This Is Us

One day, I woke up, and as loud as if an audible voice were in my head, I knew it was time to return to the career world and open a boutique. I am asked a lot, did you always dream of being an entrepreneur and opening a boutique? Not exactly, my background is Criminal and Civil Law, and after retiring from the rat race of Northern Virginia to raise our growing family, I spent years a Sales Director with Mary Kay Cosmetics .…YES, I earned the cars! A few life altering events occurred in 2007, and we made a family decision that I would take a career detour and be present in the daily raising of our five children. This voice in my head was an absolute answer to prayer,  and months of me trying to convince myself that I could in fact combine my legal skills, the entrepreneurial skills I acquired with my Mary Kay career, and my LOVE for fashion! Two days later… my husband Jon and I boarded a plane to Las Vegas to attend the largest fashion market/show in the country. Call me crazy, but once I listened to my heart, that is how quickly the decision was made.

Rusty??? Willow??? Isn’t that an odd name for a Boutique? Couldn't I have come up with a sassy name of some kind? Well, if you know me, then you know the true meaning behind the “Willow” is the fact that on many occasions I was spanked by a willow tree switch. Yep, I said it…my parents and grandparents were spankers. Matter of fact, I found it amazing how fast they could skin the leaves off the branches as quickly as they did…all while chasing after me! I was a pretty mischievous child, and while I probably deserved every spanking I received, the true story is much deeper to my heart. The majority of my extended family lives in Mississippi and Alabama, and if I could convince my Italian husband to move, that's were we would be. I spent my childhood fishing, picking purple hull peas, sleeping on quilt pallets with my cousins, and making red Mississippi mud pies. The common denominator with my family, we love Jesus....period. Generations have passed down their love for the Lord and the roots in our family are very deep with our faith. “ Let your roots grow down into Him and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with thankfulness” ~Colossians 2:7. There are ingredients in all of our lives that we may not choose, but these ingredients brought us each to were we are right now in life. The deep roots in our hearts will always carry us through the darkest and most challenging ingredients. Let the “Rusty Willow” remind you, it’s ok to have a little rust on your roots, but remember that your beauty begins with those roots and never forget where you came from.

We are located in the heart of Virginia, just at the base of the Shenandoah Mountains. In less than an hour, I can be in Charlottesville, Fredericksburg and our Nations Capital. Stop by our 129 East Davis Street, Culpeper,Virginia. 


Thank you again for choosing to stop by, and do a little shopping with the Rusty Willow Boutique! We are committed to changing the world one purchase at a time through our mission projects and the Parkinson's Foundation. When you purchase from the Rusty Willow, feel BEAUTIFUL to your roots, knowing you made a difference.

Blessings!

Sonya Lyn