latest issue

[Chyna]

I swear I'm the only one on here who gets this magazine. :) This one was especially good and I think I may have got a brainstorm off the featured house plan. My second storey has always annoyed the beejebees outta me and now I think I've got an idea and something to show to a builder!

Am I the only one who looks for Rex in the magazine now? I swear I'm turning into a stalker! :lol: On a side note I am annoyed about one thing. The issue was on the racks before I got mine. so much for being a loyal subscriber when Joe Schmoe gets to look first.:(

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

I have it, I haven't gotten to read the issue yet. You always beat me to it, Tanya! :)

[Memmey]

I'm waiting on mine. Hurry hurry hurry


By the way Jenn what ya been doing? What have you found thrifting lately????

[ChapterTwo]

<<The issue was on the racks before I got mine. so much for being a loyal subscriber when Joe Schmoe gets to look first>>

Chyna...THAT is the reason I don't subscribe to mags! I don't know if it is true, but once I was told that the discount price of subscriptions (as compared to the newsstand cover price) was because of just that...subscribers get their magazines later.
And I get sooooo anxious, and don't wanna wait!

[cheapdiva]

Is it the March issue? I had always heard subscribers get theirs first - that is one reason I subscribe. And I will say with most of my mags I do get them before I see them on the stands. It was one reason why I stopped with Better Homes, it would be out a week before I got it.

[ChapterTwo]

I don't know if it's because I live so close to the city (6 miles, as the crow flies), but every single magazine I've ever subscribed to is always on the stands first, before I get it in the mail.

[Chyna]

I get all anxious and think something is wrong with my subscription and am tearing thru past issues to check the ending date. I haven't bought a book lately so that makes me even more crazy about getting more magazines in the mail. And I had to let Martha go for financial reasons and going into withdrawals about that too.

[pacificstar]

I'm like the rest of you................I'm still waiting for the March issue. I can't believe how long its been since I got a magazine in my mail box. I take Cottage Living and Coastal Living and their last issue's were a combo Jan/Feb. You would think they would have the March issue to us sooner. Hey March is 4 days away! I'm dying here!

[cheapdiva]

PStar - glad you've checked in with us! I'm dying, toodevious
Rex, what's up with when subscriptions get sent out? Don't you think we should get some kind of priority if we "live" here?;)

[administrator]

I'm in complete agreement that subscribers should get issues first. I'm going to try and get Amy Tubre, our circulation manager to reply right here on the forum. Perhaps she can explain how the magazine mailings work. For those who don't know, Cottage Living is printed in Wisconsin, so you'd think cheapdiva would get the magazine first. Stand by for Amy.

[Chyna]

Maybe the postal service works the same way in Wisc as it does here and it has to go to Minneapolis and then back to the next major city which in my case is just a whole 10 min away just to mail something. In my case it would go from say my house, to Denver and then back to Billings. I could walk faster to Billings then the mail can get delivered there. :rolleyes:

[pacificstar]

I would think since the magazine had two months off the next issue would be delivered on time. I know, I know they didn't have off! I just mean since the last issue was a multi-month issue they would give us a treat and send out our next issue early or at the least on time. I see that in a few days we have March or is this a leap year thing not getting the isssue on time.

[cheapdiva]

I am pretty sure it must be printed at Quad Graphics . . . I think I'll just start driving there to get mine!!!

[Lisa S]

I spent the afternoon moving mulch around in one of our rare sunny early spring days. I won't go into details, but suffice it to say I feel 20 years younger! When I finished, I went to the mailbox and there was the new issue. It's about curb appeal ~ how timely. I'm waiting 'till the kids are in bed and I have a glass of wine in had before I read it.

[Memmey]

Got mine today, it's a nice issue, lots of houses to look at :D

[pacificstar]

Now I'm jealous! I haven't received mine yet! I did get my Coastal Living yesterday so hopefully today will be my lucky day! Mail lady come, mail lady come, mail lady......................where are you????????

[Breezy]

[quote=Chyna;22653]I swear I'm the only one on here who gets this magazine. :) This one was especially good and I think I may have got a brainstorm off the featured house plan. My second storey has always annoyed the beejebees outta me and now I think I've got an idea and something to show to a builder!

I love Cottage Living magazine but can't seem to find it in the stores around here for some reason.

[Lisa S]

This is an excellent issue CL! I saw so many pages that will get torn out and put in my idea folders ~ I just don't have the heart to tear it apart yet.

I'm impressed with the beautiful garden in Seaside. I saw someone else's Seaside garden featured in another publication. Makes me think I need to drive over to the coast in the summer!

[pacificstar]

Another day...........no magazine................

[Chyna]

Mine showed up yesterday (Thurs the 28th). Haven't got very far into it yet. But studying everything I can. Seemed to be quite a few cottage to mcmansion cottages so far. :(

[Lisa S]

Really, I didn't pick up on that. I really loved the gardens. So pretty!

[CM Director]

Hi everyone! I’m Amy Tubre the Consumer Marketing (Circulation) Director for Cottage Living. It is so good to hear that you all love Cottage Living! I’m sorry that some of you haven’t received your March issues yet. Especially those of you who have seen it on the newsstands first! It isn’t supposed to go on-sale at stores until Tuesday, March 4th, but they ship it to the stores a week ahead of time so that they can make sure they are on-sale by Tuesday, and I guess some stores just go ahead and put their copies out early. It takes a couple of weeks to get our magazine out to all of our subscribers so those of you who got yours earlier in the month were in the first “batch” that went out…you probably received just the magazine. If you have any kind-of wrap or piece of mail that had to be attached to the magazine to ask you to pay or renew, you are put in another “batch” so that would make your magazine come a little later. Everyone should have their magazine by the 1st of the month though. But as you know the weather and the post office are both out of our control. If you’d like me to check into your subscription, please feel free to send me your last name and zip code or account number and I’ll look into why you haven’t received your copy yet. Thanks again for being such loyal subscribers!

[WannaBHomemaker]

I got my issue on Wednesday and sat all evening last night reading almost every page! I noticed too the cottage - to - mansion cottage. I like reading about the kit homes, but am kinda disappointed no one was featured from the Southern states. Does CL have "researchers" that seek out these houses to feature or do the homeowners contact the magazine?

[cheapdiva]

mine BETTER be downstairs in my box today!!! I keep all of the issues and then when I hurriedly finish the month's issue I go grab the back issues for that month. I think you should publish at LEAST once a month:D just to keep the faithful happy!!!!

[Chyna]

WannaBeHomemaker

Funny I've always thougth that most of the homes are from the South or at least the Eastern part of the country. Did notice the kits seemed to be mostly Mideast (or is that Midwest) though. My suspicion is that they sort of look on here to see if any of us have something, that was my thought when the subject came up at least. ;)

They seem to show alot of homes from the coasts. If the west it is Oregon, Washington and California. If East it would be Maine or in that seaboard. I think they once had a Wyoming house in there (yes I was shocked) and a few from Colorado.

[aussiegirl]

Hi All,
Speaking of issues and arrival times, how do you find the online version? Does it usually get emailed out a bit earlier. It's the only way I can access the magazine and I, too, get a bit antsy and start hysterically checking my email account around "that time of the month..." I have to stop myself from sending emails to customer service.

[cheapdiva]

Aussie -

You're at the online version. Just get to the home page . . .

And welcome!

[aussiegirl]

Thanks Cheapdiva,
But when I go to the home page to access the magazine, it's still Jan/Feb... I'm hanging out for March!

[pacificstar]

Well, I received mine on saturday March 1st! Sorry I haven't gotten in here sooner to let everyone know but I've been reading this wonderful issue! I loved all the kit houses, they are so amazing. The home in Seaside was so wonderful I could almost smell the fragrance! I especially loved The Good Life section and I almost thought they left it out its usually in the front of the magazine. I love the idea of having 4 chairs in a circle in a room. Really connects folks. Thanks again Cottage Living for giving me hours of enjoyment. Everyone go out and buy this issue its great.

[cheapdiva]

Aussie -
You won't get the current issue until the next one comes out - otherwise, why you spend the money to buy the current issue!!!?

[aussiegirl]

Cheapdiva,
I think I've made things as clear as mud!

Since Cottage living doesn't deliver outside the US (and I'm currently in Aus), I have given a subscription to a friend. In return, I get the digital issue emailed to my email address so I can get my monthly fix. Usually, the digital issue is emailed out before the end of the preceding month but this month I'm still waiting...

In any case, I'll have a look at what's offerred on the website. Thanks!

[dedavis]

I confess that I stopped subscribing, but frequently pick up the latest issue at the grocery store. Yesterday I spent a very pleasant hour looking at the magazine. Loved the gardens! Also appreciate the variety of styles, even though the grosgrain guy's look is way too busy for me, and the young lady's in Atlanta is way too minimal for me. A gray interior in the Pacific Northwest would drive one to drink. Still it's interesting to see how people live.

I too found the remodels thought-provoking. How much space do people really need to live well? Kitchens and bathrooms have gotten so large. I'm a fanatical convert to a small footprint. Give me a small efficient house. Force me to examine all my stuff, because I find I'm happier without so much stuff. The space I do have needs to be versatile, and I love clever storage ideas. Show me how to live using the least amount of energy.

I liked the article on kit homes--you can see how much space people used to have to raise their families. Gordon-Van Tine had a mill in Chehalis, WA, where I grew up. I didn't know that, and am curious to learn more.

Now I am off to daydream about my cottage garden...sweet peas! Primroses!

[Chyna]

I'm with you Deb. My house is probably bigger than yours but it is still quite snug for the three of us. However I wouldn't want it any other way. I still have areas to convert to useful space and well we are planning on adding on some sq footage to the back and converting the bonus room into a family room and changing the wash/pantry into something more useful. We'd also like to add the other side of the second floor and move my dd's room up there. But I'm resisting adding too much footage. My dh was talking of pushing the second floor all the way out to the end of the addition. I voted no, we don't need that much more space! For what? Perhaps a sleeping porch would be nice but more bedrooms. No I don't think so.

I love the whole idea of using each and every inch of space either up or out. Storage under stairs, storage over doorways and not just wall it up and put a door into it. I'm talking taking that extra step and putting in drawers, shelves or tucking somehting under. I find that things need to fill more than one purpose at my house now. And it feels good (which is weird in a way. :() :o )

[Lisa S]

We're all very alike in this way. I like to live smartly in my house. I don't want 3 toliets to clean and more floors to mop.

Our house is 2800 square feet, 1000 of which is an unfinished basement. It's not small, (when we moved in here, it seemed HUGE), but there isn't a lot of wasted space with 5 people and 5 animals. If I were to change anything at all, I'd make the upstairs bedrooms smaller and have another bedroom. But, back in the day, kids shared rooms their whole lives at home. Two of my kids share a room, but since one is a boy and the other a girl, I can see some changes are in our future.

I just had an idea for a thread...

[pacificstar]

Okay I received the April issue the other day and I was wondering what you all thought of the "Green Issue". I would appreicate your views.

[CohenCottage]

We loved the article on pocket neighborhoods. Our house is in a similar cluster of new cottages near our downtown area, but we don't share any greenspace with our neighbors (we do share a driveway). I thought the article did a great job in outlining the positive and negative attributes of these neighborhoods. Living in close physical proximity to our neighbors has greatly increased our sense of community, and we have developed new friendships.

The article on the Northern California house was okay, but I felt like the house itself belonged in Dwell and not in CL. It didn't seem to fit with the style of the magazine, but I appreciate that the editors were probably trying to branch out from the typical Craftsman bungalow style homes are regularly featured.

I didn't like the article on the Serenbe development. The house was nice and I love Bungalow Classic, but as a native Atlantan, Serenbe is NOT a town, it is a subdivision. I can appreciate wanting to live a more rural, relaxed life with access to outdoor activities like mountain biking. That's a huge reason why we moved to Athens. The article failed to mention that the 40 mile distance is actually more like an hour and a half to two hour commute from the city with traffic, so any benefits one might get from living there would be offset by the time spent in the car. It would have made more sense to me if the featured homeowners worked from home or owned a local business (or carpooled in a Prius).

The gardening articles were interesting to read, and we found something in each garden to apply to our own; however, I would have liked at least one garden to focus on native plants or gardening with water conservation in mind. Since we had a total water ban for the majority of last year, an article or featured garden on rainwater harvesting would have been very helpful.

On the whole, I liked the Domino green issue much better than this one, but this was still a good CL issue (even if it didn't fulfill all of my green expectations).

[dedavis]

I agree with your thoughts on the latest issue. I'm going to copy the article on pocket neighborhoods as well as a recent one about a Colorado development to give to our city planner. As this area grows, affordable housing for working people is a huge issue. Ross Chapin (the architect) is just over the mountains from here.

CL keeps trying to show us different styles of houses, including minimal modern designs. I don't see that appealing to the group of us who converse here. We seem to be a hard-core cottage/bungalow/warm and comfy bunch. Seems like that California house was trying to fit into the landscape, and I loved the light pouring into it. But they used vertical-grain doug-fir in the interior. It's gorgeous, but really expensive, and it comes from old-growth trees. Not many of those left, so I don't think you could call using it "green".

The gardens were nice. I like the use of recycled wood. But there was also a lot of lawn. And not much discussion of native plants. I agree with the Cohens about water use. It's a big issue here, and only going to get more important.

[ChapterTwo]

When I get a new magazine in the mail (or am considering buying one at the newsstand), I always thumb through the pages a few times. If I don't find some pages that give me the sparkles, that means it's not really appealing to me. Doesn't mean it's bad, but it isn't inspiring me.