April's Review	Chris' Review	Renee's Review	Tammy's Review	Donna's Review

Review by April

I am constantly searching for creative inspiration and idea books are one of my favorite places to look. Whenever I go to the bookstore the first thing I search for are any new publications by Stampington & Company. Their website, stampington.com, says that it's the ultimate online resource for stampers, crafters, artisans, and dreamers. This is also exactly how I would describe their magazines - the ultimate resource for stampers, crafters, artisans, and dreamers. In the last two years I have grown very attached to Stampington & Company's beautiful idea books and they never fail to inspire me! One of their latest additions to their already extensive collection of stunning publications, is Somerset Home Volume 3. It is filled with creative ideas to help beautify your home and I have anxiously been waiting to get my hands on it!

For this review I received Stampington & Company's Somerset Home Volume 3 publication. As do all of the Stampington magazines, the exterior cover of the book is extremely smooth and a pleasure to the senses when holding the book in your hands. Their are 144 pages in this book and over 170 home decor project ideas. This issue contains a letter from the editor, six uniquely themed chapters filled with project ideas, and also information about the editor and several of the other Stampington publications. The six different chapters are as follows: Welcome Home, A Room of Your Own, Heart of the Home, Suite Retreats, Beautiful Boudoir, and Mantels & Walls. Together, the combination of all these chapters takes the reader on a journey through projects that can be created for every room in the house.

My first project actually turned into three different projects and it was totally inspired by the very first project in the book! Tracey Kazimir-Cree, created an adorable "Home" collage and then decided to have the collage printed into postcards to use for her "we've moved" mailings. I was recently given a baby shower and I had been trying to decide what to do for thank you cards. I knew I wanted to personalize them, but given that I am already in my ninth month I wasn't sure I could handle making 30 plus cards by hand. A few months ago I decided I wanted to have owls for the nursery theme...only it's really hard to find anything decorated in owls for the nursery. I came to the conclusion that I would have to create my own nursery room decor if I was going to make the owl thing happen. Tracey's project seemed like the perfect solution on how to combine my two dilemmas.

I started the intial project by scanning in papers, a transparency, and a cute little owl on a pair of my pajama pants to create a digital picture I could manipulate. This became my first project because now I can always go back and edit the original picture or print it out to use on other projects.

Title: Intial Digital Image Created

After completing the digital image, I printed it out on photo paper so I could design a Plexiglass wall hanging similar to the project on page 125 created by Audrey Hernandez. I matted the photo with some kraft cardstock and then placed a sheet of the actual patterned paper I had scanned in behind that. I adhered the entire piece to a sheet of acrylic and then had a fabulous time embellishing it. I added some rub ons to the acrylic and also lined the edges of the acrylic sheet with copper foil. To decorate the picture I added chipboard, patterned paper, stickers, rub ons, glitter glue, and then I colored several items with glitter pens. To complete the project, I punched holes in the top of the acrylic and then added ribbon and jeweled beads to act as the hanger.

Title: Lil' Prince Wall Hanging
Products used:
Inspiration for Project (Stampington & Company: Somerset Home Volume 3)
Digital Software (Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0)
Patterned Paper (Pink Paislee, & Autumn Leaves)
Transparency (Best Creation Inc.)
Owl Image (Nick & Nora: Owl Scanned from Pajama Pants)
Chipboard (Basic Grey, & Maya Road)
Glitter Glue (Ranger: Distress Stickles)
Rub Ons (Basic Grey, Fancy Pants, SEI)
Stickers (Making Memories)
Copper Foil (Hobby Lobby)
Acrylic Sheet (Home Depot)
Ribbon (Prima)
Jewel Clasps (Heidi Swapp)
Glitter Pens (Sakura: Gelly Roll)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

The third part of my first project was the creation of my baby shower "Thank You" cards. I digitally added the words "Thank You" to the picture, and then printed it out on matte cardstock to create my card. I printed several of them at the same time, inked the edges of the paper, matted them with kraft cardstock, and then embellished them with rhinestones and glitter pen doodling.

Title: Baby Shower Thank You Cards
Products used:
Inspiration for Project (Stampington & Company: Somerset Home Volume 3)
Digital Software (Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0)
Patterned Paper (Pink Paislee, & Autumn Leaves)
Transparency (Best Creation Inc.)
Owl Image (Nick & Nora: Owl Scanned from Pajama Pants)
Glitter Pens (Sakura: Gelly Roll)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

My last project was inspired by the Sweet Home Hoops created by Audrey Hernandez on pages 114-116. Instead of using fabric as a project base like Audrey did, I chose to use patterned paper and heavy weight cardstock stickers. I adhered the large circular black and white stickers to a sheet of patterned paper, and then adhered the hoop to the paper. I added some glitter glue, a butterfly transparency, and some rhinestones to complete the project.

Title: Imagine Hoop
Products used:
Inspiration for Project (Stampington & Company: Somerset Home Volume 3)
Patterned Paper (My Minds Eye)
Stickers (Creative Imaginations)
Glitter Glue (Ranger: Glitz Stickles)
Jewel Clasps (Heidi Swapp)
Transparency (Best Creation Inc.)
Butterfly Transparency (Heidi Swapp)
Wooden Hoop (Embroidery hoop from personal stash)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I thought this volume of Somerset Home was terrific and definitely filled with inspiring home decor projects. The photos in the book were of excellent quality and I think it really helps artists when they can read not only about the specific techniques, tools, and materials used to create the project, but also being able to read about the idea behind the project and how it evolved. The projects in this book can easily be re-created by beginners through advanced craft artists. Stampington & Company has once again created another amazing magazine and also left me hungry for more!

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Review by Chris

Having recently moved, I am enjoying decorating my new home. One of the things I love about visiting anyone's home is to see how he or she represents themselves by how they have adorned their home. Personalized and customized décor is one of the things I notice immediately and something I try to incorporate through-out my home. I'm always searching for new ways to use existing materials or unusual ways to use things. One of the newest publications from Stampington, Somerset Home is rife with ideas for creative and beautiful home décor items. Many of the projects use common, everyday items that have been bumped up a notch while others use uncommon items in new and creative ways.

The projects in the book are divided into six chapters, corresponding to a specific subject (such as "Welcome Home") or to a particular room (such as "Beautiful Boudoir"). Each chapter includes several themed projects illustrated with gorgeous detailed photographs, a list of materials and tools required, and step-by-step instructions. Each chapter also includes a gallery full of additional projects, with detailed instructions. The chapters are: Welcome Home, A Room of Your Own, Heart of the Home, Suite Retreats, Beautiful Boudoir and Mantels & Walls.

Many of the projects presented in this book use materials that are readily available around the home, the local thrift shop, the local hardware store or even yard sales. They often use bits and pieces of vintage items that many of us have in our linen drawers: old hankies, old linens, old aprons, fabric scraps, buttons, a stray lampshade. They also use items we have in our hobby cupboards: paint, stencils, file folders, scrapbook paper, rub-ons, stamps and ink, clipboards; or in our kitchens: clear plates, old cups and saucers, odd pieces of flatware; or in the trunk from great-grandma: old photographs, skeleton keys, recipes, cotton gloves, fancy buttons and bits of lace. As I browsed through the book and looked around my home or sifted through my mind, I realized I did not have to step far from home to create some beautiful, personalized decorator items to use myself or to give as gifts.

Since I moved, the home improvement store seems to be on my daily route, so when I saw the wonderful inspiration boards by Kristen Robinson and Rebecca Sower in the Suite Retreats chapter, I knew just what I wanted to make. The roller screen was inexpensive and I already had the spray paint I needed. All I had to do was add a few inspirational items to the painted screen and hang it above my desk. Now it can inspire me, hold works in progress and even the shopping list for the next trip to the home improvement store! (Note to self: pick up more of these roller screens to use for gifts.)

Inspiration Board
Products used: Inspired by Kristen Robinson’s and Rebecca Sower’s projects on page 84-85
Paint roller screen from Home Depot
Spray Paint (Krylon)
Various doodads

I have had several mini canvases and easels in my stash for a while. Although I didn’t have a purpose in mind when I purchased them, I knew I needed to have them! When I saw the small projects by Julie Wood in the Mantels & Walls chapter, I knew just what to do. I have never tried soldering on glass, and this was the perfect opportunity for me to experiment. It’s a technique I love and now that I’ve tried it, I know I’ll be using it more often. This little inspirational canvas sits on my kitchen window sill and reminds me to make the most of every day.

Carpe Diem Canvas
Products used: Inspired by Julie Wood’s mini canvas projects on page 119
Mini canvas and frame (Itty canvas, Itty frame)
Paints (Golden)
Memory Glass (Ranger)
Patterned paper (Basic Grey, Gypsy)
Flower brad (Creative Imaginations)
Letters (Sticker Studio)
Rhinestones (MAMBI)
Adhesive (Ranger, Glossy Accents)

As I have come to expect from Stampington, this book is of the highest quality. All 143 pages are printed on heavy weight, glossy paper. The projects contained within are outstanding in their beauty, variety and unique appeal. The instructions are clear, and the photographs are detailed and beautifully presented. It is well-bound and as flat as I tried to make the pages lay, they did not tear out from the spine. I still will most likely take it to the office supply store and have a comb binding put on it, as this is one book that I plan to use over and over to create wonderful, one-of-a-kind decorator items for my home. At just under fifteen dollars, it is truly a bargain!

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Review by Renee

Looking for a good read along with a little creative inspiration. If you are, then look no further than the pages of the magazines published by Stampington and company. Founded in 1994, Stampington and Company become a leader in providing inspiration along with information for those of us who love arts and crafts. With titles such as Somerset Memories (formerly Legacy), The Stampers Studio, Belle Armoire, Art Doll quarterly and my personal favorites, Life Images and Artful Blogging, there is no end to the amount of inspiration provided by this leader in the industry. In addition to the wonderful, richly appointed magazines, the company also offers over 1500 stamp images, as well as many other arts and craft essentials offered on their website. Likewise, one can be inspired by the many samples and projects displayed on the website as well. Needless to say, I was happy indeed to have the opportunity to review Volume 3 of Somerset Home.

Somerset Home magazine is a magazine produced by Stampington and Company devoted to projects for the home. The cover boasts 170 ideas for projects to beautify your home. This statement intrigued me in two respects. First, I have become a lot more practical in my crafting lately. I have grown rather tired of just making random pages to fill my books. In addition, with our family being in house hunting mode, I have been really drawn to products that provide ideas for home crafting. The magazine itself is beautifully appointed with heavy, high quality matte finish pages featuring step by step instructions for some projects as well as gorgeous photography of all projects.

The topics (Chapters) for this volume are Welcome Home, A room of your own, Heart of the Home, Suite Retreats, Beautiful Boudoir and mantels and Walls. Each chapter features at least six articles within the chapter. In fact, one of my favorite things about Somerset publications is that they have actual articles to read as well as beautiful eye candy. So many of the arts and crafts publications today have few to no articles to read contained in them. The articles of this publication are refreshing. The book itself has just the right mix of instructions to eye candy and has many innovative ideas for using older products. And, most items were practical and useable.

For my first project, I decided to recreate the folders found in the article entitled Flirty Folders. This article showcased five different examples of folders using the technique presented. It listed needed materials and tools and gave many tips for working with the folders. I chose to recycle several used folders I already had along with using several sheets of older paper from my abundant paper stash.

Title: Altered folders
Products used: Cardstock (Prism Prismatics)
Patterned Paper (Basic Grey Sweet Pea)
Die Cut Machine and Cartridge (Cricut with Lyrical Letters and Graphically Speaking)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

For my second project, I used the article on Spring Flowers, to recreate the look on the Flower Lampshade and recycled a Crystal Light container into a treat container for my office desk. I used the concept of the article to die cut a number of different paper flowers which I then mounted on my recycled container. I love the sophisticated look achieved by this monochromatic design.

Title: Treat Container
Products used: Cardstock (Prism Prismatics)
Die Cut Machine and Cartridge (Cricut with Lyrical letters)
Glitter Glue (Stickles)
Rhinestones (Paper Studies)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I loved this publication and have marked it with at least 10 different sticky notes for projets that I want to work on. Looking for some crafty inspiration? Then you will love this book.

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Review by Tammy

Stampington & Company publishes many different magazines covering a wide variety of topics. Somerset Home is one of their many publications that is sure to inspire and bring artistic expression to your home.

To date, Stampington & Company has published three volumes of the Somerset Home. When I received volume 3 of Somerset Home for this review I was taken with the cover which showcases a “lazy susan” created by Stampington’s Director of Publication, Jenny Doh. Somehow I knew that I would fall in love with the projects found on the enclosed pages.

Typical of the style of Stampington & Company’s publications, the Somerset Home is broken up into chapters making it easy to find projects that fit your needs.

• Chapter 1: Welcome Home
• Chapter 2: A Room of Your Own
• Chapter 3: Heart of the Home
• Chapter 4: Suite Retreats
• Chapter 5: Bountiful Boudoir
• Chapter 6: Mantels & Walls

Introducing each project is a paragraph or two from the artist which explains how or why they created the featured project. Next you will find an explanation on how to achieve the particular style of the project. This section is titled Technique followed by Tips which will give you helpful suggestions for creating the project. You will also find a Tools & Materials list along with contact information for the artist.

A Gallery is located at the end of each chapter and highlights additional projects which include a supply list and instructions for each. You will also find contact information for each of the artists that are featured.

I know I must have looked through this book at least 5 times and each time I realized I wanted to create just about every project found in this book. I finally decided to start with inspiration that I found in the Bountiful Boudoir chapter from artist Christen Olivarez. Like Christen, I am always looking for ways to alter items if they are not stylish. I keep all of my stamps stored in wooden CD racks and to be honest I have wanted to alter them since the day they were purchased. When I saw the A Place for Everything project I knew that this was the makeover that my CD racks were needing. I used white gesso to prime the CD rack and then applied my acrylic paint. Once the paint was completely dry I sponged the edges with black ink and applied my patterned paper to the outward facing sides of the CD rack. I am looking forward to completing the other three CD racks to match this first one. I can’t tell you how wonderful it made me feel just to get this first one completed!

Title: Altered CD Rack
Products used: Wooden CD Rack
White Gesso (Liquitex)
Acrylic Paint (Golden)
Matte Gel Medium (Liquitex)
Ink (Ranger)
Patterned Paper (My Minds Eye)

In the Gallery section of the Suite Retreats chapter I found the cutest Collaged Tins by Eunice Pitman. I loved how she used tin cans to create beautiful works of art. I glanced at my tiny buckets that I have sitting in cubbyholes and realized that they looked very plain and needed an immediate extreme makeover. Each of my tiny buckets were already painted so I only added some antiquing varnish to them to give a bit of an aged appearance. I then began adding lace, patterned paper scraps, ribbon, tissue paper, and various embellishments from my stash. Once I was finished I couldn’t believe the transformation that my tiny buckets had taken. Frankly, I really just wanted to sit and stare at them for awhile.

Once my newly altered tin buckets were tucked into their little cubbyholes, I decided that I will eventually alternate the compartments with my altered buckets and cloth remnants.

Title: Tiny Buckets
Products used: Tin Buckets
Instant Age Varnish (Delta Ceramcoat)
Matte Gel Medium (Liquitex)
Patterned Paper, Tissue Paper, Embellishments (misc)

It has been a long time since I have found this much inspiration inside the covers of a magazine. With 138 color pages and over 170 projects and ideas you would think that there would be at least a handful of projects that didn’t suite me. Nothing is farther from the truth! This magazine is packed with projects that could keep me decorating and redecorating for months to come. I give the Somerset Home, volume 3 edition two thumbs up!

If you are looking for fresh ideas on how to decorate your home, I highly recommend Somerset Home from Stampington & Company.

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Review by Donna

You know them, Stampington & Company, the publishers of Somerset Studio, Somerset Memories, The Stampers’ Sampler and a host of other idea books. Well, they’ve once again given us an idea book gem with their recently released third volume of their special publication, Somerset Home, bursting its bindings with creative project ideas for your home.

Somerset Home is a beautiful 144 page, 8-1/2” x 11”, glossy paged, beautifully photographed idea book with a cover image depicting a stunning hand painted lazy susan, just a hint of some of the creative ideas you’ll find inside. Hidden within Somerset Home’s pages you’ll find more than 170 ideas for creations that will “…Beautify Your Home” under chapter headings such as “Welcome Home”, “A Room of Your Own”, “Beautiful Boudoir” and “Mantels and Walls”, among a host of others (I was especially touched by the references to The Wizard of Oz in the Letter to the Editor and the Suite Retreats section – its the perfect reference for reminding us how special “home” can be).

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Packaged in a clear plastic sleeve, this idea book is packed with ideas for art work that can be created for each and every room in your home and features creations by talented artists such as Rebecca Sower, Kristen Robinson and Diane Keys. Within each section, you’ll find the inspiration to create so many different pieces for your home, including placemats, pillows, clocks, mail boxes, wall hangings, altered containers and more. It’s a publication full of ideas for the paper crafter, the sewer, the painter or the “plexiglass” maker with levels of difficulty ranging from the simple to the “bit” more complex. There are ideas for altered journals, paper weights, jewelry boxes and curtains – made from aprons no less!!! As an added bonus, you’ll find clear and concisely written instructions for each project, tips and techniques that are written clearly and concisely and detailed tools and materials lists.

I loved so many of the beautiful and wonderfully imaginative projects and technique ideas inside this book and found myself bursting with inspiration for pieces I could make for every where in our home but, in the end, I began with a set of altered coasters, similar to those featured in the book which were created by Margaret Ann Kruljac – as soon as I saw them I thought “too cool – wall art from coasters!”. I began with a set of 4” x 4” glass photo coasters that I had recently received as a gift and, after lightly sanding them; I covered each one with patterned papers, chipboard, trims and a few other elements. I then applied a fine coat of Mod Podge over all and lastly adhered photo hangers to the back of each coaster and just that simply, my coaster wall art was complete.

Title: Love Key Chain
Products used: Inspiration for Project (Somerset Home)
Glass Photo Coasters (Unknown)
Patterned Paper, Fascinating (Pink Paislee),
Chipboard (Pink Paislee)
Brads and Rubons, (Pink Paislee)
Trims (Unknown)
Buttons (Autumn Leaves)
Decorative Bar (7 Gypsies)
Black Ink, Stazon (Tsunineko)
Clips (Target)
Bookplate (KI Memories)
Fabri-Tac (Beacon Adhesives)
Mod Podge (Plaid)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I was also really, really inspired by Suzette Thoeru’s “Flirty Folders” on pages 80 and 81 as well as those created by Kirsten Robinson on pages 77 so, for my second project, a created a file folder of my own, a “forget me not” file. As was with the coaster project, this was yet another imaginative way to dress up space around the house – this time, your desktop. Here, I simply covered each of the four sides of the folder (inside and out) with patterned papers and then added brads, trims, buttons and chipboard. Lastly, I added a quick zig zag stitch across the front and my folder was then complete. I definitely see more of these in my desk’s future!

Products used: Inspiration for Project (Somerset Home)
File Folder (Pendaflex)
Patterned Paper, Fascinating (Pink Paislee)
Brads (Pink Paislee)
Buttons (Autumn Leaves)
Trims (local hobby store)
Chipboard (Pink Paislee)
Rubons (Pink Paislee)
Black Ink, Stazon (Tsunineko)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

This was the second Stampington publication that I’ve had the pleasure of looking through and I enjoyed it just as much if not more than the first. I was completely inspired by several of the ideas showcased on its pages and loved that quite a few of them were not only quick and easy, but full of impact. And was with the first Stampington idea book I reviewed, you simply cannot thumb through this book and not immediately want to create something!

If you enjoy creating altered artwork, whether for your home or your scrapbooks, this book is for you. If you’re living space needs a little quick “pick me up”, this book is for you. And if you’re a lover of Stampington idea books, this book is for you. Don’t miss this one!

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