Saturday, February 28, 2009

Pink Saturday ~ Goodbye To A Few Favorites!

I have two posts today!


My Daring Baker February Challenge and Pink Saturday.


My first post is for our host Beverly of the How Sweet The Sound blog's delightful and popular Pink Saturday blogathon. Be sure to click on the link to Beverly's blog and see a list of all the blogs participating in Pink Saturday this week --it's lots of fun to be in the pink!


I'm sorry but this is a sad Pink Saturday post. I'm sure many bloggers got a magazine delivery recently with this sad notice attached to it:

Another loss in the wonderful world of women's magazines! I subscribed to Country Home for many years, always enjoying the many stages and trends of country decorating, antiquing, artisan crafts, and country recipes.

It followed the demise of two other magazines that I also had subscribed to -- Cottage Living and Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion.


But the next magazine, which I just recently heard had published it's last issue, really broke my heart!

Here it is with its last cover in all its pretty bright pink splendor:


It was a magazine filled with warm, uplifting and interesting stories about the true substance of our lives --our families, friends, communities, and our traditions and celebrations. I tried so many of the wonderful heirloom recipes that were accompanied by their background stories, and I enjoyed many of the wonderful crafts that the Lifestyle editor Amy Palanjian developed. The snowmen and valentines in this issue are adorable!
I believe the magazine website will be taken down after March 6, 2009, so hurry and download all you can for your records! Perhaps if you've also been a fan of this fine magazine send an e-mail wishing the staff the best of luck!

Hallmark.com and the greeting cards we all know so well, are not going out of business, only the magazine. I hope the wonderful editors, Amy Palanjian, Kate Slate, and Helen Rogan will be able to bring their wonderful talents and abilities to other publications.

I know many have said to me in the past, when I blogged before about my favorite magazines, as to "why buy magazines when we have so many beautiful blogs to read and enjoy?" But there is still something wonderful about going to the mailbox and seeing a fresh new copy of a favorite magazine that you can spend some free time relaxing and reading and being inspired and informed by it. You can carry it on an airplane or to a doctor's office or the school pick up line and pass it around to family and friends. No need for a computer, and you can tear out the recipes and have them in front of you as you cook, and save the glossy photos for a collage project or use the resource page to find where to buy that lamp you like so much in the page about the pretty pink bedroom.
More than 525 US magazines ceased publication in 2008, and 40 have already folded in 2009 as the downturn in the economy continues to heavily impact most forms of print media, according to MediaFinder.com. A blog which updates which magazine is slated to cease publishing can be found at this link.

There are many wonderful reasons to own a copy of a magazine and every loss is like losing an old friend. Let's hope there won't be many more that disappear and maybe hopefully some of the favorites will be able to make a comeback someday soon!

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Internet has changed how people consume news and this is causing a disruption inside nearly every newspaper including magazines in the U.S. and around the world. The newspaper model is stuck in the horribly inefficient 20th Century and has been slow to understand the paradigm change that online news has created.
Personally, I prefer to read my newspaper & magazines online.
It allows me to archive articles for later viewing.
- Cheers.

aliceinparis said...

I know it IS sad. The Denver Newspaper also published their last issue this week after over 100 years.

Catherine said...

This is very said. I loved pouring through Country Living. Getting comfortable with a magazine is still a favorite way for me to spend time. I have Women`s Day clipping that are 30 years old!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

This is so sad to me, Pat. First "House and Garden," and now this one. At least "Victoria" is back.

Happy Pink Saturday!

XO,

Sheila

pammiejo said...

I lost Country Home and Home Companion too and I'm sick about it! The two magazines that I get to replace them are NOT what I want either so my subscriptions will not be renewed. Publications in general are losing out to the TECHNICAL AGE as evidenced by all the magazines and newspapers that are going down the tubes. I agree with you - something about holding a magazine in your hands - not the same on the internet! PAM

Linda Lou said...

I also had a subscription to Country Home for years, and am so sad to see all these magazines go under--it is so fun for me to pull out issues from years back and peruse my favorite and inspiring photos--i hate to throw them away...that flourless chocolate cake, oh my, that is heaven in a forkful!!

black eyed susans kitchen said...

Change is never easy. If only we could welcome the new without losing the familiar. I will miss those periodicals.
♥, Susan

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Thanks for you comments everyone!

I heard a new report on TV last night that said if the hard copy of newspapers and magazines fail, very often their web sites close down also, because online advertising does not generate enough income to keep journalists in business. It can be a double loss.

Good investigative journalism has been the nations "eyes and ears" for many years. I'm not sure I want to give that up to TV news personalities or unreliable Internet web sites.

gina said...

I can't beleive it another great mag. gone. the cake looks delish and your grandson is a cutie

Junie Moon said...

I am sad, too, about the demise of some very lovely and useful magazines. Now I'm worried about Victoria as I despaired when it ceased publication but rejoiced when it revived. I'm still working on completing my original Victoria magazine collection and zealously save all the new publication issues.

Willow said...

I subscribe to two knitting mags and to Sunset. A friend of mine gets the UK edition of Country Living and shares it when she's done. As far as I know it's NOT being pulled. Maybe you could subscribe to the British edition.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Just to clear up any misunderstanding --

It's Country HOME and not Country Living magazine that went out of business :-)

I love Country Living too!

♥Mimi♥ said...

This has to be one of the best days of the week for a dyed-in-the-wool pinkie like me.

Your sharing this week is w♥nderful. Thanks so much...warmed me up...it's -6 outside and I need all the warmth I can get!

Come see my pink toilet! It will cheer you up!

Anonymous said...

I feel your pain, Pat. I, too, was a subscriber to Country Home and ME!!! It makes me so sad to see them go---I did have the Hallmark magazine for a year (a gift from a friend) and I loved it, too! I would much rather have the hard copy of the magazine or newspaper than read the same info on line---ya never know when the computer will crash!

I loved your recipe tutorial, too. You are so much fun to visit!

We just found out #2 is a boy!! :)

Have a great PSat. Dana

Anonymous said...

Happy Pink Saturday, dear Pat.

I know how you feel about magazines. I don't subscribe to many, but I love it when they are delivered. I always save them until I have time to relax and savor all of the goodness.

Your first post has me drooling. Yum!

RobinfromCA said...

I agree with you 100% about the joy of finding a magazine in your mailbox, holding it and seeing the glossy pictures. I feel the same way about real books as opposed to electronic ones.

So many things have contributed to the demise of these publications. Postage goes up every other month it seems. I fear this will eventually cause the demise of greeting card companies as well. Think of how many people will lose their jobs.

I love my computer but it will never replace my paper publications. I can't plug in and log on everywhere - or if the electricity goes out. Thanks for your tribute to these publications and the reminder to go on-line and download any ideas we may want to archive from the websites.

Robin@Miscellaneous Thoughts

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

I got my last issue of Country Home on Thursday and have been slowly turning the pages this weekend...thinking I can make it last longer. I'm still not over Cottage Living. I'd have to say that's the magazine loss that's hit me the hardest. {Sniff.}

Makes me happy to have discovered blogs for sure! :-)

Claudia said...

It makes me very sad. I have posted about all the magazines you mention a few times now. There is nothing like having something to hold in your hands or take with you. As my friend said, you can't hold a laptop in the bathtub! I can only hope some of these come back some day!

imjacobsmom said...

I too am saddened by this news. I was a subscriber of Country Home & Cottage Living. I had 3 years left on each. I was offered Southern Living (I'm from MN) and MORE magazine as substitutes. I called them and asked for something else. I added to my BH & G subscription and Midwest Living. I am really going to miss them a lot. I am glad now that I couldn't part with my old friends and I horded the old issues in my sunporch armoire. ~ Robyn

Anonymous said...

It is sad when change happens. I am so sorry you will be losing old friends. This recession seems to be a time of wake up and shake up. Sew Hip is a new magazine available world wide with a finger in Blogland, so new things are being created driven by what people are doing now.

For world news I go to BBC.co.uk as they are known for their unbiased reporting. A lot of the TV channels on cable seem to have a lot of spin, so I don't watch them.

The trouble with newspapers is that as soon as they are printed they are out of date. On-line news is always current. In this ever speeding world we want the latest of everything.

This recession is a time to embrace innovation. I'm hoping it wil change things for the better.

Vee said...

It's all so very sad. I returned to pick up some back issues of both Country Home and Southern Home at the flea market. The prices had already gone up 100%! I set them back down deciding to let them go...

I bought a Pyrex bowl instead.

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...

Happy Pink Saturday

Susan

Marina Capano said...

Nice post!

Marina

Amy said...

I just saw this post and wanted to thank you for your support of the Hallmark magazine and let you know that the blog I had for them is now living at thethingswemake.blogspot.com
Thanks again! Amy Palanjian