Shop Update: New Kits and Ideas

We've been busy working behind the scenes to ship or have pick up service goodies people need from the shop. Here's various things we're doing (in addition to processing puzzles like crazy!):

Books....more Books please! 

Now that we're into 5+ weeks of Staying At Home some may need fresh reading materials. We have three ways to shop with us:

• From the Shop 

• Special Orders

• Online Bookshelf 

From the Shop: Just let us know what genre you're hankering for: Mysteries, Historical Fiction, Non-Fiction, Heartfelt Contemporary Fiction, Kids, Crafts, Cooking. We'll peruse the shelves, text you pictures and call to confer on which book(s) is perfect for your pandemic reading list.  

• Email your request to maisieblue@gmail.com

• We pull me titles that currently selling in the shop that fit you're wants.

• We send email invoice. Pay online with credit card or cash/check at pickup

•  Choose to Ship or Pickup: USPS Media ship rates run $4-8 apx depending upon where and how many books. Pick-Up usually from Kim's porch or we can deliver on our way home from the shop in town or in Angels. Or we'll arrange to meet you at the shop. 

Special Orders-Direct To Home:  We'll order specific titles you're looking for and ship to your home. Process the same as above. Email us your title(s) and shipping address. Shipping is USPS Media and reasonable (ranges from $4-$8). Kim researches (she loves that part!) and let's you know availability. Gift wrapping available too if you're sending a literary care package to a loved one.

Online Bookshelf: We've begun adding to our online bookshelf current favorites. We'll list more up in weeks to come. Today it's a new mystery series Kim loves and a lot of customers do too:

• Iona Wishaw's Lane Winslow Mysteries Few months back I discovered this little-known indie series set in post-war Canada. The heroine is newly arrived to a remote lake village seeking a calm, quiet place to call home after her years as British Spy behind enemy lines during WW2. Deftly written with the murder serving as backdrop for a cast of well-drawn characters and their unfolding personal stories. Not since Maisie Dobbs have we had such a wonderful mystery series. Kim is literally reading her way through the pandemic, one book at a time (with a pot of tea close at hand). Currently there are 6 books with the 7th released Apr 28th. 

Yarn, yarn, yarn

By now some have worked their way through stash and wips. Others may need a fresh infusion of inspiration because nothing in their stash is exactly right. No problem. As with books (detailed above) we do same thing:
From the Shop or Berroco Direct to Home orders. 

From the Shop

Email what you're needing to start process. Kim rounds up what's available, text you a bunch of pictures and options. You pick what works and we process order, then ship or pickup. Easy Peasy (says the Yarn Enabler). Perfect if you've got a hankering for new project and want to see what we have on shelf ready to ship out.

We're starting to add select kits to our online shop. Right now there's our Mystery Box from Feb, and a Noro Crochet Slippers kit. Useful when you're looking for ready made kit we'll pull together to ship asap. Watch for more kits to be added as the weeks progress.

Berroco 123Drop Ship Program

Berroco created a special drop-ship program,  which is pretty fabulous. They'll ship any of their lines (Berroco, Lang, Wool & the Gang, Istex Lopi) directly to customers for us. Flat ship fee $7 (super reasonable rate). And they're waiving case packs (usually 10) to do any amount a customer needs, even if just 1 or 2 balls.

Each week they're creating special  Project of the Week kit. Last week were the Norah Cable Afghan kits.

This week it's the Lovage Cardigan (perfect for their sponsored KAL mentioned on our blog last week). It uses Sesame and pattern provide with free with each kit, For any of theses special kits just email us and we'll start the order process rolling!

Our newsletter last week highlighted this Berroco program, along with various KAL/CAL we're promoting It's pretty amazing of Berroco to do this in order to help out their LYS. We're lucky to work with vendors where we call each other up just to chat and check-in. We do that with many of them. Grateful for such relationships now!

AudioBook Lovers Rejoice!

Another product we offer: audio books. Perfect for those wanting to knit, garden, drive, or prefer to listen to their books. We have special audio online shop via Libro.fm. This is a great alternative to Audible for those wanting to support independent booksellers directly.A key distinction with libro.fm: you download a copy of your book. It's yours for good!

They have extensive offerings of new releases, backlists, classics. Audio samples available, book descriptions, best-sellers list updated hourly, lots of reviews and have a great sale section too.You can listen via multiple formats and methods. I prefer to use their iphone app, but you can use desktop, pc, laptop etc... And you own your own audio books! No more paying Audible in order to access your purchases. They've also just added a brand new feature: author events!  You can read all about how it works. 

Here's a few extra special perks with Libro.fm:

A la carte: You purchase what you want, when. No monthly membership required. 

Monthly membership: They offer generous promos to start (first month get 3 for price of 1). Each month is $14.95 for 1 book credit. When you start a new membership use the promo code: SWITCH

Gift book credits to others. This is a great feature. You can send "books" to loved ones.No membership required and the book is there's to download and keep. Perfect gifts for those audio lovers on your gift lists.

 

Coming Soon: Custom Gift Kits

Working on putting custom created gift kits online too (scroll down to see the COMING SOON items). This will be helpful when you need a special gift sent or picked up. More on these next time! 

If you need anything just email us your request and we'll reach out to you. Call and leave message on shop answering machine-just know we get to those a bit slower than emails. 

Sorry for length of this newsletter! But lots of info to get out. 

Keep staying sane and safe everyone!