I didn’t plan any of this (sort of).
All I really wanted after handing over the café was slower living, some breathing space, more time with the kids, doing something creative again, and a bit of life that wasn’t run on coffee orders and timers. Nothing dramatic.
But part of slowing down meant I finally had time to pick up watercolours again. I have always been drawn to nature (I even briefly considered becoming a herbalist at one point), so painting leaves, ferns, mushrooms… all of it felt like slipping back into something I had been missing for years.
And then, instead of herbalism, I somehow ended up on a surface pattern course, which connected so many things I never realised belonged together. Creativity, nature, quiet routines, colours, food, stories… all the things I naturally gravitate toward.
Looking back, I think Friendly Nettle was always meant to become something bigger but also slower. More creative, more hands-on, more about noticing and making. And I just did not have the headspace to realise it back then. Even when I was not at the café, I was still mentally there with messages, staff things, tiny worries, checking in. By the end I barely brought my own kids in. There was simply no room left to imagine anything beyond the daily running of it.
Stepping away has centred me in a way I did not expect. And now that bigger yet slower direction feels much clearer.
Do not get me wrong, as mentioned in my previous post, I do not regret one bit opening the café. Meeting so many friendly faces, building a space people loved… I genuinely do not regret things like that. I see it as a huge learning experience. And I have learned so much business-wise that I can now carry into this new Friendly Nettle turn.
And maybe it is fitting that I am writing this on the eve of the café reopening under its new name.
There is something quietly peaceful about watching it take on a new story while mine is gently shifting too. It feels like a clean handover, the café becoming what it needs to be now, and me finally having the space to explore what Friendly Nettle has always been quietly nudging me toward.
I cannot tell you exactly what it is going to be yet, but from where I am standing, it is looking really exciting.
And now shall we talk about Moon Shadow?
Back at the café I tested what felt like hundreds of grey paint samples. Nothing looked quite right until I found Moon Shadow. It was not really grey at all, but something softer and warmer, and it immediately stood out. It just felt right for the café walls.
I loved it so much that I ended up using the same colour in our own home. And honestly, I do not think I will ever get tired of it. I keep reaching for it in my work too. The warmth makes reds and pinks look almost alive, and the deeper colours sit quietly against it.
Maybe one day I will be sick of it, who knows, but for now it feels like the most natural background for everything I create.
So why all the woodland themes suddenly?
Once life slowed down, I started noticing things again. Colours, textures, tiny shapes I normally rushed past. And honestly, most of it happened while going for dog walks. When you are not racing anywhere, you suddenly see interesting leaves on the pavement, funny mushrooms on tree stumps, soft moss on old walls. All those small things started creeping into my sketchbook without me even trying.
It was not meant to be a theme or a project. It just happened because for the first time in years, there was actual time and headspace for things to land. We have also been outdoors more in general, so the woodland vibe makes sense. A bit of moss here, a fern shape there… I just kept seeing things I wanted to paint.
So what is this next chapter about?
I guess the simplest way to put it is this. I am slowly creating something that will encourage others to create and make too. Something that leans into slowing down, noticing, playing, and letting things unfold without rushing. And of course, something that still brings people together. Community was such a big part of the café, and I would love for this next chapter to keep that spirit alive in its own way. Maybe even nudge communities to slow down and make things together again.
I cannot tell you what it is just yet, because it is not fully shaped. But if you find yourself drawn to nature, slower living, small joys, and making things with your hands, then stay around. You will see.
Good things come to those who wait.
And no, not the hustle version of that phrase, the original one that actually lets you breathe.
And while you wait, do pop in to The Hangar Cafe and Bar for a drink. I know I will be for my one flat white (or three).
Rasa x
