Friday, January 3, 2014

Recommended Reading: Daphne's Diary magazine

This week I discovered a truly wonderful new magazine which, while not a tea magazine, I nonetheless believe many of you would enjoy! I found mine at a Barnes & Noble in Marietta, and it's a UK magazine called Daphne's Diary. You know how that Susan Branch book we were all reading in the fall, "A Fine Romance," featured a whimsical mix of artwork and photos and handwriting that had us all in love? This magazine has a similar style, and the beautiful cover alone was enough to let me know this magazine was going home with me. I also liked the large (about 9 x 12 inches) format.

Inside, there's this wonderful hodgepodge of articles that aren't really organized like most consumer magazines today. In this country, at least, I'm used to magazines having what they call the "feature well" up front, those stand-alone, one-time feature articles that a magazine so prominently displays. That is usually followed by regular departments at the back of the book. Well, with Daphne's Diary, everything appears in this lovely jumble so that you never know precisely what treat you'll come across next! Some of my favorites included a sweet Christmas story (see the handwriting at right), and the pretty teacup cupcakes at left -- no recipe, it's just artwork, but it's lovely!

But if you like recipes, there are indeed some of those too, such as the yummy looking Eggnog Cheesecake at left. The page at right in this spread is pretty typical of those in Daphne's Diary. I loved the home features, the peek into a famous London antiques shop, the feature on using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint to dye fabric, the feature (with how-to photos) on elegant napkin folds—there's much to love here!

And did I mention that there are little gifts tucked throughout as well? This being the Christmas issue, there was an advent calendar to put together, some charming cardboard gift tags designed from vintage sheet music, and even these adhesive labels which could be used at any time of year. This is the second English-language edition of the magazine, which apparently began in the Netherlands (and I so hate I missed Number 1!), and I thought $12.99 was a reasonable price for such a unique, large-format, gifts-included kind of magazine. Let me know if you decide to check it out!

14 comments:

  1. That does look like fun reading!

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  2. That does sound exciting I will look for it.

    Christy

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  3. OK, where is my pencil and paper to start my 2014 "want" list?

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  4. I'll have to see if the magazine is available at my local Barnes & Noble store. It looks like a very nice magazine. Right now, I'm hunkered down inside my nice warm house. I haven't been out since hubby and I went for breakfast on New Year's morning. I'm enjoying these cozy days after the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle. It's tea drinking weather for sure!

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  5. Happy New Year! You already have me shopping for your wonderful finds! I never trust B&N in California, so I got the magazine on line from the UK. They had three in stock and it was $13.80 with shipping. I hope it makes it across the pond! Thank you, as always.

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  6. I was drawn to the cover right away and it looks like a delightful magazine. It likely won't be available here but I'll look for it when in Florida next month.
    Judith

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  7. This looks lovely - will look at B & N for one!

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  8. I have been needing to make a visit to Barnes and Noble, so now I have a purpose for going. Thanks for the review and sharing.

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  9. Fabulous! But any bookstore is over an hour away for us :(

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  10. Will definitely check out Daphne's Diary. Hope our B&N has it.

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  11. That does look like a great magazine. Thanks for your review.

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  12. Que pena, moro no Brasil e aqui não tem esta revista! Beijos!

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  13. I just happened on this magazine today while browsing the magazine racks at B & N and LOVE it!!! I will definitely be picking up my new copy every few months!! ~ Donna E.

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