Raffle Preview - French General: Handmade Soirées from Chronicle Books

Today is the first of our sponsor profiles and raffle sneak peeks! We were so thrilled when Chronicle Books signed up to be a sponsor of the Craft Mart and were shocked when we received a box full of new craft books; some of which aren't even in stores yet.

One of the most admired and respected publishing companies in the U.S., Chronicle Books was founded in 1967 and over the years has developed a reputation for award-winning, innovative books. The San Francisco company continues to challenge conventional publishing wisdom, setting trends in both subject and format, maintaining a list that includes fine art titles in design, art, architecture, and photography. We love them for their amazing craft books!

French General: Handmade Soirées -- With Handmade Soirées, every hostess can add French charm to her next meal with family and friends. Entertaining becomes effortlessly chic with these 24 table and decorating projects from tastemaker Kaari Meng.

Organza chair covers dress up a summer fête; fabric wine totes and roll-out place mats make picnics practical; and all of these projects make guests feel cherished. Plus, Kaari shares the secrets of hosting, including how to set an elegant table, collect and care for vintage dishes and textiles, arrange flowers, and much more. The patterns, how-to illustrations, and step-by-step instructions ensure that beginning and seasoned crafters alike will find it très simple to achieve polished results. With an exquisitely scalloped cloth spine and 80 dream-worthy photographs, Handmade Soirées is as pretty as the projects it proffers.

Kaari is a world-renowned purveyor of French living and owner of French General. She sells vintage and new textiles and products in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. Kaari and her husband, photographer Jon Zabala, live in Southern California.