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Wednesday, February 04, 2009

*Sniff*

How sad it was for me, a subscriber since Issue #1, to hear that Mary Englebreit's Home Companion, will no longer be published. If you have yet to hear about Home Companion's demise, here is a note Mary left on it's website.
A Note From Mary:
Well, friends, by now most of you have heard that Home Companion magazine is not being published. It was a business decision by our licensed publishing partner based purely on the lack of advertising income, certainly not on circulation or subscriber numbers, both of which remained very strong thanks to all of you! You may have heard of other home magazines closing - Cottage Living, Domino, O at Home, Home, and Country Home, among others. The sad fact is that home magazines are being hit harder than others because of the dismal housing industry - people aren't able to sell or buy homes, so fewer people are buying flooring, wallpaper, furniture, etc., so those companies don't feel they can afford to advertise. It's a vicious circle! Since we were not a typical shelter magazine anyway, I hope we'll find a way to offer the exact right kind of ads so that we can revive our beautiful magazine eventually. It hurts me to see so many wonderful houses out there and meet so many great artists and not have a place to showcase them! We WILL find a way! We WILL find a way - this miserable economy can't last forever. Anyway, even if times are tough, we still need to see magical things, right? We still need to know there are people out there producing fantastic things, creating warm and cozy places to live and providing us with the inspiration we need to keep going, for crying out loud! I mean, I love House Beautiful, but I can't make one magazine last all month - we need more! We need variety! We need Home Companion! We sincerely appreciate all the emails and notes you've been sending to let us know how much you love the magazine. I am sorry that because of the sheer quantity we can't respond to each of them individually, but please know that we are holding on to all of them as testimonials to show to potential publishers what a great audience we have! If things don't work out the way I hope, let me say thank you to all of you supporting us so faithfully for 11 wonderful years. And of course, I can't say enough about Barbara Martin and our amazing staff at MEHC - they're the ones who scouted, wrote, photographed, planned, traveled, glued, sewed, and designed so you and I could curl up in a chair for an hour and dream. I'll miss them and you - let's not let too much time go by before we get together again!PS - PLEASE know that although my job definitely won't be the same without the magazine, I still have a LOT of other exciting projects coming up - books, cards, calendars, fabric, new gift lines, scrapbooking, crafts and more have me very busy. I can't wait to share them with you - stay tuned to this website to see all the new tricks I have up my sleeve!
I subscribed to Country Home which has also ceased publication. I am fearful that some of my other favorites will follow suit. I find it sad, as the media has reported, that so many no longer read home magazines simply because they can not afford to buy a new home or re do their existing home in today's economy. As a military family we moved often over 27 years and I was not able to really begin to put my stamp on a home until recently. But it was my favorite magazines that helped me dream and plan for a future house. How sad that some will never experience that joy or learn how sweet planning and waiting can be.
~~~~~~~~~~
Farewell ME's Home Companion and Country Home. Thank you for the hours of joy, the countless ideas and for helping me dream...
Love and Hugs,
Susie Q

20 comments:

Chris@Cats On My Quilts said...

I still can't believe so many of my magazines are GONE! I love sitting down with a cup of tea and reading them. Home Companion, Country Home, Domino, Cottage Living-I subscribed to all and they are all gone. Where am I going to get my inspiration? I guess we'll just have to get it from each other so keep posting those pictures!

Cass @ That Old House said...

It is indeed very sad to lose MEHC, plus Cottage Living, Country Home, Home, Domino --- and I'm afraid that's just the beginning. However, we've weathered worse than this before in our economy, and things will turn around eventually. Meanwhile, thank goodness that now we have our blogs and internet communities to give us a sense of connection and inspiration.

However, if Traditional Home closes down, I may go into mourning.

Keep on posting! Best wishes, Cass

Anonymous said...

I sure love Country Home,but to tell you the truth I am not going to be surprised what happen with the world as it is.
I bet the trash magazines make it just as Hollywood does.

Salmagundi said...

I know - I can't believe that I will no longer be getting Home Companion or Country Home. I have subscribed to both magazines since the beginning. I have never gotten rid of any of MEHC issues, so guess I'll just sit and read old magazines til the economy improves. I still need to dream even at my age and in my final 'forever' house (the nursing home is next on my list!!). Are we going to lose Traditional Home and Romantic Home, too? We need a period of mourning, don't we? Sally

Unknown said...

I've heard and am TOTALLY bummed out! Those were all my favorites. I've loved ME since day one too! I had NOT read that note from her and was glad to hear that's she's not going to close up shop completely. I have faith that once this economy is turned around we'll see some of these magazines rise from the ashes or something EVEN Better! Now THAT's something to look forward to, right? But in the meantime I'm going to scour garage sales and buy some of the older issues that I'd forgotten about and re-live the fun.

J'Ollie Primitives said...

I'm starting to feel like we're all in a game of Whack-A-Mole ~ and we are the moles.

bop bop bop.

Really sad to hear that these great magazines have to fold.

Omah's Helping Hands said...

Well Sue, let's hope that they find a way to bring their publications back soon. It is sad the way things are going. It's hit a lot of people really hard. Can understand the ones advertising, as they are being hit as well. I believe them when they say they WILL find a way. "Where there is a will there is a way." ;) So dry those tears missy, you're too sweet to be a cryin' and watch for it to make a come back!!!
By the way, thanks for the sweet comment you left. You are such a sweet dear woman.
Hugs to you to cheer you.

Rebecca Ramsey said...

I got my first issue today of Martha Stewart's mag--the magazine they are sending me to finish out my Home Companion subscription. It made me so sad. Home Companion was all about fun and creativity--not perfection. I want my Mary!

Sue said...

Say it isn't so.....I just got a renewel of Country Home a month ago....I had no idea it was out of business...and I love Home Companion...I'm a huge fan of the paper dolls...My gosh will Country Living be next, I'll slit my wrists!! I've been getting that since the very 1st. issue back in the 70's.....

Terri Steffes said...

It seems that magazines are taking a huge hit. It is really strange. ME is from Missouri, so I really hate to see her magazine go.

BittersweetPunkin said...

Oh I know...I loved Country Home too.

Reminds me of when Victoria bit the dust so many years ago...at least that came back...

hugs,
robin

Susan @ The Good Life! said...

It is so sad that so many of the home magazines are going out of business. They will all be missed very much.

imjacobsmom said...

I am saddened by this. I actually have subscriptions for each of these magazines for many years to come. Jacob had to sell magazine subscriptions for school - I renewed many subscriptions for the next 3 years so that he would qualify for some cheap two-bit prize) I have only heard from Cottage Living and they are substituting Southern Living ( I live in Minnesota - but I'll give it a try) I wonder what they plan on doing for the others....Robyn

Valerie said...

i'm still in mourning for Simple Scrapbooks.

and a way old one: Cross Stitch & Country Crafts.

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

Very sad indeed! But you know I cut back on magazines because I actually get more usable ideas from blogs. Although there's nothing like curling up with a new mag and a cup of coffee for a little "me" time!

Manuela

Melanie said...

Very sad about losing such great magazines. This economy is hitting places I never would have thought of! Perhaps in the future - they will start up again.

SmilingSally said...

Ah, times they are a changin'.

Janet said...

Sue,
Thanks for publishing Mary's note; it makes me feel better Back in October when I heard the rumor I sent an e-mail asking if it was true and what would happen to my subscription. I got an automated response saying they would respond within 3 days and just 2 weeks ago ( a little more than 3 days!!) I got a very impersonal e-mail just telling me to call Martha Stewart Living. I already get MSL and it is not my favorite and certainly not any kind of replacement for MEHC. Enough said...don't get me started.

JAnet

Kathleen Grace said...

I too am sad that so many great magazines are going under. It seems that in hard times we would still want to make our homes as inviting and pretty as possible. We won't be going on expensive vacations but our home is our own little nest of happiness. I am thankful for the many wonderful blogs that take up the slack and showcase beautiful idea, many on a shoestring, that we can all emulate.

Andi said...

I'm a bit of a magazine addict and ME's Home Companion was my very favorite magazine. This breaks my heart and I'm sure it does many others.