“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.”

~ Ruth Reichl

In four short sentences, this quote wraps up all I love about my new favorite magazine…

{Bella Grace: Life’s a Beautiful Adventure}

If you’re a regular CHIC Scribe reader {and thanks for that!}, you know I love inspiring words, creative expressions, beautiful photography and uplifting messages.

I found all that and more in this new magazine published by Stampington & Co. {volume 1, issue 1 published this summer}.

I stumbled upon it one lazy Saturday morning browsing the racks at Barnes & Noble. It’s not inexpensive {$19.99}, but I tell you, it’s worth every penny.

In her introduction to the magazine on Page 3, Editor-in-Chief Christen Olivarez notes…

“Bella Grace is meant to be savored… It is meant to get tossed in your beach bag, or tucked under your pillow to enjoy before bed. It is meant to be read over and over again. It is meant to inspire you to see the beauty and the magic that surround you, no matter where you are. It is meant to be written in and dog-eared. It is meant to accompany you on this beautiful adventure that is life.”

I had my doubts when she mentioned the word, “savored”… really?  Savor a magazine?

One article in I was hooked.

Halfway through I wanted to share the magazine with all my friends.

When I turned the last page after 36 articles and roughly three hours of reading/thinking {all in one sitting!}, I’m not sure “savored” is a strong enough word.

This might seem a little over the top, but I enjoyed the “book-a-zine” {160 pages!} that much.

If a magazine can glisten your eyes, touch your heart and warm your soul all at once, this is it.

Here are some additional thoughts about Bella Grace from readers who took the time to comment…

• “I thank you so much for your beautiful publication. I came across it today and it brought tears to my eyes because it reminded me when I was living more authentically. How I’ve missed that version of me!”
• “Just received my copy of Bella Grace in the mail. I have only read the letter from the editor and I am already in love. This is the magazine I have been waiting for my whole life. This is the magazine that speaks to my soul.”
• “The feel and touch of this magazine is unbelievable. When your fingertips flex across the pages, the sensation is full and complete, an experience not easily forgotten.”

Here are a few headlines to pique your interest…

These articles / stories {printed on heavy-stock, matte paper} were a big inspiration in my recent SOUL Rest.

Read a little. Think a little. Pray a little.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Just a few guidelines before you crack Bella Grace’s covers {which include handy bookmarks, by the way}:

• Dedicate at least an hour or more {you won’t want to stop once you start}.
• Pour yourself a cup of hot tea and snuggle in with a blanket… You’re going to want to be there a while.
• Savor the stories in silence {nothing to distract from the lovely writing}.
• Have a pen/highligher and journal at the ready… trust me, you’ll want to to make notes.

A few of my highlights and margin musings…

Each article easily could inspire its own blog post. The magazine is chock-full of:

• Workbooks and writing prompts
• Salutes to slowing down
• Simple pleasures
• Beauty in the ordinary
• Quotes from admired authors and artists
• Personal permission forms {yes, you CAN postpone [insert-that-chore-that’s-hanging-over-your-head]}.

Do yourself a favor and discover Bella Grace, too. You’ll thank me later.

The first issue reminded me of the beauty of our own stories ~ as beat up, stomped upon and bedraggled they may be.

It also showed me the great beauty of sharing these special stories with others who may benefit.

One contributing writer, Katie Thurmes, writes,

“And so you ~ and I. We are each the keepers of our own story ~ of the kindness we choose to share, of the struggle from which we choose to rise above ~ and our own joy, too. Today, shine powerfully. Let the rain of your life ~ be it from a leaking roof or the disappointment of 1,000 moons ~ find redirection toward something greater. Walk in the sun. Choose joy.”

Choose joy. I think I’ll do just that.