Conversations with Anna Ulmer

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Ulmer.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
We, Anna & Tina, both own Moonlit + Windswept so I’ll speak for us both. 🙂

We started out having our own individual shops, Anna as Moonlit Moth and Tina as Windswept Farms. A couple of months ago we were presented with the opportunity to rent the space we are in and decided to combine forces and run a shop together! It only made sense, since we are so much alike! We both love plants, have a history with art and design and are passionate about sustainability and handcrafting.

Hi there, I’m Anna Ulmer. I’m the Moonlit portion of Moonlit + Windswept. I make our soaps, candles, car jars, skincare products, all of our pinned insects and some of our jewelry, as well as being the main finder of vintage goodies. My recent obsession has been painting custom hats and handbags. Though Tina handles all our plants, I have quite the obsession with plants, too, with my favorites being philodendrons and monsteras.
I have a background in Graphic Design, Baking, Small Business Management and of course, Art. Having grown up in Southern Oregon, I have a passion for nature and love to make goods that are sustainable and gentle on our bodies as well as the environment.

Tina Wasley is the Windswept portion of Moonlit + Windswept and owns Windswept Farms, a sustainable homestead farm in Hart. Tina is the houseplant extraordinaire of our shop, customizing in rare houseplants, amazing terrariums and the popular and unique kokedama balls! Tina also makes all of our custom wood and leather goods like hair accessories, jewelry and plant accessories.
Tina has a background in Graphic Design, Photography, Art and of course Farming! Having grown up right here in West Michigan, Tina has a wealth of knowledge about how to care for plants in our climate as well as how to live a more sustainable and local-supporting life in our beautiful area.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a small business owner is tough, especially in an area that is much busier in the summer. It’s definitely been a struggle through the years to stow away enough “nuts” to make it through the long winter. Beyond the seasonality of our area, it’s really tough for teeny tiny businesses like ours (I won’t even say “small business” it’s more like “micro business”), to find a space to rent, markets to attend, or even just get the word out there that we exist! So, thank you so much, to folks like VoyageMichigan who reach out and want to hear our story! We so appreciate you! And to all our customers who find us wherever we are, enthusiastically share our posts and lovingly spread the word – you guys are truly the best. We couldn’t do this without you.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I touched on this a little in the earlier area, but I’ll go a little more in to detail. 🙂

Anna – specializes in pinned insects specimens, handpainted goods (such as hats and leather purses), skincare goods, candles, polymer clay jewelry and vintage finds.

Tina – specializes in rare houseplants, wood & leather hair accessories, wood & leather jewelry, handstamped metal jewelry, terrariums and kokedama balls!

Both Anna and Tina will be teaching creative classes, which will be announced and booking soon!

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Anna – My nickname since I was a toddler was “Bug” because I was obsessed with studying insects; I loved finding and catching specimens to watch how they lived their little lives (and I still do!). I grew up in Southern Oregon on the wild and scenic Rogue River – which is a fantastic place to observe nature. I grew up rafting, fishing, wild foraging and hunting with my family. Southern Oregon is very hippy-dippy, so I have always been into sustainability, reusing, upcycling and finding ways to beautify my life with nature, vintage and used goods. There hasn’t been a day since I was a child that I didn’t feel called to create art in some way – it’s just intrinsically a part of who I am.

Tina – I grew up in the White Lake area here in West Michigan. Crafts, gardening and a strong love of animals have always been a part of my life, and always will be.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://moonlitandwindswept.square.site/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/moonlitwindswept
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moonlitwindswept