Meet Jen! founder & owner

top panel text

...jen o'connor's...Artful Adventures & Daily Inspirations

I Love Art, Adore the Handmade and Treasure the Vintage. I am the Fun Mom, the Silly Friend and the Writer who wants to make more room for beauty in the everyday.

Visit my shop

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Last Issue Announced












I have followed Mary Engelbreit's "Home Companion" magazine for so long now...first as a reader, then a monthly advertiser. The cheery issues have come and gone...and perhaps I am grateful, now more than ever, that I have tucked them away.










Earlier this month, Belvoir Media, the magazine's publisher announced a "suspension of publication"...here's a link to the press release announcing the December - January issue as the last....
The press release reports that the studios of Mary Engelbreit and the other aspects of her business are healthy.
I will miss the magazine's quips and quotes, the artful stories and -- the oh so cute -- monthly paperdoll...Mary's illustrations and happy, colorful style crept into my consciousness in 1983 when I first saw her work. When I was 14 my sister-in-law Joanne gave me a Mary illustrated card. It read, "Life is just a chair of bowlies."...it still makes me chuckle to think of the little girl peering over the arm of an overstuffed chair (encrusted in Mary's omnipresent cherries) to ponder stacks of bowls... Like so many of my paper mementos and treasures, it's tucked here somewhere in the boxes of keepsakes, buried away and awaiting discovery. The magazines will get their own box now too.
...And so, a fond farewell... and thanks to all who made my participation in the pages possible...especially Teresa Fox and Barbara Jones... and a thanks to Executive Editor Barbara Elloitt Martin and her genuine interest in the Earth Angels artists -- many of whom have graced the magazine's "Artist's Studio" feature over the years.
Should I hear of better news for "Home Companion", I will fill you in...as ever, stay tuned! And fortunately...for readers seeking a good dose of artistic inspiration a new magazine is born. "Where Women Create" launches on November 1st...
xxoo Jen O'Connor

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG I will miss the magazine I have subscribed to the magazine since the first issue. Thats where i was first introduced to Earth Angels and other wonderful artist.

Cheryl ~ Minnie Blue said...

What Sad News ~ I have always followed Mary's Magazine from the beginning..... that publication will be so missed~
cheryl ~

Anonymous said...

I have also read this mag since the beginning and have saved all the paper dolls to entertain visiting children.I will miss it as well,SO much inspiration to be had!

DollZandThingZ said...

Sad to hear this, too, especially since I renewed my subscription for 2 years in June. I have all the old copies and have loved and sent her cards forever. "Life is chair of bowlies" has been a smile maker since I received it in a card, too, framed it and kept in my kitchen for 14 years!

Karen said...

It is so hard to believe that Home Companion made is debut in 1996. My gosh, how time goes by so quickly. I remember that first issue coming in the mail oh, so long ago.
I have kept every one of those issues all these years and enjoy them month after month.
I hope she's able to find a new publisher and continue with the magazine. It would be such a loss if we didn't have that to look forward to in the mail.
Jen, thanks so much for letting us
know.
Hugs,
Karen

becca jo said...

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! I love MEHC and was going to ask for a re-subscription for Christmas! i have also saved issues from 10 years ago!


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...