Sign of the (Economic) Times?

Everyone has their favorite way to relax or ease into their day. With very little time to do that early in the morning before I leave for work (yes, I have a regular "day" job that supports my fabric habit - truly, my only vice!), I enjoy a good cup of coffee and my favorite magazines. Of the five magazine that I have subscribed to for several/many years, the three pictured above - Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, Cottage Living, and Country Home - have been cancelled. That's right - they are no longer being published.

From Cottage Living, I received a postcard in the mail notifying me of the cancellation, and giving me the option to receive a refund for the remainder of my subscription. I really like this monthly publication, and am very sorry to see it's demise after only four short years. Plus, it was based in Birmingham, Alabama, so as an Atlanta-based woman, I was only too happy to support them with my subscriber dollars.

I think I read an internet article about Country Home's last issue of March 2009, but have not yet received an "official" notification . . . I like this magazine, and will miss it, too. But the cancellation that sent me into a tailspin was Home Companion. I have been a faithful subscriber of Mary Engelbreit's magazine for over 10 years, and I have every single issue since I initially subscribed. The amazing thing about keeping these magazines, neatly contained in magazine holders and set comfortably into the decor of my sewing room, is that since 1998, I have moved THREE times, and continued to bring them with me to each new home. Most people would have looked at these stacks and instantly tossed them, but I always felt they were too precious to just throw away. I was deeply offended that I had to learn of this publication's demise via an online blog!!!!! An online blog! I immediately contacted Customer Service via email, and received a short response that I would be receiving more information "sometime in February". When the mailed notification did arrive in the form of yet another postcard, it simply said that the magazine had lost its publisher, and that I would receive Martha Stewart Living for the remainder of my subscription! Ugh! If I wanted MSL, I would have already been a subscriber! This little postcard provided no phone number to contact anyone, just the post office box for MSL. So . . . being a determined person, I sent an email to what I believed to be the home office of Mary Engelbreit, and received a response that basically said the same thing as the postcard, but this time also included a phone number. I picked up my phone, and cancelled my Martha Stewart Living subscription (which I never wanted in the first place), but still I was not satisfied.

So, I wrote Mary Engelbreit directly, telling her how unhappy I am with the way we were notified of Home Companion's cancellation, and I sent a copy to Mark Dunn, president of Moda Fabrics. Mary has recently begun what I hope will be a long and happy relationship with Moda, designing fabrics with that familiar "ME" look, and Moda is the perfect partner to market and merchandise her product. Many Home Companion subscribers are also avid quilters, and I fear that the poor handling of the magazine's cancellation surely offended not just me, but many other loyal readers who would potentially support her through the purchase of her fabric collections.

Sometimes, when you feel strongly enough about something, you need to stand up and let your thoughts be known. I hope you're listening, Mary, and take the time to make things right with your loyal readers! P.S. Mary's website now contains all of the information regarding the cancellation of Home Companion. Thank you, Mary.