Week One at Painted Tree: Building My Little Dream, One Board at a Time

The week started off so strong. I painted and laid my floors on the very first day, and by Monday night, I felt unstoppable, like I could accomplish everything I wanted to by Friday. (If you missed the first part of this story, you can catch up here.)

The next morning, I woke up feeling proud, posted a quick recap video of all that painting and flooring, and to my surprise — it went mini-viral! I haven’t had a video take off like that in ages. Considering how consistent I’ve been with social media, you’d think I’d go viral a little more often, but this one reminded me how important it is to keep showing up. When momentum hits, you have to grab it and run with it,  and that’s exactly what I did.

Since then, I’ve been posting three times a day (8am, 12pm, and 6:30pm), and the growth has been incredible. In just four days, my TikTok has grown by over 800 new followers, and videos that do well there are performing just as great on my other platforms. It’s been a reminder that consistency really does compound.
👉 Watch that TikTok here.

The Pergola That Almost Wasn’t

Day two was… intense.
Originally, I decided I didn’t want to put my husband through the trouble of building a pergola. My plan was to simply hang my lights from the ceiling until I learned that Cooper City doesn’t allow that per code. Then I walked in on move-in day and saw my sweet neighbor Barbie’s setup, complete with the most beautiful pergola, and I instantly knew, I needed one too.

Cue my prince in shining armor, who didn’t even hesitate. That same night, he went out, bought the wood, and made all the cuts.

I spent all day Tuesday — literally from 8 a.m. to midnight — sanding and custom staining every piece of wood. I haven’t been that sore in a long time, but honestly, it felt nostalgic. It took me right back to my early That Mom With A Laser days, working from home, watching my kids swim in the pool while I built products in the driveway. There’s something special about those moments when you’re creating something beautiful with your own two hands.

The Business Card Regret (and Redemption)

On day one, I quickly realized how unprepared I was for all the people who wanted to meet me. Boutique owners were stopping by to say hi, others were referring me for custom signs, and several people wanted to collaborate. I couldn’t believe how fast word was spreading.

And then — the question that haunted me all day —
“Do you have a business card?”

I know better. I teach better! But thankfully, I had my boutique sign with a QR code, which saved me. Still, I decided right then that I wouldn’t be caught in that situation again.

So every time I went back to my shop this week, I used my fiber laser to create a few more of my pink metal business cards. I started handing them out, and people’s reactions have been priceless. There’s just something about handing over a delicate metal card that says, “I take this seriously.” (By the way, if you didn’t know — my Fiber Foundations course is officially open for enrollment, but only until Friday, October 31st. Don’t miss this inaugural class before the price goes up!)

A Family Effort

Wednesday was a marathon of a day. I woke up early, got the kids ready for school, dropped off my mom at the airport (I still can’t believe she left me during move-in week — love you, Mom 😅), and then headed to the shop to keep producing boutique signs and prepping merchandise.

Later that afternoon, my husband and I loaded up the car, picked up the kids, and went straight to Painted Tree to start building the pergola. My friend Sara swooped in and picked up two of my three kids (thank you, Sara!), and my oldest stayed behind to help. He proudly declared himself my “personal videographer” and captured so many behind-the-scenes clips that I’ll treasure forever.

By the end of the night, the pergola stood tall,  strong, sturdy, and absolutely perfect. Seeing it come together after such long days of hard work was emotional in the best way. And when we took a family photo in front of it, I couldn’t stop smiling.

That day also brought one of the sweetest surprises — I got to meet one of my Mom’s File Club members, Christina! She has a booth over by the bathrooms (which I quickly learned is prime real estate because there’s always so much foot traffic back there). It was so nice putting a face to a name and sharing in the excitement of this new journey together.

Thursday: Spray Paint Therapy

Thursday was a different kind of productive. I spent the day at the shop finishing boutique signs and last-minute items for my booth.

When I got home that afternoon, I had about a 20-minute window before I had to pick up the kids,  just enough time for one quick project.

My gumball machine had finally arrived, and since I couldn’t find a pink one anywhere, I decided to make my own. I grabbed my Molotow spray paints (my absolute favorite) and went to town creating a pink-and-orange ombré effect. It turned out so cute!

I’ve heard that gumball machines work wonders at markets to draw people in, so I plan to fill mine with little “scrapbuster” items — things like pocket hugs and stud earrings — to make it a fun, interactive experience for shoppers.

Friday: The Final Push

Friday was one of those nonstop, 12-hour days. I was at the warehouse from 9 a.m. until almost 8 p.m. working on signs, building my tumbler wall, and packaging furniture for the boutique.

Sara and her son were absolute lifesavers, they came to help finish signs, load the car, and even went to the Painted Tree ahead of me to start setting everything up. They stickered items, arranged the furniture, and made sure my space was ready for the final touches.

Meanwhile, I was literally down to the wire finishing one more custom boutique sign that needed the same stain as my pergola. I didn’t roll into the Painted Tree until 8:45 p.m., fifteen minutes before closing,  just in time to deliver the sign and mount my tumbler wall. 

When I finally stood back and looked at everything, I had to laugh. After all the work I’d done that week, my boutique was still only about 10% stocked. But I gave myself permission to breathe. It doesn’t have to be perfect for the soft opening, it just has to be ready to grow. By the grand opening on November 22nd, it’ll be everything I’ve dreamed of.

I also met an amazing friend along the way! Check out her shop. 😍

Wrapping Up Week One

This week has been a lot — physically, mentally, and emotionally — but in the best way. I’ve built things with my own two hands, strengthened relationships, pushed through exhaustion, and found joy in the process.

The best part? I have content for days. I recorded nearly everything, which means I have at least four YouTube tutorials coming soon, from building the tumbler wall to staining the pergola. Just a couple of weeks ago, I said I wished I had enough videos to schedule out a month in advance… and now, well, be careful what you wish for. 😅

I ended the week with a celebratory dinner alongside Julio and Melissa Rivera — my fellow laser boutique owners (you might remember them from my last blog post). We toasted to new beginnings, hard work, and the wild, wonderful adventure that’s still unfolding at the Painted Tree.

Here’s to Week Two — and to the little pink boutique that’s coming to life, one project at a time. 💗