Susan R. Opel
There’s a lot that goes into creating special issues like 350 Cards & Gifts. And we know how you love to hear the back story, so sit back and see some of the inside scoop into the makings of this inspiring publication – all 164 pages!
Back in September of 2010, we sat down and began planning this issue. Now, once upon a time we brought you 225 Cards & Gifts, and based on the wild popularity of that 92-page nugget of gifty goodness, we knew that the time was right for an even larger version in 2011. Let me tell you, I took a big breath when we made that decision.
You see, most of our submissions for the magazine and special issues tend to be cards. And this big, brawny issue is about a lot of other things. (I just may be dropping a not-so subtle hint that we always get LOTS of card submissions, so maybe you could try submitting some non-card projects for our current call).
So what do we do when we don’t get the quality and quantity that we need to fill an issue once we’ve reviewed all of the submissions? Well, we need to fill the issue with wonderful things for our readers, so we call on trusted designers and give them assignments to fill any holes we might have.
And then there are great stories behind the projects we receive. You see that eye-catching button frame on the cover? Paper Crafts Go-to Gal Jessica Witty submitted the card inside that frame two times (yes, even the Go-to Gals submit!) and neither time was it chosen for publication. Soooo, Jessica got a great idea. She took that card, put it in a frame, and voila! Cover-worthy! This just goes to show that sometimes you just have to keep trying, AND you’ll notice that it was chosen as a non-card (hint, hint).
There are so many little details that we pay close attention to that help round out the issue. Take a look at the cute note on Go-to Gal Teri Anderson’s Totally Teal Magnet Board. Yep, a sweet shout-out to some of Teri’s friends.
Editor-in-chief Jennifer Schaerer and managing editor Kerri Miller had quite an extensive shopping list for props for photography – gift cards from a variety of places, bread, wine, cupcakes, doggie treats, cookies, and candy – that stuff has to come from somewhere! We generally don’t want the designers to send food since you just never know what might happen with the mail.
And now, since this issue is so very non-card-y, the projects themselves take up a whole lot more room. Designers mail their creations in large boxes in many cases, and our editorial assistant Ahtanya Johnson carefully labeled and expertly stacked many of those boxes so that we could return the projects to the designers once the issue was here.
For several weeks large plastic bins held the projects spending time in Kerri’s office, at the homes of our talented freelance writers and copy editor, at the studio, and then back to Kerri’s office. Let’s just say Kerri was pretty glad when the day arrived that a team of packers and senders gathered to return the projects to the designers. You can see editor Courtney Smith sorting projects for shipment below.
Oh, did you know? If one of your projects is published in any Paper Crafts issue, you receive a copy of that publication as a thank you. Pretty sweet, huh?
Okay, so we’ve got this new call for submissions for Holiday Cards & More. And yes, we OBVIOUSLY need all sorts of fabulous cards, but there is that “& More” part. And, yep, that’s just one more hint from me to you! Let this issue inspire your non-card side!
As always, we love to share our issues with our blog readers, so leave a comment telling us what you found most interesting about the process and what you’d like to know more about. Three lucky winners will receive a copy of 350 Cards & Gifts! All comments must be received by midnight (MDT) on Friday, April 8.
Love sharing those behind the scenes tidbits!
Susan
P.S. Feeling crafty? Head on over to Moxie Fab World to see what fun challenge Cath is launching today!
P.P.S. It’s time to announce the winners of our Card Makers Love to Give and 225 Cards & Gifts Giveaway posts!
Card Makers Love to Give winners:
1. KathyC/NorthCarolina (April 5, 12:59 p.m.)
2. Paige (April 5, 1:35 p.m.)
3. Yolanda D. (April 5, 8:38 p.m.)
225 Cards & Gifts Giveaway winners:
1. Shelley W. (April 5, 1:01 p.m.)
2. Vickie Alcorn (April 5, 7:54 p.m.)
3. Karen W. (April 5, 7:50 p.m.)
Congrats, winners! Kelly will be contacting you shortly to discuss your prizes and get your mailing prizes. Thanks to all who left comments!
I didn’t know that you ladies have to submit. I thought that once you were in, you were in.
I forgot to say what I’d like to know more about…hmmmm, how you come up with your ideas?
I liked reading about how even your go to gals get turned down! I’d like to know more about tips you all use.
I really appreciated that it’s a process. I’d like to know more about how to make my own embellishments.
Hmmm, non-card project huh? I guess I had better get crafty! It’s interesting to know that trusted designers are called on to fill in the gaps in submissions!
The most interesting part to me was the sorting of the projects. You get to see everything that comes in, whether it is published or not. What fun! I would like to know more about how do you come up with ideas for noncard projects, besides that standard party favors, candy holders, and things like that.
So many talented people…….on both sides.
I was surprised to learn that you can submit a project twice. And that it takes a team to mail the projects back.
I would love to see how you decide how to photograph the projects.
What I found most interesting is the number of trips and the locations that the projects are stored. I guess they have to be stored somewhere … would love to have those notes-o’inspiration under my desk for a while!!!!
I would love to hear more about what the freelance writers do with the project submissions while they have them. And, I would love to get my hands on this issue!
I thought it was interesting to hear about how Jessica turned her card into a picture frame, when it wasn’t selected when sher tried to submit it as a card =) Also, I would be interested in hearing more about the process of actually choosing what to feature in the magazine, from all of the submissions =)
So interesting to hear about the work involved in receiving and returning items sent in for publication. Crazy! I am so glad to hear that you dared to go bigger with this special issue too.
I liked hearing about the submissions coming in and sorting through them – what a job! Also encouraging to hear about re-submitting an item. Sometimes there’s a piece we love, that doesn’t get “loved” by others.
It’s amazing what all goes into this process. I think it would be fun coming up with PROPS to feature these lovely creations with, and I would love to hear more about that process.
WOWOWOW! I love reading about how our projects are picked and how the process of submission to magazine goes! I find it interesting that there is a list of crafters to “call upon” when there is a gap! If you need more help–you can put my name on the list:)
I love reading the behind the scene stuff.
I can’t imagine how much fun it is to get those huge boxes of projects – it would be like the mother of all card swaps! But I realize it’s also a tremendous amount of work, and for that I am thankful – you provide us with so much wonderful inspiration and eye candy in ever issue.
I loved seeing how you all receive all the cards and sort through them, would like to see your recycling bins !