As I was milling around my favourite local bookstore the other day, a sea of yellow bookcovers alerted me that I was about to run into a book display. I picked up one of the little beacons and started flipping through it.

I knew immediately that you should have this book.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year according to Frank Sinatra, but most of us could use a few belly laughs to keep the Santa-ball rolling. Even if you’re not planning on making your dad a dryer-lint-stuffed tie-snake, reading about it will have you giggling.

I appreciate this tongue-in-cheek approach to crafting for the humor she’s infusing into what’s usually a super-serious (or unduly cheerful), art supply store-, power tool-ridden genre. The quest to make holiday gifts can leave us grouchy, confused and uninspired; yet not having much money doesn’t always leave us with a ton of other options. Kudos to Amy for making us laugh about all of it.

My Christmas gift to you, dear readers, is this. Three lucky winners will receive a copy of Amy’s newest book, Simple Times: Crafts for poor people.

Enter by leaving a comment below describing a crafting scenario gone right, wrong or improvised into something unanticipated.

Don’t forget to include your email address in the little box or I can’t contact you to tell you that you’ve won.

Comments close at midnight on December 22, 2010. Random.org will select three winners based on the number associated with your comment. Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win, and one entry per household please.

Thank you for following my adventures all year long. Happy Holidays!