Craftside

19 Days of Holiday Goodness Giveaways Starts Today! And Cyber Monday Crafty Blogger Links

California pardoned turkey. Hehe

Happy Cyber Monday! To kick off this festive holiday season, we are bringing back:

The Holiday Goodness Giveaways!

Here's how it works:

• We ask a question each weekday.
• You leave your answer in the comments section each day to the question (and you can enter each day!).
• We will randomly pick a winner each day to send a free book to!

This year, we are starting earlier (19 days) so we can give away more books!

Today is DAY 1! Can I get whoop!? Or maybe a jingle of bells?

1. It's an easy question:

Did you shop on Black Friday? Did you buy any books or craft supplies? What was your biggest score? Was it something you had "pre-shopped for" and lined up insanely early for? Was anyone maimed in the acquisition of said shopping item?

My answer:

I did not shop on Black Friday; I did holiday crafting and I pulled out my Christmas decorations and had a fabulous trip down memory lane. A significant chunk of the decorations are either hand-crafted or have fun memories attached.

Be sure to read the comments of others; maybe you can pick up a good idea, a new place to find your inspiration, or just a good giggle!

If you are like me and make a lot of your holiday accoutrement, here are what my fellow crafty bloggers have to share with you:

Aileen's Musings
Aileen invites you to join a creative challenge with her called the Erosion Bundle Project. Take a peek at her pictures and find out exactly what erosion bundles are!

Crafty Princess Diaries
Tammy is making her first crocheted hat for herself. Now, hopefully it will be done by the time it gets cold down South!

Cross Stitch at About.com
The 2009 Holiday Ornament Collection is ready! Whip up some super quick back stitch ornies or cross stitch some more colorful ones.

Farm Girl Roots, City Girl Style
Don't fence her in! Linda shares the story of her Fences and Ferns Quilt and how creativity can prosper even in dark times.

Mixed Media Artist
Mixed media artist Nicolette Anderson shares her lovely work!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
See a necklace and bracelet made from the same Blue Moon Beads pendant with a how-to video with me.

The Artful Crafter
Whatever the holiday, make cute pop-up place cards to organize the dinner table and delight guests of all ages.

The Impatient Crafter
Madge is ready for Christmas so bring it on! Check out this retrolicious frame she designed for iLoveToCreate.

About Family Crafts
Does your family have any creative Thanksgiving traditions? You can read about other people's Thanksgiving traditions and then share your own!

Another Great Turkey Leftover Recipe from The Gourmet's Guide to Cooking with Beer

I think I'm starting a tradition. Last year I posted a recipe using turkey leftovers, and I am posting another yummy recipe using beer and turkey this fine post-thankful day. It is from the book The Gourmet's Guide to Cooking with Beer.

To see the beer and turkey recipe from last year, pop on over here.

The Gourmet's Guide to Cooking with Beer
By
Alison Boteler

Continuing the concept of The Spaghetti Sauce Gourmet and The Gourmet’s Guide to Cooking with Wine, this book shows how to use beer, ale, stouts, ciders, and nonalcoholic brews such as ginger and root beer as a convenience ingredient that will add nuanced flavor and earthy flair to your cooking and baking repertoire. Why? Beer, like wine, is versatile. It can be used with nearly every type of food. Use it to marinate meats, flavor stews, punch up sauces for fish, chicken, pasta, vegetables, and take desserts from standard to savvy.

Alison Boteler is the author of eight books on cooking, crafts, and entertaining children, including The Disney Party Handbook and Creative Children’s Parties. She has contributed to magazines as well as Family Fun’s website. Television credits include appearances on NBC’s Today Show and she is a regular guest on Lifetime’s Our Home.

A Tasty Pumpkin cookie recipe from the book: Enjoy Life's Cookies for Everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving Ya'll!

I am thankful for all my great co-workers in crafts and you, my readers!

I would first like to announce the winner of the Dada Doll contest:

Shari

We received so many wonderful comments - thanks to everyone who participated, and congratulations to Shari!

One of my co-workers spotted this cool craft that was so cute I just had to share. It is a pineapple with a little turkey cozy! Fun huh?

Enjoy a great day and if you are looking for a fun pumpkin cookie recipe why not try this tasty one from the book Enjoy Life's Cookies for Everyone!:

Click on the image to enlarge this pumpkin cookie recipe.

And for another yummy rice ball treat recipe pop on over to this post.

Enjoy Life's Cookies for Everyone!
150 Delicious Gluten-Free Treats that are Safe for Most Anyone with Food Allergies, Intolerances, or Sensitivities
By
Leslie Hammond

Enjoy Life’s™ Cookies for Everyone! offers allergy-friendly cookies, brownies and bars that are safe and delicious that every kid—and adult— can enjoy.

Each of the 150 recipes are free of gluten as well as the eight most common allergens, thus taking the guesswork out of determining which recipes are safe—and which are off limits. Culinary expert Leslie Hammond teaches readers how to use naturally allergy-free ingredients and substitutes to add richness, texture, pizzazz and nutritional content to cookies and bars without losing the “yummy” factor.

Reviews:
GoDairyFree.org

Each recipe is vetted for taste and safety by Enjoy Life® Foods, a leading maker of great tasting allergy-friendly foods. Watch this CNN video about the company for more information.

Leslie Hammond (Ft. Bragg, CA) is a culinary expert who focuses on allergies and allergy-free goods. She volunteers her time to educate the public and create awareness about alternative eating.

Founded in 2001, Enjoy Life® Foods now offers more than 30 delicious products under the Enjoy Life® brand, including allergy-friendly AND gluten-free cookies, snack bars, granolas, trail mixes, bagels, chocolate chips, chocolatey bars, and more. All Enjoy Life® products are free of the eight most common allergens* and are made in a dedicated nut- and gluten-free facility.

Yummy Biscuit Recipe from Baking Artisan Pastries and Breads by Ciril Hitz

Oh I love bread, all kinds! I want to bake everything in this book.

I think biscuits and scones are my favorite. Aw who am I kidding, I love it all.

Click on the pages from Baking Artisan Pastries and Breads to read this yummy recipe and it's variations.

And if you need more, grab yourself a copy of:

Baking Artisan Pastries and Breads
Sweet and Savory Baking for Breakfast, Brunch, and Beyond

By
Ciril Hitz

Baking Artisan Pastries and Breadsoffers illustrated recipes that cater to all breakfast needs: from muffins ready within the hour to more decadent treats, such as lemon brioche doughnuts and chocolate croissants. The formulas are generally progressive--the easier recipes are at the beginning and more complex ones are later.

The step-by-step full-color process shots of techniques and inviting beauty shots of finished products coupled with clear directions will instill confidence in even the most novice baker.

A short (20-30 minute) DVD accompanies the book, adding an invaluable level of instruction.

Ciril Hitz is the Department Chair for the International Baking and Pastry Institute at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. He graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, after which he returned to his native Switzerland and completed a three-year apprenticeship as a Pastry Chef/Chocolatier.

Hitz was first introduced to bread baking while in Europe, which laid the foundation for the skills that led him to where he is today. He has been recognized nationally and internationally with numerous awards and accomplishments and was selected as a Top Ten Pastry Chef in America in both 2007 and 2008 by Pastry Art & Design magazine. In 2004, he competed in the National Bread and Pastry Team Championship, winning the overall team Gold Medal as well as all individual bread awards. He was a member of the Bread Bakers Guild Team USA that competed at the 2002 Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie in Paris, France, where the team captured the silver medal. He has been a guest instructor and expert at many national and international culinary events and schools and serves on the Advisory Board of the Bread Bakers Guild of America. Ciril Hitz is frequently seen on The Food Network and has been featured on the NBC's The Today Show. His work has graced the pages of numerous magazines and the interiors of exhibition halls and museums, including COPIA in Napa, California. He is the producer of his own line of educational DVDs. For more information on his work, visit www.breadhitz.com.

Bead Quilled Jewelry: New Beadwork Designs with Square Stitch By Kathy King

Are you looking at these pretty earrings and wondering how they were made? Designer and author Kathy King calls it bead quilling. Click on the inside peek at her new book Bead Quilled Jewelry to read how to bead quill this lovely pair of earrings.

 

Bead Quilled Jewelry:
New Beadwork Designs with Square Stitch
By
Kathy King

Author Kathy King has developed a variation on the decorative paper craft of quilling to create unique designs in beadwork. In bead quilling--instead of thin strips of paper--thin strips of beads, made with square stitch, are wrapped to form circles, scrolls, and squares. The holes of the beads, rather than the sides, are exposed, to become part of the distinctive design. The author works with simple and complex combinations of quilled beads to create a variety of jewelry designs. She also incorporates crystals, pearls, and decorative threads into the pieces to add interest and texture.

Kathy King is a bead artist whose work has been featured in Bead & Button, Beadwork, and Belle Armoire magazines. Her bead-quilled necklace (Red Empress) was a finalist in Bead & Button magazine's 2007 Bead Dreams competition. Another quilled piece was featured on the cover of Bead & Button magazine in June 2008. Her website is kathykingjewelry.com.