I travel quite a bit for my non-blogger "real" job. Occasionally, I get to indulge myself and hunt down cool places to visit on my travels. That's how I found Nicholas Kniel's awesome ribbon store in Atlanta. In fact, I think I may have just insulted him by calling it a ribbon store. The place is heaven.
There are spools and spools of wonderful fine ribbons and perfectly complementing embellishments. Many are vintage like the crab apples and leaves in the flower pin pictured.
Nicholas was working the day I visited and was a treat to meet. I picked up a couple of vintage embellishments I fell in love with and he helped pick matching ribbons that I probably wouldn't have had the eye or talent to select, but were, in fact perfect!
These velvet buds, vintage leaves, and vintage stamens are so elegant.
I took away a wonderful tip from Nicholas that I will share with you.
It is so obvious and so true.
His advice has resonated in my head while crafting ever since meeting him.
His ribbon's aren't inexpensive and I was a bit stunned at my total as my purchases were rung up and was debating not buying it all.
It may sound like salesmanship but I took his comment to heart. It was something close to, "if you use cheap ingredients you end up with a cheap looking product."
His ribbon and embellishments are so elegant that they take your breath away. And he was also right that I would be able to make a lot of flowers from what I purchased.
Try his advice for yourself.
Use the best products you can afford to use and you'll be amazed at the difference in the quality of what you produce.
These pins add a bit of spring to our big heavy winter coats we wear up here in Minnesota!
Shiny centers really make the pins complete!
Again, let me add my disclaimer that I am in no way compensated or associated with any of the products or stores I write about, but Nicholas has a new book and it is wonderful.