A Creative Business

The view of my desk...the much used 10-Key, plus some paper patchwork destined for greeting cards.

Fly Away Home

Ashley says that ladybugs have invaded her house, and that they can be quite pesty. You might find them to be cute and charming. If so you might like our newest 'buddy' wristlet...this lady bug is stitched to a turquoise grosgrain ribbon atop glossy black Naugahyde.

Tool of the Month - Straight Pins

The humble pin is not to be taken for granted. It holds layers of fabric in place for us to sew them together. Our bags have several layers of structure, so each pin may slide through six layers at a time.

We favor the long pins used by quilters, rather than the small short pins used by dressmakers. The quilt pins have large yellow heads and are thick and strong. Below is a sad picture of the state our pins were in recently. Having served us well, they were bent, twisted and ready to retire.

Help Wanted

We're hiring! This is basically the ad that's running on Craig's List.

We are looking for a fun-loving, crafty person to join our team. Laura Bee Designs is a custom accessory studio and retail store. We need a smart cookie who has the following qualities: great people skills, sewing experience, production prowess, design sensibility. Duties will include sewing, cutting, assembly, customer service, and assisting customers with their custom designs.

Part time position with growth opportunities. Must be willing to work Saturdays, be articulate, and sport a positive attitude. Position begins in July. Schedule and # of hours TBD. Visit our website to learn more about our company. http://www.laurabeedesigns.com No calls please.

Email your resume with cover letter that explains why you would be a good fit with our company.

PS - I have finally figured out the digital camera not talking to the computer dilemma that's been plaguing me of late. Stay tuned for more photo-filled blog entries.

Sew Geeky

A heavenly way to spend an evening:


1.) Set up laptop on bathroom counter with WIFI internet access

2.) Soak in hot tub with a fizzy bath bomb by Bliss Soaps

3.) Listen to a podcast by Jennifer of CraftSanity.

Special favorites are interviews with Denyse Schmidt and Alicia Paulson.

Check out CraftSanity.

Learn about Bliss Soaps, of Seattle.

Beta Tester

This is Stella, the fashionable French Bulldog puppy. Not only is she pals with shop dog Otis, she's our official collar tester. Yes, that's right, we're working on a line of custom dog collars and the turquoise polka dot one that Stella sports in these pictures is a prototype.



Thanks to Stella's dog mom Julie for suggesting dog collars to us as a product idea. We're having the best time developing them. Right now we're finalizing the sizes (from Pomerainian to Great Dane) and getting the adjustable hardware, etc all ready for release.

My Mother

My mother, Sharon Dwyer Buzard, taught me everything about living a creative life. When I was little, she brought me along to school with her while she worked on her MFA. I would putter on the floor with my own acrylics while she painted. Later, I'd come home from high school and she'd be teaching drawing and painting to adults in her studio in our house. On weekends we'd hit up the local antique shows - I collected antique dishes at a strangely early age.

There are other, more subtle ways of living a creative life that are tough to articulate. My mother has always appreciated the quirkiness of people. She's always had friends who are much older and much younger than she, I think because she finds something to learn from each person. Throughout her life, she's enjoyed the company of people who've emigrated from the world over - Russia, Germany, Persia. There is something creative about this kind of broad social interaction. I remember her telling me, when I was very little, "Smart people never get bored." There's too much to be curious about.

Now she works as an interior designer, and I always enjoy hearing about the cast of artisans she commissions for her projects. The seamstresses, painters, wall-paper hangers, weavers and carpenters come from all walks of life, and all earn my mother's respect. They work together to achieve a creative end - a room, apartment, piece of furniture.

I can see my mom's influence in this place that I've ended up - making things for a living, working with a great team of creative people, enjoying simple interactions with customers and vendors. I treasure every moment. Thanks Mom.

(PS - That's my mom holding my sister, and me in the little red strawberry dress, circa 1975.)

Yo Mamma II

Yo Mamma

The Mother's Day orders have been special treats for us. Thanks to all of our customers who brought in their treasured family photos, and allowed us to create something new with them. The baby in this photo is all grown up. She brought this sweet photograph to us to make a checkbook cover for her mother. Love the plaid dress, and the old school square photo with the white border.

Introducing Alex

She's spunky and spirited, smart and stylish. Our newest big bag is vertical and roomy. The printed exterior panel hides an exterior zip pocket. The asymetrical piecing makes Alex stand out from the crowd.

Honey Bee

More earrings.

Individualists

Can you guess which wristlet is for the bride? She chose an individual color palette for each bridesmaid to carry with her neutral dress. We selected the accent ribbon for each bag and the vintage button embellishment.

Fan Mail

(Sorry if it's immodest to post these props, but it just tickles me when we receive happy customer messages, so I had to share!)

Hi,
I can't help myself, I just had to write you guys a note saying how much I LOVE my photo wallet and wristlet. It is a mother's day present and my mom is going to love it!!! I am truly amazed at how incredible the quality of your works are, the friendliness of your staff, and the speed at which these were sent to me!!!! So, I just wanted to thank Laura Bee!

Sincerely,
Zaneta

She's a Keeper

One question that people often ask is if I have a huge collection of handbags. I think they picture a huge wall of purses that I can choose from every day and change frequently like shoes. Another version of this question is, "Do you ever make something that you just have to keep for yourself."

My rather disappointing answer is that I do have a bunch of bags, but they are usually experiments that I'm testing before I sell them. Since I make all of the patterns from scratch, I often play the mad scientist with structure. I'll change materials, or hardware, add a zipper here, change a closure there. So I like to take these experimental bags for a test drive - to really throw them around - before I launch the pattern into production.

The new bag above is the Amy sample that's hanging in the store. I made a coordinating wristlet for fun. These are definite Laura colors - green, rust brown, etc, so I'm tempted to keep her. But I'd rather send her out into the world on a fresh new shoulder to be filled with a wallet and keys, and other stuff that's not mine.

Mailing List Perks

She Sells Seashells

I made these new simple earrings recently, inspired by the lovely shell disks that remind me of summer. Above, pink shell with faceted bronze glass beads. $16

These abalone shells have so many colors floating in their steely depths. Pewter lotus blossoms dangle. $16

White shell glistens in the light, and sage Swarovski pearls float beneath. $16

See more jewelry.

You are Here

These glass pebble charms by Cyn City are quite popular in our shop. Pictured above are the best-selling styles. The Seattle map is a great gift for those who've moved away from our fair city. The Ballard map references our favorite Seattle neighborhood. To know Ballard is to love it for its mix of industrial grit, water views, and Nordic history.

Now for sale on our website too.

Silver Silk

We recently made this petite purse for a bride who wanted something to match the silver accents on her white dress. The silver dupioni silk purse with tulle and sequins embellishments is something she'll be able to use in the future for an evening out. How about honeymoon dinners and anniversary celebrations?

Going to a Garden Party

Too many toys