Today feels like a day to pause.

Memorial Day always carries a different kind of weight. It’s not just the long weekend, the unofficial start of summer, or the sales. At its heart, it is a day of remembrance. A day to honor those who gave their lives in service to this country.

And that matters.

I come from a military family, as I know so many do, and while my family was blessed to have our loved ones come home, many others were not. That reality sits a little differently on a day like today. This morning I listened to a short Taps tribute that had me in tears, and it was such a powerful reminder of the cost behind the freedom we enjoy every day.

There is something about that song that quiets everything for a moment.

It makes you remember.
It makes you reflect.
It makes you grateful.

And today, that feels especially important.

Along with that, I’m also sharing this short remembrance video I saw on YouTube. It’s a powerful tribute, and it stirred my heart this morning as I thought about the men and women who never made it home. If you have a moment today, I hope you’ll take a minute to watch.

Behind the Scenes, the Work Continues

At the same time, life and business keep moving, and right now a lot of that movement is happening behind the scenes in the warehouse.

We’re continuing to use this slightly slower season to build the foundation for the busy months ahead, because believe it or not, fourth quarter is coming fast. Later this week we’ll be receiving four pallets of Fall, Halloween, and Christmas inventory, and from there the fun really begins as we start preparing the inventory, warehouse, website, and all the moving parts that go along with the busiest season of the year.

More and more products will start trickling in during the summer as they arrive from the factories, so this season is all about preparing well.

It may not be the glamorous side of the business, but it matters just as much as the pretty finished products.

Building Smarter Before the Rush

Last week we kept working on the warehouse, and one thing that has already made a huge difference is that Babe built me a new shipping table that is both longer and wider. It has been wonderful and such a practical upgrade.

We also have bigger things planned, including adding a new inventory and warehouse management system. We want to make sure orders are going out as accurately as possible. Of course, we are human and mistakes can still happen, but we want to take every ounce of precaution to make sure you receive what you ordered.

That kind of investment matters to me.

It is easy to focus on the visible side of a business, the products, the photos, the launches, the pretty things people actually see. But it is often the less exciting work that creates the strongest business. The systems. The organization. The prep work. The strengthening behind the scenes.

And right now, that is where a lot of our energy is going.

You All Showed Up

Our Memorial Day sale is going strong today, and you all are showing up.

We are so grateful for that.

Several patriotic designs have already sold, which is no surprise because patriotic has been especially strong this year. We still have a few left if you are looking for something for the Fourth of July, but we are no longer making new patriotic designs this season.

We would absolutely love to see the remaining ones from the shop find a new home.

As much as people are enjoying patriotic now, our eyes are also already shifting toward what is next. Fall. Halloween. Christmas. The calendar in this business has a mind of its own, and if you know, you know.

A Hard But Necessary Decision

As I’ve been spending more time thinking about the warehouse, scaling the business, and where my time is most needed, I’ve also had to take an honest look at what I can and cannot carry well.

Running a small business where you are the CEO, designer, bookkeeper, inventory control specialist, product purchaser, website designer, shipper, customer service rep, receiving clerk, and everything in between can stretch you very thin.

While I’m incredibly blessed to have family help and support, a lot still falls on my shoulders.

And because of that, I had to make the difficult decision to close our private design group.

That decision truly broke my heart.

Not because I did not love it, but because I did. That group deserved my full attention, and I simply could not give it what it needed at this time. And when something matters, you want to do it well.

Teaching Isn’t Going Away

Even though that chapter is closing, one thing is not changing: I still absolutely love to teach.

It is what I did for so many years in the corporate world, and it is just part of who I am. So I will still be teaching, just in different ways.

We still have our YouTube channel where I’ll be posting periodic designs. I’ll still be showing up live on YouTube and Facebook to share new products, play with them, and create. And I’m hopeful we’ll have a few workshops along the way too, so stay tuned for that.

We’ll also have a waitlist coming soon for our first one.

Sometimes moving forward means letting go of one thing so you can make room for the right next thing.

That is what this season feels like.

A Few New Favorites

On a lighter note, I’ve picked up two new things lately that I’ve been really enjoying.

The first is the Kenra Platinum Blow-Dry Mist. My hairdresser used it on my hair last week, and it smelled so good and left my hair incredibly soft, so I had to get some for myself. I’ve been using it in place of my usual go-to, the Color Wow Extra Strength Dream Coat, and while I still love that one, I’m going to keep using the Kenra for a while and see which one I like best.

So far, I’m really loving the Kenra.

I also got a cute new summer top in burgundy, and it just happened to be on sale today. They had several colors, but the burgundy was the one that came home with me.

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Holding Both Remembrance and Forward Motion

Today feels like one of those days that holds two things at once.

The sacredness of remembrance.
And the steady, faithful work of continuing on.

That feels true in life and in business.

We pause.
We remember.
We honor.
And then we keep building.

That is what today feels like for me.

Grateful for those who gave everything.
Grateful for the family help I have.
Grateful for the work in front of me.
And grateful for the chance to keep building something stronger for what is ahead.