What Can This Be???

Remember a couple of posting ago I admitted to my slight addiction to beautiful visual noise??? I shared with you the Scandinavian and French blogs I escape to. Well my addiction really goes deeper then that. I am and have been a hopeless art/home magazine junkie! :) But even worse I'm an elitist magazine junkie. Back in the 80-90s not a month went by without my Victoria, Country Home, Country Living, and Home Companion magazine fixes. They were all stuffed full of incredibly beautiful fluff, eye candy--"Visual Noise". Victoria and Home Companion especially focused on women artist, crafts (wo)men and entrepreneurs. Women who "got it" who were like us, who learned to turn sows' ears into silk purses. Ah but times changed, now the advertises dictate what the content will be. So over the last couple of years I haven't renewed subscriptions to my old favorites, I refused to pay for a mag. of advertisements. :(


When I stumbled in to Bloglandia I also discovered some wonderful publications that like the old friends of the past "got it" and focused on the artist/craft(wo)man. Oye that's all it took for this junkie. There are all the Stampington/ Somerset Art publications, many of the other paper art and jewelry magazines. And the most wonderful part is they are not advertisment driven!!! YAA HOO


One publication I stumbled on when I discovered the Scandinavian and French blogs is a Danish one called Jeanne d'Arc Living. OH MY GOD!!!!! This magazine is stuffed from cover to cover in the most amazingly beautiful homes, gardens, artists, entrepreneurs!!!! The magazine is the brain child of 2 Danish women who started out creating art for themselves, then for family and friends, then started selling it and quietly grew their company without the outside influence of the big marketing/advertising companies. Last winter they decide to publish a mag. and do it basically by themselves. One does the photographing, one writes the articles. The only advertisement they allow is a few women business owners and it's confined to the last pages of the magazine.


The only way you can get a copy in the States is through a cyber or brick and mortar store that sells the girl's merchandise. Then get your order in early cuz the few allotted copies go in the blink of an eye!! :( Mind you the first 2 or 3 publications were only in Danish. Heck you don't care if you can get your hands on one of them. :) With the Fall issue they also publish an English addition!! YIPPIE!! I ordered my winter/Holiday issue from a lovely new cyberstore owned by Tracey Leber, "French Larkspur" LW found it waiting in our mailbox today!!!! YEAH!!!!! SO like a kid on Christmas morning I couldn't wait to rip the parcel open, until I pulled it out of the packing envelope. I was so thrilled and impressed with the way Tracey took the extra time to put together such a beautiful presentation!!! She wrapped the magazine in this incredible brown and taupe jacquard tissue paper Tied it up with a piece of gray trim

Under the trim she added a vintage page from a book of sonnets in French. Then tied a wonderful tag with scenes of Paris

On the back she added a stamp of a Paris post mark. Her thoughtfulness was so amazing!! What a wonderful prelude to the beautiful magaz...no, it's more like a book a beautiful coffee table book!! There is absolutely nothing but the most professional photography and layouts.

Well here I'll let you have a couple of peeks. This issue is done in sepia tones with hints of muted color added. It's reminiscent of old cabinet cards that have had a bit of color wash added here and there!!

They have DYI articles and a few recipes, of dishes for the special occasions that occur.

Then the homes they spot lite are homes of women like us, like me. Happy living in my little house trolling flea markets, thrift stores, and outings of "junkin" Turning those found sow's ears into imaginative one of a kind silk purses :)

You never know Tracey may have a few copies left if you head over to her store. If she does treat yourself to a most delectable afternoon or evening of blissful reading and dreaming along with inspirations to keep you busy well into next year. You won't regret it!!

As for me my Bloglandian friends I'm off to fix a cup of tea and slide between the covers of Jeanne d'Arc Living. Have a most audacious today or tomorrow depending on where in the world you are p;)

PS. Next posting I'll share a couple of projects. Remember the poor naked bisque baby Laurie sent??? :)