Mingle Magazine Debuts (and giveaway)

Mingle Magazine Winners:  Congratulations to Jean Erier and Andria from    drawingnear!  Please get in touch with me and let me know where to mail your magazines. Thanks for everyone who left a comment.

Stampington–the company that brought you Somerset Studio, Artful Blogging, Art Journaler, Somerset Home, and many more magazines, is adding a new publication–Mingle. “Creative Ideas for Unique Gatherings” is the tag line, and it is exactly that–each article is an event, lovingly recorded in print and photography.

From p. 118 of Mingle, in an article about a party blogger and stylist.

Christen Olivarez, who is also editor of Somerset Studio, edits Mingle. In her first letter from the editor, she writes, “. . . I just love taking care of my friends and family. I love to be able to plan a party or dinner for them to simply show up at and enjoy. It’s my way of showing my love and appreciation for them.”

Paging through the magazine, I was surprised at the amount of people who plan and produce elaborate parties for love and joy in the result. In our time-crunched, super-scheduled, busy lives, it is refreshing to see people taking time to celebrate and time to plan, send invitations, shop and decorate for a party.

And celebrate they do in Mingle. There is a church-sponsored prom with

Place setting and invitation from an article on a church-sponsored prom on pg. 6 of Mingle.

a nautical theme, complete with a singing captain who welcomes everyone, smokestacks on the roof, portholes on the front door, and crystal table settings to mimic the 1920s-style cruise line dining rooms.

There are birthday celebrations, art gatherings, creative retreats (one held in the woods) and wedding vow renewals, gatherings of friends for every reason. All are photographed and detailed, some with menus and party planner credits. There are even event blogger articles.

The 144-page magazine ($14.99) is crammed with articles and photography, with a few pages of mostly house ads in the back. I’m used to the commercial 60/40 split, so this was a pleasant surprise. The magazine is printed in a gray/silver ink, and I had a bit of trouble reading it in the evening. And you’ll want to read the stories–the images will make you drool, but the stories are the real messages.

Giveaway Details: I’m giving away two copies of the magazine. Simply leave me a comment, and I’ll  pick two commenters who live in the U.S. at random. You must reply by midnight on Friday, October 7. I’ll announce the winner on Sunday (the blog is closed this Saturday) and will mail out the magazines on Monday, October 10.

Full disclosure: Stampington publishers asked me to participate in the give-away and I agreed. Stampington supplied both magazines at no cost to me, although I provided the postage. No other compensation was provided.  I write a column for Somerset Studio and Art Quilting Studio magazine, both publications of Stampington.