Finding Inspiration

 

{a few magazines that survived the flood}

 

I love magazines.

Lots of different magazines. Shelter magazines are by far my favorite, but I read news magazines, travel magazines, health magazines almost any magazine. {Working in a library, I have many choices of magazines, or journals, to read each month, it's wonderful.}

I remember when I first discovered Country Living magazine. I couldn't believe it. You mean there are other people who liked faded, worn rusty OLD stuff?  I was hooked and I've been a subscriber since the late 80s.

 

I've saved years and years of Country Living and Country Home magazines. And would often grab up a handful and sit in a comfy spot, feet up, preferred beverage in hand {sometimes wine, sometimes hot tea} looking for inspiration. And I always found it.

 

And then, one fateful day in May of 2010, I had a bit of a water problem in my basement. And I lost over half of my collection. Years and years of Country Living, Country Home and ME Home Companion, gone. *sigh*

 

About that time I was discovering blogs written by incredibly talented women sharing their inspired spaces. As I began to find more and more beautiful blogs, I found I looked at what was left of my magazine collection less, and less. I've since sold off or given away all but the most recent year of Country Living. I rarely spend money on shelter magazines any more. There is just too much instant gratification inspiration on the interwebbs. And with Pinterest, it makes it all that much easier to find and bookmark. No piles of torn pages that never quite get organized so you can find that project you saved. {I still stumble upon those piles every now and then.}

 

 

And now, some of my favorite super talented bloggers are producing e-zines. I LOVE them!

My friend Heather from Post Road Vintage has been producing the lovely Homebound e-zine for sometime now. A number of her contributors are some of the wonderful bloggers I've long followed and look to for inspiration and ideas including  Maria from Rusty Hinge, and Courtney from French Country Cottage. You can view a free on-line copy of the newest edition of her Homebound e-zine by subscribing here. And this month she has added additional content, and produced it in a downlodable version for just $2. {Hurry and subscribe, if you haven't already, she is offering a limited-time discount for the expanded edition.} Or, if you still like to cozy up with your favorite beverage and actually flip the pages yourself, you can purchase a copy in print. For all of the information about this exciting new issue, you can go here.

 

 

Another fabulous blogger named Heather has produced a beautiful e-zine also. Super talented Heather Bullard is editor of  Souvenir. This publication can be purchased in print or electronic form. The e-zine costs $3.95 {and is iPad friendly} and is 122 pages of swoon worthy vintage goodness. {You can see a preview here.}  From stunning interiors to a trip to the mecca of collecting, Round Top, Texas, you'll find page after page stuffed full of gorgeous photography. Honestly, more photos than you would normally find in a printed magazine, and without the distraction of advertising. Contributors to Souvenir are also many of your favorite bloggers. Sara from Sadie Olive, Maria from Dreamy Whites, Lulu from Dusty Lu Interiors, Kate from Centsational Girl, just to name a few.

 

 

If I do spend money on a hard copy magazine, it's most likely to be one of Stampington & Company's gorgeous titles. {I have a confession. I have every issue of Where Women Create and Artful Blogging, and a number of other titles.} Many of their publications can be viewed in electronic format also. You can view the entire issue of Handcrafted Inspirations for free here. This issue is chock full of ideas for inspired handcrafting, including a project by Heather from Post Road Vintage.

 

So tell me, where do you find inspiration?

 

xo

Maureen