Shoppers Rule Blog

Back-to-school time is much more than utilitarian notebooks, rulers, and pencils. It is about stylish backpacks, trendy lunchboxes, and the right gym bag (just ask any kid). Our suppliers have answered with a variety of items to suit any kids’ taste.

We now have camouflage backpacks, Tutti Frutti lunch bags, zebra striped gym bags and so much more.

Gone are the days of the brown bag lunch. Insulated lunch bags with zipper closures ensure that apples stay crisp and cold cuts stay cold. Cute purse-like insulated bags (8808) are available in 24 solid colors. While funky insulated lunch bags (WB-M380) can be found in camouflage, navy/green, tutti frutti, peace signs, and zebra print.

Backpacks abound, from solids and swirls to camouflage and zebra print, some have multiple zippers and compartments designed specifically for pencils, water bottles and even I-phones.  Please click to view all Backpacks and Lunch Bags.

Gym bags abound in solids, prints, and camouflage, as well.  For the eco-conscious, there is even a small duffel bag (8805) made of recycled materials.  It is available in 25 fantastic solid colors! Plus, it costs less than $10.  How great is that? 

Our duffle bags range in size from as small as 17″x10″ to the huge “The Mother of All Bags” that is 40″x24″. 

In addition to Duffel Bags, Cases and Sleeves
are essential for protecting electronic supplies. For laptops and tablets, there are the more subdued solid navy or black colored cases, as well as lively sleeves and cases in tutti frutti, camouflage, peace signs, zebra print, and more.

Our boutique items are a collection of color coordinated backpacks, lunch boxes, duffle bags, computer sleeves, and more. These items can be found within their specific category listed above, or you can conveniently find all of them together here: Boutique Items.

Fun colored backpacks and lunch boxes are great ways to express yourself, especially if khakis, navy dress pants and pleated skirts are your wardrobe. For millions of kids in private school, the school uniform is standard attire. To view our selection of school attire, please click on: School Uniforms.

Welcome back to school.
ShoppersRule.com

Japanese Kanzashi are hair adornments for women used in traditional Japanese hairstyles.  There are several types of kanzashi, each defined by the materials used to make the hair pieces.  For example, Kushi are kanzashi made using hair combs, Ōgi are metal fan-shaped hair ornaments, and Tsumami Kanzashi are flowers made of folded fabric squares, usually silk.

In the western world, “kanzashi” has evolved into a term representing the Tsumami Kanzashi art form used to make folded cloth flowers.  In addition to hair adornment, the kanzashi technique is utilized to make flowers for a three-dimensional effect on clothing, belt buckles, jewelry, home décor, craft projects, gifts, and more. 

In fact, there are so many fun and creative ways to use Kanzashi that Clover has introduced Kanzashi Flower Makers – tools to make fabric flowers quickly and easily.  There are currently 10 different Clover Kanzashi Flower Makers to make small and large round petals, pointed petals, gathered petals, Orchid petals and Daisies.

 Need some help getting started?  We are offering three FREE

Kanzashi Project Sheets to start you on your Kanzashi journey.  Simply add Kanzashi Inspired Wall Art,  Kanzashi Faux Fashion  and/or Fresh Casual & Fun Kanzashi  to your next Shoppers Rule Order.

To view all Kanzashi related items, please click here: Kanzashi .

To view a YouTube video on the Clover Kanzashi Flower Makers, please click here:  Kanzashi Flower Maker Video .
 

Happy flower making.

ShoppersRule.com

Here in St. Louis, May has been one of the warmest on record.  So thoughts jump to baseball games, swimming pools, and enjoying a variety of outdoor activities.  Therefore, it’s time to bring out an assortment of summertime essentials.

Click on any of the items listed below to see specific product options.

Essentials for relaxing in the shade:  Picnic Blanket,
Picnic Basket, Can Coolie, 
Portable Chair 

Essentials for athletic activities:  Performance/Wicking Clothing, Water Bottles, Cap or Hat, Stadium Seats and Binoculars, Golf Umbrella, and Golf Towels.

Lawn care:  Lawn Mowers,

Enjoy your summer!

ShoppersRule.com

Babyville Boutique is a Do-It-Yourself cloth diaper sewing line that has just about everything you need to make cute diaper covers, diapers, and accessories. It is the perfect choice for diaper-making moms and all those choosing to make adorable, unique, and eco-conscious coverings for baby’s bottom.

The waterproof diaper fabric comes in sets of 3 – two prints and one solid or three solid colored fabrics. The packages come in boy, girl, and non-gender specific choices. Fabric is machine washable and dryer safe. Coordinating elastic, snaps, buttons, and appliqués ensure adorable results.

Two Babyville books provide the tools for creating wonderful items for baby. Cloth Diapers Made Easy features a variety of diaper styles and accessory items; while Baby Essentials Made Easy has many cute projects including changing pads, bibs, diaper bag, toys and more, all using Babyville Boutique products.

Shoppers Rule offers a wide variety of Babyville Boutique items.  To see our entire selection, please click here: Babyville Boutique

Happy Shopping.

ShoppersRule.com

The weather is turning cold. So, it is time to make sure our loved ones stay warm. Fleece blankets and throws are perfect for added warmth on a chilly evening or at an outdoor event.

We have super-cute baby blankets – solids, polka dot, scalloped edges, reversible, thermal, and more.  Adorable chenille baby blankets are so soft, you’ll want to keep them for yourself.

For older children, there are great no-sew kits, where the kids can easily make their own throw – from soccer balls to funky stripes, pastel animal prints, florals and swirls, there is sure to be a design to suit any kids’ taste. Kids will have so much fun making this throw themselves and showing the finished product to their friends!

Fleece throws come in dozens of colors and patterns that are great for snuggling on the couch on a cold winter’s night or for staying warm in the great outdoors.

For football fans, there is a great stadium blanket, available in ten colors to coordinate with your favorite team’s colors. If it looks like rain (or snow), you may want to go with a waterproof blanket – The Colorado Trading Waterproof blanket has a nylon backing on one side, plus it is available in both solid and plaid variations.

To view Shoppers Rule’s entire blanket and throw collection, please click here: Blankets .

Happy Shopping and stay warm this winter.

ShoppersRule.com

Making Travel a Little Easier

I don’t fly often. And when I do, it is usually a short trip, so one carry-on bag will do. Therefore, my recent two week vacation has opened my eyes – hence the creation of a “Luggage and Travel” category at Shoppers Rule. Here are a few of my air travel recommendations:

1. Get a luggage scale. My really big duffel bag crammed full of clothes and souvenirs was 3 pounds over weight.
2. A really large duffel bag is great to cram lots of stuff in.
3. Colorful luggage is much easier to spot at baggage claim
4. If you don’t have colorful luggage, at least have a colorful luggage tag.
5. Wheeled luggage is awesome.

Travel solutions and a variety of examples of this top five list can be found at: Luggage .

And of course, your sewing machine, embroidery machine, and/or serger definitely need to be protected and packed in a bag (preferably with wheels) designed especially for them. To view a selection of sewing/serger trolleys, please go to: Bluefig .

Happy travelling.

ShoppersRule.com

Junior fit is a term for feminine apparel that is generally slim fitting and designed to bridge the gap between youth sizes and misses’ sizes. 

This clothing comes predominately in “skinny” cuts that fit the body snugly.  There is less chest room in shirts and less hip room in pants, than in standard ladies/misses clothing, as it is intended for very slender women and/or teenagers whose bodies are still maturing.

Junior clothing is often trendy and form-fitting – the preference of many teenagers.  So, it is only fitting, that this slim-fit clothing have its’ own section on the Shoppers Rule website. 

To view our new “Juniors only” section, please click on: Juniors.

Happy Shopping!

ShoppersRule.com

Moisture management / wicking fabric

Wicking fabrics are fabrics that pull moisture away from the skin.  Regular fabrics, like a cotton t-shirt, soak up sweat and you end up with a heavy, soaking wet shirt that sticks to your skin.  Clothing made of wicking fabric has a special water-resistant coating with fibers that actually transfer the water to a drier part of the shirt without absorbing it.   Typically, this would be the outside of the shirt where the water will then evaporate.  Thus, the shirt stays drier.

Usually made of polyester, these fabrics are popular with many clothing manufactures and are marketed as “moisture managing”, “high performance”, “wicking”, “dry-fit” or other such terms. 

Of course, wicking fabric is great for professional and amateur athletes who want to stay cool and dry during a workout.  A drier fabric doesn’t stick to your perspiring skin and doesn’t impede your performance.  

Moisture managing clothing is also fantastic for anyone engaged in a job or activity requiring them to be in the hot sun or performing manual labor.  Wicking t-shirts are great for military personnel, construction workers, farmers, road crews, lawn care specialists and other physical occupations.  

Wicking fabrics aren’t just for hot weather settings, either.  Think about the benefits for a snow boarder or skier.  In below-freezing temperatures, wearing a wet undershirt can not only be uncomfortable, but also dangerous.   As a person’s activity level slows down,  damp skin can make someone very cold quickly.  This problem is largely avoidable by wearing an under-layer made from a wicking fabric to pull the sweat away from the body.

Likewise, anyone who’s ever woken up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat can easily see the advantage of wearing a wicking night gown or pajamas.

There are many kinds of garments made of moisture wicking fabrics – sport shirts, t-shirts, undershirts, sports bras, even running pants and shorts.  To view Shoppers Rule’s moisture management clothing selection, click on:  Performance Clothing.

Happy Shopping!

ShoppersRule.com

Cooler autumn days are here and so are Fall fashions.  Wouldn’t you like a trendy and inexpensive way to update your fall/winter wardrobe? 

This season’s stylish answer is a fleece poncho.   You can buy them at the mall or better yet, make your own.  It is so easy and inexpensive to make your own poncho using fleece material or even a fleece blanket.

Ponchos are great for adults and kids alike.  No zips, no buttons, no bulk… and can be completed it an hour!  What more could you ask? 

Fleece is readily available in solid colors, plaids, and prints.  And you can embellish to suit the wearer’s style.  Length depends on your height, and on your preference. Some like their fleece ponchos to be hip-length, while others like it a bit longer.

To make a simple no-sew, hip-length adult fleece poncho, you will need:

            1 yard of 60” fleece, a ruler, rotary cutter and a cutting mat

Cut the fabric into one large diamond shape. Carefully cut a hole in the center of the diamond, and with the tip of your scissors cut evenly around the neck edge where your head will go through.  Make sure the long edge goes on the crosswise grain – it will provide the stretch needed to get the poncho over the wearer’s head.

Other fleece ponchos are made from two fleece rectangles and require some basic sewing skills.

 Make your ponchos truly one-of-a-kind by adding embellishment.  Options include:

• Fringe – Using a rotary cutter and ruler cut fringe ½” wide by 3″ long beginning at the top seam of the poncho and moving down to the bottom edge. 
  • Tie a knot at the base of each fringe tassel for a more frilly look
  • String a wooden bead or crystal on each fringe tassel
• Make a matching (or contrasting) fleece poncho belt
• Embroider flowers, initials, tole art, or some other design around the neck or bottom edges of the poncho.
• Applique a design on your fleece poncho.
• Adorn the neck or bottom edge with yarn, fringe, or other embellishment.

If you wish to purchase a fleece blanket to make your poncho, Click here.

Fashion meets function to keep you and your loved ones warm this winter.

ShoppersRule.com

April 22 marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment.  That first Earth Day in 1970 lead to the creation of the EPA and the passage of Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts.

The Earth Day Network (EDN) was founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day on the premise that all people have a moral right to a healthy, sustainable environment.

Anvil is the official apparel partner of EDN and sponsor of Earth Day’s “I am E” campaign, that challenges everyone to make a commitment to become an environmental leader.