1348 pages of content created in 2015!

The end of the year's always a time for reflection—and for making resolutions and plans! Please join me in looking at the past year at UPPERCASE... and find out how you can be in the magazine next year!

This has been one amazing year. It started with a lot of travel: In January I was in Austin, Texas to help judge hundreds of beautiful quilts in for QuiltCon. (That's me in a very cute fabric store in Austin.) It felt like I was barely home before I was on a 32-hour odyssey to Australia to speak at the Perth Writer's Festival and then the Creative Women's Circle in Melbourne. I spoke at the HOW conference in Chicago in May, I was in Toronto in June for the National Magazine Awards, onward to Portland in October... it's a wonder I got anything done this year with so much time away.

But now that I look at it all, it sure stacks up. UPPERCASE published a whopping 1348 printed pages of content in 2015. Thank you to all my amazing contributors—the writers and photographers and illustrators and crafters who make such inspiring content. Thank you to all the readers who submitted their work for inclusion. Thank you to Correy Baldwin for copy editing. Thank you to Chris Young at Prolific for handling the printing on all these projects (except for The Typewriter which was printed by Asia Pacific Offset). Thank you to my husband Glen Dresser for his assistance in writing The Compendium, his contributions to the magazine and for taking on customer service recently.

Let's see how all those pages add up:

UPPERCASE 24: January/February/March 2015  
116 pages  

If I were to play favourites, I'd have to say that issue 24 is mine—I love the illustration by Andrea D'Aquino and each of the 10,000 copies had a piece of antique feed sack fabric applied to the cover! The feed sack swatches were sent in by readers from all over and it was such fun to receive little bits of fabric in the mail. (This issue sold out quickly and will not be reprinted... however, a book project has emerged from this issue, it's in the very early stages and I look forward to sharing more! If you've got a feed sack collection, please get in touch!)

UPPERCASE 25: April/May/June 2015  
116 pages

This issue is dedicated to printmaking in all its forms. The cover is by Joey Hannaford. The Profiles in Printmaking section introduces dozens of talented readers who work in everything from monotypes to risograph to letterpress to collographs. Subscribers enjoyed a free printmaking sample inserted into their issues. Get issue 25 here. (Photo by stockist Tiny Feast.)

UPPERCASE 26: July/August/September 2015  
116 pages

I do love little bits of paper. And stamps? They tell such great stories. The cover is by Richard Benson and features fancy cancels. Subscribers were treated to a glassine envelope of vintage stamps inserted into their issue. Thank you to a dedicated group of stamp-sorting, envelope-stuffing philatelists who got thousands of envelopes ready for subscribers. Get issue 26 here.

UPPERCASE 27: October/November/December 2015  
116 pages

This issue has a focus on new illustration talent as well as articles about creative education, wonder and the secrets to longevity (in a creative field). Get issue 27 here (it's now listed as a back issue, so add it to your cart with other back issues and you'll pay less per issue.) Cover by Brian Hurst.

The Typewriter: a Graphic History of the Beloved Machine
336 pages + 16-page insert

Of all the projects this year, this one was the toughest. I spent three years working on this epic visual history of typewriter ephemera. To say that I'm glad it's done is an understatement. The project certainly tested my stamina and "stick-to-it-iveness", but it got done! And now that I have a few months separating me and all the work, it feels even better. The book got a great full-page review in Canada's national newspaper. Purchase it here. (If you're in Europe, get the book through Central Books.)

The UPPERCASE Compendium of Craft & Creativity
384 pages

My most recent book project, it was exactly a year ago that this project began with a call for entries in my newsletter. Featuring 66 artisans, artists and craftspeople from around the world, the Compendium is look into what's happening in craft right now. I look forward to doing a second edition... maybe every couple of years? Order it here. (If you're in Europe, my distributor Central Books will have the book in about a month—ask your local bookseller to stock it through them.)

UPPERCASE 28: Jan/Feb/Mar 2016
116 pages

The new issue is mailing out to subscribers right now! It will be arriving in mailboxes in the next few weeks. This was the best year ever for Gift Subscriptions. Well done, Santa! Subscribe here. Cover of old bus tickets from the collection of Kindra Murphy.

UPPERCASE Creative Calendar 2016
32 pages

For subscribers as of December 17, you'll get a free insert of this fun and inspiring calendar. Keep your creativity on track everyday next year. (Subscribe here to be part of future subscriber-only benefits like this.) Cover by Tara Lilly.

With such a busy year behind me I'm really enjoying a holiday pace right now. I've been taking it slow and being crafty. My problem is that with more time to be contemplative and space to think... I keep coming up with new ideas! Three book ideas for 2016? The launch of Little U? Plus all the regular UPPERCASE magazine-y goodness? 

I can't wait to dive in!

2015 started out with quilts and fabric... and it has ended that way, too! With my very own collection with Windham Fabrics!!! Look for a sneak peek in issue 28.

I'm going to QuiltCon in February. Are you? I will be giving a 30-minute presentation... any suggestions? Want to meet up for an UPPERCASE event?

Calls for Submissions

There are two new open calls for the spring issue. I expect to get a lot of submissions on these topics, so the open call ends on January 15. 

Folded
Submit creative projects in which folds and folding are integral to its execution and design. Projects can be in any material, medium or scale. Submit here.

Book Arts
Book arts, unusual book designs, artist's books, intriguing book formats, books as sculpture, books that aren't books... projects in which the concept of a book is the starting point for creative exploration. Submit here.

Happy Cat

Cat Bennett is an illustrator and author who is featured in the current issue with a fun interview by Vicki Turner. Cat wrote in when her copy of the magazine arrived: "I came home last night to find my copy of UPPERCASE!!! Wow, what a thrill to open it! I am in the company of so many inspiring young artists and know I’ll be getting tons of pleasure poring over their work!" She goes on to say, "It is a fantastic resource of inspiration and so beautifully designed. I especially love how you find and give space to so many different artists from all over the world. I think you are part of changing the paradigm by honouring the artist in all of us!" Thanks, Cat!

Cat has a new book launched this month: The Drawing Club of Improbable Dreams: How to Create a Club for Art. Here's the book description:

"The Drawing Club of Improbable Dreams shows how to create a drawing club to grow our art and creative selves. What makes this drawing club different from a regular drawing class is the one rule we apply to all we do. Rather than looking for what’s wrong, we look for what’s strong and interesting, for what we love and what we most desire, and then we learn how to build on that. The book gives instructions for how to get going and lesson plans for three full 8-week sessions that will take a club through its first year. The exercises are designed to hone skills, visual thinking and the ability to explore freely without fear of mistakes. We learn too how a club can become a sanctuary for creative exploration and for being the artists we dream of being."

A lot of what it takes

My fabulous printer rush couriered some copies of the latest issue to have on hand for tonight's The Typewriter book party!

There are many more copies (13,000: the magazine's biggest print run yet) that are on their way to be mailed and shipped. Subscribe or renew today! Use the code 'twentyseven' for $15 off, valid until the end of September.

Back to School Sale!

I've been very busy and I am happy to report that the fall issue design is done. It's now in the hands of my copy editor for the final go-through and then it will be uploaded to the printer. For the first time in the history of UPPERCASE magazine, I won't be working on the fall issue over the Labour Day weekend. Sweet victory!!!

Are you in back-to-school mode? In one week, my little guy starts kindergarten. I'm excited for him—I have fond memories of my first couple of years in school. We did the obligatory trip to the mall for new pants, but since the school fees include his supplies, we didn't have the fun of fulfilling a shopping list of pencils and paper and glue. But he did get a big 300+ pack of fuzzy pipe cleaners, just for fun.

In the spirit of back to school and loading up on creative supplies, UPPERCASE books and stationery are on sale: 25% off through to the end of the month. (The sale excludes book preorders for The Typewriter and Compendium, but I'd appreciate your support on those projects if you're so inclined.) Sale items are already marked down on the website so that you can also use the code "twentyseven" for $15 off subscriptions and renewals. 

And if you're looking for back issues, the more you put in your cart, the more you save. 

Sale's on until August 31!