Trading in City Life for 25 Acres and Room to Create a Whole Lot of Flair

View from our back porch after an impressive rain filled spring

Hey Beautiful Souls,

I know it's been a while, and I'm sure a lot of you are wondering if we fell off and gave up on flair. Well, we will never give up on flair. I'm excited to share what's been happening for the last 6 months. If you've been wondering where all the handcrafted flair has been hiding, grab your favorite beverage and settle in – because this story is one for the books.

When the Wild of Arkansas Ozarks Called Us Home

Five years ago, Brian and I discovered something unique in the Arkansas Ozarks. What started as fishing trips on The White River - twice a year escapes from the relentless pace and pressure cooker of Atlanta - quickly became something so much deeper. There is something about casting a line into these pristine waters, breathing air that doesn't taste like exhaust, and feeling your shoulders relax that actually changes you. From the first visit we never stopped thinking about the Arkansas Ozarks, and every visit we came back we asked ourselves if we would like it as much as the first visit, and the answer was always yes, but more. The river called to us, the community welcomed us, and we knew this is where our next phase of life was to continue.

We also fell in love with the people who call the Ozarks home. There's no doubt about the Southern culture and roots here, which is where I've grown to feel the most comfortable in my own skin. I wasn't born in the South, but I'm a Southerner through and through. From our very first visit, we immediately realized the people here are special. They're genuinely friendly, helpful, and honest - and while there are bad apples everywhere, that's not what defines this place. We value Southern culture: the relationships, the respect, the formalities, and communities that understand the importance of your word meaning your word.

Atlanta had been wearing on us and Brian and I both realized slowing down and getting outside is the only way we could set that stress down. So we made a HUGE leap. We packed up our little house that treated us so good, we packed up all the flair, tools, and Wandering Daydream

's vision and headed to 25 acres of pure possibility in the heart of the Ozarks - to a little town called Flippin of 1,200 people nestled in a wider community of about 40,000.

Now, I'd be lying if we said we didn't know what we were giving up. Atlanta's music scene is legendary - we could catch live shows almost any night of the week. But here's what I've discovered: while the music that originally inspired Wandering Daydream will never change, the core premise behind our brand - how music can transform our lives, heal, inspire, uplift, and unite extends far beyond concert venues and festival stages. Being out in nature, slowing down, getting your hands dirty, learning new skills like how to build a fence, how to grow a garden, how to fix your well… it does the same thing. No wonder we so often see music and nature hand in hand at festivals and outdoor concerts.

The North Fork River

Learning the Land (And Getting Our Hands Dirty)

Brian working on the fence

Let me tell you – going from city life to managing 25 acres is like switching from making delicate beaded earrings to wielding a brush hog through the woods. We've been on the steepest learning curve of our lives, and honestly? We're loving every muddy, tick-covered minute of it.

Our property came with an entire acre of blueberry bushes. An ACRE! Do you know how many blueberries that is? Neither did we, but we're learning fast. We picked 15 gallons of blueberries this season. Between figuring out recipes, giving them out to everyone, battling Japanese beetles (those little jerks are relentless), and trying to outsmart the birds who think we planted this buffet just for them, we've become accidental farmers.

2 Gallons of Blueberries

But the blueberries were just the beginning. This year, I started my very first garden – and let me tell you, there's something magical about putting seeds in the ground and watching life emerge. We've got kale, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, carrots, and beets growing, and I planted six fruit trees: peaches, apples, and pears that will hopefully be feeding us (and probably the local wildlife) for years to come. There's a meditation in tending plants that rivals any concert high I've ever experienced.

Boogie trying to make friend with the turtle laying eggs in our front yard.

The dogs are having their own amazing adventure learning how to navigate so much more land. 25 acres means they can't just explore every inch to their heart's desire like they used to. They're learning about deer (Boogie has developed quite a taste for deer poop), befriending baby deer in our yard, perfecting the squirrel hunt, getting used to turtles laying eggs in our yard, and navigating around skunks. Luckily we fixed the fencing, but they - mostly Boogie - have had to learn to stay close. Boogie has already escaped and made friends with most of the neighbors, as he would. But giving them a place where they have the freedom to explore and use those dog instincts we forget are inside them has been beautiful to see. They are the happiest they've ever been, and you can tell they're getting all their needs met. And don't get me started on tick patrol – we've become experts at the fine art of the tick check, with tweezers stashed in almost every room. Hoping to get Guinea hens next year when things slow down (yeah right) a bit around here.

Jackson on Security Detail

One thing I've learned quickly: you can plan your day, your week, your month, but when you're living on property like this, priorities shift faster than social media trends. The fence needs immediate repair so Boogie doesn't bother the neighbors' cows or chickens (he only wants to be friends), the garden needs emergency watering, new insects ruining your plants need a removal plan, or irrigation leaks. We're constantly learning how to be flexible, how to adjust on the fly, and honestly? How to make peace with the fact that our work on this land will never truly be "done" – but it will always get better, and so will we.

The Studio I've Been Creating in My Head for Years

But here's the part that has me absolutely vibrating with excitement – my studio is finally, FINALLY in the end stages of completion. Y'all, when I tell you this space is turning out better than I could have ever imagined, I mean it's exceeding every single daydream I had while cramped in our old Atlanta setup.

If anyone remembers how I used to work in Atlanta - at the dining room table, having to clean up every day so the kitchen didn't turn into its own studio - you'll understand why this feels like such a dream come true.

I've done all the work myself, with Brian's help of course, which makes me even prouder of the space. I'm going to have different workstations for sewing, beading, cutting fabric, proper lighting, storage solutions that make sense, and - this is the best part - ROOM. Room to spread out, room to let ideas breathe, room to create the flair that have been ideas in my head for a long while.

The Flair is Coming

The colors just hit different here!

All of this is to say: the hiatus is almost over, and the flair is coming back stronger than ever. Those unique, never-made-twice pieces that let your free spirit shine? They're brewing in my mind and soon they'll be flowing from my hands again.

I've had months to think, to dream, to let the peace of this place seep into the crazy ideas in my head. The energy here is different – it's grounded but wild, peaceful but powerful. I can't wait to channel this new Ozark inspiration into every piece that will find its way to a kindred spirit who needs a little more flair in their life.

Our motto has always been "Handcrafted Flair for Free Spirited Souls," and living this free-spirited life on our own land has reminded me why that resonates so deeply, just in a different way.

Moving to this small town has also opened up new opportunities to engage with different people and audiences. The challenges of adjusting to a completely different pace of life, different conversations, different priorities – it's stretching me in ways I didn't expect. And that growth? That's going to flow right into the flair.

What's Next

The studio should be done in a few weeks and then it's go time. Keep your eyes open for updates on social media and our website - when we're back, you'll know it.

With Love and Serious Anticipation,

Micah Sommer

Owner, Chief Flair Operator, and Current Blueberry Farmer

P.S. – If you have any tips for dealing with Japanese beetles, I'm all ears. These little guys are giving my garden (and my patience) a run for their money!