FRAMED: A Conversation with Featured Artist Tara Chickey

Tara Chickey of Chickey's Herbals is taking over the shop for the month of May with her handmade clothing, leather goods, jewelry, ceramics, paintings, soaps, salves, tinctures, and more!

Tara is a maker in the purest sense of the word, always conjuring up something new in that big, beautiful mind of hers. And what we love most about her work is that everything is so thoughtful, so full of love and goodness. Sure, her output levels are dang impressive, but that never comes in the way of her intentionality.

We sat down with Tara to talk inspiration, herbal goodness, and creative flow.

FRAMED: A Conversation with Featured Artist Elena Jasic

Elena Jasic has an eye for beauty -- often the unconventional, strong, bold kind. For years, her artistic vision has manifested itself in fashion and beauty photography, yet it comes as no surprise that her landscape photography shares some of those same qualities.

And even less surprising is that she couldn't not create breathtaking images, even while she's supposed to be relaxing on vacation. She lives and breathes photography.

And my, do we love her for that.

Elena is a friend, an inspiration, and a creative wonderlady -- as well as this month's featured artist.

Terrarium Talk with Haley

Perhaps you have noticed that Stash likes plants. Okay, so maybe we love plants, or even obsess over them, talk to them, and play them only the illest beats while we are in the shop. It's just our way of saying, "Thank you for staying alive and providing us with oxygen to breathe."

Both Haley and Anela have been dabbling in terrarium and container gardening for years, and Haley wanted to share some information about her process and what she's learned. Let's have her start from the beginning...

Feelin' The Love

We get it. Valentine's Day is super cheesy and commercialized and lame, and you're all too cool for it. Even Leslie Knope's Galentine's Day is going mainstream!

But let's be honest: we can all actually use a reminder to slow down and appreciate those around us.

And we can do so without being total sell-outs.

We're wishing you more than just a day full of chocolates and flowers and teddy bears holding hearts embroidered with "BE MINE" (but knock yourself out if that's what you're into). Use this Valentine's Day as a chance to remember the things that fill your soul and make you happy.

Because we're no good to anyone else until we're good to ourselves.

Carve out some time for those you love -- whether it's your partner, your friends, your family, or your pets -- but don't forget to do the very same for yourself. We're busy dishing out care and compassion each and every day, but it's also so dang vital to conserve some of that for the (wo)man in the mirror.

Whether you're looking to pamper yourself or your loved ones (or hopefully both), we've got a handful of ideas that are sure to please -- as well as a Valentine's Day-inspired playlist to get you groovin'!

Why Vintage? Top 5 Reasons We're Obsessed with the Hunt

It's no secret: we're kind of obsessed with vintage. And we get a lot of questions in our shop about what it is that we do, where we find our wares, and whether the things are -- and this is where some people get real hush, hush -- USED. Le gasp!

They sure are. And we love them that way.

Here are the top five reasons why we love hunting for amazing vintage pieces and being able to offer them to our customers and friends:

Stash Gift Guide: Accessories

We're continuing the celebration of handmade goods by showcasing our accessory makers!

And as we find ourselves deep in the trenches of the season of excess and mass-production, we'd like to take a minute to recognize these little guys. By supporting them (and heck, us, too!), you're putting your money right back into the American economy, encouraging a culture of creativity, and offering meaningful gifts that each come with their own special story: the story of the people behind the product.

Our Personal Stash: Jen's Picks

Sure, the three of us spend a lot of our time digging up treasures for all of you to enjoy, but we also have some favorite vintage pieces of our own -- they're hung in our closets, decorating our homes, piling up on our bookshelves and mixed in amongst our record collections. And every now and then, we can't help but show them off.

Here are Jen's picks, including a tiger's eye necklace, a silk patterned robe, and a 1945 Esquire Varga Girl Calendar:

Our Personal Stash: Anela's Picks

Sure, the three of us spend a lot of our time digging up treasures for all of you to enjoy, but we also have some favorite vintage pieces of our own -- they're hung in our closets, decorating our homes, piling up on our bookshelves and mixed in amongst our record collections. And every now and then, we can't help but show them off.

Here are some of Anela's current vintage obsessions:

There are a handful of vintage pieces in my bedroom that I absolutely love but just never get around to wearing. I could blame baby-wrangling, but I'm probably just getting old and lazy. Sometimes I think you people should feel lucky that I don't hang out at Stash in my sweats...

These three items are still in my wearable wardrobe.

Meet the Makers: metalledwith

Beyond the racks and stacks of vintage that we offer at Stash, we're also known for having a selection of handmade goods and ever-changing artwork. These works all come from special individuals, many of whom are part of the Central Pennsylvania community. In this ongoing series, we'd like to introduce you to some of the friendly faces behind the products you know and love.

Meet Richelle Dourte, creator of the handcrafted botanical metalwork jewelry line metalledwith. Richelle spends lots of her time out in the woods finding natural specimens to preserve within her beautiful, wearable artwork.

Stash Tunes: Bang Sesh

Looking to jumpstart your morning, maybe with an in-shower air guitar solo? Or maybe you're getting down to business and need some tunes that'll keep you motivated. Either, way this playlist is sure to get heads nodding and toes tapping. We've included old go-tos from bands like Dinosaur Jr. and Deep Purple as well as songs from newly found favorites like Dignan Porch and Dirty Beaches.

And guess what? All of the albums featured in this mix are available now at Stash!