Friday, November 4, 2011

Joanna's Collections Feature and Giveaway

When I'm browsing through Etsy or Artfire shops and looking at the beautiful collections and treasuries that are made with the handmade items from these shops, one thing that always catches my eye are baskets! I just think baskets are so pretty, and handmade baskets are extra special! Some of the baskets I've seen are beautiful and so intricate! These baskets are definitely a work of art and are each handcrafted with love by the talented crafter! One such talented person is Joanna from Joanna's Collections, and I'd love to introduce you to her and her shop!


Here's what Joanna says:

"I have loved baskets ever since I received my first wooden-lidded picnic basket as a wedding shower gift 35 years ago. Our home has since been decorated with baskets.

We carried our babies' necessities in “diaper baskets”; I have hidden the Scotch, masking, and duct tapes in market baskets, (so it's there when needed); our kitchen is filled with bread baskets, muffin baskets, napkin and paper plate baskets, utensil baskets, and casserole baskets; the laundry is hauled in wash-day baskets; our books are held in magazine or carry-all baskets; library books are transported to and fro in leather handled tote baskets; etc., etc., etc., :-) In other words, I am never found without a basket in hand! 


Although my love for baskets has covered the last three decades, I was not actually "hands on" involved until the summer of 1991 when I was introduced to basket weaving. At the time, our family lived and worked at a Christian camp in northern Wisconsin, and a lady from Milwaukee was attending a week-long family camp. She was an avid basket maker, and so she offered a class out on the deck of the dining hall. Being on a tight budget with a family of seven, I did not even have the $10 material fee needed to take the class. But a good friend paid my fee, and we spent a beautiful afternoon weaving our first baskets. I was immediately hooked! Up to that point in life, I had enjoyed many other types of crafts, but now, basket weaving quickly moved into first place.


Since that memorable summer afternoon 19+ years ago, I have woven over 4800 baskets, taught hundreds of classes, and designed a countless number of patterns.  I am currently teaching basketry for adult community education in four different public school districts. It is always such a joy to share in a new student's delight with the completion of their first basket weaving project.


I create and weave all of our baskets in our own home shop. We have been blessed with a restored 1916 country farmhouse on a 20-acre hobby farm located in eastern Minnesota, and have had nine children, three of which are still at home. (The others keep coming back home with more!)

We have a large vegetable garden, a dozen apple trees, a long row of raspberries, and lots of flowers in the summer. We raise chickens and turkeys, keep honeybees, and have three horses, two dogs and a varying number of farm cats. There are bikes in the dirt driveway, a swing set and swimming pool in the back yard, and two small ponds out in the pasture. All in all, it is a great place to raise a family and — WEAVE BASKETS!"

Aren't they beautiful! So much variety and so well made! You can find these wonderful baskets on Etsy or their brand new website!

Not only would these American made, handwoven baskets be wonderful for using around your home, they would also make very special gifts!! And speaking of gifts, I am thrilled to announce that Joanna's Collections is offering one of my readers their choice of one of the two baskets below!

 
This is one time I wish I could enter the giveaways I list on my blog! :)

To enter for your chance to win one of these beautifully made baskets, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Please be patient as it may take a minute to load. Remember to record your mandatory entry in the form or it will not be counted!



61 comments:

Mary Ann said...

Oh my, I love those beautiful baskets! I have a 'thing" for beautiful handcrafted baskets. Thanks for sharing the info.

lorialcorn2006 said...

wow they are all so lovely but I think I could really use the Primitive Hearth Basket for magazines in the bathroom

lorialcorn2006 said...

I would pick the shabby chic ivory if I won lorialcorn2006@yahoo.com

Belley Family said...

The Twin-Handled Market basket is great! Actually, all of them are so pretty! Anne http://civilwar---andmore.blogspot.com

Angela said...

I love the bike basket. I've love to have one of those rustic baskets. Way better than the metal baskets they make these days. :)

P.I.C.'s by Breanna said...

Such neat baskets!! My mom LOVES baskets!! :)
Out of all the baskets I liked the Kleenex basket and the bike basket!! Neat ideas!!
out of the two giveaways I like the brown and black one!! :)

DeeAnn S said...

My favorite basket is the adorable Birdhouse Basket. Thanks.
sweepster49 at comcast dot net

April Yedinak said...

It is so hard to choose, all the baskets are lovely, but I like the egg basket for it's funky design.

Grace Mae said...

It is so hard to choose which one I like. I did like the two handle tote. Any basket I would like would be a deep basket or one I could keep my knitting or small work in.

Julie W said...

It was so hard to choose because I like all of them but the Stairstep Basket would be great for us :)

Julie W said...

I would choose black grungy if I won

Unknown said...

I love the Northwoods Tote basket!

Anonymous said...

love the Kitchen Counter Basket

Anonymous said...

love the black grungy

Serena said...

I adore the Kitchen Counter Basket, it's just too cute!

serenap95(at)hotmail(dot)com

Laura said...

Shelf basket

Laurasu82 at yahoo.com

ashley rexrode said...

i love the kitchen counter basket in colonial red! its beautiful.

Hannah said...

I think my favorite would have to be the Blueberry Muffin basket!

Stacy said...

I LOVE the rusty star basket in blue! Too cute!

Susan said...

I love the Colonial Red Kitchen Counter basket, the Napkin basket & the black rusty star market basket!
Thanks for the chance to win this!!

Patricia Wojnar Crowley said...

I like the kitchen counter baskets...I could use muliple of those!

DebbyM said...

I love the Little Northwoods Tote Basket....although it was difficult to pick just one! They are all so beautiful!

Thanks,
VaDebby@cox.net

DebbyM said...

I like the black grungy basket!

Thanks,
VaDebby@cox.net

Carmen said...

They all look great, who doesn't need a basket to hold stuff in! I do a lot of crafting, or at least I attempt too LOL, so the craft caddy basket really catches my eye.

smhbc said...

I really love that Northwoods Tote Basket! Stacey - smhbc@hotmail.com

ChaoticKelly said...

I like the kitchen counter basket.

frugalkelly at hotmail dot com

Randi said...

I'm in love with the blueberry muffin basket!

Screaming Sardine said...

Eeks, I'm supposed to choose just one favorite!?! I do love the star baskets; I love just about anything with a star on it. I do love Joanna's shelf baskets and large mail baskets, too. So hard to choose!

Cheers,
Tracy Screaming Sardine

Anonymous said...

I would love the bicycle basket. I started bicycling this summer, and got a metal basket, but this would be way cooler!
robinlscott4 at hotmail dot com

Brittany Boardley said...

I Like Kitchen Counter Basket - Heritage Green

Kasparbauer Family said...

love the black grungy basket!! jkasparbauer@gmail.com

Noelle said...

umbrella basket

Noelle said...

black grungy

Mrs. Laura Lane said...

bicycle basket

Toni said...

i like the mitten basket
tmaire56@hotmail.com

DeeAnn S said...

I'd choose black grungy. Thanks.
sweepster49 at comcast dot net

Unknown said...

I like the kitchen counter basket!!

Amanda Leach said...

I love the square to round laundry basket!

Kathy Davis said...

My favorite is the Williamsburg Market Basket.

Kathy Davis
kdavis1@centurytel.net

Patricia P. said...

I love them all, but I'd choose the large southwest storage basket to hold our throws when not in use.

Kimberly said...

I like the Square to Round Laundry Basket
Kims2312@Verizon.net

X said...

Blueberry Muffin basket is beautiful!

RJ said...

Mini Shelf Basket

rjwhiggins@aol.com

Jo said...

The Kitchen Counter Basket would be useful!
jofo120 at yahoo dot com

shirley fin said...

the blueberry muffin basket

abile27 at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

The mini shelf basket is my favorite!

Shannon F
shannybakes@hotmail.com

faith2 said...

Love these would make would gifts

The Minister's Wife said...

I love the Northwoods Tote Basket. I could use that taking things back and forth to church!!

mrsloisannjones@aol.com

Katy said...

I just love all of them!! I really like the Plaid Tote Basket!

Mercedes said...

The Little Red Gift Basket is just adorable!

Alyssa Marie said...

They are beautiful! Absolutely gorgeous baskets and you have such a wonderful variety. It's so difficult to choose, but I think I've fallen in love with the Big Green Basket. What a beautiful and simple splash of color. Gorgeous!

Jay said...

I like kitchen counter basket.

mary fallon said...

my home is decorated in americana theme with red white and blue everything so i would love any of the red white and blue baskets like the tissue basket.

sweetpea0861@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

jennifer dansberger jones
missjenno1@yahoo.com
my favorite is the bean pot basket

Unknown said...

leather handled tote basket

dandy walker

truwinner@gmail.com

Mrs. Laura Lane said...

Northwoods Tote Basket

Laurie said...

Love the Kitchen counter basket

laurie1993@verizon.net

Unknown said...

Northwoods Tote Basket! - Jenna O

Marie R said...

I love the Mail Basket - Large
mccataquet(at)yahoo(dot)com

Ruthie Denise said...

I like the little snack basket. It would be perfect for my house because there is just two of us.

mommy2one126 said...

I like the kitchen counter baskets!

mommy2one126@yahoo.com