While I'm at it: Sneak Peek again!

So nosing around here at Leisure Arts takes a bit of time. I  like to make it worth my while and so I get grabby when I'm pulling covers to post. I have a few more you must see.

I believe I've mentioned before the benefits of working for a company that produces cookbooks. If I haven't, I have two words for you: testing, photography. We have a food editor that occasionally tests recipes for books that don't go on to photography. We eat the results. She also makes things that go on to photography. Sometimes they don't work. We eat those. Eventually they do work and they make lovely photos. We don't always get to eat those. It's OK. Don't be sad for us.

If you've been around at Christmas time and know of my epic battles with peanut butter fudge, you know the Candy book is near to my heart.

If not, just stick around. The peanut butter fudge time is only 3 or 4 months away. I feel tired already.

The latest to come out are Celebrating Candy and Celebrating Cookies, Book 2. Both are available now for $14.95 over at www.leisurearts.com. And when the cover copy says they've been tested by Leisure Arts editors, I can vouch for the truth of that statement.

And because I'm an equal opportunity crafter, here's a neato knit book that's new out. As we all know, I learned to knit and to crochet. I like both but I always love cute animals. I want to show both front cover and back cover because I have determined that I often love the back cover as much (sometimes more).

This one is Little Knitted Creatures by Amy Gaines. There are 26 designs for $22.95 but I think everyone should make the hedgehog. I seem to be on a hedgehog kick for some reason (we had another concept come in with a hedgehog and it was luv.) Also there is a gnome or two. And who doesn't love a gnome?

If you find yourself with a spare knit hedgehog or gnome, you may feel free to send them to my attention here.
Thank you.


Good books, all of them! And you don't even have to take only my word for it! To see Mark Lipinski's video review of one of our quilt books, Tried and True, Renewed!
click here!

Sneak Peek: Fast Forward, Ready Set Go!

I have 2 questions: 1. Do you have a stack of pre-cut fabric bundles staring back at from the spot that you have decoratively propped them in your sewing room because you bought them because you love them and now need a plan for them? 2. Do you need a good excuse to buy more of what you love, namely pre-cut, pre-packaged bundles of fabric-y goodness?

Either way, Pat Sloan's collection of quilts in Fast-Forward Quilts is exactly what you were looking for! And, as a bonus, Pat will tell you how to make your own!

This one's not so much of a "sneak" because these are all available now, now, NOW! You can find them all at www.leisurearts.com. 16 Projects in a variety of sizes using charm packs, jelly rolls, layer cakes and more...$19.95. And this one has a dog picture too, so you know I'm a fan. For more photos, check out the post on Pat's blog at www.patsloan.com.

I don't know if you know this, but the life of a quilt editor at Leisure Arts means reviewing design submission. They come in all shapes and sizes and states of development (just like creative kinds of people). Kristine Poor of Poorhouse Quilt Design is a woman after my own heart. She's a fan of the organization. This book came to use with cute sections outlined, sketches, and fabrics attached. And even though I could picture it clearly in my brain, the idea that I had was not quite as amazing as the book that showed up many months later, thanks to the hard work of our graphic artists and photographers...oh, yeah, and the amazingly well-constructed models that came from Kristine played a big part too!

Seriously, if you're looking for a diaper bag or a car organizer or a quilt or a back pack or a stuffed toy...you get it: there are a lot of different kinds of projects here and they're all perfect for baby or someone who loves baby. This one's available now, 16 projects, $16.95.

A Sneak Peek: Mary Engelbreit, Pocket Guides

So we haven't done this in a while, now it must be time to look at new books! When we make it to this stage (the book is actually printed and out there in the world), they've nearly become a very distant memory. Of course, some books stay with you longer than others. You can remember the details vividly for some time, maybe even a long time.

This is one of those. It's hard to forget such amazing cuteness as this book. The cover says it all (except why the color yellow fills me with anxiety, but that's a risk all publishing professionals face daily). 53 Fun projects that you can embroider, applique, or color with fabric markers divided into sections: Baby, Home, and Gifts.

This is a great book, filled with very Mary projects and the opportunity for us all to become designers!

#4961, Available now, $22.95 for a spiral-bound hard back with patterns in a lovely envelope inside. You want it, you really do!

These other two guys are also very cool, handy pocket guides that you can slip in to your project bag and carry along:

We've updated the embroidery pocket guide but you'll still find a great collection of stitch diagrams and the Beading pocket guide is all-new. We're also working on revamping Basic Bows and Quilting Basics so those will be along in a month or so.

Both of these are available now, 56018 and 56019, $4.95, laminated guides that fold out and include handy rulers.

Remind me to do this again in a week or so, 'mkay? There's some very, very, very pretty stuff coming up: Pat Sloan, Kristine Poor, The Quilted Fish...what am I saying? We only do pretty around here.

Designing for Leisure Arts

So after you have made it through the hurdle of the design submission for Leisure Arts, what happens? Other than fame and fortune as a craft/cross stitch/paint/sewing/quilt designer, of course. (OK so you probably won't find either fame or fortune, but your family will be so proud and that counts for a lot, right? Plus, you'll have one of those book-things out there in the world. And I don't have one of those so I'll be pretty impressed with you too.) What happens after we say "Yes, we agree, that is a fabulous idea. We'd like to make a book about it"? Most of the time, you send us completed models and instructions (unless it's cross stitch...we seem to complete those ourselves), and one of these characters takes it from there.

These are technical writers/pirates who technically edit instructions and guide the concept through photography and art and then on out the door to the printer. They put dates on a schedule to make it happen on time. They draw patterns when patterns don't match. They draw figs and diagrams as needed. They find the missing pieces in  instructions. They have incentive...they also get to answer phone calls from consumers. They work hard. Sometimes they dress up for Halloween (and win).

Me, there in the middle-ish, I go to meetings (although, now that I have actually spoken at a guild meeting, I may limit myself as to types I'll appear at. And that's too bad. I hate to disappoint the fans of my oratorial excellence). I meet designers at tradeshows either to say "Have you ever thought about publishing a book?" or to say "Hey, we're hard at work on your book right now. It's nice to meet you." The technical writers and the people you don't see...the graphic artists, photostylists, photographers, and more...they make the book-part of the book. You send in projects and instructions and we send a book out into the world...like magic.

Submitting designs to Leisure Arts

I've recently gotten more involved in choosing the designs that we decide to publish. This is good. And bad. Good because I like to see submissions as they come in. Bad because I feel like I ought to have better answers for some of the questions that I hear when I'm cruising the aisles of the latest tradeshow.  If you've ever thought about attaining fame and fortune as a craft/quilt/sewing/cross stitch/paint/embroidery designer, you might wonder how to get started.

If you're interested in working with Leisure Arts, you can go here to find our Submission Guidelines, but I'm going to give you two very important answers to questions I've heard repeatedly in my short time of talking to new, potential designers. Luckily, the designers I've been working with for years and years and years already know the ropes. They can tell me more about submitting to Leisure Arts than I know!

Here are the questions:
1. How can I submit to Leisure Arts?
I always read this question as the physical, nuts-and-bolts how. Either
Email to submissions@leisurearts.com. Simple.
or
Mail the old-fashioned way to Design Submissions, Leisure Arts, 5701 Ranch Dr., Little Rock, AR 72223.

Either way, you need to give us some idea of who you are, what your fabulous idea is, and why it would be great for us (so you need to know what kind of books we're putting out now...check the website, sign up for the newsletter, etc). Photos of completed projects are a very good idea, drawings are the next choice. Charts in cross stitch will work. Whatever you send to us needs to illustrate your idea well. We're visual types around here. We like pictures. Oh, and creative license is OK. We get a variety of different kinds (folders, letterhead, bound books, discs, notebook paper, letters in calligraphy, class notes, formal outlines, stacks of photos, previously printed pattern packs) of concept submissions around here, but professionalism is always important so keep that in mind. This is your introduction so it needs to say important things about you. No pressure, though. We're creative people too and we're looking for ideas.

2. What are you looking for?
This is a question that I get from old timers and newbies alike. It's a good question, but it makes me shrug. Sometimes we have a "something" that we're looking for, but we are always, always, always looking for new ideas and fresh projects from designers. Or tried-and-true sellers. Or techniques that we can teach today and tomorrow. Or...it's a good question, but there's no easy answer. If you have an idea, give it a try. We're nice people. OK, the people that I work with are nice people.  And I am too most of the time. Just don't stop me in an airport.