latest on the blog
teacher appreciation sale and a free gift at caravan sonnet classroom / teachers pay teachers
May 5, 2026
Don’t miss the TPT Teacher Appreciation Sale 2026! TODAY AND TOMORROW, Save up to 25% on all of my creative, colorful, and NO Prep educational resources! Stock up on all of the NO PREP classroom items you need to end the school year strong — use code THANKYOU26 at checkout.
Go directly to the shop HERE!
AND... I want to give you a FREE GIFT!
Thank you so much again for all of your support of the shop! I know I say that all of the time, but you are a blessing! I am so glad you are here! And to say thank you, I want to share about a small thank you gift that you can receive!!! Community matters deeply to me, and your reviews truly help this small, independent shop continue to grow. So I am offering a small gift- if you leave a review in the Caravan Sonnet Shoppe, you can choose one FREE resource (up to $3 in value) as my thank-you.
How it works:
1. Leave a review on any resource in the shop
2. Email me at caravansonnet@gmail.com
3. Tell me which resource you’d like
4. I’ll send it to you directly as an attachment
It’s my way of saying thank you for supporting thoughtful, real-world teaching. Truly—it means more than I can say.
Thank you again for ALL of your support!! Happy Shopping!!
becoming a full-time teacher seller: march check-in from my teachers pay teachers journey
May 4, 2026
Happy Monday friends! I hope that you had the most lovely weekend! It is hard to believe that it is May and I am just now sharing about the March check in from my Teachers Pay Teachers seller journey! I know I need to get caught up on these updates -but have working so hard behind the scenes on the shop itself that these move to the back! I look forward to getting caught up this month!
I am so excited to share the March check-in from my teachers pay teachers journey! The last couple of months of sharing has been so encouraging with y'alls feedback that it is exciting to share -and definitely a bit vulnerable for this also! If you missed the last couple of months you can find the posts by clicking on the links below:
2025 Journey
The first thing that was a MAJOR goal for me that was completed in March was changing the name of the shop at TPT to match my future goals and dreams to Caravan Sonnet Classroom. You can read ALL about the reasoning behind this HERE!
If you missed November's post I shared that for years, since I started my teachers pay teachers shop in 2021 (click HERE to go directly to the shop), I’ve quietly built quality, engaging and educational resources, uploaded them very early in the morning or very late at night, working on the weekends, attending webinars, attending in person events, refined listings, worked on the brand of the shop, and celebrated some small wins in my Teachers Pay Teachers shop. Occasionally, I’ve shared best-seller roundups (like this one), but lately I’ve felt a nudge to invite you into the journey itself—not just the highlights, but the faithful, behind-the-scenes work of becoming.
This process for me has had some starts and stops along the way due to life and a variety of seasons. In the late winter of 2025 I decided to really start investing time into the shop and it has truly been an amazing experience. There were a couple of "life things" that took place that didn't allow me to fully focus on the shop for various reasons all the time as much as I would have liked, but it is okay. That is something I have definitely learned this past year. It is slow going but that is okay- this again is not about highlights but about the faithful, behind-the-scenes work of becoming and building this in a full-time income. I am sure that many people, like myself, are wanting to develop a TPT store as one of your 3-7 income streams that is recommended for a healthy "wealth" lifestyle.
If you’ve ever wondered what it actually looks like to grow a Teachers Pay Teachers store toward a full-time income—with a full-time job plus other life responsibilities- so slowly, imperfectly, and with intention—this is for you.
I shared this a bit last month, but if January and February felt like a reminder of the times that I needed to focus on other things in life, so did March. After mom's surgery in January, plus balancing a month full of packed appointments, me having a long-awaited and medically necessary root canal, travel back and forth to NYC for more appointments for my mom, balancing a second job as financially things are very difficult, and then getting the flu at the end of January and being extremely sick on top of care-giving all while working full time was a lot.
February turned into an unexpected month of heavy things as mom developed an infection after the surgery, and we learned the difficult news that we were looking at additional surgery and treatment. It was a heavy month and there were additional behind the scenes things of life that just took up incredible amounts of time and reminded me that this journey will take time. In March mom had her reinsicion surgery and we were so grateful to recieve the news at the end of March that no additional surgery would be needed! At the end of April we met with mom's oncologists and I shared more in an update HERE.
It has been a very very busy and full season these last few months... more than honestly I could express. There has not been the time that I would have thought originally I could have invested into this, but my family will always come first. I hope that is also an encouragement for you if you are hoping to really move forward in your TPT journey but life happens.
In the past this would have discouraged me, but instead, I was reminded of my meeting with Whitney in November and behind the scenes just kept plugging away, one little step at a time. So if November felt like laying groundwork, and December felt like watching seeds quietly take root, and January felt softly encouraging, February and March felt like I was slowly moving forward as I had a foundation in place to keep moving forward- even if it was just accomplishing a few items. February also reminded me why I am working to make this a full-time income stream as one of my 3-7 income streams because passive income in the midst of life situations and crisis is key to supporting those in my life that are most important to me well.
For me ... March reminded me of why I am working so hard to do this... and the numbers turned out to be slightly encouraging and a gentle encouragement to keep pressing forward to the future.
As a brief look back from March:
Store ranking: 11,884 (89th percentile)
February: 12,005 (90th percentile)
January: 13,994 (89th percentile)
December: 9,520 (91st percentile)
November: 17,229 (85th percentile)
New followers gained: 1 (total: 89)
February: 1
January: 0
December:2
November: 1
Total earnings: $158.94
February: $154.06
January: $127.69
December: $156.14
November: $79.04
Shop views: 315
February: 438
January: 366
December: 1046
November: 292
Resources sold: 45
February: 73
January: 56
December:75
November: 32
Conversion Percentage Rate: 14%
After attending a webinar that TPT did in February I learned that a "goal" conversion rate is 2-3%. This was interesting to learn as I had never considered this before, so I will be adding this category in now also- with the goal to reach at least 50% conversation rate in the next months, but thrilled with the 14% rate!
February: 17%
Reviews: 1 (5 STARS!!!)
February: 1
January: 3
December:0
November: 0
Seeing those numbers side-by-side with previous months is very helpful —not because they represent “arrival,” but because they represent movement despite what felt like some setbacks. This wasn’t accidental growth. It came from intention. If you are on this journey also- keep track because the numbers are encouraging to help remind you of gradually moving forward piece by piece. You have got this!
If you’re building a TpT shop, dreaming of one, or simply curious about what’s possible beyond the classroom, I hope this space feels like an invitation—not pressure—to keep going. Leave a comment below- share your TPT shop and let's all follow along to support each other!
As I have stepped into May, my focus isn’t on chasing numbers—it’s on:
* continuing to refine what works
* staying rooted in classroom-ready, practical resources
* building one quiet income stream with care and integrity
If you’re building a TpT shop, thinking about starting one, or simply curious about what this process actually looks like month-by-month, I’m grateful you’re here.
This isn’t about overnight success.
It’s about becoming—one quality resource, one revision, one month at a time.
Happy Monday friends- here’s to small steps, faithful work, and becoming. We have got this!
Go directly to the shop HERE!
Happy Sunday friends! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.
Today's sunday scripture is a verse that has brought significant encouragement and inspiration to me over the last couple of days. I read this verse in this translation and it has constantly been sticking with me- especially over some very unexpected news I received without warning on Thursday afternoon.
I have been so encouraged by the promises in this verse and I hope that this encourages you to pause today friends in the different situations and circumstances you are facing just like it did for me. Continue to speak victory and life over your situations, continually remembering that even in the place God has you he sees you and will care for you.
Cheering you on- please let me know if there is anything that I can pray for you about!
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To download and use for personal/church use, right click on the image and save to computer and print on thick cardstock or photo paper. Please tag @rebeccaannvandemark (on IG) or @caravansonnet (on pinterest or twitter) when sharing on social media.
Looking for past Sunday Scripture Posts? Click HERE!
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This is a girl excited to say hello to May... *smiles*
Happy Friday friends! I hope that you have had a lovely week! This week has truly left me a bit speechless... I know that sometimes on the internet it can be a bit frustrating when a blogger says something like this because then you are like well why say something like that if you aren't going to share. I can't speak for others, but because I live so much life with y'all I know that this community is faithful in support and prayers. So right now, I do ask for prayers. Something happened yesterday that has definitely thrown me. Please know that it is nothing to do with my mom's health or mine, and thank you so much for your prayers. This verse has brought specific comfort to my heart in the last 24 hours:
Here are some of my favorite things from this past week! First of all....
I am OVERWHELMED by the response of providing this FREE guide and telling my story and journey with medical debt and finances. This is truly a passion of mine to discuss finances, so telling my story was definitely a raw and vulnerable start to sharing more about this. If you would like the Free Guide please click HERE!
Thank you so much for your continued prayers for mom. You can find the updated news HERE. We continue to ask for prayers for the best next steps and treatment.
I shared a bit more HERE in a blog post, but earlier this month the TPT store changed its name!
When I started the shop back in 2021, I was quietly building resources late at night and early in the morning, uploading them between life responsibilities, and dreaming of what this could become. And slowly, faithfully, it has been becoming something much bigger than I could have imagined as I chase my dreams.
Sales reaching 26 states, Canada, Australia, the Philippines.
Five star resources.
A community of teachers I am so deeply grateful for.
But as I have been thinking about the future — really dreaming about where this is going — I kept coming back to one thing: I am not just building a shop. I am building a classroom. A place where teachers find resources that bring financial literacy, history, government, economics, and law alive for their students. A place where other educators who are building their own TPT journeys can find honesty, encouragement, and community. A place that can grow beyond any single platform — because what we are building together is bigger than that.
I am also SO grateful for ALL of your support of this shop. Y'all... THANK YOU. This is something that I work so hard on behind the scenes and your support, reviews, and encouragement are HUGE. Thank you so much for all of your support of the shop! If you would like to check out the shop you can find it HERE!
Can I ask 2 HUGE favors?
(1)- If you are not already following the shoppe could you please do so? Even if you are not a teacher or don't plan to purchase things the number of followers does influence potential buyers and this would show incredible support! Simply click HERE!
(2)- If you have purchased something would you please take a moment and leave a review? It doesn't have to be long, but reviews are SO helpful to TPT owners like myself! Simply click HERE!
THANK YOU!
I shared more about the upcoming Lake Placid Half-Marathon that I am officially signed up for! You can read the post HERE! As y'all know back at the end of the summer, I had signed up for and planned a trip to Hawaii for this month - and part of that stay was going to be doing a half-marathon. It felt like a stretch goal, something both adventurous and symbolic. But life, as it so often does, shifted. With my mom’s diagnosis, everything changed. Priorities realigned. Travel paused. And the idea of that race quietly slipped away.
But the dream didn’t. I am officially registered for the Lake Placid Marathon and Half Marathon this June! Read more about this HERE and send along ANY and ALL tips please in the comments below!!
.jpg "heating pad")
When I was a teenager I tried to attempt a "stunt" (like I was a cheerleader- which in my defense I was so it made sense haha- please don't ask *smiles*) while I was water skiing. Suffice it to say the "stunt" went horribly wrong and I took a bad fall that hurt my back. About 7 years ago I was skiing (winter this time) and I took a very bad fall and between the two things- I can unfortunately end up in extreme pain if my back goes out... so one of the things that I have always been grateful for, has been the suggestion of THIS heating pad by one of my doctors about 12 years ago. I can't say enough good things about it and can't recommend it enough! If you have been around the blog the last decade then I also have to say that this was a huge help while I was extremely sick fighting Advanced Late Stage Lyme Disease and Cancer (and other things). The heating pads of this brand come in a variety of sizes (I use the medium size while my mom loves the small size).
For after my mom's knee surgery we also purchased the knee version and this was a huge help also. (You can find that HERE). There are tons of options of sizes, but if you are looking for a new heating pad definitely try these out. It definitely is an investment, but worth every single penny. Each one we have owned has lasted for about 5 years - so they last a LONG time! I just checked and on Amazon they are having a MAJOR sale today so definitely check that out!
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With Caravan Sonnet turning 13 years old this year I love sharing on Fridays some of the older but most popular posts on the blog! One of the things that Caravan Sonnet developed into in the early years was a a resource for those looking for cozy luxury travel around the United States and World.
I am so delighted to start sharing about an upcoming adventure that we are going to have in the second half of the summer and look forward to sharing all of the details!!!
In the meantime, you can check out all of the travel and cruising adventures HERE!
I hope that you have a wonderful Friday friends! Thank you for making this such an incredible space to come to and connect with every single day. I am so blessed!!
Happy Wednesday friends!
It is hard to believe that it has been a full year today since our beautiful Rhone River Cruise! I am excited to share a few final reels of this beautiful adventure beginning with our first two days HERE!
Last night on IG I shared a reel all about our embarkation day and our beautiful day in Arles! Before you read anymore here, I would be honored if you would please head on over to watch, comment, and like this reel by clicking HERE!
I understand that in the world we live in and the constant reels and pictures it may not seem like a lot, but to me this means so much more than you realize. Every view, like, comment, and share on a reel truly matters more than most people realize. Instagram quietly uses those small signals to decide whether a post should be shown to more people. When you watch, tap the heart, or leave a thoughtful comment, you’re helping the story reach someone else who might need to hear it too. For a small content creator like me, those simple moments of encouragement from this community make a real difference and help Caravan Sonnet continue to grow in the Instagram space. So please take just a quick moment to click HERE to do this!
Thank you.
If you are interested in more information about these first couple of days please click on these links below and as always feel free to let me know if you have any questions!
Embarkation Day
Embarkation Day on the Viking Delling (IG Reel)
Embarkation Day on the Viking Delling (Blog Post)
Viking Delling (IG Reel)
Viking Delling Ship Review (IG Reel)
Viking Rhone River Tours (IG Reel)
Viking Delling Stateroom 337 Review (IG Reel)
Day 2- Arles, France
Morning on the Rhone River (IG Reel)
Thoughts from Arles France (Blog Post)
The Arles Ampitheater (Blog Post)
A Walk Through Arles France (IG Reel)
Sunsets on the Viking Delling (IG Reel)
Happy Wednesday! I hope you have the most wonderful day!
You don’t need to rush across Europe to make a trip feel worthwhile. When you plan your
route with care, each stop starts to work harder for you, giving you better food and time to
actually enjoy where you are. You avoid the constant packing and long transfers that drain
your energy and instead build a journey that feels balanced. By mixing well-known cities with
quieter regions, you give yourself variety without overwhelming your schedule.
Iconic European Cities
Tourists naturally gravitate towards cities like Paris and Barcelona, and for good reason.
Each offers a compact layout that makes exploring on foot or by metro straightforward,
which saves both time and money. In Paris, you can structure your day around
neighbourhoods - start with a morning coffee in Le Marais, then walk to the Seine instead of
zigzagging across the city. Barcelona gives you flexibility - pair a cultural stop like the Gothic
Quarter with an afternoon by the beach, which helps you recharge without wasting a day
travelling.
Island Escapes
Islands offer a calmer, slower-paced way of life. The Italian charm is irresistible, that’s why a
Sardinia Holiday is the perfect getaway. You can land in Cagliari and reach quiet beaches
within an hour, avoiding the long transfers you’d face on larger islands. Renting a small car
lets you explore coastal roads at your own pace, stopping at lesser-known coves where you
won’t compete for space. Alternatively, Santorini suits shorter stays; its compact size means
you can see key viewpoints without constant travel, freeing up time to relax.
Scenic Countryside and Alpine Routes
Europe’s countryside gives you breathing room and a different rhythm. The Swiss Alps, for
example, make travel itself part of the experience. Trains between towns like Interlaken and
Zermatt run frequently and offer panoramic views, so you don’t need to drive to enjoy the
scenery. If you prefer something quieter, regions such as Tuscany let you base yourself in
one village and take short day trips to vineyards or historic towns.
Eastern European Gems
Cities like Prague and Budapest combine walkable centres with affordable food and
accommodation, which helps stretch your budget. In Prague, you can explore the Old Town
on foot and still have time for a relaxed evening by the river. Budapest offers thermal baths
that double as both sightseeing and downtime. Venture slightly further to Kraków, where you
uncover cultural sites that add depth and purpose to your trip.
Europe Done Right
A well-shaped European journey comes down to the choices you make between
destinations as much as the places themselves. You don’t need to see everything to feel
satisfied; you just need to experience enough with intention. Focus on how each destination
fits into your overall pace, and you’ll build a trip that feels coherent and genuinely memorable
long after you return.
*contributed post*
There are moments in life when everything changes quietly… and then all at once. For me, that moment wasn’t just illness—it was what came after.
Years of fighting for my health led to something I wasn’t prepared for:
over $500,000 in medical debt.
Not because of reckless choices. Not because of poor planning.
But because life sometimes asks more of us than we ever imagined we could carry.
And maybe you understand that.
This Is Why I Created This Guide
Over the years, I’ve slowly, steadily paid off $260,000 of that debt.
Not quickly. Not perfectly. But consistently.
And somewhere along the way, I realized something important:
People don’t just need financial strategies. They need hope, clarity, and a place to begin.
So I created something I wish I had back then— A simple, honest, step-by-step guide for rebuilding financially after overwhelming circumstances, illness, or starting over.
My Free Guide Is Now Available
“How I Paid Off $260,000 in Medical Debt (and Where I’d Start Again)” is now available as a free download in my Stan Store. Click HERE!
Inside, I walk you through:
→How to stop the financial spiral and gain clarity
→ The truth about medical debt (and why it’s different)
→ How I reduced my debt by over $200,000 through negotiation
→ A simple, sustainable plan that actually works in real life
→ What I would do differently if I were starting today
This is not a complicated system. It’s not overwhelming. It’s practical, gentle, and built for real life—especially when life feels heavy.
If You’re in a Hard Financial Season
I want to say this as clearly as I can:
You are not behind. You are not alone. And you are not stuck.
Medical debt—like so many financial burdens—often comes from situations we didn’t choose.
But it is something you can move through. One small step at a time.
A Quiet Invitation
If you are rebuilding financially—after illness, loss, or simply a difficult season—This guide is for you. From someone who has sat with the bills, made the calls, and walked this road slowly…
You can still build a beautiful life.
Download the Free Guide
You can download your free copy HERE:
And if you’re walking this journey, I would love to stay connected:
→ On Instagram for daily encouragement
→ Here on Caravan Sonnet for deeper stories
→ And through upcoming resources designed to help you rebuild with clarity and dignity
Live elegantly. Spend with dignity. Rebuild—one step at a time.
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