Hi everybody. Allow me to introduce Andrew. He's the engaging and charismatic guy who, together with his wife Lisa, own and operate one of the best vintage notions shops in the country -- Accessories of Old in Bethesda, Maryland.
To say that their shop is a treasure trove is an understatement. There are vintage trims, vintage ribbons,
vintage buttons, vintage millinery flowers...
and oodles and oodles of vintage seed beads that are still in their brown paper packages and have not seen the light of day in over 50 years! ALL vintage!
The goods in their shop are fabulous but, honestly...
it's their friendliness, their positive life attitude, and their willingness to build relationships for the long haul that makes Accessories of Old unique and worth going back to over and over again...
Yesterday, I had to conduct "real business" with Andrew and Lisa because we are planning to host an exclusive opening of their shop on a Sunday in May when Allison Aller will be in town teaching her Crazy for Flowers workshop.
They both agreed, without reservation, to open their shop on Sunday and offer a special shopping event to our Guild. Woohoo!!!
Now, Andrew and Lisa deserve the Best Buddy award for that feat alone but...they also deserve it for giving me EIGHT cards of vintage glass buttons to giveaway to all of you!
These cards are unbelievably pristine and gorgeous -- and I have EIGHT to giveaway!
So here's what I need you to do...leave a comment on this post and answer this question..."If you had $100 to spend in Accessories of Old...what would you most want to buy and why?"
I'll pick EIGHT winners from the comments I receive on Tuesday night and announce the winners on Wednesday morning. Have fun shopping!
Oh yeah, and should you click over to Accessories of Old and not see something you're looking for...don't hesitate to pick up the phone and call Lisa or Andrew. I guarantee you, they will go out of their way to assist!
P.S. Thanks for all the Pants Pants Revolution love from yesterday. You sure know how to make a girl feel good!
What a fantastic place! I could spend all day there! If I had $100.00 to spend I would by lots of buttons, some of the old pins, and maybe a little of just about everything! What a great giveaway! I love buttons! Especially old ones!
ReplyDeleteHave a Blessed Day,
Diane
Bpy, that is really a hard one. They have so much really great stuff. Probably on ribbons by the yards, plural, instead of just by the yard which is what I usually do.
ReplyDeleteOh Susan,
ReplyDeleteWhere do I start?
What heaven on earth tiss true :O)
If I had that money I would want anything of the french shabby chic style...ribbons/buttons/those beautiful flower s i had in my Christmas cracker from you..and fabrics...Oh and glass vintage beads too being a beader Hmmmmm? I THINK HAVE OVER SPENT ALREADY LOL!
Thank you for allowing us to follow your blog. I love you style/taste etc..it calls to my heart strings.
Hugs Pam UK
Oh-How could one decide how to spend $100? It would probably take me at least $200 to get out the door of that place!
ReplyDeleteBut if I must I would start with vintage nail heads. They make the best CQ spiders around. Then I would work on the ribbons. I adore real silk and even vintage rayons. Vintage montees are also a fav of mine as well as buttons. Did I tell you how much I love glass buttons?? Did they have lace, please tell me they have lace.....
Only $100? I could spend $1000 there sooooo easily.
ReplyDeleteI think I would buy vintage beads, button, and ribbon/trim that I couldn't find anywhere else, and some of those vintage millinery flowers (until I learn to make my own...)
That place is Heaven On Earth.
Their website is great, but it's your photos that make everything look especially tempting. I'd get brooches and buttons. Lots and lots of them.
ReplyDeleteI guess I would buy buttons, because I spent hours playing with the buttons box at my grand-mother's, and am still fascinated by some of them.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan, What a great give-away!!!! I would have to choose vintage trims!!! I love crochet laces and small doilies. VBH Debby in Michigan
ReplyDeleteOh I know this place is wonderful,and it is only 15 minutes from my house!!! This is a great thing Susan. Give me a call next time you go.
ReplyDeleteWow, I couldn't get out of there!! The marquisite is exciting, and the dress clips too. But the sequin appliques have my $100 along with the brooches.
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky to live close and be able to touch and feel!
Beads, baby... beads! I lurve vintage goodies and that place is my idea of heaven! Off to check out the website... and boy, don't I envy you having Allie to teach in a place like that! ***sigh***
ReplyDeleteLooks like wonderful place to visit. I could have a great time in the ribbon section, beads, trims, laces, those flowers look great too, along with buttons.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderfully dangerous store! If I had $100 to spend, I would get buttons and beads and lace and flowers and this and that and probably a little of everything!
ReplyDeleteSusan, awesome give-away!! I would just have the owner take a bag and put "stuff" in it until it equaled $100.00, then I would be off on my merry way to get home and "fondle" my new surprise stash!!! Oh, what fun!! Debbie (Maine)
ReplyDeletecampmoxie@yahoo.com.au
WOW that is one AWESOME shop and I'm going to have to take a more relaxed look at the site again!
ReplyDeleteNow as for what I'd buy with my spare $100, hmmm let's see:
Swarski crystals, vintage braids & trims, hand painted & MOP buttons, vintage Cluny laces, appealing Pins/Brooches and if by chance there is anything remaining check out the glass beads.
Thank you for your generosity along with the owners too. Good luck also to them on their Sunday opening!!!
Rose Anne, Winnipeg CANADA
raburdeny@yahoo.ca
Sounds like we're going to have to come back to MD to check out all the places we missed last fall! That shop certainly sounds like a tempting place....I think I'd want to sample a bit of everything, starting with the vintage laces. I'm sure $100 wouldn't last very long! Love those little shoe buttons...and all the others, too.
ReplyDeleteSusan,
ReplyDeleteAccessories of Old is a Crazy Quilters dream. I loved looking through all the pages. Fantastic. So I limited my spending to $100 for the giveaway.
Mind you at the end I noticed amazing trim but was already at the $100 limit. Is was this one:
A truly beautiful HAND - MADE trim using pearl beads and seed beads.
Flower shaped using pearl seed and pearl beads.
Measures 26mm wide.Made in France in the late 1940's.
Just gorgeous!!
here is my shopping cart:
Ecru-Sequins-Ecru-Waffle-Flat 4, 5 & 6mm S15 Sizes=4mm
Creme color Hand-Made Flower Shaped Seed & Bugle Bead Applique
Bugle beads-Crystal Silverlined -632- size 3
Bugle beads-Pink Champaigne-525- size 3"
1145-17-8-nav. German Flat-Back Sew On Crystal 17x8mm 1145 colors=Ruby AB
1193-19-9-pear. German Flat-Back Sew On Crystal 19x9mm 1193 colors=Light rose
Mother Of Pearl Vintage Button
Buttons-Glass foil back-Superior carved design-14mm/.5 inch 6 of these!!!
Blue Casein buttons in a floral design. Measures 29mm or 1 1/8".
Vintage Cluny Lace
Hounds Tooth-Blue (light), Vinatge
Swiss Ribbon-70mm
3000- Comet Argent- Swarovski Rhinestone-8mm 3 of these
I bookmarked this store. If I get some extra spending money i will certainly look here!
Thanks for the contest and new site.
Oh it would be so hard to decide, but the buttons and beads look delightful as well as the lace. I think I'd buy a little of everything!
ReplyDeleteOh, that's easy! The fabulous pearl tiara, no question. And some striped ribbons, and some millinery flowers.
ReplyDeleteYour posts about this wonderful shop in the past as well as this one have whetted my appetite for a visit one day! If I had $100 to spend... I'd get a sampler of items ~ bits of lovely ribbon trim, beautiful beads, an embellishment or two, some buttons, a few millinary flowers... am I at $100 yet (probably over!) What a delight it would be just to visit a shop like this!
ReplyDeleteI'd most want to buy buttons - glass or mother of pearl (for example, I like these ones: http://www.accessoriesofold.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=128&DEPARTMENT_ID=105 and http://www.accessoriesofold.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=1499&DEPARTMENT_ID=164) because I could use some buttons for my knitting projects. I'd probably also buy the Pearl White Barrette (http://www.accessoriesofold.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=769&DEPARTMENT_ID=218) just because I think it's pretty.
ReplyDeleteGreat looking shop, great blog and great giveaway! I think I'd go for ribbons, ribbons and more ribbons. A girl never can have enough.
ReplyDeleteNancy
oh Susan
ReplyDeletewot an unbeliverable treasure trove and the owners sound like they too are of the vintage era. if I had the money I would be into those magnificent flowers and the pins and oh heavens those gorjas ribbons such flowers I could create with them- but then thers those bags n bags of vintage seed beads n others- ooooh it would take me hours to make my selections and I believe Andrew and his wife would let me spend hours and hours changing my mind to get the best of their treasures,oh it would be hard to hold off at just $100. Wot a wonderful little treasure shop that is (do they do mailorder??)
love n hugs bear xoxoxoxoxox
I'm too close to this place to be fantacizing like this. I might go. I need more seed beads. Yeh. I'm not over my enthusiasm from Robin Atkins's class. The buttons, too. They're so pretty. And, I know there are fascinating novelty items there. Some of those would make me smile.
ReplyDeleteOh my GOODness. What a wonderful shop! I guess I would have to divide my $100 budget between buttons, some of those wonderful wide ribbons I saw and a few of those beads in the tubes you showed! But I just swooned when I saw the card of little buttons shaped like shoes you have in your give-a-way. Pick me! Pick me!
ReplyDeleteOh My Gosh - good thing they aren't near me - I'd never be home. I saw some beautiful orange things. If I had $100.00 I'd buy all the vintage orange glass buttons, beads, ribbons, millinery flowers - and - and - and that I could with the money. Then I'd probably spend a lot more of my own money.
ReplyDeleteDi
If I had $100 to spend, I would buy buttons and lace because one can never have enough embellishments for CQ!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Thank you! I am heading down to MD in April to visit my father (I'm in Boston) and have already printed out the address to this fabulous looking store...I can't wait to go treasure hunting.
ReplyDeleteIf I had $100 to spend, as a CQ addict, I would buy a little bit of this and a little bit but would be sure to include some of these gorgeous buttons.
Oh. I just want to come to Maryland now. OH GOLLY! I'm just starting playing with beads and it's opened up a whole new world of beautiful things!
ReplyDeleteIf I had a $100, I'd buy beads and I really love those very pretty jewelry-type flowers. They're gorgeous! And I'd probably buy some more beads. Oh, and some ribbon and trim and buttons. And some beads. Ha. I'd probably have to double the hundred to leave satisfied, which is always a problem!
Thanks for the resource! Very exciting!
Oh Susan - thank you for telling us about Accessories of Old. I didn't know that a place like this existed! And $100 to spend?? I could do that with my eyes closed (just fondling those ribbons! gggg). But my top three items would be (1)the black French cotton lace because it is LOVELY and difficult to find, (2)some vintage buttons - the tiny MOP's and green casein ones - that take me back to my youth and the buttons in my mom's and grandfather's (yes, a man!) button boxes and (3) a millinery flower that I could use to decorate a summer hat for me. I think it's time to bring hats back in style, LOL!! What would YOU buy with $100???? Hugs, Cathy
ReplyDeleteWhat a great shop to visit! I'd love to go there sometime. To answer your question: I would spend it on vintage buttons so I could tat with them on some buttons/tatting designs I've found that are so cute. I would also spend it on ribbons and trims for some very special scrapbook pages or Christmas ornaments! :)
ReplyDeleteI have just seen your "give away shop" it is wonderful to look at.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasures they are oh those flowers!
It is like a museum.
Congratulations for the lucky ones already.
Smiles Margreet from the Netherlands (Holland)
how generous! and how fabulous for you to have your event there! the shop looks a fantastic place, but of all the photos i like the first one most. Andrew's smiling, deeply satisfied and friendly face.
ReplyDeletewith a hundred dollars... i would get a gift certificate for my mother-in-law, a very crafty lady, and spend the other half on their elaborate...well, everyhing is elaborate there! but i think buttons would be irresistaile for me.
thanks for another great post.
Hi Susan, what a wonderful shop. To be honest I am happy that I don't live next door! I guess I would be in there tooo often.LOL
ReplyDeleteIf I could spent 100 dollars there I think I would buy a few of the vintage beaded items with the black seed beads. And other beads ofcoures, bugle beads!! I cannot find them here. I saw they have old seed beads from Slovakia, those are so nice. And black lace and,and......
I'm keeping my wish list simple: buttons and beads!!!
ReplyDeleteWow! I could spend all day just looking. I would choose beads, buttons, ribbons, vintage flowers,,I don't know,,it would hard to choose with being limited to 100.00. lol
ReplyDeleteHi, Sus. I don't want to win the buttons, but I'd love to go to the shop! I'd buy nine buckles for the nine nieces and ask you to help them make belts for their jeans.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the snow!
What a nice shop!! I hope they would sell their goods on line. If I am in the shop with enough money in hand, I want everything maybe. But first buttons, next beads, and ribbons, then laces, oh, oh oh! Susan, thank you for this post. I am so happy to see beautiful stuff.
ReplyDeleteHideko
I love places where you can wander and spend the day envisioning what wonders you could do with all the great things .... I would spend my $100 on vintage ribbon and buttons! Marya in CA
ReplyDeleteHi Susan,
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat shop! I'd buy beads and sequins and ribbons. I'll email you a picture of the project I'm working on if you're open to posting a way to contact you via email.
Sheila
pearandgingerjam@yahoo.com
What an awesome place to have in your area...Geez, you think they might move to Montana out in no where land??? Ok, maybe too much to ask..AS for me, what I would buy for a $100 it would definitely be buttons, ribbons and lace..I love vintage lace...Thank you for this opportunity..Skye
ReplyDeleteWow - the pictures of all those embellishments have me drooling! If I had $100, they would have $100less ribbons and lace!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this store with us. I only live about 45minutes away and I will defintely be taking a trip their soon.
ReplyDeleteNow for my $100 ~ I would buy a couple bolts of tinsel, some ribbons, beads, buttons and sequins, a vintage barette kit and some millinery flowers.
I'd put them all into a little chest for my two granddaughters** (and my sweet 1 yr old grandson too if he wanted) ~ so as soon as they are old enough ~ they'll have some lovely things to create with!
If I had anything left I'd get a sparkly pin for me and I'd wear it everyday ~ and to my grandbabies I'd become "gramma with the sparkly pin".
** one granddaughter is 10 1/2 months - the other is due in 4 weeks! Guess I'm planning ahead a bit!
Thanks for a couple hours of great fun exploring this wonderful website!
Alas... Never have money enough to buy much at shops like this. With $100 in my pocket and no rhyme or reason excuse needed: I would start with the buttons of course! Any Mother of Pearl esp. shaped like birds? And then to the seed beads & tiny trims for CQ :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't think I could choose. Buttons, ribbons, lace and beads for certain.
ReplyDeleteWow! That place is awesome! I think if I had one hundred dollars to spend there, I would go to the beads, sequins and buttons. This would play to my strengths as a beader.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea for a giveaway!
cheers, Denise
Ribbons and trims, definitely. Their stuff is to die for...
ReplyDeleteOh a hundred dollars worth of old flowers would be heaven. Larie
ReplyDeleteWOW! 48 comments already... your photos are exquisite! OK, so I'm just here to add a bit of drool... what am I saying? A bit? Ha! A bucket is more like it! If you haven't already chosen your giveaway winners, here's what I'd do with $100... I'd click over to Accessories of Old and spend it on ribbons! I have lots of vintage buttons and seed beads... so the ribbons, well the ribbons are heaven to me... and I'd use them in my next BJP! Robin A.
ReplyDeleteOooh, there's another thought... I just read the comments... curious about other's ideas... I love Debbie (annon) from Maine's idea... a twist on it... I'd have the owners pick $100 worth of their favorite things, things they think they'll never have again... one-time-finds... Then I'd add another $100 of my money for ribbon treasures! Ah, a much better idea! Robin A.
ReplyDelete