Handmade Hostess

This volume captures the heart and soul of social gatherings for special occassions - expressing your love for family and friends in the DIY spirit of decorating, baking, and sewing. The authors show you how easy and stress-free it can be to plan and create stylishly themed parties for all ages without breaking the bank.

Adding Layers—Color, Design, & Design, by Kathy Doughty of Material Obsession, is your illustrated guide to developing an artful understanding of your quilting process. In its 15 original projects, you’ll be inspired to experiment with textiles, tools, and techniques to create vibrant quilts. As you add these new “layers” of complexity into your designs, you’ll discover added interest and depth in your quilting experience.

Get your kids camping, playing, and exploring with 21 fun-to-make projects that provide countless hours of indoor and outdoor enjoyment for both boys and girls. Everything you need to outfit a child to go adventuring is here: backpacks, teepees, sleeping bags, sun hats, cargo vests and shorts, outdoor-themed bedroom sets with quilts, and much more. The whole family will also enjoy the bonus nature-themed crafts and recipes for camp treats like Peanut Butter S’Mores. • Encourage children to put down their electronics and discover the joy of the outdoors • Projects include detailed, step-by-step instructions and template patterns • Bonus activities include finger puppets and reference cards for identifying animal tracks

In Abandoned at Birth, Janet Sherlund explores the inherent need adopted children have for a sense of belonging and the pain and courage that is required to discover their true identity. Adoption is often painted as a happy, inspirational act—a baby finds a family and lives happily ever after. But the truth is that adopted children experience displacement and rupture from their mother and that trauma can impact an individual for a lifetime. Adoption can lead to feelings of loss and grief not just for the adoptee, but for the biological and adoptive parents as well. This startling fact comes vividly to life in Janet Sherlund’s heartbreaking memoir, Abandoned at Birth. In her literary debut, Janet Sherlund explores the complex issues so many adoptees and their parents grapple with, including the complicated emotions of rejection, loss, grief, denial, and shame. Sherlund, who was given up for adoption within days of her birth, shares her journey to fulfill her lifetime longing for connection with her family of origin, her instinctive ache for connection with her birth mother, and what it was like to have a “borrowed identity.” In poignant detail, Sherlund describes her quest to find out who she is, where she came from, and why she was given away. And she reveals the pain and courage required to discover one’s true identity. With 5 million adoptees in the U.S., many of whom are discovering their biological roots on DNA websites, Abandoned at Birth is the book for our time. The insight Sherlund derived from her journey will encourage and console others on the same path, while examining the inherent need of all of us to belong, and understand our origins, our culture, and our genetic roots.

Dress up your home in contemporary Christmas cheer with these holiday sewing projects by the acclaimed fabric and quilt designer. These quilts and decorations from designer Amanda Murphy take Christmas in a bright new direction that updates the traditional reds and greens with blues, pinks, and whites. This illustrated guide features nine quilts and nine home decorations, including seasonal pillows, a tree skirt, an advent calendar, Christmas stocking, and more. • Create modern looks with favorite blocks like Flying Geese, Dresden Plate, and Hexagon • Use all your skills: piecing, appliqué, and hand embellishment • Make many of the quilts for any season with a simple change of fabrics

Returning to Nevarah for a quick stopover? Yes! Possible island paradise vacation? YES, PLEASE! Another ghost lurking in the sand and surf? Not again-! A real vacation seems like a thing of myth and wish, but three's the charm, right? Besides, Valprys is such a cute and charming little island, it couldn't possibly be haunted, right? RIGHT?! Seriously, what do I need to do to have an actual vacation around here? *** Newly bonded Storm Submissive Violet Morgane stops over in Nevarah on her way to vacation attempt #3, the lovely Valprys Island. But the island paradise seems too good to be true and everything's just a little bit off-kilter. When ghosts start appearing and things stop adding up, Violet and her Bonded scramble to keep up. Can they unravel this new mystery together?

From coast-to-coast, there is something universally common about our relationship with food. It’s more than just the food we eat and the way we nourish our bodies. It’s the way we feel when our food is shared and the manner in which we connect with others over a shared meal. But perhaps most importantly is the way in which a favorite heirloom recipe can allow a flood of treasured memories to invade our hearts with the simple aroma of ingredients. The traveling apron journey began with one simple goal in mind: to connect a community of women together around those beloved recipes. After 20,000-plus miles of travel, whether you’re looking to update your weeknight dinner rotation, entertain friends on the back porch, or simply looking for a dessert for your next holiday bash, there’s a little something for everyone.

The author of Sunday Morning Quilts returns with a new volume of inspiring projects, personal journeys, and advice on how to savor quiet moments. Cheryl Arkison’s A Month of Sundays is a quilting book like no other. Exploring the themes of Relaxing, Eating, Shopping, and Exploring, Cheryl seeks to inspire both creativity and a quiet energy. She shares 16 family-friendly projects, all based on these themes and featuring low-volume fabrics. Along with gorgeous quilts, there are aprons, napkins, bags, and other items to be made. Arkison’s personal journeys and ideas are sure to inspire your own weekend explorations. Designed for the confident beginner, the patterns are simple and straightforward. This unique book is at once exciting and restful, much like the perfect Sunday stroll.