Due to the increase in customer traffic (YAY!) I am asking that you call with an approximate ETA before coming to shop in the pop up store. Tuesday this past week, I literally had people waiting in line to enter the store. This is great when the weather is nice. You can breathe the fresh air, listen to the birds, and just generally relax before coming in and petting the yarn. However, I know the reason for the uptick in traffic is due to the chill in the air, and that means you would have to sit in your vehicle which, while still do-able, isn’t anywhere near as much fun. And if you show up without an appointment, you may be greeted by this sign at the door. 

Also, because this is the time of year the Farmer’s Markets start shutting down for the season, I may be able to convince LPAC to let me use their parking lot on Saturdays as well until the weather puts a stop to the pop up store. Stay tuned for an update on that. Ideally, you will find me there for the first time on Saturday, September 19 (as stated in last week’s blog) so that Fibre Fest shoppers can take advantage of my proximity to the LMC. I’m still working on a non-hand-drawn map that shows just how close and easy it will be to travel between the two.

Something new this past week - I finally got the DMC Tapestry yarn out of their packing boxes and they now reside in the RV, and wouldn’t you know, I had a call for them the very morning they moved in! The floss will be accompanying them in the overcab storage as early as this Monday. I will also be bringing the very little bit of cross stitch product that is left in the store. It’s hard when all your suppliers retire or change product offerings at the same time. What you see will be what you get - some of it will even be ON SALE! You'll have to come in to find out what.

written by Lori, efficient TCL owner, who is squeezing more and more into the RV every time she turns around.

Procrastination Station

 Procrastination Station is actually the name of a real coffee shop at the University of Massachusetts. No matter. It's almost always where I can be found - no matter where I am. Just ask any of my former staff / co-workers. They'll gladly dish on how I am the most proficient procrastinator they've ever met ;)

That being said, some warehouse organizing had to be put on hold when I found a permanent seasonal spot for the pop up store. The DMC floss has found a permanent home in the warehouse and I was merely waiting for the winter months before I started working on homes for the DMC Tapestry wool and all the pattern books. This past week I discovered that having my inventory online (or at least on the computer) has pushed my plans ahead by a month or three. I am so-o fortunate that it is Labour Day weekend and I have one extra day to work on a project I can no longer procrastinate on.

I mentioned a blog or two ago that I was thinking of, and then finally did, purchase an amazing storage solution from Ikea. It was originally meant for yarn but then I discovered that I could conveniently keep all my DMC in the pop up store without taking up valuable display space. I'm not a fan of Pinterest but I succumbed to its siren call when I realized it would probably be the best place to search other people's storage solutions for floss and tapestry wool. Envelopes. Paper envelopes. They are malleable and exactly the right size for the container and will accommodate a full box worth of floss. Again, this was meant to be a winter project. Turned out to be my Labour Day weekend project and by the end of Monday, all the Tapestry wool will be in its new home and the customer order will be filled and ready to pick up Tuesday.

This is two full days of work and I will probably fill two more storage cases before I'm done Monday night. You can see the almost full case in the bottom photo with a mostly empty case to its right and a full box waiting to be organized further back on the coffee table.

When it is the floss' turn, it won't take up nearly as much space - I hope.

On an entirely different topic, the Prairie Fibre Festival will be taking place at the Lacombe Memorial Centre Saturday, September 19. They are only allowing one pop up store and Under the Elm had already renewed their space from last year. Since I was still in my brick and mortar space last year, customers were just able to walk down the street to shop at my store so I didn't bother with a booth. Guess what? The walk is the same distance to the new pop up location! And - the parking is even better considering I am in a parking lot! Physical distancing rules will be in effect so I'm praying for great weather so you won't mind hanging out while other customers are in the store.

written by Lori, frustrated TCL owner, who was going to post a Google map complete with a directional route between the LMC and the LPAC building but it doesn't understand parking lots as destinations so forget that.