A Fun Collaboration

As reported yesterday, Buttonwillow and I are VERY excited and hopping up and down with joy that this beautiful needlework and craft magazine landed in our mailbox, having flown all the way from an entirely different hemisphere and across the Pacific Ocean from the faraway continent of Australia. Why?

It all started with an unexpected proposal for a fun collaboration a little over two years ago.

On January 1, 2010, I had just completed my 365 Cat Ladies project of 2009 with a happy dance and a sigh of relief, having posted my artwork of 365 different Cat Ladies and Lads over the period of a year.  I also received an email on that day from Cat Lady Megan Fisher in Australia.

Megan had enjoyed seeing my artwork and had a proposal for me.  She wanted to adapt one of my Cat Ladies into a needlecraft project for possible publication in Australian Homespun magazine. Lucky for us, it just so happens that Megan is a Technical Editor of the magazine!

copyright 2009 Susan Faye

copyright 2009 Susan Faye

In case you don't know, anything to do with sheep, wool,spinning and knitting are a big deal in The Land Down Under, and Megan liked my knitting cat ladies...

...and in particular, this one that was a custom portrait of avid knitter Cat Lady Teri and her twins, LeeLou and Zuzu, and her departed angels, Red and CC :

copyright 2009 Susan Faye

Unfortunately, Megan had an illness in the family and needed to put the project on a back shelf for the better part of 2010, but eventually she was able to put together a schematic of an applique, embroidery and patchwork wall hanging:

copyright 2012 Megan Fisher

In early 2011, she presented it to the magazine's Editor Catherine Sanchez who said "yes"! As with most magazines of this type, projects like this are planned up to a year in advance (or more) and Ms. Sanchez thought this would be great for their winter issue in 2012 (their seasons are the opposite of those in the Northern Hemisphere). 

Then the real work began for Megan.  Not only would she have to create the actual wall hanging, she also had to write step-by-step instructions and draw an accurate, full-size pattern to be included as an insert in the magazine. Once all that was accomplished, she and I both signed contracts, provided photos and contact information, and...

Voila!  Here is the beautiful finished product that Megan created:

And here is the actual article as it appears in Volume 13 No. 5, Issue #108, the May 2012 issue of Australian Homespun magazine!!!!

 

 Buttonwillow is particularly pleased that her name now appears in print in an international magazine, highlighting her very special calisthenics routine which can be seen here: Physical Phitness with Buttonwillow

And I'm particularly delighted that there is a full page profile on yours truly and my art... quite a surprise, as I was expecting a very small "blurb"! Buttonwillow and I are feeling pretty big for our britches, pleased as punch, and tickled pink right about now...

To find out more about Australian Homespun (it is a visually beautiful magazine, chock-full of needlework projects of all kinds) click here for their website and blog: Complete Craft/ Homespun

You can order e-zine versions of the magazine for your electronic devices at www.Zinio.com

In the U.S. you can order actual paper copies online here (at some sites you may have to wait a few weeks until they become "back issues"):

http://www.ericas.com/magazines/homespun.htm

http://store.stonehouse-publications.com/default.php?cPath=42005_42539 

[Note from Megan: "We do not recommend Amazon – they only sell subscriptions and the amount they charge is ridiculous!" ]

In Europe, the distributors are two UK-based firms: 

Manor House Magazines: http://www.manorhousemagazines.co.uk/  

Cotton Patch: http://www.cottonpatch.co.uk/acatalog/Magazine_Back_Issues.html

THE GIVEAWAY

[Update: Giveaway has ended...Thanks to everyone for participating!]

In the meantime, I have one extra copy of the magazine to give away to a lucky reader.  Just leave your name in the comments section of this post and tell us what your favorite thing is about Australia (you know, kangaroos, koalas, Hugh Jackman, etc.)

On Friday, May 11, at 8 p.m. Pacific Daylight Saving Time, I will draw one name at random to receive the copy of the magazine (a $9.95 value in Australian Dollars!)

Please make sure that I have a way to contact you if you are the winner, such as a link to your blog or e-mail address included in the comment. You may send the info directly to my email if you don't want to make your contact info public.

Also, if you encounter trouble with the Comments feature, please contact me by e-mail. If you visit www.susanfaye.net , you will find an email link.

Thanks for visiting!