Our February issue is out! It doesn't have the bells and whistles that I wanted it to have - yet. But you can register, and login, and the archives are available to subscribers! (Logging in doesn't actually do anything yet, except call you by name. Little steps!) We didn't have enough content for a daily bootcamp, so we're doing weekly bootcamps, for both writers and artists. And there were no submissions for the critique corner, for this month or for next, and only one for last month. That says to me in big neon letters that either my submission method is WAY too confusing, or people don't want it. Since the initial response to the idea was so positive, I'm guessing the former. I will be revamping that system and calling for critique submissions for May in our next issue.

Submissions to the Ellen Million Graphics Storefront

Wow! You should see some of the work that was submitted in a flurry of electrons the last two weeks, and you will, as I get new contracts settled and new work online. The turnout was great, and I'm still sifting through about 200 remaining submissions. (Because I give detailed reasons for rejections, it's a little more complicated than a simple yes/no selection.) A big thanks to everyone who submitted.

New product for artists!

See the mermaid to the left? She's an ACEO - art card editions and originals. These cards are a new collectible craze, exactly 2.5 x 3.5 inches. They make an affordable - if tiny! - way to collect art. The biggest hassle of making your own is cutting the paper to size, and EMG has taken even that hassle away with ACEO blanks, in an assortment of high-quality, punch-cut cards from favorite artists mediums. More stock should be in next week! Look for an article with more information about ACEOs in an upcoming issue.

Changes to stickers and magnets

As soon as I find five free moments, you'll see a change to the kind of magnets and stickers available on the site! The punch that allows me to make the ACEO cards also punches through my magnet and sticker stock, and that's going to be a real timesaver - I have been cutting magnets by hand since day one, and while I'm a wiz with those scissors, they'll be even nicer and more uniform this way. They are a little smaller than the magnets I've been carrying, though, so the price will be going down a little. I can do that, AND raise the artists fee on them because I spend so much less time on them. Everyone wins! Further down the pipeline are vinyl stickers - I've got them in testing phase right now!

New Portrait Adoption site

The enchanted search frog union is on strike. Completing the new site is one of the top things on my list of things to get done, but between accepting submissions, coding this sucker, and all the rest of the stuff on my list of things to do (eating, sleeping, orders, paying artists, going through 6 months of sales because there was a glitch in my invoicing system and I didn't want to short anyone...), nothing happened on it this month. Hopefully we'll have better news next month!

I think I need a nap, now...