Bringing the Outdoors to Cozy & Rych - Cottagecore Style (Shop Update & A Sale!)

 

I haven't done a dedicated shop update in a while, and it felt like time because...there's a lot of new.

Cozy & Rych was built on the concept of hygge, and that has a very specific and recognizable vibe in winter. It's very...oversized sweaters and wooly socks and books by candlelight and cups of tea next to a fireplace. Hygge isn't limited to the cold weather months, but it changes through the seasons and takes on a distinctive cottagecore vibe in the spring and summer.

I'm sure I don't have to explain cottagecore to you (is it actually "cottagecore" or is it "cottage core"? I'm never quite sure). But juuuust in case you aren't familiar - here's what Wikipedia has to say about it.

Cottagecore is an internet aesthetic popularised [sic] by adolescents and young adults celebrating an idealized rural life. Traditionally based on a rural English and European life, it was developed throughout the 2010s and was first named cottagecore on Tumblr in 2018.The aesthetic centres [sic] on traditional rural clothing, interior design, and crafts such as drawing, baking, and pottery, and is related to similar aesthetic movements such as grandmacore, farmcore, goblincore, and fairycore.

Some sources describe cottagecore as a subculture of Millennials and Generation Z. Economic forces and other challenges facing these young people may be a significant driver of this trend, along with these generations' emphasis on sustainability, and the recent trend to work from home (initially during the COVID-19 pandemic). (source)

 

Okay, so, first...Wikipedia seems to think it's "cottagecore". Noted.

And side note: I just discovered goblin core while doing research for these new shop pieces and I'm not sure it's 100% accurately named because just hearing it makes me want to giggle, but it's actually very naturally inspired and closely related to cottagecore. But, I'll let you read about that yourself since that's not the point, here. 

Annnyway.

In the same way trends come around again in clothing, it totally happens in home decor and hobbies and everything else that makes up life. Cottagecore feels a bit like that to me. It pulls in aspects of the whole Shabby Chic and Granny Chic vibes of the 90's and 2000's. When we first bought this house (13 years ago), I jumped into it with Shabby Chic visions. I wanted to take our sweet little acre and turn it into a micro-farm. Everything was florals and doilies and intentionally worn shades of teal and yellow. I had a moment of desperately wanting chickens.

And then I moved away from it. Not sure why...just, life took us that way.

Now this whole..."life aesthetic" thing is happening (thanks, internet and curated Instagram accounts), and while I've never been very good at subscribing to one thing, I've been very drawn to the cottagecore lifestyle. It conjures up memories of the simpler Shabby Chic days - of thrift shopping and crafting my way through making this house a home. But even more appealing (thanks, Pandemic) - I'm obsessed with all these adorable little cottages tucked into the woods and flowering fields and secluded nooks and crannies of nature. The slow, old fashioned baking and sewing and letter writing their inhabitants indulge in. The quiet moments they spend among flowers and trees.

And all of that found its way into Cozy & Rych's new pieces.

Can I introduce you to a few? These are my favorites!

Lilac Enthusiast Tee - 7 Colors

Pink & Purple Botanical Guide Tee - 6 Colors

Cottagecore Butterfly Tee - 8 Colors

Cottagecore Mushroom Tee - 7 Colors

Thrifting Era Floral Tee - 6 Colors

Custom Birth Flower Garden Tee - 7 Colors

Custom Name Hydrangea Mug

When I look at the shop these days, I'm so thrilled with the natural-cottagey feel of all the pieces gathered there. It's still a work in progress - but it's shifting in a way that feels fresh and good and true to the things that add joy to my daily life. 

I love it. :)

I want to share the love a bit with you, so two things: I discounted the shop more deeply this week, AND...I'm giving blog readers a coupon for even more savings. By using THIS link to shop (or typing in code COTTAGECOREBLOG, you'll get 20% off the whole shop this weekend! This extra deal ends Sunday, which is also my Mother's Day ordering deadline so it's perfect timing :)

Meanwhile - the shop isn't the only thing shifting a bit more towards cottagecore. I'm not fully subscribing (my ADHD isn't all about that), but I'm embracing more of it - in life, in my blog, in my style and hobbies. If you're sticking around, you'll see more and more of it around here!

Do you like the cottagecore vibe? :)

Cottagecore Weekly Menu Printables (Freebie!)

I've probably said it a few (or a few hundred) times that I hate meal planning. Worse than dishes, worse than laundry...the household task that gives me the most grief is meal planning.

There's a million reasons why, but I won't bore you with them.

Instead, I'll just tell you that writing out your menu on adorable menu sheets does help a little bit. (Like, just a tiny bit, but I'll take it.)

I recently made a super cute cottagecore meets farmhouse inspired set of menu planners with a cute washi tape vibe. I made one for most major holidays and seasons, put them together in an adorable set, and popped them up on Cozy & Rych.

I use them exclusively now (so cute), and while the set is super affordable (currently $4 for 8 seasonal designs, aka $.50 each! that you can print over and over again)...I wanted to gift one of them to you guys for free.

You know, because you're the real ones. ;)

I picked the most neutral of the bunch that will carry you through the entire year. You can use it every single week forever! 

But just in case you want to get extra adorable with it, check out the listing for all eight designs:

Adorbs, aren't they?

If you want the whole set, visit them on Cozy & Rych right here!

But if you're down with just the one neutral or want to give them a test drive, download your free printable PDF right here!

Enjoy, babes. Happy meal planning! xo

Me First February!

I have something SO good for you today!

First, ugh, I had all these plans to share Valentine's Day gift ideas with you last week...I was working so hard on it. And then I got the 'vid (blah) and it had other plans. I scrapped all of it. I'm still hoping to pop one or two up here because of all the behind the scenes work that went into it, but we'll see.

Today I have something sweet and lovey and juicy to share with you!

The upside of having covid is that I was looking at February like, "Okay, you evil frigid little month, you will not be the flaming pile of trash you usually are." I wanted to spend the whole month on health and self-care and loving myself back to the happy baseline I was at before these germs.

I started mapping out what I would do for myself...and then realized....hey, this might be useful.

So yesterday I sat down to do some shop work when all of a sudden....an ebook came out.

Yes, a whole ebook. (lol.)

I mean, it's only 45 pages. It's not a novel. But it covers every day of February with a lovey way to take care of yourself and has a bunch of printable and fill-in spots for a full experience.

But here's the deal: I'm going to give you guys the list for free.

You can have the list of challenges, as well as your choice of Instagram-sized image to keep track. 

The book itself is full of pointers, lists of ideas, links to resources, and so much other goodness so I recommend it if you *really* want to dive in. It's not meant to be on your reading list for the month (it's not really a sit down with a cup of tea and get lost kinda thing)... it's more of a printable planner. Review the day's page in the morning, print it out if you find it useful, and fit the idea into your day. (There are several blank printable pages you can use over and over again!)

If you want the full ebook, grab it HERE! (It's 35% off with that link *only* through Feb 5th!)

But if you just want the list of ideas and feel like navigating them on your own, feel free!! You can download our printable list RIGHT HERE - no email or anything needed!

Don't forget to grab your choice of Instagram tracker:

Let me know if you're joining me, and use hashtag #mefirstfebruary on Instagram if you share any of your journey!

Cozy Gift Idea for Tea Lovers

I know we just finished up gift-giving season, but I wanted to share this idea I keep thinking about in case you run into a need for it this winter. 

You know, for like a housewarming kind of situation, for a friend going through a rough patch, a January birthday that becomes as last-minute situation because Christmas made you forget (I have one of those in my house). It would make an amazing teacher appreciation gift, too - they deserve all the love!

It's a perfectly cozy, hygge little gift that's perfect for navigating the next couple months. A sweet little self-care bundle that will show nothing but love to its recipient.

Grab a cute basket, arrange your goodies inside, and give the gift of a cozy tea time. These are some personal favorites, and if I received this gift? I'd drop everything and craft the coziest, most hygge evening.

Here's where to find it all (working from top to bottom, left to right):

• Cozy Up 15oz sweater mug at Cozy & Rych 
  
  
• Honey Sticks at Amazon (perfect for stirring into tea, comes in several flavors!)
  
  
• Candy Cane Crush Tea at David's Tea
  
  
• OXO Tea Infuser at Amazon
  
  
• Afternoon Tea Candle at Amber & Oak
  
  
• Chocolate Earl Grey Tea at David's Tea
  
  
• Birch Forest 11oz mug at Cozy & Rych

If you want to go even more over the top, throw in a fluffy blanket or fuzzy socks, maybe bake them some cookies and tie them up in a sweet little package. Perfection!

PS - you can totally give this gift to yourself. ;)

Happy Hygge! xo

This post contains a few affiliate links at no cost to you! That means if you click through and make a purchase (specifically at Amazon) I may make a small commission. It's super teeny-tiny, but every little bit helps me support my blog! Grateful for you!! xo

7 Hygge Things To Do This January (plus thoughts on having a focus)

I might be speaking too soon (considering the worst of it usually strikes me in February), but I don't feel my seasonal depression creeping in this year.

I can thank therapy for a lot of that - and, you know, starting an antidepressant and more vitamin D than I ever knew I should be taking. (Spoiler: it's a whole lot.) But I also think it's a bit of renewed purpose and focus.

You know what I kept thinking about after I wrote my last post?

I used to really hype up all these little facets of my life because I was so desperate for direction. I don't know if it's human nature or my ADHD, but I *need* a major focus in my life. One all-consuming thing. That's not to say that I don't still need balance or variety - I do. But without one major driving purpose, I just sort of float around in a sea of too many interests that I'm only 80% in on. When I have a focus, the intentionality of all those other things come into focus.

Does that make sense? 

(This could absolutely be a neurodivergent thing.)

My shop has given me that one purpose - in a way that highlights all the other facets of my life as these beautiful, glittering pieces of joy. It's like I finally baked the cake and now I can add the sprinkles in a beautiful way. Before I just had a big messy tub of sprinkles and I'd spill them constantly.

Weirdly, being more busy, having more work to do has finally highlighted and made the space in my mind and my heart for the things I'm constantly striving to do. 

Each month, as I focus on hygge and my shop and intentionality - on the sprinkles that make up my life while I'm working on perfecting my cake - I want to share a list of the ways I'm sprinkling joy and contentment into my every day.

They're simple - not big, not resolution-y, not unattainable. Just sweet little moments that we can find in these 31 cold days. Want to do them with me?

• Check out this post for some cozy winter decor ideas.
  
  
• Here's a set of different sized snowflake cookie cutters for your cookies.
  
  
• We have some adorable mugs in the shop for your movie night, and this is one of my favorite winter teas - it's perfect for the season!
  
  
• I plan to read this book in January.
  
  
• A spa night for me usually includes a facial, a face mask, and maybe some fresh polish. This is my favorite mask (I mix it with apple cider vinegar) and after-facial moisturizer.
  
  
• New to embroidery? I have some super simple downloadable patterns in the shop! I really like The French Mango, and she has some great beginner tutorials.
  
  
• You can always ask Alexa to play some instrumental jazz, but I love the options on Youtube. Here's a cozy, snowy jazz bookstore one, another one of those, and actually...a third.

Enjoy! xo

This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you! That means if you click through and make a purchase, I will make a small commission. It's really teeny-tiny, but every little bit helps me support this blog! Grateful for you!! xo

On Being Cozy & Content

Happy New Year.

Normally I'm teeming with things to say about the books I read last year and the new ones I want to read this year, my goals for this and that - I guess that's all still there in the background of my mind. But life has been a bit different lately. I'm not sure I can pinpoint how, exactly.

So much happened in 2022 (most of it good), and I feel like I'm just still processing. That, and getting my footing with a new business and several other life-y things...I'm just taking it easy. Tackling life in a subtle hibernation-style the way winter is intended.

I've been so enamored with intentionality the last handful of months. Taking life as it comes, flowing with the seasons, embracing the elements of the moment. It's like my mind has fully shifted into a hygge way of seeing things, which makes it pretty obvious why I started my business with that concept.

You know what it was, really?

I'd had people over a few times in the fall - at the peak of my autumn decor and the start of the endless months where I make my home as warm and cozy as I possibly can for the sake of getting through the dark and cold. I had two separate people on two separate occasions say some version of "Your home is so cozy" or "You always make things so cozy"...."You create such a cozy home." 

I always looked at our 1950's ranch like it's small and inconvenient, but making things cozy is how I dealt with it. It's how I embraced it. 

Something about having several people call my home cozy (add my littlest sister to the list - she's always said she loves my house because of how homey it is) really struck me. I felt like...wait, am I the cozy girl? Is warm and inviting my vibe? Am I actually pulling that off in a noticeable way? 

It's funny how unaccepting of ourselves we can be sometimes.

I decided that I really liked that people were noticing that about me, and I wanted to embody that. I wanted to fully become the cozy girl. Hell yeah - cozy, self-care, contentment, rest. That's a vibe I'm willing to spend my every day in. We're here to enjoy, right? At least that's what my yoga teacher always says. We can do that every single day in the smallest of ways.

I shared a bit more about hygge and how it fits Cozy & Rych on my Instagram this morning, if you're interested.

I wish everyone the coziest 2023!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jenn & Matt (@cozyandrych)

Cozy & Rych

I have something to share, and a bit of a story to tell.

Last week at this time, what I'm about to tell you wasn't even on my radar. I was in "Christmas is coming" mode with a side of therapy and upcoming scary things that I avoided thinking about. (Still kinda doing that last part, but it is what it is.)

One morning, Matt and I were up early, having our coffee by the tree and I floated an idea by him. It was something I'd been thinking of doing for a few months, and hesitating to pursue because I'd done similar things in the past and found it to be a huge pain in the tush. He liked the idea, though, so I started to consider it.

A few hours later he came to me and said, "Why don't we do it together? We always have these separate ideas and then take it all on ourselves, but maybe we could do a really good job if we do it together."

Instant motivation. I spent the entire day doing research.

The next morning, our dog woke us up at 4:30am. It sucks when that happens (sometimes it's a cat), but with all this new information swimming around in my head, I proposed that we pour our coffee and make some plans. We spent the next two and a half hours answering every question that needed answering, and had an entire business plan before the kids were even up to get ready for school.

(Two ADHD brains equals 10 neurotypical brains when approached with a puzzle. I'm a hot mess, let me have this.)

I hyperfixated the heck out of our idea for the next few days, spending countless hours on my laptop to get all of the little nitty gritty details ironed out...and today, I'm so excited to share it with you.

Introducing.....

A family-run online shop that focuses on cozy, hygge-inspired apparel, accessories, and décor with a hint of hometown Buffalo, NY pride.

Okay, first, if you don't know what hygge is, here you go: Hygge on Wikipedia

We're basically focusing on selling items that make you cozy, comfy, and give you all those warm fuzzy feels. I personally like the idea of hanging out in that vibe, even when I'm working hard on making the shop a success.

To get started, we have a shop-wide grand opening sale going on now! Everything is 10% off for the rest of 2022! However, because we are brand-brand-brand new (as in, have yet to make our first sale lol) I want to share an extra offer in the hopes you'll do us a solid and leave us a review? It would mean the world to us and help us get up and running!!

You can click the link above, or use code EARLYSHOPPER to get 20% off this week only. We may do it again very soon, but I set it up this way because December 10th is our supplier's last-chance order date to attempt to get your items before Christmas. We can't promise it will make it in time, but that's your best shot at having it in your hands on Christmas morning. :)

So, what do we have? 

Well, we started pretty simple but solid. There's hoodies, crewnecks/sweatshirts, a couple tees, mugs, journals, and a little bit more. We plan to branch out with more items basically constantly, so to keep up with our new items follow us on Instagram and like our page on Facebook! They'll both be churning out the goods starting this week!

While our items are all under the cozy, cuddly, comfy, self-care realm, our designs cover a range of interests. There's lots there to celebrate rest and hygge, but there's also lots of Buffalo area items for the locals!

Here's a few of my personal favs....

Secret Forest Hoodie



Josh Allen's (imaginary) Girlfriend Sweatshirt
(this one has a black 17 on the back, too!)



Birch Forest Mug



Bills Touchtown Tee
(we have this design on other items, too!)


Gorgeous Girls Drink Coffee Mug



Hygge Minimalist Sweatshirt

That is just a little sampling, and the hope is to have new items every few days!

Let me know what your favorite pieces are - it helps me narrow down what designs and items to focus on! And remember, use the code EARLYSHOPPER to get 20% off through Saturday! It's my little thank you for giving us a shot and leaving us a review! xo

Cozy & Rych on Etsy

Cozy & Rych on Instagram

Cozy & Rych on Facebook