MOVING THE BLOG TO: http://blog.buffalobluedesigns.com/

I can't take Blogger anymore!!!

MOVING THE BLOG TO: http://blog.buffalobluedesigns.com/

Please update your readers/RSS feeds appropriately.

THANK YOU!
A

More items now at Paste Crafts!

Dropped off a bunch of new items at Paste Craftstoday!

Fascinator Hats, Headbands and Upcycled Necktie Collars-- check out my stuff and almost 80 other artists' things at 1009 Russell Blvd. in Soulard, St. Louis.

Also: Just as a reminder, the next Soulard Market Arts and Crafts Fair is July 17th- put it on your calendar now! Rumor is there may also be an August date added...

Going coastal!

It's taken a bit of encouragement, but my upcycled vintage necktie accessories- Greeley, Dewitt, Mini Dewitt, Prudence, Constance, Clemence, Clancy and the Vagabond- are starting to catch on. Some have gone coast to coast, even!

I just sold the Version #3 Vagabond to a female attorney from California (SQUEEE) and last week a Constance went to New Orleans.

It's starting to come together, (*Pepper)... Starting to come together...

*private joke with my sister

Introducing: Vagabond, Clancy and Prudence

Now that the wedding season is coming to a close once again, WHEW- I was soooo busy this year, I've had some time to come up with a few new things for summer and fall.

Along with several new little fascinator hats featuring a variety of flora and fauna- I've been engulfed by a sea of neckties. Seriously. I got a 40lb bag of them in the mail just this morning and promptly ripped the bag open and poured them on the floor. Knee- deep!!!

There are always a few throw-aways--- ones that I can't save due to stains, being worn out or tied in knots so tight I can't get them out and the tie is ruined-- but there are also hundreds of beauties. And I've been putting them to good use in a couple of new designs.

Vagabond is a style I first made this past winter. It's a mixture of ties stitched into pleasing patterns in a fun hat. There are three in the shop currently. Here's my favorite.

Clancy debuted this past weekend to several rave reviews. Clancy is a glasses/sunglasses case utilizing strictly polyester ties from the 60s and 70s. Fun stuff! Lots more of those coming soon.

Prudence came into being late last night/early this morning and is now available in the shop. Pru features two neckties handstitched into a necklace/collar designs and decorated with vintage buttons. Lots more designs colors and patterns are coming soon.

STRANGE FOLK!

June 1st means applications open for one of the most popular festivals around.... STRANGE FOLK in O'Fallon Illinois.

This year's fest is September 25th and 26th from 10-6.

I just applied and I think you should apply too, you crafty two shoes, you! SO GET TO IT!

FYI: According to the website:

This year, 150 vendors and 10 alternates will be hand-picked to peddle their wares at the festival! It is FREE to apply. The deadline to submit your application is July 1st, 2010 (opens June 1st). All entrants will be juried thusly, and notified with our decision on or before July 15th. The individual vendor fee will be $75; discounts are given for shared tent spaces.

Blog Feature: Picnic Prints from Etsy for the Non-Traditional Bride

One of my Greeley headbands was featured today in this awesome blog article by Kelly Lanza of Notable Inspiration.

I really like the choices she made-- definitely a cute and modern (yet somehow down-home feeling and comfortable) take on weddings for today's bride!

Local Wedding in Dusty Lilac!

I got a message about a week ago from a lovely girl I met at the Indie Craft Revolution in March. She wanted to commission a headpiece for her vintage inspired wedding later in mid-June.

That's right, a LOCAL WEDDING! Wooohoo!

She promptly sent me a pic of her newly purchased vintage dress- a lovely dusty lilac color.

Immediately I got visions of 40s glamour mixed with modern sensibility and a touch of fun! She told me she liked the Sybil Hat from my shop-- Sybil features vintage white velvet millinery leaves, goose feather biots tied in knots and an attached hand trimmed Russian veil. A white straw millinery fascinator/hat base anchors the piece and features a clear comb sewn securely into place for ease of placement on the bride's head. Perfect!

*The bride chose to not have feathers due to ethical issues. So I chose to use organza and velvet hydrangea millinery flowers instead.

With basically free-reign given, I started in today. I am kind of in love with how it turned out. Hope you will be too!

TA-DA!

*UPDATE* The Bride loves it!

LOVE! (HELP!)

This shawl is so awesome... is that lame?

I want. But I'm not a good knitter... HELP! (Is it even knit? I'm pretty sure it is... And how much yarn would that take? And do you think I could bribe some one to make me one?)

The clutch is lovely too- and is by the wonderful Etsy seller Bees'Netta. But the shawl is my main concern... Can you help me?

Steampunk Prom

I was contacted a couple of weeks ago by a Mom looking for a custom "steampunk" boutonniere and corsage set for her son and his date for Prom. We settled all the details and I got to work- the colors were black, gold and brown with steampunk elements. *

*You may be asking yourself, "What the heck is STEAMPUNK?" Well, straight out of Wikipedia, Steampunk is: a sub-genre of science fiction and speculative fiction, frequently featuring elements of fantasy, that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used — usually the 19th century, and often Victorian era England — but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of "the path not taken" of such technology as dirigibles, analog computers, or digital mechanical computers (such as Charles Babbage's Analytical engine); these frequently are presented in an idealized light, or with a presumption of functionality. Because of the popularity of steampunk with goths, punks, cybergoths, industrial music fans, gamers, and geeks, there is a growing movement towards establishing steampunk as a culture and lifestyle.^[38] Some fans of the genre adopt a steampunk aesthetic through fashion,^[39] home decor, music, and film. This may be described asneo-Victorianism, which is the amalgamation of Victorian aesthetic principles with modern sensibilities and technologies.^[40] Some have proposed a steampunk philosophy, sometimes with punk-inspired anti-establishment sentiments, and typically bolstered by optimism about human potential.^[41]

Steampunk fashion has no set guidelines, but tends to synthesize modern styles influenced by the Victorian era. This may include gowns, corsets, petticoats and bustles; suits with vests, coats and spats; or military-inspired garments. Steampunk-influenced outfits will often be accented with a mixture of technological and period accessories: timepieces, parasols, goggles and ray guns. Modern accessories like cell phones or music players can be found in steampunk outfits, after being modified to give them the appearance of Victorian-made objects. Aspects of steampunk fashion have been anticipated by mainstream high fashion, the Lolita fashion and aristocrat styles, neo-Victorianism, and the romantic goth subculture.^[9][40][42]

Probably more than you ever wanted to know, huh?! haha

Well, Mom sent me a picture of son and girlfriend headed to prom. So cute! I love the goggles on top of his top hat and the zippers on her shoes. My pieces add just the right amount to an already stellar costume.

Shop Closing Fri/Sat for CRAFT FEST!

The shop will close on Friday May 14th at 3pm CST for the Soulard Market Park Art and Craft Festival in St. Louis on Sat. May 15th! I've got tons of new stuff that isn't listed on Etsy yet as well as 90% of my Etsy inventory to take along... it's getting a little crazy and involves 2 cars... so far!!!

By the way, if there is something you would like to reserve in order to make sure it's still available after the show, please send me a message or email me ASAP so I can help. I cannot guarantee what will be available after the show.

Thank you and I hope to see you there!

Long time, No blog...

And, I'm not going to rectify that right now----toooooo BUSY!

But, for you faithful followers, if you enter: SPR15OFF in the notes to seller at checkout I will send a 15% refund back after pay in my shop!

**FINE PRINT: Not valid on custom wedding orders, sorry! Offer good until Midnight CST on May 16th.

Crafts, Beer and Puppies!!!

Heads up, my friends! I'll be at all 3 Soulard Market Park Arts & Crafts Fairs (May 15, June 19 and July 17th all 9am-3pm)! Come down to the Soulard Farmer's Market and then stop by and shop handmade--there will be BEER and puppies :)

Thanks to Katie of Paste Crafts in Soulard (where you can check out my Dewitt and Mini Dewitt Headbands and the STL Craft Mafia for setting it all up! Woohoo!

My First Etsy Treasury! *SQUEE*

I kind of accidentally stumbled onto a tweet from @Etsy which allowed me to make my first Etsy treasury *squee*...

I named it "Lucky in Life" and I hope you like it :)

New Styles in the Shop!

Several new styles in the shop today...

The Bostonian

Available with a comb or headband- your choice $32

New Addiction Stretch Bands

Several colors and styles- your choice $32

SPRING NEWS RECAP!

Hi Friends and Fans!

I just wanted to drop a quick note and update you as to what's happening with Buffalo Blue Designs this spring...

First, we now have select styles available at Paste Crafts (1009 Russell Blvd, St. Louis)- right now Katie is carrying my Dewitt and Mini Dewitt Vintage Necktie Headbands and we hope to increase the offerings in time. If you haven't been by Paste since they opened last summer, it's definitely worth the time. There are pieces from more than 60 artists available in the store as well as a wide variety of craft and arts supplies and classes. Check them out at http://www.pastecrafts.com (they also have a facebook page if you'd like to become a fan) --By the way, I'll be participating in The Soulard Market Park Arts and Crafts Fairs on three dates this summer with Paste- I'll let you know more closer to the dates.

Second, I was interviewed by the St. Louis Suburban Journals for a feature article on Easter Bonnets. It ran Tuesday 3/30/10 and I'll attach the link below- thanks to Kate Valleroy for putting me in touch with the Journals. (P.S. I still have some Easter Bonnet headbands as well as Fuzzy Chick headbands available for Easter in the Etsy shop-www.buffalobluedesigns.com)
http://suburbanjournals.stltoday.com/articles/2010/03/30/jefferson/life/0331jc-bonnets0.txt

Third, several of my specialty skeleton key & genuine stone necklaces are on sale in my @Etsy shop! I need to reduce some of the jewelry inventory I have, so if you see something you like, feel free to message me and we can negotiate :) http://bit.ly/a80NnX

Lastly, there will be several new things coming to the shop in the next couple of weeks- new styles of Dewitt and Mini Dewitt Necktie Headband, new styles of New Addiction Sequin Applique Stretch Headbands, MORE new jewelry, and some new Spring and Summer Styles suitable for weddings and casual times too. COMING SOON!

Thanks as always for your support- it's great to know you're there and even better to hear your thoughts!

Allyson
Buffalo Blue Designs

Newspaper Feature: Read All About It!!!

Easter topping: Some still wear bonnets on holiday
Some still wear bonnets on Easter

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Marjie Kennedy wears her Easter bonnet outside of Christ Church Cathedral.

By Jennifer Iannone
Tuesday, March 30, 2010 3:14 AM CDT

Each year on Easter Sunday, Marjie Kennedy peers over the church balcony of the choir loft, spotting the women who proudly display their Easter bonnets.

While marveling at them, she counts how many women choose to dress up their Easter outfits with a spring hat just like she does. Twenty years ago, she estimates she would count as many as 30.

These days, she can count the bonnets on one hand.

"Every single year when I was a kid, for Easter, we'd get a brand-new dress and a brand-new hat," said Kennedy, 57, of South St. Louis. "I have a sister that's just two years younger, and a lot of times we'd get similar-looking hats and dresses. Sometimes my mother would sew and make the Easter dress, but we would always buy a hat."

Although it's a tradition that isn't as popular as it used to be, Kennedy doesn't mind. She has continued to wear a bonnet each year.

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"I guess everybody's unique, but I'm willing to wear things that not everyone would wear," she said.

Sure, Kennedy has her fair share of classic spring bonnets, adorned with pastel-colored ribbons and flowers. But her favorites are the ones that stand out — her bold black and gold hat she purchased at Ann's Hat Boutique on Euclid and her bonnet with a large peacock feather that gets a lot of admiration.

St. Louis hat and jewelry designer Allyson Bailey Wilmowski has her own unconventional style of Easter bonnets she sells on her Web site,www.buffalobluedesigns.com, and in Paste Crafts in Soulard. She chooses to make bonnets that attach to headbands.

"I use a lot of feathers and straw bases," Bailey Wilmowski said. "The Easter bonnets I've made are little tiny straw hats, and then I attach flowers and butterflies and lace. Then I attach the whole thing and sew it to a headband. It's good for kids and adults." Bailey Wilmowski's four types of Easter bonnets are hot sellers. She also creates custom designs.

She made the decision to add the Easter bonnets to her collection as something new and fun for the spring. Selecting a hat to match her dress is a big part of her Easter memories as a child.

"My family was always really into dressing up and having the egg hunt," she said. "I always got dressed up and wore the little hats and lacy dresses. We always got a new one every year and got to pick it out. It's a fun thing for kids as well as adults."

While Bailey Wilmowski has noticed a decline through the years in the number of women wearing the accessory on Easter, she is beginning to see them emerge again.

"In my business, I'm starting to see a turn in hats becoming more popular again for adults as well as children," Bailey Wilmowski said. "I sell a lot of headbands and hats now. It's also becoming more popular with the younger generation as something different."

Suburban Journals | Life | Easter topping: Some still wear bonnets on holiday



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Lovin' this Treasury!!!

Love this treasury by Etsy seller TheFloatingMarket!

My Vagabond Upcycled Necktie Hat is featured!

Buffalo Blue Designs... Now Available at Paste Crafts in Soulard

Just wanted to let everyone know that Dewitt and Mini Dewitt Headbands are now available at Paste Crafts in Soulard, STL.

I'm in a local store! Woohoo!

Indie Craft Revolution- RECAP

Well, another craft show has come and gone- THIS ONE ROCKED!

Indie Craft Revolution kicked off on Saturday 3/13 at 10am and ended Sunday 3/14 at 4pm.

I shared a beautiful sunlight corner room with Hot Wire Designs by Cat, Stick to Your Knittin' Kitten and TurnUp Green - we had a great time laughing, chatting and learning.

I also met tons of my twitter fans (HI GUYS!) and some other fun new people, with the help of my husband Tom running my credit card app sold lots of fun stuff, made a few trades for other goodies from vendors I love and in general had a blast. Will definitely be doing this show again next time.

Special thanks to the wonderful Kate Valleroy of Red Anvil Art for a wonderful show!

Indie Craft Revolution Press Release

The Saint Louis Craft Mafia and the Saint Louis Artist Guild are proud to present:

The Indie Craft Revolution

Indie Art and Crafts Show

Saturday March 13, 2010 10-6pm

Sunday March 14, 2010 10-4pm

@ the St. Louis Artist Guild

www.stlouisartistsguild.org

www.revolutioncraftshow.com

St. Louis Artists’ Guild to host Indie Craft Revolution an Indie Art and Craft Market organized by the St. Louis Craft Mafia.

Indie Craft Revolution: A craft event in a series of Indy Art and Craft events hosted by St. Louis Craft Mafia. Indie Craft Revolution will be on Saturday, March 13th 10 am to 6pm and Sunday, March 14th from 10 am to 4 pm.

The St. Louis Craft Mafia is teaming up with partners such as SCORCH, RFT, PASTE, Yelp, Funky Finds and Well Body Acupuncture and Chiropractic to make this event a reality. This show aims to provide St. Louis with well made, handmade and interesting items.

WHAT: Indie Craft Revolution at The St. Louis Artists’ Guild
WHEN: Saturday March 13th 10 am-6pm and Sunday, March 14th from 10 am to 4 pm
WHERE: St. Louis Artists’ Guild –Corner of Big Bend and Clayton In Oak Knoll Park