37/365 Magazine Monday: ME's Home Companion

Here is another installment of magazine Monday!  One of my all-time favorite magazines is: Mary Englebreit's Home Companion.  I have been a fan of hers since the mid to late 80s and am immediately drawn to all things M.E. In 1996 this magazine came out and I was a charter subscriber!  I really loved  getting it.  I would read from cover to cover and then repeat.  In the back was a catalog of sorts with different ME items for sale.  There were always some beautiful homes, or gardens featured, great crafty tips, a  pullout  page with one of her quotes and artwork, and  paper dolls! I even liked the ads, there were always whimsical patterns on fabrics and cool companies that sell paper goods and stationery, some I would have never heard of otherwise.  All the regular articles were peppered with little drawings and characters of hers.  Even those annoying subscriber cards that fall out would have at least one cute picture.  I confess to having saved more than a few, I didn't mind cutting those up, but I never cut up a magazine, although I often wanted to! (That's a whole other side to my crazy brain we won't go into now!) The issues started with covers that also featured her artwork, eventually those were swapped out for typical scenes of amazing living rooms or homes, a bit of a disappointment for me, but it didn't slow down my reading or subscribing!  My favorite issues were the February ones where artists' studios would be featured.  I have noticed lately that I am often sucked into photographs that show where people work.  I love to see classrooms and studios and areas that artists, moms and teachers have organized things for efficiency and creativity.  ME understood all that and there was always so much to see in the photos in this magazine!  You'll notice I am using the past tense, because the magazine had to end a few years ago, I was terribly sad and didn't like not finding it in my mailbox anymore.  It was replaced with Martha Stewart, while I don't really want to 'dis Martha, she doesn't speak to me in the way ME did and does still.  I have been known to get a Martha Mag at times, but she's a little too perfect for me.  ME fit just right.  Now I have to be content to blog stalk her and keep my eye out for cute stuff in stores.  Maybe I'll dig out my old issues and re-read them, because you know I have every one! 

This picture I found online could have been taken by me.  It is the premiere issue on top!  (The girl is selling her collection- she crazy!)  Come back Home Companion, come back!!!!