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Bold Bags, Christmas & Kool-Aid®
Okay, so why are we talking about Kool-Aid, you ask. Well, it happens to be a great dye for yarn. We'll be giving a demonstration next month at the Knit-Out & Crochet 2007 show in Minnesota, along with instructions for making our little felted knit clutch.

But more about that later. First we want to show you the darn cute bags that Bobbie Bentley made using our Exclusively You faux leather and Joan Hawley's designs in Bold Bags (#4153). Bobbie first posted them for Joan's Yahoo group on the Lazy Girl Designs Web site, and we asked if we could share them again in our newsletter, to inspire other Lazy Girls. (And we want your pictures and details, girls!)

Then next, we have a couple of photos of awesome handmade Christmas gifts that we heard about through co-workers. Some were for charity and others were for family, but they all involved a lot of love and generosity by some talented folks.

Bobbie's Bold Bags

Bobbie Bentley first made Cup of Coffee (lower right) and Mod Bag (top left), then quickly followed with the Sling Bag (top right) and Hippie Bag (lower left). Designer Joan Hawley told us, "When I read Bobbie's note, I just wanted to hug her. Comments like Bobbie's are my biggest reward for this job that I love." For more, visit Joan's blog at www.lazygirldesigns.com/blog.

Sewing has always been a passion for me. I am so glad I found Joan Hawley’s Lazy Girl Designs web site. What fun and an email list to boot! Joan always has something exciting to share with all of us Lazies. In August 2006 Joan sent a message to the group with a sneak preview of the upcoming Bold Bags collection for Leisure Arts.

The photos took my breath away; how refreshing and new. I rushed to the fabric store to find Leisure Arts. It was such a pleasant surprise to see the beautiful colors and quality of the products. The Bold Bags book was not available yet but I had to have the Mock Croc and findings. Little by little I built my stash waiting for the book.
I finally received the Bold Bags book in late December; it is worth every penny. The presentation and Joan’s directions are easy to follow. Joan and Leisure Arts have teamed up to make a masterpiece.

I had to make the Cup of Coffee bag first. I love this little café latte. I embellished it with some cute little key charms I had in my stash. I also used the matching shoulder strap with the attached silver rings in the same orange Croc. The pattern called for the small black handles but when I saw the matching shoulder strap handle I couldn’t resist. The orange Mock Croc looks more like a rich coral color to me. The handbags are fun to make; just follow Joan’s lazy and easy instructions. I found the Mock Croc incredibly easy and quick to sew.

If you have a walking foot for your machine, it’s even quicker. I used paper clips to hold the Croc pieces together during sewing rather than pins; they worked very well. I received many compliments the first time I carried my Cup of Coffee. It’s so darn cute. There is nothing else like it.

My next Bold Bag was the Mod Bag made in the deep rich blue Mock Croc. It's such a sweet, quick pattern. Joan’s zipper instructions are so easy even a cave man can do the zipper. The small, blue, pre-made handle matched perfectly. I embellished it with a Jaguar charm from my stash. I wish I could find a pair of shoes to match. This little bag is great for a special occasion or you can pack it away inside the Lazy Girl Summer Tote.

I couldn’t stop at just two of these designer bags and had enough Maroon Mock Croc to make the Sling bag. I chose the option of a shoulder purse instead of the backpack, which is a very nice feature of this pattern. The Maroon looks more like a Sparkling Sherry color to me. I had a pretty batik fabric in my stash that I was saving for just the right project; it worked perfect. You don’t have to worry about a zipper with this fun little Sling; a magnetic snap is the bag closure. The style is so fresh and different with plenty of room for goodies. I had just enough leftover Croc to make a photo key fob embellishment using one of the free Leisure Arts patterns included with the Mock Croc sheets.

If you don't have the new Exclusively You Bold Bags book with Joan Hawley’s patterns, it's well worth the effort to find it. I’m so excited with my purchase. My next project will be the Hippie Bag.
– Cheers and happy Bold Bags, Bobbie in Sunny Cocoa Beach, Florida

A Grandmother's Gifts
Nanette Piker of North Little Rock, Arkansas, had a big surprise this year for her five grandchildren: cross-stitched Christmas tree skirts that she had spent the last 10 years making. What a labor of love! The lucky recipients were (from left) Louis Mendoza, Kevin Piker, Kimberly Piker, Amberly Baker, and Amanda Bostian. Each skirt bears a different design, all of which Nanette found through Mary Maxim, the mail order merchandiser.

Busy Stocking Stuffers
Leisure Arts Crafts Department editors were busy last month making fleece stockings for charity and stuffing them with toys gathered with the help of co-workers. The gifts went to babies and children who were enrolled with their mothers in a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences program that helps fight and break the cycle of substance abuse (www.arcares.uams.edu).

Linda Patterson, the parenting teacher at the Center for Addictions Research, Education and Services, later sent this note: "The stockings were awesome! Please express my gratitude to the wonderful ladies who used their time and talents to show our families love in such a wonderful way. What an inspiration to us all!"

A big warm hug goes to Deb Moore (from left), Susan Johnson, Laura Holyfield, Christina Kirkendoll, Kathy Elrod, Jennifer Hutchings, and Joyce Harris.

Join Us at the Knit-Out for Our Kool-Aid® Dye Demo
Knitters and crocheters, or anyone who wants to learn: Come visit the Leisure Arts booth at the FREE Knit-Out & Crochet 2007 extravaganza at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, February 17 & 18. That's the Presidents' Day holiday weekend and the first time the Craft Yarn Council of America has taken the show to the Midwest. We hope to see lots of you there, enjoying the free knitting and crochet lessons, fashion shows, workshops, displays, and other events.

We'll have our how-to DVDs playing and lots of new publications and beautiful sweaters and other items on display. Be sure you check the schedule at the demo area, too, and don't miss our demonstration of how to dye wool yarn with Kool-Aid® soft drink mix to make a cute felted clutch. (After the Knit-Out, we'll share the instructions on-line, so watch our next e-newsletter for details.)

For more information about the show, go to www.craftyarncouncil.com or www.mallofamerica.com.

When's the Spring Clearance Sale?
Do you have any idea when your spring clearance sale will be? I have friends from out of state that would love to come but they have to plan ahead and were wondering if you know when the sale will be. I would love to be able to tell them about it. We have loved the last two that we have been to. They were great!!! – Karen Wheeler

Our semi-annual warehouse clearance sales are always a lot of fun for us, too. It's a thrill meeting so many people who are as crazy about creative stuff as we are! The date for our next sale hasn't been set yet, but a good guess would be for a Saturday in late April. Last year's spring sale was April 22. As soon as we know the date, we'll send out notices to all our e-newsletter subscribers, so make sure your friends are signed up.

This is your sharing space.
This column is your opportunity to communicate with others who share your passion for creativity. We'd love to hear from you, whether you have tips to share, questions to ask, or comments to make. Just send an e-mail message by clicking on contact us.

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