Accessory Shoppe

We have had a lot of excitement in the studio!  Our new purchase of a Babylock Commercial Embroidery Machine arrived last Friday.  Since we still have two shows to participate in this week we have tried to be disciplined and finish our 'has to be done by Wednesday' items before playing with our new toy.  Of course I had to play just a little each day but did refrain from spending hours checking out all the new features.  Wow! It stitches 1000 stitches per minute - which really moves on.  Our home embroidery machine would do 600 stitches per minute at top speed and with a lot of shaking. Needless to say we didn't stitch at top speed!  My immediate thoughts....I can stitch so much faster....now I can choose designs with more stitches. (You know the really cool ones that are so colorful and pretty.)  We took our first lesson today on all the neat features.  Again, after stitching some items  on the home embroidery machine that I need to set up for a function tomorrow I have to fess up...I played for quite awhile - but that is what new toys are for.....

Check back as I will post pictures of our new ventures (even the 'oops' items) .  I don't like having to read manuals but I'm afraid this will be a requirement as we explore all the possibilities and limitless creations!

Stop by and see us at the up coming local events in October...

October 22nd:  The Women's Emporium, Girls' Night Out - sponsored by Highland Business & Professional Women at the EVUCC Social Hall (2520 Poplar Street South),  Highland, IL from 6:00 - 9:00 P. M. Find out more information - here's their flyer.

October 22nd - 24th:  Lincoln Trail Decorative Artists Boutique located at Carrington Place Clubhouse, Swansea, IL. Thursday Night is preview night from 5:00 - 8:00 P. M.  Admission is $5.00.  Friday hours: 10:00 A. M. to 8:00 P. M. Saturday hours from 9:00 A. M. to 2:00 P. M.  Free admission on Friday and Saturday. This is a fun boutique with wonderful handpainted pictures and accessories from the members of the club.  Also enjoy shopping at booths with other vendors showcasing jewelry, handbags, linens, wood working, etc. 

Be sure and stop by to say 'Hi' and preview our new items for the Holidays!

After several days of torrential rains, Saturday was a wonderful, sunny, warm Fall day.  A great day for outside shopping, eating brats and Kettle Korn!  It was great catching up with local friends and past customers that stopped by our booth to say 'Hi'.  I always enjoy meeting and chatting with other vendors and, most of all, meeting people that have come out to enjoy a day of shopping!

Here are a few pictures from the day...

Again a BIG "thank you" to all that supported our business and the other vendors at Miner's Square.

Accessory Shoppe is filling up the calendar with fall and holiday events.  Where has my beloved summer gone??? Today Joanie (Miss Bailey's Poppy Patch) and I discussed the Holiday Open House November 6th, 7th and 8th....it will be hard to not talk about this one as she is planning some neat treats for all you wonderful shoppers.  It is our time to show our appreciation for your loyalty and support.  But we must keep our plans a secret!

Since I'm a little ahead of myself let's back up to earlier functions starting with the Annual "Pamper Me Pink Extravaganza" on October 4th at the Best Western Carlinville Inn, Carlinville, IL.   October 9th - 10th will be our Fall Festival at Miss Bailey's Poppy Patch, Glen Carbon, IL.  We will be appearing again this year at the LTDA Holiday Boutique in Fairview Heights, IL October 23rd - 25th. I will be posting again in the future with more details and directions on all of the events.

For those of you that are not sure where our little community is located...we are 20 minutes from downtown St. Louis, Missouri and a little over an hour's drive from Springfield, Illinois.  So gather your girlfriends for a road trip to visit us!

The past two days have been spent in my studio pulling fabric treasures from my stash, combining fabrics that work together, cutting and assembling handbags.  I have to confess that I am a fabric junkie!  My family and friends are well aware of this and every time we visit in another city I'm off to hunt for treasures.  Also I have a "seriously addicted to fabric" niece who I visit regularly in Tulsa.  Her collection of fabric is larger than ours...she has found a wonderful supplier on eBay so I have been known to 'shop' from her stash! I will be visiting her in a couple of weeks so I'm sure I will be hunting for more goodies.  I fashioned two purses today from Schumacher and Ralph Lauren fabrics.  I just have to put finishing touches on them and they are ready for the website.

Check the site often as new bags and linens are being added regularly.

	Wonderful ultra suede and Ralph Lauren plaid waiting to be cut and assembled.
Cut and ready for stablizer and canvas backing.

Being women entrepreneurs, we are always looking for ways to support other women who are trying to promote their talents and move forward to create better lives for themselves and their families.

We found an organization… The Seeds of Blessings is a non-profit work that started reaching around the world in 2004. This project is reducing poverty by providing sustainable work and paying wages of at least 2.5 times Fair Trade directly to thousands of Artisans from third world countries. These women create beautiful baskets utilizing raw materials that are plentiful in their region. Visit inspire.seedsfblessing.com and check out the beautiful story of this project. Also, take the time to shop for one of their baskets. The money goes to the organization - we only realize monetary benefit from our items that we display in the baskets.  You can also get to the link from our site - simply click on 'Favorite Links' and you'll see our Seeds of Blessing link.

Basket as received without any additional goodies.

These baskets make wonderful gifts and you get a ‘feel good’ feeling knowing you are helping someone live a better fulfilling life! From time to time I will blog suggesting ways to use the baskets. They will also be offered on the site in categories pertinent to items displayed for sale with them. Hope you enjoy reading their beautiful story. Please feel free to contact me at contact@accessoryshoppe.biz with any questions or items you would like added to a basket.

Basket with embroidered guest/bar Halloween towels.

We have moved additional items to the closeout section on our website - www.accessoryshoppe.biz. 

Please check back often as we are busy creating new items for fall and the holidays.  It is time to start stocking up for hostess gifts, special teachers or just a simple thank you gift.  I keep a 'gift closet' with items ready to go so when I realize I need a gift the next day and the stores are closed, I can go to my 'stash'.

I mentioned that we are working on our fall and holiday items...I just added new fall guest/bar towels to the website.  Go take a peek.  Also, I have started my Halloween goodies but will not post on the site for a couple of weeks.  However, I just have to show you one of my favorites.....

Isn't this just too cute? I love Halloween decorations so more cuties will be coming to the site shortly.

Sorry but my blogging brain has been in a slump.  I guess it is trying to shift gears and start thinking about fall/winter items to create....I'm still stuck in summer!  

I visited the Lexington, KY area last week and found a wonderful fabric store with lots of yummy fall fabrics - which quickly became needs instead of wants.  I was able to purchase two pieces of wonderful ultra suede fabric below the cost of the faux fabric that I have been using.  I will pass these savings along to everyone....I just want you to be able to carry our bags!

Ultra suede fabric and faux black leather look

Fall and winter goodies just waiting their turn on the cutting table!

Also, the little brown truck (UPS) just made a delivery today of fall linen items to be embroidered with our beautiful fall colors and designs.  Will post pictures shortly....check back often.

Betty and I dug a little deeper in the storage bins and came up with additional items in the 'closeout' section.  Please visit and select some great gifts for less than cost.  It is the time of year to start thinking about gifts for the holidays.  We are currently creating new items for fall and up coming holidays and need storage space for our new goodies. 

Just a couple of the new closeout items...

Guest/bar towel in Ecru linen with brown free standing lace design.

Classic bag constructed from fun Christmas fabric.

We found this wonderful little chocolate shop/bed and breakfast located in nearby Highland, Illinois...

The Chocolate Affair/Tibbetts House Bed and Breakfast

Chocolate fondue table just waiting for us to sample...yummm!

Our next venture is to book a night at the bed and breakfast....imagine a night in a candy store! Visit Jennifer at www.thechocolateaffair.com or, for our local customers, stop by 801 Ninth Street in Highland for a 'death by chocolate' moment. It's well worth the journey!

I finally finished the Dressing Up Bag!

Cool fabric...looks like leather.

After polling my girlfriends we decided that a simple black handle would look best.

After attending a seminar and playing with the free standing flower program, it was a must have for my shopping cart! Of course I had to make a trip to the fabric store and purchase organza in all colors.  I have been looking for a stylish fabric flower to embellish our bags. These flowers are sassy and fun! 

Playful colors for the flowers with more to come!

In addition, I had to purchase the free standing leaf designs.  I'm currently stitching them out in various colors for fall.  I'll have pictures shortly so check back often.

We had a wonderful time just being lazy for a week with our family.  However, it is back to work!

I have been working on new designs for our handbag line.  A really neat Dressin Up bag is in the works.  I have been racking my brain on how our clients can make an initial investment for a handbag but still have several options for color combination.  On the cutting table is a basic black bag (a little blingy fabric) with a neutral silk gray lining.  Plans are to attach a basic black button with Velcro for a very simple elegant look on the handbag.

I am creating organza fabric flowers on the embroidery machine in a variety of color combinations that can be secured to the bag with a Velcro fastener - replacing the original button. These flowers will be available for purchase in a variety of colors to accessorize that special outfit.

Just a few of the available colors.

I am still wrestling with the style of handle so it will be a couple of days before I will have a completed bag to post on the website.  Stay tuned....