Creativity Over Coffee: Shannon Acheson (Home Made Lovely)

It’s time for a fresh installment of Creativity Over Coffee. An interview series where I chat with my creative friends!

This post also contains affiliate links, if you purchase a product via the link I may receive a percentage of the sale. You can read my full disclosure policy here. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting my blog in this way.

Today, I’m really excited to introduce you to a very good friend of mine, Shannon Acheson. Shannon and I have been friends for years – 9 years to be exact. I met Shannon through blogging and actually stayed with her lovely family up in Canada when I attended a blog conference. While I haven’t seen Shannon in person in a few years I’m excited to be able to chat with her often online. Shannon shares her creativity and love for home decor and hospitality through her blog Home Made Lovely and just released the Home Made Lovely book, I know you guys are going to love it.

So grab your coffee (or tea) and join Shannon and me for Creativity Over Coffee:

Shannon, I’m so happy you’re here! I’m so excited to share your story and your amazing blog with my readers. We’ve been friends for so long and it’s really nice to chat here on my blog. Can you share more about yourself and your Home Made Lovely Blog?

Shannon: It really is nice to have this chat. Thank you so much for having me. I’m Shannon, wife to Dean for twenty-four years, momma of two teenagers & a twenty year old and author of Home Made Lovely – Creating the Home You’ve Always Wanted. I believe home is the most important place on earth and my passion is helping frustrated women who really want a lovely home go from “I don’t know where to start” to “I absolutely adore my home!” Whether it’s decluttering, decorating, cooking up yummy food or creating a beautiful project for your home, I share it all on my blog.

Your NEW book Home Made Lovely is just so beautiful and full of lots of great information on home decor and decluttering. I truly believe your home should reflect one’s family as you discuss in the book. Can you share the Home Made Lovely principles with my readers?

Shannon: I believe that:

• Home is the most important place on earth.

• There’s no need to feel overwhelmed by decluttering, organizing, decorating, hospitality or any part of home-making or home-keeping.

• Home should be about the people who live there, rather than creating some magazine-worthy spread.

• A truly lovely home is about so much more than just how it looks.

Writing a book is a lot of work. Can you share the process with my readers?

Shannon: It definitely is! For me, writing a traditionally published book was always something I wanted to do. So when it was finally time in Spring 2018, I asked other bloggers who’d published books how they did it and what they’d do differently if they were to do it again. Most said they had or would get a literary agent – someone who helps with a book proposal and outline and then “shops” it out to a list of publishers. I went looking for an agent, after one blogger/author suggested I check out other books in what would be my genre and see if they mentioned their agent. Lo and behold I did and reached out to an agency and found my agent. After that, I spent a lot of time working on an outline, sample chapters and a proposal. When those were finished, my agent sent them out to several publishers. And I waited. And I got some rejections. And finally right before the Christmas holidays in 2018 my agent called and told me that Bethany House Publishing was interested and wanted to pursue signing me for a book deal. We negotiated in January and by the end of February, the contract was finalized. I then wrote the rest of the book and submitted the final draft manuscript August 1st 2019. We then went through edits and changes for a couple months. And then after the written manuscript was acceptable to BHP, we turned our attention to the photos and layout and all those little details. The book went to print in March 2020….right about the time 2020 started to go crazy. But, despite some challenges and needing to order a second print run before the end of September, Home Made Lovely was still released on September 8th, 2020! It has been a very interesting and exciting adventure over the last two plus years.

That’s so crazy. I’m glad it all worked out even during these uncertain times. When do you feel most creative or happy?

Shannon: When I’m listening to my favorite music or when Dean and I are talking about design, and our business and all the possibilities.

Who or what inspires you?

Shannon: HGTV shows, but only some like Fixer Upper and Home Town. Muskoka Living Interiors is a store north of me in “cottage country”. They’re very high end and classy, but still cozy.

You discuss hospitality in your book and share many delicious recipes. I’m looking forward to trying them. I wondered which was your family’s favorite?

Shannon: Lol. Hmm. Good question. I think most of the ones in the book would be counted as favorites. They love the chicken pot pie with quick spooned on crust, the slow cooker roast beef dinner with gravy and my mom’s apple crisp.

What’s your favorite color?

Shannon: Black for clothes hands-down. White/taupe/beige and black for decor.

When you started your blog did you realize the journey you would have?

Shannon: Lol. No, not at all. I really had no idea. It was so new when we started. No one knew what it would be like.

What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps or who would like to start a blog or write a book?

Shannon: Be prepared to work hard and to always be learning new things. Figure out how to rest and recharge too, and make yourself do it periodically.

Growing up I was a huge follower of INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO. At the end of the program, they would ask the interviewee these questions:

What is your favorite word? Lovely
What is your least favorite word? No
What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Cheesy Hallmark romcoms, walking through model homes and good old fashioned magazines
What turns you off? Stress
What is your favorite curse word? Bollocks
What sound or noise do you love? Loud music of my choosing through really great speakers
What sound or noise do you hate? Loud music through iphone speakers or other bad sounding speakers
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? None…I get to do a LOT of different things with my “job”
What profession would you not like to do? Anything production oriented – I’m terrible at repeat tasks
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Well done, my good and faithful servant

A huge thank you to Shannon for sharing so much of her creative path with us. I hope you enjoyed this chat as much as I did and I hope it’s inspired all of you at home. Be sure to check out Shannon’s new book – Home Made Lovely. Be sure to follow along with Shannon and Home Made Lovely below:

Website * Instagram * Facebook

If you’d like more Creativity Over Coffee you can read the full series here

* Photos courtesy of Shannon Acheson