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Riley Harris creates like she has been doing it her whole life...and she pretty much has! From a very young age she has learned, on her own, how to work in the delicate world of pastries. It is obvious she lets her imagination run wild and her baked items are jaw-dropping (both from total awe-factor and bc you will want to open wide to try!!). I got to learn a little more about the sugary-sweet baker behind From Scratch Cupcakes: Where did you learn your baking skills? And wait!! You are HOW old? For most of my life I’ve been pretty much self taught! Learning from recipes online to watching my mother or grandmother in the kitchen. Once I graduated high school I studied abroad in London learning extravagant wedding cake techniques and handcrafted sugar flowers! Oh and I’m 19! What is your favorite item on the “menu”? My favorite thing on the menu is either a carrot cake or a red velvet cupcake.... I’m a sucker for cream cheese frosting! Do you bake your very own birthday cake? If not, who do you trust to do it? I get this question all the time, and I don’t actually bake my own birthday cake! It’s a birthday tradition in my house to eat ice cream cake! I almost always buy mine from Dairy Queen because I’m addicted to the crunchy hot fudge filling! Would you ever do a televised baking competition? (Think Food Network, Baking Championships, Cake Wars) What color apron would you choose? This is going to sound crazy but I don’t think I would! I would definitely be too stressed out by the time limit! But if I had to, I would definitely go with a purple apron! What is the thing you enjoy baking the most? I don’t think I can pick just one thing because I enjoy it all. I love being able to use my creativity in everything that I create! Have you/do you like to/are you ever looking to work with other local and small businesses? I love small businesses! I love working with other small business owners because it doesn’t matter what you do, you all go through the same process, and you all have the same drive to create something from nothing and it’s amazing! Where do you see yourself or this business in 5 years? In the next 5 years I really want to focus on my business and be able to grow it to its full potential. Maybe a store front? We’ll have to see! Who is in your “Girl Gang” and/or who would you add to your dream Girl Gang? My girl gang would definitely be my family! Cheesy I know, but my mom and my sister are my best friends and are always so eager to help when it comes to my business. How do people place an order? You can place your order online or through email! All you have to do is let me know what you want and what day it’s for! It’s really that easy!  
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A self-proclaimed island girl and sparkle lover, Roxanna Sue Photography has serious talent (and I don’t just mean for eating chocolate)! She has a clear passion for her craft and I spoke with her about her path after perusing her beautiful website and social media pages, here’s the inside scoop!
When did your interest in photography start? I started taking photos while deployed in the US Air Force and I wanted more cityscapes in focus so I started 'pinterest'ing like crazy and then took a college class here and there. I really just loved looking back at all the memories of my trips. When did you know you wanted to start your own photography business? It wasn't an overnight thing. I bought a better camera to take photos of my oldest daughter (who was an only child at the time) and that turned into taking photos for friends of their kids. And it just sort of snowballed over time. Then I finally built a website and gave it a real name. Tell me something you could take pictures of “all day long.” I think seniors are so much fun. Hearing their goals for the future is so encouraging. It makes you recenter your own purpose in life. I just love them all! Any funny or favorite stories from one of your shoots? I was downtown shooting a family session and I use prompts to get the kids to just be themselves. I told them to hop around mom and dad like you just won the lottery. They literally broke into hand holding and skipping in a circle singing "lottery lottery I love you lottery." I then realized um this isn't a children's prompt. They totally don't know what I'm talking about. Hah! But the photos turned out super cute still! What location would consider a “hidden gem” for photo backgrounds? Any of the uptown areas, like Worthington and Westerville both have cute ones with pretty alleys and flowers. I usually go early morning on the weekend and no one is really around. Do you have any other creative outlets? I love styling, I've put on a wedding styled shoot for other photographers and it was so fun! I think if I wasn't a photographer I'd want to style homes. I'm low key obsessed with interior home design- the Parade of Homes is one of my favorite events! And I have some other projects in the works that will be revealed soon!! First birthday shoot? Or wedding day shoot? Which would you pick? They are both such a big deal, that's a hard one. I would probably say wedding day though.. only because I just love getting to work with so many people in one day. From all the vendors to the mother of the Bride, it's a whirlwind and I love getting to use my organization skills along with my photography. Who is in your “Girl Gang” and/or who would you add to your dream Girl Gang? In this particular industry there are so many great women that promote each other. I shoot with another photographer often whose become one of my good friends-- Lindsey and I work so well together so its always a blast. And I met 4 wonderful ladies at a Julie Paisley workshop and we are constantly all chatting and bouncing new ideas off each other. It's super encouraging-- shoutout to Iris, Danielle, Nicole, and Kenzie. I worked a short time at Zurie Co. and loved all those gals, if you haven't met them you need to. Lindsay from La Jeune Mariee has always been so amazing to work with and I totally would love to hang with her more! How can people book your services? Through my website is usually the easiest, or shooting me an email. I try to respond same day always! roxanna@roxannasuephotos.com roxannasuephotos.com
You will never think about planning an event the same after hearing all that is offered by Lehne Runyon’s business (with her husband, Dallas). Short and Stout introduces a concept where a beautiful backdrop dripping with charm and booze comes to you! I spoke with Lehne about how this idea came to her and how it took off from there (very quickly, I might add).  What inspired your idea for the Short and Stout concept? Short and Stout was inspired by my love of Bloody Mary bars, I was always the one bringing the BM’s to family functions - we have some great bonding moments over those delicious little meals, ha! It literally took me about 20 minutes to decide what I wanted with Short and Stout. It started as a conversation with my sister about starting a Bloody Mary bar company and setting up at events ..I started to sketch out a vintage trailer (My original thought was a VW bus but they’re so small I changed my mind) to share my vision with my sister. I quickly realized, it’s not really something everyone likes and I wasn’t sure how to promote a BM Bar when they’re associated with the day after a night out/brunch - so being a bartender full time, I said “OR a bar”. And that was that, within 20 minutes I planned it all out and came up with the business model as we went. I’m a sucker for boho/vintage so I stuck with that for my inspiration, plus is makes sense serving from a 1964 camper. Oh, and within a couple weeks I had a camper sitting in our driveway- I was obsessed with the idea! Is this business a family affair? For sure! I love my family and we’re all really close. My husband, Dallas, is my main man- he’s the builder, he funded it, expert trailer hauler, and main support behind it. My sister and brother have helped tremendously as well, my sister was a model in our first styled shoot, she’s encouraged me all the way through this journey and has helped me keep my head organized! My brother made our first promo video, which was amazing, both my siblings are super talented in the arts department. From there I’ve also had help from my cousins and close friends, I’ve had awesome support from them all! What is your strongest talent when it comes to this business? Yikes! My head might swell, ha! I like to think I’m average at most of it and definitely have room to improve - but I would say marketing, I’ve grown a fairly large following in a small amount of time. Right behind that would be communication, I try to be respond to clients and business partners as soon as I can! What is the most exciting/entertaining/beautiful event you are been a part of? Oh my! I love them all, we love meeting new people. Weddings are my favorite, seeing two people in love and being a small part in their big day is so rewarding. If I had to choose our favorite wedding it was Erik and Olive, it was on their farm (also, where we get produce + herbs from when available) the people were just so awesome and the vibe was perfect. If you could only make one cocktail from now until forever, which would it be? I love making anything that has to be shaken, any variation of a margarita is always fun to make! I blame my grandma Linda for my love for margs :) If you could only drink one cocktail from now until forever, which would that be? Bourbon Smash!! We do 1.5 oz bourbon .5 oz lemon juice, .5 oz simple syrup, 2 oz apple cider, top with ginger beer and garnish with diced apples and cinnamon, it is so good! Have you/do you like to/are you ever looking to work with other local and small businesses? Oh for sure! That’s the best part about all this, meeting people who have the same lifestyles and goals, we love working with small business’. Right now, we work with Fern Hollow Farm out of Somerset, OH who have all sorts of naturally grown produce and fresh herbs. If you’re a local business, don’t hesitate to reach out! Who is in your “Girl Gang” and/or who would you add to your dream Girl Gang? If my husband was a girl I would include him, but I definitely have to go with my two little girls Ireland and Lily - they’re right there with me through all this! My sister, Leigha is a huge part of my girl gang, my cousins -Celina, Jordan, Randi, Aryn.. all who have played a role in Short and Stout and my supporters - my friend Kaytlynn, my Aunt Michelle, my MIL Michele Runyon and just all the girls I know! Haha that’s a hard question :) How can people book your services? Easy peasy! Head to our website shortandstoutbar.com and go to the “get a quote” page - it will send me an email and I’ll write up a quote, I usually respond within a couple of hours but at most two days.
By Sara Velie of Cat Bird Seat Creatives Call it what you want to call it, but these titles aren’t just slogans for a lapel pin; they are the key to life. My husband and I moved to Central Ohio a little over 7 years ago and knew, essentially, no one. We had just gotten married and pregnant and worked opposite shifts...a super stress-free trifecta that really lends itself to making a splash in the big city. While I had any number of friends and family back in the Akron area, I quickly realized I needed to find my people “abroad.” I met the first member of my mom squad when I was VERY pregnant with my oldest daughter and she was moving right along in the pregnancy of her youngest. We clicked because our husbands worked together and because the universe just knew we were one in the same. She is tough as nails (as in builds things, is a Crossfit goddess, and works in a school full of visually impaired children) but also cries at the most mundane of children’s movies. We share a love of the mystical and the vulgar; taking both very seriously. The next member came from another coworker of my husband’s (they have really good taste in ladies) and was younger, spunky, laughed loudly and lived very close. She is Russian and tells me that English is her second language almost weekly. I am quick to remind her that she has lived here since she was a small child and that is no longer an excuse...she uses it anyways. She was a few years out from having kids when I met her and instead I got to know her during wedding planning and showers, watched her and her husband say their vows, and let her in on how motherhood can suck the life out of you or give it back. When she got around to having kids, after saying mine seemed easy enough, she solidified her place in the mom squad. She was initiated while covered in fecal matter and breast milk. The final member of this elusive club came to me via water. The YMCA community pool, to be exact. This was the first real test of endurance in forming my tribe since the ONLY common ground was that our 6 month old daughters were in the same Mommy and Me swim class. Picking up a stranger in a bar is one thing, but in a well lit aquatic center while wearing a swim dress is quite another. She is spastic, involved, well dressed and an incredibly hard worker that also knows EXACTLY what to say to me when I am spiraling into madness. My kids look to her as an authority figure and listen better to the words coming from her mouth than the outbursts from my own. I compiled this band of misfits not by accident, but by necessity. They are the people that lift me up, that validate my energy, that listen to me complain and that remind me to be grateful. Each one of them pushes to me explore and assists me in adventure (both with our children and on our own). They step in when I am stressed, they make me laugh when the day was “much too much”, and they know just what to do to turn my complaining into belly laughs. I like to hope I do the same for them, but they keep me around either way. These women have brought me baskets of hand me down clothes, homemade dinners, countless bottles of wine and beer and the warmest feelings of love and assurance. They are the first people I call with every single victory and also with every defeat. They listen, they nod, they agree, they call me out. Rinse. Repeat. Could I raise my kids with the help of my just husband and extended family? Sure. Would I be nearly as sane (still questionable)? Not a chance. I’m not sure if the stars aligned, if my vibe, in fact, attracted my tribe or if serendipity is strong in the water here. What I am sure of is that I could not effectively maneuver this life as a working mom without my girl gang/mom squad/vibe tribe by my side. Find this group, cling to them tightly, add to it carefully and guard it with your life. After all, these ladies are the sweet lemonade after life pelts you,unrelentingly, with lemons.
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Andrea ArchibaldThe girl behind the gang Archives
May 2019
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