#mjtrim.com

This week we welcomed some new items to our Clearance section, just in time for spring! Take a look at a small preview of the items we now have in stock, and head on over to MJTrim.com while supplies last!

We've added a huge selection of multi-stripe grosgrain to the website in color combinations that are perfect for spring. Use them for Easter baskets or as a ribbon for a beautiful wedding present. You can even attach an elastic to the bottom, and make a cute spring headband for the little lady in your life!

Feeling nautical? We've added new styles of blue grosgrain ribbon that are perfect for summer day on a sailboat! Add them to your cover-up or captain's hat for a personalized look that will have you ready for the seven seas!

We don't like to brag, but we're kind of experts when it comes to ribbon, buttons and all sorts of trimming. (We should be, we've been in the business for over 70 years!) We try to provide our customers with the best, most unique trim and findings; but we ALSO want to help you learn what to look for and how to use it. We've created some great guides, videos and tutorials for some of our most-asked questions. Here are a few of our favorite resources!

If you're looking for some information on buttons, check out our Button Basics blog post! If you're ready to purchase, but the measurements are confusing, take a look at our Button Size Chart. It will show you the conversions for popular-sized buttons.

If you don't know the difference between E6000 and Gem-Tac, our Glue Guide might be just the ticket to get your DIYs to a good (and mess-free) start!

One of our most popular items is our collection of Swarovski crystals. Learn the AB & Cs of Crystals, check out our Rhinestone Size Chart, or  find out what crystals are REALLY made of.

Do you know what you're looking for, but have zero idea what it's called? Take a look at our Product Glossary for term and definitions of popular products.

If you're obsessed with lace like we are, take a look at our Lesson in Lace!

For last month's Project DIY collection, we explored the tough-girl world of Joan of Arc with bold pieces and mixed metals. With the holidays quickly approaching, we thought we would embrace a more luxurious aesthetic. When we were dreaming up this collection, we couldn't help but think of rich velvets, warm golds, ornate designs and lots of elegant sparkle. These elements lend themselves well to the festive holiday atmosphere of December, which is why we're happy to announce that our latest collection is Baroque n' Roll!

This collection is all about lavish decadence. We combined diverse textures and deep colors to make the Baroque n' Roll collection feel as elegant as its namesake era.

We fell in love with the look of ornate filigree and sprawling brocades, and used a similar floral design in some of our materials.

You can't do the Baroque period justice without some gorgeous lace! This delicate and intricate trim is highly representative of the time-period, but will continue to be popular in fashion until the end of time!

You've probably heard about our awesome subscription service, Project DIY. If you haven't, Project DIY is a craft subscription box that brings materials to make fashion-forward accessories right to your door! This month is inspired by the truest tough-girl, Joan of Arc. Our Joan of Arc collection features strong mixed metals with a feminine edge. If you like the materials but the finished looks just aren't your style, here are a few ways you can customize them!

The warrior cuff allows for a lot of customization because the small metal elements can be re-arranged any way you like. Make flowers, crosses, or abstract arrangement with the gold pearl trim! If you like your jewelry a little rough around the edges, you can simply leave off the leather trim.

If you want to add a little color to your Shield Necklace, just go through your nail polish collection!

You can paint the back of the clear gem with any color in your arsenal. Match your nail polish to your shield necklace! (Because matching your shoes with your handbag is so last season.)

Buttons have a place in our hearts at M&J Trimming, and for good reason! This often overlooked item is on some of the most beloved staples including the blazer, the button-down shirt, and almost every jacket! We thought we would let you know a little bit more about the so-called "basic" button. 

Before the invention of plastic, buttons were primarily made out of natural materials like bone, horn, pewter and shell. While they were originally used as an adornment, the invention of the buttonhole during the Renaissance took them from stylish to practical. Who knew they were initially created with fashion over function in mind?

Buttons fall into one of two categories determined by how you attach them. There are sew-on buttons, which are flat with visible holes going through them. These provide a more secure hold, which is why they are more often used on heavier materials like coats and winter jackets. Then there are also shank buttons which attach through a loop in the back of the button. These are usually more decorative. Our rhinestone buttons look more like elegant brooches than buttons!

Buttons are measured by their diameter using millimeters in the United States. In European countries they use ligne as the unit of measurement. There are 40 ligne in an inch!

If you need help figuring out what size button you need, check out our handy Button Size Chart!

Halloween is a big deal here at M&J because the holiday is all about getting to show your creative side! (The candy doesn't hurt either.) Every year we like to dress to impress, and show our customers how versatile the products at M&J Trimming are. Check out our costumes from one of the most exciting holidays of the year! Don't just walk like an Egyptian, walk like a pharaoh!

The beauties from the M&J Bridal Salon look great as Minnie Mouse and a swashbuckling pirate!

This creative flock decided it's better to be birds of a feather than to fly solo. Guess which one of them took home 6th place at the M&J Halloween Pageant!

Guys, we found Waldo.  "He" was staring at the striped grosgrain ribbon wall for like...hours.

No Halloween is complete without a black cat. Crossing paths with this one won't give you bad luck though, just really great fashion advice!

Forget Madison Square Garden. We had Psy performing on the M&J Trimming runway!

Just two dudes being dudes as Nancy from the Craft and the Brawny man.

The two finalists for the M&J Trimming Halloween pageant! Check out those accessories, and that makeup! It's no wonder these two made it to the top.

And the winner of our M&J Trimming 2013 Halloween Pageant is Charlie as the totally terrifying zipperface!

At M&J Trimming, Halloween is one of our favorite holidays! Our favorite aspect of this glorious day isn't the treats, the spooks, or the tricks. It's the, you guessed it, costumes! We love getting creative using the items we have in the store to make totally customized costumes! Here are a few of our favorites  from over the years!

This cute gypsy costume is easy to recreate. You just need a skirt with some volume, a scarf to tie around your waist, and some gold coin trim!

These costumes are positively terrifying. If you see these guys stalking you in the store, we promise that they're just trying to help you pick out some trim!

How creative are these troll costumes? The use of Troll Beads takes these costumes to the next level, and we love the color coordination and crazy hair!

Looks like someone is "taking it easy" in a hippie ensemble. This look is super easy to recreate using our ribbons for the headband!

This costume was inspired by the classic film and novel, Clockwork Orange. We may be biased, but we think this looks way more stylish than the original!

These pictures were taken during our Halloween event a few years ago. Guests got to trim, bedazzle and embellish to their heart's content. Look at that amazing chained corset one guest made!

There was no absence of cats and dark costumes at this year's Halloween. Meow!

Everybody smile and say trick or trims!

At M&J we have a serious love of lace. You might call it an obsession really. We have walls of the stuff at our store! Of course not all lace is the same, and we're not talking about just patterns either. There are many unique styles of lace from all over the world! Some are made by hand, others are strictly manufactured by machine.  Some are created with using the needle method, others use bobbins. Each method and material used creates a different style, but equally beautiful, style. Here are a few of our favorites styles, and a little history behind each!

Alençon - One of the most popular types of lace for wedding dresses, Alençon is a French-style lace. It is also one of the most difficult, and thus most expensive, types of lace to make. This style is characterized by floral or leaf motifs on a mesh background. Fun fact: The process of creating this lace by hand has been preserved over the years by Carmelite nuns in Alençon.

Battenburg - Popular in the 1930s and 1940s, Battenburg is a needle lace. You can find it mostly on tablecloths and linens. It is an easy-to-make lace, and much less labor intensive than other embroidered varieties.

Cluny - A bobbin-style lace, cluny often features small flowers and loops. This lace is sturdy, and more durable than most. Its name is derived from the Abbey of Cluny in Cluny, France, where it was used by monks.

Schiffli - This is the lace of the new age. Strictly made using modern machines, Schiffli is created by embroidering both the front and the back of a piece of light fabric, usually tulle.

Venise - This needle lace was once more coveted than jewels. Originating in Venice, Italy, using this lace as an adornment proved you were very wealthy indeed. Thankfully it is now more affordable, and easy to obtain! Its design features no netting, with motifs held together by braids or threads. This makes it perfect for using as a dramatic trim!