The bright colors and contrasting textures of Danielle Lien's textile designs are playful and delightful. Cotton and felt keychains are hand stitched with fanciful wood buttons affixed on top: a feather, cat, guitar. The keychains are snuggled next to magnets and framed Minnesota-themed pieces with log cabins and plaid lending their design to Lien's art.

“I really like creating with my hands and I’ve always had that artistic bone in my body.” Lien dug into her craft when stuck at home during the early days of the pandemic. “I just really wanted to create.” A longtime photographer, the time in isolation proved fruitful as Lien explored new handicraft avenues. Soon she was delving into decoupage, macrame, and designing wood signs, yarn wall hangings and dream catchers.

Lien’s talent is generational. “I’m inspired by both my grandmothers,” Lien shares. “My paternal grandmother was a very talented painter. She taught me a lot of technique—crosshatching, shading, stippling.” Her maternal grandmother was a handicrafts maker, dabbling in basket weaving and macrame.

Lien is always trying to create new things and will have some fun new items to check out. Lien's work can also be found online at Danielle Lien Designs and in Starbuck at There’s No Place Like Home.