Let's Talk Matchbook

Seriously, the writers, editors, designers, etc., at Matchbook really just need to quit it already. Verklempt doesn't even BEGIN to describe the way I feel about each issue! They make me giddy with delight. I wait in anticipation for each month's issue to go live. Yes, I obsessively checked their site on Friday and Saturday. Stop judging, I just figured the issue might drop the last day of September. "Wouldn't that be a sweet treat?" I got up on Saturday morning and clicked refresh. "Hello, October! Show me the new Matchbook." Don't worry, I gave Sunday a rest; I guess they probably deserve it. "Surely it will go live on Monday. That would be the greatest way to kick off the week!" And just like a cup of hot cocoa with extra whipped cream, there she was -- hot off the press with Joy Venturini Bianchi's caricature-like chicness gracing the front cover. Have you seen a more stunning cover? How do they do it? Which got me thinking, WHY do I get so twitterpated over an online publication? Why can't I feel this way all the time? What is it that makes me feel this way? Make the interrogation stop.

The answer? I don't think I've felt this way about a magazine since I was in grade school. Let me set the scene. I was the kind of girl who eagerly checked her mailbox each month for the new issue of American Girl (hard-hitting journalism, I'm aware). As silly as it sounds, it was the first publication that made me feel bubbles in my stomach -- the kind of joy you feel on Christmas Eve night, or when you meet someone new and discover you have similar taste (You want to be best friends with Kate Spade, too? You're addicted to etsy and J.Crew?). This is the only way I can explain my adoration for Matchbook. It is these sorts of creative publications that make me love magazines. Reading an issue of Matchbook makes me want to doodle and dance, and that's the same way I felt when I finished poring over an issue of AG years and years ago. In a time when I'm still meeting people in a new location (awkward) and dearly miss those scattered across the country, this feeling brings me comfort and such joy. I wish I could bottle this kind of excitement and inspiration. It is contagious! Thank you, Matchbook, for making me feel invigorated each month. Your spark of charm, style, and wit are most appreciated.

And now that I've rambled with great zeal, here are five of my fave highlights from October's issue... 

Nod and smile in agreement when you read The Matchbook Girl...

Check and check. Do you find yourself thinking, "They get me every time." Guilty!

Yes, indeed. All mittens SHOULD have pom poms. Who doesn't love a coat just like Paddington Bear?

A Wardrobe Staple

Boat & Totes and Duck Boots sparked my love for Maine.

 Timeless Classics: A Bevy of Baubles

Absolutely brilliant. I want em all!

Beauty & Glamour: Janet Hill

I've wanted one of her pieces for quite some time. The fact that Matchbook is equally enamored by her work makes me want to scream, "Did we just become best friends?!"

A peek inside Janet's studio and office was quite a treat.

 Dazzling with Delight: A Lively Force of Good

"Hello, I'm here!" she trills... 

Her round Gucci frames and silver bouffant make her iconic, but her giving spirit and kindness are most admirable.

My favorite part of the article? The last paragraph or two. "I need addresses, because I write letters!"
A Matchbook girl indeed.

What did you love most about October's issue? 

It's about time I take another look at it. I'm sure I missed something wonderful.

Happy Tuesday!

Toodles,

ANF

P.S. In case you were wondering, I still have my stack of old American Girl magazines in my hope chest at my parents' house. I'll probably dust them off when I visit at Christmas for kicks and giggles.