Tell us about what your passion project is and why you do it? Wild Flour is a vegan bakery I started out of a desire to create delicious vegan treats for both vegan and non vegans. I’ve always had a special place in my heart for animals and as of this year stopped using any animals products when I bake. However, as someone who loves the communal aspect of enjoying food with others it can be a challenge finding good vegan alternatives. Creating my own vegan desserts has given me the ability to make something that I believe can be enjoyed by anyone while allowing me to do something I love.  Give us an idea of how WildFlour came about.After being a vegetarian for several years I decided to take the next step and go vegan. I’ve always had a strong love for animals and felt personally convicted to choose this lifestyle for myself. Even though I was excited for this change I was afraid I wouldn't be able to enjoy some of my favorite foods anymore. Because of where I live a lot of the vegan options didn't live up to my expectations and so I decided to take on the challenge myself. Through trial and error I was able to come up with something that I thought not only lived up to traditional desserts but tasted better to me without having to use animal products. Soon after I started making cakes for fun for family and friends and it didn't take long before people started asking me for orders.  What is the earliest memory you have that you can attribute to developing a |
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What keeps you motivated to keep going with pursuing this passion, and in the work it requires?
I absolutely love seeing people get excited about something that I’ve made for them. It’s also because I know that I need that time for myself to be artistic, to create, and make a dessert that both vegans and non vegans can enjoy. My goal isn't necessarily to turn anyone vegan but I like showing people that vegan food is also delicious and if it encouraged someone to think twice about consuming animal products then I’m here for it!
What does the future hold for you and your work?
I’ve been thinking a lot about these questions lately. As an enneagram type 7, I love trying new things, and with young children I feel like I have to take it one step at a time. But my next goal is to start selling at local markets. I’d really love for more people to experience vegan desserts.
I have a pretty laid back personality and sometimes let my dreams slip away, because they get complicated or hard, but as I ask myself what my long term goals are, I don't want fears to stop me from doing something I love. The future is always somewhat unknown, but I’m really excited to pursue this passion and see where it takes me!
I have a pretty laid back personality and sometimes let my dreams slip away, because they get complicated or hard, but as I ask myself what my long term goals are, I don't want fears to stop me from doing something I love. The future is always somewhat unknown, but I’m really excited to pursue this passion and see where it takes me!
Any final words of encouragement to share with readers who may be looking to pursue a passion project of their own?
I would say “Go for it!” I have tried a lot of things over the years, and maybe they didn't end up where I wanted, but each time I try something new, I learn from it. I learn a new skill or learn to overcome a fear. No matter what it is, you can always take something away from trying new things.
Thanks Abi!
Curated by: Katie Simkins
Words & Photos by: Abi May
Words & Photos by: Abi May
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| Your Names: Molly Tindall & Rebekah TenHaken Ages: 26 & 36 Name of Project: Enneagram Magazine Current Locations: Minneapolis & Elgin Website: www.enneagrammagazine.com Instagram: @enneagrammag |  |
1. Give us some insight into the how and why behind the creation of Enneagram Magazine.
We had just come off doing a passion project for our dear friends at Beauty in the Common (shout out to them!) and realized we actually loved doing that project together, so the idea of a magazine was swimming around for awhile. Then one day this idea popped into Molly’s head (which we believe came from God) “what if it was centered around the Enneagram”. So she called Bekah, and we started dreaming and working on it soon after that!
Our mission is to pursue greater freedom through the Enneagram by intentionally creating collaborative space that inspires growth towards God and others.
Our Manifesto is:
We believe we are all part of a bigger Story taking place in and around us, and the Author at the center of that story, Jesus (Hebrews 12:1) Therefore, we give God the glory for any good that is produced out of this adventure, for apart from God, we can do nothing. We believe we have been gifted tools, namely the Enneagram, to live out of a place of freedom and seek to equip others to use the same tools. We believe in joining people wherever they are on the journey and are committed to using language that is redemptive and free of any shame. We are committed to being lifelong learners, and believe we have something to learn from every single person. Collaboration and diversity will be our dear friends- pushing us beyond our own comfort and perspective. As we pursue our dreams, we will be aware of the mentality of scarcity and seek to be generous, remain open, and work from a place of rest not ‘hustle’. We value hitting the pause button, celebrating life together, and working to not take ourselves too seriously.
Our mission is to pursue greater freedom through the Enneagram by intentionally creating collaborative space that inspires growth towards God and others.
Our Manifesto is:
We believe we are all part of a bigger Story taking place in and around us, and the Author at the center of that story, Jesus (Hebrews 12:1) Therefore, we give God the glory for any good that is produced out of this adventure, for apart from God, we can do nothing. We believe we have been gifted tools, namely the Enneagram, to live out of a place of freedom and seek to equip others to use the same tools. We believe in joining people wherever they are on the journey and are committed to using language that is redemptive and free of any shame. We are committed to being lifelong learners, and believe we have something to learn from every single person. Collaboration and diversity will be our dear friends- pushing us beyond our own comfort and perspective. As we pursue our dreams, we will be aware of the mentality of scarcity and seek to be generous, remain open, and work from a place of rest not ‘hustle’. We value hitting the pause button, celebrating life together, and working to not take ourselves too seriously.
2. What makes you both passionate about this project, and even more specifically, The Enneagram?
We have both experienced a large amount of freedom in our lives, especially over the past couple years and are zealous for people to find the same freedom. While knowing that freedom ultimately comes from God, we believe that God has given us tools and abilities to live free lives. So often we think of captivity coming from an external force, but we have found that some of the greatest bondage we have cames from our internal world. The journey inward is scary and can be quite overwhelming. We found that along with wise guides (counselors, mentors, friends on the same journey), the Enneagram was one of the most helpful tools towards navigating our internal landscapes and finding freedom from lies, habits, and coping mechanisms we didn’t even realize were there. We believe the Enneagram is not the means or the end in and of itself but it packages time-tested wisdom that has been helping people live the free life Jesus describes in John 10:10 for centuries.
3. Can you share any major inspirations or motivations behind this project?
We both love print, especially beautiful magazines like Kinfolk and believe in the power of unplugging, grabbing a good cup of coffee/tea and sitting down with a physical resource that can challenge and inspire us towards greater health and freedom. Especially in the digital world we find ourselves in currently, the idea of slowing down with something printed is quite a change of pace. We are excited to be a piece that can break a pattern of digital isolation and consumption, and move to a slow deep dive of inner growth and relational awareness with those around us.
4. Enneagram Magazine is about to launch! What are you ladies most excited about regarding it's launch, and what can we expect from it?
We feel so blessed and open handed with what is to come. We have said from the beginning we feel like we are just along for the ride, there is a movement that we are being swept up in that we know is not of our doing. The doors that have been opened and the connections that have been made can only be explained by a divine mastermind who is the chief networker and orchestrater of these things. We have just been saying “yes” and God has been taking care of the rest, each and every step of the way.
As for details this week’s launch is our first issue called the Enneagram Primer. This issue was intentionally created as our first to layout a foundational language to the Enneagram that is easily digestible and approachable for newcomers. Beyond this launch we will start launching quarterly issues come the new year. These issues will be topic based and will carry articles, imagery, resources, and prompts related to the Enneagram and the topic covered in that issue. Our second issue to release in January is the Creativity issue.
Again, we are excited to be riding this wave and are greatly humbled from the feedback and encouragement received along the journey already. We hope our magazines can help bring about growth, freedom, clarity, and healing to areas in our lives that have needed light.
As for details this week’s launch is our first issue called the Enneagram Primer. This issue was intentionally created as our first to layout a foundational language to the Enneagram that is easily digestible and approachable for newcomers. Beyond this launch we will start launching quarterly issues come the new year. These issues will be topic based and will carry articles, imagery, resources, and prompts related to the Enneagram and the topic covered in that issue. Our second issue to release in January is the Creativity issue.
Again, we are excited to be riding this wave and are greatly humbled from the feedback and encouragement received along the journey already. We hope our magazines can help bring about growth, freedom, clarity, and healing to areas in our lives that have needed light.
5. Were there any struggles, fears, or other obstacles that you overcame while working on this project?
We both experienced several times of crippling discouragement. We also had a few times of just a domino of different life circumstances hit us one right after the other. We worked through past pain together and our fears and triggers from working with people in our past. We would also say we were met with what Steven Pressfield called in his book The War of Art, resistance. We would occasionally text each other and ask for prayer saying something feels off or I am struggling and not quite sure why or not sure why this specific thing is bothering me so much. It’s real and can most definitely tempt you to quit altogether.
Not to mention the thousands of resources popping up all over the place for the hot topic that is the Enneagram. It’s easy to start to get into a camp of ‘us vs. them’ mentality and we have made it a point to stay far from this mentality. The fear sets in of not being enough, “How can just 2 people make this happen?”, we are under-qualified, and many more. As said, the wind in our sails is undeniable and encouragement along the journey from friends, family, and new faces. We’ve learned that opposition and fear is pretty much a guarantee, so the question becomes, how can we use this to motivate us to keep moving? We started being open about these fears and allow ourselves to work through them honestly. A phrase we often say to each other is, “Well, if this journey was just for us to learn more about ourselves and the Enneagram, it has been well worth it. If it happens to resonate with other people, awesome.” The win for us has been in the process and the cherry on top is the stories that continue to roll in by God’s grace.
Not to mention the thousands of resources popping up all over the place for the hot topic that is the Enneagram. It’s easy to start to get into a camp of ‘us vs. them’ mentality and we have made it a point to stay far from this mentality. The fear sets in of not being enough, “How can just 2 people make this happen?”, we are under-qualified, and many more. As said, the wind in our sails is undeniable and encouragement along the journey from friends, family, and new faces. We’ve learned that opposition and fear is pretty much a guarantee, so the question becomes, how can we use this to motivate us to keep moving? We started being open about these fears and allow ourselves to work through them honestly. A phrase we often say to each other is, “Well, if this journey was just for us to learn more about ourselves and the Enneagram, it has been well worth it. If it happens to resonate with other people, awesome.” The win for us has been in the process and the cherry on top is the stories that continue to roll in by God’s grace.
6. What encouragement or advice can you offer those with a dream or passion that they are in the midst of pursuing, or have yet to pursue?
Take the first step, whatever that is, take one small step of curiosity into the land of “what if”. I would also say reach out to a trusted friend and say “hey I have an idea”. There is something insanely powerful about speaking dreams out loud. It is the first step in really bringing them to life. Continue to flush out the project and make some goals and action pieces that keep you committed and build accountability. Be okay with things moving slowly. Don’t just buy into the hustle. Give yourself space to really wrestle with the passion/project you have and allow it to steep in your soul and in prayer. You’ll be amazed at the richness that will develop in the waiting and processing.
We also went through a StratOp for the magazine and it was a game changer as far as giving us language and clarity. It gave us a road map and helped us identify blind spots.
We also went through a StratOp for the magazine and it was a game changer as far as giving us language and clarity. It gave us a road map and helped us identify blind spots.
7. So what does the future hold for Enneagram Magazine?
We are taking it one year at a time and have been working on content for the 4 issues that will release in 2020. We are then planning on doing topic based again in 2021 and then do a magazine focused on each number individually after that. All subject to change but that is our plan at the moment.
"We are currently working on our next issue focused on Creativity through the lens of the Enneagram. We are SO excited to share all of these amazing voices and perspectives with our readers! You can find us at our website www.enneagrammagazine.com we would love to hear about your own Enneagram journey and have a brief questionnaire on the site under “contact”. You can also join our newsletter there! You can also find us on Instagram @enneagrammag. There we will have updates, giveaways, and more!"
| Your Name: Emily Wilde Age: 23 Current Location: Melbourne, Australia Name of Project: Medicina by Emily Wilde Nine to 5: Bookseller Website: http://emlywlde.com |  |
1. Tell us a little about yourself as an artist. How did your creative interests develop to be what they are today?
There wasn’t a pivotal moment when I registered myself as an artist. I tend to believe the 'way of the artist' has always been my reality. I’ve habitually used my hands and had a penchant for building large structures as a child to play in. It was really extreme sometimes. Because of that I always thought I’d end up working in architecture (still might), but regardless I had an enthusiasm for making very early on. I’ve spent the past 15 years drawing and taking photographs mostly but since 2015, branching out a little and expanding the range of mediums I use. As a teen I would sometimes be invited to gatherings but chose to remain in my room drawing and listening to music. I think each time that choice was made it meant growth. It spoke a lot of how important creativity was to me, and still is. I’m not afraid of offending people when I don’t speak with them or hang out and choose to work/create over seeing them. There is so much ownership we place on other people (I should know, I used to do it). While there is importance in maintaining friendships, I prefer the terrain of my own mind over anything else. I love the space I make for myself to create.
2. Share with us a bit about your collection Medicina, where the name came from, and what lead you to start it.
I found myself echoing the work of others in my collection titled ‘pilgrim’ which really jolted me into moving toward what I wanted ‘medicina’ to look like. As I’m working on the new collection, I'm incorporating elements of texture in my weaving practice. Lapping beads over each other, trying to mimic sheepskin or animal fur. Testing different shapes. I’m excited to share how that has been unfolding this winter. The title for the collection first arrived to me as ‘medicine', but it sounded far too clinical and closed-ended. I wanted to translate the ideology that there are medicinal properties at work in giving the mind permission to relax around dead animals, because that is a portion of what the collection is based upon. The other portion is the sensitivity I have with the tones of dead animal skin and fur. To me, death is medicine. There is a grounding that occurs when you are in the face of it. Small issues become even smaller, and there is a silence that lays gently across mind and posture. ‘Medicina’ is Spanish, and feels a little more loose in meaning purely by the fact that one letter has changed. It’s more of a visual thing. I tend to play around with words/lettering after spending so much time reading most of my life. I like to substitute meanings for them quite often for fun. If I use a word that may seem slightly out of context, it’s because I’m stretching it’s abilities and playing around with it in conversation.
3. Tell us a bit of your process in regards to what motivates and inspires your ideas and creations.
I love to research, and collect information and imagery. It has always been a strength and betters the development of my process. I can lean up against my process for months without worrying about placing any emphasis on the outcome. When inspiration finds me in the form of another’s work, I am more interested in their process than their finished art. I like to watch how people move, what space they surround themselves in, what objects they accumulate to infect their process. Georgia O’Keeffe is a point of infatuation for me, I could stare at the photographs of her gathering animal bones and remains for hours. I’m motivated by my own determination and desire to make, as it’s the first feeling I’m confronted with in the morning, especially on a day off. Studying techniques is also really enjoyable. I’ve only been bead-weaving for a year and feel like I’m just starting to grasp what techniques I’m drawn to, also exploring what I can do to shift the landscape of what weaving is for me. In my research, I also fell in love with the tradition of bead-weaving and weaving across different mediums as well as the history of beads.
4. So, you live in Melbourne, Australia - what is it like being an artist there?
Melbourne is a colourful hub of creative communities and culture. I’ve exhibited in a couple of group shows with drawing and photography pieces before in the city and there’s a great deal of support for emerging artists, with really savvy, sleek spaces on offer to exhibit. Some are tucked away and others are quite grand. I don’t subscribe regularly to any particular collective or portion of the art community, as I’m a rather quiet person and enjoy being left to my own devices. That said, it’s a genuine pleasure getting out, seeing shows and spectating. If I were to exhibit in future, I would like to solidify and refine the projection of my vision before taking steps toward sharing or becoming more involved. I’d like for my audience to ask questions about what I do, but not be so keen to find answers. I think people search for answers in art often and when stood in front of work I never find myself asking ‘why’. That’s something I’d like to explore. From my experiences on the rim of it all though - the art world in Melbourne has a lot to offer, and some exceptionally talented people wandering around. There are just so many facets one can be exposed to, it’s almost overwhelming!
5. You used to work in taxidermy. Can you share with us how you got into that, and how that work influences or speaks to your current work ?
I kept a lot of this work to myself, since I was always cautious as to how I’d be received. At the time it felt like a tangent of personal exploration or, an opportunity to document something quite unlike anything I’d ever investigated before. It almost felt anatomical, scientific, laboratory. I accumulated bones and skulls, and a wonderful taxidermy piece from the 1940’s of a hawk. It sits on my studio desk. I worked on small birds, roadkill rabbits/hares and foxes.
I was really inspired in that period by the photography of Emma Kisiel. She completed (and still continues with I believe), a series of photographs titled ‘At Rest’ in 2011, consisting of roadkill animals she placed flowers around, like a commemorative wreath. It sparked my interest because she was addressing the confrontation of death and the relationship humans have with it. She runs and authors a fantastic blog called Muybridge’s Horse that I highly recommend looking at. The work of Katie Innamorato also fuelled my interest. I recall watching a music video sent to me of her picking up a roadkill fox and preparing it for the taxidermy process. I just fell in love with her movements. The solitary nature of her work. It was almost blunt, but measured and full to the brim with sentiment. I wanted to get behind the process and find out for myself what it was like. From then, it was watching documentaries and reading, reading, reading.
I think there is a rather common assumption made about you if you show interest in this particular area. As if, you are on a pathway toward something more sinister. People get this look in their eye as if to suggest they are worried about your wellbeing and state of mind. Taxidermy is often perceived as peculiar and grotesque, which it is. The process is confronting to begin with, but the mind’s desire to explore overrides emotion. You could say perhaps, the desire to explore combined with emotion was the driving force behind my own curiosity. That’s all it is, to me. Curiosity being cut open and bled out. Allowing yourself to look at something that is not choreographed and just ‘being’ with it. Relaxing what you think you should feel about it and really letting your mind wander. There is beauty to be found in everything, and I mean everything. It’s a monument of what was, what no longer is, and death is something we are confronted with daily. Why it is considered grotesque next to life really baffles me. Life, in many ways, can be ‘grotesque’ as well.
In terms of my current work ‘Medicina’, I’m translating the tones lying in the pastures and prairies of the animal plane/under-skin once it has passed on, into hand-woven jewelry for the modern woman. I enjoy studying the collapsing process and I’m forming the jewelry based on the wide variety of shades I find. After a lot of prior exposure to these colors, I have been forming a palette for the earrings which I’m excited to share.
I was really inspired in that period by the photography of Emma Kisiel. She completed (and still continues with I believe), a series of photographs titled ‘At Rest’ in 2011, consisting of roadkill animals she placed flowers around, like a commemorative wreath. It sparked my interest because she was addressing the confrontation of death and the relationship humans have with it. She runs and authors a fantastic blog called Muybridge’s Horse that I highly recommend looking at. The work of Katie Innamorato also fuelled my interest. I recall watching a music video sent to me of her picking up a roadkill fox and preparing it for the taxidermy process. I just fell in love with her movements. The solitary nature of her work. It was almost blunt, but measured and full to the brim with sentiment. I wanted to get behind the process and find out for myself what it was like. From then, it was watching documentaries and reading, reading, reading.
I think there is a rather common assumption made about you if you show interest in this particular area. As if, you are on a pathway toward something more sinister. People get this look in their eye as if to suggest they are worried about your wellbeing and state of mind. Taxidermy is often perceived as peculiar and grotesque, which it is. The process is confronting to begin with, but the mind’s desire to explore overrides emotion. You could say perhaps, the desire to explore combined with emotion was the driving force behind my own curiosity. That’s all it is, to me. Curiosity being cut open and bled out. Allowing yourself to look at something that is not choreographed and just ‘being’ with it. Relaxing what you think you should feel about it and really letting your mind wander. There is beauty to be found in everything, and I mean everything. It’s a monument of what was, what no longer is, and death is something we are confronted with daily. Why it is considered grotesque next to life really baffles me. Life, in many ways, can be ‘grotesque’ as well.
In terms of my current work ‘Medicina’, I’m translating the tones lying in the pastures and prairies of the animal plane/under-skin once it has passed on, into hand-woven jewelry for the modern woman. I enjoy studying the collapsing process and I’m forming the jewelry based on the wide variety of shades I find. After a lot of prior exposure to these colors, I have been forming a palette for the earrings which I’m excited to share.
6. Do you have any other passion projects you are pursuing outside of Medicina that you can tell us about?
I'm loosely interested in sheepskin, leather and hand-woven materials at the moment. Which is derived from working with familiar terrain in taxidermy. I’m encouraging a growing sensitivity in myself to textured surfaces and fabrics, like carpet up against wood. I’m reading up and documenting as much as I can about the process of tanning leather, what’s biodegradable, what isn’t, it’s history etc. Also where I can source Australian leather and sheepskin. I’d like to look at forming jewellery with the two, as I’ve recently been researching the leather/brass jewellery work of Andria Crescioni of ‘Crescioni.' She uses gorgeous traditional techniques that to me, are timeless and reminiscent of the silhouettes of Western America. I’m also interested in sewing together garments one day, made of natural fibres to wear. India Flint is a grand source of inspiration for this. I’ve started slowly collecting a bank of materials I can invest in when the time suits. I am rather conservative in the way I dress and at times find it difficult to source garments that match my perception of beauty. I’m also interested in creating a small bag or something one day from either leather or suede, because I find when I am out exploring in nature and want to collect small items to bring home, I run out of places to put them! My pockets get too full or, my backpack is already carrying my camera and other delicate things. It’s getting to be a real problem for me. I’d love to design a bag that is specifically tailored for that problem. An adventurer’s trinket bag or something for both men and women. I’ve been really intrigued by the shapes and tones 'Are Studio’ in Los Angeles use for their bags. So. We’ll see! I could end up going in a completely different direction.
7. Have you taken on any jobs outside of Medicina - aka, how do you “pay the bills”?
I work as a bookseller which grants me the opportunity to keep informed. It was my first and only job and it’s been following me around for 7 years. I wouldn’t say I chase bookselling, it corners me. There’s a bit of an expectation that I know all there is to know about literature but I think people rush a little when it comes to reading. I will purchase something and read it over and over six times before moving onto something else. Such is the nature of how I listen to music. I will wrap myself around the same record for 6 months and study it closely before jumping onto another. I’m about 5 years behind everyone when it comes to music and reading. I’m very difficult to recommend things to. I make my way there in my own time. I generally keep my opinions to myself when it comes to literature and rarely talk about it at all actually. When people get to talking about books I’m more inclined to take a step back. I do enjoy taking care of kids that come into the bookshop though. I tell them all my favourite books and secrets about them. They are so eager and that’s something I love to encourage. I especially love the kids that come in on their own while their parents shop elsewhere or wait outside for them. That their natural instinct is to walk into a bookstore is beautiful. It reminds me of what I was like when I was younger.
8. What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
My hopes for the future come to me quiet and slow. I would love to relocate somewhere small, perhaps purchase what used to be an old storefront in a country town and turn into my own den. Whatever the future looks like I am not afraid of going it alone, no matter what. And I mean that in many different senses of the word. I love my own company and know that my relationship with myself is going to bloom even more with time. I hope to have the space to continue investing in my creativity and letting it breathe. I’d love to visit corners of the world that are perhaps not commonly sought out. Small, off the grid townships in Russia or Germany. Fish markets in Sweden or Iceland. Worn down buildings in Southwest America. That said, I constantly contradict myself and will likely complete flip these sentences upside down in two years. I just hope, ‘to thine own self’ I’ll be true.
^
*Hamlet reference inserted there.
^
*Hamlet reference inserted there.
Thanks Emily!
Thoughts and Images by: Emily Wilde
Curated by: Katie Simkins
Curated by: Katie Simkins
| Your Name: Liv Melchers Age: 23 Current Location: Elgin, IL Project Name: ABLE SHOPPE Nine to 5: Vintage Stylist & Curator Website: ableshoppe.com Instagram: @ableshoppe |  |
Tell us a little about what ABLE is, and how you got started with it:
ABLE is a curated vintage shop that gives modern context to pre-loved clothing and homewares. The shop’s primary platforms are etsy and instagram but I have recently started to go to markets and participate in pop-up shops which has been so fun! I love getting a chance to interact with my clientele considering we’re not a brick and mortar shop and I currently run the business out of my home in Elgin. ABLE actually began in Nashville during my time interning for a fair trade boutique. During my time there I learned about the horrors of the fast fashion industry and textile pollution. I became aware of local brands working to make a difference in the industry. I was constantly thrifting (my all-time favorite activity) at a goodwill outlet near my apartment in Nashville so I began picking up pieces and I thought I would try starting an etsy shoppe. I borrowed a white backdrop from my internship and used friends as models and began listing my first pieces. It was crazy fun. I remember my first order was a oatmeal linen jumpsuit - I was thrilled. That fall I moved back to the Chicago area to finish up school where I designed my senior thesis around textile pollution. About 6 months after graduating, I quit my job at Madewell to pursue running ABLE full time.
Where did the name, ABLE, come from?
On my way to my internship I would pass an abandoned store with a gorgeous sign from the 50’s that read “ABLE”, which inspired the name. But beyond that sweet sign, I love the idea that we are “able” to create positive change with our shopping choices.
Can you share a bit of your process in regards to the work you do to make ABLE successful?
I typically go thrifting or what I call “sourcing” one or two times a week to add inventory. Recently, I discovered that I receive better turn around selling directly from instagram, so I will post items directly to my story and sell through that format. Selling on etsy is a more intensive process and I am still figuring out the best process. I prefer using a white backdrop studio space and shooting a model but that takes a little more coordinating. I have a crazy talented photographer friend who does product and lookbook shoots for me as well. I have been experimenting with modeling the clothing myself. It’s a very vulnerable and hilarious thing. I often have a camera clicker in one hand behind my back while I am trying to pose. The photo of the garments are very important to me because essentially that is what a customer is purchasing when they are shopping solely online. Turning a side hustle into a full time gig has definitely changed the way you approach it and those processes are important.
Where are a few of your go-to spots for some of your fantastic vintage finds?
Oh man. Too many to name. In college I lived near a non-profit thrift called Pass It On and a Salvation Army in Bridgeview that I still make trips out to visit. There’s a couple near my house that I frequent but I stumble upon the best finds when I check out a new town. The other day I bopped around Aurora checking out thrift stores I hadn’t been to before. I also love hunting at garage sales. Elgin has lots of older homes with vintage filled yard sales. I’m getting pumped just thinking about it.
Any tips for our readers when it comes to hunting for unique finds?
I think if you’re not an avid thrifter it helps to go into it knowing exactly what you’re looking for. When I first began sourcing I would look through everything - seriously everything- baby stuff, Homegoods, mens -everything. Now I know what kind of colors and materials I like so I scan the racks and shelves for those things. Sometimes it can be hard to imagine vintage clothing outside of their thrift setting. I would recommend looking for classic silhouettes and quality materials such as linen, silk, denim and leather. If a thrift store has a dressing room - try it on! But just in case it does not, I usually wear leggings and a tank under my shirt. If you’re not game to do the dirty work, that’s totally fine too! There are so many amazing curated vintage shops out there right now. Browse through Etsy or a few of my favorite online vintage shops - The Break Vintage and Vaux Vintage.
What keeps you motivated and/or inspired?
A huge part of my motivation is that my work is something that flows very naturally out of who I am yet is greater than myself. The process of taking a forgotten clothing item and giving it new life feels very redemptive to me. I like to think of ABLE as artful and ethical - two things I feel passionate about.
Have you taken on any jobs outside of ABLE?
For a year I worked as a stylist at Madewell while running ABLE. The position was extremely helpful in teaching me how to run a retail business. I also do some freelance graphic design and styling. A couple weeks ago I did wardrobe for a shoot with OX Creative. I dressed 24 people and had a blast on set. I really enjoy doing collaborative work!
Do you have any other passion projects you are pursuing outside of ABLE that you can tell us about?
I have gotten into studying mid century modern furniture and design. I like to pick up mcm pieces and restore them a bit and either incorporate them into our home or resell them. But, I started selling them on a separate account called ABLE ABODE - so I guess that’s not technically outside of ABLE. Whoops. I love to draw and I have been working on some drawings to screen print onto pillows and shirts. Also, I hope to take a ceramics class sometime soon. I think it would be amazing to make my own dish set.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future?
In the near future I hope to participate in more pop-up shops and collaborative projects. Similarly, I’d love to expand my work as a stylist working with different companies. Down the road it would be an absolute dream to have a brick and mortar shop. Yet, honestly, my hope for ABLE is to continually be inspiring ethical and artful dressing and serving others by providing the means to do so!
Thanks Liv!
Your Name: Hannah Massey
Age: 26
Current Location: Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, IL
Name of Project: SEEDS
Nine to 5: I work at Anthropologie & teach an art draw class for a homeschool co-op
Websites: ETSY INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK
Tell us a little about your creative project, SEEDS, and how you got started with it:
SEEDS is an overflow of a lifelong creative process for me. It is a platform to be able to share my creative process with others.
I have been selling my art since I was younger, my father was a world-renowned artist, and fortunately I was able to learn a lot from him. Some of my most fond memories growing up were watching my dad create in our garage, which was his studio.
Coming from a family of 8 children with an artist father, and mother who wrote poetry, you can imagine a lot of creating was happening around me.
Every year my family would put on an open house and sell our work. That was probably the beginning for me. That is when I got more serious about doing commissions, paintings, wood-carvings, etc., and began selling my art.
I have been selling my art since I was younger, my father was a world-renowned artist, and fortunately I was able to learn a lot from him. Some of my most fond memories growing up were watching my dad create in our garage, which was his studio.
Coming from a family of 8 children with an artist father, and mother who wrote poetry, you can imagine a lot of creating was happening around me.
Every year my family would put on an open house and sell our work. That was probably the beginning for me. That is when I got more serious about doing commissions, paintings, wood-carvings, etc., and began selling my art.
Where does the name SEEDS come from, and how does it represent what you do?
SEEDS comes from this idea that, through my art, I hope to sprinkle these “seeds” in which I have been given by the Lord to inspire, bring hope, empower and encourage others, and share my heart.
There are a lot of different creative outlets I have, so it is kind of an all encompassing platform for them to be in one place, whether it is my paintings, jewelry, photography, wood-carving, etc.
There are a lot of different creative outlets I have, so it is kind of an all encompassing platform for them to be in one place, whether it is my paintings, jewelry, photography, wood-carving, etc.
Share a bit of your creative process with us:
I think it is an ever-changing ebb and flow just as the seasons. For me, it is not always this rigid thing. It can be extremely messy and uncomfortable. For me, creating has been a means of healing, and navigating through a vast array of seasons being it seasons of joy, sorrow, confusion, excitement, or uncertainty.
Ever since I was little I can remember doodling, painting, or writing as a means of processing. Not that I really knew what I was actually doing. For me, the most sacred and raw creative process was in my grieving. After losing my brother, and just shortly after that losing my father, art was such a tool to process what my heart and mind were trying to express. I think it was interesting that I didn’t really have to speak, but my heart was speaking for me.
My dad and I once had a conversation about this very topic, and my dad said something that has stuck with me to this day. He said, “Art is not just the finished product, but more so the process and the journey it took the person through in the making.” I don’t believe you need to have your work hanging on the walls of a museum or a gallery to be called an artist. Art is more the colorful unraveling of process with soul, mind, and heart.
Ever since I was little I can remember doodling, painting, or writing as a means of processing. Not that I really knew what I was actually doing. For me, the most sacred and raw creative process was in my grieving. After losing my brother, and just shortly after that losing my father, art was such a tool to process what my heart and mind were trying to express. I think it was interesting that I didn’t really have to speak, but my heart was speaking for me.
My dad and I once had a conversation about this very topic, and my dad said something that has stuck with me to this day. He said, “Art is not just the finished product, but more so the process and the journey it took the person through in the making.” I don’t believe you need to have your work hanging on the walls of a museum or a gallery to be called an artist. Art is more the colorful unraveling of process with soul, mind, and heart.
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What's the hardest part about being a working artist?
There are always ideas swirling around, yet it feels like there’s never enough time to do them all. I think there is this persona that since you are really passionate about something that it is always easy to get into it but I have found that it can take a lot of work just like anything else and it can take truly pressing into it even when you are facing a block or aren’t inspired.
There are definitely seasons where I am doing a lot more art and creative things and there are times where my time is taken by other things. I think there’s a balance of giving yourself grace yet putting in the time. I can go months without even touching a paintbrush and times where I am creating everyday.
There are definitely seasons where I am doing a lot more art and creative things and there are times where my time is taken by other things. I think there’s a balance of giving yourself grace yet putting in the time. I can go months without even touching a paintbrush and times where I am creating everyday.
How do you stay motivated and inspired with your work?
I think there’s this untapped territory with the Lord in our art, whether it's visual art, music, writing, whatever it may be, but something we need to push through is what our flesh is speaking-- “I’m too tired”, “I don't have time”, “I’m not good enough”, “I’m just going to end up getting frustrated if it doesn’t come out perfect”. Pushing through those things can be as simple as getting out a paper and pen, beginning to mix paint colors, setting up your easel, whatever it may be. There has been many times where I’ll go days and just stare at my easel or blank canvas, or the piano and just get this sinking feeling that I should probably start the process over again and start creating something new because I know there is so much peace and joy through the process of creating, finding, discovering new things.
Sometimes our art is for someone else, maybe for encouragement or hope. There have been times when people were going through something or they were put on my heart for some reason. When I haven’t had words or felt my words were necessary all I could offer was my art to them. It is really easy to be selfish with our art, because well it’s ours and its scary and humbling to release it into the world but sometimes it’s just what people need. It can be such a beautiful tool of healing, encouragement or hope.
I think it is also important to not just create with the intention to always have it be seen or heard. As I was reflecting on this, I was reminded of this certain flower that blooms only once a year at night. It is called the night blooming cereus and is found mostly in Mexico and Southern Arizona. It’s a strange plant that blooms only for a single day in a year, between June and July. The beautiful, white flowers only open at night. The pleasant smell of these flowers last till the morning. The next morning after blooming the night blooming cereus flowers closes forever. For me, there are many pieces of art I have done that with. They are pieces that I have no real need or intention of showing to anyone, because it might have just been a moment I had. Like a moment of worship with the Lord or simply expressing myself and needing to let it out.
There are over a hundred songs, lyrics or melodies that are on my phone or hiding in journals not because I didn’t want to release them but because they may have been purely for release of my creativity or so I could come back on them someday. Just because they aren’t publicly known, doesn’t mean they do not exist.
Some practical things I find work well for me are having some type of goal, task, or time limit in mind. It sounds kind of funny for an artist, but I prefer a clean workspace, it’s honestly hard for me to create when it’s a mess. The art/process itself being messy, I am okay with. I have found myself about to work, and then I can’t concentrate because I need to clean and organize everything first.
Also, I think there is a balance of being inspired by others but not looking to others for how you should create/take from their unique process. What you bring to the table is important. No one else can create with your unique and specific DNA.
Sometimes our art is for someone else, maybe for encouragement or hope. There have been times when people were going through something or they were put on my heart for some reason. When I haven’t had words or felt my words were necessary all I could offer was my art to them. It is really easy to be selfish with our art, because well it’s ours and its scary and humbling to release it into the world but sometimes it’s just what people need. It can be such a beautiful tool of healing, encouragement or hope.
I think it is also important to not just create with the intention to always have it be seen or heard. As I was reflecting on this, I was reminded of this certain flower that blooms only once a year at night. It is called the night blooming cereus and is found mostly in Mexico and Southern Arizona. It’s a strange plant that blooms only for a single day in a year, between June and July. The beautiful, white flowers only open at night. The pleasant smell of these flowers last till the morning. The next morning after blooming the night blooming cereus flowers closes forever. For me, there are many pieces of art I have done that with. They are pieces that I have no real need or intention of showing to anyone, because it might have just been a moment I had. Like a moment of worship with the Lord or simply expressing myself and needing to let it out.
There are over a hundred songs, lyrics or melodies that are on my phone or hiding in journals not because I didn’t want to release them but because they may have been purely for release of my creativity or so I could come back on them someday. Just because they aren’t publicly known, doesn’t mean they do not exist.
Some practical things I find work well for me are having some type of goal, task, or time limit in mind. It sounds kind of funny for an artist, but I prefer a clean workspace, it’s honestly hard for me to create when it’s a mess. The art/process itself being messy, I am okay with. I have found myself about to work, and then I can’t concentrate because I need to clean and organize everything first.
Also, I think there is a balance of being inspired by others but not looking to others for how you should create/take from their unique process. What you bring to the table is important. No one else can create with your unique and specific DNA.
Can you share how you get by financially as a working artist?
I do wear a few different hats in terms of work. I work at Anthropologie as well as teaching an Art-Draw class for kids. My husband and I also play/sing for weddings and some other events. We also play shows with our band Flocks and the Lookout, mostly around the Chicago area.
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What other passions of yours do you pursue with your time?
I have always been a processor through writing, so that is a huge passion of mine. I enjoy writing thoughts, poems, songs, etc. My Husband and I love playing and writing music. We are in a band called Flocks and the Lookout, in which we are slowly in the process of recording our second album. We have a heart for people and worship and serve consistently at our church that we love.
I really enjoy cooking and healthy living. I am an advocate for holistic living.
Also, I am currently in my third trimester with our first little chickadee Indigo Heritage and cannot wait to be a Momma Bird. She is due April 27th, and I am sure that motherhood will unravel even more depths to my heart and new passions and hobbies.
I really enjoy cooking and healthy living. I am an advocate for holistic living.
Also, I am currently in my third trimester with our first little chickadee Indigo Heritage and cannot wait to be a Momma Bird. She is due April 27th, and I am sure that motherhood will unravel even more depths to my heart and new passions and hobbies.
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So, dream BIG here, what are your hopes for the future?
My husband and I have a dream of opening a coffee shop in which really cultivates creativity and community. That is a whole other interview itself though : )
Our desire as a family is to really empower others to create in their unique way, and for them to feel the love of God through art, music, hospitality and community.
Our desire as a family is to really empower others to create in their unique way, and for them to feel the love of God through art, music, hospitality and community.
Thanks Hannah!
CURATED BY: KATIE SIMKINS
Your Name: Miraynda Salinas
Age: 27
Current Location: Naperville, Illinois
Name of Blog: Soul on Fire
Nine to 5 : Registered Nurse
Website: Soulonfireblog.com
Tell us a little about your blog and how it got started.
My blog, Soul on Fire, is a lifestyle blog that I created last March. Starting a blog has been something that I’ve dreamed about for years but I was always too scared to take that initial leap of faith! I’ve always loved writing and the fact that it gives you an outlet to express yourself in a raw and vulnerable way. Last March I turned twenty-seven and I decided that I was going to make 27 my best year yet. I knew I wanted to take control of the year and do things that I had been holding back on due to fear of failing. At the top of my list was of course, creating Soul on Fire. I knew I wanted it to be a lifestyle blog where I could feature a variety of topics that are relevant to my everyday life and passions including: beauty, fashion, health, and faith.
You named your blog, Soul on Fire. Tell us what that name means to you.
Soul on Fire was all about me deciding to be brave and pursue what sets my soul on fire. To find what gets me out of bed everyday, what brings me joy, what takes my breath away, what gives my life meaning, what creates a fire in my soul. And bringing this blog to life was just one way of igniting that fire. By sharing my thoughts on my lifestyle blog, my hope is that it will encourage others to find what it is that sets their soul on fire. Just imagine what the world could look like if everyone found their fire and was letting it burn bright.
What is your favorite aspect of being a lifestyle blogger?
My favorite aspect about being a lifestyle blogger is being able to share my story and the things that I’m most passionate about with not only friends and family but to complete strangers that without this platform, I would never be able to reach. I love connecting with my readers and there’s something really special about sharing something personal and having people message me with their own stories. And at the end of the day, it’s just really exciting to be able to express myself creatively and it’s something that truly makes me happy!
Do you have a LEAST favorite part about blogging?
To be honest, there isn’t anything about blogging that I dislike but I would say one of the hardest aspects of it would be posting consistently. At any given time, I usually have many different ideas that I would like to write about but each blog post takes a lot more time than I think most people would think. Especially with taking photos, editing, etc. I think that’s definitely my biggest struggle is not posting enough, but it’s one of my main goals for 2018!
How do you stay motivated in your work?
I’ve been really trying to focus on consistency lately and my goal at the moment is to do at least one blog per week. Moving into next year, I’ve made some goals to help me stay organized and maintain a schedule. To help me, I bought the cutest planner and I’m going to start creating a deadline for each blog post. That way I already know what I’m going to write about and I can keep myself accountable for posting on that day. I feel like each time I post a blog, it’s so fun and exciting to me that it gives me motivation to post more!
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Soul on Fire, is your passion project, meaning you don’t make money doing it. I know that you have a career as a nurse, are you passionate about that too? How did you decide to become a nurse?
I’ve been a nurse now for just a little over four years and I’ve always had a passion for helping others! Throughout my nursing career, I have mainly worked on a Mother-Baby unit and I also worked in an OB clinic for a short time. Growing up, I have always had a special place in my heart for babies and used to volunteer in the nursery at our church. During nursing school I quickly realized that I was most passionate about women’s health and specifically obstetrics. Nursing is a very challenging profession but one that often is rewarding!
Tell us about some of your other passions!
Does binge watching Netflix shows count? Ha, kidding, but not really! I’ve always been passionate about photography and recently have been trying to learn more about it, especially with regards to editing. Anyone that knows me, knows that I’m passionate about all things beauty related! I just think makeup is a fun way to express your creativity and I enjoy doing other people’s makeup as well! But when it comes down to it, the things I’m truly most passionate about are Jesus and my family/friends. There really is nothing more important to me than my faith and spending time loving the most important people in my life.
So, dream BIG here, what are your hopes for the future of your blog, Soul on Fire?
If the sky's the limit then my hope for Soul on Fire is that one day it becomes my full time job! That my initial leap of faith flourished into something greater and more meaningful than I ever imagined. I see it being not just a blog but also a platform for women all over the world being able to connect on all things that set our souls on fire! I would love to be able to spend more time working on the blog and posting more than just once a week. I would also like to be able to continue to grow the blog with new topics as I continue to grow as a woman and go through different seasons of life!
THANKS MIRYANDA!
Curated by: Kathleen Simkins
Thoughts and Photos by: Miryanda Salinas
Curated by: Kathleen Simkins
Thoughts and Photos by: Miryanda Salinas
Your Name: Erin Sather
Age: 24
Passion: Young Living Essential Oils and Natural Living
Current Location: Elgin, IL
Instagram: egsather
Age: 24
Passion: Young Living Essential Oils and Natural Living
Current Location: Elgin, IL
Instagram: egsather
I've learned so much about essential oils from you.
Clearly it's something you are super passionate about.
Can you tell us a little bit about what got you interested in essential oils, and why you continue to be passionate about them today?
When my husband and I were engaged, I thought it would be fun to register for a diffuser and some essential oils because I thought they would smell nice and I heard good things about them. I didn’t do a lot of research (big mistake!) and registered for the first essential oil kit I saw on Amazon. Fast forward to being married and having no idea what the heck we were doing with our essential oils and not seeing any real benefit from using them. Soon after that, I ran into a friend who had just started using Young Living Essential Oils and she told me about the quality and the purity of the oils and I heard about her results when using these oils. I did some research and then quickly jumped on board and bought my Premium Starter Kit through Young Living (11 oils, a diffuser, and a wholesale membership) and haven’t looked back since. My first real “aha” moment with essential oils was when I was feeling a little nauseous and I grabbed Peppermint and mixed a drop or two with some grapeseed oil and rubbed it on my stomach. Within minutes, I felt 100% better and was absolutely amazed at the results. My husband quickly became an “oil believer,” when he was sick and I rubbed some Thieves oil on his feet and wrists and he felt completely better the next day. We are so thankful for these God-given oils that have supported us through the sickness, pains and aches that living in a fallen world can bring. It seems like a no-brainer to share this excitement with others and let them be impacted by oils like I have been. It has been a joy to share my oily journey with others!
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Hearing and seeing your passion for it is definitely contagious. I know I am now on the essential oil bandwagon! I'm assuming you have quite the collection of oils.
Can you narrow down for us your top 3 favorite essential oils, and give us some of your favorite ways to use them?
Ooh, this is tough! But I would have to say Frankincense, Lavender, and Orange essential oil are my must-haves.
Frankincense is considered to be the “mother of all oils,” so it really has been a staple oil in our home for supporting things from our emotions to our immune systems. I add Frankincense to my Immunity essential oil roller and roll it on my wrists and feet when I feel like I am getting sick. I will also use Frankincense layered with other oils like Orange on my wrist when I am feeling stressed or anxious.
Lavender is my “swiss army knife,” essential oil that supports everything from our nervous system to our skin. I love making a pillow spray with Lavender, witch hazel and water and spray it on our pillows before bed. I seriously pass out (Zzzz) when I put this on or smell this before bed. In the Summer, I love making an after sun spray with Lavender to soothe our sunburned and irritated skin. I also have added Lavender into my skin routine and will use it in my toner or moisturizer to calm and clean my skin.
Lastly, Orange is my happy oil. I love using this oil everyday over my heart and as a perfume behind my ears and on my wrist. I also will keep Orange oil by our sink to add to the sink when we are done with cleaning dishes for the evening. It leaves that clean smell without nasty chemicals.
Frankincense is considered to be the “mother of all oils,” so it really has been a staple oil in our home for supporting things from our emotions to our immune systems. I add Frankincense to my Immunity essential oil roller and roll it on my wrists and feet when I feel like I am getting sick. I will also use Frankincense layered with other oils like Orange on my wrist when I am feeling stressed or anxious.
Lavender is my “swiss army knife,” essential oil that supports everything from our nervous system to our skin. I love making a pillow spray with Lavender, witch hazel and water and spray it on our pillows before bed. I seriously pass out (Zzzz) when I put this on or smell this before bed. In the Summer, I love making an after sun spray with Lavender to soothe our sunburned and irritated skin. I also have added Lavender into my skin routine and will use it in my toner or moisturizer to calm and clean my skin.
Lastly, Orange is my happy oil. I love using this oil everyday over my heart and as a perfume behind my ears and on my wrist. I also will keep Orange oil by our sink to add to the sink when we are done with cleaning dishes for the evening. It leaves that clean smell without nasty chemicals.
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A little off topic, but....you're about to be a mama!
What are some ways you plan to incorporate essential oils, and natural products into that new stage of life and your baby’s life?
I feel grateful that I have essential oils and natural alternatives like chiropractic care and massage to support me through this pregnancy. Emotions are wild (hey, hormones) and body pains and aches are real and it’s incredible to have natural things to support my body through the changes. During labor, I plan to use essential oils like Jasmine and Clary Sage oil to support strong contractions, and Lavender and Peace & Calming oil to support my emotions and calm my nervous system so I can progress in labor.
I plan on gently introducing our son to essential oils through the baby products we use on him. We will be using non-toxic and natural Lavender infused baby wipes, Lavender and German Chamomile essential oil infused diaper rash cream, oil infused baby oil, and baby shampoo from Young Living. Some other natural products we plan to incorporate into our baby’s life are cloth diapers, Norwex towels and cloths, and simple wooden toys.
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It's truly inspiring how much you have made natural living such a priority in your life.
Outside of oils, can you share some other ways you incorporate natural products or practices into your lifestyle?
Let me just preface and say that this has definitely not been an overnight/quick fix. Changing conventional products over to natural products and implementing certain natural practices into our home has been a gradual process. But let me tell you, it is SO worth it. I have learned that through the app, Think Dirty, there are SO many sneaky toxic ingredients that are in our skincare and natural home products that we have no idea are in there.
So for skincare, one thing I am pretty excited about it is that I have recently switched over all of my makeup to mineral based, non-toxic makeup called Savvy Minerals and have been super impressed with how great it looks and it doesn’t have any harsh chemicals that are in conventional and sometimes “natural,” makeup brands.
As far as non-toxic cleaning, Young Living’s Thieves Household Cleaner is the bomb. This is literally a one-stop-shop as far as cleaning. I have been ditching all of my conventional cleaners and making all my own cleaners with this concentrate. And the best part, it’s SO easy and quick to do this. I love that you can hand the spray bottle over to your kiddos and not worry about a thing when they are breathing in.
A new natural practice that we are trying to implement into our life is buying more gently used items. Using Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace to find used items (especially for our baby) has saved us money and saves the Earth as well! Double win! Another cool practice that we started in January was placing our phones in our office to charge overnight. We were in such a bad habit of waking up and turning over and looking at our phones first thing in the morning. It has been so cool to see how making that choice is so worth it and how we connect more and sleep better. We now wake up to an alarm and I think it helps us get out of bed a bit quicker too! Another practice that has been such a great support in our life is getting chiropractic adjustments every week (my husband goes once a month). Making sure our back is aligned has helped us feel better and live a more pain-free life. Lastly, we have been using Norwex rags in our home for the past year. They pair so well with essential oils and have saved us when it comes to messes, dusting, deep cleaning, and washing/cleaning our faces.
So for skincare, one thing I am pretty excited about it is that I have recently switched over all of my makeup to mineral based, non-toxic makeup called Savvy Minerals and have been super impressed with how great it looks and it doesn’t have any harsh chemicals that are in conventional and sometimes “natural,” makeup brands.
As far as non-toxic cleaning, Young Living’s Thieves Household Cleaner is the bomb. This is literally a one-stop-shop as far as cleaning. I have been ditching all of my conventional cleaners and making all my own cleaners with this concentrate. And the best part, it’s SO easy and quick to do this. I love that you can hand the spray bottle over to your kiddos and not worry about a thing when they are breathing in.
A new natural practice that we are trying to implement into our life is buying more gently used items. Using Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace to find used items (especially for our baby) has saved us money and saves the Earth as well! Double win! Another cool practice that we started in January was placing our phones in our office to charge overnight. We were in such a bad habit of waking up and turning over and looking at our phones first thing in the morning. It has been so cool to see how making that choice is so worth it and how we connect more and sleep better. We now wake up to an alarm and I think it helps us get out of bed a bit quicker too! Another practice that has been such a great support in our life is getting chiropractic adjustments every week (my husband goes once a month). Making sure our back is aligned has helped us feel better and live a more pain-free life. Lastly, we have been using Norwex rags in our home for the past year. They pair so well with essential oils and have saved us when it comes to messes, dusting, deep cleaning, and washing/cleaning our faces.
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Clearly natural living is a big part of your heart and life. I know you have so many other things you both talented and passionate about.
What other passions of yours are you pursuing?
I am super passionate about empowering women through their pregnancy and birth. I am a Doula and I have been able to witness all different types of births and encourage women through one of the best/hardest days of their life. I love showing women what their options and how they and their partner can play an active role in their birth. I am also passionate about natural living and health and showing others how to make changes in regards to their health and in their life so they can live more abundantly and fully. Lastly, I am passionate about photography and specifically wedding photography. Being able to capture the best day of a couple's life is so cool and I feel very honored to do this full time as a career with my husband.
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You have a big year ahead of you with this new little addition to your family.
Besides mama-life, do you have anything else exciting on the horizon?
My husband and I are excited that this Summer marks 5 years shooting weddings full time. Praise the Lord! It has been such a gift to work with amazing couples and attend some pretty incredible weddings. I am also very excited to see where my Young Living business will take me and how I will be able to walk alongside families in their natural journey in essential oils this year. In this next year, we will continue to do fun interior projects to our 1932 home in Elgin and keep loving on our two kitty cats, Fuji and Kodak.
Thanks Erin!
Curated by: Katie Simkins
Thoughts and Photos by: Erin Sather
Name: Natalie Brooke Gulyas
Age: 30
Passion Project: Manitou Bags
Current Location: Northern Michigan
Website: manitoubags.com (in progress)
Age: 30
Passion Project: Manitou Bags
Current Location: Northern Michigan
Website: manitoubags.com (in progress)
You just had a pre-launch for your handmade line of bags, Manitou Bags.
Can you tell us a little bit about this amazing line, and what makes these bags so special?
The idea for Manitou started with a desire to make lightweight leather handbags that were made out of high quality materials that also zipped close. I wanted to design pieces that were beautiful and transitional that you want to keep forever. My personal style is somewhat feminine and casual, I like to feel effortless and comfortable in my clothing and I wanted to design with that in mind. While I was living at home in Chicago I had a lengthy commute and I noticed by watching other women commute that there was a need for accessories, particularly bags that were attractively utilitarian. I often found myself wearing a nylon backpack most days that didn’t fit in well with my lifestyle or wardrobe and I wanted to wear something that reflected my taste. I also started to design with my sisters in mind, who are both creative professionals, one in San Francisco and one in Chicago, who travel a lot. They both have great personal style and are usually gone from home most of their day. I wanted to create pieces that they could wear to work and throughout the night after their workday but also pieces that looked feminine and effortless while traveling.
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So, give us a little background.
How did Manitou Bags get started?
More than several years ago I was interviewing for a job and the person interviewing me, who was a designer, asked me what I aspired to do in the future. Without hesitation I told her I wanted to design leather handbags. Truly, I don’t know where this response came from. My background up to that point had been in the music industry, but I had always been attracted to design - specifically accessories such as bags and boots. In my mind and in my heart I knew that in some capacity this idea was something I would pursue in the future but I felt I was waiting on a deeper inspiration to move forward. That inspiration came a few years later when I purchased an inexpensive crossbody bag from a discount bin before a trip to New York. It became my favorite bag because of it’s size and zipper closure. Though it was made very poorly I saw potential in its design and started to seek out manufacturers to design a prototype of my own version of the bag which was lighter and had less hardware. I wasn’t feeling that my vision for this simplistic design was being fully captured by the manufacturers and I decided that if I wanted to create well constructed samples I had the opportunity to learn from sewing them myself. In the past I had learned to sew, make patterns and tailor clothing mostly by trial and error and reading about simple techniques. I also subsequently restored an industrial sewing machine during this time, none of these things were easy but this learning period helped me to unknowingly develop the skills that I use now in the construction process. It truly has been many years in the making.
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Not only are you a bag designer, but you are a musician, photographer, and at one point you were teaching pilates! I think a lot of girls deal with the dilemma of having multiple passions.
Can you tell us about how you manage pursuing multiple passions?
There is a false perception that you can only love one thing at a time. I’ve learned in time that that curiosity and a desire to learn is the depth of creativity. My parents mutually taught me that if someone is willing to teach you something that you should take the time to learn. This has brought out a side of me that is continually interested and has also helped me to take on jobs or practices that are really difficult or outside of my skillset.
My truest passion is music and I’ve spent most of my life writing songs and performing. I took up photography during a time when I was traveling and spending a lot of my life in recording studios and I started to document all of my young experiences in these beautiful, historic venues and studios as well as the musicians and people I was working with. I learned about photography through learning about music which lead me into a lot of different opportunities.
Time is precious in my life now and that’s where balancing my passions becomes difficult. Currently I have a handful of jobs that are both inside and outside of my skillset and more often than not I work twice in one day. I haven’t taken on any investors and Manitou has always been self financed. Some weeks I will work seven days a week and come home at night and work through the night. In that there is a great sense of accomplishment when I reach a business goal. On the other side, I also believe that songwriting has taught me the most about accomplishing the creative side of goals. Putting together an album or set for a show requires a lot of time and in my case a lot of time working alone. I also learned through playing music how to communicate a personal idea or vision and reach goals with other people. I learned through playing music to make working on my passions my top most priority and I’ve built personal processes that at times have caught a small amount of flack from friends when I would choose to stay in and work for days. Though in time no person has ever held my working hard at my passions against me when they saw how much I love what I was accomplishing. It is a choice and you have to choose your passions every morning when you wake up. You also have to imagine other work outside of your passions as something that productive and necessary to fuel the things that you love. When I have a full day and I get to sit down and work on a project that I am excited about I feel like it is even more of a privilege and I choose to see the perspective that my day has given me.
In time I have also become very interested in time management and productivity and that has helped me to relax my wild child side which naturally doesn’t like to schedule even a haircut. I think it’s also important to be creative with other people, to learn from them and to have conversations about ideas.
My truest passion is music and I’ve spent most of my life writing songs and performing. I took up photography during a time when I was traveling and spending a lot of my life in recording studios and I started to document all of my young experiences in these beautiful, historic venues and studios as well as the musicians and people I was working with. I learned about photography through learning about music which lead me into a lot of different opportunities.
Time is precious in my life now and that’s where balancing my passions becomes difficult. Currently I have a handful of jobs that are both inside and outside of my skillset and more often than not I work twice in one day. I haven’t taken on any investors and Manitou has always been self financed. Some weeks I will work seven days a week and come home at night and work through the night. In that there is a great sense of accomplishment when I reach a business goal. On the other side, I also believe that songwriting has taught me the most about accomplishing the creative side of goals. Putting together an album or set for a show requires a lot of time and in my case a lot of time working alone. I also learned through playing music how to communicate a personal idea or vision and reach goals with other people. I learned through playing music to make working on my passions my top most priority and I’ve built personal processes that at times have caught a small amount of flack from friends when I would choose to stay in and work for days. Though in time no person has ever held my working hard at my passions against me when they saw how much I love what I was accomplishing. It is a choice and you have to choose your passions every morning when you wake up. You also have to imagine other work outside of your passions as something that productive and necessary to fuel the things that you love. When I have a full day and I get to sit down and work on a project that I am excited about I feel like it is even more of a privilege and I choose to see the perspective that my day has given me.
In time I have also become very interested in time management and productivity and that has helped me to relax my wild child side which naturally doesn’t like to schedule even a haircut. I think it’s also important to be creative with other people, to learn from them and to have conversations about ideas.
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You made a move from Illinois to Michigan not too long ago.
Can you tell us about that decision, and how it has impacted your life?
Michigan and specifically Northern Michigan is my second home. Although I grew up outside of Chicago I spent all of my summers in Northern Michigan and have always felt this heart connection to Northern Michigan. I left Chicago in 2015, at the time I was working teaching Pilates and on the weekends I worked at Schuba’s which is a music venue in Chicago. I would often teach from five am into the afternoon, take a quick nap in the Green Room and cocktail through the evening. I spent a week in Northern Michigan over the Fourth of July that summer and during my last night I stayed up all night on the beach and for days afterwards I felt a great sense of peace and inspiration come over me that I had been missing. Though I had no intention of moving, at this time I had an important relationship ending in Chicago and as I meditated on my feelings I heard a strong response that was quite clear that urged me to return to Northern Michigan to create roots. Equally as important, this inner voice also told me to run with the bulls. And it was so pronounced that I moved everything out of my apartment that day.
Though I didn’t return to Michigan straight away, in fact the next month I had a small surgery and during my recovery I spent some time traveling all throughout the Southern states. I knew I wanted to start a business and I started collecting and researching materials while I was traveling when someone reached out to me about a great job opportunity in Northern Michigan and it felt like it was a pull to to return to Michigan and set up those roots.
In Michigan I’ve found such a community of creative people, it has been a perfect place to move forward building Manitou and gain inspiration as I do so. Everywhere you look here is beautiful and the people are truly kind and supportive. The definition of Manitou is a spiritual and fundamental life force that surrounds you. There is a great sense of this life force here in Northern Michigan within the Native American history and the natural depth of beauty here that is ever inspiring to me. Chicago is my home and am fortunate that Michigan is as well.
Though I didn’t return to Michigan straight away, in fact the next month I had a small surgery and during my recovery I spent some time traveling all throughout the Southern states. I knew I wanted to start a business and I started collecting and researching materials while I was traveling when someone reached out to me about a great job opportunity in Northern Michigan and it felt like it was a pull to to return to Michigan and set up those roots.
In Michigan I’ve found such a community of creative people, it has been a perfect place to move forward building Manitou and gain inspiration as I do so. Everywhere you look here is beautiful and the people are truly kind and supportive. The definition of Manitou is a spiritual and fundamental life force that surrounds you. There is a great sense of this life force here in Northern Michigan within the Native American history and the natural depth of beauty here that is ever inspiring to me. Chicago is my home and am fortunate that Michigan is as well.
I think most people assume that when someone is successfully pursuing their passions, that life must just be coming easier for that person. I know that is not true for you.
Can you share about some of the struggles or heartaches that are behind your work?
The last few years I have learned a tremendous amount about heartache and healing. I lost a lot of people and relationships in a very short period of time and my whole self was just empty. The difficult experiences just kept coming and I didn’t feel equipped to navigate all of the pain, grief and loss. It is known that when you make more than one big change such as moving to a new city, losing a family member or friend or start a new job all at one time life can become really difficult. Almost everything in my life changed all at once and it was coupled with surmountable death and loss and it was more than any person could endure alone. I was truly heartbroken.
I started to learn through those experiences that there is a process to healing. That actively moving through painful experiences and allowing them to unfold is essential in that process. I also learned that healing takes time, quite a lot of it in fact. This was a secondary concept to me until I lived through it. I also found that there is healing in everything and you do it every day, I had to allow people to help me experience this as things were hard and to ask for help. I had to be open to heal which took the most time but now I understand there is a pace to grief and loss that is very real.
There are always going to be obstacles and the absolute most important thing I learned through all of this recovery from loss is that you need to keep creating. That creativity and passionate work is a gift and a tool that helps you to heal and connect. The other thing that helped me the most was listening to other people’s and specifically other women’s stories. I learned that sometimes the best way to move through something is to learn from someone who has also been there.
I started to learn through those experiences that there is a process to healing. That actively moving through painful experiences and allowing them to unfold is essential in that process. I also learned that healing takes time, quite a lot of it in fact. This was a secondary concept to me until I lived through it. I also found that there is healing in everything and you do it every day, I had to allow people to help me experience this as things were hard and to ask for help. I had to be open to heal which took the most time but now I understand there is a pace to grief and loss that is very real.
There are always going to be obstacles and the absolute most important thing I learned through all of this recovery from loss is that you need to keep creating. That creativity and passionate work is a gift and a tool that helps you to heal and connect. The other thing that helped me the most was listening to other people’s and specifically other women’s stories. I learned that sometimes the best way to move through something is to learn from someone who has also been there.
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What keeps you inspired and motivated each day?
I thrive on inspiration. It is easily the most important thing in my life besides love. Usually I begin my day by meditating, even before I eat breakfast. Creating these small rituals makes me very happy and feel like my day was well balanced. I usually couple my meditation with tea and after that oatmeal with blueberries nearly every morning. This has been my most recent daily ritual. My schedule is quite transitional which makes it very important for me to find time to be alone. Ideally, I would have a less varied schedule but the inconsistency sometimes brings out a lot of inspiration. Swimming in lake Michigan in the summer time is where I feel most inspired and healthy and if not swimming then spending time outside. Which I have a lot of access to here. Recently I also played a show with a bunch of other local musicians up at a beautiful permaculture farm near my home. It was inspiring to listen to their work and relax into that. Travel, even if it is a short day trip I find to be essential in feeling inspired. I try to be interested and open in the things I read and the conversations that I have.
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Your main creative focuses have been photography, music, and Manitou Bags.
Do you have a favorite?
Manitou has become such a big passion project for me. I absolutely love designing and working to create new pieces. Something about design is also ever changing which I never tire of. I like traveling to find materials, textiles and hardware and I find it really fulfilling work. There is purpose in creating something utilitarian that becomes part of your daily life. It makes me excited to see someone pick up one of my bags, feel the material and see how it looks with what they are wearing. Photography is an accompaniment in every way to all that do and it will always be within any work I pursue because it is so much a part of life now. I feel I get to use that skill every day during every project. Music on the other hand is who I am, it is second nature to me and will always be my first love. I operate on an emotional level when I’m making music/singing and that is difficult to put a presence of occupation next to it. I always want to play more live music and I always want to design more beautiful things.
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What encouragement or advice can you give to those who are still figuring out what their passion is, or who are trying to get the courage to pursue their passion more fully?
Don’t be afraid to work hard and to learn things that are outside of your skill set because you never know when those skills will serve your passions in the future. This will also lead you to new things and people as well and it will make you a more varied person. This past summer when I knew that I needed to buy a few expensive pieces of equipment to begin making samples at the level of quality that I thought was achievable I decided to accept every ounce of extra work that someone offered me to do so. I worked harder than I ever have and when I made the first sample that I wanted to wear every day I felt very accomplished. My advice is to work harder, and be joyful in your work. Also, ask for feedback and help when you need it. If you speak passionately about your own work other people will speak passionately about your work no matter your avenue is.
So, what does the future hold for you and Manitou Bags?
I have four bags that I want to perfect over time and am deciding on a timeframe to fully launch a limited quantity of those pieces. Right now I’m using materials that are made exclusively in the U.S, including Horween leathers from Chicago and UCAN Zippers in L.A. and I want to continue to build those relationships and produce within the United States. This makes the expense of construction a little bit more but the quality is there. I have plans to set up a studio space and a small showroom. I also want to eventually feature other non-leather materials and do some collaborative designing in the future. There is an endless creativity surrounding Manitou for me. During the time Manitou has been coming together I have been really focused on building the business and have truly put my heart into. In my personal life I want to travel more, spend more time with the people that I love and seek inspiration everywhere I go.
Thanks Nat!
You can find out more about Manitou bags on Facebook, and be anticipating a website to come!
Curated by: Katie Simkins
| Name: Kaia Calhoun Age: 28 Professions: Mom, photographer, daycare "mom" Website: www.kaiacalhounphotography.com or www.asunshinemoment.com |  |
Before you were a mom, you started a photography business. Can you share a bit about how that came about?
"Starting my photography business came about very organically. Photography was something I was interested in, wedding and portrait photography was something I could make money doing, and I had plenty of requests from friends and family so I figured I’d roll it into a business. I took job after job for the first few years, even worked for some other companies to increase my know-how. One of these companies provided an introduction to a man in charge of a community-based magazine in Hinsdale, IL. This is when my dreams came true. Sounds small, and it was, but all I ever wanted out of a career was to do photojournalism. Because of this magazine I was able to get a job as a freelance photographer for BRAVA Magazine in Madison when we moved to Wisconsin. Perhaps one day I’ll work for an even bigger magazine, perhaps with more travel, but for my season with babies I couldn’t be more happy with the photography work I’ve been given."
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What makes you passionate about photography?
"I love portrait and wedding photography in order to provide my clients with marriage-saving and family-making photography. I’m passionate about taking pictures that are more than just pictures, that are memories that serve to keep the passion aflame in other families and marriages. I love photojournalism for so very many reasons. With photojournalism I get to tell a story with my images and see my work published at least once a month. In the process I get to see awesome places, meet awesome people, and taste awesome food too, can’t beat that!"
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How did becoming a mom impact your photography work?
"In many ways becoming a mom improved my photography work. It helped me streamline my process and focus on what mattered most about my business. I learned to follow my gut more as I edited because I didn’t have time to tinker around with every preset or setting, I now strive to choose what feels right from the get-go and run with it.
I’ve also never loved wedding editing. I love photographing the wedding and taking care of all the correspondence but the hours upon hours of wedding editing was not my cup of tea. In honor of being the best mom I can be I started hiring a great friend and fellow photographer to handle my wedding editing for me. She edits the weddings as if she were me, it’s perfect. This way I don’t get frustrated with my babies when they’re making it impossible for me to get work done. I’m more than happy to pay my friend to do it too! Better to put my money in the pocket of a buddy than a stranger I think, especially when she does a perfect job.
Having kids, particularly hosting the daycare at my house, has forced me to be wiser with my schedule. I like that I know more what to expect out of each day. I have the daycare Monday through Fridays, I edit and otherwise work while kids are napping and playing nicely, I do my photoshoots on Saturdays and I take 2 Mondays off of daycare a month to do photography as well, then Sundays I take as a Sabbath completely."
I’ve also never loved wedding editing. I love photographing the wedding and taking care of all the correspondence but the hours upon hours of wedding editing was not my cup of tea. In honor of being the best mom I can be I started hiring a great friend and fellow photographer to handle my wedding editing for me. She edits the weddings as if she were me, it’s perfect. This way I don’t get frustrated with my babies when they’re making it impossible for me to get work done. I’m more than happy to pay my friend to do it too! Better to put my money in the pocket of a buddy than a stranger I think, especially when she does a perfect job.
Having kids, particularly hosting the daycare at my house, has forced me to be wiser with my schedule. I like that I know more what to expect out of each day. I have the daycare Monday through Fridays, I edit and otherwise work while kids are napping and playing nicely, I do my photoshoots on Saturdays and I take 2 Mondays off of daycare a month to do photography as well, then Sundays I take as a Sabbath completely."
So, on top of being a mom, and a photographer, you have started an in-home daycare. Can you tell us what lead you to start that?
"Starting the daycare was entirely a God thing. He put the little idea in my head as Maisy got older. I entertained taking on a kid part time as a guaranteed play buddy for Maisy during the week. It never became something I pursued though. One day on my Natural Mamas Facebook group a local mom posted that she needed a caregiver for her newborn, someone who cloth diapered. I replied to her post simply asking what days and times she needed care to see if it’s something I thought would work for my work life and family. Next thing I know another mom, who saw my reply, asked if I would take her two girls Monday to Friday. Me and all my friends and family thought I was crazy for saying yes to four kids (including Maisy) under 3 years old. All I knew is that I felt the Lord asking me to say yes, so I did. And man am I glad I did! The income is a side note for me, I feel so blessed to have such amazing playmates in my home every day for my fervently people-oriented and extroverted toddler. Now, one and a half years after I said yes to daycare I have two of my own kids and five others in my care all day every weekday."
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Have there been any major obstacles or struggles to overcome in running your own business and being a mom at the same time?
"Oh absolutely! Every job has it’s own set of struggles. My main struggle is time management. In order to do all the things I want and need to do I’ve forced myself to budget my time on a daily basis. For each day I write down what I want to do and when in order to accomplish everything from my devotional time, quality time with my kids, quality time with my husband, date night, painting a wall in my house, writing for my blog, editing my photography, shooting my photography… and the list goes on. There’s a lot of things this mom has on her list and with impeccable time management I can actually tackle it all!
Other than that, when I started the day care, and every time I take on a new kid, I struggle with getting them on board with the routines and rules in the house as well as what’s expected of them as a kind and gentle playmate to all the other kids. Kids catch on fast though!
My photography world is mostly a well oiled machine these days. Some shoots present themselves as a little more intimidating to me than others. But really any challenges I have are related to areas of running a photography business that aren’t my favorite areas to tackle like website maintenance, social media, and other marketing things. Since these areas are a struggle they also take longer for me to tackle which means it’s also harder for me to find time to do them."
Other than that, when I started the day care, and every time I take on a new kid, I struggle with getting them on board with the routines and rules in the house as well as what’s expected of them as a kind and gentle playmate to all the other kids. Kids catch on fast though!
My photography world is mostly a well oiled machine these days. Some shoots present themselves as a little more intimidating to me than others. But really any challenges I have are related to areas of running a photography business that aren’t my favorite areas to tackle like website maintenance, social media, and other marketing things. Since these areas are a struggle they also take longer for me to tackle which means it’s also harder for me to find time to do them."
What keeps you inspired and motivated each day?
"I actually keep myself inspired and motivated each day. First of all, one of my strengths is the “achiever” (according to StrengthsQuest). That alone drives me. But, on top of that, I also ensure I’m enjoying every day and for me that means setting up routines that enable me to “achieve” my tasks throughout the day and sprinkling in some treats or rewards as needed. Sometimes this means I get myself a donut so I’m excited about the day, sometimes this means consuming caffeine to jump start my productivity, and this definitely means scheduling in time for myself to write and work out and go on a date with my man."
So, I heard you have chickens in your backyard. Can you tell us about your decision to do that?
"Several years ago I found a passion for homesteading planted in my heart. And about five years ago I felt convinced about stewardship. The Lord prompted me to treat His world and all that He created in it as best as I can. This in turn fueled my passion for homesteading because that decreases your “carbon footprint” as they say to nearly nothing on the food front. By producing as much food in my backyard as I can I am treating God’s world as kindly as I can. Chickens included. Besides being way too much fun and being awesome because of their egg production, they also fuel my other homesteading adventures my pooping fertilizer for my garden and stirring my compost as they forage."
What encouragement or advice can you give to those who are still figuring out their heart’s passion, or trying to get the courage to pursue their passion more fully?
"Oh man, I’d say whatever lights your eyes up and makes your heart beat fast is what you should do. Sometimes this just starts as some little ol' thing. For me, it started when I was a kid taking pictures on a dinky little film camera my parents gave me for my birthday. And loving day care was a surprise to me, I did it, first and foremost, for my kid and realized how perfect it was for me as a result."
What do you think the future holds for you and your family?
"I hope my future reveals a traveling magazine job, a published book or two, and perhaps several more children, but mostly just many more days full of love and joy."
Thanks Kaia!
Feature Curated by: Katie Simkins
Photography by: Kaia Calhoun, Hannah Woods Massey, & Mandy Henry Photography
Name: Marian Alvarado
Location: Chicago, IL
Organization: Timothy's Ministry
Website: www.timothysministry.org
"Our mission is to help to alleviate the suffering of
homelessness, and also help people step out of homelessness"
-M.A.
Location: Chicago, IL
Organization: Timothy's Ministry
Website: www.timothysministry.org
"Our mission is to help to alleviate the suffering of
homelessness, and also help people step out of homelessness"
-M.A.
I am extremely grateful to get to put a spotlight on my own mom this month, and share a bit of her story. Two weeks before my brother Tim died, my mom turned her life over to God. I watched as her life went through a total transformation. Not only did her heart and spirit from within change, but my mom began to exude a new light and joy on the outside that was so evident of God's love and residence in her. On the day of my brother's birthday, my mom was struggling to find hope on that day. As she called out to God to bring some hope and peace to her heart that day, she felt prompted to bake a cake for someone. This lead her to bringing a car full of donations and food down to a Chicago area homeless shelter. 14 years later my mom is director and founder of a beautiful ministry that serves hundreds of men and women who are living in homelessness every week. Here is a bit of her story.
Timothy's Ministry
Tell us about what Timothy's Ministry is, and about the mission behind it.
"Timothy's Ministry is a ministry of love and compassion to people struggling with homelessness as we gather together as a family through the love of God that He pours out. Our mission is to help to alleviate the suffering of homelessness and also help people step out of homelessness. We have two locations. Our place in Chicago is called Tim's House where we gather with approximately 35 people every Thursday and Friday. We share our hearts and our struggles around a table, open the Bible, pray, encourage one another, and enjoy a home-cooked lunch/dinner as well as coffee and bagels in the morning. We experience the presence of God and His miracles in a powerful way, and people always tell me that 'there is no place like Tim's House' because there is such an experience of peace and love and family in this place.
We also have a location in Arlington Heights where we meet every other Sunday for a much larger potluck family style luncheon (approximately 150 people) where we eat together as a family, have a clothing room, and worship service. We have a unique family environment where people help one another with the many challenges faced by the homeless. We also help people with transportation, I.D.'s, medical assistance, and housing in Chicago. When someone around the table shares a particular need, we open up the discussion and solve the problem together. The wonderful gift that everyone has experienced at Timothy's Ministry is that no one is alone."
We also have a location in Arlington Heights where we meet every other Sunday for a much larger potluck family style luncheon (approximately 150 people) where we eat together as a family, have a clothing room, and worship service. We have a unique family environment where people help one another with the many challenges faced by the homeless. We also help people with transportation, I.D.'s, medical assistance, and housing in Chicago. When someone around the table shares a particular need, we open up the discussion and solve the problem together. The wonderful gift that everyone has experienced at Timothy's Ministry is that no one is alone."
So, what led you to starting this ministry?
"In 2002, I was on my knees on my kitchen floor crying out to God, the day before my son Tim's birthday, and prayed simply, 'Help me God, how am i suppose to get up tomorrow morning. If only I could have had the simple joy of baking Tim a birthday cake! What I would have given for that.' As I prayed, a thought came to my mind, "Maybe if I bake a cake for a homeless shelter that would help me to get out of bed tomorrow." I thought of a homeless shelter because Tim reached out to the homeless in high school and he brought a homeless in man home (randomly) 3 months before he died. One call down to a homeless shelter asking if they would accept a cake and then hearing that they were 'desperate' and that 'no one every calls them', caused me to send an e-mail to the ladies in my Bible Study (the same Bible Study that God had placed in my life just 6 weeks before Tim died...before that time, I had never opened a Bible).
The next day, on Tim's birthday, when I arrived at Bible Study, I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw piles of clothing and baked goods. A friend offered to drive with me to bring the donations to the homeless shelter that afternoon, and although I thought we were just going to deliver the donations and leave, God had a different plan. When I met the people from the homeless shelter, I could not leave, and instead wanted to go inside and visit. After that day, it took on a life of it's own, as I kept visiting that homeless shelter and would always write an e-mail, my e-mail list began to grow, people more and more people began to donate clothing and food, and then a year later, Timothy's Ministry began! Since February 2004, we gather every other Sunday in Arlington Heights with our own Worship Service and clothing room, and have served thousands of people. We gather as a huge family on these Sundays with approximately 150 people and all of the food is donated by host groups that only God could have brought in."
The next day, on Tim's birthday, when I arrived at Bible Study, I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw piles of clothing and baked goods. A friend offered to drive with me to bring the donations to the homeless shelter that afternoon, and although I thought we were just going to deliver the donations and leave, God had a different plan. When I met the people from the homeless shelter, I could not leave, and instead wanted to go inside and visit. After that day, it took on a life of it's own, as I kept visiting that homeless shelter and would always write an e-mail, my e-mail list began to grow, people more and more people began to donate clothing and food, and then a year later, Timothy's Ministry began! Since February 2004, we gather every other Sunday in Arlington Heights with our own Worship Service and clothing room, and have served thousands of people. We gather as a huge family on these Sundays with approximately 150 people and all of the food is donated by host groups that only God could have brought in."
Where does your passion to serve the homeless come from?
"I had not ever thought of helping the homeless before I drove down to the shelter that first day, but my son Tim helped the homeless in high school and randomly brought a homeless man home 3 months before he died, and that is why I had the thought to bake for a homeless shelter. It's hard to explain, but I know that it could only have been God to have placed a love in my heart for the people I met that first day. When I arrived at the homeless shelter parking lot on Tim's birthday with my van filled with donations, thinking I would simply deliver and leave, something happened in my heart that I had not expected. When I heard their voices as they were helping to unload the donations from my van saying "thank you, God bless you", and I saw their faces, something happened to this hole that was in my heart. I felt like my heart filled up and felt love for these people I had never met.
Although I did not know the pain and suffering of homelessness, I did know the suffering of losing a child, and the feeling of hopelessness, and somehow my heart connected with those people on that day. In Romans 8:28 God says that 'He will bring good from all things from those who love Him', and if someone were to have told me a day earlier that God would bring anything good from the tragedy in my life (especially a Homeless Ministry), I would never have believed them. But I knew on that day and know now that this love that I felt that compelled me to go inside and visit with the people, and then return the next week because I could not get them out of my mind, was from God. And that same love for the thousands of people over these years has not ever stopped, and that is how I know this wasn't a 'man plan', it was truly God's plan. And when we are in the midst of His plan and purpose for our life, there is no greater joy! I did not have a plan on that day 14 years ago, except to deliver the donations. After visiting with the people, I knew that I knew I wanted to come back in 2 weeks and visit again. I had no idea that God was beginning a Ministry that would continue until today."
Although I did not know the pain and suffering of homelessness, I did know the suffering of losing a child, and the feeling of hopelessness, and somehow my heart connected with those people on that day. In Romans 8:28 God says that 'He will bring good from all things from those who love Him', and if someone were to have told me a day earlier that God would bring anything good from the tragedy in my life (especially a Homeless Ministry), I would never have believed them. But I knew on that day and know now that this love that I felt that compelled me to go inside and visit with the people, and then return the next week because I could not get them out of my mind, was from God. And that same love for the thousands of people over these years has not ever stopped, and that is how I know this wasn't a 'man plan', it was truly God's plan. And when we are in the midst of His plan and purpose for our life, there is no greater joy! I did not have a plan on that day 14 years ago, except to deliver the donations. After visiting with the people, I knew that I knew I wanted to come back in 2 weeks and visit again. I had no idea that God was beginning a Ministry that would continue until today."
Has there been anyone who has influenced, encouraged, or supported you as Timothy's Ministry began and has grown?
"First, God is our Great Provider and my 14 years experience with Timothy's Ministry has shown me this truth over and over again. The 15 women from that Bible Study were the first group of people God used to 'support' by send clothing and baked goods down to the shelter. After that first day, I always sent out an e-mail sharing stories and needs, and people started to forward my e-mails. Friends, neighbors, and people I didn't know began to send clothing and food. People would always offer and call me, and I never had to ask anyone for help! I would just share the stories and the needs, and people would contact me. Whether I have shared the need for coats, blankets, sleeping bags, food, beds, or anything, people send it and often they are people I don't know. We have had a large family-style Sunday potluck luncheons serving an average of 150 people since 2004 (more than 350 luncheons), and although I often do not know how much food is coming or what food is coming or often who will bring the food, God has provided abundantly every single time. It is truly a picture of 'loaves and fishes'. This is part of the joy of this Ministry because we get to see God miraculously provide! People also began to help us financially although I never asked. Eleven years ago, someone sent a very large donation after reading one of my e-mails, and someone from Church offered to begin the 501(c) 3 Process! That wasn't my idea either, and before I knew it, the person called me and said, "All you need now is a name". That is when we first decided to name this "Timothy's Ministry". Up until then, we were calling it "The Shelter Ministry" Other donations began to follow even though I didn't ask, but I always prayed and still pray because I know this is God's Ministry. I have been influenced most by the people who struggle with homelessness as I have listened to what they have said over the years including comments and criticisms of other places that try to help the homeless, and that is what guided me in many decisions along the way. The main thing I have learned is to make sure our gatherings are filled with real love, getting to know one another, and not volunteers serving while people who are homeless eat. We are a family."
You talk about how much God has been a catalyst to the success of this ministry. Can you share a story that has been a testimony of this?
""Our first potluck luncheon in Arlington Heights happened spontaneously in February 2004 3 days after a couple of people from the homeless shelter asked to visit my Church. That first luncheon was amazing as many people showed up with food after I sent just one e-mail out saying 'bring a dish!' and we gathered for the first time together as a family. There was so much love as we gathered and people who were homeless told me they felt loved and also said they didn't feel homeless because we all ate together and there were no walls separating people with a home from those without a home.
As human beings alone we cannot manufacture 'love' for people we don't know (and just being nice isn't love), so I know that the love we all felt came from God. After going home that day, I prayed, "God if you want us to have another luncheon, you're going to have to make it happen because I can't organize a luncheon like the one we had today." (I thought that I couldn't ask the same people to come back with food and also it would be a lot to really plan something as wonderful as what happened spontaneously). A couple of hours after praying, my phone rang and it was someone who had attended that first luncheon. I didn't know her although she was on my e-mail list, but i remember her words, "I was at the luncheon and I was wondering if my group of friends and neighbors could 'host' a luncheon like this!" The word that came to my mind was "Brilliant"! God had a brilliant plan! "Hosting a luncheon meant I wouldn't have to organize it. I put that woman down on the calendar for 2 weeks out, and my phone kept ringing!
Every other Sunday since February 2004, we have had a family style luncheon and clothing room and Worship Service and Bible Study. As one of our friends who struggles in Chicago said so well, "We are a family" Although we may have different 'host groups' that help us out, many people attend regularly and come on their own after hosting with a group, and that is how long-lasting relationships have been formed."
As human beings alone we cannot manufacture 'love' for people we don't know (and just being nice isn't love), so I know that the love we all felt came from God. After going home that day, I prayed, "God if you want us to have another luncheon, you're going to have to make it happen because I can't organize a luncheon like the one we had today." (I thought that I couldn't ask the same people to come back with food and also it would be a lot to really plan something as wonderful as what happened spontaneously). A couple of hours after praying, my phone rang and it was someone who had attended that first luncheon. I didn't know her although she was on my e-mail list, but i remember her words, "I was at the luncheon and I was wondering if my group of friends and neighbors could 'host' a luncheon like this!" The word that came to my mind was "Brilliant"! God had a brilliant plan! "Hosting a luncheon meant I wouldn't have to organize it. I put that woman down on the calendar for 2 weeks out, and my phone kept ringing!
Every other Sunday since February 2004, we have had a family style luncheon and clothing room and Worship Service and Bible Study. As one of our friends who struggles in Chicago said so well, "We are a family" Although we may have different 'host groups' that help us out, many people attend regularly and come on their own after hosting with a group, and that is how long-lasting relationships have been formed."
Have there been any struggles along the way that you can share about?
"Oh yes, we have had many obstacles and challenges, but nothing that ever stopped us. In fact, almost each time we have faced a challenge, the Ministry grew! One challenge occurred 6 years ago when I felt deeply that we needed to open a place in Chicago (Tim's House) so that we could get to know people and help them on a more personal basis Up until then, Timothy's Ministry only gathered on Sundays for our large potluck family luncheons. I had decided after praying that Irving Park and I-90 would be the perfect location because it was somewhat of a half-way point for our suburban volunteers and the people we knew in Chicago. That was also the exit our bus used for our Sunday luncheons to pick up our friends from Chicago and bring them to Arlington Heights, so I was familiar with that location. When I met with a realtor to look at store front properties, I felt discouraged because not only was the rent high and the spaces small (without kitchens), but also there was no parking (to speak of). I prayed again and asked God if He wanted us to have a place, to show us. That very same week, a Timothy's Ministry friend who had just stepped out of homelessness into housing called some of us and asked if we would like to join him at his new Church. A small group of us agreed that we would meet him that Sunday and take him out to breakfast afterwards. As we drove to Rich's Church, I noticed that we were exiting at Irving Park, and I said out loud, "I was just in this neighborhood looking at store front properties!" After only driving 2 blocks from the expressway, we arrived at the Church and we pulled into a large parking lot! I was so surprised to see a parking lot in the same neighborhood that didn't seem to have any parking. As we walked in the doors, I couldn't help but notice a large fellowship Hall with a kitchen, and I just prayed silently, "God show me if this is the place!" After the Service, I approached the Pastor and introduced myself and asked him if he would consider renting space to a ministry for the homeless and his response was, "How would I feel!!? This is what I pray for!" One week later, we opened our doors, and we have been there every Thursday and Friday since that time without any need to paint or build a kitchen!"
What advice or encouragement of hope can you offer to other women reading this?
"First, to always pray and ask God to show you if this is what He wants for your life. Second, to know that when you are in the center of God's plan for your life, you will experience joy! It may not be easy and you may be out of your comfort zone, but you will experience a joy that can only come from God. Also, keep your hands open to what God has for you. If anyone were to have told me 14 years ago that I would be leading a Ministry that has served thousands of people and serves thousands of meals each year and has involved thousands of volunteers, I would have said, "I cannot do that!" But, "With God, all things are possible and He 'equips the unequipped!"
God led me just one step at a time and always provided exactly what we needed and what I needed. This was not my plan and I am so grateful to God for finding a way to fill up my heart in the midst of hopelessness after losing my son Tim, and not ever leaving and not stopping. I love the people God has brought into my life and also love seeing the way God provides miraculously. We have prayed for specific size shoes and clothing, and have watched as people walk in the door with exactly what a person needs. This was not my plan, but I could not imagine being part of anything more wonderful."
God led me just one step at a time and always provided exactly what we needed and what I needed. This was not my plan and I am so grateful to God for finding a way to fill up my heart in the midst of hopelessness after losing my son Tim, and not ever leaving and not stopping. I love the people God has brought into my life and also love seeing the way God provides miraculously. We have prayed for specific size shoes and clothing, and have watched as people walk in the door with exactly what a person needs. This was not my plan, but I could not imagine being part of anything more wonderful."
What do you think the future holds for Timothy's Ministry?
"I really have no idea, but I am trusting God with the future and pray that God continues to lead His Ministry!"
Final Question: What can other people do to help or get involeved with Timothy's Ministry?
"Go to our website and contact me, get on my e-mail newsletter by clicking 'newsletter' at the top of the homepage and that will help people know more specifically how they can get involved. We always are looking for host groups to bring food for our Sunday luncheons in Arlington Heights as well as people who want to cook for us in Chicago, or just people who want to stop by and share a meal or cup of coffee and conversation with someone."