We’re busting out the Halloween gear. It’s so fun. Except for when you’re leaning over to artfully arrange the Halloween stamp display and suddenly your back protests - loudly - leaving you hobbling quite a bit slower than usual around the shop. We will not surrender, though. All things orange and black and pumpkin will not be appeased languishing in the back room any longer!

Come check out this cute stuff.

The boxes are arriving fast and furious (quickly and furiously? in a fast and furious way?) these days.
We’ll try to keep you up to speed.


Cavallini stamp sets. Beautiful and practical.












Unfinished wood tags.




More Oliver + S patterns. These are the cutest.










The consistently popular mini chalkboards.
This time around we have two sizes: 2” x 2” and 2” x 3”.




Garment labels for knit and crocheted items. Lovely finish to a handmade gift.




A new (to us) brand of stickers. StickyPix are high quality photo-stickers.






And spools of colored copper wire. In 28 gauge (left) and 20 gauge (right).

Announcing our next class...


Altered Books and Paper Collages workshop!

Saturday, October 23rd, 12:30pm-2:30pm.





Here’s all the info from your instructor, Virginia:


“If you've been itching to create something beautiful, or looking for the magic to achieve that, here's the perfect opportunity to explore your creative self.

Through the magical medium of altered books and journals, you will learn how through collage and simple art techniques (I mean simple: cut, tear, paste, color!) to transform a used book into your own work of art.

Prepare to be surprised at what will emerge!

Materials fee covers your own book to alter, and all art materials. If you would like to make your book even more personal, bring any personal ephemera may have lying around your home (you know, the paper stuff we collect everyday -- mementos, old photos, greeting cards, magazine images). 

Artist, dancer, teacher Virginia Simpson-Magruder will guide us through the creative process with her own special brand of magic.

$30 plus $5 materials fee.

Call or email Virginia to register (vsmajyk@verizon.net and 415.827.2827).

Checks or cash are accepted; prepay to reserve your spot, class size is limited to 8 participants.”

After the greeting and assisting customers is well attended to, the store is straightened and stocked and the coffee maker is filled with fresh water, we encourage our employees to get creative.





Since we carry products for such a wide variety of crafts, it is practically impossible for us to personally test them all.
So we’ve asked our employees to keep a project going for when things are quiet around the shop.
It’s a great way for all of us to learn from each other. And so far, our collective wisdom has taught us all a lot about
embossing, découpage, quilting and embroidery.




Not to mention sewing machine repair.

Here’s an odd little request.



Who out there does repair on knitted items (sweaters with holes and unraveling hems, etc.)?

We’re knitters ourselves, but we don’t claim expertise in fixing things - especially of the store-bought, machine-knit variety.

Do you?

If you do, we would love to be able to refer you to our customers.

Send us an email.

Thanks so much!

We had no idea that creating one of those fancy email newsletters would be so much fun. We used the site, Mad Mimi. They make it incredibly easy.

And so our first issue (for October) will go out shortly to everyone who signed up for our mailing list at the store.

If you’d like to be included in that list, just shoot us an email at oncearound@me.com.

Here’s the banner:

Just a sampling of the latest and greatest to pass through the store. And what with Halloween looming, our camera will be snapping full time just to keep up.




“Scrappers Spools” are sweet little 15-yard spools of raffia-like cord. We love the colors.






We really like these card packs from Strathmore which allow you to choose your flavor of eco-friendly paper product: bamboo, recycled fibers or sugar cane. A nice start for your holiday cards?




If a more colorful card is what you had in mind, you may prefer these packs of 5” x 7” folded notecards. They are made of the same high quality, lightly textured paper as our 12” x 12” single sheet cardstock. Packs of matching envelopes available as well.






This box is exactly the kind of thing we can’t resist. Too much cuteness. Practical, though, for the approaching gift-giving season, right?



Palette knives. By popular demand.




Iron the design onto a t-shirt, tote bag, apron, etc., then color it in with the included fabric markers. A fun birthday party activity? Also available in a “tattoo” theme and an “aquatic” theme.






Fabric paint from the experts at Jacquard. We’re stocking up this section in anticipation of a fabric-painting class coming this fall. We’ll keep you posted.






This organic cotton is just too soft for words! From Near Sea Naturals. And we have some organic canvas available as well.




And finally... A collection of classic yet contemporary, cold-weather styles. Start knitting!