Country Home Magazine: From Avid Reader to Cover Girl

Country Home Magazine: Today I’m sharing how I went from avid reader to cover girl.

Since appearing on the summer 2025 cover of Country Home magazine, I have received not only lots of heartfelt congratulations, but also lots of questions about the process that led to appearing in the magazine.

The three most often asked questions being:

1. How did you end up featured in a magazine?
2. What is a magazine photo shoot like?
3. Did you know you were going to be on the cover?

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The short answers: Country Home found me on Instagram @pennypenningtonweeks, the photo shoot was a once in a lifetime experience, and appearing on the cover was a surprise.

If you want to know a bit more, I’ve got you. Learn how we ended up not only featured in, but on the cover of Country Home magazine. Plus, take a look at what happens behind the scenes as I share details about our photo shoot in today’s post.

Also, be sure to drop a note in the comments for a chance to win a copy of the issue. Details at the end of the post.

How did you end up in a magazine?

First of all, although I am an avid reader of home and garden magazines, being in a magazine has never been one of my goals. And until recently, the process was foreign to me.

But that began to change in December 2020 when I received an inquiry that eventually led to our summer 2025 feature in Country Home magazine.

A scout for Meredith Corp eyed our gardens on my Instagram page @pennypenningtonweeks thinking they may be a good fit for one of the magazines she reps.

And so began a long process of back-and-forth emails, sending a ton of photos to the scout, and a lot of waiting.

Here’s a quick overview of the conversations that I had with Andrea Caughey, whom I refer to as the scout (aka our champion for the project). The initial contact in 2020 eventually led to the decision to shoot our home and garden for the summer 2025 issue of Country Home.

Three Pitches to Country Home & One Catch

Pitch 1-Interrupted by a Pandemic

12/28/20 December 2020 marks the beginning of our Country Home magazine story. I received an email from Andrea Caughey sharing that she was interested in pitching our home and garden for publication in one of the Meredith Corp magazines.

She shared with me that Meredith Corp is “the nation’s largest home-garden publisher with hundreds of top titles to its name, including Martha Stewart Living, Modern Farmhouse, Real Simple, Coastal Living, Better Homes, Magnolia Journal, Country Gardens, Country Home, Cottage Style, Tuscan Style, Country French, Traditional Home and SO many others.”

Over the next few weeks, Andrea and I worked together to create a portfolio of photos along with background information about us, as well as our home and garden for “editorial consideration.”

1/6/21 The following month marked the last communication regarding what I now refer to as the first pitch for the project. Andrea shared that “a few teaser shots” had been shared with the Country Home editor and that her fingers were crossed as the process is “quite competitive.”

And then communication went silent. I figured we weren’t selected and that would be last time I heard about the project.

Pitch 2-Editor Voice from the Past

2/23/22 A year later, Andrea reached out again to see if I was still interested in a possible feature and to confirm that we hadn’t been picked up by another national magazine since our last conversation.

My answers: Yes, we were interested. No, we hadn’t been picked up by another national magazine.

Pitch 2 was thrown.

3/1/22 I received an update that there was “no news yet.”

And then silence.

Although I am typically more of a follow-up type of person when a conversation goes silent, in this case I just figured if they wanted to feature us then they would let us know.

And frankly, I was honored that our home and garden was even on Country Home’s radar. That was enough for me. So, I moved on (which meant continuing to share retired life in our country garden on social media) assuming they moved on, as well.

Pitch 3-The Final Pitch and a Catch

9/2/23 Another email arrived in my inbox from Andrea Caughey with the subject line, Renewed Interest by Country Home. Andrea shared that she was interested in “entertaining themes” and “especially intrigued by (my) picnic set ups.”

I began sending updated photos of picnics I had created (see more here), as well as our gardens, remodeled kitchen and newly built raised beds (find the DIY here).

9/15/23 Within a few weeks, the questions started rolling in my inbox. Questions mostly focused on our location, proximity to airports, best timing for a photo shoot and when the gardens are in bloom. It appeared that we were in the final stages of being selected for a magazine feature.

9/19/23 And then it happened, the feature was confirmed. The photo shoot was approved for summer 2024!

What is a Magazine Photo Shoot Like?

3/4/2024 Six months later as summer was quickly approaching, Andrea reached out again. It was time to decide when the actual photo shoot would take place.

This part of the process was a bit nerve-racking. As any gardener knows, we’re not really in charge but rather Mother Nature truly decides how the garden looks from day to day.

After poring over the thousands of garden photos on my camera roll from previous summers, I recommended a two-week window in June.

Andrea had done her job for now; it was time for the planning phase.

The Editor, Stylist and Photographer

I learned quickly that a magazine photo shoot includes much more than working with a photographer. Not only would a photographer spend two full days shooting our home and gardens, but a magazine editor and stylist would work with me in the weeks leading up to the photo shoot.

4/1/2024 I began working with Sandra Soria, Country Home Contributing Editor, on what would actually be included in the feature. After several emails, and the editor working with her staff, it was decided that the magazine feature would focus on our gardens, include a picnic in front of the barn, plus a couple of garden-to-table recipes and interior shots of our home.

I was also told that a script would be created for the photographer and stylist including “the areas and angles in (my) home” that the magazine wanted to capture for the feature.

This was exciting!!! I’m a planner and I absolutely loved the detail that was shared with me in advance of the photoshoot.

They’re Sending a Stylist for the Photo Shoot

At the same time, I began working with Sandra, I learned that not only would a photographer be on location for two days to shoot our home and garden, but the magazine was also sending a stylist, Lacey Howard.

4/1/2024 Lacey reached out to me to firm up dates for the photo shoot.

And over the next few weeks, we discussed lots of details via email and FaceTime. It was decided that she would arrive a day before the photographer to help make final preparations.

Lacey also took care of small details needed for the photo shoot. For example, she purchased buckets of fresh flowers and produce for our use, as well as a linen table runner for the picnic shot.

6/21/2024 The day before the photo shoot, Lacey arrived, and we immediately hit it off. She is uber talented and easy going. Lacey is a joy, and I loved watching her add her magic touch to each space for the shoot (you can find Lacey on Instagram @goodgirlmedia).

The Photo Shoot: 100+ Temps and Lots Fun

The day finally arrived. It was time to take photos.

As much effort as I had put into deciding when the best time for a photo shoot might be, Mother Nature threw us a loop. Temperatures topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit both days, but at least we managed to avoid the rain and Oklahoma tornados.

Regardless of the sweltering heat, we had the best time. We worked from mid-morning to sundown for two straight days. And I finally had the privilege of meeting our amazing photographer, Jay Wilde.

I loved watching him work, seeing the equipment he used, how he lit each shot, and how he framed the photos. Jay is incredible (you can find Jay on Instagram @wildeproject).

6/22/2024 During the first day of the shoot, we focused on outside photos. We had a defined list of photos that needed to be taken, and we worked diligently to get each one.

The day was fun, busy, educational and HOT!

We wrapped up the day’s list of photos with the garden picnic in front of the barn.

At the end of the day, we grilled burgers, drank more water and took a bit of time to relax before getting some much-needed rest. Afterall, we still had a list of inside photos planned for Day 2.

6/23/2024 Day 2 centered on interior shots which meant a nice workday inside out of the heat.

It also meant I had the opportunity to relax and watch the professionals as they photographed and styled the inside of my home.

Before we knew it, we called it a wrap and then the waiting (this time for the magazine to be published) began, again.

Did you know you were going to be on the cover of the magazine?

The simple answer is no.

However, I did know that if we ended up on the cover, that the cover girl would most likely be the garden picnic in front of the barn.

When Jay and Lacey were working to take this photo, they actually had two other team members from Country Home on the phone previewing photos. I knew it was an important photo.

5/15/2024 We’re on the cover! I learned we were on the cover and that the summer 2025 issue of Country Home had been published when I opened up Instagram to find a photo of the garden picnic. It had been shared on Instagram @countryhomemagazine.

Such a fun surprise!

Thank You to My Readers!!!

A few days later, I was in Barnes and Noble with my daughter and was able to thumb through the pages of the magazine. You can also order a copy online, linked here.

And Country Home sent me a stack of the magazines to share with friends and family.

As a THANK YOU to my blog readers and newsletter subscribers, I will be selecting two of you to send copies of the magazine. Just drop a note in the comments section if you would like a copy. I will announce the winners in my June 16 newsletter.

One Last Thank You

I’d like to wrap up today’s post with not only a big THANK YOU to Country Home but also to the team that made this happen including Sandra Soria, Lacey Howard, Jay Wilde, and most importantly, Andrea Caughey.

Andrea truly championed this project. She was with us from the beginning of the project when she reached out to us in 2020, she continued to pitch the project for three consecutive years before handing me off to an amazing team.

After the photo shoot was complete, Andrea interviewed me and wrote a very kind article for the publication. She is credited in Country Home as the writer and producer, but to us she was so much more. Thanks, Andrea!

Cheers to Retired Life, and as always, Happy Gardening!

X Penny Pennington Weeks

Read More on the Blog

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The Best Sweet Corn and Summer Squash Quiche

Posts about Retired Life in our Country Garden

How I Embrace a Soft Life Now that I’m Retired

How to Enjoy Retired Life: Creating a Retirement Routine

Romanticize Retired Life at Home with Picnics for Two

Other Posts from the Garden

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