Autumn is full of scent, bonfire smoke, pine, crisp leaves, rain-soaked earth. But sometimes a familiar fragrance does more than set the mood. It brings back a person, a place, or a memory we thought had gone quiet.

There’s something special about taking a piece that’s been forgotten, overlooked, or simply ready for a new chapter and giving it another story to tell. A little look inside why I love reclaiming old pieces and turning them into something unmistakably Iron Vixen.

As a child, one strange old fairy tale fascinated me more than almost any other—the story of a princess cursed to become the Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh. Years later, I understand there was much more hiding beneath those scales: jealousy, transformation, old plant magic, and a lesson about looking beyond what we see on the surface. 🐉🌿🦊

Building something from the ground up makes it easy to focus on what’s next and forget how far you’ve already come. Six months into Iron Vixen, I’m pausing to appreciate the quiet steps, lessons, and little victories that have shaped the path so far. 🦊🌿

Behind every finished market table is the messy middle—late nights, crowded counters, boxes, herbs, labels, and a whole lot of determination. A glimpse behind the booth at what building Iron Vixen really looks like.

Every story has a beginning. Iron Vixen began with a love of herbs, old traditions, handmade things, and a little bit of wildness. A Fox in the Thistle is the story of how this little forest came to be—and an invitation to wander in. 🦊🌿