Woman hosts annual sale for artists in her Valley Township home

A Valley Township fiber artist is offering holiday shoppers a chance to buy a variety of handcrafted gifts at her home for one afternoon during a sale that will feature items made by more than a dozen local artists.

Amber Spiker is a mother of three who knits and crochets woolen items like scarves, gloves, hats and shawls to sell under her business label, A Lovely Yarn.

Other crafters and artists will join her Dec. 5 to sell and display their work at Spiker's home along Anderson Creek Road during the Third Annual Handmade Open House.

“We're going to have a lot of the same people as last year but also expect a few new artists,” Spiker said.

Spiker's goal for the annual open house is to offer people a more personal and unique shopping experience. And, she noted, no one seems to mind weaving around her living room furniture to check out the sale items.

“People like it because it's cozy and personal,” she said.

In addition to Spiker's woolen items, shoppers will have a chance to buy handcrafted jewelry, cards, soaps, baked goods, ribbons, doll clothing, wooden utensils, vases and toys.

Terri McKinley, also of Valley Township, has been busy sewing contemporary and pioneer-style doll clothing to sell during the open house.

“It keeps me hopping,” McKinley said.

Those bonnets, gowns, jackets and bathing suits fit 18-inch dolls like the popular American Girl brand.

She said she enjoys interacting with customers, especially the young girls shopping for their dolls.

“A lot of the girls talk like their doll is real,” she said.

McKinley participated in last year's sale and said she is looking forward to this one.

“It's a nice environment to shop in,” she said.

Brigid Beatty is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-543-1303 or bbeatty@tribweb.com.