When I grow up

A little girl age 11 walks into Ardelles hair salon to get a haircut by her Auntie Nancy and decides then and there that when she grows up she will be a hairdresser.

Since 6th grade I wanted it. I had no idea at the time what it meant, what it would take, where I would work or how much I would love it. I just knew I wanted it.

Fast forward to beauty school. I hated it!
EWW shampoo sets on 100 year old ladies who left a 10 cent tip

People with the NASTIEST feet you could imagine

Perms

Hundreds of haircuts

Waxing (oh waxing where you could leave with just half and eyebrow)

An instructor who told me "you'll never make more than minimum wage" Real nice..

My first job was with two women who encouraged me, supported my thirst for wanting to know more at Hair Extremes. I then moved onto work in a few of other salons in town.

Xclusive

Dynamics

Bellisima

Each owner taught me different things. What to do and what not to do. 

I wanted more. I wanted better. I wanted MY OWN!

I started Salon Boheme by purchasing a salon from someone else. Jeremy and I had been married a year and Jameson was baby. It was little.. just two stations. I had a couple girls come and go and one day in walked Tabbitha. Messy blonde hair. Perky. Looking for a different place to work.

 I thought she was just perfect.

We went from working together to finding out that we were A LOT alike. Sometimes we even share a brain and finish each others sentences.

Michelle would soon be graduating from beauty school and we needed to find room for her especially since I talked her into going to school and working in a salon instead of doing everyones hair in her kitchen!
Do we remodel the little Duane St. salon or expand?!
EXPAND!

We moved onto remodeling the old Astoria Beauty College building.

Commercial Street brought us Gretchen, Joni and Carol

Joni first. She approached me looking for a job at the suggestion of a mutual friend.

Joni knew Carol from her previous salon/spa and asked if I would be interested in her offering massage with us. I'm so glad Joni asked!

Carol started out doing just chair massages with us and eventually came aboard full time.

Gretchen and I went to beauty school together and I wanted her on our team.

She was very well known for doing amazing acrylic and her clientele took off!

These girls brought energy, excitement, fresh ideas and knowledge.

A few others came and went and our lease was about to expire.

Renew or move?!

We moved AGAIN.
On to Marine Dr.

It is our home. We feel settled here.

Candy joined us with her soft spoken gentle touch. This girl is a wealth of knowledge in the skin department. She knows more about skin that I even knew was possible!

Gretchen "retired" we still miss her and love when she comes by...

Along came Chelle and then Tesa.

Chelle and I went to beauty school together. We knew of each other and thought we knew each other, but really only knew what we heard.

 She has been a great fit to our family.

Tesa is our newest girlfriend.

She is excited about everything new and can't wait to try all the new fun stuff. She is a natural!

When I was 11 I had no idea that one day I would have a salon of my own filled with girls that are more like family.

We have had wedding, babies, divorces, graduations.

We have cried together

We have laughed until our bellies hurt

We support our community

We love our clients

We are a salon/spa like no other in the county (if you ask me)

I wanted a salon where people loved to come and hated to leave

I wanted a salon where people left feeling empowered 

I wanted a salon where clients felt safe leaving cause there was no gossip

I wanted a salon full of positive women

I wanted a salon with books to read instead of smut mags

I wanted a salon that felt like home

I wanted a salon where education was required
I wanted a salon that was set apart from others
I wanted a salon that people wanted to work at and never leave

I wanted a salon that you could leave feeling better than you came

I wanted a salon that supported the community

I wanted a salon where hugs were the norm

I wanted all of it and I got it

Sometimes it is hard

Sometimes I don't want to do it

Sometimes I can't wait to get to work

Sometimes I am super excited about haircuts

Sometimes I joke about waxing off peoples eyebrows.

Sometimes I drive by glance inside and think "that is mine" with tears in my eyes

Sometimes I get overwhelmed

Sometimes I overflow with JOY because of it

Everyday I am grateful

for the clients that fill more than our chairs, but also our hearts

for the girls who live my dream with me

for a husband who supports me no matter what

for the hugs I get to give

for 

Dreams that come true

Blessed is me...