Featured Etsy Blogger: DesignbyNora

Nora of DesignbyNora is what some people may call a "jack of all trades!" She loves making cards, jewelry, playing around with polymer clay, reading and geeking around on the computer. Her shop on etsy features some really cute polymer earrings and some purses that would look smashing together. As orange is one of my favorite colors, I was immediately attracted to this cute orange purse and earrings that she has listed separately:

Don't wait to check out Nora's etsy page! She is having a kickin' sale!

Nora's blog has some great information, like her post on March being National Craft Month and her delish recipe for a puff pastry called Napoleon!

Congrats to Nora on being the featured Etsyblogger for March!!

Blog Carnival: What I've Accomplished in '09

So, it's 3 months in to 2009 (twenty-o-nine if you're Charles Osgood). It's 51 days into Barrack Obama's presidency. It's 3 weeks and 6 days into my son's life! So, what have I accomplished?!?!

As you may have guessed, I had a son! That was a big accomplishment, but one that I worked on mostly in 2008! Well, I guess the real work starts now, huh?

I've managed to fold every piece of fabric in my craft room and get a little more organized in the craft room (Evidence: see photo).

I actually figured out how to thread and use my serger that I got for Christmas! That is a huge accomplishment. If you have serger, you know what I mean! It's a daunting piece of equipment that just stares back at you saying, "Go ahead. Make my day."

And, I sold some quilts on etsy! I also have three custom orders that I'm working on right now, so I'm on a roll! AND, I designed a new logo/avatar that I still have to "go live" with. Let me know what you think:

SALE on Etsy -- The Joey Sale!

That's right, folks, it's the Joey Sale! My son was born on the 12th of this month, so I'm having a 12% off sale on my etsy page! Check it out. I have some great quilts for sale. If you order a custom order while this promotion is going on, I will honor the 12% discount.
How can you resist that face? Order something today!

Blog Carnival: What I like best about being an Etsy Artisan

I started my etsy adventure almost a year ago and there are so many things that I love about etsy, but there is one thing that stands out most for me: being able to sell my creative stuff and be home with my kids at the same time. I would NEVER be able to work in a shop and sell my stuff as a stay at home mom. Etsy really enables me to feel like I have an outlet for my creativity while not being held down by fulfilling hour requirements at a shop. I don't make a ton of money on etsy, but it's enough to keep my projects going and have a little extra to spend on all of my craft stuff -- i.e. FABRIC!!!!

My five-year-old has also learned that you can make and sell stuff, which is an interesting concept to introduce to a little person. She is intrigued already by that idea. I can't wait to see what she will be when she grows up, maybe a quilt designer, fabric designer or something of the like because of what she sees going on in "the craft room."

Featured Etsyblogger: Donna Pool Designs

The great thing about etsy is that there is something for everyone! Donna Pool's etsy shop features several items that can be customized to meet your needs and lots of stuff that is ready to ship -- like custom buttons, magnets, fabric creations, photography and items Donna calls "vintage fun." In other words, there's LOADS of good stuff.

These fun buttons are covered with vintage images from old magazines! The listing is called, "Two girls for every guy," which I thought was appropriate for me this month, since I just gave birth five days ago to a little boy and have two little girls already. Kind of a homage to the new member of the family!

Donna also has a great blog that's packed full of great articles, links and ideas. So, here's my shout out to Donna! Congrats on being the featured etsyblogger of the month! And, hope to see you in Arnold sometime, as we share the same home town!

Scrappy Valentine Project

Love is in the air! Valentine's Day is coming up, and here is a great project to use up some of those fabric scraps you have in your sewing room (and if you're like me, you have a lot of PINK scraps that are perfect for V-day).


I bought a foam wreath shape from JoAnn's and used lots of strips of my fabric scraps to cover the wreath -- just tie knots at random around the whole wreath until you have the density you want.

I'm pretty pleased with it! Hope this inspires you to make something lovely for Valentine's day too!

Sugar Snap Launch On Ebay!

Tomorrow is an exciting day! There will be a launch of Melissa Averino's fabric (sugar snap) on eBay!! I'm very excited to be one of the participants. Some of my goods (along with some amazing other things by other fabriholics including some unbelievable children's items and crazy-good purses, bags and totes) will be on sale on ebay from January 27th to February 14th. We've been working with the amazing Melissa Averino's on the launch. You don't want to miss this unveiling of items made with her fabric.

Check back here for more details or go to ebay and search for "Sugar Snap Fabric Launch."

Sugar Snap Fabric by Melissa Averinos is HOT!

This new line of fabric called Sugar Snap is by the fantastically creative Melissa Averino's (whose blog is yummygoods and worth checking out if you haven't already). This shaggy quilt (aka rag quilt, but I hate the connotation) features her fabric exclusively and is available on my etsy page right now. I was just invited to participate in a launching of her fabric on ebay, so watch out for this item and lots of other great items featuring her fabric (made by other artists) from January 27th to February 14th on ebay!
I also have another shaggy quilt in the works. It features fabrics by some of those favorite designers we all love, including Amy Butler, Heather Bailey, Kaffe Fassett, Pamela Mostek and more. It's all in shades of green -- something we are all missing and hoping for as springs starts to creep up on us!

January's Featured Etsybloggers: Roseworks Jewelry!

As a member of etsybloggers team, I have the privelege of featuring a different artist from our team each month on my blog. This month, we have a talented jeweler. She has two great shops (Roseworks Jewelry and Kindred Spirits Treasures) and a kickin' blog!

One of my favorite pieces from her etsy site is her "Hope" necklace, which features Chinese character for "hope" on a scrabble tile. Check this and lots of other great items out today!!!

Blog Carnival: New Year's Blogolution

What do I have planned for my blog? Well, by putting a list out there I'm committing myself, which is a good thing in my opinion. So, here goes:
1.) Keep up the bloggin': Sounds easy enough, but goal #1 is just to keep the blog going. We'll have a new baby in the house in a few weeks, so blogging won't be at the top of my list for a while.
2.) Add a list of my favorite blogs: I've compiled a pretty awesome list of favorite blogs by designers and crafty people that I would love to share, I just never seem to get around to it. I'm gonna do it within the next 2 months.
3.) Have some giveaways: I think this is a really great way to show appreciation to your readers and to get traffic to your blog and/or etsy page, so I'm going to give this a try. Not sure what the giveaways will be...maybe something handmade, maybe some fat quarters for my fellow quilters out there, maybe a % off my etsy store items. Don't know, but keep an eye out.

So, those are three main things. I don't want to be self-defeating by trying to list too much. There are lots of other things that I want to accomplish on my etsy page and on my flickr page, so gotta leave room for that.

Thanks for reading and hope you will add me to your list of blogs you watch!

Shredded to Snuggly and Sophisticated Perfection

I can't wait to make my next version of this quilt. They are so fun to make and look and feel like a million bucks when they are snipped and washed. This one sold in one day, so it looks like I will have to get back to the sewing machine quickly and keep my etsy shop well stocked with these puppies!

And, stay tuned for a smaller "lovie" version, with satin backing!

Featured Etsybloggers: Holy Cow! It's Spotted Cow Soaps

Holy Cow! The School Food Service Director behind the Etsy shop Spotted Cow Soaps certainly has her act together. She just celebrated her 300th order about a month ago and is hoping to celebrate her 500th order soon too! If that doesn't attest to the quality of her soaps and other body-goodies, the fact that she comes from Vermont should. (It always seems like all good things come from Vermont, doesn't it? Whether it's soap or soapstone, Vermont, apparently has it all!)

She also has a kickin' blog!

Blog Carnival: Spotlight on Fellow Etsyblogger Christmas Item

Still searching for the perfect Christmas gift? Check out SkyGirlStyle's cute red and green accessories for girls.
This former flight attendant seems to have found her place among etsybloggers great crafters!

Blog Carnival: Favorite Thanksgiving Tradition

For me, all other traditions pale in comparison to one critical tradition that goes with all holidays: spending time with family. Being married, you learn to "spread the wealth" in terms of your time with each side of the family, but I know that my husband, my children and I value our time with whomever we are going to be with from our families.
This year, we are excited to be spending time with my "little brother" and his wife in South Carolina, along with my mom and dad. We are sad that we won't be able to hang out with my husband's side of the family and the other members of my family that we will be missing in South Carolina, but they will most definitely be in our hearts that day, as they always are.
In this day and age, what more could we come to value but the people in our lives? I could go without the turkey, without the desserts, without even eating in general, but I could no go without spending time with my family! This year, make sure that whomever you are going to be with this year knows that you feel the same way!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!