Postcard Promotion the Jennifer Chiaverini Way

I've used postcard promotion for a number of my books, including The Magic of Patchwork.  This included sending out postcards to announce the new release, even printing an order blank on the card. I've also had extra cards printed without order blanks and use them when I correspond with fans, family and friends.


I'm impressed with the use of postcards to announce Jennifer Chiaverini's new Elm Creek Quilts novel, The Union Quilters. Jennifer mentioned on Facebook that she had 20 postcards and a Union Quilters' pin, to send to the first 100 people who responded with an e-mail. She would appreciate their distributing the cards, which announced her new book and listed her upcoming appearances.

I responded in time to receive the cards and have been handing them out to my daughter's quilt group, the local library and a local bookstore where I teach workshops. I'm also mailing them to friends who read the Elm Creek Quilts books and/or are involved in quilting.

Do you have unique ways of using postcards to publicize your books?

Branding for Quilters, Authors & Businesses

Branding has become a buzz word in the business world, a way to call recognition to your name or business name and thus acquire more sales. I've written a number of articles about branding and have been studying how it could help in my writing world.

One area an author can utilize branding is by writing a series of books with the same setting, same characters, same theme...at least some thread tying them all together as Jennifer Chiaverini has done with her Elm Creek Quilts novel series. I've written about this technique in the post, Branding - The Elm Creek Way.

Have you looked into developing a brand for your business or name?

Arts Bloggers' Round-up of Crafty Ideas

The Arts Bloggers have another series of crafty ideas:

Blisstree Arts Cyndi's done a round-up of all her image transfer tutorials.

Creating Memory Shadowboxes Mary Emma Allen explores some ways to create shadowboxes with memorabilia to preserve memories and special moments.

Gelly Roll Inspiration Visual journal inspiration from artists using Gelly Roll gel pens.

How to wind yarn with a nostepinne A nostepinne is a stick that you use to wind yarn into a flat ball that is center pull and easily stacked. So, they are a great way to organize your yarn stash!

Pretty Pot of Pens for Mom Add a little glam to Mom’s desk with this lovely and handy penholder filled with flower-topped pens.

Which of these ideas do you find intriguing?

Quilt Patterns Relating to Gardening

It's amazing how the theme of gardening is carried into art, whether it's painting, collage, mixed media, or quilting. As I was browsing through my quilt books, I noticed a number of patterns named for topics related to gardening...whether vegetables or flowers.

Flowers in a Pot
Forbidden Fruit
Hawaiian Grape Vine
Kansas Sunflower
Melon Patch
Peony
Pineapple
Rose Petal
Sunflower
Tulip
Basket of Oranges
Basket of Tulips
English Poppy
Strawberrie

Do you have any favorite fruit or vegetable quilt patterns, or others related to gardening?

Irish Related Quilting Projects for St. Patrick's Day

Many of the quilting patterns pioneer ladies used reflected names of nationalities and the countries from which they might have immigrated. Here are some that might have a connection to the Irish and St. Patrick's Day.

• Irish Puzzle
• Irish Chain
• Double Irish Chain
• Triple Irish Chain
• Shamrock
• Anna's Irish Tulip

Do you have any special Irish or St. Patrick's Day designs that you make? Or that were handed down in your family?

Quilting and Patchwork Moves to BlissTree

My former blog, Quilting and Patchwork at b5media, has become incorporated into BlissTree, so you'll no longer find my individual quilting blog there. I'll be writing on quilting and other crafts. I'll try to let you know when I have new quilting posts up there, so you can find them without hunting around.

Here at Quilters' Potpourri, I shall be increasing the information I share, as I have time.

Also, visit my Tales of the Trails End Quilters blog about my quilting heritage. I'll be adding to it more regularly.

Happy quilting!

The Quiltmaker's Gift & Related Books

When I discovered the children's story book, The Quiltmaker's Gift, I didn't realize there were related books with quilt patterns and suggestions. When a quilter asked where she might find fabric with similar designs on it, I sent out her request in a post, Fabric to Represent Story Books, Particularly The Quiltmaker's Gift.

Then I discovered there were books with quilt patterns to accompany the picture book and wrote about them in Follow-up Books for the Quiltmaker's Gift.

You may want to check out these books:

The Quiltmaker's Gift
Quilts From the Quiltmaker's Gift
More Quilts From the Quiltmaker's Gift