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Guest: Kari, Founder of Happy Camper Hat Company
Recorded at: Bubbles Champagne Bar inside The Workroom (Ballroom Collective)

Crafting. Community. Champagne.
In this joyful, hands-on episode, Jen and Rachel sip bubbles with Kari of Happy Camper Hat Company and explore why so many of us are craving analogue creativity again — the kind that pulls us off our phones and back into the moment.

From DIY hat-making and pop-culture patches to feminist values, happy accidents and the magic of making something together, this conversation is a love letter to creativity, nostalgia and finding your people.

✨ What We Talk About

• Why crafting and “analogue joy” feel so refreshing in a screen-heavy world
• How Happy Camper Hat Company became the only all-DIY hat bar in the country
• Letting go of perfection and embracing happy accidents
• Pop culture, inside jokes and why patches spark instant connection
• Hosting birthday parties, bachelorettes and group hangs at Happy Camper
• The power of making something tangible you can wear, gift or remember
• Building community inside the Ballroom Collective at The Workroom
• Creating with intention, values and voice — not neutrality

🧢 This or That: Craft Edition Highlights

• Hot glue gun > sewing machine (with a surprising amount of emotional backstory)
• Champagne crafting > coffee crafting
• Happy accidents > perfect placement
• Vibes only > Pinterest inspiration
• Bold bases > neutral bases (in hats and in life)

💡 Notable Moments & One-Liners

• “What’s going to bring you joy today?”
• Crafting as a form of rebellion against constant scrolling
• The joy of watching someone put 15 patches on one hat — unapologetically
• Why dog bandanas unlocked something magical for guests
• The beauty of leaving with a memory you can wear
• “Messy is our polish.”

🌈 A Brand With a Voice

Kari shares the inspiration behind Not Neutral, a new civic-minded hat line from Happy Camper Hat Company.
Each hat gives wearers a way to express their values — with $10 from every hat benefiting the Kansas ACLU — proving that creativity and community care can go hand in hand.

🥂 Events & What’s Coming Up

• Galentine’s at The Workroom (Feb 13): DJs, piercings, pop-ups and Happy Camper’s Slip & Sip — custom sherpa slippers + champagne
• Ongoing DIY crafting — hats, jackets, bags, dog bandanas and more
• Private group reservations available (birthdays, bachelorettes, just-because hangs)

📍 Visit & Create

🧢 Happy Camper Hat Company
📍 Upstairs in the Ballroom Collective at The Workroom
🕰️ Open 7 days a week
🌐 happycamperhatco.com (tutorials, reservations, event info)

🥂 Bubbles Champagne Bar downstairs for the perfect pre- or post-craft sip

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Episode 30: Messy Is Our Polish (aka 30.2)

Sometimes the best episodes don’t go exactly as planned… and sometimes that’s the whole point.

In this re-recorded (and very real) Episode 30, Jen and Rachel embrace the chaos after recording an entire episode with zero audio. What could’ve been a spiral turns into laughter, reflection and a deeper conversation about creativity, imperfection and momentum.

This episode is about messy magic, creative resilience and why polish doesn’t have to mean perfect.

☕ What We Cover in This Episode

• The infamous no-audio recording fail and why Episode 30 became 30.2
• A callback to Episode 29’s This or That moment that sparked a brand-new merch line
• The meaning behind “Messy Is My Polish” and why it resonated so deeply
• Why 10% of Messy Is My Polish merch sales are being donated to Ballet Wichita
• A fresh This or That: Chaos Edition showdown
• Hits Different featuring "us"
• Coffee Breaks at Larcher’s Market
• What’s coming next for the podcast, including guest episodes and special locations

🎲 This or That: Chaos Edition Highlights

This week’s prompts lean all the way into imperfection and growth.

Spoiler alert: messy wins… but polish still matters.

👕 Merch Moment: “Messy Is My Polish”

What started as an offhand This or That response in Episode 29 quickly became a mantra — and now, a merch line.

Jen and Rachel talk through:

• Why the phrase stuck
• How it reflects their creative process and friendship
• Why letting listeners see the mess feels more honest than chasing perfection

And because community matters, they’re donating 10% of all “Messy Is My Polish” merch sales to Ballet Wichita in support of local arts and creatives.

🎶 Hits Different: “us” by Gracie Abrams (feat. Taylor Swift)

This week’s Hits Different segment goes deep.

Rachel shares her take on the song’s themes of memory, secrecy and emotional residue after relationships end. Jen opens up vulnerably about how the song connects to her own past, reflecting on love, timing, mistakes and growth — including why the lyric about being 29 hits especially hard.

This isn’t just about the song. It’s about reflection, honesty and the courage to talk about the chapters that shaped you.

☕ Coffee Breaks at Larcher’s Market

The first official Coffee Breaks meetup takes place at Larcher’s Market, complete with:

• Local goods, cozy vibes and great lighting
• A reminder that community moments don’t have to be big to be meaningful

More Coffee Breaks are officially on the way.

🔮 What’s Coming Next

Episode 30 marks a turning point.

Coming up:

• Guest episodes recorded at special locations
• Collaborations with local creatives and business owners
• Lifestyle photography captured during recordings
• A front-loaded February full of momentum

This episode is the inhale. What’s next is the spark.

💛 Final Thought

Messy doesn’t mean broken.
Messy doesn’t mean unprofessional.
Sometimes messy is the polis

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Episode 29: Mirrorballs & Milestones

Water for Elephants, vinyl nights, Taylor Swift truths and celebrating moments that shimmer

This week felt like a highlight reel — the kind where art, community and personal milestones all collide in the best way. Jen and Rachel recap an unforgettable week filled with Broadway magic, behind-the-scenes access, local music love, a milestone birthday and a Swiftie song that hits straight in the feelings.

From watching acrobats warm up before Water for Elephants to listening to Wichita artists tell the stories behind their albums, this episode explores what it means to reflect light, show up fully and celebrate the moments that quietly shape us.

✨ In this episode:

• Attending Broadway in Wichita's production of Water for Elephants and witnessing a pre-show acrobatic warmup that revealed the heart behind the spectacle
• Why behind-the-scenes access changes how we experience art — and makes us better audience members
• A deep dive into ICT Vinyl Club’s Local Artist Night featuring Pretend Friend, Casey Abay and Social Cinema
• Celebrating Nick’s 18th birthday with scratch tickets, custom cookies and the realization that time moves fast
• THIS or THAT returns with spotlight vs substance prompts that spark thoughtful conversation
• It Hits Different (A Swiftie Segment): Taylor Swift’s Mirrorball from Folklore and what it reveals about people-pleasing, chameleon energy and loving fully
• Why shining brightly is never something to regret — even when relationships don’t last
• A preview of the new Coffee Break series launching at Aroma Coffee House
• Upcoming guest recordings with Happy Camper Hat Company, Vu Events and GHOSTGIRL — and the beautiful spaces hosting them

🎶 Song discussed:

• Mirrorball — Taylor Swift (Folklore)

☕ What’s coming next:

• Coffee Break: A new mini-series inspired by the ICT Coffee Passport
• Guest episodes recorded at Bubbles, GROW and Odd Fellow Hall
• More conversations rooted in creativity, community and lived experience

If you loved this episode, be sure to follow, subscribe and share with a friend who loves Broadway, local art or a good Taylor Swift lyric breakdown.
And if you’re interested in sponsoring an upcoming episode, slide into our DMs — we’d love to collaborate.

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