New features!

This weekend I was fortunate enough to be considered for a feature in a wonderful blog as well as in a new, upcoming craft website!!!

Every week, Jess from Epheriell Designs chooses five Etsy sellers to feature for her "Superb Sunday" writeup. She showcases one item from each shop to help artists gain more exposure for their work. One of my favorite Ruby clutches made the cut this week! The clutch was made with an oriental inspired print by Alexander Henry and a classic Fleur de lis print from Heidi Grace. You can see Jess's other picks from this week here:

http://www.epherielldesigns.com/superb-sunday-28-dec-08 (link is also posted under 'Press' in left column)

I also will be featured this week by a new craft website, House of Phalanges. They love all things handmade and strive to help artists promote their shops. I will be the main artist this week (wow, wow, wow!!) and am impatiently awaiting to see the feature posted! Today I sent in my responses to interview questions, images of my work as well as my banner which will be added to their directory. You can check out there site here: http://www.houseofp.com/

Words can't describe how excited I am! With this past semester being so hectic, this is the first time since summer that I've been able to spend some time promoting my shop and connecting with other artists. I've put many hours in during this Christmas break and I still have several weeks left! I'll be using every minute I can to continue adding to my shop as well as spreading the word about Austin Nicole.

Please remember to stop by Epheriell Designs as well as House of Phalanges this week to see my work!

This Week's New Items

This week I posted new items everyday! I posted SEVEN new Ruby clutches and a brand spankin' new version of the Carly Carry All! I made the bag slightly taller and used heavy duty canvas as interfacing. The new Carly Carry All is perfect for carrying laptops, books, notepads, and everyday essentials. It could even be used as a diaper bag or overnight bag!

Be sure to visit my Etsy shop this week where you can pick up a new clutch or tote!

www.austinnicole.etsy.com

Happy Holidays

Without a doubt, this holiday season is my favorite time of the year.

I adore the decorations, the smells, the music, the warmth of a fire ( or space heater in my house ) and the presence of a heavily lit Christmas tree. My family is just as head over heels for this season as I am and celebrates Christmas nearly year round.

Really, what's better than scarves, pea coats, tights, boots and gloves? I'm a Texan girl with a winter heart and look forward to the days where the temperature drops and I can get dolled up in my favorite winter attire.

In addition to wintry threads, the holiday season always promises to bring a highly anticipated event - Christmas break. As a student, the countdown to Christmas break begins in August and starts up again in January. Its always a time to catch up with friends, relax, SLEEP, and run around free from responsibility for a short time.

During my break this year I'm particularly looking forward to two things - sewing and reading. This week I will be posting two new items on my Etsy website every day. Yeah!! :) I plan to get tons of work done and play a bit of catch up at the sewing machine. I also am dying to dive into a stack of books that have been collecting dust since the beginning of the semester.

Since the break began I completed The Color of Water and just began Love in the Time of Cholera I fell in love love love with The Color of Water and can't put Love down. Everyone must put both of these books on their reading list!

Have any must reads in mind? Let me know! I always love finding new books to keep me company in the evenings, in a coffee shop or on a long car ride.

'the journey is the reward'

Today I look back and wonder how another semester vanished as quickly as it appeared. As my undergraduate graduation nears I feel as though time is flying faster than ever and I know a new journey is waiting for me around the corner. .

My experience in college has been life altering. The people I’ve encountered, the ideas I’ve been exposed to, the literature I’ve had the pleasure of discovering, and the daily routine of absorbing every twist and turn in the road have become a part of me. When I walk the stage this coming May, I will meet this juncture with fluttering butterflies in my stomach, a head full of new visions and ideas, and a heart filled with the hope that I can somehow leave a beautiful mark on this world.

Where ever my path leads me next, I want to continue sharing my passions with others. My love for handmade has connected me with talented, creative people and I hope to keep meeting more of them every day. I hope to keep growing in this experience and I hope to keep pushing my own creative boundaries as much as possible.

As the new year approaches, I can't wait to see what wonderful changes lie ahead of me.

Fabric as Far as the Eye Can See. . . . .

Alas, I have left the city for the summer and I find myself back in my hometown for a short time. Before the semester gets too crazy, manic and hectic, I’m spending a few days with mi familia!

My mother and I planned to hunt for new fabrics for my shop and try out a few new patterns while I was here during the week. I kid you not, less than 24hrs after my arrival, we found ourselves elbow deep in yards upon yards of remnant fabrics and linen prints.

It's a bit ridiculous, but my mother and I are somewhat like two children in a candy store when we step foot into a fabric store. . . . .Look at this one! Wow, check out this one! OH MY GOODNESS! LOOK AT THIS FABRIC! I MUST HAVE IT!

We have too much fun in a fabric store. (our bills and receipts are proof!) When I got home, all the fun managed to spill out onto our living room floor and engulf a large portion of it. Later in the evening my mother and I paired all the fabrics together and determined which tote or clutch the fabrics would soon become.

At this moment, there are THIRTY potential bags nestled together on my living room floor. I counted and recounted, and I still counted THIRTY bags! I will be a busy, busy bee the next week turning out all THIRTY bags – Keep an eye out for them!

Goodness, time has flown by so fast! Once again, I’m a bit behind on my blog updates. . .

So last week was exhausting! I drove late Monday night to San Antonio to welcome home one of my friends who has been in Italy for the summer. My boss was cool cool cool and gave me the next day off so I could actually sleep a bit then drive back to Austin whenever. My visit with him and our other friends was awesome! The only downside of the trip was that I discovered I am WICKED allergic to his loveable cat, Pumpkin. I seriously could not breathe when I woke the next morning!

Even though I felt awful, nothing was going to stop me from attending my last crafty business class for the summer! Jennifer wrapped up our last class on Tuesday with tons of helpful information about really taking your business to the next level. I’m so hooked on the idea of really pursuing my own business – I hope I can keep up with everything once the semester begins!

It literally took me until today to recoup from last week – after Tuesday my week consisted of more workouts, late nights sewing, and more travel! Sunday I drove to College Station to have a meeting with my campus organization advisors. After the three hour meeting (crazy!), I visited a few friends who successfully convinced me to stay in CS that night and drive back the next day for work.

I don’t know about you, but I have never considered myself a ‘normal college student.’ Unfortunately, I do not possess the ability to stay up til 3 in the morning, then roll out of bed the next morning early and actually function the rest of the day. I need AT LEAST 8 hours of sleep every night. Last week, that did not happen. That’s why it’s literally taken me a week to get back to feeling normal!

Now that I’m well rested, I’m ready to finish out my last week of my internship in Austin. After Monday, I’m headed back to my hometown for a few days then back again to College Station for the fall semester.

The summer has gone by too fast. . . .

Blah, Blah, Blah. . .

Okay, so I’m way behind on updating my blog – so many exciting things have happened since my last post!

Here goes. . .

-I made my fifth sale last week – Whoop! (ps. I’m an Aggie. . . )

-I had my first photo shoot! Check out the photos here: www.flickr.com/photos/leahface

-I finally received my new shipment of fabrics, magnetic snaps, rings, etc.

-My roommate and I snuck into a Holiday Inn to go swimming – I know, we’re rebels.

-I had my second business class with Jennifer Perkins !!!!!!!!! www.naughtysecretaryclub.com/shop

-I received my first order of business cards – now I’m professional :)

-I started week two of a nine week running program - come September, I'm entering a 5k marathon!

-I saw the movie Wanted.

-I introduced two new patterns to my shop!

-I watched the entire set of The Cosby Show - Season 1 while I worked on Bonnie clutches and Annie totes. Tons of laughter, smiles, and warm, fuzzy feelings went into each item produced during the viewing of those episodes :)

And to start this week right, I’m driving to San Antonio today to pick up one of my closest guy friends from the airport. He’s been in Italy for a little over a month now, and I’m dying to see him!

Life, is good ;)

Don’t forget to check out my new items, as well as my new photos! (I’m wearing Olivia Newton John-ish pants from the last number in Grease – you know you want to check it out!)

http://www.austinnicole.etsy.com/

www.flickr.com/photos/leahface