Book Announcement: Handmade Hostess

I am so excited to FINALLY tell you. I wrote a book!

Handmade Hostess: 12 Imaginative Party Ideas for Unforgettable Entertaining will come out next March from Stash Books (an imprint of C+T Publishing). I have to pinch myself each time I see it up there on Amazon where it’s available for pre-order!

Keeping this secret has been one of the most challenging parts of this process. After my first trip to Quilt Market, I came home really wanting to write a book. I knew it had to be about my favorite topics — sewing and decorating for holidays, birthday parties, and special events.

However, the book really came to life when I called up my sister, Rebecca Soder, and asked her to do it with me. Every page of this book is a family affair.

The craft books that I am always pulling back down from the shelf are the ones with a ton of eye candy and a wide variety of projects. I want to be inspired and feel like I can use them again and again. I was thrilled to work with such a great publisher and that they were open to my idea of including fabric and sewing projects alongside other crafts, decorating, and baking.  They sum it up best:

In this book, Kelly and Rebecca have captured the heart of social gatherings for special occasions—expressing your love for family and friends in the DIY spirit of decorating, baking, and sewing. Discover how easy it can be to plan and create stylishly themed parties for all ages without breaking the bank. Have fun stitching and crafting creative décor projects along with matching party favors for your guests…plus, each party theme comes with its own signature dessert recipe. Dozens of sewing and no-sew projects for all skill levels, ranging from chic and elegant to festive and whimsical.

I am really proud to say that we held nothing back. We wanted you to have our very best ideas– all 160 pages of them!

I look forward to sharing more about the book as we get closer to launch! Thanks so much for sticking by me during those mysterious deadlines and the occasional disappearance. There’s a good chance I was at a photo shoot in a park somewhere — probably holding a giant sheet over my head trying to keep the sun off of one of Rebecca’s desserts. Every step has been an adventure.