Business Focus: Palm Trees & Hammock Bound

Photos by Kelly Sue Photography

The business idea stemmed from a dreamy thought floating in Nancy Harenza’s mind on a cold, blustery snow day in Indiana. While the white snow swirled outside her house that she fought to keep warm, she fantasized of sitting on a warm beach, palms swinging in the breeze…as opposed to the freezing cold air whistling through the trees. Images of fruity, frozen drinks with little umbrellas hanging over the side danced in her mind as she imagined the warm sun on her face and sea breeze in her hair. “The last winter I was in Indiana, I opened up the garage door, and the snow was up to my knees. I was so done,” she says with a laugh.

With no more longing to brave another cold northern winter, Nancy made up her mind to finally move south in 2015, and that she did. Nancy (along with her two dogs, two cats, and two ducks) drove south until they hit the promise of a warm climate in humble Willis, Texas. Nancy made the adjustment to her new home with ease, welcoming the sun like a cold lizard sunbathing on a rock.

After settling into her new home, Nancy made the decision to bring her beachy business south as well, by catering to a crowd not at all far from the coast. Participating in monthly vendor shows, Nancy has embarked on spreading her roots and hopefully becoming established doing something she enjoys. She hopes that, by creating beach decor, she is playing her part in bringing a piece of the beach to everyone. “Everyone is happier at the beach; walls come down. People are friendly. Nothing else really matters when you’re at the beach,” she says with a grin.

Nancy and her pets settled nicely into Willis, not too far away from her family in Montgomery. The promise of warmer days and frequent visitations with her granddaughter made the transition a much easier one, giving her something to look forward to on weekends. Nancy realized her fondness of making crafts while still living in Indiana, and she embarked on an endeavor to create her own business. Her primary fascination with beach-themed decor stems from her admiration for the peaceful setting. Nothing puts her at ease like the scene of a hammock against a blue ocean backdrop, or the contrast of white sand against the vivid green palm trees. She wishes to share this joy with others, providing visually pleasing scenes printed on an acrylic canvas, roughly 1/4” thick, to bring the serenity of the beach into people’s homes. Being only a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Texas coast, she came with the hope of catering her pieces to an area of people who are no stranger to the beach. Nancy adores the simplicity of the beach and the wonderful distraction it provides from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Nancy has traveled to vendor shows in Livingston, Canton, and Liberty, and sold her décor around the piney woods area at shows like Livingston Trade Days and Huntsville Bacon and Brew. After a small break, she plans to begin attending shows regularly again come September/October with an array of new pieces. With the recent addition of putting her items in an online Etsy shop, Nancy plans to continue making décor and crafts, the good Lord willing. A future endeavor she hopes to embark on soon is the introduction of wooden signs, featuring scripture and Christian themes. She is especially excited to add some Texas themed décor in there as well; I assured her that endeavor would prove fruitful, since we native Texans have a little bit of pride for our state. Nancy was a delight to visit with, and the encapsulation of the beach in a personality. To browse Nancy’s decor, visit her online Etsy shop at the following link: www.etsy.com/shop/PalmTreeHammockBound