Art Magazines

I love looking through art magazines for inspiration and ideas. While browsing at Border's I discovered Somerset Studio magazine. An online search for art magazine led me to Altered Arts magazine. I had to have them!

Somerset Studio magazine is chock full of ideas for paper crafts, rubber stamping, ATC's, art jounals, assemblage and altered art. The magazine has been around since 1999. It's published six times a year and is well worth the $7.95 newstand price. Of course, as with any magazine, a subscription means a savings over newstand prices.

Somerset also offers other art magazines:

• Belle Armoire - marries fabric art with rubber stamping and embellishments
• Stamper's Sampler - rubber stamping magazine
• Somerset Memories - devoted to scrapbook pages, journals, and memorabilia
• Art Doll Quarterly - art dolls, sculpture figures, polymer clay, and wire armature

http://www.stampington.com/html/somerset_studio_magazine.html

Another of my favorite's is Altered Arts Magazine. This magazine specializes in paper arts, mixed media collage and altered books. I am actually in the process of creating the artwork that is on the cover. The magazine came into publication in 2004. It is published six times a year and sells for $5.95 an issue. Altered Arts also features a Club Kit for purchase. Each Club Kit is $28.95 and contains a variety of products including unmounted rubber stamps, collage sheets, transparencies, and a design sheet that details at least two different projects you can create using the items in the kit.

http://alteredarts.com/

Fun & Easy Wooden Dominoes Pendants

Dominoes can be made into necklaces/pendants, key chains, magnets, or displayed as works of art. Altering wooden dominoes is an easy craft project when you want results in a short amount of time. The pendants below were made in less than an hour.

You will need:

Dominoes
Craft paper or graphics
Glue (craft glue to adhere the paper or graphic and E6000 to adhere the bail or bead)
String (if you're making a necklace/pendant)
Small bead (long beads work best) or bail
Small embellishments - seashells, rhinestones, glitter, etc.

1. Measure your domino so you can cut your craft paper or size your graphics to fit. Print graphics and cut to size.

2. Glue paper or graphic to the side of the domino that does not have the number dots, this way, your necklace/pendant is reversible. Let dry for a few hours. This is a good time to add an acrylic/varnish sealant to the entire domino. Let dry completely before going to the next step.

3. Next, glue the bail or bead to the domino. I use beads, they're cheaper and easier to find.

4. Add embellishments, glitter, etc. using craft glue or E6000 for heavier objects.

5. Let dry overnight then cut a length of cord or string, tying the end.