Monday, January 26, 2009

A painful goodbye.

I knew it was inevitable, since I had read the rumors floating around BlogLand. But it wasn't until the dreaded little postcard arrived in my mailbox today that I knew it was for real. Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion Magazine, my long-time #1 favorite magazine, is no more.


Please pause for a moment of silence with me.

I have subscribed to this magazine pretty much since it's first issue, which I believe was sometime around the fall of 1996. 13 years people. I told you I was a longtime fan. And now this. Stupid recession. This is going to take me a while to get over. Back in the day (starting in middle school, I think) I was the world's biggest Mary Engelbreit fan. I have since done away with most of my Mary Engelbreit paraphenalia, but that magazine has stuck. Every issue was always filled to the brim with such creative stories, beautiful homes and studios to lust after, and free ideas galore. I can honestly say that a good chunk of my eclectic decorating tastes have been influenced by this magazine.

Ugh. The good thing is I still have most of the issues in possession, so I will forever be able to thumb through them for continued inspiration. Now I suppose Country Living Magazine (which really isn't very "country" at all, at least not my definition of "country") will be finally able to take the #1 spot on my list. It's a great magazine, too. But really, the worst part is there isn't another magazine out there I can subscribe to that is anywhere near similar to Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion. No substitutes. I just have to quit, cold turkey.

According to the postcard, I will now be receiving Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Okay, I guess, since I used to receive that magazine anyway. But no offense, Martha Stewart doesn't hold a candle to Mary Engelbreit in the whimsical department.

Hrumph.

3 comments:

Glenna @ Hollyhock Quilts said...

So sad, isn't it? I haven't subscribed for awhile, but I still have my old issues and enjoy looking through them occasionally.

Thanks for the blog visit and note! I know--we just went to the grocery store ourselves and it's ugly. I do hope that we don't lose power again. Especially since it's so cold. But now that I know you have a generator, we'll just come to your house!! LOL

Stay warm and safe--And keep in touch! I always love hearing from you---

One Shabby Chick said...

Oh bummer - I had read that somewhere too but was hoping it wasn't true. I haven't gotten my postcard yet but it is Hawaii after all - I get December magazines in February sometimes. I guess it's good I stopped subscribing to Living - since then I'd have 2 coming.

Hope you don't lose power - and I laughed so hard about the birth control commercials - that's hilarious!

barb mann said...

Valerie,
My daughter - fabricworm - led me to your blog. I'm with you girl, I think I've also been a subscriber since the get go. It's so sad. There definitely isn't another magazine anything like it. It's also sad because it was the magazine I gifted to my three sisters for probably at least the last six years. I know they're going to miss it too. I have learned and seen so many wonderful things because of her stories and even the advertisements in MEHC. I hope she'll continue to have a web site for us all. It's nice knowing there are others as upset as me! Thanks for sharing.
Barb