This is Not a Shopping Guide

My relationship with shopping is complicated.

I love pretty things, simply and wholly. The complication is in the acquisition.

I'm often caught in an "add to cart" cycle. Other times, I feel gluttonous just receiving weekly style guides in my inbox. In response, I once tried to go an entire year without buying anything new. I made it 8 months before a Swell water I had to have broke my resolve. The floodgates opened.

Living in Spain at the moment, I shop ‘to practice Spanish' with locals. At least that's what I tell myself. Let's be honest—I'm in stores hoping to find a must-have. Rising tariffs have added a strange urgency to my shopping calculus—am I appreciating these items for their craftsmanship, or just chasing the thrill of 'get it before prices increase'?

Regardless, all this shopping can make me feel inspired AND overindulgent.

With the start of Sunshine Canyon, my custom embroidery studio, I feel compelled to take more photos of beautiful details, hoping that the picture will scratch the buying itch and serve as inspiration. And noticing all of the little things does go a long way (as I explored in my last post about mindful observation.. Pack Less, Notice More )

And sometimes I wait to buy. I let the wanting sit and see if it grows into something real.

I think this push-pull relationship is one of the reasons I've come to embrace custom details. They let me take something I already own and give it a new life. It's all the dopamine, without the next day over-consumption crash. I can sit and ponder the thread color, personal motif, and placement.

It combines the enjoyment of creative choice with the satisfaction of something deeply personal. More meaning, less accumulation. Fewer things, more connection. It's definitely not a panacea, but it's a step in the right direction.