Behind the Heart of Brushwood Corners: Learning to See the Light Again

There are seasons in life where you don’t even realize how dim things have become until something shifts — quietly, unexpectedly — and you notice light again.

It has been a while since I’ve written from this place. Not because there wasn’t anything to say, but because sometimes life hits in ways you don’t expect, and the weight of it all settles in deeper than you realize. I truly believed certain things would take a turn and ease the mental turmoil I was carrying… and instead, it reshaped everything.

As we wrapped up shows at the end of the year and stepped into 2026, Brushwood Corners was still moving forward. Booths were running. Orders were going out. On the outside, everything looked steady. But inside, my life had changed. Quietly. Completely.

When One Door Closes

We’re always told that when one door closes, another opens. What they don’t tell you is that sometimes the hallway between those doors feels endless. Heavy. Lonely.

I’ve spent a long time pushing through exhaustion, doing what needed done, holding everything together because that’s what I’ve always done. But somewhere along the way, I stopped seeing myself clearly. I stopped recognizing my own strength, my own worth, my own light.

Seeing Yourself Through Someone Else’s Eyes

And then something unexpected happened.

“Sometimes the light we see comes from someone entering your life. Sometimes it takes another person to see the light in you — especially when you feel like you’ve lost it yourself.

I’m learning that healing doesn’t always arrive loudly. Sometimes it shows up gently, through patience, consistency, kindness, and being truly seen. It shows up when someone reminds you — without forcing it — of who you’ve always been.

Not to fix you.

Not to save you.

But to reflect back the parts of yourself you forgot were still there.

Growth Looks Different Now

This season feels different. Calmer. More grounded. I’m not rushing to prove anything. I’m not trying to be superhuman. I’m learning to breathe again, to let things unfold without gripping so tightly.

Brushwood Corners is still growing. Still rooted in handmade work, intention, and heart. But I’m growing too — in ways that don’t always show up on social media or sales numbers.

And for the first time in a long time, that feels okay.

A Quiet Gratitude

If you’re reading this and you’re in a season where things feel dim, I hope you know this: losing sight of your light doesn’t mean it’s gone. Sometimes it just takes time. Sometimes it takes stillness. And sometimes… it takes someone else to help you see it again.

Thank you for being here — for supporting Brushwood Corners, for supporting handmade, and for allowing me the space to share the real moments behind this journey.

The light is still here.

I’m finally learning how to see it again.

— KariAnne

Brushwood Corners 🤍