Everyday Life at Leisure

Valentine’s Dinner Menu

2012-02-14T08:05:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine’s Day, Y’all!

Picture it. (You’ll have to use your imagination ’cause I got no pictures for this blog post!) You’re on a Greek Island with your special someone. Soft music plays in the background while tantalizing aromas waft through the open window from the courtyard below...

Okay, in real life, you just got off work…fought rush hour traffic…it’s Valentine’s evening on a weeknight (holidays should not be scheduled during the work week)…your significant other has no interest in standing in line at a restaurant (in fact, he’s standing there staring at you, and you know the next words out of his mouth aren’t going to be, “Honey, I love you...” but rather, “What’s for supper?”)—and you yourself would actually like to magically manage a vaguely romantic Valentine’s meal. I think I can help solve your problem. Try my quick and easy Greek Dinner for Two, Four, Six… (Continue being real, folks…you know you’re not getting rid of the kids on a weeknight...)

Appetizer
• Buy frozen mini philo cups.
• Mix together softened cream cheese, a handful of sharp cheddar cheese, a couple of chopped green onions, and cayenne pepper to taste. (Leave the onions and cayenne out of some of them if you’re feeding kids and tell them it’s cheese pie!)
• Stuff the cream cheese mixture into the philo cups and bake at 350 degrees about 10-15 minutes.

Light some candles and serve the hot appetizers with a glass of wine. (Just tell the counter person at the liquor store about your meal and ask for a good bottle of wine in your price range.) Give the kids wine glasses filled with apple juice, so they can celebrate, too.

Greek Chicken
• Season two (or more) boneless, skinless chicken breasts with Greek Seasoning (Cavender’s is a good choice).
• Sauté the chicken breasts in butter and the juice from a whole lemon. (If you’re lazy like me and don’t want to stand there and watch chicken cook, roll the seasoned chicken in olive oil and lemon and then grill it on an electric grill.)

Greek Potatoes
• Drain one (or more) can(s) of sliced (or cubed) potatoes.
• Sauté the potatoes in butter, the juice from a whole lemon, and Greek Seasoning to taste.

Greek Salad
• Top bagged lettuce from the store with kalamata olives, a few grape tomatoes, and feta cheese.
• Splash on a little oil and vinegar.

Dish it all up on gorgeous plates and set out a basket of warmed pita bread and cool Tzatziki. (Don’t get excited. It’s just a sauce.)

Tzatziki
• Peel a cucumber and cut it into thin strips; then, cut the strips into small pieces. Drain well and add salt.
• Mix the cucumber with 2-4 cloves of minced garlic, a little vinegar, and ¾ cup of plain yogurt.
• Add some olive oil (just a little at a time).
• Garnish with olives.
• Cover and chill for 30 min.

(But if you hate cucumbers or Tzatziki sounds like too much trouble to make…just set out a bowl of sour cream. It tastes really nice with a bite of chicken on a pita chip!)

Dessert
Who has time to make dessert? Just get some baklava from your favorite bakery on the way home, make some really good coffee, and round off the evening watching a DVD of My Big Fat Greek Wedding while the object of your affections dozes in his recliner...

So really, what are your (G-rated) plans for the most romantic night of the year?

Kitchen Collectibles & A Free Valentine’s Recipe

2012-02-13T08:05:00.001-06:00

With Valentine’s Day coming up (Gulp…I’m not ready!) tomorrow, I thought you might enjoy taking a look at designer friend Becky’s collection of kitchen goodies, and she’s also kindly agreed to share her own personal Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookie recipe with us!

I love her vintage metal measuring utensils!

And look at all the cookie cutters! (I’m experiencing severe cookie cutter envy!)

Hope you enjoy Becky’s recipe:

Sugar Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1-1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
granulated sugar

Mix butter, margarine, confectioners sugar, egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Add in flour, soda, and cream of tartar. Cover and chill 2-3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Divide dough in half. Roll each half to 3/16" thick on floured board. Cut into shapes and sprinkle with sugar. Place on lightly greased baking sheet and bake 7-8 minutes.

Yield: About 5 dozen cookies

Here’s Becky’s finished result. She bakes them up ahead of time before Valentine’s Day (evidently she has better time management skills than I do) and puts them in the freezer. When she’s ready, she pulls them out and gets started decorating!

She just makes up icing from confectioner's sugar, a little water, and food coloring until she gets a good consistency (not too runny or thick). She spoons it into a ziploc bag and seals the bag tightly. Then, she cuts off a tiny tip from one corner and pipes icing onto the cookies.

Yummy! Thanks for sharing your creativity with us, Becky!

Designer Anne Decorates For Valentine’s Day!

2012-02-12T08:05:00.001-06:00

{Designer friend Anne is our guest blogger today on Everyday Life at Leisure! She’s decorating for Valentine’s Day!}

Decorating For Valentine’s!
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and with it, a great opportunity to pull some things together to display on my kitchen counter. Something with cleaner lines, bright red, and a fresher look than the “wintery” one that replaced Christmas.

I didn’t really think I had very much in the way of Valentine décor, so I just started looking around and surprised myself by coming up with a fun collection of things from around my house that make me smile. I went to look in the linen closet for something to put down as the base of my display. I got a linen table runner and just left it folded in half to make it the right size. I saw some pillowcases that my grandmother had done chicken scratch handwork on and remembered a heart apron she had also made. Got the apron from the dresser in the dining room. Then, I simply grabbed red anything—a couple of odd plates, an empty candy box, candle tin, a bunch of tulips, and a skein of red yarn.

I decided to wind the yarn into a ball and thought it would be fun to fill the slots in the candy box. Into the box went the yarn, a couple of pictures of my kiddos and a needlepoint pincushion with a heart. I placed the runner center stage on my counter, laid the apron at one corner, and fluffed it until satisfied.

Then I gathered a few hearts from here and there that were mixed in with my regular décor. Together, they filled one of the plates nicely and softened the edge of the candy box in my display.

Filling a vase with shredded paper, I also added a bunch of red tulips. These gave the display the height that it needed. Took one last look…leaned a red plate against the vase and added a few scrapbook flower elements as the finishing touch. Smile.

The kitchen window needed a little splash, too. I took an old water bottle, filled it with red flowers (can’t remember what they are called right now), and stuck them up on the sill. From my workroom, I brought out two old chalk boards (remember the new trend with chalk boards) and wrote, “Happy Valentine’s Day.” Then I added a couple of red apples (real and glass) and a couple of red plates. The plates are so cool. They are square, a really great color for using throughout the year. They are from Pottery Barn (my favorite place) and were given to me by my Leisure Arts co-worker and friend—Becky. They make me happy. I guess you can’t see from my picture…but there is also a red bowl of chocolate candy just to the right of the apple. What would Valentine’s be with out chocolate candy?

I also did some tulip arrangements for the tables at a coffee hour for church which meant I had to watch my budget and still get a bang for my buck. With that in mind, I grabbed the three squared off vases that I already had—one for each table. Then, I bought vase crystals and one bunch of tulips.

The tulips I bought were silk, but you could use real. If you chose the silk, cut each stem off of the bunch so you have individual flowers. Shape them softly by pinching the stem as you run the stem down your hand. This gives the flower a more natural lean, instead of a straight erect look. Place the stems as you like in each vase.

The curled stem in a short vase is a popular “look” right now in floral, so I used that for the smallest vase. I kept it clean and simple only three flowers, a leaf on only one.

I decided to see what the taller vase was going to need to look full. The curled idea wasn’t going to work here—the vase was taller than the flowers. Okay, make that a part of the design…let the flowers stand tall. Well, they aren’t quite tall enough to clear the top of the vase...in comes the crystals.

Fill the bottom of the vase with the crystals, then add the tulips back. Again, clean, simple.

Okay that left me with more tulips to work with in the medium vase—it is fatter any way, so I needed more. I added the rest of the tulips from the bunch and shaped them with a slight curve. They filled the vase nicely.

Since I used the crystals in the tall vase I decided to add them to the other two vases for continuity. A quick and easy project, done.

Becky’s Making Valentine Banners Again!

2012-02-11T08:05:00.001-06:00

If you’ve been following Everyday Life at Leisure for awhile, you might remember our designer friend Becky’s Valentine’s Rick Rack Banner from last Valentine’s Day. Well, The Banner Queen’s at it again!

Check out this year’s banner goodness! Pretty sweet, huh? (Notice how she’s added pennants to last year’s Valentine’s Rick Rack Banner?)

And she says it’s easy! She just cuts shapes out of cardstock (some of it Valentine-themed to make it easy), red and white felt, plus a few buttons, a little rick rack…

And heads for her sewing machine!

Look at how simple…She just sews her shapes (paper or felt) together! Then she tacks or glues the felt, buttons, and rick rack together to embellish her banners as she desires.

Finally, I just couldn’t resist showing you this great shadowy photo of Becky’s banners in her window! Too cool!

What kind of special or traditional Valentine’s decorating do you do?

Paper Crafted Party Ensembles

2012-02-10T08:05:00.001-06:00

Paper crafters! You’ve got to see it! I’m totally loving the paper crafty party ideas in our new inspiration book from the editors of PaperCrafts magazine—Party Ensembles!

With over 1000 projects, this fabulous book includes paper party embellishment goodies for every kind of get-together imaginable: invitations, cards, banners, gift wraps, bottle wraps, picks, tags, favor boxes & bags, place cards, placemats—you name it...and in every theme—birthday, school, sports, engagement, wedding shower, baby shower, baptism, confirmation, anniversary, New Year’s, Easter, seasons, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Patriotic, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, plus neatness for fun occasions like housewarmings, tailgating, movie night, game night, wine tasting, Cinco De Mayo, Mardi Gras, and more…

And, of course, there’s Valentine’s Day! Take a peek:

Vintage Valentine’s Day with a Tree, Napkin Ring, Invitation, Treat Bag, place Card, Banner, & Cupcake Topper

Sweet Valentine’s Day with Cake Topper, Placemat, Invitation, Pillow Box Favor, & Banner

Hearts & Doilies with Banner, Favor Bag, Candle Décor, Invitation, Place Card, Napkin Ring, & Cupcake Topper

Too too cute!!!

And even more exciting, Party Ensembles comes with a CD where you’ll find the full supply lists, patterns, and all digital design elements you’ll need to achieve all your paper crafty party goals!

Are you ready to party?

A Paper Craft Peek & Valentine’s Freebie

2012-02-09T08:05:00.002-06:00

Paper crafters! Are you looking for beautiful layouts you can create in under an hour? You need the Easier-Than-Ever Scrapbooking Treasury!

This big book is packed with the kind of layouts scrapbookers crave most: basic two-page layouts with multiphoto designs. Chapter 1, “Pages from the Pantry (Just the Basics),” provides incredible layouts that can be scraplifted (used to inspire new scrapbook designs) using basic supplies and photos. Later chapters offer layouts that show scrapbookers how using just 1 to 3 additional tools or supplies can add flavor and personality to their pages. This banquet of inspiration is designed to whet the appetites of scrapbookers and stimulate their creative juices.

(I just love how this book relates scrapbooking and food—two of my favorite things!)

And now for a little taste right from the pages of the Easier-Than-Ever Scrapbooking Treasury—from us to you…Hope this easy Valentine’s layout gets you inspired.

All you need to make these pretty Valentine’s pages is about 20 minutes and the following supplies from your “pantry”—
3 sheets of cardstock
1 sheet of patterned paper (text)
2 pieces of rickrack
8 staples
1 sheet of letter stickers
1 sheet of rub-on letters
1 pen
1 inkpad
5 photographs

Instructions:
1. Mount your focal-point photo on patterned paper. Rub the edges with black ink, then mat again on black cardstock. Adhere the matted photo to the left page of the layout. On the right page, attach four photos in a grid pattern.
2. Ink the edges of a strip of patterned paper and attach it to the top of the right page. Add stickers to create the title, apply a rub-on date, and handwrite your journaling.
3. Finish the design by stapling two pieces of rickrack to your layout.

For more great layouts like this one, add Easier-Than-Ever Scrapbooking Treasury to your paper craft library!

The Leisure Arts Booth At CHA!

2012-02-08T08:05:00.001-06:00

If you follow my blog or Leisure Arts Twitter and Facebook, you’ve heard a lot over the last few days about CHA (the Craft & Hobby Association tradeshow where we show off what’s new to retailers), and I thought you might like to have an insider’s look at our booth and some of the cool stuff that went on…

That’s the banner over our booth (so you can find your way to us from anywhere on the tradeshow floor) plus an overall view of our booth.

That’s Lindsay…She’s demoed our Knook Beginner Set for interested customers!

Patti showed off projects from our Just Duct Tape It! book…She’s actually wearing a dress she made from duct tape!

Check out The Crochet Dude Drew Emborsky! He’s being interviewed by Michael Sellick from The Crochet Crowd during the book signing for his new crochet pattern book—Use Up That Yarn!

Shannon Mullett-Bowlsby of Shibaguyz Designz also held a book signing for his fabulous new release—Urban Edge featuring 13 crocheted fashion designs!

Here’s our big Knook poster…

And then there are, of course, the books…lots and lots of books…

New knit, crochet, & cross stitch! (That’s our general mechandise coordinator Wanda studying her files.)

Chris Olsen’s Five Seasons, duct tape, & paper crafts…

Quilt…

Cookbooks, kits, Christmas, and more! Oh, my!

Knook Wins Award at CHA!

2012-02-07T08:05:00.000-06:00

Leisure Arts came home from the recent Craft & Hobby Association 2012 winter tradeshow show with a Best of Show Award—

The CHA Winter 2012 Innovations Award Honorable Mention for our Knook Beginner Set!

VP Editiorial-Susan Sullivan, Director of Knit & Crochet-Lindsay Glenn, and VP Sales-Mike Behar proudly accepted the award for Leisure Arts!

Wanna try knitting with a crochet hook for yourself? Take a look at our award-winning original Knook Beginner Set!

And keep checking back because our new Knook Expanded Beginner Set with more hook sizes and other goodies will be available soon!

Suggestions for Celebrating the Chinese New Year

2012-02-06T08:05:00.002-06:00

Happy Chinese New Year! I haven’t missed the celebration have I? It started on January 23 and lasts for 15 days, so I think I’m still good. I’ve been told that this is The Year of the Dragon!

Let’s kick off the Chinese New Year with a project idea and a free recipe!

Maybe I should cross stitch the dragon design off the front cover of The Best of Teresa Wentzler Fantasy Collection Vol. 2 to get some of that Chinese New Year dragon luck! (The pattern book’s on SALE!)

Or I could just mix up this recipe for of Oriental Mixed Nuts from the Best of Gifts of Good Taste Christmas:

ORIENTAL MIXED NUTS
1 can (22 ounces) mixed nuts
2 cans (5 ounces each) chow mein noodles
1 package (1.5 ounces) dry stir-fry seasoning
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Combine nuts and noodles in a large roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine seasoning and oil. Pour oil mixture over nut mixture; stir until well coated. Bake 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: about 10 cups snack mix

What are you doing to celebrate The Year of the Dragon?

Super Bowl Food from Celebrating Party Foods

2012-02-05T08:05:00.001-06:00

Happy Super Bowl Sunday, Y’all!

Look what the guys could be eating if only you had our Leisure Arts Celebrating Party Foods cookbook:

You could be kicking off the pre-game festivities with Beer Cheese Spread and Savory Snack Mix!

Be watching the half-time extravaganza while consuming massive quantities of Make-Ahead Saucy Ribs, cheesy Field Goal Potatoes, and Baked Bean Blitz!

And all you less-than-football-fanatics out there could be rewarding yourselves at the end of the game with a slice of this Coconut Candy Bar Cake!

Yum! Aren’t I evil to tease you like this? Better add Celebrating Party Foods to your cookbook library! Your turn to cook for Girl’s Night is coming up, and you know they’d love…

A Pasta Party!

Free Chocolate Candy Recipe For Valentine’s Day!

2012-02-04T08:05:00.000-06:00

Happy Saturday All! One of my favorite food holidays is coming up—Valentine’s Day, so I’ve spent this morning researching the perfect candy to make this year! The Love-Of-My-Life is a raspberry fan, so, in particular, I’ve been looking for raspberry recipes, and I think I’ve found the perfect one—Raspberry Chocolates from our Leisure Arts Best of Gifts of Good Taste Everyday!

If you like the idea of gourmet chocolates that even a novice candy maker like me can handle, check out this recipe:

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATES
6 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped
6 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup raspberry jelly

In separate small saucepans, melt chocolates over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour semisweet chocolate into a warm pie plate. Drizzle white chocolate over semisweet chocolate. Use the end of a wooden spoon to swirl together. Do not overmix. In batches, fill a bonbon mold half full with chocolate mixture. Using a small paintbrush, carefully brush chocolate mixture up sides of mold. Place mold in freezer 2 minutes or until chocolate hardens. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jelly into each chocolate shell. Spoon a small amount of chocolate mixture over jelly, making sure edges are sealed. Return to freezer 2 minutes or until chocolate hardens. Invert and press on back of mold to release candies. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen 1-1/8-inch bonbons

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out the cookbook it came from—Best of Gifts of Good Taste Everyday! This is really a pretty cool book! It pairs great recipes with crafty gifts for twice the fun, plus, it’s a flip book.

After you’ve enjoyed Best of Gifts of Good Taste Everyday, just flip it over for Best of Gifts of Good Taste Christmas!

A New Crochet Pattern Book—Urban Edge Day 2

2012-02-03T08:05:00.000-06:00

Urban Edge Fashion Show—Day 2

Welcome back for Day 2 of the Urban Edge fashion reveal! This newly released crochet pattern book by Shannon Mullett-Bowlsby still has some surprises to share! You’ll also continue to get the inside scoop as Shannon’s own words share the thoughts behind each design!

Bangkok Jacket
“Every wardrobe needs a “WOW” piece; something with bold lines and sleek design features with just enough edge to set it apart from anything else in your closet. This stand out jacket is that piece. I started with a strong silhouette and stitched the jacket in an exciting fabric that really brings out the asymmetrical lines of the garment. The sharp edges of the collar, layered open front and the wider set of the sleeve caps make this a striking piece to look at and a very special piece to wear.”

Los Angeles Jacket
“This piece is another example of real versatility in a garment. I love the fit of a really great long coat that flares a little at the bottom then comes in just the slightest bit for some shaping around the waist. I punched up that classic shape with a very structured stitch pattern to give this jacket visual appeal then finished the front with hook and eye clasps for a very flattering fit. Wear this piece to the office or the theatre then give it a little rock ‘n’ roll edge by adding the satin ribbons on the sleeves and wear it out on the town to make a real impression.”

Taos Poncho
“Being on the front edge of fashion doesn’t always mean creating something brand new on the scene. As in the case of the Taos Poncho, edgy can be as simple as tweaking a classic design. I took the shape of the poncho and opened up the top seam with buttons so you can adjust the fit and drape to accompany the whims of your personal style. Simple and classic with a twist… just can’t miss!”

Milan Cowl Neck Top
“Often, the city where you work during the day is the same city where you play at night. The challenge has always been to come up with the right wardrobe choices that can make this work to play transition with you. Wear this piece with a jacket and slacks or a skirt and you have the perfect office ensemble with just enough fashion edge. After work, remove the jacket and slip into your favorite jeans or a pair of tights and you quickly transform into that cool woman sipping coffee at the bookstore that everyone wants to get to know.”

Paris Wrap
“I first envisioned this design years before this book was even a blip on my radar. This piece takes multi-functional design to a new level. No matter what your body type, the simple geometric pattern created by the stitches creates body-flattering lines that will really surprise you. Because of the directional stitches, the resulting fabric has two very different characteristics: one form fitting and another with drape and movement. Express your personal style by wearing the ties around your waist as a skirt or around your neck for a dramatic, stunning dress or cover up.”

NYC Dress
“FAB!! That’s about all I can say about this dress. I love combining classic crochet techniques with visually stunning, fashion forward designs and this piece just about wraps that up for me. Classic motifs rule the day and give this edgy dress the impact that will make people stop, stare and, yes, be jealous that they didn’t make one first.”

Meet The Designer!
Shannon Mullett-Bowlsby is a fashion designer, crochet artist, and avid gardener. He’s also the co-founder of Shibaguyz Designz and Shibaguyz.com. His crochet designs have appeared in Crochet! Magazine, Inside Crochet, Interweave Crochet, Crochet World, and Crochet Today. He has also designed pieces for yarn companies, including Caron, Bijou Basin Ranch, and Mango Moon. In 2011, Shannon won the Fearless Leader Award for Haute Couture at the Crochet Liberation Front’s annual Flamie Awards. Shannon works in his West Seattle studio, where he is occasionally visited by his partner of 17 years and their 3 dogs—all of which, he says, are basically well-mannered.

Be sure to visit Leisurearts.com to get Shannon’s very cool collection of crochet hat designs, Heady Affairs (#5566), and his movie-star fabulous And That’s A Wrap! (#5611) featuring five wrap-style fashions to crochet!

A New Crochet Pattern Book—Urban Edge

2012-02-02T08:25:00.000-06:00

Urban Edge Fashion Show—Day 1

Welcome to Day 1 of the unveiling of the fashions you'll find in the just released new crochet pattern book by Shannon Mullett-Bowlsby—Urban Edge! May you enjoy being awed by these cutting edge styles as Shannon’s own words describe his inspiration and vision for each one!

Dublin Cables Dress
“I have always loved the striking look of the cables in Aran sweaters and I also love the way a great sweater dress looks fantastic on such a wide range of body types. I combined classic Aran cables with a sweater dress silhouette to create luxury with a funky twist. You will feel fantastic in this piece whether you are shopping downtown or taking a casual stroll along the waterfront on a cool day.”

Rio de Janeiro Sleeveless Hoodie
“I love hoodies. To me, a hoodie is the go-to piece for versatility in just about any wardrobe. For this design, I combined the look of a hoodie with the added layering possibilities of a vest and worked the entire piece up in an easy stitch that lays flat without adding bulk to your look. I finished the design with draped front panels for a little laid back chic.”

St. Tropez Butterfly Sleeve Top
“In every hustle and bustle, there are the quiet moments we take. I designed this top with a nod to the softer side of the city. The easy fit of this top and the butterfly feature of the sleeves are soft, feminine and flattering on most body types. Urban professionals, weekend window shoppers and soccer moms alike will all find this piece the perfect soft balance to the rigors of the urban jungle.”

Buenos Aires Maxi Vest
“I believe every woman deserves to put a little pizzazz in her wardrobe. I used a classic filet crochet stitch pattern to build this twist on a classic duster silhouette. The result is a fun layering piece with the versatility of a vest and the added drama of a duster. The Buenos Aires Maxi Vest will look FAB with your jeans, slacks or skirts, tanks, tees, turtlenecks and button-up shirts.”

Amsterdam Vest
“I can’t help but draw my design inspirations from the dramatic architecture of the buildings that surround me here in the city. The graphic lines created by the ridges in the fabric of this vest echo those architectural details. Created with my favorite side-to-side construction technique, the Amsterdam Vest is classic enough to wear on a date, contemporary enough to walk the halls of academia and edgy enough to hang out at the skate park.”

Helsinki Sweater
“A boyfriend sweater is such a fashion essential that I just had to create one for this book. Using side-to-side construction, I created a sweater with just the right amount of relaxed fit while still conforming to your feminine curves. The bottom ribbing is worked in a pattern that won’t bunch up around your hips and the shoulders are set in to the neckline so you have plenty of room to move without feeling confined. The final touch is the oversized cowl neck that is both flattering and adds just the right amount of luxury.”

Seattle Cross Front Vest
“With versatility in the front of my mind for the designs in this book, this vest is exactly what I was aiming for. Worn one way, you have a classic drape-front vest with long panels for wrapping in front or tying around your waist. Flip the vest upside down and instantly you have a contemporary twist on a neck wrap that will look FAB as a layering piece. Classic or contemporary… your choice!”

Tune in tomorrow…same time…same station…for the Urban Edge Fashion Reveal continued!

Sweet Valentine’s Treats

2012-02-01T08:05:00.000-06:00

Wouldn’t these treats look pretty on your Valentine’s table?

Give them a try and see what you think!

STRAWBERRY-BANANA CAKE
1 package (18.25 ounces) white cake mix
1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin
4 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-1/3 cups sliced fresh strawberries, divided
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (16 ounces) confectioners sugar
Banana and strawberry slices and whole strawberry to garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with waxed paper. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add eggs, buttermilk, and oil; beat at low speed of an electric mixer 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Add 1 cup strawberries and mashed bananas to cake mixture; beat 1 minute or until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pans 15 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, vanilla, and remaining 1/3 cup strawberries until fluffy. Gradually add confectioners sugar, beating until well blended. Spread icing between layers and on top and sides of cake. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator. To serve, garnish with banana and strawberry slices and whole strawberry.

Yield: 12 to 14 servings

PEACH-ALMOND PASTRIES
1 can (21 ounces) peach pie filling
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons amaretto
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated pie crusts, at room temperature
Vegetable cooking spray
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a slotted spoon, remove peaches from pie filling (discard liquid) and place in a food processor. Add almonds, amaretto, and almond extract. Process until peaches are coarsely chopped; set aside.

Cut each pie crust into 8 triangles for a total of 16 triangles. Place 8 triangles on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Spoon about 3 tablespoonfuls of peach mixture into center of each triangle. Use a heart-shaped aspic cutter to cut hearts in centers of remaining triangles. Place cutout triangles over pie filling. Use a fork to crimp edges of dough together. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Lightly spray tops of pastries with cooking spray; sprinkle with sugar mixture. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until tops are golden brown. If edges of crust brown too quickly, cover with strips of aluminum foil. Serve warm.

Yield: 8 servings

Both of these yummy recipes come from the Leisure Arts Family Living Our Best Cookbook Collection Book 2. Featuring 910 recipes for brunches, suppers, snacks, side dishes, breads & muffins, party foods, chocolate, cookies, desserts, and food gifts, it would make a great addition to your cookbook collection!

Myself, I’m pretty excited about that Black Forest Cheesecake on the front cover...

Flowers, Jewelry, & A Little Chocolate

2012-01-31T08:05:00.000-06:00

Are you ready for Valentine’s Day? It’s coming up soon! (I’ve already started dropping hints to the Love-Of-My-Life...) All you need for the perfect traditional Valentine’s is a bouquet of flowers, some great jewelry, and a little bit of chocolate! Make them yourself with some of our favorite free downloadable patterns:

For your floral touch…

Tissue Paper Flowers

Button & Felt Flowers

To add some bling…

Button Up Necklace

Summer Beaded Anklet

Wild Heart Necklace

Braided Cube Bracelet

And for chocolate lover’s everywhere…

Chocolate Brownie Bump Ice Cream

Now, just give the kids their jewelry (I have girls...You’re on your own to figure out what to give your boys...), arrange your flowers, and share your chocolate with your favorite someone for a perfect Valentine’s celebration.

For more inspiration, check out the Free Projects section on our website! There’s something for everybody with projects to knook, craft, cross stitch, knit, crochet, paper craft, quilt, and more!

Fav Mary Engelbreit Things…

2012-01-30T08:05:00.001-06:00

Since all of our Leisure Arts Mary Engelbreit books are on sale, I’ve been going through them trying to decide if there’s anything I want to make, and, now, I can’t decide where to start first ’cause they’re filled with so many fun ideas. Here are a few of my favorite Mary Engelbreit things so far:

From The Art of Embroidery…

I been looking for something wonderful to use to display my milk glass collection on, and I think I’ve found it in this pretty Table Runner embroidered on black cotton fabric with white stem stitches and French Knots. It’s just one of the 29 projects to embroider in The Art of Embroidery.

From Treasured Keepsakes…

Love these simple Put Your Heart In It stones. They’re just spray painted and stamped. (This project will put to good use all of the rocks the kids have brought home with them over the years!). Plus Treasured Keepsakes offers up 11 additional ways to treasure your memories.

From Home Creations…

This Seasons of Life shadowbox is right up my alley! I’ve got vintage crochet hooks, old wooden thread spools, and lots of bottles and buttons in my collections. I really like the little leafy cross stitch design, and there are 11 more designs to create in almost no time in Home Creations.

From Very “Mary" Stationery…

A friend just had a baby, and I need to make her a card. I’m thinking about a New Baby Matchbook Card. This Very “Mary” Stationery book is pretty cool ’cause it comes with 19 inspirational projects for birthdays, housewarming, babies, parties, and more, along with a CD filled with an endless supply of Mary Engelbreit artwork.

What do you think? Which one should I start on first?

Embellished Clothing!

2012-01-29T08:05:00.000-06:00

Hey All and Happy Sunday! I’ve been digging through stacks of books in my home office this morning, and I finally found the one I’ve been looking for! (Books need organizing!!!) Back during the holidays (while I was on vacation and away from my usual sources of info), a friend on Facebook asked about beading on clothing…At the time, I could picture the cover of the how-to book I wanted to recommend, I could visualize the fabulous projects inside, but I couldn’t come up with the name of that book to save my life…(Does that ever happen to you?)

It took awhile for my brain to kick in…but I finally remembered, and I just found a copy! It’s called Fashionology, and all 17 of the projects in it were dreamed up by the talented ladies in the Leisure Arts Design Department! It was published in 2006, but I think the fashions and techniques are just as timely today!

Are you ready to transform basic purchased clothing and accessories with easy embellishments (like beads, buttons, charms, embroidery, appliqué, and stamping) to create your own style? Well, here’s some inspiration from a few of the projects:

Peach Crop

Sidewalk Skimmers

Aviary Vest

Tea Room Tee

Velveteen Hobo

Tapioca Top

Soho Scarf

Salon Blouse

Arcade Jeans

Plume Skirt

Composite Jacket

What do you think? Are you inspired to dig in your bead box, open up that button jar, and/or thread an embroidery needle? If so, you may need your very own copy of Fashionology! I’m reaching for my rubber stamps…

Crochet For Valentine’s Day!

2012-01-28T08:05:00.000-06:00

It’s Saturday, and The Cat and I are sitting here scheming about last minute Valentine’s Day presents. As usual, I’m thinking of resorting to pattern downloads to get me motivated to crochet something for my daughters. If you start right now, you, too, still have time to crochet up some special little gifts for Valentine’s Day, especially if you take advantage of the downloadable patterns available from Leisure Arts! Check out some of my favs:

Stars & Stripes & Heart Hot Pads (Crochet the Heart now & save the Stars & Stripes for the 4^th of July!)

Sweetheart Panda Toy

Heart Edging

Heart-Winning Dress & Hat

Nursery Hearts

Homespun Hearts Bookmark

Sweetheart Swag

And if you’re really an overachiever, give this beautiful Heartwarming Doily a try!

Or get ready to cuddle under this pretty Sweetheart Wrap!

Happy Valentine’s Day crochet, y’all!

The 3 Good Things About Today!

2012-01-27T09:00:00.000-06:00

But first, the bad news…I owe you an apology! I’ve been reporting that our Knook Expanded Beginner Set would be available for sale on the Leisure Arts website today, but I was mistaken. Our stock of the new Knook Sets is all sold out—thanks to yesterday’s big debut on the Home Shopping Network! I’m so sorry, but I’ll be sure to let you know just as soon as it is available! Probably mid February...

On the bright side, there are three really great things about today! First, of course, it’s Friday. Friday is always a good thing!!!

Next, it seems to have finally stopped raining…That’s very exciting, to me, anyway…

And the third great thing about today—It’s Chocolate Cake Day!!! No day can be totally bad if there’s chocolate and cake involved. The true highlight of my day is the cake I plan to eat when I get home tonight. It’s the Cream Cheese-Topped Chocolate Cake from a recipe out of the Leisure Arts Family Living Our Best Cookbook Collection cookbook. This cake takes Chocolate Cake Day up even another notch by adding cream cheese to the equation:

Friday + No Rain + Chocolate + Cake + Cream Cheese = Nirvana!

BE ONE OF THE 1ST!

2012-01-26T06:05:00.003-06:00

GET THE KNOOK EXPANDED BEGINNER SET ON HSN TODAY—JAN. 26!

You asked and we listened! The Knook Expanded Beginner Set, with all the extras you’ve been wanting, is available exclusively on Home Shopping Network today. Tune in from 8-9:00 AM or 12-1:00 PM Eastern Time (check the HSN Program Guide for other time zones) as Leisure Arts designer Patti Wallenfang introduces our new Knook Set to the HSN viewers!

Each kit contains:

• 5 bamboo Knooks in different sizes so you can work with light, medium, or bulky weight yarn (sizes E-3.5 mm, G-4.0 mm, H-5.0 mm, I-5.5 mm, and J-6.0 mm). Replacing traditional knitting needles, these unique tools look like regular crochet hooks on one end and have a hole on the other end for a cord to hold your stitches.

• 5 cords in graduated lengths to accommodate small, medium, or large projects (two 36" lengths, two 72", and one 120").

• 4 handy cord clips to completely prevent dropped stitches.

• 3 yarn needles for finishing your projects.

• a step-by-step learn to Knook instruction book—It’s easy to learn to knit with The Knook. (We’ve included both right- and left-handed instructions!)

The book also includes three beginner projects—a cowl, baby blanket, and lap robe.

There’s never been a better time to try your hand at Knooking, the new easy way to learn to knit using specialized crochet hooks! For more info, how-to videos, and some great free projects, check out The Knook at LeisureArts.com!

And check back with me tomorrow ’cause beginning on January 27^th the new Knook Expanded Beginner Set will be available on our website and coming soon to some of your favorite retail stores!

Nearly Wordless Wednesday: Urban Edge

2012-01-25T08:05:00.002-06:00

This Bangkok Jacket might be my favorite project in Shibaguyz Shannon Mullett-Bowlsby’s new crochet pattern book—Urban Edge! Coming soon from Leisure Arts!

Celebrating Valentine’s Treats

2012-01-24T08:05:00.001-06:00

I spent part of last weekend leafing through our Leisure Arts Celebrating Series cookbooks and eating chocolate. (I totally blame the whole chocolate-eating thing on these cookbooks!) The goal of my leafing was to pick out just what treats I might want to make for Valentine’s Day. Wanna peek at my options?

From Celebrating Candy:

Marzipan Hearts
Heart-shaped confections, created with finely ground almonds and amaretto.

Cherry-Walnut Fudge
Loaded with chopped walnuts & candied cherries!

From Celebrating Cookies:

Sweetheart Meringues & Heart Cookies
The piped meringues feature cherry flavoring, & the sandwich cookies are filled with raspberry jelly.

From Celebrating Cookies, Book 2:

Conversation Heart Cookies
Just like the popular candies with piped icing messages.

Red Hot Valentines
These iced treats are filled with tiny bits of chopped red cinnamon candies!

From Celebrating Cupcakes & Muffins:

Cinnamon Heart Cupcakes
Devil’s Food filled with custard & topped with buttercream & candy hearts…what’s not to love?

Love, Love, Love Cupcakes
Sour cream cupcakes with fun fondant toppers!

From Celebrating Cobblers & Pies:

Chocolate Cream Tarts
Baked in heart-shaped tartlet pans.

From Celebrating Ice Cream & Cake:

Raspberry Black Forest Cake
An upgraded version of the classic dessert.

Almond Torte with Light & Dark Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate paired with the delicate crunch of slivered almonds…YUM!

From Celebrating Chocolate Cakes, Brownies, & Bars:

Death by Chocolate Cake
Chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, chocolate filling…Did I mention chocolate?

And Celebrating Party Foods advocates throwing a whole Chocolate Indulgence Party with…

Tunnel Cake, Chocolate Shortbread Hearts, Chewy Chocolate Bars, and more!

Are you craving chocolate yet? I need more chocolate just from writing this blog post!!!

National Pie Day!

2012-01-23T08:05:00.000-06:00

Happy National Pie Day, Everybody! I just love days that celebrate food! What a wonderful excuse for eating things you probably really shouldn’t…

In honor of National Pie Day, I thought I’d share this free Creamy Strawberry Pie recipe with you. (Serve it for a Valentine’s Day treat if you can wait that long!) It’s from the Leisure Arts Family Living: Our Best Cookbook Collection which features 928 recipes for quick meals, side dishes, salads, simple suppers, chicken, family feasts, party fare, sweets, gift mixes, desserts, and cookies!

Click HERE for a downloadable version of the recipe or just keep reading:

Creamy Strawberry Pie

Ingredients
1 package (10 ounces) marshmallows
1 package (16 ounces) frozen whole strawberries, thawed and drained
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
3 tablespoons strawberry liqueur or strawberry juice
1 purchased large graham cracker pie crust (9 ounces)
Fresh strawberries to garnish

PREPARATION
Place marshmallows in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power (100%) 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until marshmallows melt, stirring every 30 seconds. Beat in strawberries and liqueur. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into crust. Cover and chill. Garnish with strawberries.

YIELD:
About 10 servings

Enjoy! Just think about it this way, at least you’re eating fruit!

And if you’re as excited about the whole concept of National Pie Day as I am, check out one of my favorite Leisure Arts cookbooks—Celebrating Cobblers and Pies! Yum!

Excuse me now, please! I have to go eat pie, lots of pie!

Knit or Crochet Dog Warmers

2012-01-22T08:05:00.001-06:00

Happy Sunday One-And-All! I’m just sitting here (all wrapped up) on my back deck, drinking coffee, and watching the world go by (by “the world” I mean about half a dozen squirels, a couple of crows, and the neighbor’s dog)…

The Cat who lives at my house isn’t pleased by any of this—my being outside or by the wildlife. He’s inside, we’re outside, and although he may be complaining rather stridently, his situation isn’t changing…it’s too cold for him out here!

In fact, the neighbor’s dog looks pretty cold himself. And, of course, that leads me to contemplating the doggie coats and blankets that have shown up in the most recent Leisure Arts knit and crochet publications. Do you have a pooch that needs some knitted or crocheted TLC? Take a look—

The Best of Knit Along With Debbie Macomber features Baxter’s Cozy Coat to knit in six sizes!

Donna Kooler’s Encyclopedia of Knitting-Revised offers up a Best-Dressed Dog Coat by Joanne Clark in medium size paired with a pattern for matching socks for the master (or mistress).

Canine Comfort’s what it’s all about in this adorable doggie coat pattern from Everyday Crochet For All! In four sizes.

Every dog loves a good blankie, and this one from Donna Kooler’s Encyclopedia of Crochet-Revised comes with a crocheted Weenie Dog Toy—both by Carolyn Christmas.

And last, but not least, I really love this snuggly Kennel Blanket to crochet from Hug It Out by The Crochet Dude Drew Emborsky! I think The Cat might even approve of this pattern (Drew does have cats himself, so I’m sure he consulted them on the design!).

Speaking of The Cat, he’s gotten quiet. Guess he’s gone to tattle on me. Oh well, it really is too cold to be outside this morning…and I do need more coffee…

My Junk Collection—An Update

2012-01-21T08:05:00.001-06:00

Happy Saturday! Things have been slow in my auction/estate sale world lately, so I haven’t had much to share…Take a peek at the newest treasures I’ve accumulated since Christmas:

- a milk glass soda-shaped Fire-King mug from the 70s
- 3 pins/brooches
- a Pyrex Butterprint pattern refrigerator dish
- 2 cast iron banks—lion & bulldog
- a 1938 copy of Gone With The Wind
- and a set of milk glass sailboat salt & pepper shakers

Cast iron banks seem to be my newest fascination…

I’m also pretty happy about the jewelry! Two of the pieces are sterling silver, and the third’s just pretty!

Going to another auction on Sunday afternoon! Wish me luck! Are you having any luck adding to your collections now that the holidays are over?

Celebrate a Paper Crafty Valentine’s Day!

2012-01-20T08:05:00.000-06:00

Are you thinking about making handmade Valentine’s Day cards or other hearts and flowers-themed goodies this year? Need some inspiration? Take a peek at some of our best paper crafty idea books and some of my fav projects!

The Big Book of Holiday Paper Crafts
This 288-page book dedicates 42 of its project-packed pages to Valentine’s Day, including 70+ cards!

Love You Berry Much Card
Love the strawberry-shaped card!

A Million Little Things Card
A great way to use up paper scraps!

Love Always Card
Another way to use paper scraps, & “Love Always” is how the Love-Of-My-Life and I always sign cards to each other.

Corrugated Heart Card
Like the texture of cardboard + I’m a button collector!

The Best of Stamp It! Cards
I like to play with stamps and ink, so this book is a natural go-to for me with over 500 cards to create. It includes a 19-page Love section, featuring 38 cards!

You Are My Universe Card
Love the concept of universe…plus the use of cardboard!

Key To My Heart Card
I’m a fan of using hardware in my paper crafting.

4-Square Love Card
Elegant use of simple square punches to create little windows on a card.

In Love With Paper Crafts
This is the ultimate Valentine’s paper craft book. It’s all about love and features cards, party goodies, gifts, layouts, recipes, and more.

Heart Picks
Perk up some cupcakes with paper crafty hearts!

Authentic & All Yours Cards
A great big heart just makes a great card in Authentic, and I have to make the All Yours Card for the youngest kid (whose middle name is Rose…).

Cherish Card
A simply elegant card design (that might be perfect for my eldest kid…).

Heart Ornaments
How much fun would it be to make a heart ornament mobile to hang over the dining table? More buttons!

Valentine Calendar Card
Fun use of vintagy calendar on a card!

Valentine Celebration Dinner
In Love With Paper Crafts will even help you stage a Valentine’s celebration with invites, place cards, decorated candles, recipes for sweet treats, and more!

Valentine’s Inspiration from Five Seasons

2012-01-19T08:05:00.001-06:00

Have you looked at Chris Olsen’s new Five Seasons home and garden decorating book yet? It’s a beautiful book, filled with ideas for spring, summer, autumn, winter, and the holidays. I’m leafing through it right now in search of Valentine’s Day inspiration, and I think I’ve come to the right place!

Take a peek:

Here’s Chris with a Red Mossed Heart!

Loving this Valentine-themed display filled with Painted Heart Canvases, Heart Boxes, the Moss Heart again, and other goodies.

Chris’ Heart Boxes would make sweet gifts!

A group of painted glass blocks in front of a gorgeous stenciled mirror combines vintage and modern styles beautifully!

I could totally recreate this tablescape for my Valentine’s celebration! I have vintage valentines and white china. Love the stenciled burlap tablecloth, and if you could see Chris’ simple instructions for the Roses in the centerpiece, you’d know, just like me, that you could do this, too! (And I can’t arrange flowers to save my life…I’m more of a handful of daffodils in a fruit jar kind of girl…)

It’s all the little touches that make it special—like this Heart Napkin Ring.

And if you’re ultra-organized and already thinking about Easter, Chris has some great ideas for that holiday, too!

Meet The Designer!
Chris H. Olsen is a nationally known home and garden guru, designer, author, TV personality, and public speaker. In his Five Seasons book, Chris shares his landscape and gardening knowledge along with his unique flair for home decor and design. He is also a member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers.

Be sure to also take a look at Chris’ decorating dvds from Leisure Arts: Refresh Remix Restyle and The Creative Party Guide for more inspiration!

Wordy Wednesday: Teach Yourself to Make Biscornu

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

If you follow the Everyday Life at Leisure blog at all, you know I’ve got a thing for pincushions, so you know I’m thrilled to be able to announce that the book I’ve been waiting for (the ultimate pincushion book) has finally been released—Teach Yourself To Make Biscornu by Bobbie Watts! I can’t wait to dig into the instructions and learn for myself!

Some of you are probably wondering just what a biscornu is. Well, according to the book—

A biscornu is a little eight-sided pillow that gets its name from a French word meaning “quirky.” It can be used as a pincushion, ornament, scissor fob, sachet, or just about anything you can think to do with a tiny cushion. A basic biscornu is composed of two fabric squares that are stacked, with the top square askew, and then sewn together.

Besides teaching you how to make a biscornu, this great book also shows you how to make your biscornu beautiful. Bobbie’s biscornu feature several different embroidery techniques (a great way to learn new stitches) and are embellished with tassels, cords, and organza pom-poms.

Take a look at the 9 projects included in Teach Yourself to Make Biscornu:

Renaissance

Bright Gem

Orange Gem

Rosebuds

Green Garden

Blue Pearls

Stripes of Pink

Crimson Flower

Variegated Lattice

Meet The Designer!
Bobbie Watts lives in the Australian state of Tasmania, which is an island in the south. “This is the most beautiful place,” Bobbie says. “There is so much here to inspire the textile designer. Living on a hill with both land and sea views, I started designing in an attempt to capture my beautiful surroundings. … I am the founder of our local embroidery guild, which is now a branch of the Tasmanian Embroidery Guild. I’m also a member of some fiber arts groups. I teach, judge, and curate. Mainly, I work in design and contribute to most of the related magazines in Australia and in some international publications. I also have works in several galleries. … I like to use geometric shapes in my designs with a variety of techniques, threads, and stitches.”

New Plastic Canvas Pattern Books!

2012-01-17T08:05:00.001-06:00

We just recently added 7 new plastic canvas pattern books to the Leisure Arts website. Thought you might enjoy an overview of these books. They’re filled with some of our favorite projects from our favorite designers:

Big Book of Coasters
Years ago (when I was managing the plastic canvas category at Leisure Arts) I loved plastic canvas coasters because they were fast-to-finish and actually useful. This great book features 13 of our favorite coaster designs (fish, butterflies, cats, flowers, fruit, veggies & more) from a wonderful group of designers, including Ann Townsend, Terry Ricioli, Kathleen Hurley, Kathy Wirth, Joan Ray, Sue Penrod, Kathleen Fischer, Teresa Barnett, Cheryl Krepps, Michele Sartain, and James Green!

Top-Notch Tissue Box Covers by Conn Baker Gibney
If you're a fan of stitching tissue box covers, then you need this book featuring 14 great designs in your pattern library! You've got pinwheels, flamingoes, zebras, mushrooms, spinnakers, tulips, hearts, and more, all in one book!

A Year of Tissue Box Covers
This pattern book of seasonal tissue box covers includes all the major holidays & occasions for your stitching pleasure: Valentine's, St. Patrick's, wedding, Halloween, Christmas, & more.

Friends for Baby by Dick Martin
Bunnies, bears, kitties, ducks, a giraffe, and more keep baby company and make a sweet gift for mom in the form of 17 tissue box covers, wall hangings, frames, and more in this delightful pattern book from the master of plastic canvas—Dick Martin!

Big Beak Birds by Sheri Allsop Krohn
Goldfinches, blue jays, cardinals, bluebirds, hummingbirds owls, woodpeckers, and blackbirds—you can find them all in this fun pattern book. They make adorable plant pokes, mobiles, and more!

Plastic Canvas Kisses by Dick Martin
A favorite design of plastic canvas stitchers for generations, there's no cuter way to give someone a kiss than with one of these fun kiss critters because their mouths can hold a piece of candy (preferably a chocolate kiss)! Kids of all ages will love them!

Christmas Characters by MizFitz
Get an early start on your Christmas stitching with the seven designs in this publication from MizFitz, alias John and Rose Fitzgerald. These tissue box covers, ornaments, and character lineups will make great additions to your holiday décor!

And, just a suggestion, these books would be the perfect way to attract a whole new generation of stitchers to plastic canvas. Teach the kids to stitch these fun designs!

Use Up That Yarn!

2012-01-16T08:05:00.000-06:00

Hope everyone is having a glorious Monday! I am! Leisure Arts is closed today for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, so I’m at home, playing with my yarn. (The yarn that the Love-Of-My-Life is beginning to be a little bit concerned about!) How many of you out there will admit to having a stash? Do you have yarn tucked away in the closet, under the bed, stacked on the dining table…

You’re not alone! I’m right there with you…recklessly buying a skein or two here, another there, and it’s completely impossible for me to actually throw away even the smallest partial skein or ball…

But never fear…The Crochet Dude himself, Drew Emborsky has come to our rescue with his newest crochet pattern book—Use Up That Yarn! This book is filled with 13 of the most wonderfully practical designs to crochet from the yarn you’ve got pack ratted away in your stash!

The designs are a cute, fresh, and fun mix of home décor and fashion accessories, and being small, they’d be great take-along projects that you could work on anywhere! Check them out!

Oval Bowl

Coasters

Scarf & Mittens

Coffee Cup Sleeve

Snow Scarf & Hat Set

Teapot Cozy

Table Runner

Round Bowl

Cowl

Fingerless Gloves

Water Bottle Sling

Meet The Designer!
Drew Emborsky became known as The Crochet Dude while working with a charity group after the passing of his mother. His time with the group eventually led to his popular blog, which led to the publication of his patterns and guest appearances on HGTV and DIY programs. Fans of the hit PBS show “Knit and Crochet Now!” know Drew as the program’s crochet expert. From a co-authored men’s knit fashion book to several crochet publications of his own, Drew’s design career continues to flourish. Drew lives in Houston, Texas, with his cats Chandler and Cleocatra. Catch up with him at thecrochetdude.com and blog.thecrochetdude.com. To see additional Leisure Arts books filled with Drew’s must-have projects, visit LeisureArts.com.

The 1st Hat for 2012

2012-01-15T08:05:00.002-06:00

Happy Sunday All! I’m doing my usual Sunday morning thing, drinking coffee, watching the birds, discussing life with The Cat, and working on my newest charity hat crochet project—the Ruffled Pillbox hat from Cute & Cozy Caps by Lori Adams.

As I’m said before, who could resist making that hat on the front cover? It’s just too adorable. My version’s going to be made with light weight Lion Brand Baby Soft yarn in lavender. (I seem to be going through a purple phase—not usually one of my colors of choice…) I’ve also discovered that I need to go up a hook size from E to F to make gauge.

Here’s where I’m at so far. I’m through the top of the hat and starting on the sides. This is an intermediate pattern, so wish me luck! And good luck with your projects for 2012! What’s everybody out there working on?

The Craft Exchange

2012-01-14T08:05:00.000-06:00

{We’ve got a guest blogger today! Right before Christmas, Leisure Arts in-house designer Anne attended a craft exchange with a group of her friends. What a great idea for any time of the year! And now she's agreed to share her experience with us!}

Anne says:

I am blessed to have a group of friends that shares my love of crafting. One thing that makes the group so special is that they appreciate the time and materials that go into making a gift. We like to get together, and for Christmas, we decided to have a craft exchange. So the idea was to make a craft to share with the others in the group. You’ve probably heard of cookie exchanges. Well, same thinking, but with a craft instead of cookies.

Right now, I am really having fun with pincushions, so I started looking through my stash. If you are a true crafter, you know the stash I am talking about, the one that catches all kinds of things that you want to do something with some day. I came upon some crocheted squares that my Grandmother Barber had started putting together years ago. I thought that these would be perfect! Add a little felt for the back, stuff with a bit of poly-fil, blanket stitch around the outside, and you've got a pincushion!

So I began. Measure, cut out felt.

Start to pin. OMG. They aren’t square. Block.

Pin again.

Try out floss and buttons. Stitch.

Not quite right. Add a yoyo, and then button.

Yeah! They are finished. They are fun. I know this group will love the fact that the squares were my grandmother’s. They also need to know that the buttons are from my other grandmother, Nana’s stash. It’s worth giving up these special pieces from my grandmothers’ things to these girls. They have special grandmother’s pieces, too.

And look at the treasures I came home from the pincushion exchange with!

First, from Lori, Ms. Detail Lori.

Next Linda, always the extra, a sewn felt gift bag too. She is kind of our crafting mentor.

Then Kim, she is not so into pincushions right now…her thing is embroidery hoops.

Kelly…with scissors. Kelly is having fun with quilt projects and wanted to try out this square. We were all glad she did.

Tonya has twins and is as busy as she can be. Her “tradition” has been to share music. So she made a CD of Xmas music for all of us with a cone of sweets.

And Becky. The instructions for her design might show up in another blog post sometime soon!

Try a craft exchange for your next get together with friends. Hope you have as much fun as we did!

New Cross Stitch Books!

2012-01-13T08:05:00.000-06:00

Leisure Arts added 7 new cross stitch books to the website. Thought I’d just do a quick overview for you in case you might need to add them to your pattern library:

Fresh Approach adapted by Mary Ellen Yanich
These classic White Dorkings and Scotch Greys (chickens!!!) are meant to be cross stitched on 28 count linen over two fabric threads and custom framed. They’d be a lovely addition to your country kitchen or dining room.

Fresh Picked by Heather King
More kitchen décor! I love these eight veggie designs to cross stitch, including carrots, mushrooms, beets, tomatoes, asparagus, onions, broccoli, and corn. (I may need these for my kitchen…)

Special Bibs for Special Babies by Ursula Michael
Bunnies and bears, fruit and veggies, plus two alphabets for personalization make these 14 designs to cross stitch for baby simply irresistible!

Alphabets for Baby by Linda Gillum for Kooler Design Studio
Imagine being able to say what you want to say in cross stitch with these 15 baby-themed alphabets!

The Lord Is My Shepherd by Holly DeFount for Kooler Design Studio
This beloved inspirational cross stitch design can be stitched on 25 count Lugana over two fabric threads and custom framed. What a beautiful gift it would make for someone special!

Christmas Jar Toppers by Linda Gillum & Barbara Baatz for Kooler Design Studio
Speaking of gifts…it’s never too early to get started on your Christmas cross stitching, and these 14 jar lid designs are just perfect for making a simple present truly personal. Make a few ahead for when you need a last-minute gift!

101 Ornaments for Christmas by Kooler Design Studio
Christmas ornaments are the perfect cross stitch projects to work on year-round ’cause you can carry them anywhere with you. Make bunches of them to give away during the holidays!

The Envelope, Please!

2012-01-12T08:05:00.000-06:00

I’m a big fan of pillows. They tend to get used and abused at my house, thanks to the Love-Of-My-Life, the kids, and The Cat, so we seem to go through a lot of them. Plus, there’s nothing easier for adding a spot of color or comfort to a room, so I’m always on the lookout for a new addition to my décor.

Currently, I’m coveting the 10 new knit pillow designs in Carolyn Pfeifer’s new pattern book, The Envelope, Please! Each design has instructions to fit 14" square, 16" square, or 12" x 16" rectangular purchased pillow forms, and I’m really liking the envelope style and button accents! Take a peek and see what you think:

Two Color Slip Stitch

Twisted Garter Stitch

Basketweave

Broken Rib Stitch

Star Stitch

Lace Ribbing

Zig Zag Angles

Tiny Mock Cables

Diagonal Texture Stripes

Fisherman Rib

Meet The Designer!
Carolyn Pfeifer enjoys all yarn crafts but is excited to be knitting again. She learned to knit in high school but set it aside for a few decades while her crochet designs were more in demand. Seeing an envelope pillow made of fabric is the inspiration that got her back into knit designing.

Nearly Wordless Wednesday: More Biscornu!

2012-01-11T08:05:00.000-06:00

What is a biscornu? When it comes to needlework, a biscornu is usually a small eight-sided pillow that can be used as a pincushion, ornament, decoration, scissor fob, or sachet!

Find out more from Bobbie Watts’ new pattern book—Teach Yourself to Make Biscornu! Coming Soon!

I Can’t Believe I’m Fair Isle Knitting

2012-01-10T08:05:00.000-06:00

Here I go again…I don’t knit, but I guess I’m going to have to learn ’cause now I wanna learn how to knit all 6 of the projects in the I Can’t Believe I’m Fair Isle Knitting by Sheila G. Joynes!

This book, like all of the others in our best-selling I Can’t Believe series, offers up everything you need to know—in this case, about Fair Isle knitting. As a special feature, you can even personalize the color keys, making it easy to use the yarn colors of your choice! Some of the designs are even photographed in two color versions for inspiration…check them out:

Garden Cowl

Columbia River Ear Flap Hat

Autumn Beanie

Little Sophia’s Hat

Ginger’s Slouch Hat

Cranberry Rose Hat

Meet The Designer!

Sheila G. Joynes says, “Friends and family describe my relationship to Fair Isle knitting as ‘She paints with yarn.’” Sheila’s knitting journey began when she was a teenager, but she was fascinated by color long before then. She says, “As a small child, I would spend hours studying a book of my grandmother’s called World Famous Paintings. Years later, I graduated from the University of Washington with an Art Education degree. It provided me with an opportunity to focus on my love of color and fiber. Watercolor, fiber art, and photography were my favorite classes. I incorporated art in most of my lesson plans as a teacher and a volunteer.”

Precious Knit Blankies for Baby

2012-01-09T08:05:00.000-06:00

My kids think they’re grown up now, but even they still have their favorite afghans that they drag around with them. Every kid needs a blanket! Start them out early with a hand-knitted keepsake (that’s meant to be used) from designer Jean Adel’s new pattern book—Precious Knit Blankies for Baby!

Check out the 16 fast & fabulous designs:

Tri-Color Garter Ridge Throw

Zigzag Carriage Throw

Chunky Cable Blanket

Pompom Carriage Throw

Color Block Blanket

Gingham Check Blanket

Fuzzy Blanket with Tassels

Reversible Blanket with Bobbles

Lace Car Seat Blankie

Ribbed Blankie

Mitered Squares Throw

Slip Stitch Blankie

Basket Weave Blankie

Striped Patchwork Blanket

Cabled Comfort Carriage Throw

Sheep Blankie (I want one of these for myself! Too cute!)

Meet The Designer!
With a background as the former Senior Editor for Vogue Knitting International and Family Circle Easy Knitting magazines, Managing Editor for Lion Brand Yarn Company, international knitwear designer, and author of Knitted Critters for Kids to Wear, it comes as no surprise that the next step for Jean Adel would be owning a Web business. JeanAdel.com features a line of whimsical knits for children as well as one-of-a-kind, unique and sophisticated gifts for babies, children, and home. “I keep my designs fun, simple, and portable,” Jean says. “Even with our hectic lives today, there are plenty of windows of opportunity to slip in rows here and there.”

Cute & Cozy Caps

2012-01-08T08:05:00.001-06:00

Hi All! Hope you’re having a delightful Sunday! I had been spending my morning leafing through leaflets, trying to decide what hat to crochet next for charity, but now I’m completely lost in Cute & Cozy Caps, the new crochet pattern book from designer Lori Adams.

I mean, really, look at that face on the front cover, wearing that Ruffled Pillbox hat! How can I resist? Beyond adorable!!!

And so are the other 9 projects in this book! Take a look:

Knotted Hat

Basketweave Hat

Flowered Bowler

Flowery Hat

Beehive Hat

Sunflower Hat

Stocking Cap

Topper

Squash Hat

I can’t decide which one to crochet first!!!

Meet The Designer!
Hooked on crochet and consumed with designing, Lori Adams lives in southeast Alaska, where she works in the family business with her husband, a commercial fisherman and professional hunting guide. She was introduced to crochet during high school but had been away from it for 30 years, until having the spark of interest renewed after seeing one of their clients crocheting a scarf aboard their boat. “On the next stop in town,” she recalls, “my son bought me a ball of yarn for Mother’s Day. I crocheted a scarf and was instantly ’hooked’ again!”

Christmas Junk Update!

2012-01-07T08:02:00.000-06:00

Happy Saturday Everybody! Things are finally getting back to normal after all the hubbub of the holidays. The Cat and I are watching the birds outside the back door, and I’m drinking coffee, waiting for the rest of the world to wake up.

Just to update, I babbled to some of you on Facebook & Twitter that the Love-Of-My-Life took me shopping at an antique mall on the day after Christmas for a late gift. Thought you might get a kick out of seeing what weird stuff I came home with…a cast iron mailbox bank, several silver rings (Santa did good this year!), a Pyrex refrigerator dish, a TV set salt & pepper shaker, a Miniature Mixer salt & pepper set, assorted other plastic & glass shakers, and a set of appetizer forks from Florida (The kids used them on New Years!).

The TV shaker is very cool. You turn the brown knob on the TV, and the shakers rise out of the top! (The TV screen can also be used as a photo frame.)

The Miniature Mixer salt & pepper set is just fun! It came in the original box. The beaters are the shakers (they come out of the mixer just like regular beaters), and the mixing bowl is used for sugar!

And I simply couldn’t resist these happy monkey shakers. Loving their big smiles!

Did you add to your collections during the holidays?

Razorback Pride!

2012-01-06T08:22:00.000-06:00

The Arkansas Razorbacks meet the Kansas State Wildcats in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic this evening in Dallas, and we’re all about some Razorback pride here at Leisure Arts. Go Hogs!!!

In honor of the occasion, I wanted to share some team-pride creativity by our in-house designer Anne. Check out her Razorback hats!

Anne says—
“My husband, Randy has been going to Razorback Bowl games with the same group of friends for years. This past year, one of the friends had triplets! Needless to say, he is not going to the bowl game this year. Randy asked me to knit the little boys, now age 7 months, red hats. We added the purchased Razorback emblems. Randy is going to give the guy the hats today, before his group leaves for Dallas for the Cotton Bowl.”

’Cause, you know, Razorback pride in Arkansas, starts in the cradle! “Woooooooo! Pig! Sooie! Go Razorbacks!”

Lovely Layettes!

2012-01-05T09:21:00.000-06:00

Keep baby warm during these cold winter months with the precious layette sets to knit in Carole Prior’s new pattern book—Lovely Layettes! Each of the four sets includes a hat, booties, jacket, and pants in sizes 6 months to 18 months—all made in light weight yarn!

Take a peek at the pretty projects you could be knitting up for baby…

Blue Set

Green Set

Ombre Set

Pink Fun Set

Meet The Designer!
Knitting designer Carole Prior lives and works in Massachusetts as a real estate broker. She enjoys reading and gardening and loves to spend time with her husband, three grown children, and three grandchildren.

Nearly Wordless Wednesday: Biscornu

2012-01-04T08:21:00.000-06:00

What’s biscornu? Find out from Bobbie Watts’ new pattern book—Teach Yourself to Make Biscornu! Coming Soon!

We’re Back!

2012-01-03T08:54:00.001-06:00

Did you have a great holiday? Starting today, most of us are back in the office here at Leisure Arts—trying to get back in the swing of things! Already hitting the deck, running to meetings, and the Christmas decorations haven’t even been taken down yet!

FYI! Keep an eye on the New Arrivals section on Leisure Arts.com for the next couple of days. We’re going to be adding lots of new cool stuff to the site!

Knits Extraordinaire!

2012-01-02T08:05:00.002-06:00

Are you past ready to update your wardrobe with this year’s hottest knitted fashions? Well look no further! The 17 season-spanning fashions in Lena Maikon’s new pattern book—Knits Extraordinaire are definitely beyond the ordinary in a variety of classic, youthful, and carefree styles! Are you ready for the fashion show?

First on the runway…the Ultimate Urban Overcoat—This gorgeous coat is perfect for urban work or play. It features a dynamic collar, gorgeous cuffs and clean styling. Complement the bold buttons with a thick black belt for cinching, and you’re ready to play in the concrete jungle!

Dress up a simple outfit with this unique tweed textured Cowl and Fingerless Gloves combo. A pleasure to wear, they’ll update every outfit while keeping you warm. Young and trendy, the texture is a tad traditional.

Create an incredible fashion statement with these super-young, super-trendy short shorts. Cool and comfortable, this unique design features button-up cuffs and a convenient button fly. Worn with unconventional stockings, they won’t go unnoticed!

Next up…Lena’s Daring Decollete Dress—This brilliant red dress makes the traditional Little Black Dress look dull in comparison! With a low-cut front and even lower-cut back, it’s simple yet seductive. Perfect for very special evenings!

Step into warmer weather with this Sassy Spring Skirt and Blouse set. Knitted in earth tones for a beautiful effect, both visually and sensually, the designs feature horizontal tucks and no seams for a fabulous professional look!

With richly-colored zigzags on an earthy-colored background, this stylish mini dress is a definite showstopper. The ribbed low waist makes it figure-flattering, too!

Accompanied by equally gorgeous sweaters, vests, and more, this fashion collection is just the what style-conscious knitters need to take their knitting to a whole new level!

Meet Lena Maikon!
Lena Maikon learned to knit and crochet from her grandmother at the age of five in her hometown of Novosibrisk, Russia. She picked up the hobby again later, as a form of creative therapy, and it turned into a passion and profession. Lena has her own handmade clothing and accessory label, Leninka. She is the mother of two sons and resides in Tel Aviv, Israel.

The Hat Madness Continues Into 2012!

2012-01-01T08:05:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year Everybody! Yes, I’m still crocheting hats! I’m determined to carry on with my charity hat crochet into 2012. I finished the light and lacy Two Stitch Hat I was making from a pattern in Bonnie Barker’s Noggins & Necks. When I started this hat, Noggins & Necks was out of stock on the Leisure Arts website, but it’s available again now! And at the request of a reader, here are pictures of all of the projects in the book:

Basket Weave Hat & Scarf

Woven Stitch Hat & Scarf

Two Stitch Hat & Scarf

Fisherman Hat & Scarf

Braided Hat & Scarf

Over the holidays, I also finished three hats in various sizes made from the Baby Hat pattern in Drew Emborsky’s new pattern book—Hug It Out! Very sweet and quick to finish! (And I have to admit, I’ve discovered yet another yarn to love—Bernat Cottontots. That’s what I made the yellow hat with. It feels really nice in my hands!)

Finally, I’m a little intimidated, but I’m also contemplating the stitch patterns in the new Kooler Encyclopedia of Crochet-Revised in view of creating a hat design of my own. What do you think? Can I do it?

Anywho…Here’s wishing all of you the happiest of new years! Why not get it off to a good start by doing something nice for someone in need?

Stitch A Beaded Garden

2011-12-31T08:05:00.002-06:00

Have you got a big New Year’s Eve planned? Not me! We’ll just be sitting around, watching old movies, eating, and trying to stay awake till midnight...so anyway...

Right now, I’m looking out my back door, dreaming of warmer temperatures, wishing my flowers were blooming, and leafing through pattern books with floral designs in them. How does your garden grow? Probably not so great right now thanks to the cold weather, so why not bring some florals indoors with Sharon Maxwell Kendall Perry’s new pattern book—Stitch a Beaded Garden?

Featuring 18 designs charted for beading and cross stitch, Sharon’s designs offer up a delightfully different alternative to everyday cross stitch. Stitched over two threads on 28-count evenweave fabric, each project uses colorful seed beads to create floral samplers and mini motifs right from the garden! You’ll find such favorites as zinnias, carnations, clematis, bleeding hearts, sweet peas, pinks, mallow, peonies, waterlillies, and more...she even includes a simple backstitch alphabet for signing and dating your projects! Take a peek at a few of these pretty blooms! They’re sure to brighten up a cold winter’s décor!

Zinnia

Carnation

Clematis

Star Daisy

Bleeding Hearts

Pinks

Mallow

Peony

The Vineyard

Waterlilly

Meet Sharon Maxwell Kendall Perry!
Sharon Maxwell Kendall Perry is a New Zealander with a fondness for flower gardens, historic samplers, and antique beadwork. “When traveling overseas with my husband,” she says, “I was drawn to some of the old beadwork in the museums. It gave stitching another dimension and made it come alive in a quite different way. Gradually it dawned on me: All of these things could be combined—embroidery, beadwork, samplers, and gardens. Since then, I have spent many happy hours designing and stitching.”

Hope each and every one of you has the happiest of New Years!

The Lace Knitting Palette

2011-12-30T08:05:00.001-06:00

The back cover blurb on designer Catherine M. Thomson’s new pattern book reads, “Knit a world of luxury with 22 lacy garments and accessories. Irresistible items for women and heirloom designs for babies. Helpful tips, special techniques, and optional trims.” The Lace Knitting Palette is exactly that and more!

For those about to begin the journey into lace knitting or those already underway, The Lace Knitting Palette opens up an entire world of new possibilities! You’ll discover new trims and edgings and knit up lacy face cloths while you practice what you’ve learned. You’ll create beginner and heirloom samplers, fashion accessories, baby wear, lacy warm ups, plus glorious wraps of all kinds…Take a look at a few of Catherine’s designs…

Boot Toppers

Anklets

Toddler Hat

Celebration Baby Robe

Lace Ladder Scarf

Cable Hat

Leg Warmers

Lace Wrap

Butterfly Shawl

Meet Catherine M. Thomson!
Award-winning designer Catherine M. Thomson learned to knit at age 6 in Scotland. After many years of knitting as an adult, she turned to designing hand-knitted lace. Recognized for the artistic quality of her designs, Catherine relies on intuition in the design process and the techniques she has developed as new concepts evolved before her eyes. Today, she’s still on a pathway of discovery. Catherine’s work has been displayed in exhibitions in Canada and other parts of the world. Her works won awards in two sections in the 1999 American Knitting Guild lace section, Winner of the 2000 American Knitting Guild Millennium Design Contest, Lace Section and have been displayed in several exhibitions such as “Threads of Life - Culture of Cloth”, B.C. Fabric Artists’ Guild 30th Anniversary juried exhibition, Vancouver, Canada, January 2001, New South Wales at the Australian Cotton Fiber Expo 2001, “Taking Cotton into the New Millennium”. In 2002 Catherine’s lace design was awarded a Very Highly Commended at the Royal Highland Show in Scotland.