Spring is on the horizon, and while we cannot wait for colorful blooms and cheerful songbirds, the chill of winter and the early sunsets will be sorely missed! There’s nothing quite as wonderful as sitting at your desk with a hot cup of tea, watching the rain or snow outside your window as you undertake your latest sewing project or upcycling endeavor. Let us help you make the most of winter’s last month with our new February issues. Share your adventures with inspiration from Artful Blogging or spruce up your studio with ideas from Where Women Create.

Undertake something creative and amazing this winter with fresh inspiration straight out of our magazines. Because we love our subscribers so much, we’re offering you an exclusive promotion! Use coupon code BLOG0215 when prompted at checkout to get $5 off any o four new February issues.

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Refresh your wardrobe and jumpstart your creativity with the new project ideas and techniques that are featured in Altered Couture. This new issue features the stunning results of our fabulous little black dress challenge, plus there’s tons of seasonal eye candy and how-toarticles, including altered dresses, shoes, tank tops, sweaters, skirts, and jackets. Don’t miss all of the creative possibilities for upcycling by way of embellishing, beading, piecing, re-sizing, dyeing, painting, and more.

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This issue’s Doll Artist Portfolio showcases the extraordinarily talented Jacquline Hurlbert, who uses clay as a vehicle for meditation and to investigate the many personalities and attitudes that reside inside all of us.  Follow along with Lillian Alberti as she takes you behind the scenes at ODACA, and Barbara Campbell who offers a recap of the recent NIADA Convention. The results of our Mother/Daughter Doll Challenge are in, plus Tatjana Raum’s mischievous elves are on the loose, along with Katya Guseva’s adorable papier mâché “Plump Cheeks,” and Natasha von Braun’s stunning and intriguing dolls.

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It’s the perfect time to join the creative and inspiring community of artful bloggers! This issue features a world of breathtaking photographs, heart-changing narratives, and inspiring stories. Uncover Maddie Flanigan’s tips on sewing patterns and writing blog posts, and Katie Cook’s ability to capture out-of-this-world travel photography. We’ll explore Emilie Raffa’s cooking techniques on her blog theclevercarrot.com, while catching a glimpse of farm life alongside Liz Deleo & Will Simpson. You’ll also learn all about Beth Briggs’ fascination for creating fashionable, feminine, and nostalgic illustrations, plus so much more.

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Spring has sprung, and GreenCraft Magazine is back for another inspiring installment! This issue brings with it some of the most inventive projects to date like using paper rolls to make adorable crown place card holders and ideas for repurposing lost game pieces into unique and beautiful bracelet charms. Don’t throw away your old CDs — instead, turn them into whimsical coasters with just a bit of fabric scraps, old yarn, or lace. Create a new painting canvas with stones collected from a riverbed, plus learn how to make vintage party horns into festive light fixtures, and turn worn books, coming apart at the spine, into fabulous journals.

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Flip through the inspiring pages of Somerset Home to pick up tips and techniques for organizing and refreshing your home. Looking for that perfect rustic cabin-look without the animal cruelty and with a slight contemporary twist? Learn how to make your very own brightly colored deer-head figures. Create a wonderful wall garden to hang as a reminder that the seasons are changing, and find creative ideas for throw pillows, including a water resistant style that is perfect for outdoor seating. Change out your winter table settings, and introduce some sweet, pastel colors for spring, plus get ideas for displaying flowers in a carved birch vase — the perfect romantic touch.

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The spring issue of Stuffed is chock-full of eccentric, silly, and spooky softies! Our Artist Portfolio features Carly Gledhill of Corby Tindersticks’ softies mixing soft fabrics with design patterns. Pauline Teng Wan Lin, aka zeropumpkin, brings you her Besties Buddies, including Melinda the black widow and Mustard the zombie farm cat, and Teri Drobnick  presents her TEEsox whimsical pirates. Discover Rebecca Spinelli’s Monster Veggies, Alexis Fritz’s exquisitely detailed Sea Critters, and Tina Giles’ stuffed campfire scene. With creativity bursting at the seams, you won’t be able to put this issue down.

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Have you ever wondered what inspires extraordinary women, how they got started, and where they create? This issue of Where Women Create takes you behind-the-scenes and reveals the personal stories of influential and artistic women like Stephanie Clark of Dalia Press, Regina Easter of Cutting Café, and the talented Tauni Everett of Snap! Join us as we travel with Cathe Holden through a creative wonderland, and see the dramatic and vibrant design style of motivational speaker Lisa Lockwood. Plus don’t miss the feisty artistic space of pin-up photographer Celeste Giuliano, Anne Weil’s knitting nook, and much more.

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Your Chance to Win One of Our February Issues!

We’re giving away brand-new February issues to THREE lucky winners! Simply follow these steps to enter for your chance to win:

1) Click on your favorite spread above.

2) Pin or “Like” that particular issue.

3) If you pinned to Pinterest, share the link in the comments section below. If you “liked” on Facebook, tag us so we can see.

4) If you don’t have Facebook or Pinterest, please comment below and tell us which issue you find most appealing and why.

*Winners are selected at random and will be contacted via email. *$5 off discount applies to purchases of any of the following 2015 February issues only: Altered Couture, Art Doll Quarterly, Artful Blogging, GreenCraft Magazine, Somerset Home, Stuffed, and Where Women Create. Discount code can be used only one time per customer, and expires 2/28/15. Contest is open to U.S. residents and ends 02/28/15 at 11:59pm.

Congratulations to Our Glimpse Inside Winners for the Month of January:

Karla Montes de Oca
Julie Tiu
Tabitha Klucking

Congratulations to our Hearts of a Different Challenge Winners:

Beth Williams
Jackie Cleveland
Lucie Hale

Have you ever dreamed of sharing your artwork with the world? If your New Year’s resolution was to finally get your artwork seen by the public, then what better avenue to achieve your goal than getting published in one of our publications?! It’s not easy to become a published artist. It takes hard work, commitment, and at times, a thick skin. But in the end, it’s all worth it because there’s nothing like the feeling you get from seeing your work featured, front-and-center, in a magazine.

Being published in one of our magazines is a great way for up-and-coming artists to get recognition for their artwork, blogs, or current product lines. It’s also a wonderful way to inspire creativity amongst an audience of your peers.

Look through our Calls and Challenges and submit your work today!

Juxtapose
You know the saying, opposites attract? We know it very well at Altered Couture and have seen some beautiful upcycled pieces that showcase juxtaposition. We love where lace meets denim, when girly meets masculine, and everything in-between. For this challenge, use the art of juxtaposition to your advantage. Take two or more dissimilar fabrics, styles, colors, textures, etc., and combine them to look like they were meant for each other.

Deadline: March 15, 2015.

~Artwork by Jana Holland

Mail in your submissions to the following address:
Stampington & Company
ATTN: Altered Couture
22992 Mill Creek Drive, Suite B
Laguna Hills, CA 92653

Superheroes to the Rescue!
From Superman to Wonder Woman, Buffy to Lora Croft, Spider-Man to Aquaman, we want to see your superhero art dolls! Your superhero doesn’t have to come from the pages of a comic book or out of Hollywood, though; maybe your superhero is your mom, or a brave firefighter from Ground Zero– there are many ways to interpret your favorite hero or heroine. Thanks to artist Trish Draper for suggesting this challenge theme! Results will be published in our Autumn 2015 issue.

Deadline: March 15, 2015.

~Artwork by Kylie Dexter

Mail in your submissions to the following address:
Stampington & Company
ATTN: Art Doll Quarterly
22992 Mill Creek, Suite B
Laguna Hills, CA 92653

Let Artful Blogging be your guide as you discover a world filled with visual delights from today’s most inspirational artists, writers, and photographers. In their own words, read how blogging fits into the creative lives of artists and creative souls like yourself. Filled with full-color photography, illustration, mixed-media and assemblage, fabric and vintage artwork — whether or not you have a blog of your own, you will find no richer landscape to spark your own creative fires.

~Photograph by Jillian Lukiwski

Artful Blogging is a quarterly publication. If you are the creator of a blog or know of one that you think other creative minds would like to know about, please send a letter of interest to the Managing Editor, at artfulblogging@stampington.com.
Deadline for submissions to be received: March 15th.

Click here to download our guide for submitting photographs. It will also show you how to convert images to the correct size and resolution for this publication.

Handcrafted Projects for Christmas, Halloween & Other Holidays
For most art and crafting enthusiasts, holidays are the best reasons to create handcrafted projects … either to keep and treasure in the home, or to give and share with friends and loved ones. But with so many holidays that seem to come around more quickly with the passing of each year, even the most creative minds need project ideas. Christmas cards, gift wrap papers, wreaths, advent calendars, Halloween trick-or-treat pails, papier mâché Valentine hearts, glittery paper hats for the New Year, patriotic paper fans for Independence Day, and Thanksgiving table decorations are just some project ideas that you might consider.

~Artwork by Rachel Mcafee

Somerset Holidays and Celebrations is sure to become a holiday tradition in many homes, where ideas for creative celebrations abound. Please submit your most festive projects for the following categories to be considered for this beautiful 144-page publication.

~Artwork by Shirley Hudson

Deadline: Every March 15th.

Mail in your submissions to the following address:
Stampington & Company
ATTN: Somerset Holidays & Celebrations
22992 Mill Creek, Suite B
Laguna Hills, CA 92653

Looking In
This section is all eye candy, featuring pictures from artfully arranged homes. We hope that these vignettes inspire you to organize or style your space in a creative way. Many thanks to the artists and photographers on these pages for inviting us to come in and make ourselves at home.

 ~Artwork by Kris Vavra

Furniture Transformations
This section features upholstered and redecorated furniture, inspiring you to look twice before tossing out an unwanted or worn item, or even to try your hand at creating the furniture you’ve always wanted to have.

~Artwork by Bre Bertolini

Email images of your submissions to the editor at somersethomeo@stampington.com. Please use Somerset Home Submission: Calls and Challenges or Department Name as the subject line.

Deadline: March 15th.

If selected, we may ask you to send in your artwork or to provide us with hi-res versions of your photographs.

Be a part of the fastest growing movement in the crafting word: the softie movement. Published twice a year, Stuffed is 144 pages of fun and whimsical soft dolls, accompanied by technique articles and a large gallery section. Felt monsters, crocheted food, fabric pirates…we’re looking for softies that show the heart and soul of plush art while demonstrating artistic touches.

~Artwork by Amnon Lipkin

Email images of your submissions to the editor at stuffed@stampington.com.

Deadline: March 15th.

If selected, we may ask you to send in your artwork or to provide us with hi-res versions of your photographs.

Still Have Questions About How to Submit?

If you have any general questions regarding submissions, please feel free to contact Art Management at submissions@stampington.com. If you want to see a full list of our current submission requests, please visit our Calls and Challenges page.

We hope to hear from you soon! Good luck, and keep creating.

Need More Inspiration?

Don’t forget to use coupon code BDI0115 to get $5 off the premiere issue of Digital Inspiration. This special book-azine showcases the best of the best in photo manipulations and digitally altered artwork, as collected from past issues of Somerset Digital Studio.  Apart from being a wonderful conversation starter, this stunning publication is great source of inspiration!

Crafting comes in many different shapes and forms. From paint to paper cut-outs, and ink sprays to fabric alterations — for us creative types, there’s an abundance of outlets for self-expression. Relatively new but no less inspiring, is the world of photo manipulations and digital artwork. Scanning and editing has become a new take on cutting and pasting, and we love it! That’s why we’re very proud and happy to introduce today’s guest artist, Adryane Driscoll.

Adryane was featured in the spring 2013 and 2014 issues of Somerset Digital Studio, and she will also be making an appearance in the upcoming spring 2015 issue of the same title. Her artful handling of old, family photographs and memorabilia has also earned her a place in the autumn 2011 and spring 2012 issues of Somerset Memories. Her work is beautifully colored and always very well composed, and today she’s agreed to share with us an exclusive project that showcases some of her tips and techniques. So grab your box of old family photos, fire up PhotoShop, and please join me in giving Adryane Driscoll a warm Somerset Place welcome.

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I inherited a box with hundreds of old photos from my grandmother.  I can place some of the faces and guess at others, but most of the people in the photos are unknown to me. I knew about this box of photos before my grandmother died, and I tried to get her to revisit them with me and tell me about them. However, she found the experience to be too painful as many of the people in the photos had disappeared during World War II.

When the photos became mine, my goal was to find a way to organize the images and give stories to the people in them.  So, even though I can’t put names to many of the faces, and I am not sure how I am related to many of the people, I try to find ways to connect with them.  When considering how to do this I often look for something familiar either in a face or the background — a point of reference to create a story that I think fits with the photo. In A Postcard Home, the couple reminded me of how my grandparents looked in their travel photos, and the wonderful postcards they would send while away.

A Postcard Home by Adryane Driscoll Project Materials:

All of my images are scanned then manipulated in Adobe Photoshop CS6.

-Anna Aspnes Designs
-ArtPlay Palette for the Record
-ArtPlay Palette Home
-ArtPlay Palette Winter Sunrise
-FotoGlows No. 2
-Cloud Brushes No. 2
-MultiMedia Documents No. 1
-Layered FotoBlendz No. 3
-Decor Stamps No. 1
-GoldPaint No. 3
-GoldPaint No. 4

A Postcard Home by Adryane Driscoll Project Instructions:

Step 1: Choose a Photo
I chose a photo with a nice focal image and a background that is not in focus. The faded background allows for easy blending into the composition I want to create for this couple. When working with old photos, I usually start with a neutral background. This allows me to focus on the image. After I finish with the image, I can stay with the neutral background or build on it.

Step 2: Decide on a Design Concept
Consider what type of story you want to tell about your photo and how you want to tell it. For A Postcard Home, I decided on a travel story and started with a centered design with movement across the page from left to right. Often, the design changes as I start to play with the image but it’s nice to have a general starting point.

Step 3: Mask the Photo

You can create a custom Layer Mask for your photo or use one that you have in your digital supplies/archives. I chose an image that was divided into two parts — a light area and a dark area. The photo is positioned above the mask layer and then clipped (ALT+CTRL + G on a pc or CMD + G on a Mac, or, with the photo layer selected, go to Layer and choose Create Clipping Mask) to the mask. I repositioned the photo so that it was over the lighter area in the mask. Then, I applied a Layer Mask to the photo layer so that I could erase the tree from the photo with a soft round brush.

Step 4: Add to the Masked Image to Create Depth
I added multiple layers, using various digital elements, both over and under the masked image to create depth. I wanted to keep the people and the left side of the page lighter than the right side of the page. To do this, I set the blending mode on many of the layers on the right to either Linear Burn or Multiply, while the layers on the left tend to be set to Overlay or Soft Light. I also added some text to the background under the image on a separate layer.

Step 5: Add Dimension
I don’t work with a lot of elements, but I do like my pages to have some dimension. Here, I added a large frame behind the image. A Layer Mask was added to the frame so that I could blend out parts of the frame. I also added shadows around the image and under the main mask. Next, I added the clouds, birds, and the text from the back of the photo. Whenever I find writing on an old photo, I try to incorporate it into my design. It may be the only information I have about a particular image.

Step 6: Consider the Background
At some point, I consider whether I want to keep the background plain or I want to add to it. Here, I decided to warm up the background and add a little texture. To do this, two digital papers were blended over the original, neutral background. Both of the additional papers were set to Linear Burn.

Step 7: Finish
To finish, I added some additional brushstrokes.

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My personal experience with PhotoShop does not extend far beyond cropping, resizing, and enhancing images — all of which are pretty elementary skills. Even so, for me, these techniques were difficult to get a handle on. This step-by-step tutorial removes some of the intimidation that comes with working with Photoshop. I don’t expect that my first project will look anything like Adryane’s, but having her detailed tutorial will make it easier to acquire the skills.

If you’re an avid PhotoShop user we hope this tutorial inspires you to try something new, and if you haven’t taken the plunge into photo manipulations and digital artwork, then we hope the project might make the waters look a little more inviting. Finally, please help me give Adryane Driscoll sincere and heartfelt thanks for sharing her beautiful project with us.

To see more of Adryane’s beautiful artwork, you can visit her gallery at Oscraps.com. 

Exclusive Offer: $5 off Digital Inspiration

If your muse has been roused by Adryane Driscoll’s stunning photo manipulation, then you’re going to love the artwork that’s featured in Digital Inspiration. This special book-azine showcases the best of the best in photo manipulations and digitally-altered artwork, as collected from past issues of Somerset Digital Studio. Don’t miss your chance to save $5 off this beautiful magazine.

Enter coupon code BDI0115 when prompted at checkout to save $5 on Digital Inspiration. 

As someone who is pretty new to the world of stenciling, I have to admit that I was a bit intimidated by the process. It seems like it’s would be easy for paint or ink to bleed through and ruin the image that’s being created — but that’s just the perfectionist in me talking. After watching this video by Traci Bautista, where she breaks down 6 unique techniques for working with stencils, I was definitely ready to give it a try. What’s helpful about this video is seeing the ease with which Traci works with colors, and how she transitions between using a stencil and then flipping it over and using the excess paint and ink to create a mask. She plays with positive and negative spaces with a lot of freedom, and her particular style has a lot to offer both novice and experienced stencil enthusiasts.

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Techniques Featured in this Video:

Black Gesso Prints – A little black gesso goes a long way when used with Traci’s Floral 2 Stencil. This technique is a fabulous way to showcase the bright and vibrant colors of a background by introducing black outlines.

Dyed Paper Towel Prints – Create beautifully textured prints with generous amounts of acrylic paint, a two-ply paper towel, and a brayer.

Stencil Prints – With this technique, you can create a stunning layered print by stenciling with paint, spraying with ink, and then pressing a fresh piece of paper onto the design. The end result is gorgeous multi-colored print.

White Resist Prints – After creating a colorful stenciled background, Traci uses acrylic paint and a foam brayer to add portions of white. She does this while her first layer of paint is still wet, which allows the colors to mix.

Monoprint Acrylic Skins – Paint over a transparent document protector and then set your stencil down on the wet paint. Once the paint dries, you can remove the stencil and you’ll be left with a beautiful skin that showcases the details of your stencil.

Stamping + Masking with Stencils – Spray a little water over a stencil design to reactive the dried paint, and then press a fresh piece of paper over it to create a ghost print.  You can also paint or spray directly onto a stencil and use another piece of paper to pick up the extra paint that’s on the top of the stencil.

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Thank you Traci for such an amazing video! To pick up even more inspiring tutorials and projects from this talented artist, be sure to stop by our brand-new Artist Collection. Find everything from Traci’s books to her creative stencil designs, and unique stamps.

Traci Bautista is a mixed media artist, designer, teacher, and author of the bestselling book, “Doodles Unleashed,” and her recent release, “Printmaking Unleashed.” Her art has been featured in over 15 art and mixed-media books and 40 craft magazines, including Somerset Studio, Altered Couture, Where Women Create, Art Journaling, Art Quilting Studio, Belle Armoire, and Somerset Digital Studio.

To learn about this extraordinary artist visit her on her blog, Creativity Unleashed.

Can’t Get Enough of Traci Bautista?

Drop by our exclusive Traci Bautista Collection to find her stamps, stencils, books, and products!

It’s easy to make a unique and personalized Valentine’s Day gift when you’re inspired, even if you’re short on time. To make these love jars, you just need a bit washi tape and some chalk journal note cards by Prima Marketing. Using chalk or a white pen, you can then write a short and endearing message to your valentine that’s sure to make your special-someone feel extra special. Fill up the spice jars with a yummy treat, and voilà — you’ll have darling set of valentines to give to a dear friend or a beloved partner.

Love Jars Project Materials:

–Prima Marketing Every Day Vintage – Chalk Journal Note Cards One
–Washi Tape – Geometric Fins Black
–Washi Tape – Musical Notes
–Washi Tape Solid Black
–Scissors
–Ranger Ink Dina Wakley Media Gel Medium
–Round Black Lid Spice Jars – Set of 3
–Faber-Castell Mix & Match Stamper’s Big Brush Pen White

Love Jars Project Tutorial

Step 1 – Start by washing out your spice jars. We noticed there was a little dust in ours, so we cleaned them out — especially since food was going inside.

Step 2 – Once your jars are clean and dry, select two washi tapes to use. We wanted a unique and unexpected color palette, so we used a solid black washi tape with a set of complimentary black-and-white patterned tapes.

Step 3 – The Prime Marketing chalk journal note cards are a little too big for the jars, so we had to cut ours down to fit properly. The note cards are really elaborate, and they have a great vintage feel to them! It’s easy to select a portion and cut out a label without losing too many of the details. Remember to save your scraps of paper, these bits and pieces are great for mixed-media projects.

Step 4 – Next, brush some gel medium along the back of your labels and securely adhere them to your jars. We used a little washi tape to make sure the label was pressed flat against the jar until the gel medium dried. When the label is securely glued to the jar, pull your extra washi tape off gently to avoid ripping the label.

Step 5 – Use chalk or a white pen to write a sweet message on your label. You can personalize each love jar with a name or a special message. If you use chalk, you can easily erase the message and write something new. If you want something permanent, use a white pen.

Step 6 – Fill your love jars with a sweet treat. To pull in the normal Valentine’s Day colors, we decided to use some pink, white, and red M&M’s, but you can use whatever you like and whatever fits.

Everything You Need to Create Unique Valentines

We’ve gathered our favorite love-themed products, including romantic papers, delightful embellishments, and much more, to help you get a jump on all your Valentine’s Day projects. We’ve also selected more than 30 projects from The Studio, including decorations, handmade cards, gift boxes, and even wearable items, so you can share sweet sentiments with everyone you love.

Click here to visit our Valentine’s Day Collection.