I’m on a magazine kick today, right? I can’t help it. Once I get on these topic rollercoasters I have a hard time breaking free. My current fascination is with Elle Decoration South Africa because Heather Moore, an editor on their blog (thanks, Heather!), sent me an issue. I love it, especially this particular one shown on my table below with the cherry blossoms in all their glory on the cover. Flowering branches in the home, outside of rosemary and olive topiary trees and peonies, are my favorite things to put on display — though very hard to always find since they are seasonal and not all flower shops carry them even when they are in season. So when I cannot have real cherry blossoms, I will casually lay my pretty magazine on the coffee table to bring in these beautiful blooms.
This magazine is not only gorgeous on the outside but the guts of it are ever so tasty! It’s too good to pass up. Elle Decoration whether in SA or other countries, are all quite amazing publications. Nothing at all like Elle Decor (US) which is beautiful as well but on a very different level, much more high society I think. Elle Decoration, on the other hand, feels more creative and approachable to all income levels in my opinion, like a lot of the things you see you could almost reproduce yourself if you had the right color of paint or the patience to hand create something that inspired you.
Here’s a peek of ED South Africa Spring 2009 (current issue) below, these are my low res scanned copies but hey it’s some bait to entice you. To enjoy the full high res beauty and perfect photography on every page you’ll need to purchase a hard copy or visit their website. I particularly LOVED the home of stylist Tracy Lynch, the dresser below is her magical creation. Of course I love the use of doilies over the bed and all of the butterflies. It reminds me of the decor8 blog logo/template if interpreted into decor. :)
Now let’s talk about magazines in general for a moment because like you, I’m addicted to them and I want to talk about why and what we can all do to keep magazines in circulation. First of course, to really help magazines we need to be careful about how much of their content we show on our blogs. If we scan in every page then no one will buy a hard copy, right? Though, I know this won’t sit well with some of you, but I had to say it. Think about it when you blog though. It matters.
And next, I must confess that when it comes to magazines I prefer print over digital sometimes because I think there is nothing better than holding a book and reading it or sitting on the sofa listening to your favorite music with a mag in hand that you’d saved for that exact moment.
Online, I have blogs and online mags that I go to for inspiration — but it’s a different medium and a different feeling altogether. Not better or worse, different. It’s like saying Italian food is better than Thai food. How can you say this if you love both equally. And that feeling of blog/online mag love is often centered around the fact that what I find online is often of-the-moment and so this often fuels my need to know about the best and latest. As a writer, I need to know these things to stay on top of what’s what in order to produce interesting content. Print publications, due to schedules and such, cannot generate content as quickly which is why most of your popular magazines have blogs with experienced editors writing about those must-have items that didn’t make it into the magazine.
But a print magazine is a bit of history in your hand, you can reference it at anytime in the future as long as you keep your copy in good shape. And the smell of paper, yum. Same goes for books. I could never get into reading books online or even on handheld devices kindle (sorry, kindlers out there) because I love the paper smell so much, holding something vs. scrolling through, and of course you cannot read everything online because not all you find it fact-checked, verified, or even true. Plus, it’s not always good for your vision to only read from your computer. Plus there is something long lasting about a book. You cannot (oops!) delete a book but you can delete a blog post by accident as I’ve done many times in the past – then that content is gone for good. You cannot fry a magazine but you can fry your harddrive. Things like that make me cherish print stuff in addition to the digital goodies.
I think blogs and books and magazines call all live happily together in the same universe though. I don’t think one needs to push out the other. Currently publishers are battling over this topic and some are really upset that blogs exist, others still don’t understand the fascination with blogs, and still others just want nothing to do but work with bloggers because they know that we have a powerful position here on the web with all of us pulling together to form this great big community of friends and colleagues. But I say both magazine and blog and digital mag can live in harmony.
To illustrate: People still go to the movie theater despite that they know in a few months the same film will release on DVD, which they can show in their home with their pimped out audio/visual system for a lot less money than a movie night out. But they still go see movies just the same. It’s a different experience — the crowds, the smell of popcorn, the sounds of others reacting to the picture before you. I love that moment when you enter your favorite newsstand and spot the latest issue of the magazine you anticipate each month. It’s a fleeting moment, but a moment just the same that matters and brings a burst of joy. I’m all about these mini bursts and love to feel excited over something now and then. That’s why I still love to see a movie on opening weekend vs. a month later. Of course, we’re all so different in this respect but this is how I see it.
(download this as wallpaper here.)
But I’ll say it again and again on this blog, print magazines will always remain one of my favorite purchases to make and I’m very brand loyal to several ones out there. Which is why when Domino crashed and Blueprint fell apart, then all the others afterwards, I almost felt like there was something lost in the design community in the states that once drew us all together. There was, and still is I think, a HUGE hole that nothing else is filling with some of our favorite magazines gone. Whether that will change or not still remains to be seen. But certain movements or feelings or things, I believe, cannot be replaced and one just has to move on. Perhaps that whole Domino/Blueprint era was only a stepping stone. But it’s still sad. Often when my friends here ask me what magazines I miss the most from the states I cannot point to very many because most of my favorites folded. I want to encourage you to continue buying and supporting magazines you love even though you read tons of blogs. Print is really good, print is your friend. :) Sure, you can flip through them at the library or magazine stand, but if you really love and want to see your favorites stay around, buy them and encourage your friends to buy them too. A world without magazines would be a world that I hope I never have to live in! We have to work to make sure that this never happens.
Okay, I’m off for the day… I’ll spiral no more down into my rabbit hole of thoughts and dreams of what ifs and how cans. I’ll simply go out and buy a coffee and then, a magazine. :)
(images: holly becker scanned images from elle decoration south africa for decor8)
September 16th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Holly Molly!..I would say Holly!
What a W O N D E R F U L post! I loooooove Elle Decoration and purchase a few issues myself once in a while. I find Tracy Lynch’s home very appealing to me…only that I can totally forget about such a look, since I ‘m sure my man would not exactly be thrilled with the presence of these cuttest butterflies! Or anything too ( for him ) feminine, romantic or sweet. How do you manage?
September 16th, 2009 at 9:36 am
I love magazines! when I moved to my new house I buy special boxes to put on my studio for my magazines collection :) I always look for something that I saw in one special issue, (maybe years ago). I think like you, there is nothing like read my favourite magazine with a cup of tea or coffee. I enjoy that soooo much.
A big hug Holly!!!
Georgina´s last blog ..poema de la semana
September 16th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Elle decoration is amazing- and I totally agree with you- magazines are a special and unique way to find inspiration. You can rest your eyes from the computer- and sit on your couch with a nice cup of tea- and relax. No typing, no scrolling. I love the feel of the pages and the smell. Call me crazy, but I do.
Rachel B´s last blog ..Sale in my shop!
September 16th, 2009 at 9:52 am
I’m a big sucker for Cherry Blossoms. Ugh, why is Spring so FAR.
Catherine Blair Pfander´s last blog ..Thuy
September 16th, 2009 at 10:08 am
I completely agree that magazines need to be saved. It’s sad how many have folded lately. I especially love foreign mags such as British and Italian Vogue, British Country Living, World of Interiors, Selvedge, and many others which fall into the “HOW MUCH???” category. They seem to have tons of beautiful photos and take chances with more unusual layouts than American ones.
Domino, Home Companion, Budget Living, Cottage Style – all missed very much around here…
September 16th, 2009 at 10:26 am
My dad just brought me a Danish Elle Decor and a German Architectural Digest this past weekend fresh from his time in the airport business lounges. (yeah dad!) I have to say I honestly don’t buy magazines much since we moved here to Germany, but there really are so many fun ones! They can be good material for a German learner in that the articles are usually short and feature a lot of repetitive vocab…heh, that’s what I tell my hubby on those rare times I DO purchase a stack of mags! ; )
Can I just say how surprised I was at the German AD?!? I used to be in major love with AD back when I was in high school in the early 90’s and I had a subscription to it. My friends thought I was so weird, ha ha, but back then it was really different for me. I moved on to other mags, but this weekend – at least the German version, has me thinking about picking up AD more often!
juliette´s last blog ..Corner View: September and a Science Fair
September 16th, 2009 at 10:33 am
OOh cherry blossoms on the cover….sooo pretty.
Yeah, I miss Domino. It’s a great magazine for my art inspiration. It also made my eyes happy.
Heidi Alamanda´s last blog ..Group show @Creative Arts Workshop
September 16th, 2009 at 11:02 am
I completely agree with you, i love the “paper factor”. My favourite magazines are Elle Decoration UK (wich is the only Elle Decoration I can get here in Italy and it is very similar to the SA mood I think), Country Living UK and US and an italian magazine called Casafacile. Hachette Home can be quite nice as well, but most of the italian design and interior magazines are too high society – as you said – so I don’t buy them very often.
Cinnamongirl´s last blog ..Autumn picks
September 16th, 2009 at 11:17 am
I agree on the print vs. digital for mags. My online “behavior” is not suited to flipping pages and enjoying each and every page of a new magazine! *tear* I miss Domino!
Frugal Bon Vivant´s last blog ..40% Off Coupon for Banana Republic: Cardholders
September 16th, 2009 at 11:31 am
I love SA Elle Decoration (I’ve been reading it for a little bit now).
Erin Stanton´s last blog ..My favorite color is orange…
September 16th, 2009 at 11:32 am
Hi Holly – How lovely to see Elle Decor SA featured here. That cover makes me so happy as we head into Spring. Tracy’s styling is beautiful and so whimsical. The amount of pretty and pink in her home seems to suggest a man secure in his masculinity! You should check out her husbands work too: http://www.frank.co.za A talented couple.
Kat´s last blog ..Jozi
September 16th, 2009 at 11:45 am
I think your comparision of buying a print version to going to the movie theater is a really smart one. There will always be people out there who enjoy the experience of holding printed matter in their hands and who will be willing to pay for it. The number may be smaller than the publishing world would like, but if they adapt to the market, they will still survive.
September 16th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I am a close-to-mad Real Living fan. This summer while I was hanging around in Bangkok, I often went to a lovely bookstore with a Starbucks right in the middle of it and curled in a leather armchair with a freshly-printed mag and a freshly-brewed coffee… I am feeling totally stupid I didn’t buy it!
I bought some older copies (from 2006) at the Chatuchak weekend market and flipped them through until I knew most headlines by heart!
Now I am a happy subscruption owner and, with a quiet but intense anticipiation, waiting for that November issue to appear in my mailbox (*sigh*)
I totally support your idea of buying mags to keep them alive – that’s why I invested in Living etc, too!
Lovely Sunflower´s last blog ..Chaos Vs Feng Shui
September 16th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Lovely Sunflower – me too! I subscribed to it last week and cannot WAIT until it starts to be delivered to my German home. :) :)
September 16th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Such a great post, Holly! I’m glad you take the time to reflect on how both blogs and print are important, and how they can co-exist peacefully. :) It’s sad that so many great design magazines have died off, and I really hope people continue to support print even though online content is so popular now. I love to get, read, save, and display magazines, and as much as I love blogs, they will never be a tangible thing that I can own and keep (and clip pages out of!) like I can with magazines.
alli michelle´s last blog ..french inspired
September 16th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
While I’m really into not wasting paper, I cannot deny my love for reading real in-your-hand magazines! They are a must for any flight I take, and I will read and re-read each issue over breakfast, after work, whenever. There’s something about being able to flip through pages, tear some out, smell the perfume ads, not have annoying popup ads for Netflix like you do online… it’s just a different experience, as you said!
Anjuli A.´s last blog ..Eat Your Veggies Shirts!
September 16th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
love the “A Stitch in Time” section!
September 16th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
What you say about magazines is so true and I must say I love to read so many of them especially French magazines (MC Idées, Elle Décoration and some other magazines) and some German magazines (Living at Home, Living and More). I feel like you very happy when I find a new issue of one of my favourite magazines at the newsstand!
Bea´s last blog ..Blau-Gelb/Braun-Grün/Blue-Yellow/Brown-Green
September 16th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
I’m 100% with you! I’ve been an avid magazine reader since high school & while I enjoy some great online mags (like Antler … etc.), print is print. The feeling of holding something in your hand and experiencing it is much different than experiencing “it” while viewing a computer screen.
September 16th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
I am so with you….there is nothing like it. I love mags and always will and STILL miss Domino. What can I say…..I am dying to get my hands on some of the ones you posted here, and boho mag. *sigh*
Love.
xo
Melis
Melissa de la Fuente´s last blog ..It’s my bag, baby!
September 16th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
SUCH pretty colors.
The Perfect Palette´s last blog ..Pretty in Pink: A Sweet Romance.
September 16th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Beautiful blossoms–and I love magazines, and printed materials in general too. There’s just nothing like holding it in your hands. I also hope that there is a place for everything.
blue bicicletta´s last blog ..A Quiet Calm
September 16th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
Great Blog topic. I am huge magazine addict. I love to rip out my favorite pages and put them up on my bulletin board for inspiration. I definitely have a storage issue and try to keep only my favorites…famous last words. Old magazines are super handy to look back at for design ideas. There’s nothing like paper!
September 16th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
In my case, mags are an easy way to practise English (real English, not the one you learn at school), as I usually buy Uk or US issues. And although blogs are great, you cannot tear the pieces you like to save them in notebooks, wallets, … or draw big circles on the coolest items!!
September 16th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
There’s nothing like getting my favourite magazines in the mail and not opening them right away… but waiting until I have the time to sit with a cup of herbal tea in a comfy place and savour the moment, getting lost in the pages. I can be a bit of a magazine junkie too and nothing would ever replace the ritual of sitting and devouring my faves. Reading on screen just doesn’t cut it – I seem to lose interest more quickly.
On another note, I’ve always been astonished at the ridiculous subscription rates for magazines in America – like 12 issues for $12. Here in Australia we obviously get a discounted rate, but it’s not a huge discount. I realise that we don’t have the population to support huge circulation, but it makes me wonder if the low, low prices in the US have contributed to the downfall of some titles.
September 16th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
I can’t imagine a world where all you read from is a Kindle. You can’t read in the bathtub with that! There is just something about holding a book in your hands that an electronic device will never replicate.
For all those people missing flower blossoms, I just read a blog tutorial via iDIY yesterday showing you how to make them from tissue paper. Very pretty and realistic too.
http://zakkalife.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-to-tiny-delicate-tissue-flowers.html
September 16th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Wow, Holly, glad you did it, too! I guess soon there’ll be one more excited mag post to read :)
Btw, thanks for the Toast hint, only got their clothes catalogue but it s totally lovely, looking forward to the homey one even more!
Lovely Sunflower´s last blog ..Chaos Vs Feng Shui
September 16th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Great post – I’m going out to pick up a mag or 2 if I can find one that I don’t already subscribe to. (My husband calls my magazine subscriptions PERSCRIPTIONS!)
F.
Fiona Richards´s last blog ..
September 16th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Oh so pretty! :)
I love print magazines too but I have serious storage issues…I can’t bear to tear pages out and file those that I love the most because they would mean most of the pages anyway..argh! So I do appreciate the beauty I get to savor online…
September 16th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
I love print magazines! I save my magazines and am looking forward to a go-thru of my collection. I love the paper and the different textures. I also love my clippings from magazines- revisited and re-used.
Your blog has been a continual celebration of beauty, light, and style. Thanks!
September 16th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Holly, i’m so happy to read your enthusiasm for print. i am not a magazine buyer (very often) but i do have a passion for print and the printed word – without it i would be out of a job!
lindsey clare´s last blog ..blooms in yellow
September 16th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
oh and WOW, that is one stunning magazine cover. i downloaded the wallpaper straight away!
lindsey clare´s last blog ..blooms in yellow
September 16th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
I have to agree. Online is great for keeping abreast of things, but it cant compare with the tactility of actually holding a magazine. Pouring over it. And dont we all love when we open the mail box and see that lovely little glossy staring at us longingly?
I actually did my premier post on the subject for my recently launched blog.
Kevin Isbell´s last blog ..Bed Hangings
September 16th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
Great post! So true, a blog can’t compare to a magazine! While, of course, I love blogs, losing yourself in a good magazine is such a different experience! There are very few mags out there that I buy lately, much too formal in their design approach right now.
SO glad I saved all of my Blueprints!!! I’ve been going through those again, and Cottage Living and Domino, all of my old favorites! There was something for everyone in those publications. And every time I go back through them, I see something I didn’t notice before, just like a well-loved movie! Once a mag that I love finally comes out, I’ll be sure to squirrel it away, too!
Jessie´s last blog ..just where have I been?
September 16th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Well said Holly, you cannot replace that feeling when your favourite mag arrives in the letterbox! So happy to see from some of the comments that Real Living is getting a bit of international love too. I have all the Real Living mags with the exception of 3 issues (that I am keeping my eye out on ebay for!) and I don’t think I will be able to part with them. In fact I rarely part with any of my mags – which might become a bit of a problem for my family when I’m seventy! Print and I are very good friends :)
julie´s last blog ..a little bit of my place: green
September 17th, 2009 at 12:57 am
I agree with you – bloggers should not post too much from a magazine-just enough to tease the viewer. You did this well with the photos from the SA Elle Decoration. The only thing is…they don’t sell Elle Decoration SA in Hungary! URG! I want to see the rest!
September 17th, 2009 at 4:49 am
This is a really inspiring post. Indeed there is nothing like having in your hands your favorite magazine! And then going in a summer day to the beach with your favorite mag! and browser through it read what you feel like it, leave the rest for the next day!
Not so practical with a laptop in the sand :P plus batteries run out really easy.
I do love reading blogs specially yours! but i have to agree there is nothing better then having a printed mag!
If you live abroad like me and still like to get your favorite country mag you normally find the most important ones in the airports magazine stands .. yep they are a bit more expensive.. but a treat from time to time is good!
September 17th, 2009 at 5:14 am
How well you described my own magazine obsession. These are my comfort tools. When things get too harried at work and deadlines approach, my stack of unread magazines grows. I take comfort in the fact that when things ease up a bit, I’ll be able to crawl into bed, early, early in the morning of the weekend with my strong coffee, before anyone is up, and escape into the glossy pages I love so much. And I save them like a treat. It’s been a hard year with the loss of Domino, Country Home and Cottage Living, three of my favs. None of my friends share my magazine love, but when my sister visits, she delves into my stash with glee.
September 17th, 2009 at 7:42 am
What are nice magazine, so inspiring!
p.s. I think those are magnolias, not cherries on the cover..
September 17th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
I also agree on the print vs. digital for magazines. I am already to much online and really enjoy my time offline, some quitet, slow time…
September 17th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Wow! I totally agree. It has not been the same since my favorite magazine Domino folded and then House Beautiful and many others as well. I read and re-read my piles of magazines before I had ever heard of a blog. I feel like reading a few blogs has somewhat replaced that for me since so many good magazines are no longer. I have found a few new ones to take their place though and will probably still keep reading magazines as long as they exist. Nothing like a good decorating magazine and as well, a good decorating book too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this and for sharing Elle Decoration SA.
Melissa Allam´s last blog ..Thursdays Creative Thrift
September 17th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
I completely agree!!! I subscribe to over 16 magazines a month (I know, I have a problem!) and I get so excited when they show up in my mail box. I can’t seem to get the hang of the digital print magazines, I am an avid blog reader/lover and have my own blog but for some reason a digital magazine just isn’t the same…they are different than blogs and not nearly as much fun to flip through as a real magazine is and what would you take on vacation with you or on long car trips and what would you read at the dentist’s office if you didn’t have magazines!!! I would have to start lugging my laptop everywhere with me, that would get old fast! Yes, yes, let’s all support magazines!!!
The Design Boards´s last blog ..Daily Design Inspiration
September 17th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I totally agree! And, as a marketing consultant, I am fully behind print as part of a media plan. As a friend of mine recently said, ” It’s all part of the consumer journey…one is not better than the other.” I wrote about my love of print here [http://tinyurl.com/o4nj9y]. Thanks Holly!
Barbara´s last blog ..EQUESTRIAN LOOKS | SPORTY CHIC
September 17th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
For me, if I feel I’m getting a lot of value out of a magazine, my preference is always to own it in paper form (sorry trees!), and if possible subscribe to it. I like folding down corners as I read when I find something I want to dig into more later, and tearing out pages that I want to keep.
I really miss my Domino subscription…
TracyElaine´s last blog ..A Few Pretty Things I Love
September 18th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
South Africa has some great magazines!You can get Elle Decoration in the States if you subscribe (more info via their blog http://elledecoration.co.za/). You can also get more design, art and craft info from South Africa on my blog, too. South Africa has a really exciting creative scene, and we’d love to share more of it with our friends everywhere!
kbd´s last blog ..Update
September 22nd, 2009 at 9:10 am
I could add this one to the many magazines that I collect! Very pretty!
Penny Patten´s last blog ..100_4315
October 5th, 2009 at 6:47 am
Great post!
and Inga is right; those are indeed magnolias, and not cherry blossoms
;)
October 13th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Hi Holly, Thanks for the kind words. I love your blog, so inspiring!
Reading magazines on the couch, in the bath, between meetings and instead of working is a luxury I cannot afford to give up!