Etsy Austin Treasury!

The Etsy Team here in Austin Texas is rockin' and rollin'!






Estelle Clothing picked a great Treasury featuring Austin Artists.. check it out!



xo,
Anne Marie

www.TheBeardedLadiesPresent.com

Sunny Sunday - Never Forget

Whose voice is better known than Dr. King's? As the nation resounds in joy on Tuesday at the sound of our latest Orator of Note - Mr. Barack Obama - let us remember the struggles we have gone through to get where we are.



Looking backwards with an honest eye is the only way to see the future clearly. February is my favorite month of the year - it's Black History Month! If you have never taken the time to study Black History beyond the requisite readings of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and a few Langston Hughes poems - it is well worth it.

PBS - my all time favorite station - airs some of the best programming during February. I am getting ready to settle in for some nights of learning, laughing and lifting up of the spirit.

We should never forget:

The Blood sown into our Soil
The Blood that binds us all as Children of the same God
The God who brought us through the Darkness
The Love that moved so many to Stand Strong
The Legacy of the Strong
The Goal of Equality
The Message of Hope
The Truth of Peace




May God Bless You during this Historic Week in American History! Pay homage to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. tomorrow.

xo, Anne Marie

(Photos from Google Images. Painting by Ben Heine)

New Accessories in my Etsy Shop!

I have been sooo behind in my sewing this year. December was a record month for me - and I literally SOLD OUT of stock!





So I am rapidly trying to catch up, and finally posted some new accessories on Etsy. The fabric is this adorable retro print with dots and circles on a brown background. It was a super seller in December, and just matches everything. Enjoy!



xo, Anne Marie

www.TheBeardedLadiesPresent.com

Treasure Tuesday: Ode to the Sun

Sometimes I write poetry... so today I am going to share one with you that I wrote last week


Ode to the Sun

Morning comes
You gently nudge me awake
Leaves dance in shadow across my window
As birds sing a song to praise the new day

Midday presses
A brutal strength in Summer
A welcome friend in Winter
Solid and shining
Hated and loved
Like the best of friends

Afternoon transforms
A sultry solar glow that pulsates with sensuous rhythms
Time to rest
And time for love

Evening descends
A fiery show of strength
Color blazes across the sky
A testament to the perfection of one day
And the promise of another

Nighttime Blankets
Warmth radiates, lingers, and evaporates
Your silver sister begins her dance
Leading a chorus of lovers into the river of night

by: Anne Marie Beard
1/06/2009

Mi Vida Loca

Today started off a bit strange. Nothing in particular, just a bit of a sour mood lingering inside which made me a bit of a butt-head at work (sorry E.)

For those of you who don't know, I drive an '81 Buick Regal - she is a total big body hooptie all the way. Ms. Regal and I have had LOTS of adventures - she bears the scars to prove the tales I tell.
As I was driving home today, my car died on the Congress Avenue Bridge. Um, yeah. Fortunately it was 2:30 and there wasn't much traffic yet. Lots of very nice joggers and bikers offered their assistance (one was totally hot!), but I didn't think they looked like the help I needed. So I dialed my Dad and got the number to Harper's Towing. They are like my personal towing service. Ms. Regal has been lifted onto the back of one of their trucks many a time.

Sam, the Harper's Guy, showed up pretty quickly, and was nice enough to even let me stop in Parts & Labour on the way home. Today is payday at the awesome store where I sell - and I WANTED MY MONEY!




So the journey continues and I am blessed enough to borrow a car from my parents - an even BIGGER HOOPTIE - an '84 Suburban.

Later on this evening, returning from the gym - in not so warm workout clothes and flip flops - I get to my apartments and both entrances are blocked by fire trucks, cop cars and TV vans. OH SH*T - here we go again! In 6 years of living at my apartment, I have seen some crazy stuff - but there has never been a fire. I was able to park the suburban and walk to my apartment.

(Statesman coverage of fire)

The building just across my parking lot is half-burnt to the ground! Just above the laundry room and my mailbox. I was blessed also to have gotten my mail today (very important stuff in the mail, too!) and all my laundry is clean. Looks like God is watching over me today - through all the insanity I am very grateful that I am safe and sound.

xo, Anne Marie

www.TheBeardedLadiesPresent.com

The decline of the Human GPS...

I'm one of those people who really likes maps. I love to look at maps and figure out where things are and look up alternate routes. I would actually prefer to be told something is on the North side of the road that to be told "it's on the right..."

One of my good friends has called me her Human Mapquest/GPS for a few years now. She has been known to call me from MoPac and say - where am I? where do I go? And with a bit of sarcasm and a lot of love, I've always been happy to give her turn by turn directions.

This Christmas, her husband purchased her a GPS unit. And today, we made plans for her to pick me up at work on Tuesday, and I wanted to write her out directions. GASP - she said - NO I will use my GPS.

So I decided to play around with it, and I hated it! It doesn't show you a map from point A to point B - it just talks you through the route turn by turn. There is just something about knowing the layout of my route in my mind's eye, and being able to decide in a split second to take an alternate street for any reason. I just don't understand how anyone could be comfortable not knowing where they are, and trusting a computerized voice to tell you what to do. I am old school and I own it with pride!

Did you know that I also loathe laptops, email on phones and try to "unplug" from the internet at least one day a week? That if I had to live life without the smell of old books I would be very sad? Perhaps I am just spoiled that I live in a City I know like the back of my hand and I don't travel often enough to need really mobile technology. I can certainly see how a road trip to Dallas would be awesome with a GPS. But the truth is, I also know I could navigate in any city with a "real" map - it's part of the adventure!

My fear is that people are so dependent on technology that if cell phone towers and internet cables went out, they would freeze into a state of helpless oblivion and not be able to go anywhere or do anything. Heaven forbid we live without text messaging for a day! Eat without a microwave - never! The point is that technology is great, but it isn't necessary to live a fulfilling life.

xo, Anne Marie

DIY Wednesday: Let the Handmade Holidays BEGIN!

So you're not a crafter, baker, seamtress or artist? So you wanna give eco-friendly gifts that have some love and meaning, but you just don't have the skills to make them?

Well - welcome to the fabulous Austin, Texas Craft Scene! This first weekend of December kicks off some of the best Holiday Shopping Events in the ATX. Here is my personal guide of events to hit up this weekend! Since I am fortunate enough to not have a show this weekend - you just might see me out and about :P

In case you're wondering where to get fabulous *annemarie* mini wallets, cosmetic bags and one-of-a-kind purses, you can view a sampling of my work on my ETSY SHOP, at Parts & Labour, or next weekend at the Cherrywood Art Fair!


Acknowledge Me
Sat. Dec 6th, 8pm to 2am, The Mowhawk
$6, or $5 with a donation.

This is the 2nd year of this alterna-craft fair - featuring handmade gifts, live music, vegan food and a warm clothing drive for the homeless. Bring a warm hat, gloves or new toiletry items and get $1 off admission.




*Favorite Artist* Diane Petkoff of Tasty Jewelry
Pictured above, her adorable bauble magnets!

Bazaar Arte
Sat & Sun, Dec. 6th & 7th, 12pm to 9pm at The Mexic-Arte Museum
Free Admission

Located on the Main Street of Austin - Congress Avenue - The Mexic-Arte Museum is a landmark of the Austin Art Scene. Join the festivities of the Capitol Tree Lighting and marvel at the beauty of our fair City. Stroll into the Bazaar Arte show for a treat of colorful and inspiring art. The event features an exciting raffle and party Saturday night with SALSA DANCING and DJs. Sounds fun!





*Favorite Artist* Limbo Jewelry by Edson Zinser Enriquez. You may have seen Edson set up next to Vespaio on First Thursdays. I have been a fan of his jewelry for a long time - he has a very unique organic style.

Bouldin Creek Studio Tour
Sat & Sun Dec 6th & 7th, 11am to 5pm
Private Studios - visit website for a map and gallery of artists.
Free Admission

Artists from Bouldin Creek and the surrounding areas will open their doors once again on December 6th & 7th for the Third Annual Bouldin Creek Studio Tour. Just in time for the 2008 holiday season, this two-day sale gives the public a rare glimpse inside the creative workspaces of Bouldin Creek's finest artists, craftspeople and creative mavens. From Yelp.com





*Favorite Artists* Leslie Bonnell of The Stitch Lab and Natalie Tischler of Ornamental Things


Travis Heights Art Trail
Sat & Sun, Dec 6th & 7th, 11am to 5pm
Private Studios - visit website for a map and gallery of artists.
Free Admission

This is the first I have heard of this show - and it looks great! Taking a cue from other successful studio tours, the historic, funky and fabulous neighborhood of Travis Heights is showing off their collective artistic talent.

*Favorite Artist* Lisa Eisenbrey
Lisa's work is also new to me, but her website, Easy to Enchant, says it all! She makes multi-media retro inspired but modernly cheeky artwork that is sure to thrill any friend with a sense of humor.




Thornton Road Holiday Art Show
Friday, Dec 5th, 5pm to 1pm (SNACKS AND BEVERAGES!)
Saturday, Dec 6th, 11am to 5pm
Free Admission

This show is in its 16th year, and features mostly ceramic artists. Look for great serving platters, bowls and sculpture.

*Favorite Artists* Claire Fielden & Leigh Navarro



My highlighted artists are Claire Fielden - whose jewelry & pottery I ADORE, and Leigh Navarro who makes slick, stylized enameled metal pendants.



Wheatsville Arts Festival
Sat & Sun, Dec 5th & 6th, 10am to 5:30pm at Adams Park
Free Admission

Okay - for all of you who have moved to Austin in the past 10 years because it was a *cool* *laidback* place - Wheatsville is part of what makes Austin what it is. One of the original and still standing TEXAS HIPPIE landmarks, the Wheatsville Food Coop has been serving up delicious food and organic treats forever.

This Arts Festival is one of the longest running in the ATX. This year's show is bigger than ever - with 75 Artists! Live music all day - family friendly, and Centrally Located. Bust out that tie-dye and granola!



Favorite Artist* Pigsey Art

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If you are a local ARTIST looking for a Spring Show - don't forget to apply for The Bearded Ladies Present: Shop Austin! Our website is rockin' and we will feature each and every artist with a lovely picture, link to their site and blog post! Get noticed and join forces with us!

xo, Anne Marie

www.AnneMarieBeard.com

www.TheBeardedLadiesPresent.com