I’ll be honest with you: Although I love living in Southern California, a place with more sunny days than not, I’m not a fan of the heat. While most of my days here are marked by perfectly pleasant weather, the summer months can feel oppressive, with temperatures often rising to triple digits and staying that way from sunup to sundown. We don’t have a pool to dip in for relief, nor does our 100-year-old home have air conditioning, so it’s safe to say that summer is not my favorite time of year.

Still in my never-ending journey to live more in the moment, I’m looking for ways to enjoy this summer season while it’s here, and perhaps even learn to love it a little. To do this, I’m thinking back to my childhood when summer was my favorite season, not because of the break from school (I actually loved school and often cried on the last day each year), but because of the feeling of freedom and lightness I felt back then. This summer, I’m trying to re-create that feeling a few different ways:

1. Making Fewer Plans

Part of the joy of summertime as a kid was long days with no plans other than to have as much fun as possible. As a chronic overscheduler, this year I’m leaving my weekends open so I can say yes to spontaneous lunch dates with friends on patios, nights spent chatting under the stars, or even staying at home and doing whatever I please.

2. Saying “Yes” to Pool Time With Friends

For years, I cringed at the thought of pulling on a bathing suit, but I’ve reached the age where I just don’t care anymore. Now, I have a bag packed with my suit, a towel, and sunscreen, so I’m ready to go whenever one of my friends sends a “Pool?” text on an especially hot day. You’re never too old to do underwater handstands and float alongside your besties while catching up on each other’s lives.

3. Eating Kid Lunch

During the summer, we try to keep our meals light and do most of our cooking outside on the grill so we don’t warm up the house too much. Still, some days call for “kid lunch.” This might look different for everyone depending on what you grew up eating, but for me, it’s a ham and cheese sandwich, Doritos, and a handful of grapes. Add in some sun- brewed tea, and I’m as happy as can be.

4. Creating a Summer Reading List

I always looked forward to the weekly trips to the library to fill up my tote bag with as many books as I could fit in there, and it’s no different as an adult. Though I don’t always go weekly, I still take regular trips to the library to fill up my tote with summer romances and popcorn thrillers to devour.

5. Digging Out My Old Popsicle Molds

When I was little, our freezer was never without a set of homemade popsicles — usually poured from Kool-Aid. I had a favorite mold shaped like a rocket ship, and I’d eat the tip off first, then nibble my way down the sides, sticky fingers and all. This summer, I managed to find similar molds and filled them with freshly squeezed lemonade. The joyful anticipation I felt as I waited for them to freeze transported me right back to being 8 years old and enjoying my frozen concoction barefoot in the kitchen.

Discover more ways to turn summer into a season you adore in Bella Grace Issue 44.

The post A Grown-Up Guide to a Kid-Sized Summer first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.

While I always anticipate the arrival of the warm days of summer, the crisp air of autumn, and slow winter nights, spring is admittedly a season I get excited over. Perhaps this is because living in Southern California, our winters are too mild to get tired of and wish away. Most things stay green here and by February our days are sunny and often warm.

In my ongoing quest to stay present and live in the moment, I’m making an effort this year to welcome spring with open arms, just as I would any other season. Time goes by all too quickly, and I want to enjoy the seasons and everything that comes with each one.

5 Ways to Welcome Spring’s Arrival

1. Create a spring sounds playlist. While I don’t listen to music while I work or read, I don’t like sitting in silence either. A playlist made of the sounds of birds chirping and light rain falling is just what I need in the background of my days.
2. Plant wildflowers. You can never have enough flowers, especially during spring. To keep my vases and jars full this season, I’m going to scatter wildflower seeds in some of the planters we have in our backyard and watch what grows.
3. Host a clothing swap. Spring is a great time to go through your closets and rid yourself of clothes you no longer wear. I plan on inviting friends over to swap clothes and give our wardrobes a little refresh.
4. Change my computer’s wallpaper. This is something I’ve started doing monthly and I always enjoy it. I’ll be swapping my current photo of a snow-covered Central Park to gorgeous tulips (my very favorite flower).
5. Go on a picnic. I often plan to do this during summertime, but the weather is often far too warm for it to feel enjoyable. A simple meal of some meats and cheeses enjoyed in the sunshine sounds like the ideal spring day.

What are some of your favorite ways to welcome spring? Savor the season with our newly released Bella Grace Issue 43.

The post 5 Ways to Welcome Spring’s Arrival first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.

For so many people, it’s clear when autumn has arrived: The air gets chilly, the leaves begin to change colors, and the need to put on another layer of clothing takes hold. It arrives nearly overnight, announcing its presence loudly and in a number of ways.

Not all of us are as fortunate, however. Our search for signs of the changing seasons in Southern California often comes up empty-handed. In the midst of 80- to 90-degree temperatures, autumn arrives much more quietly, with just a few small whispers to let us know it’s come once again. Still, we cling to that first brisk morning, happily order our pumpkin spice lattes while wearing sundresses and sandals, and start our annual rewatch of “Gilmore Girls.” And why do we do this? Because autumn is the absolute best time of year … at least I certainly think so.

I feel like a different person during this time of year … perhaps my favorite version of myself. As the seasons change, I do as well. It seems like I’m a lot more on the go during the warmer seasons, with my time spent at barbecues or on weekend road trips. Once the first signs of autumn appear, I slow down and feel pulled toward spending my time at home. And when the “ber” months begin, I prepare my house for the coziness that’s to come.

Photo by Ekaterina Fedulyeva | Bella Grace Issue 41

10 Cozy Ways to Welcome Autumn

1. Exchange the books on your nightstand for cozy reads. For me, that means putting away my popcorn thrillers and beach reads and bringing out classic mysteries and books with a touch of magical realism.
2. Pack up your summer-scented candles and bring out those with a spicier aroma.
3. Ensure your lamps have new light bulbs. There’s nothing cozy about harsh overhead lighting. Cold nights feel more romantic when lit by the soft glow of lamps.
4. Paint your nails a moody color. In the warmer months, you’ll find me with pretty pastels or something bright. Once autumn arrives, I love to switch this for something darker.
5. Put together a playlist. Fill it with songs to listen to as you cook dinner, sip your coffee, or play boardgames on the couch. I personally like to include a few instrumental songs to play in the background of my days and nights.
6. Set aside an afternoon to make soup or stew from scratch. Nothing says fall like that first comfort meal of the season.
7. Arrange a warm beverage bar on your counter. I don’t have a lot of space, but I like to fill a bowl with packets of hot cocoa and tea bags and place it next to my coffee maker to remind myself to sip on something different every now and then.
8. Place a few extra throw blankets and pillows on your couch. We always have at least one blanket folded on the back of ours, but having a few at the ready encourages everyone who sits down to grab one.
9. Plan a craft or two to work on. While I enjoy watching football on the weekends with my husband, I think it’s extra fun to work on my knitting or make progress in my book bullet journal while doing so.
10. Look for new ambiance rooms on YouTube. Even when the weather doesn’t feel like fall here, playing a video of a cozy scene on my TV never fails to deliver that homey, comfy feeling.

What are your favorite ways to welcome autumn?

Explore more autumn inspiration in our latest issue of Bella Grace, and look for The Cozy Issue Volume 7 on newsstands November 1st.

The post 10 Cozy Ways to Welcome Autumn first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.

Summer is a time of year marked with unhurried moments and simple pleasures. It is when we all seem to slow down — whether intentionally or not — immersing ourselves in the small joys that only come with this season. The days go by at a leisurely pace as we sip tea brewed in the sunlight or doze off under the shade of a tree. The magical days of summer are fleeting, and before we know it, the days will get shorter and the air will turn chilly, and these warm, lazy will become a distant memory. The best way to savor summer is by slowing down and embracing the season and all the delights it brings. Here are 15 of our favorite activities for doing so:

1. Grab a tote bag and head to your local library. Check out as many books as your bag can hold. Find a quiet place where you can read, and make it a goal to go there as often as possible.
2. Purchase a beautiful glass pitcher from a thrift store, and use it to brew sun tea each day.
3. Turn off the TV at night and play games with your family instead.
4. Invite friends over for a classic BBQ, complete with all the traditional foods and snacks. Have everyone leave their phones in the house.
5. Create a playlist that consists of soft music, like jazz or folk, and play it while you putter around the house.
6. Do as much as you can outside.
7. Lay blankets on the grass and spend the evening looking up at the stars.
8. Load up the car with delicious snacks and head to a new-to-you town a few hours away. Try to find somewhere to stop for ice cream along the way.
9. Learn to play a new lawn game and have people over to play it.
10. Teach yourself to make ice cream the old-fashioned way.
11. Find a place where you can dip your toes in some water.
12. Spend the day at a local carnival or fair.
13. Go camping, either at a campground or in your own backyard. Don’t forget the s’mores!
14. Find a difficult jigsaw puzzle and set it up somewhere in your house. Pour some lemonade and make a little progress on it every evening.
15. Dust off your bike (or find a place where you can rent one), and spend the day exploring your city.

Explore more ways to savor summer in Bella Grace Issue 40.

The post 15 Ways to Savor Summer Slowly first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.

As the calendar approaches June, you can begin to feel summer’s arrival in the air. The long days are filled with sunshine that seems to linger in the evening. There is a sense of anticipation as people early count down to the joys this time of year brings with it — from lazy afternoons spent lounging by the shimmering waters to balmy evenings under the starlit sky. Here are some of our favorite quotes that always get us excited for summer.

Quotes That Make You Excited for Summer

1. “This strangely still pause between summer and autumn, greenery and gold, and the heat and rising wind that is once again readying itself to rush it all away in a climactic symphony of color and scent is, in my opinion, one of the best parts about living on Earth.”
— Victoria Erickson

2. “Summer afternoon — summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”
— Henry James

3. “Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.”
— Jenny Han

4. “I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June.”
— L.M. Montgomery

5. “Summer is the annual permission slip to be lazy. To do nothing and have it count for something. To lie in the grass and count the stars. To sit on a branch and study the clouds.”
— Regina Brett

6. “Every summer, like the roses, childhood returns.”
— Marty Rubin

7. “And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
— F. Scott Fitzgerald

8. “Summertime is always the best of what might be.”
— Charles Bowden

9. “Summer, after all, is a time when wonderful things can happen to quiet people. For those few months, you’re not required to be who everyone thinks you are, and that cut-grass smell in the air and the chance to dive into the deep end of a pool give you a courage you don’t have the rest of the year. You can be grateful and easy, with no eyes on you, and no past. Summer just opens the door and lets you out.”
— Deb Caletti

10. “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”
— John Lubbock

11. “One benefit of summer was that each day we had more light to read by.”
— Jeanette Walls

12. “Summer has a flavor like no other. Always fresh and simmered in sunshine.”
— Oprah Winfrey

13. “Then followed that beautiful season … summer … filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.”
— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

14. “Tears of joy are like the summer rain drops pierced by sunbeams.”
— Hosea Ballou

15. “In the tapestry of seasons, summer weaves the threads of joy and adventure.”
— Luna Brightwater

Celebrate the arrival of summer with Bella Grace magazine.

The post 15 Quotes to Make You Excited for Summer’s Arrival first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.

I’ve never been one to make serious resolutions when a new year arrives and instead take two different approaches. I think of the things I will not be doing in the coming year (my “unresolutions”) and I think of what I want more of in my life. You know, those little things that when you do them, they bring you so much joy that you wonder why you don’t do them more often.

It was an uncharacteristically stormy, dark winter in Southern California — something I had never experienced in my lifetime of living here and one I just wanted to pass as quickly as possible. I had completely abandoned all those whimsical things I had vowed to add to my life in favor of just getting through what seemed like months of endless rain.

I missed the sunny days we seem to take for granted here as well as the ability to spend time outdoors whenever I wanted. I missed the delicate flowers that bloom every February in my neighbor’s yard that couldn’t survive the heavy downpours this winter. I missed weekly trips to the farmers market that’s a few blocks from my house, an event that was cancelled more often than not.

Many people think of spring as a time of rebirth, a time when we can put the dark, gloomy days of winter behind us and look forward to happier, brighter times. This year I decided to be one of these people and use the new season as a chance to start anew and recommit to adding more of the little things that bring me joy to my life.

This spring, I’m embracing joy and delight by …

1.  … moving any clothing with a bright color or cheerful pattern to the front of my closet.
2.  … wearing sundresses with my cute new pair of white sneakers, much like I did when I was a little girl.
3.  … eating all things lemon-flavored.
4.  … sprinkling wildflowers seeds in our flower box and seeing what grows.
5.  … opening up the windows as I start my day and closing them as I’m going to bed.
6.  … rearranging the backyard to set up a reading space to enjoy before summer comes and it’s too warm to sit out there.
7.  … writing notes to strangers inside books before putting them in the Little Free Libraries around my neighborhood.
8.  … meeting friends for a scoop of ice cream or a sundae.
9.  … playing soft music while I prepare meals filled with my favorite springtime produce.
10.  … keeping my fingernails painted in pastel shades.
11.  … taking walks through my neighborhood to watch as the yards fill with blooms.
12.  … buying flower bouquets from the grocery store and scattering them around my tiny house.
13.  … enjoying my meals outside whenever I can.
14.  … sitting on the porch and blowing bubbles for my dogs to chase.
15.  … adding my “fluffiest” novels to the front of my “to be read” shelf.

How will you be embracing joy and delight this spring?

Christen Hammons is the editor-in-chief of Bella Grace magazine. She lives in Orange County with her husband and their two rescue dogs.

The post 15 Ways to Embrace Joy & Delight This Spring first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.

After enduring months of cold, dark, dreary days, it can be easy to feel like the sun may never shine again. Putting together a “basket of sunshine” is a thoughtful way to spread some cheer and remind a friend that sunnier days are just around the corner. The concept is simple: gather a collection of comforting things in various shades of yellow.

To make it feel even more special, you can bundle the items and tie them with twine and even add a dried flower here or there. To get you started on your own basket of sunshine, here are some items to look for.

Yellow Gift Basket Ideas

• Teacups or mugs
• Socks
• Candles

Pencils or pens

• Lip balm
• Journals
• Bubble bath
• Flowers
• Linens
• Wine or shampoo
• Face masks

Handmade soaps

• Lotions
• Body or linen sprays
• Uplifting books
• Candies

Lemonade

• Hair clips
• Tea bags
• Nail polish
• Bath bombs
• Stationery
• Body scrubs

We hope you enjoyed these quick and easy gift basket ideas that are sure to brighten anyone’s day.

For even more inspiration, you might also like:

• Must-Haves for a “Bella” Picnic
• Just Because: 21 Acts of Random Kindness
• The Magic of Impromptu Gifts

Christen Hammons is the Director of Publishing for Stampington & Company and Editor-in-Chief of Bella Grace, Book of Lists, Field Guide to Everyday Magic, The Cozy Issue,Somerset Studio, and GreenCraft. She lives in Orange County with her husband and their two rescue dogs.

The post A Basket of Sunshine first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.

As we eagerly wait for winter to begin, here are 30 simple ways to embrace the coziness and comfort we all crave.

Scroll down for an exclusive sneak peek inside The Cozy Issue Volume 5!

30 Days of Cozy

1. Change the lock screen on your phone to something warm and inviting.
2. Make a playlist of the songs that always bring you joy.
3. Watch one of your favorite movies with your phone put away in a different room.
4. Take a walk through the neighborhood as the sun is just starting to rise.

5. Put at least one candle in every room in your house.

6. Sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon in your morning coffee.
7. Bake something, even if you have to use premade cookie dough or a boxed cake mix.
8. Look up cozy ambience rooms on YouTube and bookmark your favorites to play on the
   TV.
9. Spend the day binge-watching a comforting TV show.
10. Make grilled cheese sandwiches and soup for dinner on a stormy night.
11. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to your hot cocoa to make it a little spicy.
12. Add some tub tea to your evening bath.

13. String twinkle lights around your TV.

14. Wear your comfiest cardigan over your pajamas while you relax in the morning.
15. Put together a cozy gift basket for a friend.
16. Place sachets in your dresser drawers.
17. Donate your old throw blankets to a local animal shelter.
18. Buy a book of word puzzles and try to complete one each day.

19. Scatter stacks of books around your house so you’re more likely to pick up one to read.

20. Invite friends over for a backyard bonfire.
21. Make s’mores on the stove.
22. Teach yourself a cozy craft, like knitting, crochet, or embroidery.
23. Visit a farmers market.
24. Eat dinner by candlelight.
25. Paint your nails a deep berry red.

26. Write a letter to a loved one.

27. Host a game night and play old-fashioned games like charades and cards.
28. Attempt to bake a loaf of bread.
29. Buy a new pair of impossibly comfortable pajamas.
30. Make mulled cider.

Download a FREE printable version of this list.

Click the cover below to get an exclusive sneak peek inside The Cozy Issue Volume 5:

This is the newest installment of our popular special edition that is now available!

Get your copy here.

You might also enjoy:
27 Movies for a Cozy Night In · Our Editor’s 5 Favorite Books to Cozy Up With

The post 30 Days of Cozy first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.

As we anticipate the arrival of spring, we’re sharing an inspiring story that celebrates the gift of flowers along with tips on how to host your own floral workshop! This article was originally published in Mingle Winter 2019.

Growing up, my parents’ garden overflowed with flowers and vegetables. My mother would make arrangements for the dining room table, kitchen counter, and each of our bedside tables. Even after our house was filled with blooms, there were still buckets left over. She always kept a stash of mismatched vases in the laundry room, and those would be filled up and loaded into the car. Together we would set off to visit her girlfriends. The gift of flowers meant a leisurely visit on the front porch to catch up.

As a floral designer I love sourcing blooms from across the globe, but it’s the flowers from my garden that remind me of driving with my mother down country lanes on warm summer days. I wanted to share this experience with my own friends, inviting them for a morning of making beautiful arrangements followed by a relaxing lunch at a long table, sharing stories and laughing.

Just across the field from us is Audley Farm, built circa 1760. This 3,000-acre farm is nestled west of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah River in Virginia. On the farm is Audley House. In its long history many families have called it home, including Nellie Custis Lewis, the granddaughter of Martha Washington and the step-granddaughter of George Washington. With its back porch overlooking the mountains and long center hall, it was the perfect space for our floral get-together.

I set up long tables on the porch and an array of blooms from my garden, including dahlias, zinnias, cosmos, and celosia. To make the selection more sumptuous, I reached out to two of my local flower-farmer friends who sent bunches of beautiful blooms for us. To get started, I gave a quick demonstration on how to set the shape and tell a color story with flowers. We spent the morning creating, admiring each other’s arrangements in progress, and enjoying the sun. As each arrangement was finished, fine art photographer Krysta Norman captured portraits of us with our flowers in one of the light-filled hallways of the house.

We set up a series of long wooden tables in the center hall for lunch. With the doors at each end opened, a wonderful breeze kept us cool — 18th-century air conditioning! Lunch came from a local country store specializing in farm-to-table dishes. Letterpress printer and designer Cathleen Titcomb designed stunning menus. After photographs, each arrangement was placed on the table and soon we were lost in a sea of blooms. When it was time to head home, each guest left with flowers and favors curated by Elizabeth Mock of Modern Mercantile: a Rifle Paper Co. journal, a set of Liberty of London pencils, floral clippers, and an apron from Portland Apron Company.

Tips for Hosting a Floral Workshop:

• Get to know your local flower farmer at the farmers market. She can help organize blooms for you. Be sure to include plenty of foliage. Tree branches, honeysuckle vines, herbs, boxwood, hydrangea, ferns, and ornamental grasses can be easily found in your garden.
• You can plan ahead and plant a small cutting garden in the spring to ensure
  blooms all summer long. Many seed varieties do well in containers if you are
  short on space.
• Ask your friends to each bring a bunch of flowers, preferably from their
  gardens, to share.
• Thrift stores are a great place to pick up inexpensive, interestingly shaped vases. I keep an assortment of vases just for house arrangements, many of which were given to me by my mother.
• Keep the menu simple with a fabulous dessert. I love making a rustic fig tart for my girlfriends when we gather. With all these flowers, the table decor is taken care of and you don’t need to plan any additional details.

Julie Abrera is the owner and creative behind Beaumont House Design, a floral design studio in Berryville, Virginia. To learn more, follow her on Instagram (@beaumonthousedesign).

For more floral inspiration, click here to take a peek at the upcoming premier issue of In Her Garden, hitting newsstands April 1st!

The post The Gift of Flowers: How to Host Your Own Floral Workshop first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.

There are some songs that seem to embody the lightness that comes with summer. You hear just a few notes and you immediately feel freer and happier; you simply have to sing or hum along. Instantly the music transports you to road trips, backyard barbecues, naps in the shade, bonfires, and late nights under the stars. In Bella Grace Issue 28, our readers share songs that give them all these summer vibes. Whether you are taking a road trip or simply traveling around town, we’ve created The Ultimate Summer Playlist (on Spotify), so you can listen along with our readers’ favorites all season long.

Follow Bella Grace on Spotify | Listen to The Ultimate Summer Playlist

What are songs are on your personal summer playlist? Share your favorites with us in the comments below!

The post The Ultimate Summer Playlist first appeared on Bella Grace Magazine.