From the Studio

The reality of work-life balance? Giving up control.

If I want to host Olive’s friends for her birthday, enjoy lazy mornings in the backyard, or drop everything to picnic and sketch in the park, it means I ship orders at odd times. My studio—and my business brain—becomes a heap of half-finished projects, stacked precariously but intentionally, so that whenever a quiet moment appears, I can pick up where I left off.

The mental side might be the hardest. I check out so completely that checking back in feels jarring. The gears...

I had the privilege of traveling to France to celebrate my 40th birthday. As a lover of functional fashion, trips are deeply inspirational: travel strips you down to the essentials—what you carry, what you wear, how you feel. You become hyper-aware of every item on your body, and responsible for the weight of every extra thing in your suitcase. What serves you stays. What doesn’t, gets in the way. These are the fashion reflections that rose to the surface.

1. Glamping, but make it French
It’s adventure, not luxury. Our first Airbnb—and...

Last week, I told a friend:

"Anywhere your identity is tied becomes a roadblock to progress."

I shared how I was once a fashion designer in NYC before moving back home to Illinois. For a long time, I couldn't move forward because my identity was still wrapped up in being a "NYC Designer." Until I let go of that, I was stuck.

And I’ve seen the same pattern over and over again. Social media stats, retail location, number of designs in my shop...My identity isn’t “mom of a toddler” —obviously, because I don’t have a toddler. But it’s also not...

In a city where they did not fit, they had their baby—the delivery room overlooked the Hudson River.

And they struggled against the rhythms of the city. Baby couldn’t cry, for fear of a noise complaint. Baby couldn’t sleep, with the pianist downstairs, the jackhammer outside, sirens down the street, and live music drifting through the window. Baby couldn’t eat out, because restaurants didn’t have high chairs—or tolerance for mess.

But with strict instructions not to touch the pee-covered sidewalk or garbage bags, Baby learned to walk, making friends...

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