Story Behind Country Peony

“To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.”

—Kurt Vonnegut

I love stories… I love people’s stories. I especially love stories about people that followed their creative passions and turn careers into them. So, today I wanted to share my story in hopes that it may inspire you to start something that makes you happy.

The Name: Country Peony

As a girl I knew I wanted to open my own business. My mother owns her own accounting firm, and I loved watching her run her business out of the home. I knew I wanted to do the same one day!

Out of college, Etsy was just breaking ground. I wanted to create a product I could sell on Etsy that was not only pretty, but so fun to make. I settled on silk fabric bouquets. I would burn the edges of the silk to create beautiful floral blooms. It was such a fun process, but very time consuming. I soon learned it wasn’t a great business model, and took too long to create the product. So, my first business was very short lived but the name stuck.

I am a country girl at heart. I grew up on a farm in a very small, close-knit community where I learned how to take care of the land and animals. And, I am passionate about flowers. Peony is my favorite flower! I thought that name was very fitting for my first business of silk fabric bouquets. So: Country Peony it was.

Creative Spirit

My current mission of Country Peony is to inspire you to create in your own home, and have fun along the way. To find your creative spirit.

My mother and father were instrumental in encouraging creativity in all of their children. I am the youngest of five children, and we were always creating! When we weren’t busy doing chores on the farm, we were making up our own games, building mazes out of hay bales, and building forts in the nearby creek. I personally loved to paint, sew, bake with my mom, and up cycle items from around the house.

The creative spirit helps with problem solving too. My mother’s motto is we can always make it work. And, we did and do!

I am trying to instill this same spirit into my children.

And, I hope to inspire you to find your creative passion. Whether that is through baking, sewing, crafting, dancing, singing, woodworking, etc. Just start! Creating has and still does bring me so much joy!

The First Blog Post

I published my first blog post in February of 2013. Yes, it is still on the blog, and yes the photo and content quality makes me cringe. You can see it HERE. However, I believe it is so important to showcase where we start and how far we have come. And, I had so much pride in that first post because I finally hit publish. The blog lived in my head for 5 years because I was too scared to try. I am so glad that I hit publish on that first blog post!

Because of my former full-time job as an event coordinator, three new babies, and three moves, the blog took a backseat until 2018 when I devoted the time to it that it deserved. And, I haven’t looked back since then.

Why DIY?

I have said it here before, but some of my fondest memories from childhood was when I was creating with my mother. We would sew, craft, bake, and cook together. I still find so much joy in the creation process which is why I focus on very simple DIYs that I believe anyone can do.

True story: When I was little I wanted to have a craft show like Carol Duvall. I feel so lucky, because I believe that is what I get to do on a daily basis. Encourage you to create in your own home!

The Future of Country Peony

Last Fall, I opened up my online vintage shop, Country Peony Vintage, where I sell my thrifted finds, and my handcrafted goods (hand dyed silk ribbons, vintage quilt stockings, and vintage quilt jackets). I have big plans for the shop this Fall with a vintage quilt jacket collaboration with Ollie & Mags, more vintage quilt stockings made by mother and myself, and more vintage finds.

I am also so excited to open the Country Peony Studio. The renovations are currently underway, and I can’t wait to continue to share the behind-the-scenes with you.

I have some exciting collaborations and crafts coming to the blog, and I can’t wait to share all of that with you as well.

Lessons

I still have so much to learn, but I do have some takeaways:

• Just Start

  • The perfect moment will never happen. Believe in yourself, and start!

• Do What Makes Your Heart Happy

  • Creating makes me so happy, and it fills my days (even the toughest ones) with so much joy!

• Done is Better Than Perfect

  • As a recovering perfectionist, this one was very hard to deal with. Sheryl Sandberg said it best with, “done is better than perfect.” because when there is movement, there is growth.

• Learn as you Grow

  • It will never be perfect, and no one knows all of the answers. But this journey is so beautiful because we learn so much along the way! And, you can always pivot and change course as you grow.

• Always Celebrate Your Wins

  • Even the small ones!

Thank YOU

Thank you so much for all of your love and support over the years. I truly could not do this without your support. And, it means so much that you choose to spend some time with me here. I put my heart into this blog, and I hope it inspires you in some capacity.

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

Elizabeth

*All photos in this post are by the incredible: Diane Mueller Photography.