Inspired Chaos is…
Two Whole Years of Love, Laughter, Learning and Growing.
On April 27, 2020 Inspired Chaos celebrated our second year of being open. I’m not quite sure where those two years have gone, but they sure have been immensely blessed. Let me backup for just a bit for a stroll down memory lane if you please…
Five years ago, I was living in my first apartment in downtown Berkeley Springs. I was serving as an AmeriCorps volunteer in the schools with the WVU Morgan County Extension service and waitressing at Panorama at the Peak on weekends to pay the bills. It was my first time trying to be independent and learning who I was and what I wanted. My absolute favorite part of living in town was being able to take an evening or morning walk to stick my feet in the springs. Every time I would walk there, I’d admire the Victorian house next door to my apartment. It was a happy house – bright yellow paint, rock gardens and a big porch… and it was for sale. One evening, as I walked home with my shoes in one hand, I grabbed one of the informational sheets. I went right home and pinned it onto my cork board. Living upstairs in that yellow Victorian and having a little shop downstairs felt immediately right. It would happen. I’d own that place.
But things didn’t happen the way I thought they would. Two years later my dad suddenly passed away and my mom and I decided we both needed to do something different and started looking at places to buy together. We went to our typical comforts – somewhere in the woods with lush mosses and oak trees, a place for her to plant a vegetable garden that the deer would eat and a deck for grilling out when friends came over, a workshop for our random Pinterest-worthy ideas that we never quite finish… And then we asked our agent about 47 Independence Street. He smiled and said “Oh yeah. That one is really great.” We walked in and were immediately sold on it.
People thought we were crazy to buy an old house –“ it’ll need so much work!” We didn’t care. The old girl needed us as much as we needed her.
Some people thought I was insane when I said I planned to open a shop – “We need another small store in town like we need a hole in our heads.”
If I haven’t said it before, I’ll say it now. Generally if I’m told that I can’t or shouldn’t do something, you’ve just pushed me to want to do it even more.
I could envision what I wanted in my head, but describing it to others was practically impossible.
“You know… I’ll carry a random mixture of stuff I like – a little boho farmhouse, some vintage vibes, a little prep…”
Their heads nodded and they smiled but I’m pretty sure they were muttering, “Bless her little heart” as I walked away.
Two years later and Inspired Chaos is everything and more than I had even prayed for. It’s blessed my life with lots of learning – who knew bookkeeping would take so long?! Who knew there was so much to opening a shop?! Who knew it’s more than 40 hours a week to work it?!
It’s blessed my life with lots of love – Through my shop I’ve met some of the most generous, wonderful people who have gone from customers to becoming my friends, and some of you, my family.
Just this morning I opened my email to find a few orders to be mailed out for Mother’s Day and a few others asking for advice on teacher gifts. I smiled as I read the messages – one woman telling me all about her mother and how much she loved her, one joking that she was turning into her mom; being able to offer suggestions on what certain teachers may like because I’d gotten to know them a little bit – she’s a WVU girl, she doesn’t like flowers… How lucky I am to know that. To know her. To know all of you.
It’s blessed my life with fun.
It’s blessed my life with all of you.
Thanks for being here. Thanks for being “inspired chaos.”
Wrapped and Ready ♥ Happy Mother's Day!