Magazine Love

I think that anyone who has a love of all things homely combined with a deep, ongoing need to be visually and creatively inspired, is almost certain to be addicted to magazines. I know I am. I stand up and honestly declare :: hello, my name is Lucy and I am a Magazine-o-holic. I think there are far worse addictions, and that the £3.50 or thereabouts that this particular addiction costs me each week is so worth it. Worth every penny.

I really enjoy the pleasure that magazines bring, and I especially love to reserve that pleasure for the weekends. I absolutely adore heading into a weekend knowing there is a favourite magazine waiting to be devoured. Its pretty high on my list of weekend must-haves. I have often written about my love of magazines here on the blog, in particular I recall this post, where I am babbling about how the pages of magazines manage to reel me in, how they grab me by the heartstrings and make me want to live inside the very pages, to inhabit the beautiful interiors, to partake in beautifully seasonal activities, to surround myself with colour and pattern and exquisitely styled lovliness. Such fun, such joy! So pretty, so desirable! Let me at it, let my life be as charming as these pages.

I have my favourites of course :: Country Living and Country Homes and Interiors are monthly must-haves. Others come and go, depending on whether a quick flick through in the shop yields anything promising.

The weekend just gone by, I bought BBC Homes and Antiques (the Feb issue). It's not one I would normally get, and I bought this issue purely on the strength of the above image. Isn't that spread just beautiful? If you click the picture it'll pop up in a larger window so you can see the details...it was a styling article titled "Make do and mend", which went on to say :: "Sophisticated interiors don't always have to come with a hefty price tag - scour antiques markets and charity shops for unique finds to brighten your home". I just loved it.

There was also a most amazing house featured, a house made inside an old railway carriage....

 

...Oh I swooned. I fell in love. So desirable. So Chic!

I think there is definitely a theme running at the moment, a sort of Eco-chic if you like. A desire to recycle, to re-use, to give a new lease of life to old things. And I like it, like the idea very much.

The following images are from Country Homes (march issue). They sum up the things I most love in magazines :: good styling and good photography (the pure visual appreciation bit) combined with that desirable-lifestyle element (the tugging of the heart-strings bit).

 

See :: recycling/eco issues again, and made to look oh so beautiful too.

 

:: A stunning style-spread based on Waterside Living...

 

...oh yes, let me live right there, let me have a stripy rug and a fireside chair, a dinky little curtain and flowers in glass jars...

...yes please, I will happily sit in that chair by the waterside. I will paint things in those jaunty colours.

:: an inspiring invite to plant seeds...

 

...and make ones garden sing with colour! Yes please, I would love that! When can I start?

 

:: a beautifully photographed recipe section for all things breakfasty...

...and yes, let's bake!!! Yes me me me, I will go bake bread! Sprinkle seeds and tie with raffia, oh yes!

Ahhh, my weekend reading/browsing/daydreaming was divine.

I strolled in magazine-wonderland.

And it was beautiful.

Comments

[Jenny]

I really love those stars you have in the middle of your drinks. Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside! But then again, your entire blog gets me in that mood ;)!

[Josie-Mary]

I love the make do & mend feature. No shops near me & I want to buy it NOW!!! :)

[Hen]

Ah, Lucy, I am a fellow magazine-a-holic, completely obsessive, I must buy at least 6 each month, though like you, I usually have a flick first in Smiths. Homes & Antiques has really improved recently and they have more emphasis on homes now, I've bought the last 3-4 issues. I've seen the "train carriage house" in lots of mags, it's groovy. I wonder, do you ever get Easy Living? Most of it is girly clothes n make up stuff but the homes bit at the back is marvellous. This month's has vintage railway posters in the home of Laura Ashley's daughter who is a textile designer for Elanbach. Last month was Rita Koenig, Nina Campbell's daughter, and lots of bright funky Cath K and vintage stuff too. I was just literally flicking through last November (strange, I know) and it is the house of our dreams, owned by a Danish designer who works for Rice (you know, manufacturer of our groovy coloured melamine spoons, beakers, plates etc) (ie. the ones we bought in Emma Bridgewater). I'm going to get a subscription 'cos it's £12 for the year and you get free hair gear!
Off to brave the rain now. Have a happy day.
Hen x

[Jude]

Yes, we all covet those scenes..
but from looking at your blog you are doing very well in incorporating many of those aspects into you home already.
I agree with all recycling/eco deco, something that we try to do here in Crete ( mostly from neccessity)

[Karen]

You take a good photo. When I got to the end of the magazine photos, I thought "Oh look - they have a crochet throw the same as.....oh yeah - that's her picture!".
I thought that your photo was one from a magazine.

Love your colours.

[paula]

I understand you so well. I don't buy many here but when I go to England I buy a lot and save it to when I'm home and think about England - and miss it.

[Sara]

Once we've dug ourselves out of the snow - again !!! I am off to the shops post haste - they look amazing.

I too am a magazine addict - when I have a sort out to pass them on I find myself saying "I had a lot of them given me and bought a lot in charity shops!" Is this a sign of an addict.......................

Sara
XX

[karen smith]

Ok you got me I'm a magazine-a-holic too I only wish I could stop at one a week though lol.
Those spreads are delightful though aren't they.

[Salihan]

Oh so gorgeous, Lucy. Whenever I imagine country living, I think of the really old dusty country gingham look, with chicken and duck statues everywhere! Haha... I LOVE the new modern country "eco-chic" look. Thanks so much for sharing!

[Shirl]

Country homes March issue!! I don't think I've read February's yet.

I'll blame it on my moving to the country lol. It's still in a box somewhere ...