book clubs, smook clubs, I love MAGAZINES!

 Everybody has a book club.  They read books as a mechanism to visit a friends house, drink wine and eat good cheese (no offense to my many book club customers). I can't be in a book club because I have the attention span of a gnat and most books are on the shelf by page 40.  I however have a borderline hoarder obsession with magazines. They are just big picture books with flimsy covers but oh boy do I love magazines.  It all began when I was forced to go on yet another family vacation camping when I was 12. My mom knew I was less than enthusiastic about the whole plan.  She came back from the grocery with seventeen magazine.  I think I read every word about 6 times over the 3 day adventure.  I just couldn't get enough.  From that moment on Bill's Drugs in downtown San Leandro and I had a different relationship.  I would haunt the magazine rack just waiting for next issues. At the ripe old age of 16, I had made everything in sewing class one could make and began to embellish pillows with everyones leftover scraps.  I was quickly turning into an etsy girl of the 80's.  At open house, moms complimented my angled ruffle pillows.  So on my next jaunt to Bill's I started picking up some of the home decor magazines to see what pillows they made.  My world is different because of that day. Bye, bye 17 magazine, hello House and Garden. 

 So now I get everything from the fine woodworking to Saveur.  Of corse most of them are home decor and I get more than I am willing to announce over the web. I do have my favorites though.  So like all the award shows here are some of my favorites:

ENVELOPES PLEASE...

 Best overall design magazine: House Beautiful

House Beautiful wins big as they made some changes that have brought me everything I am looking for in a magazine with this one. I get a monthly kitchen fix that is just about the kitchen.  They also show lots of stuff that is out there for the common folk to buy and usually 1/2 the stuff available is stuff I carry, so big ego boost for me. I also love the monthly themes they throw out there.  To add the cherry on top they have a feature every month for 2010 featuring Annie Selke of Pine Cone Hill and Dash & Albert. She is remodeling her new house and you will see the transformation take place. 

Best magazine that took most magazines to a new level: Martha Stewart Living

Best High Design (aka I don't usually decorate like that but oh wow): Elle Decor

Best low key foreign magazine: Canada's Style at Home

Best big time foreign entry: Australia's Vogue Living

Best magazine you didn't know was a great magazine: Country Living

Best Magazine I have ever been in: Alameda Magazine (thanks to Gina and her sweet column)

Best Small Publisher magazine (kind of like the independent film catagory): Romantic Homes

Comments

[Therese Long]

Hey Miss Barb... panelist extraordinaire!!
Here is the link to Fanciful Designs http://fanciful-fanciful.blogspot.com/
You can check out her comment regarding hooking up with you on my blog :)
I love all the magazine tips... it looks like I need to subscribe to a few.
See you soon,
xo
Terri

[Kerry Steele]

I have Architectural Digest from the 80's that I started to get in High School. I had to stop recently due to the clutter factor and my unwillingness to just cut out my faves.

[Summer]

As a magazine editor in a slowly dying industry, I appreciate your love!