Lifestyle & Aesthetic

I almost chose "navel gazing" as my word of the year in 2025. na·vel-gaz·ing /ˈnāvəl ɡāziNG/ noun self-indulgent or excessive contemplation of oneself or a single issue, at the expense of a wider view. "he lapsed into his customary navel-gazing" adjective engaging in or characterized by self-indulgent or excessive contemplation of oneself or a single issue, at the expense of a wider view. "navel-gazing New Age types" See Merriam Webster It's derogatory and I meant it as a cheeky, self-deprecating commentary on what I wanted to do. I have a strictly milliennial and completely approach to recording myself and my [...]

It's Christmas Eve and I've been at my computer since 7:30 this morning — listening to Meatloaf's discography (questionable vibes) and sipping black coffee (the wrong choice for my colon). 2024 couldn't have had a bumpier start — laying on my couch with stitches on my abdomen. Leading up to Thanksgiving 2023, I was feeling really sick. I had a cold I just couldn't shake and it got to the point that I had to skip the Peaksview Holiday Market. I was devastated because I was not only sharing my Verderamade designs at the event but, I was sponsoring it [...]

Any avid thrift shopper knows that secondhand mugs and teacups are everywhere. They're often sold at a bulk discount and you can always find them at thrift stores. 45 Craft Ideas Using Mugs and Teacups Below are my favorite craft ideas for mugs and teacups. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/34691859624248047/ 1. Office Organizer LINK 2. Citronella Candle LINK 3. Gold-Dipped Mug LINK 4. Spray Painted Mug LINK 5. Marbled with Nail Polish LINK 6. Kid's Handprint LINK 7.  Herb Garden LINK 8. Mosaic Art LINK 9. Bird Feeder LINK 10. Pin Cushion LINK https://co.pinterest.com/pin/99219998019951344/?lp=true 11. Pendant Lighting LINK 12. Mini Terrarium LINK 13. Suet [...]

By happenstance, I've been with Ashwood Manor Designs from the beginning — in the Fall of 2021. I was looking for a local shop where I could sell my greeting cards and thought The White Brick House could be a good fit. I visited there often as a customer and loved the idea of a small vendor space. When I contacted Peg, she told me a new owner was taking over. That's how I met Sarah. Since then, I've had a closet space on the second floor. My cards are the primary feature. But I fill it with vintage and [...]

"It is remarkable how easily and insensibly we fall into a particular route, and make a beaten track for ourselves."  Henry David Thoreau, Walden What is August if not a season of renewal? In some ways, it is more a new beginning than spring, not for the earth but, for society. From our youth, the school cycle carves into us a yearning to turn over our leaves and shed old things. Our new year is the school year. You can be anyone in a new school year, returning from summer with new shoes, a new backpack, and a new outlook [...]

Charese at Financial Fancy has won our $500 Pinterest Ad Giveaway. The winner’s package includes (1) Pinterest campaign with $500 adspend. Campaign will be set up, monitored and paid for by The Shop Shop. We’re excited to start working on it and will be posting updates about the campaign’s progress on TheShopShop.co, Facebook, and Instagram. Congrats again to Financial Fancy for winning! Thinking About Running a Pinterest Campaign? Stop fighting the algorithm and grow on a platform that works with shops— not against them. New Customers More Sales Less Posting Longer Content Life If you’re thinking about running a campaign, [...]

Recently, I updated the focus of my About page from me to we. As my projects have grown over the past six years, I’ve found myself working with the same people over and over again. Everyone has been with me for well over a year, and a few for several years. Now that I’m starting to add projects to my portfolio that we worked on together, I wanted to make sure I can include my team members in that story. For years, I’ve specialized in content-heavy websites (SEO) and marketing campaigns— working quietly by referrals and subcontracting. As my client list grew and my [...]

“Do you remember the Shire, Mr. Frodo? It'll be spring soon. And the orchards will be in blossom. And the birds will be nesting in the hazel thicket. And they'll be sowing the summer barley in the lower fields... and eating the first of the strawberries with cream. Do you remember the taste of strawberries?” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King As trite as spring cleaning sounds, that's been my energy throughout April. I've been pulling things out, dusting them off, and deciding what goes and what stays. Some of it is literal, like selling off low-inventory cards in my [...]

“Spring drew on...and a greenness grew over those brown beds, which, freshening daily, suggested the thought that Hope traversed them at night, and left each morning brighter traces of her steps.” ― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre What is it about those few extra sunlit hours that infuse us with fresh energy? We put away the heavy sweaters, pull out the comfiest sandals, and sit at the hairdressers for a fresh cut. It's like coming out of hibernation when you didn't realize you holed up in a cave. March feels like everything might be alright. In my journal, I made a note to [...]

When I first studied birth month flowers, I vaguely knew that the sweet pea flower meaning was associated with love and goodbyes. The symbolism of flowers is deep — and imperative in understanding most allusions in art and literature. The Sweet Pea is well-known as a term of endearment. The simple, pretty flower reminds me of innocent Victorian love. History of Sweet Peas The blooms are native to Sicily and southern Italy — discovered growing wildly by a Sicilian monk in the 1600s. Their sweet fragrance endeared him so, the monk sent seeds to botanical institutions around the world. This [...]