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.

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'!

FRAMED: A Conversation With Featured Artist Holly Farrell

Holly is a 25-year-old artist currently living in her hometown of Lancaster, Pa., and for the past year and half, she's been spending her time making pottery and ceramic sculpture at the Lancaster Clay Studios in Landisville, Pa. In 2012, she graduated from Tyler School of Art with a BFA in painting and drawing. And through all of that, she never touched clay. She found herself often dismissing 3-D disciplines since, in her mind, painting was really her strong suit.

Let us just go on the record saying we sure are glad that she gave ceramics a try. Her pieces feel so relatable and accessible, like a modern day folk art. The ladies are a little lumpy, a little left-of-center, a little bit just like how we see ourselves -- and we absolutely love that about them.

We caught up with Holly about her background, her process, and why she draws a whole bunch of inspiration from spring break culture.

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: Cosmetics

Let us guess: at this point, the bulk of your holiday shopping is done, but there are just a few more little things you need to round it all out and finish up -- and to fill the stockings. Wait, shit. The stockings. Dang it.

Don't worry, we've got you covered with a whole bunch of cosmetics that are as good for your body as they are for the Earth. And many of them are made right here in Central Pa.!

So 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.

Meet the Makers: Black Owl Outdoors

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.

Today we introduce you to Black Owl Outdoors. The brothers Beaston -- Tony "Stony" and Erik "Krik" -- are the brains behind the outdoor lifestyle brand known for its nature-related online tutorials and video product reviews, everything from How to Make Reverse Wrap Natural Cordage to Scavenging for Wild Onions and much, much more. But when the brothers aren't hiking through the forest or taking breathtaking photos of the wildlife all around us, Krik creates the one-of-a-kind leather works that you know and love at Stash.

Stories Behind the Stash: Red Plaid Hunting Jacket

One of our favorite things about vintage shopping is the idea that each item we hand-pick has its own history. Each item has lived a previous life -- or two, or three -- meaning these articles of clothing are more than just pieces to be shoved in already-full closets. They're artifacts of days gone by -- of leisure and work, good times and bad. Their stories intrigue us, and sometimes, those stories just really ought to be shared.

We found this gem of a jacket -- a Sears Roebuck & Co. wool Field Master -- hanging forgotten in a 100-year-old woman's attic. The jacket was heavy, adding plenty of pressure to the old wire hanger that had accompanied it for decades. We were initially drawn to this piece's classic red and black plaid, seeing as how it's one of those timeless patterns that just never seems to go out of style. We also loved the 1949 hunting tag, which is attached to the coat with the largest safety pin we've ever seen. And yet these obvious perks aside, it wasn't until we got it back to the store and took the piece to be dry cleaned that we started uncovering all its little secrets.