Thrift Thursday: Go Mod on a Budget!

So usually my Thrift Thursday post is about snazzy finds I get at the Thrift Store - but Thrifty can mean many things... one of them being shopping on a budget.

Today I am featuring cute items for your body & your home for $20 or under on etsy.com - ENJOY!

href="http://www.etsy.com/">Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade annemariebeard.etsy.com

xo, Anne Marie Beard

Peep the next biggest thing in Austin! www.TheBeardedLadiesPresent.com

New Bags: Tiny Trash = Creative Juice

What is it about small bits of fabric and yarn and beads that make a crafty queen's heart go thump?

There is just this insatiable pull towards using someone ELSE'S cast offs that excites me (and many others) to the core!



My mom has a group of ladies that she sews with, and they love to give her little scraps of fabric. They all share little scraps, but my mom is typically the one who actually does something with them.



So a few weeks ago she got a bunch of scraps of vintage fabric from one of her dear friends, Maxine. Like a true crazy crafter, she took them home and immediately made 40 crazy quilt pieced basket blocks. FORTY in just a few hours.



She also made me an adorable wall hanging decked out with vintage buttons sashed in a gorgeous brown linen. So I wanted to see all the other blocks she made, and I started drooling. I asked if I could have a few - and the generous lady that my Mom is, she gave me almost all of them!



Back to the beginning - this circle of small bits of trash = love. I took her blocks and made some bags. I have been playing with Yarn applique on bags lately, and trying to "free craft" - make bags without a plan. Just make and design as you go.



I am pretty pleased with the result! But the best part is the history behind the bags. The lucky lady who gets one will have the result of many generations and families of women hanging from her arm. Maxine's stash included fabrics from HER mother's stash; fabrics saved from dresses, quilts, aprons and all kinds of crafts. Two families, four generations, tiny bits of fabric = love, art, craft - the true beauty behind sewing.

xo, Ambie
Etsy
AnneMarieBeard
TheBeardedLadiesPresent

Treasure Tuesday: Reusable Produce Bags

Ok friends, it's really rare that I see something totally *new* when it comes to sewn bags. Everyone and their pet chicken is making or buying reusable grocery totes these days - and the variety, quality and prices of them is all over the map.





Today I spent a fair amount of time browsing on Etsy. They have this cool "Pounce" feature where you can check out what other people have just bought. I am normally drawn to brightly colored items, but today I was really drawn to the text description.







Esty Shop owner LisaAlso has come up with a GENIUS idea - she makes reusable PRODUCE BAGS! Her bags are made from tulle net, and won't add to the weight of your produce when you go to check out. They're even washable!






For some time now, I haven't used the plastic produce bags. Mostly because I am single, and I am only buying one or two apples or bananas at a time. I just toss the fruit/veggies into my basket, and go on my way. However, I would so use these! Especially for grapes or lots of small items like lemons.



One thing I think is really cool is that you could keep your produce in the bag and rinse it out inside there. So many options, such a genius idea! Go Lisa!

Lisa has been happily surprised with the success of this new product - and I hope you will go purchase some and add to that success. She charges just $8.00 for a set of 3 bags, and you can message her on Etsy to order larger quantities.

xo, Ambie

ETSY Shop Now Open!

Friends! After many years of fiddling around with thoughts of how to sell my work online, I am pleased to announce that my ETSY shop is open!

What is ETSY, you ask? Well, it's a really fabulous site where you can create your own store online for just a small fee. Each item gets up to 5 photos, and once you figure it all out, it's quite easy to use.










For starters I have posted LOTS of Mini Wallets, several Cosmetic Bags, and a few Gift Sets. The Holiday Shopping season is officially here (duh, as of last week)... but if you're anything like me, you avoid the crowds at all costs.








Super fun shows just around the corner - check out all the links at left, and look for a special blog on that early tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for me that Yahoo lets my email out of "Spam hawk"!!!