Jo and the team reminisce on a decade of Magnolia Journal and the defining stories—and moments—along the way.
Photograph by Carson Downing
Dear Readers —
Our 40th issue. It feels wild, and a bit mind-bending, to put that kind of number to it. Ten years ago, I doubt that anyone on our small team could have imagined a decade later we’d still get to create this beautiful magazine you’re holding now. We hoped, sure. But no one would have thought to predict this far into the future. Besides, the work in front of us was coming fast and furious. It was a mere few months between partnering with a publisher and the inaugural Magnolia Journal. When I think back to that season, it’s a blur of all-day photo shoots at the farm (capturing anything and everything that could become a story) and all-nighters at the office making sense of copy and photos and layouts. We were learning on the job in every sense. Not a single person on the team had ever produced a magazine.
Between then and now, a lot has changed. Our team has grown in number and know-how. Timeliness and processes are always evolving. Even the world feels different today than it was then. But one thing we’ve clung to since the beginning is how we orient every issue around a theme (a word or phrase we believe is worth exploring). Initially, we were warned against it, and for good reason—being that it would be hard to maintain. But of everything, I’m so glad we’ve held to this. We continue to be romanced by the challenge and the learning that comes from diving deep into the meaning of a word or virtue, exploring its nuances and looking at it from various angles. It’s a gift to wrestle with and think wholly about these ideas that, in the end, are so essential to living a beautiful life. Words like nurture and delight. Ideas around purpose and time well spent. In this, I hope you feel we’ve brought you along, shared what we’ve learned, and made each theme feel like tangible fruit: there for the taking, enjoying, and nourishing.
I truly hope we never cease to create this magazine. That it lives forever, lighting up mailboxes and imaginations and stirring souls the world over. So here’s to 10, or 20, more years of the Journal. Thank you for coming along on this journey with us through our first 40 issues. We love sharing this work with you.
Love,
THE ISSUE THAT PAVED THE WAY
Before there was Magnolia Journal, our team photographed, wrote, and designed a “pretend” magazine (and called it Magnolia At Home) as a creative exercise to see what kinds of stories and moments might shape a magazine anchored in hope, beauty, and interesting people doing inspiring things. In 2016, make-believe became real when we pitched the issue to a publishing partner that also loved the idea of producing a different kind of magazine. Looking back on it today, the team was amazed—and encouraged—by how much of our original intent is still here, like new recipes, heroic stories, ideas around thoughtful hospitality, and loving your neighbor. This was a fun walk down memory lane!
LET’S CELEBRATE!
Photograph (Right) by Caroline Hancock
Photograph (Paper) by Panupong / Adobe Stock
Jo loves any and all things mini. She has a tradition of having tiny (we’re talking 3×4-inch) copies of each issue printed and gifted to the team after the year wraps up.
The More You Know ...
Photograph (Polaroid Frames) by Dennis Hoeren / Adobe Stock
WELL TRAVELED
One of our favorite parts of making this magazine is visiting all the fun places we’ve photographed the covers! Here’s where we’ve been so far: Chip and Jo’s farm and Waco (our top two), other spots in Texas, New York, Colorado, California, Utah, Mexico, Canada, France, and South Korea (the farthest from home).
NEW TEAM MEMBERS
Crew hasn’t been the only newcomer! In our 10 years, the magazine team has had the joy of welcoming a total of 19 kiddos to the family.
READERS’ CHOICE
Over our 40 issues, we’ve provided ideas and inspiration across food, design, garden, product, and more. Readers, you consistently love new recipes, inspiration and tips for your home, and all things seasonal. The story with the highest readership: “From the Recipe Box,” winter 2024, Reflection. Our best-selling issue: fall 2018, Made Ready.
This story has been adapted from the fall 2026 issue of Magnolia Journal. To see it in print, pick up your copy here or on a newsstand near you. Then, start a subscription for inspiration year-round.
