My Day at Anthropologie

Yesterday I was able to attend the Display workshop at my local Anthropologie store. About every quarter, they invite customers to come and help with the making of some of the things they use in their displays. This one is for Earth Day, and they are doing a big peach tree in one of the major windows. Peaches to celebrate our famous Texas peaches from Fredericksburg. The design team had already constructed the peach forms from masking tape and plastic bags. Everything they make is from ordinary materials, and becomes "upcycled" into amazing things. Those of us who came to help were given the task of gluing torn bits of coffee filters to the shapes, basically we were making papier mache'. They looked pretty odd as their naked selves, but we were shown the sample of how they would look when painted and having leaves attached. The tree will have about 100 peaches on it. A couple of the design team members were making the leaves from wire and green landscape cloth, or painters canvas, I can't recall which they said. We were all seated at a long table in the middle of the store and other customers kept stopping by to see what we were doing, some of them joining in on the fun. They had lemonade and snacks and lots of good conversation going on round the table. I always enjoy myself when I go, and it is so fun to connect with other like-minded people. Everyone has a story, and they are all interesting to me. A couple of ladies had come over on their lunch hour, made some peaches, then went back to work. I'll be going back in a couple of weeks for their actual Earth Day celebration, and will take photos of the finished windows.

You can see the peach sample hanging from the top of the small blackboard. They had also done these seed sprouters using toilet paper tubes cut in half. They can be planted as is. They take the place of the peat pots you would have to buy.

Sweet Little Basil Sprouts

 

Naked funny looking peaches,waiting for their blush.

 

While there, I did stroll around and take a few photos of other things that caught my eye. As you all know, I love those Anthropologie displays.

 

Different size painted birdhouses clustered together

 

White porcelain and driftwood

 

Love these coral bowls and spoons, they were too pale in the photo, so I Lomo-ed them to make them more vibrant. Would make great ice-cream dishes.

 

Flowers covering one wall, made of dyed and twisted muslin.

 

An entire shelf of lamps.

 

That's all the Anthropologie I have for now.

Marching along

Ah the crazy month of March, it's slipping by.  Typical of March weather, we've had a few days in the mid-80s already, a Hail storm,which beat a lot of the fresh new growth off the trees.   Yesterday it was 80.  Hub and I went out around 7 p.m. to get a few items at the store.  Within an hour, the temp had dropped 20 degrees and the wind was howling.  Cold and windy last night, it's 52 this morning.  No one should pack away their sweaters and jackets just yet.  The weatherman forecasts, but Mother Nature keeps us guessing.

I've only been to Anthropologie a couple of times in the last two months.  They were just getting their spring displays installed a couple of weeks ago.  Here's a few, taken with my camera that is needing to be retired, as it's auto-focus is beginning to act up.  Trying to decide if I will buy a new small camera or just wait till I get a smart phone and use that.

 arrangement of tiny seed boxes

 

tiny boxes up close

 Paper flowers, left side

 Paper flowers, right side

Paper flowers, close up. I love the shadows!

 Bakers rack, with boxes set in shelves for storage.

 

Table setting.

 

"cardboard" cookies under glass

 

Golden timers

 

Blue and Chartreuse

 

Faux Stag Horn Ferns

 

A wee bit of Artwork

This is the most recent work I did, and it was a few weeks ago, while at my other house. I don't have many art supplies there so I just used what I could get my hands on at the time.  Some scrapbook paper, magazines to rip up, a couple of photographs, an old glue stick. I made all of these quick collages one evening while sitting in front of the fireplace, listening to music. It took me back to my beginning days of collage, when I worked with very few supplies, mostly just "found" stuff. I think my collages made me much happier then, as they were more intuitive, and  much simpler/spare. I did not get caught up in all of the purchased stuff that I have to sift through now.  There is something to be said for simplicity don't you think?   I made them to fit this old wrought iron frame easel stand "thingie" that I have had for years.  I cut up some cardboard packing boxes for the backs to give them some body.

Even though I called them done and left them alone, I'm not saying I may not add more to a couple of them later.  I'm not sure, in looking at these photos now, that there aren't a couple of them that could use a little something more. I'm pretty happy with 1, 2, and 5.  I think #3 needs a bit more somewhere, and #4 could really use some paint over those circles that were already on the paper.  But they are fine for now, until I get back there again.

A long time gone from here

It's been months since I've been by here, so I'll just start with a bunch of Anthropologie photos, all taken over some time.  First, Austin in the Domain store, a set up like a coffee shop.

 Coffee rings stamped on a large canvas panel.

 

 

Miscellaneous displays on a trip to same store a few weeks later.

 Chartruese bowls, my favorite color.

 Hanging metal discs on wall painted with blue chevron pattern

 metal discs, staples, paper clips on burlap netting.

 Assorted frames painted bright green

 Pretty pillow

Stencilled table runner

 Pennies glued to fabric in green frame

 Paint splattered display table

 

 

 

 

 

still in love

With Anthropologie. When I'm feeling blue and haven't created anything...I often head off for a trip to Anthropologie. There are two in town, with a totally different vibe in each one. The downtown one is larger and has a little more of the Austin feeling. The one in The Domain is smaller and has a more upscale retail mall feel. Even though they have the same merchandise, just different design teams.

I've been posting most of my Anthro photos lately directly to Flickr, so I haven't kept the blog up to date. I still get very enthused and want to rush home and "make something".

These are all from the Downtown location, 6th St. and Lamar.

Fabric/felt board behind iron bed.



Yellow shoes and fabric cacti



Flowers made from hot glue, and sign made from wire.



Slides on wires strung across display niche.

Close-up of ceramic horse head.


Close-up of slides



Giant chandelier made of film slides, and close-up. That is the hubster standing in the shot to show the scale of this thing.



They were working on their window display to celebrate Earth Day this week-end, and it was looking very exciting. I'm planning on going back on Saturday as I will be downtown for other Earth Day festivities.