In June of 2022, Lady and the Floofs launched as a creative experiment. It started with two personal challenges: 1) host one baby class; 2) write one baby book – and tell the story. I set out to discover what might happen if I stopped caring what other people thought and put it all out there on the field.

I created the story of The Lady, a quirky and bohemian British caretaker of Floofs. In print, in-person and online, The Lady teaches Floofs of all ages to discover the magic in this sometimes scary, wonderful world. Her illustrated songbook, “It’s Hard to be a Baby,” is a babies’ lament that calls for compassion for Floofs as they embark on the difficult journey of growing up. Sharing her own path from fearful Floof to bold Lady, the book encourages trial through joy and empathy. 

And try things we did. We threw spaghetti and flour from all corners of the tristate area. We built cars out of cucumbers and planted enchanted dinosaur broccoli forests. We finger painted with triggering ingredients like onions and mushrooms. We planted seedlings in the ground and ate leafy greens off the stalk. We learned where our food came from and ate without protest–because it was all in good fun. 

As the Floofs grew brave, so too did The Lady. Six months into the experiment, she realized that The Lady was neither a baby class nor the short story of a caretaker and her Floofs. The Lady is also the story of a woman stepping into her own as an artist—and that Lady is me! Lady & the Floofs began an intensive, guided encounter with my own creativity. I wrote. I illustrated. I sang. I told stories. I performed in a play as an entirely different character. I learned to listen to my creative intuition, letting go of ideas that don’t work or light me up inside. 

As I enter my fourth Summer of Floof, I feel a powerful call to speak louder. I know I’m not the only creative struggling to produce meaningful work in a noisy, crowded landscape. I know that I am not the only mother seeking to connect on the topics of family, food, faith. Still, I cannot quiet the voice inside my head that calls me to keep going with this grand experiment. I have to try. Something might happen. I may never know what, but I am here for that.