Hello! How’s your 2011 going so far? I’ve been very busy knitting more head wraps (Christmas gifts I didn’t get done in time) and working with a wonderful line-up of artists and designers on projects that will be featured in the spring issue of CraftSanity Magazine due out in March. I have some fun interviews planned and I’m looking forward to the challenge of getting it all done in the next 45 days.

And because I’m in the thick of it now, there’s still time to make additions so please let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions. I haven’t settled on my next cover story yet, so I’m open to your suggestions. (Please send recommendations here.) I’m looking to write about regular people doing extraordinary things with their art and craft skills. I’m also looking to write handmade adventure stories, so if you have an adventure for me by all means get in touch!

And I really can’t go on without saying: THANK YOU!!! to all the wonderful and supportive people who bought the first issue, advertised in it and stocked it in their bookstores and craft shops. Because of you I get to make a second issue. Thank you!!! It has been very gratifying to create a publication from scratch that people actually want to read  and contribute to. Thank you so much for making is possible for me to have this amazing experience. If you didn’t get your copy of issue 1 yet, you can buy it here. (Issue 1 includes my pattern for the head wraps shown above, a project you can complete in less than 2 hours.)

A handful of advertisers have already pledged to join me for issue 2 and I will be introducing you to them soon. In the meantime, please contact me if you’d like to advertise, too. Here are the rates for you to mull over:
* Back cover $400 (prime real estate and still available)
* Full page ads are $300.
* Half page ads are $150.
* Quarter page ads are $75.
* Business card size ads are $37.50.

Please let me know if you have any questions. All ads are full-color. The ad deadline is Feb. 1.

Speaking of advertising… I’m also looking for podcast sponsors. I have some recorded podcasts in the hopper and I’m planning to release a new one this weekend. You can find all the sponsorship info here. Sponsoring the podcast is a great way to spread the word about your crafty business and help me keep CraftSanity going at the same time.

Ok, enough said on this topic. I’m headed to my chlorinated oasis where I will brainstorm ideas for issue 2 and my next newspaper column while swimming back and forth for 3,000 yards. I will also be working up the gumption to speed purge the clutter from my home. I’ve been chipping away at it during the last couple weeks, but I really need to just treat it like a race and get it done as fast as I can. It’s going to be traumatic, but I know I’m going to feel a whole lot better when I’m done. Heaven help me.

More soon… have an excellent day!