table decor competition
Bright and early this morning, we were at Ambient Studios getting ready for the Indie Craft Experience’s Wedding Day Hooray…”A wedding show in Atlanta focused on handmade, eco-friendly and local vendors…an indiewedding marketplace”. We gladly sponsored the show this year and were also accepted to enter the Wedding Table Decor competition, which we had a blast putting together. The attendees of the show will vote for their favorite table (there are 12 of them) and they will announce the winner at the end of the day. Of course, we think ours is beautiful and want to win, but I can honestly say that just being a part of the day was fun and rewarding enough…no, seriously :-). Here are a few photos taken during set-up…yes that is my coffee cup…we will share more later. Oh, and if you are a bride (or groom)-to-be or have a friend or family member who is getting hitched, send them over to check the vendors out. The show runs until 6:00PM tonight. If you can’t make it today, come by the shop. We want you to register with us! That’s right, you do not have to have Crate & Barrel, Macy’s or (insert any other big box retailer) dishes, glassware, home decor. We have it all and every bit is either hand-made or vintage pieces we have picked up along the way. And we even have staff that can help you put it all together (your home or your wedding)…just give us a buzz or pop into our little shop in the alley!
Hope to see you soon!
xoxo,
beth
karen & suzanne
I want to introduce you to the two wonderful ladies that have recently joined me here…and I am sooooo lucky to have them. Both a bit by chance, or maybe not. I’ll let them tell you a bit more about themselves.
Karen Koprowski
A job transfer for my partner Ben from Louisiana was an opportunity for us to have a new adventure together. With a house full of stuff, two dogs and two cats in tow, we made our way here the week before Christmas 2011 knowing no one in a new city. Though tough at times, it was still a positive move for us both.
Being new to Atlanta has brought with it many curiosities and a need-to-know mentality. I am interested in so many facets of this area from the beautiful Appalachians, to the great shops and restaurants throughout. I love to explore and meet new wonderful people and moving here has allowed me new friends, which I am so grateful for. I am very lucky to have met Beth at the indie-pendent and to be involved with such an exciting business and a great person. Our paths are similar in that we both have a great love of design and finely made goods, friends and family. In addition we have both been intimately involved with cancer and share what that means to life and our perceptions as such.
Living positively, exploring and creating are my necessities for a happy Karen (in addition to Ben, my pets and coffee). My constant goals are to be good at my job, great as a friend and best as Ben’s life partner. “Shoot for the moon; even if you miss you land among the stars!”
I look forward to a fantastic adventure at my dream job with wonderful people! Lucky me.
Best wishes,
Karen E. Koprowski
***Karen is working with me full time and so far, I’ve not found a single thing she cannot do…and do well. She comes from a family full of artists and is one herself. Karen will be heading up the Pastels to Painting for adults, Imagination Station classes for the kids as well as the Paw Painting for the “other kids”. She has so much to offer that I am certain we can convince her to teach us a thing or two more.
Suzanne Igoe
On occasion you will see me around the shop, I help out when I can! Most of the time I am immersed in my passion for skin care. I own an esthetic studio in downtown Decatur, PURE face and body care. I have a loving family of two parents who live happily in Saluda, NC and two wonderful sisters who live here in Atlanta. The rest of my downtime is dedicated to my wonderful partner (soon to be wife) Laureen, and my adorable dogs Samuel and Phineas… We spend our days off on the trails or on the water!
***Suzanne and her partner Laureen are good friends of ours (mine and Susan). In December, just before the store opened, they dropped by to see the space. I happened to mention that I needed to find someone, fast, to help out in the store so that I could at least leave long enough to grab a coffee or something. As it turns out, Suzanne has way more retail experience than I and she was looking for a few hours a week to supplement her income from her growing studio. I secretly hope it doesn’t grow too fast or I’ll have a lot to learn!
now registering
To register call 404.313.0004
This week we will begin offering our very first classes! Canning and Preserving, Flower School 101, Pastels to Painting, Imagination Station (for the kids) and Paw Painting next Saturday…weather pending. Friday will be OPEN STUDIO where member artists can bring in their supplies and spend the day in our fabulous work space…the natural light is amazing and the space has great energy. Maybe you do not have the space in your loft/tiny studio apartment or maybe you just enjoy being in the company of other creative folks. There is still availability in most workshops, so if you or anyone you know are interested, please give us a call. We are excited about the classes and will continuously be adding more, so keep checking back. Info on classes, workshops and OPEN STUDIO can be found in the sidebar labeled workshops. Oh…and this great space can be rented for private parties. Get those creative juices flowing!
register now
Unfortunately the web-store is not quite ready so we are doing things the old fashioned way! We have partnered with some of Atlanta’s best instructors and beginning in February…Preserving Now (in the kitchen) will offer canning and preserving workshops for both the beginner and the experienced canner. Preserving Now (homestyle) will offer numerous home and lifestyle workshops such as monthly flower schools. You can read more about the instructors here. The indie-pendent’s own Karen Koprowski will instruct both kids (Imagine Station) and pets (Paw Painting). We will be continuously adding workshops to the schedule as we grow this portion of the business. If there is a particular art/craft workshop you are interested in, please let us know…we are here to serve you! Learn more about the individual workshops in our sidebar and please give us a call if you have any questions or are interested in registering. 404-313-0004
amy flurry
We are so excited to have Amy Flurry here for the Grand Opening! Amy is holding both a workshop and a book signing on Feb. 3rd and the first 8 to register for the workshop will receive some one-on-one time with her…so register NOW! Call us at 404-313-0004.
About the author…
Amy Flurry is a freelance writer, editor and stylist of fifteen years with work featured in InStyle, Conde Nast Traveler, O @ Home, Four Seasons, House Beautiful, Country Living and Refinery 29. She served as a regional editor for Lucky magazine for six years and as a style correspondent for eBay’s online magazine, The Inside Source. In addition to her editorial work, Flurry has provided brand consulting and copy-writing for a mix of fashion and lifestyle clients.
Flurry has been identified as an industry authority, serving as a regular commentator for Saks 5th Avenue’s “Want It” presentation and a frequent guest speaker on trends at AmericasMart Atlanta, Fashion Group International and the Savannah College of Art and Design.
In January 2010, Flurry co-founded Paper-Cut-Project, a company that conceives art direction and highly crafted installations in paper for window installations, runway, catalog and advertising campaigns. Their work has been featured in the New York Times, Italian Vogue, Nylon, Marie Claire Taiwan and on influential blogs including Diane Pernet’s, A Shaded View on Fashion and Paper-Cut-Project has been commissioned exclusive collections for global brands including Cartier, Hermes, Kate Spade and The Bay. September marked Paper-Cut-Project’s debut runway accessories collection with designer Jen Kao for fashion week New York.
Recipe for Press, pitch your story like the pros and create a buzz! is published by PC Press and is Flurry’s first book.
photo by Mali Azima
About the book…
Recipe for Press, pitch your story like the pros & create a buzz represents my irrepressible desire to share with small business owners, budding designers, musicians, chefs, and family brands how to get press and create fruitful relationships with editors and media influencers. In a nutshell, Recipe for Press is like getting to spend the weekend with a seasoned editor talking about your brand and learning what it takes to reach a larger audience through constant press coverage. You can also expect to find lush illustrations and photography and Q&A’s featuring successful entrepreneurs who keep their marketing in-house including designer Amy Butler, chef Hugh Acheson, potter and blogger Rebecca Wood and indie market juggernaut and UNIQUE LA founder, Sonja Rasula. This isn’t just good medicine, it’s a book that you’ll want to fall in to.I’ve seen plenty of great products with passionate people behind them fail, whereas others with so-so services receive the bulk of the attention. The difference isn’t in luck; the difference is what you will find in this book and I couldn’t be more excited about getting it into the hands of the people who need it most.Please take a minute to visit the website and my blog and join me on Twitter (@Recipeforpress). The information I post on each is really companion material to the book, news your brand needs to know!www.recipeforpress.com
follow us
badges
