More details about Amy’s forthcoming craft book, Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People:

America’s most delightfully unconventional hostess and the bestselling author of I Like You delivers a new book that will forever change the world of crafting. According to Amy Sedaris, it’s often been said that ugly people craft and attractive people have sex. In her new book, SIMPLE TIMES, she sets the record straight. Demonstrating that crafting is one of life’s more pleasurable and constructive leisure activities, Sedaris shows that anyone with a couple of hours to kill and access to pipe cleaners can join the elite society of crafters.

You will discover how to make popular crafts, such as: crab-claw roach clips, tinfoil balls, and crepe-paper moccasins, and learn how to: get inspired (Spend time at a Renaissance Fair; Buy fruit, let it get old, and see what shapes it turns into); remember which kind of glue to use with which material (Tacky with Furry, Gummy with Gritty, Paste with Prickly, and always Gloppy with Sandy); create your own craft room and avoid the most common crafting accidents (sawdust fires, feather asphyxia, pine cone lodged in throat); and cook your own edible crafts, from a Crafty Candle Salad to Sugar Skulls, and many more recipes.

PLUS whole chapters full of more crafting ideas (Pompom Ringworms! Seashell Toilet Seat Covers!) that will inspire you to create your own hastily constructed obscure d’arts; and much, much more!

Amy will be guest starring on the March 24th episode of The Middle (on ABC) as a hardcore motivational consultant:

THE MIDDLE – “The Fun House” – Frankie fears her job at the car dealership may be on the line when hardcore motivational consultant Abby (Amy Sedaris, “Strangers with Candy”) is hired to whip the sales staff into shape. Meanwhile, with Frankie putting in extra hours at work, Mike has to deal with issues at home, including getting a pool table in order to make the house more fun for Axl and his friends, giving advice to Sue’s slightly confused ex-boyfriend, and helping Brick with a school project, on “The Middle,” WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24 (8:30-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network

A pre-order listing on Amazon.com reveals that Amy’s new book will be titled Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People, and will be released on November 2, 2010. At 288 pages, it will be about the same size as I Like You. An audiobook version will also be available.

Last summer I posted about Amy being cast in a great supporting role  in a new indie comedy called The Best and the Brightest.  Director Josh Shelov was kind enough to send me the first official set pic of Amy in character as Sue Lemon (above). I’ll be posting updates on the movie here, of course, but you can also also check out The Best and the Brightest on Facebook and Twitter.

(Original post from last June 2009 to refresh your memory:

Amy has a very brief cameo in the new Robin Williams/John Travolta movie, Old Dogs, which opens this coming week.