Lizzy Newsome - The Austinot

Enjoy the Season During Holiday Sing-Along and Downtown Stroll

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Lizzy Newsome

Downtown Austin gets decked out for the holidays

It’s that time of year again. Thanksgiving is swiftly followed by a quick succession of holiday traditions and errands. It can be an exhausting time of year, which makes focusing on the more relaxing seasonal rituals that much more important.

December 7, 2013 is a date to mark on your calendar right now. Bring your family and friends to downtown Austin to enjoy a full schedule of events during one of Austin’s newer holiday traditions: the Holiday Sing-Along and Downtown Stroll. [Read more…]

Stitch Lab: Sew Cute!

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Lizzy Newsome

Ready to MAKE some cute new friends?!

For the past four years, there has been a serious party going on. I am sad to say, I have been missing out on some very fun times. Fortunately, the party is far from over. Did I mention this is a CRAFT party? To be specific, a sewing party, and the ladies at Stitch Lab are the hostesses with the mostest.

Before I get into how easily excited I am by large stockpiles of craft supplies, let me give you the particulars about Stitch Lab. Located at 1000 S. 1st St, the building is one of several converted 1920’s bungalow houses painted in a pastel rainbow pallet, re-purposed by local businesses. Ample parking was available on my weekday morning visit, though I could imagine it being tighter during class times. Entering through the backdoor, I received a welcome, but I could barely manage a response. I was surrounded by pretty things! [Read more…]

Coming Soon: Thinkery, the New Austin Children’s Museum

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Lizzy Newsome

Playing with colors in the new Light Lab at Austin Children’s Museum

Perhaps you have noticed that the Austin Children’s Museum is currently closed? Don’t fret, construction on the Thinkery (the official name for the ACM) is only temporary, and the museum is currently scheduled to reopen in December. Future museum guests will be heading to a new location, a brand new facility in the rapidly expanding Mueller Development.

In Austin’s continuously changing landscape, relocations are inevitable, and the best moves involve careful planning and long desired improvements. One of the most obvious limitations of the downtown location was the limited space for both existing and future exhibits. The new museum in Mueller is almost quadruple [Read more…]

Persistence of Vision Documentary at Alamo Drafthouse This Month

Posted on September 20, 2013 by Lizzy Newsome

This guest blog article is by Lizzy Newsome.

There are few artistic mediums as accessible as animation. The ideas and concepts are born fully illustrated, and the artist’s vision can be shared with viewers of all ages and backgrounds.

On left, Richard Williams the master animator in his studio

This month, the Alamo Drafthouse is bringing Kevin Schreck’s Persistence of Vision to Austin, a documentary centered on the most ambitious animated feature ever created. Or perhaps it should be “never” created. Master animator Richard Williams spent nearly three decades on his animated masterpiece The Thief and the Cobbler, but his dreams for the movie were never realized. The cobbled together film was released in 1993 to little fanfare and resulted in a loss of 24 million dollars. [Read more…]

Jose Luis Salon Cooks Up Haute Hair at Annual Fashion Show

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Lizzy Newsome

Extravagant hairstyles highlighted at the Jose Luis Salon Fashion Show

This guest blog article is by Lizzy Newsome.

Not to belittle the recent progress, but the Austin fashion “scene” is still newly emerging. Most of the local fashion energy seems to be directed at boutique trunk shows and the annual fashion week festivities. So the Jose Luis Salon 25th Anniversary Fashion Show glimmered in my calendar, and that is before taking into account that this is a HAIR fashion show.

Often gatherings of the stylistically minded in Austin fall short of the creative reputation maintained by our fair city. I had high hopes of witnessing some wonderfully weird couture at this event, and I was not disappointed. [Read more…]

Toy Joy Art Show: Now Playing at Violet Crown Cinema

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Lizzy Newsome

Frankestein's Monster at Toy Joy Art Show

Rita Prater’s “Frankenstein’s Monster” is all cross stitch!

This guest blog article is by Lizzy Newsome.

It’s been a pretty bizarre year for the folks at Toy Joy, but this month it looks like some things are returning to normal. If you can call the artistic antics of this eclectic toy store normal. Just a couple months after relocating to the heart of downtown Austin, Toy Joy is returning to tradition with the return of their annual art show.

Originally started as a way to encourage the artistically minded store employees to display their works, the Toy Joy Art Show is now in its fifth year of pop culture themed display. Contributing artists have expanded to include former employees, customers, and outside artists of all experience levels. The show strives to be as visually fun as possible [Read more…]

Don Bluth and Gary Goldman: Animation Giants Among Us This Weekend

Posted on August 8, 2013 by Lizzy Newsome

All Dogs Go to Heaven will play at Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline this weekend

This guest blog post is by Lizzy Newsome.

There are few childhood memories as unspoiled as cartoons. For many, animated films were the first introduction to the cinema, and watching those movies instantly transports you back in time. I can almost smell the Sour Patch Kids!

When considering important names in animation, the list is short. Don Bluth and Gary Goldman stand out as two of the masters of traditional animation techniques and practices. Expertly trained in the halls of the Disney Studios, they left in 1979 to form their own independent studio. The resulting revolution brought on by the creative explosion of Don Bluth Studios kicked off a renaissance in American Animation. [Read more…]

Make Way for Austin Mini Maker Faire: Creativity Gone Wild

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Lizzy Newsome

R2-D2 at the Austin Mini Maker Faire

This guest blog post is by Lizzy Newsome.

Do you like shiny things? Does the smell of hot glue make your pulse race? Do you truly believe that 3D printing is the wave of the future?

Then it’s time to have a little conversation about Austin Mini Maker Faire! This one-day gathering at the Palmer Events Center on Sunday, May 5th, brings together the city’s most dedicated crafters and tinkerers, with exhibits covering the complete spectrum of handmade, from Arduino to Zoo (Robot Petting Zoo, that is).

Also featured: Tinkering Workshop, 3D printers, an inflatable planetarium, and a special exhibit from the Austin Bike Zoo (two zoos!). [Read more…]

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