Reviving the Art of Correspondence at LIBERTY 123

"Reviving the Art of Correspondence"
Event No. 1 in a Three-Part Series from LIBERTY 123

Date: Thursday, February 5th
Time: 7:00pm-9:00pm
Fee: $20/person

Limited Space Available

Register at LIBERTY 123 today!

Learn how to create whimsical over-sized paper flowers & have your hearts’ desires elegantly scripted by local artist and calligrapher, Kay Tyllia. Your $20 event fee includes: 2 paper flowers, each with calligraphered scrolls & a surprise treat from LIBERTY 123 to help continue your festivities.

About the Event...
Not only will you learn how to make these beautiful over-sized paper peonies, we will send you home with instructions on how to create a variety of other paper flowers!

Paper flowers are wonderful to use for whimsical present toppers, to decorate a child's room, or as a cheerful focal point on top of a mantle. I even made them for my sister's rehearsal dinner centerpieces!

Each participant will leave with 2 beautiful paper flowers - ready to give as a gift! The flowers will have ribbon-wrapped stems, a beautiful bow and a tag with your own personalized message calligraphered by Kay Tyllia.

These are a perfect gift for teachers, girlfriends or children! As our 'merci beaucoup' to you, we will send you home with an elegantly scripted cocktail recipe help continue the festivities!

About the Artist...
LIBERTY 123 is honored to welcome local artist & calligrapher, Kay Tyllia. In the true spirit of "Reviving the Art of Correspondence," Kay will be writing 2 personal messages to you paper flower gifts with her elegant script.

Kay's love of art and the written word started at an early age. She began learning calligraphy during her high school years at Holy Names Academy in Seattle, WA. She then went on to earn a degree in Art from the University of Washington.

Kay has illustrated 9 books & designed countless creations including: menus, greeting cards, logos, jewelry, murals and even landscapes. Her work has been shown in various galleries and art collections.

When asked what inspired her most about the art of calligraphy, Kay responded, "seeing the look on faces when people see their names beautifully written." After addressing thousands of special envelopes and designing custom wedding invitations, Kay truly understands the unique beauty that lies behind each word.

We can't wait to have Kay here at LIBERTY 123 on February 5th and hope you can come and meet this wonderful artist & talented spirit!

February Events at LIBERTY 123!

LIBERTY 123 is excited to announce our 3-part series, the "Celebration of Love & the Sweetness of Imperfection." Click on the announcement below to enlarge, and read all about each event! We hope to see you at LIBERTY 123!

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A Love Letter to Love Letters

As a tribute to my new found love & inspiration of the written word, I wanted to share my "Love Letter to Love Letters" with you. Unfortunately, tech savviness (or lack thereof!) does not allow for my letter to be any larger than shown. So, unless you have extraordinary vision and are able to read this the tiny script, I have typed out my letter below for you to read...

“A Love Letter to Love Letters”

It seems that the ‘convenience’ of the world now exists in all things technological. Emails and quick text messages (something I haven’t quite gotten the hang of!) have become the mainstream of communication and sometimes I wonder if there isn’t something missing in our day-to-day exchanges.

Recently, I found myself becoming drawn to the integrity of the written word. Purely unintentional, this new fascination is quite apparent in what I have selected for LIBERTY 123. As I look around my store, I am surrounded with script & written wisdom. Lamp shades, floor mats, wall art, pillows and frames ‘speak’ a soulful elegance - and I have to admit, I’m loving every word!

Of course, this time of year love letters come to mind, as Valentine’s Day is just a month away! I fondly remember a few boyfriends that used the pen to express their adoration for me (that’s right I said adoration!) At the time I received these love letters, I don’t think I truly appreciated what a gift they were. Admittedly, there may have been a few moments I was simply amused by their juvenile quality. Now, I look back with a greater sense of appreciation for their efforts… this may be because no one is ‘adoring’ me at the moment. In all actuality, I think the real reason that I look back on these letters fondly is that they were such a simple, thoughtful, and (hopefully!) genuine expression of affection.

While there is no romantic love in my life to celebrate this Valentine’s Day with, I am fortunate to have many people in my life that I feel affection for. So this Valentine’s Day, my beloveds will receive a handwritten Valentine from me in their mailbox. I encourage you to do the same!

The written word…so retro!

Yours fondly,

Liberty

Potluck Paris Trunk Show Saturday, December 13th

'Tis the season...still can't decide if you're going to be naughty or nice this year? With the promise of snow in the weather forecast, it may seem tempting to bundle up and stay home, "nice" and cozy. But, if you have a little "naughty" in you (and we think you do!) bundle up and venture over to LIBERTY 123. We promise our Potluck Paris Trunk show offers a little bit of both!

This coveted jewelry collection boats one-of-a-kind chunky rings, patterned cuffs, wrist links and necklaces...all created from pieces of pewter flatware & serving dishes. Potluck Paris offers a unique modern twist on funky vintage metals, creating an authentic style statement you'll love for years to come!

Find the perfect gift for all the gals on your list...and maybe a little something for yourself. With pieces starting at $40, you can add an extra 'check' next to your NICE list!

It may be cold outside, but what better way to warm up than trying on some fantastic jewelry??? Indulge both your naughty and nice sides with some hot apple cider, our cozy & festive atmosphere and of course, an amazing selection of jewelry. We can't think of a better way to spend a snowy Saturday afternoon!

See you Saturday,
LIBERTY 123

PS - We couldn't resist posting a few pictures of some of our favorites...

Texas Hold 'em...Antiques that is!

A few weeks ago, LIBERTY 123 made our 2nd annual antiques pilgrimage, searching out one-of-a-kind treasures in the quaintest of towns, Round Top Texas.

You may envision my buying trips to NY as glamorous, the truth is the 8 hours of walking a crowded convention center can be exhausting and leave me longing for fresh air and natural light! One of my buying trips fills that need ….

For the last two years my mom, Mary, and I have gone to this spectacular antique show in Round Top Texas search of all things "LIBERTY 123." Such a unique venue offers many simple pleasures (foreign to most standard buying trips), which come as a cool relief after our long days of hunting in the hot, Texas heat. We love the quiet landscape, the southern charm and of course, watching magnificent sunsets from the porch with a glass of wine (or two!)

Antique shopping is all about the thrill of the hunt, searching out booth after booth, artist after artist, vendor after vendor... I may slow down for the occasional glass of sweet tea, or even pause to admire a pomegranate bush (I had NO idea pomegranates grew on bushes until I saw them during my trip!) but I keep searching through mile after mile of "junk beautiful" in order to find the perfect pieces. No table is too ordinary, no chandelier too tarnished, no writing desk too shabby for me to see the beauty that lies within. All it takes is a little imagination, a touch of elbow grease and our LIBERTY 123 stamp of approval!

Round Top is a town of 25 people (and no, that's NOT a typo!) located two hours outside of Austin, Texas. So, you can imagine this Antique Show is a pretty big deal for my new favorite tiny town! Over 300 acres display an overwhelming collection of junk, vintage finds & antiques - farmhouses become exquisite showrooms, front porches transform into charming museums, and open fields host the most incredible findings imaginable. The juxtaposition of antique collections against the candor of nature magnify the beauty in both worlds as they come together in a collision of past, present and future. One of my favorite sights during this trip was seeing a collection of old chandeliers hanging from an old farm porch eave!

While I love this show, it may be overwhelming to some. It is literally miles upon miles of stuff - the good, the bad, and the ugly. The 'bad and ugly' can be very bad and very ugly - it is amazing what people think they can sell and what people are willing to pay for! Because we have done our research and have established relationships with some of the vendors, we have streamlined the process a bit.

We now have our favorite spots to go, including the ones that are way out of our budget! These are some of our favorite spots actually, while we can't afford most of what we see it serves as great inspiration - some of the pieces are amazing from a historical standpoint and just plain awe inspiring beauty! It also pays to visit these pricey areas because you may be able to find gem at a reasonable price hidden within, like a gorgeous painted chest of drawers from an estate in Miami…this will be in the store soon!

Which leads me to my next point…all of our great finds will be arriving SOON so stay posted! Some of my favorite things include a great metal desk with turned legs – industrial, yet feminine and classic. An amazing Chinoiserie desk which we will refinish to enhance its inherent charm. Florentine gilded nesting table from Italy. The rest I will leave a mystery for you to come in and discover!

One of my most exciting finds from the show is actually not vintage or antique, but a new mixed -media artist that I just adore. When Aaron Hequembourg needs art supplies to create his mixed-media engraved paintings, he walks outside his 193-year-old plantation house near Monticello, Virginia and begins dismantling the dilapidated buildings — sharecropper and slave quarters, gin mills and trading posts — that still stand on the 2,000-acre farm he calls home. These one of a kind, historical art pieces are sure to be a part of LIBERTY 123 for years to come.

Also...I have thought that it may be fun to invite a few interested clients on one of these trips. We plan all of the details and take you on a Texas antiquing adventure. What do you think?

Creating a Fresh Vision for Your Holiday Traditions

Seattle's source for distinctive décor and gifts, LIBERTY 123, will be hosting our annual Holiday House from Friday, November 21st through Sunday, November 23rd .

LIBERTY 123 in partnership with TWIGS (floral design extraordinaire!) invites you to create a fresh vision for your holiday traditions. Grab a friend, fuel up at Starbucks with a pumpkin spice latte, and head down to LIBERTY 123 for a fantastically fun head-start on your holiday shopping. Who says you have to wait until the day after Thanksgiving? At LIBERTY 123 the holiday excitement simply cannot be contained!

Beautifully bespangled, LIBERTY 123 will feature elegant hostess gifts (most under $20!) wrapped in our classic signature wrap or gift bag & festooned with robin’s egg ribbon, red berries and an exclusive Holiday House gift tag. From start to finish, your holiday shopping can be effortlessly chic, allowing you to fully enjoy the true festivities of the season!

You will delight in exquisite gift items as La Boheme glass & mercury votives and ornaments, monogram and amaryllis trays, and the season’s must-have item,"Christmas-in-a-Can" candles. An amazing selection of uncommon stocking stuffers and ornaments will also be available, spun with sophisticated embellishments.

TWIGS will offer fresh garlands and wreaths—artfully filled with fragrant scents: boxwood, magnolia, eucalyptus and herbs, alongside potted amaryllis and paper whites. Inspired by nature, all are beribboned and trimmed with Mother Earth’s own textures: twigs, berries and pods. Greens can be purchased during the weekend or ordered for pick-up at a later date. Call Liberty at (425) 822.1232 for more information!

LIBERTY 123 Holiday House Hours

Friday, November 21st 10-6pm

Saturday, November 22nd 10-6pm

Sunday, November 23rd 11-6pm

PS - Looking to host your own, after-hours enchanted Holiday House? LIBERTY 123 will supply the venue and a 10% store wide discount, you provide the sips & nibbles, friends and fun! Call or email to schedule your private Holiday House party today!