It's National Sewing Month

Did you know this? Me either. It was created in 1982 by Ronald Reagan to recognize the importance of home sewing in our country. Sweet! Funny I didn't hear about this till just a few days ago. I can't remember where I saw it or how I was tipped off about it, but it is indeed true. It is National Sewing Month, and I plan on celebrating it!
A treasury I created firstly about memories of sewing with my Mom, but then decided it was about this month as well.Part of the plan is to start creating table runners again. They were really popular. (see the detail of one above)
And over at Loft Full of Goodies you'll find this awesome needle book. I bought one recently, but it's blue, and I cannot sing its praises enough. If you hand sew, get one of these lovely little felt books to keep your needles in. I adore mine!

Check out the National Sewing Month website. They are holding a sewing contest through the end of September with three large baskets full of sewing supplies and notions as the prizes.

finally a treasury

I know not all of you are Etsy sellers or buyers, but I think a majority of you are. If you are not, I highly recommend taking a look around Etsy. There are so many wonderful, handmade items, including cleaning supplies, home decoration, edibles, fine art, ceramics, perfume, soap, not to mention the vintage arena!

Click on the photo above, which will bring you to the treasury west area of the website and the current treasury that I have curated on the site.......to start, these sellers are part of Team Etsy Project Embrace, which you are all familiar with if you've been reading my blog for any time now. If not, most of them donate a portion of their profits to the American Cancer Society, which, in my opinion, is one of the most pressing health issues of the human race. I know there are many many other issues to be dealt with, but cancer is just insidious, and touches almost all of our lives in some way. It has effected me personally so many times..even my pets are not immune.

To read more about this fine team of artisans working to make a difference, please see the Etsy Project Embrace Forum thread. And please support their handmade efforts. You get something really nice and they are giving back in return :)

Valentine's Day on my mind

Yikes. I guess it's on my mind. I've been making treasuries (on Etsy) based on Valentine's themes, every time I turn on the sewing machine I'm pulling out the red fabrics. I'm curating a RED exhibit at the Gallery for February's Art Walk. After a year of solitude and singleness, perhaps I'm getting a little more comfortable with the idea of romance.....if I only had time for it...ha!

One Year Anniversary Sale on Etsy!!

December 12 is my one year anniversary on Etsy! It's been a great year, Etsy couldn't be a better site for artists and craftspeople to sell their creations!

I'm marking my quilts down by 20% in the shop until December 22! Yay!

Tis the Season.

I've been busy in the sweatshop getting ready for Cyber Monday, if there is such a thing. I'm hoping there is because look at these sweet place mats I'm going to post. You can't buy this kind of color combination at Target, my friends. And that's the whole point of buying handmade, is it not? To get something unique, interesting, and maybe in a way, precious.

This year my family has decided to have an All-Handmade-Christmas. Everyone is baking, sewing, crafting, knitting, and other things, like making certificates to change each other's oil and such. How cool is that?! I'm more excited about this holiday season than I've been in a long time because I just can't imagine what my family might make for me. I've got my list ready and am busy sewing and sawing away to make my gifts.

Next weekend (December 5-7th) is the Holiday Open Studios and Sale at Cottage Street Studios where I have my studio. I've been there painting like a mad woman getting ready for that as well. Don't plan on seeing me until December 8th when I can re-surface and have a social life again. Best of luck to all of my crafting friends and fine arts friends during this holiday season.