Hi, I’m Merryn, designer, artist, and owner of Merryn Williams Designs in Lexington, Virginia.
For the first time since I started this business three years ago, I can FINALLY say that I get do this full time. I’m a textile and stationery designer!
Gosh, that feels good.
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On MWD’s third birthday two weeks ago, I gave my notice at my relatively new job. I didn’t plan it when I got up that morning, but I’d had a couple weeks of knowing it was coming… I just thought it would be in a year or so.
I had talked myself into taking a job because I felt like I had to. I felt like I needed to move away, work in the field I studied, and be solo at this point in my life. I’ve had that in the front of my mind since before I graduated, and it caused me a lot of strain during the COVID hiring freeze. I had a degree, and no job. I was so focused on how I was “behind” that I didn’t look at what I was building. My business grew so much during my months at home, but I referred to it as my “side gig” while I waited for my full-time job. But for heavens sake I had a job. I was self-employed, but I felt like that wasn’t enough, and I did that to myself.
Well, I got the job I’d been praying for in May, and almost immediately I wanted to undo my move. I really talked it up to convince myself it was the right choice, but I felt uneasy every step of the process. I felt like I was walking away from a big part of my soul by moving away from my family and community and putting my own work to the side. But during these months, as I struggled with packing up my life the transition to a new area, my faith has grown and I’ve started to feel very centered. I’ve stumbled upon some incredible podcasters that speak on faith, and I’ve listened to some episodes with my mouth open because of the similarities to my own situation (I love you Annie F Downs and Jordan Lee Dooley! Huge fan over here), and I really truly believe I was meant to find those episodes. I began trusting God again, and in the moments I’ve been scared and frustrated by my future, I have felt unbelievably clear guidance from Him. I swear I heard the words “you aren’t supposed to be here long”. In the moments of joy surrounding my business, I could feel God showing me “this is for you”. Between the encouragement from my family and friends that I’ve told, and the signs and peace from God, I feel so good taking this leap of faith and making this my career.
On the topic of careers, I’ve gotten quite a few questions about my degree and why I “don’t want to use it”. But honestly, I wouldn’t be able to pull this off without having studied Interior Design at Virginia Tech. We learn more than just space planning, codes, and construction documents. My professors instilled in us the ability to present our ideas and advocate for our designs, and how to create based on concept for a cohesive and purposeful final product. We learned about scale, repetition, pattern, texture, proportion, quality and so much more that plays into what I do with my textiles. And more importantly than anything else, we were reminded that we can take our education a number of routes, spanning from big-picture design leads, to creating the smallest details that finish off the designs. And hey, fabrics play a huge role in the functionality and character of a space, so maybe some day one of my classmates will pull one of my textiles for a project. Which would cause me to lose my mind. So I’m just using it in a different way is all, but it’s mixed up in everything I’m doing. Also, Go Hokies!
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I’m currently finishing up a few more weeks at my job in Richmond (and I love the Richmond area, just for the record), but three weeks from now I’ll be back in Lexington, and I CANNOT WAIT to officially root my business there. I have so many new designs, patterns, and gifts coming for you all, and I’ve been blessed with many new wedding clients and collaborations for the coming months, which means PROFFESIONAL PHOTOS OF MY WORK! I’m really looking forward to focusing my days on this work that I love, and giving back to my community. Now that I’m coming home with no intention of ever moving, I can actually get involved to the extent that I’ve been wanting to. Not to mention, I’ll get to spend all the time I want with my people. And let me just say, there’s no shame in wanting to put down roots in your hometown, surrounded by the people and places you love. You don’t have to move to be a functional adult, and I wish that had clicked in my head before I uprooted myself.
So thank you to anyone that gave me any ounce of encouragement. Thank you to the people that buy my art, follow along, like my posts, or refer me. Thank you to the other business that sell my creations or commission custom work. Thank you to the couples that trust me to be a part of their weddings, and to the amazing venues, vendors and planners that have welcomed me to the wedding industry. Thank you to my ambassadors for sharing my work even when I dropped the ball on their monthly gifts during this move. And thank you to my family and close friends that have listened to me think out loud over and over again… I promise I’ll cool it now.
Excited to be my own boss, and to switch from working 9-5 to working 24/7! Bring on the coffee!
-M