Why I Chose To Leave Etsy

Let me start off with gratitude. I am so grateful for every Etsy buyer that trusted me to create something beautiful for them. I am grateful that for a number of years I was able to bring home a large chunk of change to my dinner table. I am grateful that I have a family that supported me, watched as I worked crazy hours and believed in my dream.

I am so very grateful for what Etsy was, but things have changed. Somewhere in the last couple of years, the heart and soul was lost. The beautiful handcrafted community has been blanketed by mass amounts of resellers. I'm not talking about those selling supplies or vintage goods - there is no ambiguity there. I'm talking about those shops that are selling mass produced items under the false guise of handcrafted.

Now personally my niche is not really at stake. Art and quilts don't normally have mass produced competitors. However it is what Etsy is not doing that has pushed me to leave.

I don't want to dwell on negativity. To each their own, but I've decided that is something that really matters to me and I have to stand my ground. I will continue to buy on Etsy from the sellers I know and love. I hope that in the future things will change for Etsy. In the meantime I have closed up my shop and will be trying out Big Cartel. There is a link to my shop in the header. You can also peruse the gallery to see some offerings.

xo,
Jennifer

Liberated Halloween Baby Quilt

I love to make a few things for the kids for the holidays. I had planned to make the girls' Halloween skirts and baby boy a pair of pants. Unfortunately, the first skirt pattern I used was written with incorrect measurements. I had to scrap the skirt and in the end, I didn't have enough fabric to make baby boy's pants. The agony of being the third child..

Rather than toss the scrapped skirt in the trash can, I decided that I would cut it apart and create a stroller quilt in my favorite improv style. Makes perfect sense in high insight, he can use the blanket daily and get much more use out of it.

I used the Riley Blake fabric as focal points and improv pieced around them. They are so cute and get a ton of attention. I love sweet Halloween fabric that is not overwhelmingly scary.

I've seen a few quilting friends rave about how fun striped binding is. Luckily I had the perfect fabric for it and I love it! It is just the right, fun touch to the quilt.

So when life or sewing gives you lemons, it's time to make some adorable lemonade!

First Art Book Publication - Incite, Dreams Realized: The Best of Mixed Media

When I decided to branch out into textile art and mixed media earlier this year, I never dreamed that it would go very far other than fulfilling my inner desires. I'm so honored and excited to be published in my first art book - Incite, Dreams Realized: The Best of Mixed Media. This book holds such amazing eye candy and inspiration.

And here is my page..

I have another textile collage art piece in the works. It's quite large and has taken some time, but I'm hoping to reveal the macabre twins soon..

I hope you will pick this book at your local bookstore or on Amazon - I just know you will love it!

XO,
Jennifer

Liberated Fall Quilt Process and Other Halloween Fun

One of the all time favorite quilts in our home is the Halloween one I created last year. Regardless of the time of the year, that one gets pulled out a lot. And as a Halloween nut, I figured I should make some more fall quilts to enjoy. I decided to shelve all those WIPS I've been trying to finish and dive into some liberated quilting fun! Here is a bit of my process..

 Lots of yummy orange scraps..

The makings of the first liberated pumpkin quilt block..

A little trial and error. I hated that stem.. thought it made my pumpkin look like a orange..

Playing with the idea of stripe borders..

More blocks done.. Filling in with improv cream blocks that I started months ago..

Inspired by the Modern Maples on my Instagram feed and decided to try a few liberated ones..

And it's coming together.. Almost done. Just need to finish the bottom row of piecing, quilting and binding. Hoping to add it to the Etsy store before the end of September. It will be a smallish quilt - perfect wall hanging or the autumn baby due any day.

Now that my parents have moved here, it is such a treat to have crafty nights with my Mum. She treated me to this gorgeous wreath class at Thanksgiving Pointe. So much fun and I love having new decor on our front door. The technique was super easy and wouldn't this be in great in other motifs? Maybe a creamy, vintage Christmas?


I've been busy working on the liberated fall quilt and a number of projects for a book due out next year. The kiddos have grown tired of hearing about how none of it was for them. This past week I surprised the girls with some new fun skirts..

And a pattern I used online had some very off measurements, sadly I had to scrap one of the skirts and try something new. I love this little liberated piecing in the skirt and it makes my kiddo smile. Make lemonade, people, especially when it's designer fabric that is at stake!

I hope it is cooling down where you are and your thoughts are full of pumpkin spice lattes, jumps through crunchy leaves and enjoying the start of the holidays..

XO,
Jennifer

Back to School, Back to Work

Phew! What a summer.. We've had such a wonderful couple of months getting to know our little bundle of joy, Tommy. He is a pure delight - sweet, mild tempered with the cutest laugh. Here he was a month ago - time is flying by.. Don't you just want to pinch those cute, little chubby legs?!

We decided to hold off on homeschooling till next summer. Since Tommy is our last baby, I wanted to spend this precious year with some quiet time with him. Luckily the girls are wild about their school and we were eager to return.

I returned to my work as a librarian about a month ago and this week have been able to return to my work as an artist. I just finished my first solo art show and sold one of my favorite pieces, "The Raven". I also signed my 4th book collaborator contract. I'm so excited and honored to have a number of fun patterns coming out this year and in 2014. The first book is out right now and available on Amazon, Incite, Dreams Realized: The Best of Mixed Media.

It feels wonderful to be surrounded by my amazing, loving family and have the ability to return to the art world as well. I want to thank you for your patience this summer with my blogging break. I'm ready to come back and can't wait to share with you!

For now, I'm off to ignore my pile of WIPS in the corner and start a new Halloween quilt. This one will probably make its way to Etsy too..