Hm, I haven't heard of that one before. I don't get to Wal-Mart much, but when I have, I've noticed that they seem to have a few magazines no one else stocks. I've found Romantic Country there and that's been fairly inspirational as well.

-Jenn

Hi Jenn, I just love Romantic Country. It's a special publication, so not monthly. I always watch for it. They say it may become a subscrition--I'd sign up for sure.

I used to subscribe to Romantic Homes too, but they got to where they just showed pics of individual items and not the room shots that I like--and it sort of felt like they were advertizing the items more than giving us ideas--so I didn't renew. Maybe it will change back to how it used to be--more like Romantic Country--then I might take it again.

I think this Southern Lady one may be a special publication of one of the Tea Party magazines. Sure wish I could share a few tablescape pics from it, but don't know the copyright rules about that.

Luvs

I don't think we have that one here up North, or I have never seen it..
I did cancel my subsc to Victorian whatever, that just started republish. Wasn't for me. And Coastal Living...toooo many ads!

I haven't read Southern Lady but a I believe a magazine I'm thinking about subscribing to "TEA TIME" is associated with it. The S.L. one sounds good too, will have to try and find it.

dd

DD, I just received my first copy of 'Tea Time' yesterday. I was hoping for a little more tea 'tables' but there is a lot of delicious sounding recipes! Maybe the next issue wil have a few more tea parties in it, but regardless, it is a nice magazine and I think you would enjoy it.

DD, I just received my first copy of 'Tea Time' yesterday. I was hoping for a little more tea 'tables' but there is a lot of delicious sounding recipes! Maybe the next issue wil have a few more tea parties in it, but regardless, it is a nice magazine and I think you would enjoy it.

oops, how did that happen?!

Thanks Mary. I have looked at it before (on the newstand) and it did have some nice settings for tea so maybe there is variation in the issues. I think I will subscribe to it and give it a try.

dd

Luvs, I've been a subscriber to Southern Lady since the first issue. It's a wonderful magazine, and I don't think you would be disappointed if you subscribed. Yes, it really is that good 99% of the time.

Has anyone bought the book "Southern Lady Gracious Table"..the reviews on Amazon are great, but it's a little pricey...want to see if anyone here would recommend it.
Thanks,
Kathie

Thanks Dreamgoddess, I know that if you like it, I probably will too. Do you know how long it has been out? Maybe I can find some back issues too.

Tea time looks good too, but I don't really need the recipes and I get bored reading about different flavors of tea--all I'd like is the pics of pretty dishes! LOL

Luvs

Luvs, I don't remember exactly how long SL has been out, but I know it's been several years.

Thanks, Dreamgoddess, I'll see if they have a website and look for back issues there.

So what have you been doing? I always look forward to seeing your pretty Victorian decor? Doubt that we've seen all your pretty dishes yet either. And are you still practicing on painting some roses?

Luvs

When I haven't been at my job working, I've been at home working.

I'm not a gardener, but I've been trying to plant a few flowers. I've been looking at lots of different sites trying to learn about gardening. If you could see my yard, I probably have the ugliest one you would ever have laid your eyes on. I've been trying to work on it, but sometimes it seems hopeless.

As for painting, I did order a Donna Dewberry video and two books from a seller on ebay. It's soooo much harder than she makes it look!! I'm really struggling with it. I think I might be better off not trying to do the whole rose at one time. Of course once I sit down to try to practice, my two daughters want to try also. That distracts me and I can't concentrate. Do anyone do roses where you just paint in the rose, then do shading and highlighting?

I'm probably going to be out of a job in the next few months, and unfortunately will have lots of time to practice.

Dreamgoddess,
If you like roses you might want to take a look at Ros Stallcup's work...she has a lot of books out and her roses are very pretty.

Dreamgoddess, you can certainly trace your rose pattern on, then just paint it a solid color and then go back with a bit darker color on one edge of a flat or angle brush and "float" it on where you want deeper color. Then sideload your brush with a lighter color or white and "float" that where there should be high lights. I like to pretend the "sun" is on my right, so the high lights should go where the "sun" would hit.

With that said, the beauty of the One Stroke and other stroke roses is that you get to paint, shade, and high light all at the same time. ;o)

Don't give up, I just know you can do it. Just watch your tape and rewind over specific parts and suddenly you will just "get it".

I can totally relate about the gardening. I'm not a good one either, thankfully this house already had lots of plants and there is a sprinkler system to keep them watered. I do fertilize some and do lots of dead heading on the roses. The best tip I can give you is to add the 88 cent bags of steer manure from Lowe's to your soil--my roses went crazy and look so much healthier since I started using it. (It doesn't smell very good however.) LOL

I am so sorry to hear about your job. There seems to be allot of people going through cutbacks right now. I hope it all works out okay for you.

Luvs

Kathie, check out the prices here on that book. Or any book for that matter.

hugs, Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: Gracious Table

That didn't make sense--the brand new books were cheaper than the used ones! What's with that? LOL

Luvs, guess it just depends on the dealer since prices varied. $21 was the cheapest for that book, but said that was 45% off list price of it at stores.
I got some Southern Living Christmas books off here after Jim suggested them. I bought old ones.
Speaking of Jim, where the heck is he??? I miss him, miss his wonderful pictures, miss his kitties too. Hope he's ok.
And also Prosperity, she hasn't been back on after going to doc last Monday and that may mean she had to stay and have surgery. I'm concerned about her too. Want our good friends back here and doing well.

hugs, Karen

I have subscribed to Southern Lady for the past three years and I find wonderful recipes and articles in every issue. I subscribed to Tea Time last year but will not renew my subscription this year. It is nice but I like Southern Lady better. There is a web site, by the way, with at least one or two sample recipes from each issue.

I like Southern Lady better than Tea Time too but I still want to get a suscription to Tea Time.

Now that we're on this subject...what are your favorite mags? I used to be a magazine junkie & subscribed to Country Living, Country Home, Romantic Homes, Mary Engelbreit's, Batter Homes & Gardens, Paula Deen, Creative Home & Country Almanac but I like a more modern, romantic, country look & many of those magazines concentrate more on the classic country decor. So now I only buy Romantic Homes, Mary Engelbreit's, Romantic Country (wish they would offer a subscription!), Tea Time & Southern Lady.

I like the same ones you do CM, but have to say that with the prices soaring higher and higer and the magazines being mostly advertising anymore--I'm starting to cut back on the ones I purchase. Some are now $6.95 and up as high as $14.95--just getting too high for something that I might not want to keep.

My neighbor and I trade our mags with each other, so that works out great. Twice the reading/drooling/ideas for half the cost! ;o)

I have saved lots of my magazines, and will sometimes pull them out and reread them. (I'm forgetful enough that sometimes I don't remember all the articles, so it's almost new to me again!) LOL

Luvs

I love Southern Lady and Victorian. I can do some damage to the checkbook in magazines. I usually glance thru them first to see if there are things that interest me and then buy lots. I can spend days looking thru these magazines. DH can watch tv and I will be in the books. I just filled the magazine racks at the doctors office with some so others could enjoy them but there are hundreds that I will not part from.

Linda, I can totally relate. I have three shelves with doors on them where I store old issues of mags I really like. I have been trying to pare them down a bit, cutting out the pics or articles I really love so I can get rid of the mag--but some are just so full of pretties that I will never part with them. I love to grab a handful of them and just browse back through them while curled up on the couch with a warm drink. I swear some of them just make my heart "sing". LOL

Luvs

Luvs, I keep the jeep loaded so when I am sitting at the school waiting for GD to get out I have plenty to read and look at even though I have lookd thru them several times there are always something new to see. And recipes books I am addicted to also. You will never find me without a book of some kind. No need to have idle time, always read.