PDF Publications

It seems that the next step beyond blogging is the e-zine. These specialized PDF publications, typically distributed quarterly, bring online convenience of the magazine format - this perfect for someone like me: I have a radical respect for print design, but I already get enough magazines in the mail to legitimately compete with your busiest doctor's office. I rely on magazines for inspiration, but I simply can not burden my mail carrier with yet another subscription.

There are two in the kiddy world that are more than note-worthy:

LMNOP
This Aussie magazine is chock full of eye candy and ideas. The layout is playful and thoughtful, and it seems like the advertisers are even on board with the aesthetic because the ad spots are right at home within the pages - this is rare for a magazines where most of the time the publishers are at the mercy of poorly designed ads.




Small
I am not quite sure where this pub hails from (US? UK?), but think VOGUE for kids. The fashion layouts are high fashion with itty-bitty models in deconstructed poses... I really don't know how they get the kids to pull this off, but they do. There is also a playful side of Small, featuring toys and decor. But I think what I love most that they feature the work of kid-centric artists and crafters.

A couple of notes on both...
First of all, you will notice some overlap between the two publications, but all is forgiven as everything is just so pretty to look at you won't mind looking twice. The other point I wanted to mention is product price. 90% of the items that are advertised or featured are quite inaccessible to the average family income. Let's face it, who could (or even WOULD) buy $260 shoes for a newborn? The good news is that subscription to both e-zines are FREE, which is the best price tag of all. So, summon your inner crafter and use these pages as inspiration to create your own versions of the items or ideas you love!