Today we’d like to introduce you to Helena Carrothers and Sarah Hardcastle.
Helena & Sarah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Sarah is the owner of Dynamite Dames Photography Studio and Helena was encouraged by friends to book a session after the birth of her child. That was over 12 years ago and we never thought it would have brought us to where we are today. We both have similar interests and found ourselves becoming friends over the course of many years and many photoshoots.
In 2017 we both entered the DFW vendor scene, each with our own brand and products. Which meant we were watching each others booths when needed and helping with other market day things and keeping each other sane. One night, at a Halloween market event, Helena looked at Sarah and said “We should open a store”. It seemed like a crazy thought, but we are a little crazy. In early 2022 we launched Hemlock Haus and by the fall we had a brick and mortar.
We knew that we wanted Hemlock Haus to have a monthly market so that vendors, like ourselves, had another place to showcase their products. We had been vending long enough, at local events and large expos, that we felt we could bring all of the things we liked about vending to the table. Not only that, but we also knew what it was like to vend, it’s hard work, and making sure that we were providing the best experience for our vendors was extremely important to us.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s rare that anything worth the effort goes smoothly all the time. There have definitely been challenges along the way and we feel we are stronger because of them. From figuring out how to create a website and retroactively work on an inventory system to working around busy schedules. We figure it out though and we have become more family than friends at this point.
Not too long after we opened the shop Sarah’s husband was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer and Helena lost several family members back to back, one being her mother. In the span of just a few months we were dealing with heartbreaking personal situations while continually showing up to build something we were proud of. We can happily report that Sarah’s husband is now in remission and was labeled a “medical miracle” by his physicians.
Obstacles and challenges are pretty much part of anything. A huge part of our success is in how we have managed to overcome situations together.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As stated earlier, Sarah is the owner of Dynamite Dames Photography Studio and has been in business for 19 years. She has worked with thousands of women in her career, toured and collaborated with high end teams, and has created a space where women feel seen, and are given permission to be whoever they want to be. Her team of makeup artists and studio assistants are all skilled and well versed in helping others feel beautiful.
Helena is the owner of Life Light Healing Services, a service based practice that provides, Reiki, Tarot, Human Design and more. Gaining her Reiki Master Teacher certification in 2022 Helena has provided hundreds of hours in energy work. While she previously also created products under Life Light Healing Services, she later moved products to The Herbal Virgo. No matter if she’s reading your cards, or creating a tea blend, she is always incorporating Reiki and energy work into everything she does.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Sarah is a classically trained pianist and was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to everything we’ve mentioned so far, Sarah also teaches piano and violin.
Helena is a dual citizen to England and holds both a US and British passport. While she lost her accent a long time ago, you may hear it slip out when she’s tired or mad. She also worked at Hangman’s House of Horrors for 15 years (1998-2012) and held many roles in the organization.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hemlockhaus.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hemlockhaus_us
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Gb5o3wh2L/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://linktr.ee/hemlockhaus
