Artist of [Undetermined Timeframe] #3: Quilter Jen Buettner

If you think I’m creatively prolific, Blog, you are about to see me left behind in the dust.

Meet my good friend Jen, who has blown many a mind with her endless creative talents. She’s a photographer, scrapbooker, jewelry maker, needlecrafter, and above all quilter of some serious renown. Her blog, Cre8tive Quilter, is frequented by quilters all over the world as a source of both information and amusement. I’m not even into quilting and I check it every day!

Jen is also very generous with her time. She’s always doing needlework for charity (like quilts for kids and pillowcases for the military). She also makes gifts for her friends all the time, everything from quilted postcards to baby quilts.

And her talent at her craft just blows my mind! You’re looking at a photo of my favorite of her quilts, a bargello that I could stare at all day. I can’t even fathom the precision and patience required for something like this, Blog.

I am the proud owner of many Jen-made treasures, and wanted to share with you a few of them. My favorite is this incredible table runner that is one of my best-loved Christmas decorations every year. She made me matching coasters too. For more shots and info, visit her post about the project.

Speaking of coasters, Jen also made me a custom-designed set with the logo from my novel Bloodchained. How’s that for awesome?

I just love Jen’s hobby of making purses, wallets, and other types of totes. For example, she made a set for me to take along on our family’s 2007 INKYTNMO road trip. I use the backpack-like satchel as my briefcase now every day. And the wallet is a perfect fit for my digital camera and is also a daily companion! Read about these on her post here.

Jen works in a quilting store and does some work on commission, so is a full fledged professional in her creative field. That doesn’t keep her from spending a ton of her free time creating beautiful things as well. Blog, I insist you look at her wrap up of 2009 to see with your own eyes what she can accomplish in a year—the proof is there in pictures.

What an inspiration! I’m thankful for all the beauty (and usefulness!) that has been added to the world by my friend Jen. Blog, I can tell you are really wishing you could work a needle right now—so sorry for that lack of opposable thumbs as well as fingers at all!