SMB Blog

Ya'll.

This quote literally has always made me cringe a little. So much so that I knew when I began designing I had to put it on a shirt. Maybe it's meant to be sarcastic. I don't know. I've always had a weird sense of humor like that.

But seriously though. It's taken me a very long time to find my own happiness and to figure out what even makes me happy. The other day I watched a little video clip and in the video the Woman was saying how we as Mothers and Wives often lose our way. We forget how to find our own happiness because we are constantly serving others and in that servitude we begin to think that in order to find happiness we need to gain that happiness FROM others when in fact happiness comes from within ourselves. 

When I first looked at this quote or heard it, I immediately thought of the husband. He needs to keep his Wife Happy and in return they will have a Happy Life. I thought that was ridiculous. Absurd. Insert the cringe face. This quote doesn't mean that to me. It's about keeping ourselves happy as Wives and Mothers so that we can have a Happy Life with zero regrets. You see when we are doing what we love and what we enjoy, we are able to spread that to others. We are able to put that energy into positive things and focusing on our blessings. So it's not so much about perhaps keeping someone else Happy but allowing them to find their own Happiness even if it's different from your own. Then embracing it and loving them more because of it. 

I still have so much to learn in life but if I can share one thing I have, it's not to settle for anything that makes you unhappy. Or anyone for that matter. Life shouldn't be about sacrificing your own happiness for the sake of someone else because that only leaves you with a whole lot of resentment and regret. You deserve to find your passion and utilize it for all it's worth. You deserve to be around the people who love you for who you are at your worst and at your best. You deserve to be Happy. 

XOXO,

Barb

Owner, Designer, Workaholic at Southern Mess

Ya'll there are things in our life that are meant to challenge us. Some deep to the core of your soul and some that seem devastating at the time but are really minor in perspective. 

For the past 10 days we were without electricity. Hit by an ice storm that devastated our town, the area, and our farm. Pretty hard when you are caring for a family, a business that is run online and a farm. I went 3 days before I showered, then 3 more after that. I think that's the longest I've gone without one, since I was like 5. That first shower offered to me by someone who owed me nothing. Just a kind gesture and one worth remembering. Inspiring me to pay it forward someday.

We did break down and buy a generator after about day 5 or 6. A painful purchase, but without it we would continue to go without hot water, which not only we need for that said shower, but our bottle calf who I worried would get sick drinking his milk cold. We needed power to cook, so my girls could go back to school, so I could work. 

I've been spending my time cutting out the ugly from my life. Whether it be people, my own thoughts, or the noise from the outside world. Through this, I remained positive, slightly anxious but manageable and I focused on all the things I COULD do without electricity. Yea, hauling buckets of water to animals isn't fun, but hey I could use the exercise. To be honest, without the distraction of my phone or the internet I got to read, A lot. I got to really listen to my kids. I got to explore outside. I even got to watch my girls spend a whole day helping their Dad move tree limbs while I deep cleaned all the places in our home I always say I have no time to do.

If you look closely in the photo of me, you will see some of those branches blurred in the background. I contemplated moving them. I did. And then I decided that even though no one will probably notice, I will. I will see them and remember this storm. A man lost his life getting power back in our area. Working around the clock, like countless others, so our area could stop living in the dark. Makes my hot water catastrophe seem like an absolute joke compared to the nightmare his family is living right now.  

Each day is a gift. There is no promise of a tomorrow.

 Cherish the beauty even in the storm. And keep on smiling. 

XOXO,

Barb

Owner, Creator, and Work A Holic at Southern Mess

Shopping Small is so much more than supporting local communities.

It's supporting actual people, working hard every day to make a dream come true.

It's putting food on the table. Helping makes end meet. And loads and loads of sacrifice.

I came across this this quote last night as I was laying in bed trying to figure out a way to get everything I needed to do done. Life has been nothing short of complicated for me lately as we gear up for the holiday madness and I work on balancing all of my obligations. 

"Be thankful for the bad things in life for they open your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before." 

This. A quote that may not mean much to some but means a whole hell of a lot to me. 

From the outside we always appear to have it all together. The perfect home. The perfect job. The perfect kids. The perfect life. But the truth is in the rawest moments, there are very few, if any, that have actually accomplished this persona. 

My life has been nothing short of "bad" things but every single one has turned into something beautiful. Sometimes it takes several years to actually see that beauty. But it's there. Waiting to shine. Waiting for you to see how amazing it can all be. 

Many people don't believe that everything happens for a reason, but I do. I'm not always sure about the reason or confident in where it's going, but in my life it's always led me to something incredible. In the times life was downright awful, I made it. In the times I doubted myself, I somehow pulled through. Every time I wanted to throw the towel in and give up, I didn't. I kept going even if my direction changed. But none of these things would be possible without drive and commitment. If we sit down and have a pity party nothing changes. YOU make that change in your life and you can direct yourself wherever you believe you can go. You just have to stop and listen. Be reflective and let go of the doubt that may be holding you back. 

So this holiday season, as we sit down tomorrow with family and friends, be incredibly grateful and attentive to all of the good things you may have not been paying attention to before. It's there. I promise. 

From our Family to Yours we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving! 

XOXO,

Barb

Southern Mess Boutique 

Photo shoots have not been in my favor lately. The weather up in the Panhandle of Texas has been insane, windy, and don't even get me started on the dust. I've been postponing new arrival shoots hoping the weather would eventually give me a break. It hasn't! So we decided to go through with our model shoot anyway despite a chance for rain and the wind a blowin'. 

Of course, I get this crazy idea a few weeks ago that I wanted to take photos from our Hunting Line using my husband's deer blind. If ya'll know a hunter, live with a hunter, or have ever been around a hunter then you know that in November you DO NOT disturb the wildlife and you DO NOT host a dang photo shoot on sacred ground. But of course, I'm a Capricorn which means I'm stubborn, so I tell my husband we will go early so that all will remain as it was and no deer will be disturbed in the making of our ad campaign. I didn't give him a chance to tell me no. 

So...we load up in our Ranger and we head out. Wind is messing up everyone's hair but whatevs. We get half way to our destination and our Ranger begins to slow down. I'm thinking "this is weird" and then it goes no more. We are stuck. Surely not. This can't be. We are far from much and I have 3 models in full on model gear with heels to match as well as my 3 children (mind you I discover one is barefoot). My husband is out gun shopping (imagine that) and....between 4 social media junkie adults we have no phones. Yep, you read that right. Not one. So we look on the map my husband drew us and decide no biggie. It's not that far. We will just walk. We send my oldest and middle child on a hike back to get a 4wheeler which will then take them up to our home to drive a vehicle back and we start walking. Barefoot child stays in the Ranger.(let the judging begin) We get further down and realize that the deer blind is still super far away and no way we are walking that far. So I'm thinking, Whatever. Screw it. Maybe it's a sign. Let's just take photos right here in the pretty field. So I grab my camera and....ya'll I can't even make this stuff up....No battery in the camera. So now here we are, all dressed up with really no place to go. With no phones and no battery. Mind you, now it's getting later and we have accomplished nothing. So by now we are laughing and I've pretty much decided this is not going to happen.  I begin to wonder what's taking the girls so long and my Mommy worry sets in. Then sure enough I see this little blue van coming down the road (yes, ya'll I live in the country and drive a mini van, super trendy I know). So now we all load up and my sister in law gets her Razor, which is crazy fun but not when you want nice hair, and we take the 4 wheeler, Razor, and mini van out to our deer blind destination. Finally, we make it, only to discover that the whole thing is surrounded by an electric fence and that voltage is pumping! Now, I may be country, but those fences make me nervous and lowering one while it's charged gets my heart pumping. But we handle it like champs and drive on through.

Now for the kicker...You know what photos turned out the best? I'll give you a guess..Not the ones up on our deer blind but the ones in the field of grass below. You know, the same grass we have in our pasture right outside our door without all the work involved.

I think we all earned a drink or five tonight! So when you see our photos pop up give us a little cheer because, my friends, we definitely earned it!

XOXO,

Barb

Let's talk trends. Like truly. We follow them. We buy around them. We dress around them. Some last no more than a year and some flow for what seems like forever. 

If you met me on an average day, you would probably not find me trendy. Chances are I look like one hot mess. Maybe I have makeup on, maybe I don't. Lipstick on me? Never. Eyeliner. Nope. I'm a pretty basic chick. I've never even dyed my hair. Say what? It's true. I don't paint my nails either. Okay that's kind of a lie. I actually really like to paint my nails. And get them done. But I have 3 kids, 4 businesses, and a farm to run. So it doesn't happen often. 

But this average jeans and tee girl has gotten crazy excited this season. Why? Because the latest looks are some of my favorite things and they all pair perfectly with our Graphic Tee line, Southern Mess. 

So let's talk Plaid. Not your Grandfather's Plaid but today's plaid. It's back and it's rockin as a layered look with graphic tees,  as longer cardigan styles, and accented with lace and sequins. I could wear it EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. Want to dress it up? Slip on a solid colored dress and some boots. Done.

We are also obsessed with modernized vintage. The latest craze, and one we thought we would hold alone, are distressed button ups and flannels. OMG. It's the bomb. 

Animal print continues to rock the market and CAMO IS BACK. Well, it never really went away for me, but it's back with styles that are insane and it's nice to see I'm not the only one sporting that look anymore! 

So keep checking back this season as our models bring you the latest looks to life in our next big campaign shoot coming up. 

Lots of Love,

Barb

Southern Mess 

We want to take some time to celebrate the faces behind our Southern Mess brand. When we started out on this journey, we knew we didn't want to feature professionals. We wanted real woman and we wanted to ensure we celebrate those that are truly who we are. 

Our first feature is Janette Sandoval. I was crazy thrilled when I asked her to model and she agreed! I loved her edgy look, spunky personality, and she's a rockin Mama too! 

She's been married to her husband for 9 years and together 13. They have 3 children and she loves being a Wife and Mommy. She owns her own Hair Salon called Twisted Sisters in Perryton, TX where she was born and raised and shares the responsibility with her sister and business partner. She's been doing hair for 7 years. She loves her job and plans on doing hair until she's 80! 

She's a tattoo lover and has 7 already with plans for more. She's all about self expression whether it be her client's hair or her own personal tattoos. 

She's always there for her family, kids, and her friends. Shes a Taurus so she can also be quite stubborn but hey, that's a good thing! 

Her motto is "Life is too short for Maybes".