Sarah Price, best selling author of Amish romance novels, released her latest book at just after midnight this morning.  Newberry Acres hit Amazon at 12:01 and to celebrate, she hosted a live Book Release party on Facebook last evening.  

For her fans, she held a contest offering this sweet little macrame hanger,  for liking and sharing her page.  The winner was announced this morning at her Morning Coffee broadcast (Sarah is actually the Energizer Bunny)  and I'll be shipping it out to the lucky winner soon.  Congratulations!

Curious about the new book?  Jump over to her website, Sarah Price Author,  and read up on the plot. An Amish adaptation of Jane Austin's North Anger Abby, Sarah introduces a whole new universe of characters.  The heroine Catherine,  as you may have guessed, is a "maker" who creates macrame art to support her family.

Check out Sarah's new book then scoot over to her FaceBook page for  daily "Morning Coffee" live broadcasts.  If you're already a Sarah Price fan, won't you please leave a comment below?  Thanks!

With the wedding season growing close, I've been working on different macrame ceremony backdrops for my Etsy shop.  Pictured above is a large macrame hanging I finished this weekend.  The pattern I used is a longer, wider, straight-edged version of "Harmony".

What I like about this hanging is it easily allows for size customization to fit the circumstance.  And it transfers readily to  home decor.  I've placed the macrame hanging  above a console table here, but it could just as easily be used as a headboard,  above a couch, or as a window covering.

So often,  macrame wedding backdrops  look like they're basically made for one-time use, to be thrown away after the ceremony.  No so with this hanging. I build my pieces out of the highest quality cord available and put a lot of attention into the detail, creating  a family heirloom to keep, use, and hand down.

The pattern for this straight "Harmony" is filled with medallions, rosettes, braids and diamonds.  These design elements take a lot of time and require straight, tight knotting, but I think it's worth it.  If you're using this piece in your wedding ceremony,  you certainly want a rich looking tapestry befitting the occasion!  Once it transfers to the home, the extra attention to detail and the quality materials will never no out of style.

If you like my new creation, then "like" and share below! Visit my Etsy shop to see more macrame wedding decorations. Thanks for stopping by and your comments are welcome below.

We have two macrame wall hangings selected for set decor on CBS's "Macgyver" series.  These pieces are to  appear in the February 17, 2017 episode.

 "Macgyver" is a reboot from an 80's show that was very popular, staring Richard Dean Anderson.  The new show stars Lucas Till, George Eads, and Tristin Mays

"Contentment" and "Seer" may or may not be in following episodes. The show has been renewed, so who know?  These pieces could have long and illustrious career in show business.

I'll be curious to see how they are used.  Help me spot them on February 17.

Trends come and go but change is permanent.  I've noticed something lately.  Is it a trend or a real change?

In the digital /machine age of mass produced plastic throw-away's, there seems to be a growing hunger for products and goods made using the old skills and technologies of yesteryear.

There's a resurgence recently in the popularity of macramé, woodworking, and crafts -  made-by-hand vs. made-by-machine.

Is it a spiritual yearning for a simpler time?  A desire for quality, thoughtfully hand made  goods?  A rejection of mass-produced imports without character that wind up in the landfill after they break?

Time will tell if it's a passing fad or a paradigm shift.  If it holds and is truly a sea-change in buying habits, the upside is promising:
•    More jobs here at home
•    More opportunities for home-based cottage industries like those found on Etsy
•    Less "slock" destined for overflowing landfills
•   Less squandering of natural resources since made-by-hand items become family heirlooms and are passed down
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It's encouraging that Millennial's are leading this resurgence by rejecting the "wretched excess" of our current society.  They seem to be looking to the past for adding quality and meaning to their lives.

The skills needed to produce these made-by-hand goods are becoming rare these days and quickly disappearing.  Perhaps it's time to visit a surviving member of "The Greatest Generation" while there's still time.  We could all learn a thing or two.