By Amber Demien

When the holiday season approaches, we get inundated with gift guides from every direction listing the latest electronics, the hottest fashions, the best kitchen gadgets, and on and on. It is easy to get lost in a sea of suggestions, and when you surface for air you are no closer to finding truly meaningful gifts for the special people in your life.

If one of those special people is an artist, or someone looking for a new hobby or creative outlet, the good news is that we can make it simple to give them the perfect gift for the holidays. Whether it is a magazine bundle to inspire their next few projects, a unique fashion accessory to express their creativity, or art supplies to bring ideas to life, we have it covered — and the best part is that these gifts are personal and meaningful, from your heart to their hands.

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The November Issues have arrived! These four issues are overflowing with inspiration, tips, and hygge vibes this winter season. Don’t miss the special edition issue of Bella Grace, The Cozy Issue, which is filled with stories that capture slow living. The latest issue of Willow and Sage is exactly what dry winter skin needs and the second issue of In Her Studio is finally here with more tips and stories to share! Plus, Somerset Studio will keep you up to date on all the latest mixed-media trends. There is something for everyone beneath each cover.

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This month’s issue of Willow and Sage spotlights Bramble Berry’s “3 Projects to Gift Hygge This Holiday Season.” We love seeing this innovative company sharing their ideas and expertise on the pages of our publications.

And what’s more, we are absolutely thrilled to be teaming with them to offer a very special giveaway for YOU. Now through November 30th, you can enter for your chance to win one of five bath and body-inspired bundles!

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Photograph by Leslie Hancock featured in the November 2018 Issue of In Her Studio.

Photograph by Annie Spratt featured in the special edition issue of Bella Grace, The Cozy Issue.

Every once in a while we come across an image that really resonates with us or strikes us full of inspiration. You may suddenly want to cozy up with a good book, draw, write, or paint. One image can even remind us of someone or something wonderful like a favorite quote, song, or beloved poem.

As we were flipping through the pages of our upcoming November Issues these two photos from In Her Studio and The Cozy Issue caught our eye and remind each of us of something different. Now, we want to see what comes to mind for others.

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Today our Director of Publishing Christen Hammons stops by Somerset Place to give you the ins’ and outs’ of the new Somerset Studio and how this revamped, quarterly publication is about to get more hands-on with interactive elements that encourage artistic play, experimentation, and processes. 

One of the great joys in being the editor-in-chief of Somerset Studio is having art land on my desk that stops and makes me ask how the artist managed to achieve this particular piece. Sure, I have enough experience that I can look at a piece and understand the general approach, but I always want to ask the artist, “How?” and “Why?” It’s one thing to look at a piece and understand the technique involved, but it’s another to truly get inside the artist’s head and understand the process.

Michelle Ward, author of our Make it Your Own department, never fails to share the how and the why behind her pieces. We’ve always been so fascinated with the way she can take a simple supply — like tags, cardboard, even plain paper — and turn them into stunning collages, journal pages, and more. She’s made it clear to many of us that we can take a humble supply and just play and see what we come up with.

We kept this in mind while redesigning Somerset Studio. We asked for our artists to share photos of their raw materials and give us more in-depth explanations of why they did something. We added worksheets to help inspire more playtime, more experimentation for our artists. As we work on the launch of the first quarterly issue of Somerset Studio, which hits newsstands February 1, 2019, we are keeping the ideas of artistic play and processes in mind.

We’re having a lot of fun as we work on this first quarterly issue. Included inside are all the types of articles you love, with a deeper look into how the artists got from point A to point B. Also included are more activity sheets, with guides on doodles, lettering, and more fun things you can add to your artwork. We’ll give extra attention to the details that truly take a piece of art to the next level. We envision this new Somerset Studio to walk the line between a magazine and a workbook. Not only will we not be sad if you work right on the pages, we’re encouraging you to do so!

As we get closer to the debut, we’ll be sharing more sneak peeks about all the goodness that awaits you inside each issue. Don’t forget that the bigger and better Somerset Studio arrives on February 1, 2019. Be sure to become a charter member today, so you won’t miss out on all the fun.

Credit: These images have been borrowed from, and originally appeared in Michelle Ward’s article, “Old Faithful,” from the Make It Your Own department inside Somerset Studio.