Looking for advice...

Originally I was only going to put quilts in my Etsy store, but yesterday I added some silk scarves and some little dollhouse quilt cabinets/desk ornaments. I think it looks festive, but my husband thinks it is a distraction from the quilts (that shoppers won't scroll down to see the quilts). Any thoughts?

Awesome Antique Quilt on Etsy

Can you believe this quilt?? It's offered for sale by Susan Nichols from Swanky Texas Vintage. The quilt is listed for $1,200. If you follow the Swanky link, you can see more photos of this sampler. And here she is on facebook. Something about this quilt really appeals to me! The busyness I guess. Wow!

Puzzle Piece Cookie Cutters

Now this is so clever! It really tickles my fancy. These cookie cutters are for sale at Cox & Cox in the UK for about $7 US. I'm sure my cookies wouldn't fit together. I'm going to stick to quilting.

Meet Laila from Norway

You remember May Britt from Norway. May's friend Laila has been making some beautiful gifts with her selvages. Take a look on her blog: Jacob's Quilt. Make a cup of tea or coffee and take a look at these blogs. You'll feel like you just had a nice visit to Norway with friends. And think of all the money you'll save on airfare. 

Subscribe to 3 Online Magazines - Free

Did you know that you can subscribe to the online version of 3 Australian quilt magazines...free? Creative Living Media publishes: Down Under Quilts, Down Under Textiles, and Creative Expressions. Click here to sign up.

Meet Sue Spargo

Sue Spargo is a a talented folk art quilter born in Zambia now living in Ohio. She's busy leading workshops and retreats, writing books, and creating patterns. The flowers below are made from felted wool. Lots of embroidery too. This looks like fun.

Take a look at Sue's newest book: Robin Run the Hedge on Amazon. This looks like lots of fun. Have any of you been in her classes?

Unique Quilt on eBay

Wow, take a look at this amazing quilt that is listed on eBay. The seller says it was made in the 1930's. Look at all those little triangles. The little dark blue sashing squares really pop. Interesting fabric mixture. I'm not buying, just browsing. Getting ideas. I hope you have time to relax and sew this month.

Writer's Quilt With Kanji

This is the Writer's Quilt, the latest in my $25 DOLL Quilt series. It measures 14.5" x 17." It has calligraphy, dictionary text, handwriting script, and postage stamps. The main feature is the Kanji writing on the dark taupe background.
Kanji was invented by the Chinese and adopted by the Japanese around the mid 6th century AD. This fragment of text means "pertaining to 3 matters or issues." There is also the number 9. This according to Selvage Blog readers who answered by query. You are all so smart!

I added the little cartoon dogs just for fun, aren't they cute? I'm having fun digging through my stash and making these little collections. Asian quilts are next. Then one featuring food.

Ribbon Storage Idea

Look what I found on Etsy: a wood ribbon storage rack. Boy I need one of these! My ribbons are stored in various plastic boxes, which is fine, but I don't know which boxes. Haha. Check out Jim Robertson's Etsy store: Creative Visions Woodworking. He's willing to do custom orders to help you with your storage needs.

I have a question...

 I'm making another little quilt featuring words, letters, calligraphy etc. and I'd like to know what language this is (on the dark taupe background). Does anyone know? Chinese, Japanese, something else? It could even be upside down. Thanks for your help.  :)

Christmas Banner Artwork from Poland

Did you know that you can have a custom banner made for your Etsy store for only $9 from Magnesina in Poland? I really like this banner. It's just what I wanted.

I'm adding a big collection of doll/wall quilts to my store priced at $25. My 24 yr-old son saw all the little quilts and said "Oh, quilts for babies' babies." They aren't babyish though; they'd also make nice wall quilts. I cut into my Kaffe fabrics for the most recent batch of little quilts. I love those colors! Have a look; you might want to whip up some for gifts. They're fun to make.

Lisa's Memorial Bears!

Lisa Schultheis from New Jersey has a wonderful idea! She makes bears from sport jackets or dresses. She made a bear using the dress her mother wore to her brother's wedding and gave it to him the Christmas after their mother passed away. What a sweet idea! Lisa sells them for about $25 on her Esty store: earthluv. This bear is about 18" tall. Lovable, don't you think?

Amelia's Mosaic Gingerbread House

This is my wonderful niece Amelia from Vermont. Yesterday we had 21 family and friends (and girlfriends and boyfriends) at our house for the 25th annual Gingerbread House Day, always the day after Thanksgiving. When I saw her amazing mosaic house I knew I had to get a photo for you! The ghostbuster face is on her shirt, not the house.  :)

Amelia is sweet and kind, smart too. A 14 yo, she likes to paint, write, do theater lighting, travel, read and learn about government. She's been a page at the VT state capitol. And of course she's made a quilt.

Here are some more of the houses created yesterday. My sister Eileen bakes all the gingerbread pieces and facilitates the whole thing. By New Year's Day she will have made over 150 houses. Her all time record for one Christmas season is over 400! (P.S. Eileen is not Amelia's mom. I have 2 sisters, and a brother...lucky me!)

(Photo by nephew Sam Lovett)

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Talented Etsian from Canada

Mandy Budan is a Canadian abstract landscape painter who sells her work on Etsy: budanART. I was just browsing through the 11 million items for sale on Etsy and Mandy's artwork grabbed my attention! Isn't it amazing? What genuis! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

 (Psalm 118:1)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Grumman Greenhouse by Jordan Griska, Sculptor

Jordan Griska, Philadelphia sculptor and my nephew, has just completed this work "Grumman Greenhouse," located downtown in Lenfest Plaza in front of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.  He bought this airplane on eBay and turned it into this artistic creation which repurposes an instrument of destruction into a greenhouse filled with edible plants. Viewed from the left you can see all the plants through a big window. The pink grow light is partially visible through the cockpit window.

On Monday we attended the dedication ceremony at Lenfest Plaza. Shown above (left to right): Wayne S. Spilove, former Chairman of the PA Historical and Museum Commission, Jordan Griska, and Caryn Kunkle, Director of The Philadelphia Salon (also Jordan's girlfriend). Take a look at this video to see the  plane in its original condition and hear Jordan tell about the project.

Doll Quilts on Etsy

These quilts are so much fun to make! Fast and easy to quilt too. I want to get a bunch of these little cuties in my Etsy shop asap. I already had these fabrics in my stash. Check out the scissors below. I like this combination of modern and retro fabrics.