Thrift Thursday - Round Top Goodies!

It was another successful trip to Texas' best flea market/ antiques fair... and I wish I was still there...

Just an hour away from Austin, TX lie the treasure trove towns of Round Top and Warrenton, Texas.  Each year miles and miles of country fields are turned into a shopping experience unlike anything else.



From fine antiques at Coles and Marburger Farms, to thrifty deals at Northgate Field and Zapp Hall, there is something for everyone.  But only the hard core shoppers need go... I for one, can only handle 4 hours at a time- by then I am hungry, tired, and ready for a shower.  My girlfriends' are HARD CORE SHOPPERS and they will spend 3 or 4 days in a row out there from 8am to 6pm!



This time I spent almost two days making jewelry from past Round Top purchases.  I love to make jewelry - I have been making it since I was about 6, and am considering selling some of my latest creations. 

Trends I noticed this year:

Black and Yellow:

Detail of a Chartreuse/Yellow Lead Lamp Shade.  Not a Tiffany, for sure - but still very striking in a Art Nouveau Design.



A Reverse Painted Glass Picture of a Lady - my mom has several of these... this one wasn't in the best condition, but I love the design.




Is that Yarn? Wow - the ugliest lamp I've ever seen! But cool!



A gorgeous Vintage Compact.  Oh I wanted this one!  But it was out of my price range.. would have made a KILLER necklace, too!





Sassy Ladies:


African American Head Vase.  Head Vases are really popular these days - but the most common ones look like the original Barbie - with chunky eyelashes and pearl earrings.  I loved this one because she was unusual and very pretty.



Raggedy Ann. Awwww, I used to love Raggedy Ann! Mom dressed us up as her for Halloween! I love her WILD RED HAIR!




Skinny B*tch Longing for Food. I couldn't help but snicker at the irony here. The world's flattest, almost 2-D Mannequin, posed next to a sign for FINE FOOD. Poor baby...



Spanish Beauty! Wow, check out her BRIGHT green dress! I love figurines that have a good expression of movement.. and her colors are just wild. I could see a bunch of these as awesome table centerpieces...

Robin's Egg Blue (Or Turquoise, or whatever you call it): 
My favorite color every year!  My apartment is bursting at the seams with tchotchkes this color!


Genie in a Teapot.  Rad! I don't even like hot tea - but I would make Hot Cocoa with this sexy teapot!




A baby Singer Sewing Machine!  Awww... just the cutest little thing ever!




'50s Lamp. Man - blue glass with sleek wood and a metal jack design detail? Love at first sight!!!





The Most BEAUTIFUL LOVE SEAT. Ever. Ok, not the exact shade of blue, but this love seat was really breathtaking. Supple leather, gorgeous hand carved design, caster wheels on the perfect legs... I was drooling, big time.







And last but not least... everyone's favorite category!!!!

CREEPY!

Vintage Diet Poster. Yeah, because I look like a huge-a** Hippo, and thinking about myself as a Giraffe is going to make me want to starve off the weight.




Anne Marie loves Sharks! Yes - the only set of Shark Jaws I spotted - and we needed to get all snuggly, and close and...



Beaver. Priceless.




You can also see pics and finds from Jennifer Perkins' blog, and Austin based Design Crisis.

xo, Anne Marie

DIY Wednesday - September Events Recap

Oh how time does fly!  Just two weeks ago I was out for one of the busiest weekends I've had all year.  On Saturday Sept. 19th my friend Amy Barber of Sweettooth Bags, and I, set up during Gruene Market Days in beautiful Gruene, Texas.

This was our first time to do this craft show, and it was a lot of fun!  You can shop the handmade market for everything from soaps and body scrubs by Fleegal Farms, to handmade pottery, wood-inlay jewelry, wooden boxes and bowls, metal art and much much more.











The real highlight of that weekend was the We Make Stuff event produced by Candace Carlisle of Electric Promotions.  The event was a fun evening of crafty-demos by The WonderCraft, an exclusive Handmade Vendor Market, and a Fabulous Fashion Show featuring handbag designs by *annemarie*!
Anne Marie Beard and Candace Carlisle at We Make Stuff.







Gorgeous Model from We Make Stuff Fashion Show



The thing I enjoyed the most about the evening was getting all gussied up in my outfit!  A few weeks ago I attended the debut Fashion Show of local Designer Anslee Connell of Savannah Red.  I fell in love with her dresses, and asked to "dress" me for the event.

We found the PERFECT dress, and I have not felt that sexy in a looooooong time!  My amazing hairpiece was courtesy of Sweettooth Bags, and my unusual one of a kind necklace by Spoilt Victorian Child.  Viva Le Austin Designers!



The sassy pictures above are courtesy of Austin's busiest Photo Booth Man... Trevor Ray Thompson.  Allison and I are proud that he provided the photo booth for our first Shop Austin Event, as he is getting all famous now!

The Fashion Show was photographed by John Pesina, and you can see more of the pictures of that here.

October looks to be a fun filled month on the Austin Craft Scene and Austin Fashion Scene as well... look for details on Handmade Happenings™  by The Lone Star Ladies coming soon!

xo, Anne Marie

Thrift Thursday - Round Top Awaits!

It's just not Fall without a trip to Round Top, Texas during Antique Week!

You can check out past posts of my visits to Round Top, as well as my Flickr Sets... while you wait to see what goodies I will share from this trip!

Patina Loft returns to Round Top this time as well - how exciting!  Patina Loft is a socially conscious company that refurbishes Chinese Country Antiques and sells them to dealers in the US.  Round Top is the ONLY time customers can buy direct from them.  My brother-in-law works for them, and they are a wonderful company with a great vision.  They have a map online where they will be located!

Pictures from the Patina Loft Booth Last year





October 2008



Spring 2008




YES - aren't you excited for me :-) ?  I will be sure to stop at Seafood and Donuts in Giddings, and have a Kolache!!!

xo, Anne Marie

Fashion Friday - *annemarie* hits the Runway!

This Saturday Electric Promotions will bring another exciting event to the Austin Fashion and Craft Scene.  We're expecting a huge turn out - so get there early!  We've gotten great coverage so far thanks to Austin Tidbits, Launch787, Do512, the Austinist, and more!

We Make Stuff is a showcase of talented folks in a variety of crafty fields - Music, Art and Fashion!  Held at the Scoot Inn, a favorite dive bar on the East Side, the evening is sure to have something for everyone.

You can shop for funky handmade goodies from a select group of artists, including *annemarie*, or take part in judging the Skateboard Painting contest.  You can head inside to get crafty with Team Etsy Austin and The Wondercraft!  Hang out and watch skate demonstrations on the half-pipe, and stick around for live music from 3 bands, including Austin favorite Hollywood Gossip.

The Fashion Show... oh yes, a very exciting part of the evening!  We have lovely models from The TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls & The Jigglewatts.  I will be showcasing 5 very special Art Bags - get ready to rock it!

Details
:: When :: Saturday, Sept. 19th, 7:00 pm
:: Where :: The Scoot Inn,  Austin, TX, 78702
:: Cost :: $6.00 at the door, 21 and up only
:: Benefit :: Purchase Raffle Tickets for items donated by local vendors, benefitting Art From the Streets.

Other Events
** You can also catch *annemarie* at Gruene Market Days Sat & Sun, Sept 19th & 20th.

**Blue Genie Art Rummage Sale!**  The iconic Blue Gene Art in East Austin is having its first ever rummage sale!  Original art, supplies, and more - this sounds RAD!

xo, Anne Marie

Fashion Friday - Curvy is Better!

Back when I was a Costume Design Student at the University of Texas, I toyed with the idea of launching a clothing line for curvy gals. I sketched out designs and everything... but never did it. The purse bug bit me!

I've been hovering in the 12 to 16 size range for about 10 years - and believe me, if anything it helps me get dates! Beauty does come in all shapes and sizes - and I love my super skinny sister as much as my super curvy one - but not everyone is so "curvaceously minded"

That's me at left, rockin' the curves at the Sci-fEye Ball!




Enter Anslee Connell, aka SavannahRed (pictured below). Anslee is an Austin-based designer and photographer on a mission to provide Curvy Ladies with super fabulous clothes!



She is producing her first ever fashion show next week, RetroCurves, a '50s themed debut collection of "curve-friendly apparel [that pulls] our current trend away from unflattering shapes and takes them back to defining the waistline."

Connell hopes that "with my designs, beginning with this collection, a curvy woman may regain the confidence in herself by looking great and feeling wonderful in something that was handmade for her unique body. Hopefully then, she will offer every stranger on the street that beautiful smile she may have been hiding."

Wow. I love this concept! I have been sewing my own clothes since I was about 12, and though I don't make much for myself anymore, I am still a huge fan of custom clothing. Looks like SavannahRed has a bright future ahead! I would highly recommend that you bring any young women in your life to this event - because ALL WOMEN are beautiful - no matter the age, no matter the size... a smile can always light up a room!




***Details***

WHEN: Wed. Sept. 16th, Doors at 7pm, Show at 8pm
WHERE: Space12
3121 E. 12th st., Austin, TX
COST: $7.00 at the door, cash preferred
TREATS: Free Root Beer Floats & Drinks!

xo, Anne Marie
aka - One Curvy Lady!

ps - don't forget to mark your calendars for next weekend's We Make Stuff!

DIY Wednesday - Cover Up!

Today's post was inspired by Austin Crafter and blogger Chastity Gordon. She has a blog/business called Belle and Burger and posts DIY projects and info about her latest crafty creations.



I love the idea of recycling what you already have - and Chastity does a step by step tutorial on how to turn a vintage sheet into a fresh Iron Board Cover! How smart is that?

Make It! Read the full tutorial from Belle and Burger.














Buy It! Don't have the skills or time to make your own? Check out these offerings on Etsy.
















French Riveria Board Cover by Hestiahousworks
















Fruit Basket Ironing Board Cover by CityChicCountryMouse

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Make your Plans now - There are two amazing events next week you do NOT want to miss!


Thursday, September 17th - Retro Curves Fashion Show!

*featuring the designs of Austinite Savannah Red - details on Friday!































Saturday, September 19th - We Make Stuff... art, music, fashion.


Featuring *annemarie*'s handbags on the runway, live music, goody bags, and much more! Details on the blog next week :)

Sunday Steals!

What's worn out in your wardrobe? Need a new skirt with pintuck detailing, or a snazzy pair of Grecian sandals? Looking for a stellar handbag to complete your fall look?

Girls, Ladies, Fashionistas... if you haven't heard about Le Garage Sale - then you're just not living the Austin way of life!

As I get ready to settle in for a Saturday night of cleaning, I'm looking back on all of the wonderful events of last week, and ahead towards one more day of Le Garage Sale!

Le Garage Sale is a bi-annual shopping event featuring discounted end of season and preview merchandise from Austin's hippest boutiques and designers. Many of the participants of Austin Fashion Week are participating, including myself, and my dear friends Amy Barber of Sweettooth Bags and Diane Petkoff of Tasty Jewelry. This is the ONLY time you can get *annemarie* bags at such a discount!

Come on out to Palmer Events Center on Sunday from 11am to 5pm - the entrance is just $10.00, and the shopping deals are endless!

xo, Anne Marie