of the fixtures on Sat. morning. Then Kev and my dad patched up the holes in the old space while my mom and I went shopping for shelving and a new mirror for the dressing room. Everyone complained about that dang Ikea mirror so I thought I would get a new mirror for the new space...

Sat. night we went to Flatbread to celebrate my dad's and my birthday (1/21 & 2/1 respectively). Then we went to see Children of Men; which was great! I definitely reccommend this movie.

Sun. morning we took measurements for the dressing room and storage area and then Kev and my dad went to Home Depot to get some supplies while my mom and I took it easy and went across the street to Borders. The ladies of the Burlington Craft Mafia stopped by to see the new space after their meeting. Everyone is so excited about this move. It will give the store and the artists so much more visibilty. I might even be able to pay myself!

After the dressing room and storage area were put up, my parents left to go back to NY and Kev and I stayed at the shop for a few more hours to put up the shelving and start unpacking some boxes. We only have a few things left to do- put up the mirror and lights in the dressing room, finish patching up the walls at the old space, change my phone service, put lights around the windows of the new space, get my sandwich board sign approved, put out product, etc...did I say only a FEW things left to do. I meant I still have a TON left to do.

Here are some pics from the weekend:

The store on Sat. morning -

The store on Sun. night -

What a mess!

There are of course more pictures on Flickr so go take a look.

Hope you are all enjoying the long weekend!

Miss Hawklet Raffle

2007-01-11T22:35:00.000-05:00

Burlington local Miss Hawklet is having a raffle! For more info go to www.misshawklet.com

Congrats to Subsixstudios!

2007-01-06T11:06:00.000-05:00

Made Boutique & Gallery artist Subsixstudios was featured on a great indie blog yesterday- MissMalaprop.com! The store also got a mention which is always much appreciated.

So congrats to Kacey at Subsixstudios and thanks to Mallory at Miss Malaprop!

We're starting to pack up the store today so I'll post some pics later on this weekend.

Good times.

BIG, HUGE, GINORMOUS NEWS!

2007-01-02T20:15:00.000-05:00

We're moving! And I am so excited about it! We will now be located on the prestigious Church St. Marketplace- 22 Church St. above Olympia Sports and across from Adriana's restaurant.

I signed the lease last week and got the keys today. This has been in the works for a few weeks now but I didn't want to say anything just in case it fell through. I could not be happier with the new location. I'm going to start moving ASAP. Kev and I actually went to the new space tonight to take some measurements and start trying to figure out where everything is going to go.

I'll be uploading pictures to Flickr of our progess as often as possible so keep checking for updates.

The Grand Re-Opening is planned for Feb. 2nd, 2007 (exactly one day after my 26th birthday!) and in order to get everything ready by then, we will be CLOSED for the entire month of January. The online store will still be open though so feel free to keep shopping.

Spread the word!

It's Snowing!

2006-12-30T14:02:00.000-05:00

So I'm closing early. The roads are bad and the snow does not seem to be letting up so unfortunately I've decided to close the shop early. It's always a hard decision but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. I'll be open until 2:30p if anyone is planning on coming by.

Sorry for any inconvenience!

If you can't buy handmade,

2006-12-29T14:18:00.000-05:00

You should buy vintage! I have recently been scouring Ebay for all sorts of vintage clothing and have made some pretty good finds. I thought I would share some of the best Ebay stores with you since I've already done all of the leg work. I added a Vintage section to my Links on the Right. I'll be adding more stores as I find them so keep checking back.

Happy Friday!

I'm back in VT

2006-12-28T12:54:00.000-05:00

It was so nice to have a little relaxing time with my fam. I did not want to come back up to VT yesterday. I knew I had so many unfinished things waiting for me, ie- a house full of dog hair which I still have not vacuummed. I need to find a job where I'm on vacation the whole time...

In store news- I'll be cutting waaaaay back on hours during the coming winter months. Considering my out of the way location and the fact that it's actually starting to get cold out, I will only be open on the weekends for the next 3 months. Sat & Sun from noon-6p. So you might be asking yourself how I will be keeping busy during the week- well I'm going back to work at the big B. It's hard to imagine that next week I'll be in an office/cubicle environment again but if I want to keep the store afloat for the next few months this is my only option. I'm sure I'll get back into the swing of things and it's only for 3 months so I should be able to handle it.

Anyway - I'll be updating the web shop soon since that will stay open 24/7. And I'll still be shipping out 6 days a week so even though I won't be open every day, you'll still be able to shop every day.

Also - I'll be closing at 5p on New Years Eve and will be closed all day on the 1st.

Happy New Year!

I need to vent for a minute

2006-12-22T15:22:00.000-05:00

I HATE RUDE CUSTOMERS THAT COMPLAIN ABOUT PRICES BEING HIGH IN THE STORE!!!! Everything is handmade! And yes the customer knew that. If you want cheap stuff go to Old Navy or Walmart and buy something made in China in a dirty factory.

Ok- I'm done.

Sorry about that but it had to be said.

I LOVE Christmas!

2006-12-22T11:46:00.000-05:00

I really do- I love it. But it definitely makes me miss living in Brooklyn. Christmas in the city is so much fun. And unfortunately I probably won't be able to make it down there this year. I just don't have enough time to visit with my family and friends in Fishkill, NY AND take the hour and a half train ride into the city. Oh well...I'm just glad that I get to go home at all. Now if only it would snow! Or at least get cold...

Since Kevin and I will not be spending Christmas together this year (he's going to Virginia to be with his family) we had our Christmas last night. The best part of his gift to me was my stocking filled with beef jerky. I LOVE beef jerky! LOVE it! If you ever need a gift idea for me go with beef jerky.

Anyway, it seems that people are still doing some last minute Christmas shopping. With my out of the way location I thought that it would be hard to get people down here for Holiday shopping but December has been stellar! It's so nice to know that people are giving handmade this season.

Just a reminder, I'll be closing the store around 2p tomorrow and won't re-open until Thurs. 12/28.

I hope everyone has a good Holiday!

Burlington Free Press Holiday Gift Guide

2006-12-20T13:54:00.000-05:00

Made Boutique artist Stacie Mincher was featured in the Burlington Free Press Holiday Gift Guide that came out today! For some some reason the guide hasn't been been published online but here's a pic of the actual paper:

The Free Press chose one of Stacie's zipper pins which have been selling really well this Holiday season. The one in the picture actually already sold today!

Congrats to Stacie and thanks to Michelle Edelbaum for featuring something from the shop!

Is it really almost Christmas??

2006-12-19T13:52:00.000-05:00

I really cannot believe it! Less than a week until Christmas...and I still have to figure out what else to get my sisters. I guess I can just give them something from the store but that kind of feels like cheating.

So the Burton Holiday Party was awesome- and our outfits were a hit! Jess did such a good job on them!

We also somehow ended up in the bathroom with pro snowboarder Molly Aguirre talking for half an hour...

And of course we got the obligatory Jake Burton shot:

All in all it was a great night!

In store news: We have new Quilt Cards and totes in stock from c22} company twenty two. And we got in new Zippy Pins from Stacie Mincher.

Hope you're having a good week!

More new stuff!

2006-12-14T14:57:00.000-05:00

There is an overload of cuteness going on in the store right now. I just got corduroy jumpers and hoodies from Whitney Gifford, aka Nice Face and they are adorable! Whitney lives in Portland, ME and I am really excited to welcome her to the Made Boutique family.

In other news- I'm going to be closing early tomorrow night at 5p because I have to go to a Holiday party for Kevin's work. Jessica, Stacey and I are getting dressed up Holiday style...I can't reveal exactly what that means but I'll post pics of our outfits after the party.

Have a great weekend!

It's been a few days-

2006-12-12T16:21:00.000-05:00

since my last post which means I have a lot to tell everyone!

Well two of my bestest lady friends came to visit me this weekend. It was so great to hang out with them and catch up. Kevin even worked at the store on Sat. so that I could have a whole day with them! He's so good to me. We went to a craft fair on Sat. morning and when I say craft fair, I mean it. It was at a local high school and the youngest vendor there was Alison Murphy. (Congrats to Alison by the way who was just accepted into the Burlington Craft Mafia!) After the fair we went back to the house and baked cookies - gingerbread and mexican wedding cakes. They came out soooooo good!

Then we had dinner - pasta fagioli from my mom's recipe. Also soooooo good. After dinner we made garland for Carl the Christmas Tree #2.

I'll post some pictures of the fully decorated tree later. He looks so good this year!

All in all it was a really great weekend.

In store news - We have new necklaces in stock from Subsixstudios which is just in time for the jewelry sale that is going on right now. Alison Murphy also brought by some new earrings which I have already added to web store. These are favorite. Plus VT designer Ava Bishop brought in three new amazing pieces. I'll be adding them to web store soon but here's a picture of the Mod Mini Dress. So cute!

Think snow!

Real Men Knit?

2006-12-07T13:10:00.000-05:00

As I was browsing YouTube today, I came across the trailer for a documentary called "Real Men Knit". Watch it here. I think you have to actually purchase the dvd to watch the whole thing though...Anyway it seems like a great idea for a documentary to me.

In other unrelated news- Caridee won Americas Next Top Model! I was rooting for her throughout the entire show and I'm so glad she won!

And one more thing- It's Snowing!!!!!

New Stuff!

2006-12-06T12:29:00.000-05:00

A few new things in the store, all from Burlington locals by the way...

-Framed 4x6 prints from artist Stacey Carnell. They are beautiful and only $20!

-Yarn, tattoo collage books, and vintage collage kits from Miss Hawklet.

-New reversible jacquard belts from Joanne Kalisz.

-Magnet sets made by yours truly. The magnet sets were actually my big seller this weekend! I made a few more today so if you missed them this weekend you can still pick one up.

Also - don't forget that December is all about SALES! So Apparel is 20% off until this weekend. Jewelry will be 20% off next week and Accessories will be 20% off the week after.

It's finally getting cold out! Still no snow but at least it feels like winter. And we're going to get our tree this weekend so it will really start to feel like the holidays. I can't wait!

Burlington Handmade Holiday Craft Market = Success!

2006-12-03T14:02:00.000-05:00

The Holiday Market yesterday was amazing! I cannot believe how many people showed up. I think all of the vendors were pleasantly surprised. I can't wait to do it again- hopefully we'll have another one in the Spring.

Here are some pics from the event:

This was the store's table. We ended up changing it around a bit but I forgot to take a pic after the re-design.

Alison Murphy and her wire jewelry. Alison sold so much yesterday she had hardly anything left!

Kacey Boone of Subsixstudios and the Burlington Craft Mafia.

Erinn Simon of Urban Farmgirl and the Burlington Craft Mafia

Catherine Slye of c22}company twenty two

Some of our success was definitely due to the fact that there was an article in the Burlington Free Press yesterday about the lovely ladies of the Burlington Craft Mafia. It mentioned the Holiday Market AND the store!

Hope everyone had as good a weekend as I did!

Tiny shop update

2006-11-29T14:50:00.000-05:00

I added some pin sets to the site today! It was actually sunny for about a half hour so I was able to take some pics and get a few up on the site. I have a ton more at the store to choose from if you don't fancy the ones on the site.

Also- I lowered the price on the Amet & Sasha long pleated skirt from $80 down to $64. Jesse of A&S has discontinued this skirt and will not be making anymore. I have a few left in the shop so come and get 'em while you can!

In other news, I put up a final batch of posters today all over downtown Burlington for the Holiday Market. Our ad in 7 Days seems like it's in a good spot so hopefully people will see that too. Now all we can do is hope that people show up!

Is it really almost December?

2006-11-28T12:16:00.000-05:00

I'm a busy, busy bee these days...getting ready for the Holiday Market on Saturday. The banner went up outside of Union Station yesterday so hopefully lots of people will see it and come to the Market! Now I just have to figure out the specifics of my table. I'll be repesenting the VT artists from store that don't have their own table. Specifically, I'll have new belts and stuffed animals from Joanne Kalisz, yarn and vintage collage kits from Miss Hawklet, scarves and necklaces from Fredda Stroll, framed prints from Stacey Carnell, and of course my very own buttons and magnets. I'm so excited!!

Also, our neighbor, Pursuit Gallery will be having an opening this Friday so I'll be staying open late just in case people want to check out the store. Their openings are usually a good time so you should all check it out.

Plus, next week starts our 3 weeks of December deals. Every week something new will be on sale. For the first week (12/3-12/10) all apparel will be 20% off!

Hope you're having a good Tuesday!

Mmmm leftovers...

2006-11-24T18:42:00.000-05:00

So Thanksgiving was fun and we managed to cram 8 people + 2 dogs into our tiny house for the day. We had soooo much good food. Tonight my mamma is making tortellini turkey soup with the leftovers. It's going to be delicious!

In store news- We have a new designer! Nicole Carey is a Philly, PA based apparel designer making one of a kind tops. The tops came in the mail today and they are super cute! They are already out in the store and I'll be posting them to the website next week. Come and check them out!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-22T17:15:00.000-05:00

The store will be closed tomorrow for the Thanksgiving holiday but we will re-open on Friday at 11a for the SALE!!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and hopefully I'll see you all this weekend!

So much going on right now...

2006-11-21T11:48:00.000-05:00

Well my day off was hectic as usual...I had do laundry, go food shopping and clean the house before my family gets here tomorrow night! My parents are coming up from the Hudson Valley (NY), my younger sister and her boyfriend will be here from Buffalo, NY and my older sister will be coming from Florida. I haven't seen her in over a year so it's really exciting. Oh and did I mention that the family dog will also be in attendance? Yes that's right, Boomer the Wonder Pup will also be visiting. He'll actually be staying with us until Christmas. It's so nice to have a dog at the house. Even if he does shed like crazy he's so cute you can't help but love the dickens out of him!

I also put up a crap load of posters yesterday and this morning for the SALE and the Holiday Market. I hope a lot of people come out to shop handmade!

And Kev is coming home tonight! I'm going to pick him up at the airport at 5p so I'll be closing up for a bit. I should be back around 6p and of course I'll be open until 7p.

Hope everyone is having a good day!

Charlotte rocks at knitting!

2006-11-17T14:48:00.000-05:00

So last night was our very first knitting circle at the store. It was for brand new knitters and it was a hit! The group was small enough that Charlotte could give everyone individual pointers and everyone left knowing how to knit. We are going to try and schedule another knitting session in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here are some pics from the night:

Of course there are more pictures on my Flickr page.

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

We're in the Burlington Free Press!

2006-11-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

The Free Press featured two products from the store in their Style Pictorial today. Check it out online here. They chose a c22}company twenty two vintage hanky pillow and a reversible jacquard belt made by Joanne Kalisz. They only used both pieces in the online version, but in the print version they only used Joanne's belt...not sure why. AND- they failed to mention that the store was locally owned in the print version. But Kacey from Subsixstudios already contacted the paper to let them know their mistake. Isn't she awesome?! They already sent her a response and will be be printing a correction in tomorrow's paper. Thanks Kacey!!

The advertising worked though because I already sold Joanne's belt! Woo Hoo!

Look what I made!

2006-11-14T18:19:00.000-05:00

So I received all of my button supplies in the mail today and spent most of today making them. I only made about a dozen that are Holiday Market worthy but I still have some time so I think I should be able to get enough made by Dec. 2nd.

Here are a few of my favorites:

I especially like the top middle one. I think I might have to keep it for myself. Plus it took me longer to make that one than the others because the pink lines in the flower are actually stitches that I put into the fabric before pressing it.

Now I just have to decide which ones to make into magnets and which ones to make into pins.

Stay dry and think sun!

Oh Mondays

2006-11-13T11:25:00.000-05:00

So I got a lot done today - I put up a bunch of posters for the 1st annual Burlington Handmade Holiday Craft Market, got gift certificates and cards for my fabric pins printed out, and went to Micheal's with Charlotte to finish buying supplies for the knitting class on Thursday. I also bought a rug for our living room and ate a doughnut. I love doughnuts.

Hopefully my fabric and button supplies will come tomorrow and I can start making them!

Also - new felted bags in the store so you'll want to stop by and check those out.

Hope you all had a good weekend!

Miss Malaprop is so good to me

2006-11-11T17:04:00.000-05:00

Mallory over at Miss Malaprop gave a little shout out to all of her sponsors yesterday so Made was mentioned which is great because I need all the exposure I can get! And no your eyes did not deceive you- just in time for the Holidays I added a 20% off coupon code to the web store. Just enter HOLIDAY at checkout and you'll get 20% off of every single thing on the site! Unfortunately this offer is only good on the site since I will be having that very ginormous in-store sale over Thanksgiving weekend.

On a completely different subject- It is getting dark so early out! It's only 5p and it's already pitch black. I have lived in the Northeast for the majority of my life and I still can't get used to these short days...

Okay- hope you're all having a lovely weekend and try to stay dry!

It's Friday!

2006-11-10T11:08:00.000-05:00

So yesterday I took Kev to the airport. It's kind of weird coming home to an empty house but it's only for two weeks so I guess I can handle it. The house is already a mess though. Kevin is totally the neat one in the relationship and I'm pretty much a slob. I guess opposites do attract...

A good friend of mine is an accessories designer at Free People and she made these really awesome luggage tags. They are so cute but produced in Asia so only look at the cuteness, don't buy the cuteness. I'm going to try and get her to handmake some for the store because they are seriously adorable. Or maybe I'll just try to make them myself!

Anyway- as promised, here is a pic of my favorite pair of new Lauren Wool earrings that just came in. I'll be posting all 5 pairs to the website shortly.

Also, here's a pic of Miss Irma in her hiding spot:

Is that not the cutest thing you have ever seen!?

Lots of News

2006-11-09T13:15:00.000-05:00

Lots of news to report today!

1) My interview with the Craft Revolution ladies went live today! Read it here.

2) There are still spots available for Charlotte's beginner knitting class so sign up!

3) New earrings arrived from Lauren Wool and they are so cute. I left my camera at home today but I'll post pics tomorrow.

4) We are having a huge huge huge Thanksgiving sale from 11/24-11/26. Every single thing in the store will be on sale!

5) Join us on 12/2 for the first annual Burlington Handmade Holiday Craft Market from 10a-5p at Union Station! Many Made crafters will have booths plus the store will have a booth representing VT crafters without their own table. AND- I'll be making super cute fabric pins and magnets which I think make great stocking stuffers. (yes I'm already talking about stocking stuffers...)

6) Gift Certificates will be available starting 11/15! They will be available in any dollar amount and will be valid for one year.

I think that's it. In other non-store related news, Jess dropped off Miss Irma La Roux (her mini poodle) last night and I think she really misses her mom. She's hiding underneath the front counter right now on my tissue paper. And she won't eat her treats!

Have a good Thursday!

Updates

2006-11-08T08:35:00.000-05:00

So yesterday I spent all day updating the webstore. I added hoodies from Taylor-Made, apparel from Identity Crisis, zip ups from Holly Hue, and jewelry from Burlington local Erin Meharg. Today I'll be lowering prices on bags from c22}company twenty two and adding more knit necklaces from Fredda Stroll. Check it out!

So Kevin is going to California and Denver for the next 2 weeks for work...sad. He's leaving tomorrow and won't be back until the 21st! And Jess is going home to North Carolina for a wedding and won't be back until next Tuesday! I am watching Jess's dog though so at least I'll have her to talk to.

Anyway what this means for all of you is that I'll be closing up the store for a bit tomorrow afternoon to take Kevin to the airport. Hope this doesn't inconvenience anyone!

Beginner Knitting Circle 11/16

2006-11-06T08:53:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to offer our very first knitting class! This is a beginner class perfect for those who have never knit before or those who just need a little refresher.

The class will be taught by Fredda Stroll designer Charlotte Hess. Read her bio here. The class will take place on Nov. 16th from 7:15p-9p. The cost is $18 and materials are included. You will learn to cast on, knit, purl and bind off.

Please RSVP to info@madeboutique.com to reserve your spot!

Oh yeah and snacks will be provided.

I love Sundays!

2006-11-05T16:08:00.000-05:00

Sundays are good because the store is only open for 6 hours so the day usually goes by really fast. Plus I'm closed on Mondays so Sunday nights are really like Friday nights for me. Party Time! Yeah right I'll probably be in bed by 10p...

Anyway- Friday went well. There definitely weren't as many people here as I would have liked but Holly sold some yarn and I sold stuff as well so all in all it was a good time. Plus watching Holly spin is mesmerizing! And let me tell you- it is a lot harder than it looks. Kevin and I both tried it and neither one of us could really get the hang of it. Here are some pics from the evening:

Holly's set up

Kevin trying to spin

The newly formed Burlington Craft Mafia. From Left to Right; Erinn from Urban Farm Girl, Kacey from Subsixstudios, Holly from Miss Hawklet

Hope you all had a good weekend!

I can't believe it's November!

2006-11-03T11:27:00.000-05:00

And November equals knitting season so stop by the store tonight to watch Holly spin and buy some of her amazing yarn. Show starts at 5p

There also a few new items in the store that you should check out; embroidery patterns from Sublime Stitching, unisex hoodies from Taylor Made, tops and skirts from Identity Crisis, and jewelry from Burlington local Erin Meharg. These are my favorite earrings from Erin.

But getting back to knitting- a friend from New York emailed me today telling me about a series of knitting mystery books. Written by Maggie Sefton the books follow heroine Kelly Flynn through 3 different murder mysteries all centering around yarn stores. I never really got into the murder mystery genre but with titles like "Knit One, Kill Two" and "A Deadly Yarn", I might have to give these books a try.

See you tonight at the store!

Free shipping extended!

2006-10-31T17:58:00.000-05:00

So I've decided to extend FREE Shipping from the web store until 12/31/06 to help you all get through the Holidays a little easier.

Only 55 shopping days left until Christmas!!!

Halloweeeeeeeeeeeeeeen

2006-10-28T13:43:00.000-05:00

Usually, I'm not a big fan of Halloween. I can never decide what to be and when I do my costume never comes out like I planned.

But this year my Frida Kahlo costume was a hit!

We went to a party last night and only one person had no idea who I was. And one girl asked if I was Salma Hayek, which is close enough. I suppose that my eyebrows could have been closer together but when I was doing my makeup Kevin told me not to make them any bigger so that I could keep some sex appeal. HA!

Kevin went as Yosemite Sam. It was really just an excuse for him to wear an huge hat, cowboy boots, and play with guns. Boys will be boys...

Anyway- we had a great time and I'll be posting more pics to my Flickr page so you can see all of the shenanigans.

Have a great weekend!