Country Living Happiness

Recently I subscribed to Country Living magazine and yesterday received my first issue by mail.  It is the April edition.  Look at the yummy springtime cover!

This is sort of a coming home to me.  I will explain.  Growing up my Mother read Country Living and loved the country style.  I did too as a young married girl.  However, like a lot of people we grew tired of the "how many baskets could one get in their kitchen along with hearts, ducks and teddy bears" look.  Remember the '70's and '80's?  Yeah, let's don't go back there.  So, for a long time I said "bye-bye" to Country Living.

However, in recent years I have desired to create more of a mix in my home of various styles.  English traditional.  Coastal cottage.  Vintage modern.  It all works for me 'cause it is what I love. 

I find that the current Country Living magazine embodies a style that is more of a mix, that eclectic look that is popular with so many.  Old and collected married with fresh and modern.  The following picture from the April issue is an example.  

   

So, I am truly excited to be a new subscriber and have it delivered to my door every month!  In this issue, I was especially trilled to see the  article, "The Garage Turned Garden Shed."

      

It is providing inspiration for me on a project I am working on.  Using a bench my husband built some years ago and creating a potting area in our carport.  Just in time for springtime plantings.  Pics to come soon!

How do you feel about Country Living or the country style decorating?

Thanks for stopping by!  Libby~

images from www.countryliving.com

   

Magazine Purge

I don't know if it is the beginnings of spring cleaning or what.  But something moved me recently to go through my magazine "collection" and discard most of what I had.  I began to pull out of magazine racks, baskets, drawers, back of closets, and wherever else I had "stored" them.  I began to  separate them on the floor. 

Some of my fav's:  "Southern Living.  Better Homes and Gardens.  Real and Simple.  Martha Stewart.  This Old House. Coastal Living.  Country Living... 

Plus catalogs from Ballard Designs.  Pottery Barn.  Talbots. Chicos......  

After I took the above picture I found more.  And more.  And some  m o r e.   

Like any girl, I love my magazines!  All those dreamy pictures, helpful articles, delicious recipes.  It is hard to part with them.  But seriously!  When did I think I was ever going to read them again?  What did the year 2004 have that 2011 doesn't?  2004 was the oldest magazine I had.  

Now in my defense, a lot of these magazines I didn't buy off the newsstand.  They were either given to me or I purchased them second hand.  But I knew I needed to bite the bullet and purge. 

I divided them up in bundles and tied them with string for easy hauling. I didn't count them.  I was afraid to. 

Yesterday I dropped them off at my neighborhood thrift store for them to resell.  It helps to know, at least, they aren't going in the recycle bin, lost forever!

But don't cry for me!  No sir.  Lookie, lookie what I now have!

New 2011 magazines! :-)  Out with the old, in with the new, that's what I always say.

My mom gave me a subscription to Southern Living.  I purchased a subscription to Better Homes and Gardens and Country Living off of Amazon.  Did you know they have the lowest subscription rates around? 

I have made a promise to myself to clean out my magazines every 6 months. 
Lord help me.  

It actually feels good to have just a few magazines around, so much easier to enjoy.

What about you?  How do you maintain your magazine "collection"?  When do you toss and when do you keep?  Do share!

Thanks for stopping by!  Libby~ 

Linking up to the following parties!


Wow us Wednesday with Savvy Southern Style


Anti-Procrastination Tuesday with New Nostalgia