It’s Finally Out! In Print! In My Hands!

In 2010, I had the pleasure of working with the extremely talented Ann Blevins, editor at Better Homes & Gardens Special Publications, on that year’s Holiday Crafts magazine. See it here.

In April, Ann contacted me again to ask if I would design a new set of stockings and tree skirt for the Christmas Ideas cover. Ann’s the perfect client. She shared her ideas and then trusted me to run with it – making changes as I thought best.

I’m a bit sad that in the final shot that made the cover, the beautiful tree skirt is barely peeking out from under that bounty of gorgeous packages. If, I were editor, I would have chosen exactly the same. See, the inside is chock full of tutorials on how to make your packages as lovely as those – and they are surprisingly simple ideas and patterns. So of course, the packages need to be featured rather than the tree skirt.

And yes, they opted for 3 of the same style stocking to minimize how visually busy a magazine cover is by its nature. They even popped off the buttons that come on the cuffs. It’s a true lesson in what works on a cover shot versus in our homes. Not always one in the same.

Here’s the full bevy of Lime & Coconut Stocking options that grew from that April email:

My Season of Good Cheer has certainly started early! Wishing you all the very same!