Thrift Thursday: New Goodies

So I actually went shopping on Tuesday - but waited to post my new stuff until today. I love THRIFT TOWN - and I was surprised to find they now have a MySpace account.

To me, thrift has always been hip. I like looking at a bunch of crap and spotting that one item that I just have to have.

This week I scored stuff for bags! I got two gorgeous vintage brooches, which I plan to put on some evening bags, and 6 plastic containers I will use in my display. I have all these little acrylic boxes that I use, and they were pretty pricey at the Office Supply - so at $2 each, these new boxes will come in really handy!



I am also about to finish my latest book - Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver - and I can't wait! I have been reading a lot lately, and this book is especially good.

Tonight is the monthly Babes in Business meeting - it's a local networking group for crafty biz ladies in Austin - and I am the new leader! I can't wait to see all my friends and meet new ones...

Happy Thursday!
Anne Marie Beard

DIY Wednesday: Makin' my own Luggage!

I recently got accepted to participate in a neat shopping event called Appel & Frank. They do shows in California - and this is their first one in San Diego. Lucky lucky me, my sister lives there, so I have a free place to stay!

So, I have recently invested quite a bit of dough in new, pretty, fancy display equipment! I have gridwall, waterfall arms and now shelving for the gridwall too. I decided to make my own travel case for this equipment, as show season is about to kick off!

The plans so far are to make a big envelope style bag, with foam sheets laid in as padding. Here is the GENIUS part of it - I bought a collapsible dolly, and it will go in the bag on the plane, then come out and become the bag's own method of transport! Lots of sewing of webbing, velcro and hooks tonight folks - you'll see the results soon!

As a special treat, folks I want to share one of my best wholesale resources - Ralston Cunningham (425) 455-0316 - they sell webbing and hook and loop tape ("velcro") VERY inexpensively. Super nice sales guys too - I've been using them for 6 years. They don't have a website - so just call them up and ask for samples!

Anne Marie Beard

Sunny Sunday: Stitches & Greasy Food!

Ahh, once again, Sunday has rolled around.  This past week was a good one - I went to my firsrt Austin Area Quilt Guild meeting of the year - scored some awesome trim from the free table and listened to a great lecture by Sally Schneider on her built-in-borders technique.

I am starting to realize what a math head I am - I HATED math in school.  My grades were always B's or higher - but it was a real struggle.  But since I draft patterns and sew and deal with measurements on a daily basis - I realize that I love that kind of math.  It's creative math!  I especially love looking at quilt blocks or purses or anything pieced together, and taking it apart in my head - and then putting it back together in the proper order.  Fun!

Tuesday was the 4th year birthday party for Parts & Labour - we had delicious cupcakes and tunes by DJ Chicken George at the Beauty Bar.  But Wednesday was my favorite day this week - because that was the day I decorated the P&L window!  See my previous blog for pics of that.

My friend Ann Randall used to help me out sewing one night a week, and left me (boo hoo) to start her own business (oh, I mean, YEAH!).  The Stitching Studio opened its doors over a year ago - and Ann teaches classes on beginner sewing, tote bags, beginning quilting and more.  She also uses her studio space to sew much needed hospital items with a group of volunteers.

I was thrilled to see her after a long hiatus - and we talked for hours about her business and came up with some ideas for me to get the ball rolling on my pattern publishing and teaching classes!!! So I will hopefully be teaching a class to some ladies in a month - just to test the waters.  My goal for this year is to have a line of patterns ready for sale at Stitch in November 2008.  Did you know I have drafted over 90 original purse/accessory patterns?  Wouldn't you like to make your own super cute bag too?

(I am so growling right now because I wrote this whole blog, inserted a ton of links and pictures and clicked SAVE a million times and it didn't save!!!)

So to wrap up the week my Mom and 2nd Mom Cheryl took me to the Austin Stitchery Guild Show - tons of fabulous creations!  These ladies made all kinds of stitched items - from traditional samplers, small cases, art quilts, jewelry and more!  See pics below. Afterwards we went to eat at the Frisco - super yummy traditional food!

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Tags: Sunny Sunday, Anne Marie Beard, Austin Stitchery Guild, Austin Area Quilt Guild, Inspriation, Stitching, Thread, Art, Fibermana

Sunny Sunday: Stitches & Greasy Food!

Ahh, once again, Sunday has rolled around.  This past week was a good one - I went to my firsrt Austin Area Quilt Guild meeting of the year - scored some awesome trim from the free table and listened to a great lecture by Sally Schneider on her built-in-borders technique.

I am starting to realize what a math head I am - I HATED math in school.  My grades were always B's or higher - but it was a real struggle.  But since I draft patterns and sew and deal with measurements on a daily basis - I realize that I love that kind of math.  It's creative math!  I especially love looking at quilt blocks or purses or anything pieced together, and taking it apart in my head - and then putting it back together in the proper order.  Fun!

Tuesday was the 4th year birthday party for Parts & Labour - we had delicious cupcakes and tunes by DJ Chicken George at the Beauty Bar.  But Wednesday was my favorite day this week - because that was the day I decorated the P&L window!  See my previous blog for pics of that.

My friend Ann Randall used to help me out sewing one night a week, and left me (boo hoo) to start her own business (oh, I mean, YEAH!).  The Stitching Studio opened its doors over a year ago - and Ann teaches classes on beginner sewing, tote bags, beginning quilting and more.  She also uses her studio space to sew much needed hospital items with a group of volunteers.

I was thrilled to see her after a long hiatus - and we talked for hours about her business and came up with some ideas for me to get the ball rolling on my pattern publishing and teaching classes!!! So I will hopefully be teaching a class to some ladies in a month - just to test the waters.  My goal for this year is to have a line of patterns ready for sale at Stitch in November 2008.  Did you know I have drafted over 90 original purse/accessory patterns?  Wouldn't you like to make your own super cute bag too?

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Photoblog: My first Window Design

A few weeks ago I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep, and the idea came to me that I wanted to do a pimped out window display for the store where I sell - Parts & Labour in Austin, Texas. P&L, as I call it, is a showcase store for local artists to sell their work.

The front of the store is filled with quirky t-shirts - and the back with jewelry, handbags, baby clothes, gifts and all kinds of rad stuff. I often feel that the jewelry and handbags are overlooked by walkers by - as most of what they can see inside is the t-shirts.

So I bought some posterboard and houndstooth wrapping paper and made the cutest heart shaped mobiles, EVER! I tried to get some good pics of the end result - and here ya go!

Happy Early Valentines!

Tags: anne marie beard, parts & Labour, austin, texas, window, display, dressing, craft, handmade, diy, shopping, fashion

Blog by Anne Marie Beard

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