Having already read The Secret Keeper, I knew I would love this book which unravels the mystery of a little girl who travels alone by boat from England to Australia. The story line has us bouncing back and forth between present and past — 1900, 1913, 1975 and 2005. It is reminiscent of The Secret Garden, which I read and loved when I was little, but goes much deeper into complex family dynamics and history. I was so incredibly hooked. My favorite read all summer. (Note: I found this book in a little free library in Carversville, PA so double win!)
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
I grabbed this book one day at the library because I was heading to do one of these really-fun-for-the-kids-really-boring-for-the-moms thing and needed a book to read while they played. I’m trying to not be that person on their phone who’s ignoring everyone. I feel way cooler reading a book and ignoring people and this somewhat controversial title seemed like the perfect way to do that, so extra points for me.
I was somewhat unprepared for how heavy it would get. I should have known. But what an amazing story. So worth reading.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
I get a lot of recommendations from my aunt Cindy and she thought this one was so good and thought I would love it so much that she ordered it on Amazon for me. We were talking about it at the Memorial Day picnic and the next thing I knew it was in my mailbox.
An epic page turner, told from the point of view of two french women living through WWII. I mean, I knew the war was bad but this made me feel like I personally lived it. And I gotta tell you, I was so mad at the Germans. The author really drives home the indignities endured, like having their priceless paintings taken and not having any coffee. Brutal.
But seriously, everyone should read this. It felt so significant to me at this time in our country’s history.
The Painted Drum by Louise Erdrich
This book. It didn’t look that interesting at first. I couldn’t remember where I got it. Then I remembered: I read a review about it (probably in Marie Claire or Elle), put it on my Amazon wish list and then my lovely sister Missy bought it for me for my birthday. I finally go around to reading it. The initial plot is rich and dark and draws you in, but then it’s like a story within a story. It was so interesting, so unlike anything I’ve ever read. I won’t tell you anything else. Just read it.
My friend Megan graciously agreed to be my first person featured on Women Who Rock. And believe me, she does!
When you were little, what did you want to be?
I remember going through the usual little girl dream sequences. I would be a princess, or a dancer, or some kind of singer when I grew up. But then I started reading more. I read the chronicles of Narnia, Watership Down, and books by Avi. I decided that I needed more adventure than most princesses experienced. So, at the ripe age of 11, I decided to be a farmer. I declared it to my 4th grade teacher in front of my whole class. She literally laughed out loud at me, bless her heart. She didn’t stop there, and went on to joke about me driving a tractor. I believe that it was at that moment when I knew it really didn’t matter what I wanted to be when I grew up. I just wanted to be different, and I vowed to be a free spirit for life.
What was your first job?
My Dad was the manager of the East Greenville Blommer Chocolate Factory. Each of my siblings had already taken a shift working at “Dad’s plant”. It was my turn when I was 15. I wasn’t allowed in the actual factory. I helped package cocoa samples and prepared them for shipping. I also had my first experience with a spreadsheet there. My direct boss was a feisty, farmer lady that introduced me to Peter Paul and Mary.
Did you go to college? What was your major?
I come from a college family. It was never a question of going to college or not, it was simply a question of where. “What for ?” didn’t even seem to matter much to my parents. I was blessed that my Dad had been saving for us kids for decades. But I had been a challenging kid to raise at times, the whole free-spirit thing and all. So, I opted for an inexpensive school, close to home to make it easier on Dad. I ended up at Kutztown University.
I did things a bit backwards and got married before going to college. Adam and I lived in a tiny apartment in Allentown. I commuted to KU and he went to St. Luke’s Hospital School of nursing. We both went to school full-time, and worked part-time to pay our bills. At the time life seemed stressful and busy. But those remain some of our favorite years of marriage and seem relatively simple compared to our lives now.
I graduated Magna Cum Laude with my Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology, minor in Psychology. Not that it matters at all how well I did, or what I majored in anymore. College is, in my opinion one of the best, most expensive ways to become a more well-rounded thinker. But it seems more often than not, it has nothing to do with your professional life thereafter.
What is your career now?
Ha ha. Well, I moved to Bucks County to pursue my farm-girl dreams. I intended to raise my family surrounded by nature, goats, ducks and gardens. We’ve lived here for 2.5 years, and we did all that (minus the goats) for the first year. We have three young kiddos, ages 3, 5 and 7. Caring for them and our 140 year old farmhouse is a full-time job. Plus, we’re a homeschooling family. But I was still feeling relatively unfulfilled in my daily life. I have a powerful, creative streak and I love to work with my hands. My brain was also not feeling challenged enough to keep me sane. I like to have a full plate at all times.
One day I was chatting with my dear friend Tassia, owner of Birds of a Feather Photography, about my desire to have a business that I could run from home. She took a look around at my house, glancing at my collection of vintage and antique furnishings and said…..”oooh!!!….well….maybe I shouldn’t even suggest this because it’s a very big idea….but there used to be a vintage rental company near our area that would provide specialty furniture for weddings and events. They got so busy they had to move closer to Philly and now there is a giant hole in the industry here”. She had planted a whopper of a seed in my head and heart, and I knew almost immediately that it was the right move for me.
I started taking steps towards starting a vintage rental company. I had a name, an EIN and a list of furniture I could rent out. But I was praying for a partner. I knew I couldn’t do it alone. I approached one friend about joining me, but she wisely declined. Her life was already overfull. One Sunday morning at church, a different woman that I have known for years approached me out of the blue and said “we really should have dinner together sometime”. We were close friends with all the same people and our families had a long history together, but she and I had never connected. “Sure, ” I said. “But picking a date will be hard because I’m trying to start a new vintage rental company and it’s requiring a lot from me right now. Actually….you love vintage stuff, what do you think about that idea. Is it a smart business move?” And boom…the wheels began turning in her head.
To say that Abby loves vintage is an understatement. She’s one of those crazy awesome women that wears dresses from the 60’s and rocks the look. I had stopped trying to succeed at vintage fashion in college, though my home decor reflects my true love. When I mentioned my plans to start the business, Abby instantly knew that she would be great at such a business and regretted not thinking of it first. She mustered the courage to write up her resume and pitch herself to me as my business partner. The following Sunday, she handed me her resume at church. It was literally an answer to prayer and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this woman who I didn’t even know personally, would be the perfect business partner for me.
So, together, Abby and I built Fox and Finch Vintage Rentals. She has been a more perfect business partner then I could have imagined. We balance each other out. We are equally hard working, but we both have kids. Sometimes we need to take turns working or caring for our families. Because we’re in the same boat, we give each other grace to prioritize as we deem necessary.
What do you like about it?
My career found me and I couldn’t be happier with it. Fox and Finch has a collection of vintage furniture and accessories for rent. We house our wares in a turn of the century factory building in Bethlehem, PA. The showroom also functions as a photography studio, as it is blessed with killer, natural light.
I love that owning my own business allows me to work flexible hours. For the most part, I can work it around my family’s life. I do the majority of the computer work at home. And even bring some of the furniture home to refinish. The rest of the work is done at the showroom. I am so blessed to have both the work at home, and the work away from home. The showroom provides a complete escape from the diapers and whiny voices that my children sometimes employ. I don’t know how mothers who work from home 100% of the time survive.
I think the two biggest things I love about my job are: working with Abby, and the vast array of tasks that we have. I am NEVER bored with work. One minute I am sewing, sanding, staining, or painting a piece, the next I am writing, photographing, corresponding and scheduling. I have even grown to love all the furniture moving we do. I am so much stronger physically than I ever have been. I also love the field I am in. The wedding industry is full of fun, creative and incredibly hard-working folks. I love networking with these amazing vendors. It is also truly an honor to help a bride and groom develop and fulfill their dream vision for their wedding day. I love providing the special touches that bring it all together.
If I didn’t need money….I’d probably be a farmer! …And it comes full circle. I actually would go back to some of those farming dreams. But, I honestly would still do Fox and Finch Vintage Rentals. I really do love my job.
What advice do you have for young women starting out in a career?
Hmmm. Can I re-word the question a bit to women starting their own business? I would say that the most important thing in this internet savy world is to invest in the best branding you can. Our logo, our website and our social media presence was fantastic from the start. It made us look like a more polished, established business from the start. People took us seriously and were instantly in touch with the aesthetic we offer based upon our internet presence. So, my advice would be to invest in site development, a logo, photos and all the social media sites you can.
Also, networking is key. Don’t be afraid to reach out to others in your industry. They all started somewhere too. Don’t get discouraged by how big they are and how small you are. Everyone has to make themselves look bigger than they are to appear competent. Also, don’t expect to pay yourself for at least the first two years. Invest in your business and build a strong foundation. Find ways to treat yourself along the way so it doesn’t seem like a chore to “go to work”. But, don’t expect financial pay-offs for some time. Enjoy the journey!
Alison Conklin Photography for Lehigh Valley Style Magazine
Abby in our showroom. Photo: Alexandra Whitney Photography
Styled shoot at D and J’s Auto in Coopersburg Photo: Alison Conklin Photography
Wedding at Stonebrook Farm in Perkasie Photo: Olivia Rae Photography
The first time I took my kids to the Michener Museum, I think they were about 3 years old, the woman at the front desk asked me, “Are their hands sticky?” What? Are you asking me if they just got finished climbing a tree, raiding an unattended beehive, scooping large handfuls of delicious honey and licking theirs paws clean…but not entirely clean? And then as soon as they finished their snack, decided they would very much like to explore some local art?
Whenever I return to this local cultural gem, I think of that woman. And I wonder, why do people think art isn’t for kids? Not only do I believe it’s a great experience for them, but I think they “get it” in a pure, simple, true way that many adults don’t or can’t or forgot how to. I pay for an annual membership and we only go a few times a year, but it’s worth it. I believe in supporting the arts. They say only 5% of Americans have ever been to an art museum.
I grew up in DC where the museums are amazing and free. My parents took me to them a lot when I was young. I still remember being around 5 or 6 and saying that the Mary Cassatt paintings were my favorites. Then, a few years later, explaining that I liked them when I was little but had outgrown them. I moved on to new faves—Surrealists, Pop Artists, Abstract Expressionists.
So I take my “little ones” to art museums, and ask them which are their favorites, and why. They get it.
My first memory of a career choice was an Architect. I’m not really sure I knew what an Architect did, but I liked the sound of it. When I told my dad, he said, “Well, you have to be really good at math to be an Architect.” I took it that he didn’t think I had a chance.
I think I also thought of being a Ballerina. That was actually more realistic, believe it or not, since I studied Ballet seriously for a number of years at a school that had a Company, and I was pretty good.
As a teenager, I loved fashion—especially Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo, modern furniture & industrial design, and modern art. I thought the best thing I could dream of being was the next Andy Warhol. I think my plan was to move to New York and paint.
I guess I knew from a young age that I wanted to be an artist. Or a chef. Or a hair dresser.
What was your first job?
My first job was delivering newspapers, for the Washington Star, I think. A route I took over for my brother. I was 10. I lost money at that job because I had to pay for the papers myself and then collect money from the customers. I went on to have better jobs, like babysitting, mowing lawns and then as a teen, for Subway, Baskin Robbins, Commander Salamander (punk rock clothing store in DC), Kemp Mill Records and tending bar at the Lowes L’Enfant Plaza Hotel pool.
Did you go to college? What was your major?
When I realized that you could go to college and study art, it was a revelation. While all my prep school classmates at Edmund Burke seemed to be preparing for Harvard and Yale and Princeton and Brown, I was freaking out. How could I escape 4 more years of school? Couldn’t I, shouldn’t I just travel around Europe for a year or two? My parents were very insistent I apply to college. I visited Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Massachusetts College of Art, School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).
My college counselor insisted I apply to some liberal arts colleges, that I was “limiting myself by only looking at art schools”. My high school art teacher refused to write me a recommendation. My portfolio needed help so I took extra classes at the Corcoran School of Art and a professor there wrote me a glowing letter of recommendation. My first choice was RISD, but I didn’t get in. Deeply discouraged, I reluctantly finished the application to MICA and I got in! With a scholarship! I chose Photography as a major which seemed silly since I grew up taking photos and developing and printing them in my dad’s darkroom. Didn’t everyone?
What is your career now?
I’m a Graphic Designer. I went from being a photo lab technician to a photo assistant to a freelance photographer to an advertising/marketing director. I’m not really sure how I managed to do that. A company called Photoflex that gave me my big break—took a chance on me. I learned a lot at that job. To say I got a lot of help from a lot of people would be an understatement. At first I felt like a fraud. I didn’t go to school for design. Over the years I’ve realized how much I learned at Art School. I didn’t just learn to do photography. I didn’t learn how to work in a specific field. I learned to be an Artist. I learned how to be creative, as much as that can be taught. And I can apply that to any creative endeavor.
What do you like about it?
I love design. I love imagery and typography and expressing an idea or a feeling—visually. I like the interaction with clients. I’m not always great at expressing myself verbally, but if I spend enough time in the creative process, moving the pieces around, really amazing things happen. The creative process can be really intimidating. There’s no straight line. No roadmap. No real rules. But that’s also what’s great about it.
Did you have a role model or a mentor?
So many. My dad Dan Woodhead who never treated me like a “girl”, my mom Star McHugh, my stepmom Carolyn Jean, my ballet teacher Luba Vzorov, my college professors Jack Wilgus, Paul Kohl, Ann Fessler and Howie Weiss among others, architectural photographer Anne Gunderson, master photographer Thomas Burke, the epic Rob Brough, graphic designer Joan Lintz, and of course Tim Feather.
Tom Burke always had the best advice for me, “It’s a poor craftsman who blames his tools”, “Ours is not to question why, but to do or die”, “Pressure makes diamonds“.
What would you do if you didn’t need money?
I guess I should have clarified this question. It sort of sounds like you live in a utopian society that doesn’t require money. Or in a monastery. Should it be, “…if you had a millions of dollars?” If I didn’t need to earn money, I would probably design houses and furniture. And probably buy really nice shoes and handbags.
What advice do you have for young women starting out in a career?
I try not to give advice. I can tell you what worked for me. In the beginning, fighting for what I wanted worked well. Passion and Persistence always pay off. Relationships are so much more important than you realize. The people you work with that drive you bonkers today may end up being your best ally tomorrow. It’s a lot of showing up and doing your best. Over and over. And asking for help. It’s okay to not know. It’s okay to try different things. For me, my career was not a straight line. When things were really hard, I thought it wasn’t the right career. I’m glad I stuck with it. It gets better. It get’s different. On a long enough timeline, things start to make sense. If that makes any sense.
I am so happy to report that I can workout again! You have no idea how freaked out I was when my back went out at the beginning of the year, and then again, and then again. So, I want to share with you what I did to heal my back and what I learned from it.
Chiropractic — I have an amazing chiropractor (that takes walk-ins.) The morning my back “gave out,” I was suddenly unable to stand up, walk, go up or down stairs, bend over, lift anything, dress myself, drive…basically anything…without excruciating pain, I ended up driving myself to his office to get adjusted. This time wasn’t a quick fix. I went a few times before I was better. Lesson: go early, go often.
Massage — Two weeks after the original “issue” I went to see Michelle. And then again 6 weeks later. She is amazing. More like a Doula than a masseuse. She said my back was really in bad shape, but not even in the place I was hurting. Everything was out of whack. And she was the one who started me thinking about what I realized was the root of the problem: my abs. More about that in a bit. Lesson: have a standing appointment.
Rest — This was the hardest part. I did absolutely no exercise for two weeks, then some easy yoga, then some online bootcamp-type workouts, then Jazzercise. I felt my back start to go out again and cooled it. Just walking and yoga. Then Jazzercise again and back pain again. All this time my weight was creeping up. So just yoga and walking for two weeks. Lesson: um, rest?
Yoga — I swear by yoga. I especially love the place I go and the instructors there. It’s incredibly humbling to not be able to do a class you once did. At first all I could do was the stretches my chiropractor suggested: child’s pose, cobra, and then really gentle stuff at home. When I went back to class, I had to really modify. But let me emphasis the absolute necessity of yoga. It’s where I learn about body alignment, protecting myself from injury and committing to caring for my body longterm. Lesson: make a lifetime commitment to some kind of yoga/stretching everyday.
Walking — I love walking. I love that I can walk. When you are in a lot of pain for a lot of days, walking is no longer the poor cousin to running. Walking is glorious! I recommend walking outside on a long flat trail in the sunshine. Fast or slow doesn’t matter. Talk to yourself or to The Big Guy. It heals the body, the mind and the spirit. Lesson: walking is a privilege denied to many.
Abs — If you have ever felt the muscles in the base of your spine quit on you, you may wonder what you did to cause it. People always ask, “How did you hurt your back, what did you do?” Nothing. It just happened. I’ve come to realize why. I neglected the muscles on the opposite side. The lower abs. My massage person suggested that I may still be feeling the effects of having a C-section. That area can’t be ignored. I’m working on building them back up and I try to always think about them, i.e. engage them, especially when loading the dishwasher and other tipping over movements. And coincidentally, my yoga class this week was all about awareness of those muscles. Lesson: if you make your back do all the work, it will eventually quit.
On March 5th I tried running (on the treadmill) for the first time in forever. Well, in two months. I did it for 10 minutes. I know, I’m impressed too. The next week I went back to Spin class and the following week, Jazzercise. And finally I was able to go back to my favorite level 2-3 yoga class. I have never been happier. Everyday I’m getting just a little bit fitter… and it feels amazing.
When I chose the pieces for my Spring capsule wardrobe I knew I wanted to include my new khaki pants. Why do I love khaki’s so much? It’s not just because I went to Prep School and literally read the Preppy Handbook as a kid. Something about this time of year makes me crave them so much. I woke up one day in March and realized I had no khakis. Past pairs were long gone and not replaced. The hunt began. Pins were pinned. I tried these, these and these. Finally I tried on these from The Gap and fell in love. They have a sort of slim cut but feel roomy, soft, comfy. Also they have a sort of casual, broken in look to them rather than that very crisp/country club vibe. And they have a nice, subtle stripe detail on the sides. I originally thought I wanted them in “iconic khaki” but “mission tan” turned out to be a much better color on me. Note: Definitely size down since they stretch out.
Oh, but that’s not the end of the story. The plot takes a tragic turn. My precious new pants got a few tiny stains, which I scrubbed with a little detergent like I usually do and ended up with bleached out blotches. I took a chance and took them back to The Gap and a lovely woman said I could return them and in the end I went home a replacement pair and some valuable advice on stain-treating khakis. Don’t use detergent, use Amodex.
My name is Leigh. I am a graphic designer and a photographer. I love minimalism, danish modern decor, clogs, books, and art of all kinds. I strive to live a healthy life and promote sustainability.
Having already read The Secret Keeper, I knew I would love this book which unravels the mystery of a little girl who travels alone by boat from England to Australia. The story line has us bouncing back and forth between present and past — 1900, 1913, 1975 and 2005. It is reminiscent of The Secret Garden, which I read and loved when I was little, but goes much deeper into complex family dynamics and history. I was so incredibly hooked. My favorite read all summer. (Note: I found this book in a little free library in Carversville, PA so double win!)
I grabbed this book one day at the library because I was heading to do one of these really-fun-for-the-kids-really-boring-for-the-moms thing and needed a book to read while they played. I’m trying to not be that person on their phone who’s ignoring everyone. I feel way cooler reading a book and ignoring people and this somewhat controversial title seemed like the perfect way to do that, so extra points for me.
