We Will Always Have Paris

Local News: "Accessories Of Old" In Frederick, MD Closing Their Doors

When I heard the news that "Accessories of Old" was planning to close their doors, I actually felt like I'd been kicked in the gut.  I immediately e-mailed Uncle Andy to confirm the rumour and I'm terribly sad to report that it is true.  This local treasure will be closing their doors in Frederick, MD at the end of November.  All merchandise is 50% off until they close.  If you've never been (click here to read my review), go now.  NOW!  You'll never find such an enormous selection of vintage findings in this part of the country.  Stock up on sequins, handstitched French trims, crystals, Bakelite buckles and so much more.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news....

Local News: Hobby Lobby Coming To D.C. Area!

Woo hoo!  Local gals are finally going to get a chance to use their printable Hobby Lobby coupons!

My friend Larcy just e-mailed me the following:

According to Larcy, they're opening a Hobby Lobby in Columbia, MD as well!  Now, if I could just get one a little closer to the Leesburg/Ashburn/Sterling area....
 

Local Find: Accessories of Old in Frederick, MD

 

I spent a good chunk of a recent Saturday morning in a little store in Frederick, Maryland that might as well be renamed "Heaven on Earth".  Oh my!  Suni & I have talked about this boutique trim shop for years.  They recently moved from Bethesda to Frederick -- much more convenient to me!

You'll want to take a minute and check out the store's back story.  Then come back to me here.... 

Now you know why I want I was so desperate to get to "Accessories of Old".  True vintage trim.  Not Tinsel Trading reproduction.  This is the real stuff.

Good friends Suni and Carmen met me in the rain early Saturday morning.  We stood out in the cold drizzle, peering through the windows and waiting for the store to open (we were early!).  As soon as owner Andrew spotted us, he threw open the doors and I swear I stepped into crafter's paradise. 

 
Row after row of vintage ribbons...

 

Boxes of vintage buckles...  Bakelite anyone?

 
Sequins & beads still wrapped in the brown paper they were packaged in almost 100 years ago!
 

 
Check out the gorgeous packaging on these hair clips!  Suni & I were tempted to buy them just for the imagery!

I fell in love with this vintage trim as soon as I laid eyes upon it.  Mama needs!

If you can't make it out to Frederick, I have great news for "Summer in Paris" students & croppers -- "Accessories of Old" will be one of our featured vendors during Saturday's (August 28, 2010) "Vendor Night".  They'll be hauling out a ton of trims & accessories for you to drool over & purchase.  Start saving those pennies right now!!

For my out-of-area readers, "Accessories of Old" does a good chunk of their business on-line.  The same treasures I was able to "ooh" & "aah" over are available to you. 

Local gals should make a day trip up to Frederick.  There's so much to do & see (& eat) in the historic downtown area.  Top Chef finalist Brian Voltaggio's "Volt" restaurant is located across the street from "Accessories of Old".  My friends know that I have the worst housewife crush on Brian & the only reason I haven't eaten at the restaurant is that I'm terrified I'll make a gigantic ass out of myself by giggling like a schoolgirl.  After you hit up "Accessories of Old", make sure you go next door to "Tiara Day".  I could have easily dropped some serious cash on French decor items and vintage hats.  Instead, I opted for an old fashioned handkerchief holder.  I've always wanted one & was thrilled to find more than one to choose from!

As always, I'm happy to enable others in spending their money!  When you see Andy at "Accessories of Old", tell him Korie from We Will Always Have Paris sent you.  And then give him a hug from me.

ScrapMania! in Hagerstown, MD Closing Their Doors

I received a letter from ScrapMania! in Hagerstown, MD this afternoon, announcing that their store is closing.  Another one bites the dust.

They are having an invitation-only closing sale from November 12th through the 18th.  Check your mailbox for your invitation (or call the store & see if they can get you one (?)).  They are selling off all furniture & fixtures as well.  Not to be a vulture here, but if you want to "plus up" your own studio with paper racks & slatwall, you might want to give them a call.  Some of my favorite studio pieces came from Cami's Paperie, Artfully Scribed, Rubber Chicken & Recollections.

Another sad day for local scrapbookers.  This one hurt me pretty hard because they had the best selection of Bazzill & they always seemed to have the new "hot" item.

Bummer....

Scrap-Masters is Bel Air, MD Closing

Jeez Louise!  What is up with the stores in this area?  I just received the following e-mail from my friend Larcy (thanks for the heads up Larcy...  Marlynn, you're out.  Larcy's my new BFF again!):

To our friends and customers,

Last year was full of historic events that will be remembered for generations. From the major challenges in banking, Wall Street, real estate and for many businesses to a renewed hope for real systemic change in Washington , conservation, energy, foreign policy and domestic investments... it's been a whirlwind of a year and we're very excited to be part of America as it tackles these challenges in 2009 and beyond. 

On the business side, we also endured a milder but no less exiting and challenging year. Like all retailers, we've felt the impact of the financial times on our customers and friends while contending with higher rents, utilities, shipping and product costs. At the same time, and on a big positive, our customer base grew by over five hundred percent in a year, our product offering more than tripled and we launched new warehouses and shipping operations that enabled us to offer our customers many new products and great prices during these tough times. This business is and always has been fun as you know we place customers first in everything we do and enjoy doing so; last year was no exception, as we had the honor of sharing the life stories of our customers in a very unique way. We've also enjoyed a fun and full year of great classes from our teachers, photography events, major artist events, garage sales, crops, parties, Toys for tots, Diva events and more.

Moving from the past to our future, it's time for us to make some difficult but critical changes in our business operations this year. Looking at the opportunities and also the demands on our family, we've decided to close our premier store in Bel Air, MD at the end of January 2009. It's tough closing a space with so many wonderful customers and something you love, but moving the store to a new location was inevitable in 2009 and we've been looking for ways to work more closely as a single team. Weighing the costs of moving ourselves and fragmenting our efforts again in 2009, we've decided to focus our team on online growth this coming year.

With these changes, Scrap-Masters.com will continue to thrive and all our customers can expect exciting new changes and events in 2009. With fewer burdens on high rents and a fast growing online store, you'll see a continued increase in our new product offerings at very competitive prices. Unlike other online sites, you'll also have a chance to keep the personal contact you've come to expect, as we will also be staging a number of events for our customers throughout the year. Please make sure you stay active on our news mailing list or website to see these fun events as they are announced.

Thank you and best wishes,

Cathy & David
ScrapMasters

Another one bites the dust...

Another Store Up For Sale: Scrap Mania! in Hagerstown, MD

I just received this e-mail over the weekend. This does not bode well for our area:

Dear Valued Customers:

September 15th marked the sixth anniversary since the opening of ScrapMania! These past six years have been filled with many special times and great memories. We have seen the store grow by giant steps as we expanded within the first year, increased our inventory, and took on several new vendors who have been instrumental to the success we have enjoyed. And we have had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with many fine people and have built friendships with many of our customers.

But, time stands still for no man and situations have a way of changing such that we find ourselves in the position of needing to make some difficult decisions. The first such decision is to announce that after much consideration and prayer it is our desire to sell ScrapMania! We have seen ourselves grow with the store, but now feel it is time to turn it over to another party with energy, fresh ideas, and new vision. At the present time we do not have any intentions of closing.

Should you have the interest, drive, and passion for scrapbooking needed to operate your own store, please contact us for further details concerning the sale of ScrapMania! Serious inquiries only, please. A confidentiality agreement would need to be executed prior to disclosing sales and financial details.

Sincerely,

Sherrie Zlomke

ScrapMania!

18710 Crestwood Drive

Hagerstown, Maryland 21742

(301) 393-9111

Martha? At Wal-Mart?

Sweet Nerissa just sent me a couple of photos she took with her cell phone at Wal-Mart the other day (she apologizes for the lousy resolution):

Martha Stewart Crafts is now at Wal-Mart (at least in Delaware)!  Oh my holy heck!  What is the world coming to?

Have any of you spotted the MSC line at your local Wal-Mart?

Ribbon Heaven!

Last Wednesday I hit up the Offray ribbon factory in Hagerstown, Maryland in preparation for my upcoming "Summer in Paris" retreat.  If you've never been to the factory, it is well worth the drive!

They wouldn't let me take pictures inside (because it would conflict with their website?  wha?), but I did take some pictures of what $28.56 will get you there:

• 540 yards of wired tinsel ribbon for my upcoming pennant banner kits
• 375 yards of grosgrain
• 25 yards of rose colored lace
• 200 yards of linen ribbons
• 150 yards of organza ribbons
• 50 yards of twill

That's right... 1,340 yards of ribbon for less than $30.00.  I love that place!

If you live in the metro-D.C. area, the ribbon factory outlet is located at 857 Willow Circle in Hagerstown, MD.  They are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.  I highly recommend calling them at 301-745-4714 before driving out there, as they don't always stick to their set hours.  Also, I received a notice that their hours will change on June 3, 2008 to 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Happy shopping!

Crop Til Ya Drop In Frederick, MD Up For Sale

Thanks to Marlynn, Laura & Angela for this little tidbit:

Dear Scrapbookers, 

We opened Crop til-ya Drop on Friday, December 2, 2005.  From day one, you greeted us with excitement and enthusiasm.  You stopped by the store to share your photos and your scrapbook pages.  You attended crops and classes where you created wonderful memories.  We have built some wonderful relationships which we will cherish forever.

Today, Bonnie and I have decided that after almost two and a half years we must say goodbye.  While we love the fellowship with all of our wonderful customers, the time commitment involved in running a business has become too much for us to bear at this time.  The reasoning is twofold.

First, for the past two years I have been working about 55-60 hours a "week" in order to cover the store hours and to complete all of the tasks and paperwork related to running the business.  This has taken a huge toll on me.  I simply do not have the drive or the energy needed to keep up this pace.  And therefore I can no longer commit the hours needed to run the business properly.

Secondly, we approached this business opportunity with the mindset that it would enhance our family lifestyle.  But in fact, it has had the opposite affect.  As many of you already know we have two wonderful children, ages 5 and 2.  With the store open 6 days a week, including both weekend days, we have had to split the working hours between us leaving only one parent with the children on the weekend days while the other parent is at the store.  And some weekends we both have had to work at the store leaving our children with our wonderful Grandparents.  Prior to opening the business we were able to enjoy many weekends with our oldest child, going places and doing fun things.  But since we opened the store we have only been able to enjoy a few weekends with the entire family.  Bonnie and I strongly believe that family time is very important to our children and for this reason we can no longer justify the weekend commitment.

So we are putting Crop til-ya Drop up for sale.  If you are interested in purchasing this wonderful business, please contact us at the store or by phone at 301-846-9007.  Please only serious inquires.  You will need to sign a confidentiality agreement prior to negotiations.

Please note that we will continue to operate the business as normal until we sell the business.  So if you are scheduled for a crop session or a class they will still happen as planned.

Again, Bonnie and I want to thank all of our loyal customers.  You have made this adventure an exciting and memorable one.

Happy Scrapbooking,

Bonnie and Ralph

Farewell To The Coop

Saturday's Rubber Chicken Flea Market was a wonderful farewell to a great store.  Tons of old & new customers stopped by to say goodbye.  Thank you so much to all of you who stopped by my booth to introduce yourself & let me know that you read this little 'ol blog.  I was overwhelmed by your kindness.  I didn't have much time to take pics, but I was able to shoot a couple:

A trunkfull of designer fabric swatches.  I plan to do a fabric book this Summer, but I still have twice this much fabric at home.  (Thanks again for all of the fabric Chrissi R.!)

Antique windows for an upcoming class.  I picked up waaaayyyy too many & hubby is none-too-pleased with the amount of space they take up in the garage.

Cakes.  Lots & lots of cakes.

So... how many artists does it take to set up a tent?

The best part of this event was the chance to hang out with good friends on the first warm day of Spring: