About me

Some people ask how I got into soap making.

It’s not a straight line, but it makes sense once you hear it.

I’ve always been into pole fitness. It started as a way to stay active, but it turned into a lot more than that. It was stress relief, creativity, and honestly just something that was mine.

At some point, I built a pole studio in my backyard. It started as a personal space, but it slowly grew into something bigger. Friends used it, then more people started coming around. Eventually it became a place for photoshoots and creative work.

I called it The Pole Garden. A space where creativity could bloom.

And of course, I leaned into the garden part too.

I started landscaping different areas, planting flowers, building out little scenes for photos. One of those areas ended up being over 30 lavender plants, and it became one of my favorite spots out there.

Then life shifted.

In 2023, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. What followed was chemo, radiation, surgeries, and physical therapy. It was a long season, and it took me away from the pole, which had been my main outlet for both movement and creativity.

That part was really hard.

I needed something else to focus on. Something creative. Something grounding. My cousin suggested I try soap making. I took a class at a local goat farm, and I was hooked almost immediately.

At that point, I couldn’t keep up with my garden the way I used to. But it didn’t really go away, it just changed. The garden became inspiration instead of something I had to maintain. Scents, botanicals, textures, it all started showing up in the soap.

My first batches were lavender, of course.

I started giving them to friends and family. Then coworkers. Then people started asking to buy them. And yes, I was still working full time through treatment. Life doesn’t really pause for you.

Somewhere in all of this, the name Garden Hoe showed up, and it stuck.

It felt a little wild, a little funny, and a little real. Which felt right.

Now, I’m cancer-free.

I make soaps and lotions in small batches, right in my kitchen. I sell locally at markets and fairs, and online. It’s still growing and still evolving, but it’s rooted in the same things it started with. Creativity, resilience, and making something good out of a hard season.

It’s made for real life. Hands that work. Bodies that need a reset. Moments where you just want something simple that feels good.

The pole is still part of my life too. I’m working on getting my strength and flexibility back, one step at a time.

But for now, this is what I’m building.