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Christmas Survey, Knit & Crochet Gathering, & More
The hot topic on our "Wanted" list right now is anything and everything for Christmas! So our editors have come up with a few questions to inspire you to share your favorite holiday recipes and projects. We also report on the exciting events at this summer's combined meeting of knitters and crocheters. And we point to where you can read an excerpt from a new Debbie Macomber book.

Take Our Christmas Traditions Survey
We're working on a new Christmas book that will be stuffed with traditional recipes, ideas, and projects for holiday decorating and entertaining, and we want to hear all about your family favorites.

Our editors have come up with a few questions to inspire you to participate. So hurry and join the fun! Copy and paste the following questions onto your computer and email us your recipes and stories at submissions@leisurearts.com. Or write to us at Leisure Arts, Inc., Christmas Submissions, 5701 Ranch Drive, Little Rock, AR 72223. Please include your name and address. If we publish your submissions, we'll include your name in the book and send you a free thank-you gift as well.

What are some of your family's most memorable traditions or activities around the holidays?

What tips do you have to share when preparing for the Christmas holidays that help make it less stressful?

What is your favorite holiday recipe that is a "must" for your family, or one that you make for neighbors and friends as a gift?

What are some quick changes you make inside your home that help create a holiday feel?

What unique decorations do you enjoy displaying or making during Christmas?

Tell us about a memorable holiday party or gathering.

Do you have any organizational tips for putting your Christmas items away?

P.S. The beautiful Red Velvet Peppermint Cake shown on the newsletter homepage is from The Spirit of Christmas, Book 20. Click for the free recipe.

Knit and Crochet Guilds Come Together
Susan Sullivan, our senior publications director, just got back from an exhilarating summer meeting of knitters and crocheters. Here's her report:

Twice a year, the Crochet Guild of America and The Knitting Guild of America join forces to bring members together for something they call The Knit and Crochet Show. It basically is a celebration of the fiber arts. The show offers great classes for learning something totally new or for honing skills already possessed. A marketplace with a wondrous array of yarn, books, needles, etc., is nearby, tempting the members as well as the general public.

The Radisson Hotel in Manchester, New Hampshire, was the site of the most recent meeting (July 12-15), and I was fortunate to be a part of the excitement. Rita Weiss, president of the Crochet Guild of America, invited me months ago to be a participant on a panel discussion for the CGOA Professional Development Day on July 11. The panel was made up of individuals who represented companies that buy crochet and knit designs to feature in publications. Participants included Kim Werker, Editor of Interweave Crochet magazine; Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss, owners of Creative Partners; Carol Alexander, Executive Editor of DRG's Crochet! magazine; and myself. Kathleen Sams of Coats and Clark was missing-in-action due to flight delays. I was amazed that there were 120+ participants! The majority of these ladies and gentlemen were brand new, never-before-published designers and they were there to hear what publishers look for in the way of new designs. It was interesting to hear the different approaches of a magazine editor, book editor, and yarn company representative.

Mary Hutcheson, Leisure Arts special projects editor, joined me in New Hampshire to assist with the premiere launch of TheLeisureBoutique.com in the Marketplace. Laptops were set up and customers were able to place their orders online. The response was so positive! Most had not heard of our new online store and were thrilled to find access to our extensive library of books as well as numerous tools and kits.

One of the highlights for the attendees of The Knit and Crochet Show was the banquet and fashion show Saturday night. Mary and I were invited to sit with Rita and Jean at the President's table. There were 300+ fiber enthusiasts attending the banquet. Lily Chin served as the emcee of the fashion show, which provided a glimpse of what this talented group of crocheters and knitters had been up to. What an inspiration!

I look forward to participating in the next exciting event soon. For details about the fall show, scheduled for September 27-30 in Oakland, California, visit http://www.knitandcrochetshow.com/fallshow.asp.

For more about the organizations, visit www.crochet.org for the Crochet Guild of America and www.tkga.com for The Knitting Guild Association.

Mary Hutcheson (center) at banquet with Rita Weiss (left) and Jean Leinhauser (right).

Calling All Designers
As one of the nation's largest publishers and distributors of lifestyle and instructional material, we are always looking for new and original designs to publish. If you have original, fresh, and trendy designs, patterns, or ideas, we would be interested in hearing from you.

You may send photographs, sketches, outlines, charts, artwork, or whatever best represents your designs (depending on the skill) by attaching a PDF or JPEG file to your email and sending it to submissions@leisurearts.com.

If you do not have access to e-mail, you can send your submission (but no actual designs, samples, models, prototypes, etc.) to Leisure Arts, Inc., Design Submissions, 5701 Ranch Drive, Little Rock, AR 72223. Please do not send actual designs or instructions.

If you want to start by receiving more information on how we work, you can download our Design Submissions Guide PDF or request a printed copy from the address above.

Behind the Scenes
In her August 15 blog posting, Cheryl Johnson, our director for quilt, knit, and crochet books, explained how we get some of the designs we publish. She even included pictures of how the mass of boxes and projects come piling into her department. See the story at Cheryl's blog.

CHA Summer Show
The blog of Debra Nettles, our director of designer relations, shows some photos of our booth at the Craft & Hobby Association Summer Show. There's great photography from some of our new books, as well as a bigger-than-life standup illustration of Irene, the star of our new sister Web site, i-Createit.com. See the show photos at Debra's blog.

Debbie Macomber Book Winners

Ten lucky visitors to the Leisure Arts booth at the July 20-22 CHA trade show in Chicago were chosen in a recent drawing to receive a very special prize. Each will be awarded an autographed copy of bestselling author Debbie Macomber's newest hardcover book, Back on Blossom Street.

Leisure Arts is pleased to congratulate the winners in our Debbie Macomber Giveaway: Susan McCoy of Elmhurst, IL; Anne Klaus of Oconomowoc, WI; Cheryl Nelson of Collierville, TN; Kris Kriegel of St. Louis, MO; Anne Niemann of Elmhurst, IL; Susan Touhy of Muskegon, MI; Kate Sims of Collerville, TN; Lisa Frinton of Hadley, NY; Carole Signore of Plainfield, IL; and Maxine Hodges of Hurricane, WV.

Don't Miss Debbie's Book Excerpt
When you visit DebbieMacomber.com for this month's free knit or crochet pattern, you'll also want to read the free excerpt of a special book she's just written. As Debbie said in her July blog, "If you're curious about the woman behind the knitting books--the real me--here's your opportunity to learn more about me in a deep and personal way." Knit Together: Discover God's Pattern for Your Life went on sale August 21.

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 photos to share, questions to ask, or comments to make. Just send an e-mail message to Susan Wiles, E-newsletter Editor, by clicking on contact us.

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