Behind the Scenes: Making their lists!

Plans are proceeding apace for the fall issue of Flea Market Style magazine!

Art Director Stacey Willey and Writer Christine Hofmann-Bourke are deep in to executing the visual look and text for the September issue.

To keep it all straight, they have to-do lists! Lots of them!

Check out what they are working on now, in this cool "visual" format!

Stacey and Christine put their lists on these cards using an online generator that Christine discovered a year ago on a blogger's web site.

"So when I was looking for general inspiration one day recently, I popped back onto that site and then Stacey and I had fun sending each other our to-do lists," Christine said. ''Although we aren't going to use this particular site in the fall 2011 issue, it's always nice to get fresh ideas from all the clever people on the Internet. Because one great idea often leads to another great idea, which often solves some visual or editorial problem we've been working on."

What are they working on now?

"Our part of the game is organizing the book," Stacey said. "I start by designing layouts after Christine and I hash out the hook and concept. Once I get a good chunk of the book designed, then comes the "organization" -- reworking openers, spreads, typography, fonts, reshooting, repaginating, etc."

Stacey notes that it is an ongoing process. "I don't really tag something as "done," just "done for now," she said. "I am always changing things."

So a random card generator comes in handy for those lists!

You can try your hand at designing one here!

Keep watching this spot; we have plenty more updates coming for you as the fall issue progresses!

Kim

FMS signing at Winnie & Tulula's!

Ki is coming to Texas!

Flea Market Style mag's executive editor and junk maven will be on hand to sign magazines and books at
Winnie & Tulula's, Antique Mall of Athens, Texas

Friday, April 29th from 4 - 7 p.m.

and

Saturday, April 30th from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Blog administrator/project contributor Margo will be there, too; this is her stomping ground!

Enjoy some chow and a glass of wine while you visit with Ki and Margo, and don't forget your camera!

Ask Ki about magazine projects and share your suggestions, too!

It will be Canton First Monday weekend, as well,
if you want to take in a junking doubleheader!

Winnie & Tulula's is located in downtown Athens at the Hwys 31 & 19, about 20 minutes from Canton. Find directions and more info here.


All photos except the top shot taken Spring 2009 at Canton First Monday Trades Days
copyright Margo Arrick

Menswear Project, Redux!

We here at Flea Market Style are all about chic recycling, and giving new life to old.

To that end, here's a project that didn't make the cut in the February issue. But we think you'll like it nonetheless!

In "Steal the Shirt Off His Back" on pages 44-49, FMS pictured 10 swell "dressed-for-success" projects sewn from men's vintage button-up shirts. Ki's sister Karla, seamstress extraordinaire, was on the job!

(Along with sewing ace Nancy Polacek, who prepared half of the projects!)

We especially liked this laundry bag, made from a shirt sans sleeves!

Karla notes that Ki's modus operandii is to call and say, "Kaaarla, can you make this for me? Oh, I need it by tomorrow!" And she delivers!

"The next idea Ki tossed at me was to make an easy sew laundry tote out of a man's shirt," Karla said. "This is an easy sew project! My first step was to cut the sleeves off. I marked the sides to be straight from the shoulder to the hem. I stitched the sides and bottom closed. Trimmed the inside seams to 3/4 inches. Top-stitched a channel in the collar for a drawstring cord. Fifteen minutes and I was done! Size of shirt determined size of bag. I used a man's XL shirt. Pretty darn cute, if you ask me, and all for under $4."

So why didn't this project make the mag?

"When it came time to photograph, the shape was too long for the allotted space," Karla said.

Now you know what we know: There are a lot of vagaries to the publishing business!

Read about

other projects that didn't make the mag here, at Karla's Remixed Stitches blog!

Behind the Scenes: Planning the fall issue!

Yes, the ink is barely dry on the second issue of Flea Market Style mag (and most of us are still savoring each lovely bit!) but Executive Editor Ki Nassauer, Senior Editor/Photographer Heather Bullard and their team have already delved deep into work on the fall issue!
We thought you might enjoy a peek into the planning process (with all pertinent info "scrubbed" from the editorial calendars pictured in these cell phone snaps! We want to keep the details under wraps so the September issue is a happy surprise!)
Here are snippets from a mid-February planning session at a Panera in California (a half-way meeting point for Heather and Ki!) Ki likes to munch her way through the entire meeting, from breakfast pastries with coffee through lunch and ice tea. Heather fuels up on Asian Chicken Salad or Chicken Noodle Soup!
"It's a fab meeting place," says Ki. "Brainstorming requires getting away from emails and phone calls." Their individual plans of attack? "Heather is a get-it-done kind of gal, so as we meet, she is calling contacts and making plans. I spend a lot of time doodling my ideas, as it is easier for me to explain myself on a napkin than to verbalize!"
Adds Heather: "Basically, we just brainstorm each story and try to fill 144 pages of fresh content. We throw out ideas to each other for stories on projects, houses, flea market features. We talk about our network of helpers and what they could make, sew, build, etc. We go over color themes and the season. And then we divide it all up and get to work!"
Ki says it is really fun to be working on a fall/winter edition after two spring/summer mags, since so much content lends itself to cooler temps and cozy settings. Though she admits to becoming "a little confused on what month it is!"
The fall mag is expected on shelves about Sept. 1.
(For those of you keeping score at home, that's only five months away!) Watch this space for more behind-the-scenes looks as Art Dirctor Stacey Willey and Writer Christine Hofmann-Bourque turn planning into reality!
Kim