country life

I picked this magazine - "Lantliv" means "Country life" - up by chance about a year ago and it was kind of love at first browse, despite it being quite ridiculously expensive - you get two pocket books for one issue of this magazine, and with the books you escape all the annoying commercials, still I'm, so far, quite smitten by it...

Because it's full of inspiration for crafting and creating - or buying if you're not gifted with a creative streak yourself - interior decoration, gardening, cooking - loads of vegetarian recipes, or easy to turn vegetarian, me like! - travelling - mostly discovering different parts and hidden gems in Sweden - really pretty and drool worthy fashion pages and some nice articles on people having found a new or different style of life - often inspirational but perhaps dash too cheerful when a glimpses of depth and insight would have made the piece a lot more interesting - and simple tips on beauty products, food, museums, exhibitions, books and movies.

Though, as with most things, everything isn't hunky dory, there are three things I'm very less than impressed by in the magazine, three things I skip reading because the annoyance factor is just too high. (But still, overall percentage wise there are still loads of goodies to read, look at, have a think about in the magazine.)

The three, very, less than good things are -

1. the ridiculously forced, repetitive and quite less than well written editorial. I'm sure the editor is a woman who does her job as responsible publisher well, but she just can't write. So please, please let someone else do that instead, will you.
2. the interior decoration articles from different people's "country style" homes and houses, in 95% of the cases they do look the same. The home owners clearly read the same interior design magazines and the same blogs and it is white, white, white, sterile and what could have been charming with a splash of colour and a bit of eccentric mess turns, when you've seen 25 houses that look with very tiny variations just the same, dull and uninteresting. Repetitive as the editorial. The owners even dress rather similar. Strikingly often they also blog about their houses. Blog in a way I find... well, let's say, less than interesting. Stepford families gone modern.
3. the above articles are written in a very similar jovial, simple manner that makes one think they've only changed the names and the exterior photos, otherwise it's the same article and the same photos in every issue. I've so stopped reading those articles. Read one, read them all.

But for the truly inspirational bit, a whiff of country life even if you happen to live in the city and of course all the lovely seasonal photos - I recommend having a browse and a read in "Lantliv". Perhaps not every issue, but now and then, when you feel like a treat and looking for some ideas for turning those old chairs, that cupboard, that lamp into something new and sweet to live with. And some new, easy to make vegetarian recipes.

I'm not much of a magazine reader - so much more of a book devourer - but if I had to mention, twist my arm, one favourite magazine of mine, this one would be it. Right now. Do you enjoy magazines? If so, which one is your favourite and why?

As if by chance, actually, my cough drops match the magazine, clearly the issue oozes inspiration at first sight.