When I first started creating, I didn’t know I was building a brand. I was simply following what felt good, what felt true. I was baking cakes and writing stories, collecting vintage books, planting herbs in tea tins, and pressing flowers between pages that already held so much meaning.

And somewhere along the way, I realized that the things I loved weren’t random. They were threads…threads of beauty, books, and simplicity, and they were quietly weaving together the life (and business) I was meant to build.

Beauty

Not the kind you find in a magazine or on a filtered screen. But the kind of beauty that sneaks up on you when the light hits your kitchen just right… when wildflowers bloom on the side of the road… when your child laughs and you suddenly remember what joy sounds like.

That’s the beauty I wanted to capture. And so, I began. I took photos of the ordinary moments. I wrote about soft things, gentle mornings, crumbling cakes, handwritten notes. I didn’t aim for perfect. I aimed for real. And real, it turns out, is what people are longing for.

Books

Books raised me. They’ve been my sanctuary, my spark, and my mirror. I’ve always found magic in the margins, in the recipes scribbled into cookbooks, the love letters hidden between chapters, the stories passed down like heirlooms.

So I wrote. I published. I poured my heart into books that honored the quiet life, that celebrated slow rhythms and homemade things. I wanted people to open the pages and feel like they’d been invited in, into a kitchen, a cottage, a life lovingly made.

Simplicity

This was the hardest to hold onto. Because we’re told to hustle. To climb. To do more, post more, sell more. But I kept coming back to this: What if less is more? What if small is sacred?

And so I built my brand like I built my home, slowly, intentionally, with heart. I turned down trends that didn’t fit. I said yes to projects that felt like poetry. I chose connection over clout. And I created things that meant something to me, trusting that they’d mean something to someone else, too.

What I’ve learned is this: your brand doesn’t have to be loud to be lasting. It doesn’t have to be flashy to be full of light. If it’s rooted in what you love, it will grow.

So if you’re building something, anything, start with your heart. Let beauty guide you. Let books shape you. Let simplicity keep you grounded. That’s how I built mine. And it’s become not just a brand, but a reflection of the life I’ve always longed to live.

Autumn

Want to Create Your Own Cottagecore-Inspired Retreat?
I’ve put together a one-page printable called Beauty, Books & Simplicity. A gentle guide to help you slow down, reconnect with yourself, and find creative clarity in the everyday. It’s the kind of day I wish for everyone.

✨ Download your free retreat guide and take a day just for you. Light a candle, open your favorite book, and come home to what matters most.

Want to Go Deeper?

If you loved this retreat, you’ll adore my book The Cottagecore Project: A DIY Book to Build Your Dream Life.
It’s a cozy, creative guide filled with stories, reflections, gentle rituals, and hands-on projects to help you craft a slower, more intentional life, from the inside out.

🌿 Available now on Amazon
The Cottagecore Project