Happy Friday! I have a treat for you today! Handmade Hostess: 12 Imaginative Party Ideas for Unforgettable Entertaining, is a brand new book, just out, written by fellow Seattlite Kelly Lee-Creel and Rebecca Soder. Fellow fabric lovers may be familiar with Kelly's fabric line, Storybook Lane, and now she has written a book for us in that same well-done, handmade style.
I just LOVE this book! It's full of page after page of fun, innovative party ideas and ways to create festive decor that doesn't involve buying tons of decorations, and instead offers many beautiful ideas to handmake your party decor. I have never been a fan of cheap, storebought party decorations. In fact, it's kept me from throwing a party more than once, it just all feels disposable and cheap. My alternative has always been to go plain white, but as I was looking through this book I got so many ideas of all kinds of ways to create a fun atmosphere I just may have mentioned I want to throw a party to some folks around here.
Santa's Sleigh Centerpiece and Gingerbread Placecards
Love Note Napkin embroidery project (which I want to do RIGHT NOW!)
Leprechaun Clothes Banner
Kelly, the author, offers thoughts and an example of how many of the projects can be used for different types of parties altogether-
"In writing this book, we wanted to include as many extra tips and decorating ideas as we could. It's been fun because even friends who don't sew (or who are just in a hurry!) can flip through the book and find a few quick projects. For example, in the Mad Hatter party, we made AstroTurf place mats. We drew a fancy shape onto construction paper and used that as a template. (Most AstroTurf can be cut with regular scissors.) I love that someone can take the ideas from one chapter and adapt them for a totally different theme. I'm dying to use my faux-grass place mats at Easter, for example."
Visit the Sew Mama Sew blog post Kelly wrote on making fabric feathers, another fun party decoration. I also heard that Kelly is possibly creating a class around one of the projects in the book that will be held at Seattle's own Drygoods Design in the Spring, so look for that. I will pass along more info as I hear.
We have one book to giveaway to a wise craft reader, just leave a comment on this post for a chance to win. And Kelly has opened this giveaway to US residents and international, so everyone has a chance! I will pick a winner next week.
Congratulations on a beautiful book Kelly and Rebecca! Good luck everyone!
4/2/13- Giveaway is closed and winner has been chosen, thank you!
