After finishing my last blog and podcast episode (God Called You to Create), I touched briefly on my own journey of beginning Grace of Belle.

If you were here in the early days, then you know this space looked very different!
It’s gone through quite the transformation—and truthfully, I felt this story deserved its own space.

So here it is.

The Beginning

I created something called Grace of Belle about seven years ago—and to be honest, I didn’t even know what it was yet.

It began as a horse-themed drop-shipping store.
That’s where it all started!

I just knew I had this deep desire to create something feminine and beautiful.
I grew up riding horses, so there was a piece of me in that.

While that desire wasn’t wrong, my angle was a little off.
My motivations were mixed.

In my early twenties, I was ambitious. I devoured personal development books and was captivated by the idea of success—freedom, flexibility, financial independence. It wasn’t all bad; I learned so much. But looking back, I can see that I was high on ambition and sometimes, low on wisdom—and that’s a rocky path.

When I started that Shopify store, I was allured by the potential of e-commerce sales. I was thinking more about what I could sell than how I could serve, if I’m being completely honest.

The Hustle and the Hollow

After testing different products, I eventually landed in the "farm decor" theme. Specifically, farmhouse-style pillowcases.

I can’t even tell you how much money I actually made after all the ad costs and trial-and-error—but I still remember the thrill of my first sale. I was selling to people in multiple countries!

But once the excitement wore off, it all started to feel... hollow.

It was transactional. Detached.

I didn’t know the people making those products—or whether they were treated fairly. I wanted to believe everything was above line, but I couldn't be sure. I was simply a storefront for these items, and I had no personal connection to the makers. What if I was supporting something that was actually, bad? Like, very against what I believed in?

All the unknowns were off putting, and it was enough to turn me away from drop-shipping completely.

I knew that if I ever sold products, I needed to be more involved in the whole operation to feel comfortable and confident. 

So I pivoted.
I started making my own products—cards, prints, small artisan goods.

That felt more honest. More me.

Still, I hit a wall.
And as you can imagine, this wasn’t paying the bills.

The Pause

I pressed pause on Grace of Belle and took a job in marketing for a small, Canadian-made skincare company that valued ethics and integrity.

It was one of the best decisions I could have made.

I learned that real success is never instant.
Even for the people who make it look that way online.

Truthfully, you never know how many lessons it took for someone to reach their “overnight” success—or what’s happening behind the scenes. 

Real success is built through hard work, consistency, and character.
And that’s true for any person and any strong, lasting business.

A New Beginning

Even during that 2.5-year pause, I never fully let Grace of Belle go.
I’d still get those monthly storefront emails from Shopify, and something in me would whisper:

“Don’t shut it down.”

Fast forward—
I have my son.
I’m on maternity leave.

Taking a break... not from life, but from the world—from hustle, striving, and noise.

The world feels new.
I am a mother.
And for the first time, I begin reading the Bible—not just skimming out of curiosity, but diving in with intention.

I have this hunger for God, and my heart feels like it’s being transformed.
The creative desire returns, but this time, it’s different.

It’s not about conversions, SEO, or metrics.
It’s about reflecting my heart—
and doing it in such a way that, even if no one but me and God ever read it, that would still be enough.

And there she was, waiting quietly: Grace of Belle.

What began as an e-commerce store had turned into something truly rooted in meaning—a space for faith, motherhood, marriage, creativity, and growth.

I pray that this space blesses and encourages you—because if it didn’t have the potential to do that, I wouldn’t put it out there.

But whether it blesses one person or a hundred—it’s not my business.
I’m simply doing what I feel called to do.

And if one day I have the privilege of sharing it all with my children—and their children—
that’s enough.

To me, that is success.

So… Do I Change the Name “Grace of Belle”?

People often ask me where the name Grace of Belle came from.

What’s funny is… when I first chose it seven years ago, I didn’t even know what it truly meant.

Yes, my middle name is Grace.
And I’ve always loved the name Belle—it felt elegant, feminine… honestly, I probably thought I’d name a horse that one day.

That was about as deep as it went.

But when Grace of Belle was reborn into something new, I found myself wondering—
should I change the name?
Start fresh?

Then I had this quiet realization:
maybe the name was never random.
Maybe it spoke to my spirit long before I understood why.

Because grace is God’s greatest gift to us—
it’s what allows us to experience beauty, forgiveness, and love.

And belle, the French word for “beautiful,” reminds me that true beauty goes far beyond appearance.
It’s the beauty of a woman who walks in the awareness of God’s grace over her life.

That’s the heart behind this space—
to see grace and beauty in every part of life:
in motherhood, marriage, friendship, creativity, and faith.

The middle name part means very little now that I know what this really is.
And I hope, somewhere, you resonate with Grace of Belle too.

Grace of Belle—Reborn

So here we are.

It started a little weird, a little messy, and beautifully imperfect—
but it was all worth it to arrive here.

My hope is that Grace of Belle inspires you to see the beauty and grace in every corner of your life—
and to partner with God in everything you do.

I’m so grateful you’re here—
for reading, listening, and being part of this journey.

🤍
With love,
Natalie

Grace of Belle: Where Beauty Meets His Grace

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