Because Nancy Kissed a Pig: Our Origin Story

My friend Nancy is a seasoned airbnb renter. She stays in them when she attends retreats, visits family, or just wants a change of scenery. Back in September 2022, she was renting a place with her family near Pittsburgh. Since she knows I love a good laugh, she sent a picture of herself kissing a carved wooden bowl in the shape of a pig. I was looking at the little picture of a smiling Nancy and a ridiculous pig and thinking that this is how I feel when I add a wacko piece of art to the ever-expanding collection of oddities in my house.

So, of course I had to make that feeling into a business. 

I have three kids: Cameron (28), Logan (25), and Paige (23). All of my children have an appreciation for weirdness. This comes from having weird parents—one of whom has a Mighty Morphin Power Ranger collection that contains over 1,100 mint in-box items: me. The other—who started out mostly normal—but has been worn down over time to a nice, shiny weirdo in his own right: my husband, David.

Moving on. 

Now is the time where I tell you all that Paige is disabled. She has a buffet of autoimmune issues that render her unconscious if she’s having too much fun. Also if she’s not having any fun at all, which—one could argue—is a lot of the time. Since she is limited by her limitations, she has spent more time living at home than any young person would ever want (even with all those amazing Power Rangers around). To give you a better sense of what that means, quarantining during Covid was just a Tuesday for she and I. All this to say, we spend a lot of time at home. Like, A LOT. 

To keep this from turning into the episode of The Little House on the Prairie where the dog died in the fire, I need you to know that it wasn’t all shit. There were foster dogs, friends, small business successes, and even the culmination of a 30-year pursuit of a Master’s degree in Psychology. All that happened from inside the walls of our house. So guess what? We slowly made those walls into a representation of the joy we found in unexpected places.

Joy, I tell you.

There were short outings to antique markets. Lots of moving furniture. Custom paint colors. Tragic DIY projects. More paint. Ebay. Estate sales. Yard sales. Cast-offs from friends. Dead-people-hand-me-downs. So much opportunity for amazing creativity. Up until 2 months ago, the antics and resultant aesthetic was limited to our house. 

Enter Nancy and her pig kissing picture.  

In the moments after I had that joyous feeling, I had a rush of clarity. I talked to David first. His response cemented my resolve. Next, the kids. All of them said, Yes, Yes. YES!  

And one of them said, “Mom, we can do this together.” 

So here we are, Paige and I, and the house of id. A place of love and joy and creative expression. A place to stay, shop, and participate in a collaborative design experience. 

My big wish—and Paige’s, too—is that you will come along with us on this adventure. Share in our successes and laugh with us during all the mishaps. Add to the conversation. Come to the house with an open mind and let your id run wild!

Pig kissing will be completely optional.