The 35th Friday Four

Thanks for catching up with the Friday Four series, simply the 4 weekly highlights from behind the scenes at Tura Lura Co. in West Branch.

Let’s get into it!

1. I get to host another surprise party today! It’s been so fun planning these special events with folks, gathering people for a celebration. I’ve been a part of surprise birthdays, bridal showers, bachelorettes, and even a surprise family get together. It’s something about the little studio that is perfect for an intimate gathering, especially to surprise and delight the people you love. I’m already starting to book November private events, so if that’s on your list of things you want to do for this holiday season - let’s chat and get it on the calendar for 2024!

2. I’ll be the first to blurt out that I accidentally started Tura Lura Co. And I’ve been purposefully growing it since the original artist grant. Part of what I’ve done the last two and a half years is spend a lot of time being a student, focused on learning. And I am going through a business accelerator right now (learning a bunch!) which has been so helpful for me to sit down and thoughtfully plan as the business continues to evolve. One of my opportunities for growth is asking you to share your experience, a quote (also known as a testimonial) that I can have live on my website. It’s social proof that other real life people have taken classes, enjoyed their party, and would recommend the experience to others. Now this is hard to ask. But for those of you who have taken a class or worked with me for a party - if you have 2 minutes and could reply to this email with a brief statement about your experience, I would be very grateful! Thanks for considering.

3. Dried Floral Bar is super niche. And also kind of trendy. With super fall vibes. I happen to love them, and one of my favorite things is seeing how people can create such unique pieces with the same “ingredients”. I am offering the last Dried Floral Bar open class on Wednesday, September 4 (meaning it’s open to the public and anyone can join) otherwise it’ll just be offered for private events in fall. If this has been on your list of things to try, then sign up here!

4. Whew this was a HOT week in Iowa! We had back to school for 1st grade, Kindergarten prep, and the university - and every day our family came home super sweaty! With the holiday weekend upon us, we are planning some swimming and relaxing plus I get to welcome in my cousins to see the studio for the 1st time. West Branch is such a special place to invite folks to visit and I love showing people around town, we even scheduled a tour at the local Alpaca Farm for tomorrow! So I am going to check out for the long weekend after I wrap up the party at the studio tonight, and I am hoping you get to celebrate and do something fun this weekend too :)

Happy Friday!

Erika

The 34th Friday Four

Thanks for catching up with the Friday Four series, simply the 4 weekly highlights from behind the scenes at Tura Lura Co. in West Branch.

Let’s get into it!

1. Tomorrow I get to welcome in a group for Perfume Pour Bar in West Branch! I am excited to teach folks in this engaging class. We get to smell and blend accords, learn some history and fun facts about perfumes, and everyone leaves with their custom scent - if you are interested in attending there are a few spots left, and spots at the September class at the Green House! Check out the class list here.

2. I shared a few weeks ago that I was selected by Etsy, Hello Alice, and GEN to be a student in an accelerator program. It’s kind of like a crash course in MBA material for entrepreneurs to apply to their growing business. It has been only been three weeks, and I have been learning so much. And because of this program, you may notice lots of tweaks on the Tura Lura Co. website and social media platforms. New pictures, updated language, everything keeps evolving and growing. If there’s anything I’ve learned/experienced the last 2 years it’s that change is the only constant! Stay tuned for more!

3. This week flew by - In addition to being the person behind Tura Lura Co. I also teach/work at the University of Iowa and volunteer. It’s always complicated explaining all my roles, because I get to do a bunch of different things! This week I taught an honors seminar at Iowa called “building community through service” where I was able to introduce new first year students to the community while engaging in service and discussing how we can make positive change. In addition to a working on projects for the basic needs teams, we also held a food drive at a local Hy-Vee and raised 417.4 pounds of food plus $330 to help stock the food pantry. The students were blown away at what they accomplished! And even though this week was a lot of working hours, I am feeling energized and hopeful after getting to spend time with these superb young adults. This is why I love teaching!

4. The last thing going on behind the scenes, is the company intern (aka my oldest kiddo) starts 1st grade today! He has been such a great helper this summer at the studio, helping me clean and get ready for events after camp. It’s hard to believe it’s already back to school season. I am hoping that you are soaking up these last weeks of sunshine, and ease into the fall season.

Cheers to apple cider donuts and pumpkins coming at us fast :) Happy Friday!

Erika

The 33rd Friday Four

Thanks for catching up with the Friday Four series, simply the 4 weekly highlights from behind the scenes at Tura Lura Co. in West Branch.

Let’s get into it!

1. If you’ve taken class with me in West Branch, you’ve probably heard me talk about the Honey Den down the block from the studio. My kids and I have some serious sweet tooths, so more often than not we end up getting jelly beans or a special treat when they are helping me. My favorite treat there is chocolate covered toffee, sprinkle with a little sea salt. It’s delicious! I have had a non-stop hankering for it. So one night this week, when the candy shop was closed because it was well after bed time, I decided to try and make some toffee on my own. You should know, I’ve never made toffee before in my life. But I looked up the recipe, had all the ingredients on hand, and I went for it… It was a first pancake. The first pancake theory is the idea that the first attempt at something usually isn't the best, and it's okay if it doesn't turn out perfectly. It's a chance to practice and adjust so future attempts are better. I think that’s why I am so drawn to hosting creative classes, it let’s people experience this in a supportive environment. And it’s given me more confidence to try new things. So I’ll be taking a second attempt to toffee this week, and probably snagging a bag from the Honey Den :)

2. All we can think about in August is back to school! For my kiddos, it’s all the things to get ready for a new year with a new teacher. And as an educator myself, I am ready to start my classes at the university! I’m still holding on to the last few moments of summer, and added a special discount code to the Candle Pour Bar tomorrow 8/17 at 1pm! Use code “Summer2024” for $5 off each ticket, and you can smell all the summer fragrances before they go away. Sign up online closes 4 hours before class starts. I hope to see you there!

3. As summer is winding down, so is the garden. I pulled a bunch of things this week with a bittersweet feeling. I’m sad the summer is in the final stretch. And this year I learned how to grow from seed! I tried so many varieties of flowers and food from seed. I had some successes, and I had a bunch of failures. There were surprises, including the perfect heirloom pumpkin and tomatoes that grew out thin air (or seeds that were in the compost). I got to put seeds from the Dried Floral Bar (sourced from Iowa Flower Farms) into the ground and watch those grow like magic (keep watching for updates on Instagram stories!). Growing this year was kind of like the first pancake theory for me, but included pancakes, waffles, and the whole kitchen sink. It reminded me that there is so much yet to learn and try. And I’m sure excited to try again next spring.

4. As we transition out of sunshine into fall mode, I am pumped to have more cozy classes and gatherings. During the summer I’ve been keeping bubble water on hand for folks in classes to drink, and want to know what is your fall go to drink? Is it hot coffee or tea? Apple cider? Something else? I will be switching up the sips for the fall classes, and want to hear from you on your favorites! Just hit reply and let me know!

Happy Friday! Thank you for reading the Friday Four emails, I appreciate you so much.

Erika