Here's a clever little idea which if it either tanked immediately or becomes wildly popular, wouldn't surprise us in the slightest. It's Helloindie, a new magazine-like thing wherein creative folk who make handmade stuff buy sections of the magazine's layout and write about their wares, show off photos, etc. Sort of like your neighborhood craft fair, but in a national magazine. Sounds like it could really have some potential and might be a godsend to artsy people who need something more accessible and pronounced than their current Geocities page. Only big hurdle is a matter of design by the magazine staff. There's a submission process, which should keep the riff raff out, but when you're receiving photos, logos, and other elements, you're probably going to be operating at a ratio of about 1:580 of quality material to really amateurish. Some people might make wicked bad friendship bracelets and velvet pope paintings, but not everyone can do a layout for a magazine. If the magazine's designers can run interference for it, then we may have something great. Here's some info about what a "spread" is:

Spreads are full-color, 2-page catalog-style layouts where you choose the products you want to promote. The Spreads are a curated section - the selection process is juried because of limited magazine space and the necessity of maintaining the magazine's focus on indie design and craft. This means that sometimes you might not make that issue's cut, or if you're a company, you may be asked to advertise instead. We'll do our best to make applying an enjoyable, successful experience.