A Common Creative: Veronika from By the Shore

We are very excited to have a fellow blogger come join us today! Veronika runs a fashion and lifestyle blog, By the Shore, from her home near Vancouver here on the west coast. Kristen was actually the one to introduce me to her blog, but we've both been reading and following along for a few years now. Veronika is seriously inspiring. She has an impeccable, timeless style. And she is fearless when it comes to trying new ideas and putting forth new business ventures. Not only does she run a full time blog, she also owns an online jewelry and accessory shop, creates blog templates for her Etsy shop and shoots photos for clients! This is one busy lady, but we are so thankful that she was able to take some time out of her day to chat. So without further ado, here's Veronika!

How did you get into blogging?
Honestly?! On a total whim. I stumbled on a few bloggers. Kendi Everyday, Selective Potential, Orchid Grey and Jen Loves Kev and I was totally hooked as well as inspired. So naturally, I decided to jump on the band wagon and I'm so happy I did. I feel so fortunate to have worked with amazing brands, travel for conferences, appear in magazines, and to have met so many of the bloggers I admire. This community is without a doubt my absolute favourite!

What is the best part about running your own business?

Knowing I have full creative control and the freedom to change something if I'm not happy. Definitely awesome and incredibly liberating!!

Where do you find inspiration for your posts?

Either from my favourite bloggers, my own brainstorming sessions... or I love to draw on a few of my favourite magazines. The last one is probably my favourite - such a wealth of ideas! Honestly, try it! You'll be amazed to see what you come up with!

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your blogging journey so far?

Be yourself, blog about what you love and don't sweat the small stuff. Blogging isn't about being perfect, it's about being real and building a community with like minded people!

Can you name your greatest success?

In blogging, I had the opportunity to do a collaboration with Selective Potential and Modcloth it was such a huge honour and something I look back on fondly! I also feel pretty darn thankful I can make a living doing what I love. Granted, there is struggle in having your own business, but I'm darn proud of being able to make it work. Also, my husband is without a doubt my biggest cheerleader!!

What is your favourite thing about the blogging community?

The creativity... getting to see personal style, gorgeous photography... oh my goodness, gets me totally revved up! Oh and definitely the friendships. I have been soooo lucky to find true, kindred spirits through this community. Such a blessing!!

What does a day in your life look like?

Each day is a little different. But generally, I'm up at 6am and working shortly there after. I typically work until about 7pm. I start my day with blogging, creating content for sponsors & clients, emailing plus updating my social media portals. Then I'll work on design work for clients, edit photos for clients or pop out for a quick meeting. I work from a home office or my favourite coffee shop. Always nice to add a little variety to my day!

How do you keep your creative mind going? What do you do to rejuvenate?

When I need to rejuvenate...I take a day off and shut it all down. No social media and no computer. I typically head into nature, walk, take photos, stop off for yummy food and then meet friends for drinks in the evening. Also, there's nothing like quiet time with my husband... he knows the way to my soul! 

What advice do you have for new businesses starting out?

Write out a business plan. I know it sounds a little boring, but it's a must! It's so important to know where you're going and the steps you'll need to take to get there. Also, meeting with a business coach is a fabulous way to tweak your plan and make sure you're starting off on the strongest foot possible!

Ok, that's a wrap. Thank you so much for reading my interview everyone!! Hope you enjoyed it and I'd absolutely love to meet you... be sure to pop by my blog, By The Shore and say hello! xo

Stationery Obsessions.

Have you seen the new shop from A Beautiful Mess? I'd be lying if I said I wasn't waiting for this. The happy mail subscription looks so fun! Jenni and I have our own version of happy mail, so far consisting of shared recipes, but who knows, maybe we could be convinced to start sending pretty paper-y things to others. 

I have a few things I always keep around in my crafty space. Currently, it's a second bedroom we use for music and crafty things, but that will be changing shortly. (Did I mention I'm moving one province closer to my creative sister Jenni? Details soon!) I'm excited to set up a new creative space for paper crafts. 

A good roll of string is always useful. Tying bows, stringing packets of paper together, and collecting bundles of flowers are in the realm of this essential's repertoire. 

I use washi tape like it's going out of style. (Is it? I hope not). I have collected a few from Etsy, from craft stores, and as gifts. Those pretty patterned tapes are a trend I will gladly buy into for quite some time. 

What do I do with all that washi tape? Glad you asked. 

My creative outlet lately has been paper crafts. There's always an occasion for a card, and washi tape comes in handy for these constantly. 

Here, I used it to create a faux banner on the front of the card. The washi tape holds a mystery name in place, while the drawn-on string hoists it high. 

I'm all about layers. This teal washi tape gives a nice solid layer to the busy chevron background. And is that old-fashioned camera stamp not the cutest? I got a lovely set of tiny stamps from The Regional Assembly of Text that have also come in handy. 

Layers of stamps, paper, and washi tape. This combination makes this creator happy. 

Do you have any washi tape or other paper craft obsessions? 

5 Podcasts Worth Listening To

I've discovered a new fondness for podcasts. I'm an artist and what I love about my work is that often I can throw on a movie or show while I do my planning for paintings, but when it comes down to actually producing a piece, I need to focus into what I'm doing visually. And this is where I find the perfect opportunity to listen to something interesting while I'm working. I'll usually either throw on some music or delve into a new episode of my running list of podcasts. There's something about radio, too, that just feels old and nostalgic. The lack of visuals allows my imagination to run just a bit further which, in turn, adds to the creative process. These are my absolute go-to's for interesting or amusing listening:

1. Grownups Read Things They Wrote As Kids- I discovered this and listened to all the episodes of this entertaining show within a week. It's an actual laugh-out-loud program that brings back all the hilarious (and embarrassing) moments of childhood. Each show focuses on a different city in Canada where a live program was held for readers to read anything and everything they wrote as children. Diaries, stories, letters, notes, and speeches are all included during each 30 minute episode. I found myself relating to most journal entries and thinking, "Wow. Everyone really is the same at 13..."!

2. Artisan Church Podcast- I have to throw this one on the list because this is our home church! It's very rare that we miss a sunday because we really do love going. But on days when we do have to miss, it's nice to catch up during the week and listen to a sermon while doing chores. We're part of the Mount Pleasant parish, so Lance is our pastor, but really any speaker embodies the core of what Artisan believes which often includes a lot of storytelling.   

3. Vinyl Cafe Stories- You'll probably find a lot of CBC podcasts on my list (as I'm a bit of a CBC nut when it comes to radio). Vinyl Cafe Stories is one for the list. The host, Stuart McLean, tells amusing, but heartwarming stories of Dave and his wife, Morley whose interactions with friends and neighbours make relatable tales for all ages. This one is good for any activity, but you can most often find it playing in our car on road trips. 

4. After the Jump- This is a great podcast for all you design/blogger/maker nerds out there hosted by the lovely Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge. Every episode has something to learn whether it be about business, social media or meeting new people, programs and product. I've found it to be incredibly inspiring as a creative individual working from home. And it's all about finding inspiration when you're not physically working alongside others!

5. Honest Home Podcast- As my most recently discovered podcast, I haven't had too much of a chance to listen to it. But I can already tell from the episodes that I have listened to that it is quality! One of those was an interview with a blogger, Erin Boyle, whose posts on small-space living have always intrigued me. And all of Honest Home podcast focuses around content on living simply and sustainably- something that I am also quite drawn to. I believe that it's important to think about how we're living and you'll find so much inspiration for that here. 

I hope this inspires you to expand your listening horizons and try something new as you go about your daily activity!