Exclaimed my friend as we held up our newly crafted boards at the end of our most recent girl’s day experience.

I laughed as she said it but as I smiled at the pic I couldn’t help but wonder how that could be?

This is a woman who has been braiding my Girlies hair since my oldest was 2. Yet somehow it’s only been within the past 2 months that we’ve started to take our friendship into the real world. Weird right?

Now don’t get me wrong. We’ve made plans, a few okay a lot over the years but somehow life, family, kids, work always seemed to overlap.

We were are those women, the ones who always put everyone and just about everything before ourselves. Me time was nothing more than a cliched hashtag we added to pics after the rare Mani/Pedi or hair appointment squeezed in between kid’s functions, doctor appointments, and client meetings.

I know it may seem as if I’m out all the time. Mainly because I am. It’s what I do. It’s part of my job. Yet the times when I’m doing something simply because I want to began to be few and unfortunately far between.

Lately, I started to feel the effects of a life lead to support, please and encourage everyone around me. I still enjoy what I do but I was beginning to feel tired. Not ‘I need a nap‘ kinda tired. I started to feel ‘soul‘ tired. A kind of tired that is far beyond physical. I was wary, drained, and spent.

I forgot the importance of giving not only to others but to myself. Yes me time is part of it but so is making time for friends. True friends. The kind who restores your strength with words of encouragement or even a good laugh. The kind who definitely deserve more than 3 photos together in nearly 14 years!!

That said I’ve made it my newly assigned mission to find all the fun things to do with friends and family that simply make me happy. The things that allow me to be me without pulling from who I am. Make sense? I know I can’t be the only one who’s been here, right?

Here’s where the Board & Brush part of this post’s title comes in.

I’d been wanting to do this since I saw their Grand Opening announced. But life. I kept scrolling the feed, clicking the links but never booking or making the time.

Then one day a few weeks ago I just did it. I picked a date, a time, and a design and hit book. I figured if I paid for it and had it in my calendar I would almost be forcing myself to finally give myself the time and the right to do it. After a few rapid-fire texts to my friend, I talked her into doing the same. That’s it. We were booked and ready for our girl’s day.

Can I tell y’all how as the day for closer I got super excited?!? Like kid-like excited. It was awesome. I picked out my outfit (yep because don’t forget for me, this year, every day is an event!) and even decided where we would have lunch afterward.

The day of I got ready early and headed out. Board & Brush Creative Studio is only about a 15-minute drive but I had never been and wasn’t positive of the location short of it being in the Westwood Shopping Center.

I’m glad I’m always early because I drove right by it a few times before calling and talking with owner Joseph who guides me right to the front door. Once my friend arrived, we grabbed our aprons and settled in for the fun.

Joseph Cade opened the Fayetteville Board & Brush Creative Studio location about 15 months ago. After closing for about 8 weeks due to COVID-19 they are still adjusting to smaller classes and private event options to help keep things going.

I loved how we immediately felt welcome. Joseph introduced us to a few B&b regulars and then talked us through the process of making our boards. I was all in from start to finish I loved every step.

Distressing the wood is code for you get to use a mallet or hammer to bang your own unique look into your board.

Staining means you get to put on gloves watch as your board goes from just like everyone else to one with a unique shading you get to pick and create all by yourself.

Painting was all about the color for me. I’m sure no one will be surprised with my pick but I was so grateful to a lovely 8-year-old who inspired me to add a bit of sparkle to the look!

Once you’ve picked your color and painted it in your stencil you get to work on the details. Y’all know I was in the zone and had a blast making sure everything looked just right.

The whole class was about 2 hours but I left feeling as if I’d taken a mini vacation. Plenty of laughs, a few hammers, and two uniquely designed boards later I’m already planning my next visit!

If you’ve been searching for a way to get back to you, rebuild a relationship or simply hammer away a few cares I suggest a coat to Board & Brush Crative Studio Fayetteville and be sure to tell Joseph I said Hey!

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