A little about us
Hi, we're Mickayla and Taylor! We're the family behind Calico Cow Acres, our little eight-acre homestead tucked into the foothills of Western North Carolina.
What started as a dream of having a little land to call our own has turned into years of gardening, raising animals, renovating, learning new skills, and taking on more projects than we probably should. We're slowly building a life here that feels like ours, one project, one growing season, and one new idea at a time.
Calico Cow Acres started as a way to document that journey on YouTube, and over the years, it continues to grow right alongside us.
When life has other plans
I've always loved making things with my hands, and soapmaking was one of those hobbies I quickly became completely fascinated with. I spent the better part of a year tweaking recipes, experimenting with ingredients, playing with natural scents and colors, and dreaming up what my very own soap line could look like.
I filled notebooks full of ideas and plenty of grand plans, but actually putting them out into the world was another story.
In June of 2026, we lost our daughter, Ava, at 17 weeks pregnant. Our lives were torn in ways I still don't have the words to fully explain or comprehend.
In the months that have followed, I found myself needing something to pour my energy into. Something creative, something that gave me a reason to get out of my own head for a little while. I kept coming back to soapmaking and all those ideas I'd been sitting on.
Losing Ava changed a lot about how I look at life, including how much time I want to spend waiting for the "right" moment to do something I love. So I decided to finally give this dream a chance to bloom.
Inspired by the life we're building
Every soap in our collection is inspired by something familiar. The herbs and flowers growing in our garden, the woods surrounding our home, vintage treasures, and the family traditions and nostalgia that make each season special.
I have loved the process of turning those inspirations into something both useful and beautiful, from choosing the scents and colors to designing the packaging and all the details in between.
Our sunflower logo is a little tribute to Ava, too, as she has come to represent all things yellow and sunshiny for us. Each petal was traced from the shape of each of our kitties' ears, and the roots are a nod to the life we're building here in North Carolina. It's a collection of special pieces of our journey, all brought together in one little logo.
From our home to yours
Everything here is made in small batches with thoughtfully chosen ingredients, a lot of experimenting, and plenty of attention to the smallest details.
My hope is to make things that are as enjoyable to use as they are to look at. Everyday essentials with a little more color, personality, and thought behind them. I want these packages to feel like you're opening a gift from a friend.
This shop is just another part of the life we're building here, and I'm excited to see where it takes us.
Thanks for being here, for supporting our little business, and for becoming a part of our story.