For most of my life, my skin was clear.

In late 2023, that changed — and what followed was less cosmetic than systemic.

This is not a product review. It’s a case study in inflammation, hormones, neurological stress, and what finally stabilized my skin after brain surgery.

I’ve shared a lot publicly over the past decade. Some of that writing is visual, personal, or experimental — and that isn’t going anywhere. But not all thinking benefits from being public.

Notes exists for ideas that need a quieter context — where clarity matters more than visibility, and the work doesn’t have to perform to be understood.

This week, Studio H flooded. Not metaphorically — actual water, industrial fans, insurance calls between appointments. It was dramatic. It was inconvenient. And moments like that reveal whether your business is built on aesthetics… or infrastructure.

Studio H turns eight this month.

Eight years in the same space. Eight years of clients who have watched me grow up in real time. Eight years of reinvention without ever changing the core.

I don’t think people fully understand what it takes to keep something alive that long — especially in a small town, especially in beauty. But here we are.

And it feels very steady.

This month felt like a quiet kind of magic — the kind that doesn’t need a spotlight to prove it’s working. From behind-the-chair transformations to boutique resets and seasonal shifts, May reminded us that healing, building, and evolving can all happen at the same time.

Hey, it’s been awhile…

I blinked, continued building my business, survived brain surgery, and now here we are.

Welcome to the new version of this space — still me, but evolved. A lot has changed in the past few years: Studio H has grown, I’ve launched new projects, competed in pageants, expanded what I offer (and what I stand for), and most recently… had brain surgery that completely reset my perspective.

For Bonnaroo 2024, I turned a camo skirt and an oversized denim jacket into a fully customized patch look using Etsy iron-ons and collected pins. It started as a festival experiment and ended up becoming one of my all-time favorite outfits.

This month took me back to Chicago — not as a buyer, but supporting a bridal tech startup founded by my friend Becca. After years of working Market from both sides, I’m sharing what this trip actually reminded me about resilience, perspective, and showing up for someone else’s vision.

I just signed with NV Models in Cincinnati. It doesn’t feel dramatic. It feels strategic — like stepping into the room and letting the long game begin.

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is one of the best times to invest in fall staples before the season even begins. Here’s everything I picked up this year — with try-on photos, sizing details, and the pieces I think are worth it.