Yours 'til Niagara Falls

Mary, Mary, This News is Contrary

  Prepare to be bummed out - Mary Engebreit's Home Companion is ceasing publication.  Ouch, that hurts.  I have purchased every issue since it premiered.  I've saved all my issues and really enjoy re-reading them.  I am really sad that it will no longer be peeking out from the magazine rack.  MEHC is yet another victim of our faultering economy.  I'll miss the artist profiles and the paper dolls.  I hope it comes back in another incarnation.

Some other periodicals have also bitten the dust:

Wondertime - it was a good source for finding new products for young children

Oprah at Home - A glimpse of how the rich and famous live

Cottage Living - Inspiration for pretty interiors 

And... almost as sad as MEHC, Country Home.  I'll miss Country Home because It gave really good display ideas for antiques and vintage items.

What's killing off the magazines?  The economy, for sure.  Free online sources have bitten into paid subscriptions.  Why buy a cooking magazine when the recipes are free on some website?  Additionally, I guess if you are facing forclosure on your house, you're in no mood to curl up with a shelter magazine.  A few periodicals have suffered due to poor decicions on the part of the editorial staff, changing magazines we love to something dull and bland.  It is to be hoped that when the economy makes a bounce back, new magazines will be launched by editors and staff who are innovative and creative.  Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Small Magazine

Do yourself a favor and check out this on-line magazine called Small.  Even if you don't have a child around, this 100+ page publication is jam-packed with inspiration.  I loved the homemade Halloween costumes, but this is my favorite page (dig that red squirrel!):

 

Shame on Piecework

I was happy to see the January/February issue of Piecework on the magazine rack.  I bought it without leafing through it.  What a mistake!  The cover story about "How to Knit Poetry"  was a reprint from 1995!  What the heck!?!??!   I think it's fair to revisit  a topic, but to pluck an article from the archive to plop into an issue which is only 48 pages long to begin with!!!!!!!!!  They have some 'splainin' to do , Lucy!  I feel rooked.  There are a couple of decent enough articles in the magazine, but certainly not enough to offset the travesty perpetrated on the crafting public.  I use a cup-of-tea rating system.  This issue rates a quarter cup of cold tea in a styrofoam cup which has been stuck in the microwave to reheat.  Shame on Interweave Press!

A New Offering

Living Crafts is a new magazine.  I really wanted to love it because it is focused on natural materials and projects to make for young children.  It has a Waldorf-esque vibe to it.  I can see that it would get someone really excited if they have never been exposed to working with good-quality, natural materials.  I was mighty puzzled by the fact that they featured a playmat which was knitted and on the next page they had a wet-felted playmat.  They could have had wet-felted mittens or something and saved the second playmat for another issue.  I also thought they might have given the simple hat pattern the boy on the cover is wearing.  Some absolutely lovely children's picture books (some originally published 101 years ago!!!) are reviewed along with some current craft books.  There's a cute felt angel pattern I just might make.  It's a slender little mag, only 80 pages.  I hope it finds its footing and stays around.  It rates a teacup three-quarters full.

Merry Christmas Martha

Is it just me, or are Martha's covers looking more and more like Good Housekeeping?  I'm not in the market for a new hobby, but if I was, I'd attempt some of the projects in the great article on beaded ornaments.  The recipes look yummy, especially the gingerbread.  I think my favorite thing in the magazine is the clipart Christmas tree candybox. Good issue.  Using the cuppa rating system, I'd give it a full cup of tea

At Last, the Long Wait is Over

I have been on pins and needles, as have many in the blogosphere, waiting for the resurrection of my beloved Victoria Magazine.It did not disappoint.  The premier issue seemed to be very deliberately designed to really echo the first version.  The articles were well written and interesting.  The photography was evocative and dreamy.  The cover is printed on extra heavy stock which makes the issue feel special in your hand.  My favorite story was on Tasha Tudor's antique clothing collection.  The "Calling Cards" feature also made an appearance. I'm thrilled.  Using my cuppa rating system I'd say find your largest teacup and fill it to the rim!

Country Living

I really like to browse magazines for holiday ideas.  The Thanksgiving-themed Country Living is only lukewarm.  No new ideas here.  Loads more advertising than articles.  There was an extensive advertizing supplement for some sort of yoga retreat.  The craft ideas were neither special or elegant.  One particularly odd suggestion was to create candle wraps made of felt to spell out "Give Thanks" across the table.  The effect was odd - kind of Kindergarten, kind of commercial.  Your guests would certainly be left in suspense during dinner waiting for the felt to ignite as the candles burned down. The recipes looked pretty good, but nothing out of the ordinary.  Rate this one half a cup of warmed over tea.

Martha My Dear

It seems to me that MSL generally hits its stride around the holidays.  This is a good issue.  It's a nice balance of Thanksgiving decorating, recipes and crafts.  I'm liking the new-ish health column.  I particularly like the section on making candles.  The one weird thing was a macrame scarf made with super bulky yarn.  I enjoy sipping tea when I have a new magazine, and this issue rates a full cup.

I am the Self-Appointed Magazine Critic

I have decided to crown myself the Magazine Queen.  When the spirit strikes, I will critique magazine issues.  Last night I picked up the Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Ideas.  Maybe because there's a new baby in the family I'm really looking forward to the holidays and this issue really appeals to me.  It concentrates its efforts on holiday decor (decking the halls, table settings, gift wrap)  I like it.  I think it would do the trick to kick start the Christmas spirit.  I usually sit down with a cup of tea to page through a new magazine, and I would rate this issue three-quarters cup full.

Mary Jane's Farm

I don't subscribe to magazines very often for two reasons.  First, they always seem to get a new editor and/or change substantially as soon as I put the subscription whammy on them.  My other compelling reason is that as soon as you subscribe, they start dunning you to re-subscribe. Months in advance.  So, I usually buy magazines one issue at a time from the news stand.  I ordered these dandy periodicals, however, from a company which has never disappointed me.  They are a catalog/magazine hybrid from Mary Jane's Farm.  Good recipes, interesting articles and really great products.  http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/magazine.html is the address.