Personalized Picture Keychain

 

I just made this custom photo key chain for a customer and I thought it was so cute that I should share it with you. What a perfect gift for the mother who has everything. Plus these key chains are super-functional because they keep your keys from dropping to the bottom of your bag!

At only $16, you can get one for each person on your list without breaking the bank. Learn more here.

California Wedding Wristlets in Action

Back in March I told you about an upcoming wedding in sunny California and showed you these wristlets. Recently, my customer checked back in with me and posted this lovely picture of the couple and their attendants, each with a Laura Bee Designs wristlet.

I dig the green dresses in various shades, paired with cowboy boots. Don't they look like they're having the best time?

Thanks Danielle, for making LBD a small part of your wedding day!

Staying Optimistic with Your Support

As I begin planning our 9 Year Anniversary party, I find myself reflecting on the journey I've taken since opening up shop on the corner of 65th and 20th in Ballard in 2002. At that time, I'd sold bags for about a year at local craft shows and two home boutique shows.

The customers who bought my bags way back then gave me the courage to keep trying, keep designing, and continue building my dream business.  

Heartfelt thanks to all of my customers - old and new. Thank you for coming back to shop at LBD for the last nine years. I can't wait to see what the next nine look like.

Along the way some amazing women have worked with me cutting and sewing bags, decorating windows, doing year-end inventory, and above all, custom designing personalized accessories. Thank you to my inspiring staff.


I count my blessings each day that I get to do what I love, and share my obsession with fabric, buttons, and design with customers old and new. It's not always easy; other small business owners know the optimism and fortitude it takes to believe that customers will keep coming day after day, year after year.

I am in this business for the long haul, and plan to make bags and accessories for the next decade and beyond.

I must be honest: Times are tough for everyone, and Laura Bee Designs is not immune to economic downturns. We appreciate your support and purchases now more than ever.

Despite the economic news of late, I'm stocking the store with great stuff - scarves ($18-$30), bracelets ($3-$28), necklaces ($12-$40) and tons of other great gifts arrive each week. Of course, we have lots of new custom bag materials and designs too.

Let's shove pessimism to the side and embrace optimism (and bright color), as we count our blessings heading into the holiday season.

Wedding Collection: Black and Red and Classic All Over

Wedding season extends through September in Seattle. Rich colors, especially reds, are perfect for the fall season and pair beautifully with the gorgeous dahlias in bloom right now.


Our customer on this collection was a thoughtful bride who wanted to capture each of her bridesmaid's personalities with her design choices.


I love the layered tuxedo look on this clutch. The red satin pleated ribbon perfectly sets off the off-white damask stripe.


The vintage silver-tone flower button makes the clutch one-of-a-kind, just like the girl carrying it.

Bad Girl Bracelets

Bad Girl Bracelets, originally uploaded by Laura Bee Seattle.

Wear one of these bracelets, and your inner rock star is bound to come out and sing.

$21, available in our shop, or call to order 206.789.4044.

September News & Website Newbies

Eleanor in Vine and Black Floral, Order here.

I admit that autumn is my favorite season. I love the cozy crisp feeling of the seasons changing. The textures and colors in autumn clothing make me happy.

With those thoughts in mind, I released the latest Laura Bee Designs newsletter yesterday. You can read it here. I know that inboxes can get clogged, so I strive to keep the my emails infrequent (monthly) and compelling. I also include special deals for subscribers. Sign up here.

Right now we also have a deal on web only orders. Enter the code OTIS$SEPT2011 in the coupon code box when you check out, and save $10 when you spend $30 or more before shipping costs. This offer expires September 28th.

I've posted lots of new stuff on the website recently. Check out the newbies here.

Chimp Rescue Donation: Annie & Burrito Love to Eat-o

For the last few years, we've made and donated items to the Chimp Sancutary NW auction each fall. This year I made two of our larger photo notebooks.


The seven chimps who live there were rescued from medical testing and brought to the NW to live out their golden years. You can read more about their amazing stories here.


The photographs the chimps' caregivers post on the sanctuary blog are incredible. I've chosen two of my favorites for this project. (Annie eating broccoli, right, and Burrito considers a coconut, left.)

Introducing Brulee Faux Leather

Image courtesy of http://www.baseballbakingandbooks.com

Our newest glossy faux leather is a warm golden tan color that is complex and delicious. After much brainstorming, Kim came up with the name Brulee, which is perfect.


This color is light and rich at the same time. It's a great alternative to brown, black or gray.


It's always great fun to make something out of a brand new material, and I had a great time sewing this Beatrice and matching wristlet. We've had this green brocade disk ribbon in our collection for some time, but it feels totally fresh and new when paired with Brulee.

Introducing Cognac Faux Leather

The caramel tones of cognac are rich, mysterious, and sophisticated.

Eve Bag in Cognac & Black, originally uploaded by Laura Bee Seattle.

The same can be said of our new Glossy Cognac faux leather. This gorgeous warm brown pairs beautifully with black, as shown in the Eve bag above, making it quite versatile.



Purchase this Eve online here.

Ruched Bridal Clutch

clutch_bridal, originally uploaded by Laura Bee Seattle.

While the average bride never wears her wedding dress again, she can carry their bridal bag years into the future, no matter how much waistlines and fashions change.

A special bridal bag can be used on dinner out each anniversary, and ultimately passed along as a 'something borrowed' to future generations.

Wedding season continues, and I've made many wedding collections thus far in 2011. Most focus on bridesmaid gifts, sometimes to the neglect of the bride herself. Even if a bride doesn't carry much in a purse on her special day, she'll need some tissues, lipstick, and her phone and/or camera.

The bride who designed the above bag chose a lovely soft blue lining as her 'something blue.'

Summer's Last Splash Sale!

 Have you seen our most recent newsletter? We're having a great sale through the end of August. Click here to get the details.

Why am I showing you pictures of mini wallets? Well, you'll need to hop on over to our Facebook page here to find out! We're having flash sales on various products through August 31st. You don't have to be a Facebooker to visit our page, so don't miss out.

Seasons

Richmond Beach, originally uploaded by Laura Bee Seattle.

Working in retail means that I'm usually thinking at least one season ahead: Hot summer sun equals thoughts of autumn colors, scarf orders, and cozy socks to sell.

Still, sometimes it's important to sit in the moment and enjoy a little sun on my (SPF 50 protected) face.

Happy August everyone.

Dog Days of Summer: Part III

We don't want to neglect our feline friends! Here's a photo pillow that I recently made for a customer to give as a birthday gift. The paprika suede complements the green of the background and the cat's eyes.

Customers often ask me for advice on what image color works best on our custom photo products. They wonder if they should use the color version of an image, or if they should elect to switch the image to black and white or sepia. This pillow is an example of a good use of a color image. The colors are central to the look of the image, and without the green, the cat would read as mostly mid-tone shades of gray.

I think that sepia and black and white are great options for pictures of people especially, because they eliminate the clutter of random clothing colors and keep the focus on the faces.

Order your own Custom Photo Pillow here.

Dog Days of Summer: Part II

I will admit that my favorite of our Custom Photo Products is our little notebook. I just love this pocket-sized pad for its cuteness and functionality. We made these with the little composition notepads that can be found at most drugstores and office supply stores, making refills easy.

Here are two that I made recently for a customer. She chose glossy black for the exteriors of each, and a fun pop of color for the interior.

 

Because she couldn't decide which of these adorable images to use on this special gift, we added a second image in the inside cover of this notebook.

Order your own custom photo notebook here. Additional image is $8, and must be added in our Seattle store or via email.

Dog Days of Summer: Part One

We've been busy with custom photo products lately, especially those featuring our canine friends. Here's a whole batch of checkbooks we made featuring the gorgeous professional photography of Barbara Karant.

In addition to taking portraits of furry clients (above) Barbara is active in Greyhound rescue, and many of the photo products we make for her are designed as fundraisers for this worthy cause.

PS - Checkbooks may seem old-fashioned or charmingly retro, depending on your perspective. We sell a lot of them. They can be used in alternate ways too; the two interior pockets are perfect for coupons and receipts.

Order your own Custom Photo Checkbooks here.

Clara Wristlets made with New Faux Leathers

Clara Wristlets made with New Faux Leathers, originally uploaded by Laura Bee Seattle.

Now that you've seen our new collection of premium faux leathers, I thought I'd share my first batch of products made with these gorgeous materials. You can see that our popular Sonic Bloom ribbon looks lovely which each of the new colors.

Clara features an exterior rear zipper pocket and a roomy main compartment. Order this Clara here.

Premium Clara wristlet in Vine, Macaroon, Blueberry or Mushroom - $48.

Our Latest Premium Faux Leathers

Fall 2011 Faux Leather Collection, originally uploaded by Laura Bee Seattle.

I'm excited to share our latest materials with you. I've been playing with these for a couple of weeks now, prepping samples and coming up with names. Some of you even helped with naming these via our Facebook page.

These faux leathers are buttery in texture and are softer and more pliable than our regular collection. You can swing by our shop to see them in person, and they can be incorporated into custom design right away.

Over the next week, I'll post pictures of bags made with the new collection here, and I'll also offer some new stuff in our web store. Stay tuned!

Vine is a complex green and brown metallic.
Macaroon is a delicious cream and gold confection.
Blueberry is matte blue with the yummy texture of its namesake.
Mushroom is a matte warm gray.

Tuesdays in Ballard: All Earrings on Sale for One Day Only

This Tuesday in Ballard, we're shining the spotlight on one of our best-selling items: Earrings.

Buy any pair of earrings in the store, and we'll give you 50% off a second pair (of equal or less value). This discount is offered for Tuesday, July 26th only, and isn't valid with any other offer.

After you swing by our shop for some new ear candy, head down to central Ballard for the Pub and Grub crawl. Print this passport before you go.

Clara Wristlet: Navy with Peacocks

 This navy blue microsuede wristlet showcases one of my favorite ribbons. I think these peacocks are charming and special.

As always, our very popular Clara has an exterior zipper pocket - perfect for stashing your iPhone, as in this photo. Clara is available with either a fabric strap, or bangle (as shown).

$44, order via email, phone (206.789.4044) , or in our store.

Website Exclusive: Summer Locket Sale

We have a few of these bird lockets in stock, and I've marked them down 29% on our website. This discount applies to web orders only. Click here to view and purchase.

This locket, the very version style we started carrying a few years ago, is also on sale. It's great quality and made in California. Click here to view and purchase.

Sale ends August 10th. Both styles are limited in supply, so don't delay your order.