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Time Inc is slashing hundreds of jobs (600 hundred to be precise), but due to reasons known only to them they are doing it in small numbers each day. Reuters has now confirmed that the Cottage Living Magazine staff is laid off and in doing so around 38 jobs have been lost. The remaining 11 workers would be adjusted some place else.

Meanwhile Peter Kafka has got the memo sent out to Time staffers about what would commence at Cottage Living:

November 18, 2008

To:         Time Inc. Employees

From:     Sylvia Auton

Re:         Cottage Living Magazine

I regret to inform you that we will no longer be producing Cottage Living magazine. The November/December 2008 issue, on newsstands now, will be the magazine’s last. Cottageliving.com will also shutdown. However, the company will keep the brand alive in one of its other leading shelter titles and these plans will be finalized over the next few weeks.

Since its inception, Cottage Living attracted significant advertiser support and fostered a loyal following among readers. However, the economic downturn has particularly affected the shelter market and while the brand was genuinely loved by readers and advertisers alike, the economy inhibited its ability to grow and therefore, sadly, we had to make the decision to close it.

Cottage Living launched with a unique editorial mission. Its readership celebrated community and character over conformity, personality rather than perfection, and informality instead of pretension.  The brand’s tagline: “life just right,” showed how one could ‘live large,’ even luxuriously, in a lighter footprint.

Launched in September 2004 with a circulation of 500,000, the brand quickly grew to 650,000 in January/February 2005.  One year later, Cottage Living increased its rate base to 900,000, and then to one million in January/February 2007.  Cottage Living also produced many one-time special interest publications including Cottage Christmas and Cottage Makeovers.

Cottage Living also received many industry accolades including AdWeek’s “2005 Startup of the Year” and Advertising Age’s “2005 Launch Worth Watching.” It was also named to AdWeek’s “Hot List” 10 Under 50 list for two consecutive years: 2006 and 2007.

I want to thank the many dedicated and talented Cottage Living staffers. It was developed, edited and published by some of the best talent in the business and we can remain proud of its many achievements.

S.A.