Here Comes Autumn

Incredibly, it's September.  Time to start thinking about cooler temperatures, brisk breezes, bright autumn foliage.

Well, maybe not.  Autumn is still a few weeks away here in hot and humid Florida.

What I do know is that my long, long summer off from orchestra work is coming to a close in a couple of weeks, so it's time to address all of the things I Was Supposed To Do.  So despite stifling temperatures, Here Comes Autumn, ready or not.

It's really my favorite time of year for seasonal sewing.

Here's a table runner and placemat set made out of the "Autumn Medley" collection by Martha Negley.  I'm not sure this fabric is being produced anymore, although you can still find it on Ebay and Etsy.










And here's the latest version of the Autumn Leaf runner:

This style runner has been a strong seller in my Etsy store for years.  I love making them!  I use the Autumn  Accuquilt Go die for the leaves and pumpkin.

I fuse the shapes to the background fabric, then go around the edges with a narrow zig zag stitch. Then the whole thing gets basted and quilted.

For more details on these items, check out my Etsy store here.

Shop Talk

Welcome to another edition of Shop Talk, where we meet an interesting and unique Etsy seller.


Today's featured shop is Andie's Specialty Sweets.   I think these items are amazing-- works of art made out of sugar!  Here we go again with eye candy.  Literally:

A veritable woodland forest!

The rose is fully edible, as is the pearl center.  But I don't think I could bring myself to eat any of these!

How about serving these buttons at your next quilt guild meeting?  (They also come in neutral colors and pastels, but I like these bright colors best!)

Chocolate lovers, I haven't forgotten you



I would advise against stir-frying these mushrooms.  They're organic dark chocolate, covered with a candy shell. (Drool.)
Not surprisingly, Andie and her husband (they run the business together) were Etsy Featured Sellers, awarding them a much-deserved front page article and probably TONS of orders.
Wouldn't it be fun to spend a day at their shop, learning about their craft? (Not to mention Taste Testing for Quality Control purposes, I'm sure it's a vital part of their business!)
Thanks for reading this edition of Shop Talk!

Shop Talk

Welcome to another edition of Shop Talk, where we take a quick look at some of the more unique and interesting shops on Etsy.

Now, if you've spent any time at all poking around there, you know that Vintage is a huge category, with literally hundreds of shops selling all sorts of vintage items, from housewares to clothing to jewelry.

Today I'd like to discuss clothing.

Honestly, some things are best forgotten, like these acid-washed, high-waisted
jeans, complete with fold-over waist and tapered ankles.  The look on the
model's face says it all, I think.

WHAT?  PEOPLE ACTUALLY WORE THESE???

So let's talk about REAL vintage clothing, made when clothing was art, and made by artists.

1920s black chiffon

1950s iridescent copper satin

Burned out velvet over silk chiffon.  You could be Ingrid Bergman at that smoky cafe in Morocco, stressed out and on the run from the Nazis, but still looking like a million dollars.  Play it again, Sam.

Breezy subway grate, anyone?

All of these lovely items (plus a whole lot more) can be found at daisyandstella 

Thanks for reading another edition of Shop Talk!

Shop Talk

Welcome to another edition of Shop Talk, where we enjoy a quick look at some of the more unusual, beautiful, and creative shops on Etsy.  (If you missed the first edition, you can read it here)


Today's featured seller has some fabulous eye candy.


Literally!

Take a look at Vintage Confections





 These are some of the prettiest candies I've ever seen!

How about a guava marshmallow lollipop?





My birthday is in May.  So these Emerald
Drops are particularly attractive to me.  But other
"birthstone" candies are also available.













 
Beautiful, and unique!

But it won't come as a surprise to anyone that this is my favorite:

A New Feature

This has been a pretty casual blog.  When I started it, I wanted it to feel spontaneous and fun, not like homework.  And it has been fun!  But I was thinking a tiny bit of structure, like a recurring feature, would maybe be a good  idea.

So welcome to the Premier Edition of
                                                          SHOP TALK

It's been really fun developing my little corner of Etsy.  I've enjoyed spending time just poking around there.  And I've discovered what I think are some really amazing artists doing beautiful, creative and unexpected things. I'd like to share some of them with you.

Ever thought, really thought, about what you could do with a zipper? 

How about something like this:

HOW GORGEOUS IS THAT?  

Fabulous!

I love this one:

I know what you're thinking.  The same thing I'm thinking:  I wish I was that clever.  Well, Elaine at Zippinning is clever enough for all of us, so go check out her shop!  And thanks for reading the first edition of  

                                             SHOP TALK