08/10/2026
I'm reminded everyday that the act of making is worth the mess- and I'm not just talking about Messy Art Club 😘 Seriously, life takes us through so many loops and it's so easy to get turned around. To grasp for an anchor and not find purchase.
Last week was tough as a business owner. It was slower than normal and someone new walked in every single day to tell me this business wouldn't thrive here or that I should cut my losses. *Salt to the wound, man.* They don't see the long nights I've spent working and researching, the sacrifices, or the support. This is the messy part of building something meaningful and I don't expect everyone to appreciate the process. Heck, I don't always appreciate the process (Looking at you, online portal for taxes)- it would be easy to question whether they're right about this.
On the other hand, I also had people come in everyday to tell me they're so happy The Whimsy Bar exists. One mom even came in to show me pictures of her daughter wearing a dress I'd altered for her all the way back at prom! It made my entire month! 😭❤️
At the end of the day, there will always be space for hope in the middle of the mess. Sometimes the hardest decisions we have to make are the ones that lead to making hope or finding inspiration when resources are scarce, but isn't that whimsy, too? Whatever you're working on right now, trust the process especially if you're in the thick of the mess. You're exactly where you're meant to be.
P.S. Becca Mathews at Land of Wild Designs Photography is incredible and I could not have enjoyed this photoshoot more! Thank you, Becca, for believing in this mess before I even had the keys and continuing to be the definition of an anchor through the ups and downs.
