Meet Brandy AKA Mystical Fries | Spiritual guide / Energetic alchemist / Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brandy AKA Mystical Fries and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brandy AKA Mystical, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I come from a family of artists, educators, and entrepreneurs. Being born in Greeley, Colorado, it was a small-town type of world. There wasn’t often much to do without imagination and getting in trouble. You always had to leave town or drive for hours to expand your horizons on whatever it was you were looking for, or so it seemed. I like to think of Colorado as having a more open-minded community but growing up in a small town also came with hardships of expectations. Having a culturally diverse family setting and cultural anthropologists as grandparents I was often found searching for things out of the box, unexpected or controversial. Clearly, my education, imagination, and creativity were fed and encouraged at every corner, I was seen as a child a wild child. I studied history, culture, cultural practice, belief systems, energetic works, crystals, stones, and alternative healing. I quickly became labeled as a witch and so I reached for the history behind the stories behind the label and found myself seeking a piece of knowledge that just wasn’t openly found in a small cow town like Greeley. If we are being honest, I suppose it wasn’t openly found in many places. It felt stifling, and uncomfortable just to be curious in anything other than base religions. I didn’t fit in and wasn’t accepted by most parents, though all the kids thought I was some kind of rebel or anarchist. The truth was I just couldn’t stop my need for answers, and the pull of the unknown. I didn’t want to be in a box or walk around like I was molded from a cookie cutter. It just didn’t sit right for me. I felt at home by the fire, smoking meat and grinding herbs. I felt a passion for the stone I was slowly creating divots in and found respect for what it provided. I found joy in creating fishing rods and spears and infinite knowledge while gazing into the stars. I felt my mind expand and the ebb of all that was around me. So much didn’t make sense as a teenager but the one thing that did was the knowledge that there was so much more to everything around us and that we are. Untapped and lost, purity in the simple things. I wanted something more than the mundane 9-5, I wanted fulfillment and adventure. I quickly found the Rocky Mountains held more majesty than you could imagine from simple words. I found myself in touch with things of nature, plants, animals, minerals, and life itself. I started to learn to forage, garden and care taker. Rescuing animals, and helping neighbors and family plan and maintain edible gardens. I often would talk to the flowers and sit under a tree asking to hear its stories. As you can imagine I never really broke from the wild child and not fitting in, but it didn’t stop me. I found books, I found elders, I watched documentaries, read historic documents, and began to follow a path of my own. I made my own soaps, candles, teas, heck, my mom would probably even tell you stories of mud pie bakes and buckets of stones hidden popcorn tins. Ladybug gardens, rolly polly farms, stray cats hovering in the yard, and random injured birds taking to our trees. I had found a link to the world under different eyes, it wasn’t what I saw but what I felt that drove me. I quickly found the path of an Omniest, with an intense connection to energetic craft and alchemy. I don’t like to put a name to it rather let others name it what they need to understand for themselves. I discovered metaphysics, alchemy, and occult stores were not easy to come by many seemed so theatrical, focusing on the commercial ideal of magic, as a kid I didn’t understand that part of the process is the “the craft” as in actually crafting these things for yourself and clearly neither did many others. I came to a frustration where finding supplies, trustable herbs, and guidance was the bane of my journey. I remembered searching the internet and always questioning the products I was looking at, I always felt it was more comfortable to be in person holding a stone or a crystal, to be able to smell the herb and allow my intuition to find the items for whatever I was working on. Greeley was a town known for cultural diversity but so removed from any booming city we rarely saw any shops of the likes pop up and when we did, they were gone before we knew it. We didn’t have much for options though we had many more than other places. I quickly became obsessed with mountain towns and their unique energy and flow. I spent many of my days interacting and learning, rock hounding and absorbing as much of the handed history as I could. I was going to make a difference. I was going to bring a space to my little Northern Colorado area where others could do the same without the hassle of long drives and crowded cities. I started the dream young telling myself that one day, I was going to bring a little spiritual shop to my area, I would build a place where everyone could feel safe in their journey to understanding as well as authentic items and knowledge that could guide them to whatever path made their spirit glow. I was going to encourage more people to find themselves, I wanted to show others how to bring the magic back to crafting, and how passion is so strong and can be felt in the items you create. That this love and connection between all things are here, and you are not alone in wanting it. I just honestly never expected it to come true. You know, it was like my Cinderella dream, most girls dream of their perfect white wedding knowing they are never going to be the princess, then there is me dreaming of bringing this peace, inspiration, and passion to light but always telling myself, ya right, I’m not that special, I ain’t no princess. Get back to work Cinderella. LOL, who would have thought, I’d be standing here now? 😀

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’d love to say that getting to where I am was some long hard thought process. However, it may have been a long process the thought of it wasn’t something other than a Cinderella dream to me. You know that fantasy you dream of but, know in reality it just isn’t gonna happen, your fairy godmother isn’t going to come in and bibbity boppity boo everything to perfection. I dreamed of it but it took me many years to actually believe in myself enough to make it something real. I think the most exciting part is not only being here living this Cinderella dream, I am able to stand here and encourage others to stand up and be themselves, make a change, create their own star rather than following anothers, I get to watch as my passion inspires, heals and helps other grow in so many different ways. I have people of all walks of life, ages, types of needs, and spiritual beliefs or religions that have come together and created a community of acceptance and support that is continuously spreading growth and encouragement, inner peace and pride in self not just life. I don’t really know how to explain it but if you stood in my shop on a bustling day and watched how everyone interacts, and discusses the ventures and connections that have grown from them you would see the strength and confidence growing, the lights turning on, smiles glowing and comfort that just seems to be the vibe. That is what I am most proud of, I can sit here and pretend that I have not been my own worst critic and enemy of my own self-worth, as a Virgo I am a perfectionist, nothing I create is good enough and outside of my children, there isn’t a creation I could truly say I was most proud of. Was it easy?
Absolutely not, if anything it was the exact opposite. I think everyone knows going into small business or entrepreneurship that there will be struggles, we all deal with the where do I source materials, Items, how do I make connections and the general nuances of establishing a business. So, I don’t know if it is a fact or not, but it sure felt like more so of a struggle for me at times even though I was educated on it. I think sometimes the prior teachings of business and societal expectations created a wall I didn’t know how to get beyond. To be successful there was a general expectation of how you were supposed to act, dress, speak, and present yourself. Not only was the line of “work” I had developed one that was not typically seen as socially acceptable, I had no desire to change the way I had found comfort in living and loving myself to change my image for acceptance. I knew walking into society saying “Hi, I am an energy worker and spiritual guide, I do not use typical medicines, or often buy mass commercial products, I make my own soaps and oils and use crystal energy to heal, I work with the season and the elements to heal the inner breakings of those around me. I mix herbs and burn things while creating handmade trinkets that are meant to protect you from the unseen. I speak about spirits and magic as if they are not “mythology or lore” and walk with respect and belief of not only your god but all gods, while I worship nothing solely and do not question the reality of yours rather respect it” was probably not the best introduction into society. So how did I stay true to my passion but earn the trust of the community on such a delicate matter? That was the question that haunted me, the one that made me question my choice and almost led me to choose not to go forward with owning my own business. Now the area I am from is a deeply religious area, I was afraid of disrespecting, I was afraid of community backlash, I was afraid of not being accepted, I was afraid of being branded a witch or worse. I was afraid of how it would change the peace I had found for my children in the area, the semblance of normality that was our life. Private but peaceful and comfortable. I set the idea aside and decided I needed to work on healing me a bit, learning to make friends and let people in, take part in community events and volunteer. I started fostering animals, helping local small businesses, tending to yards and neighbors’ gardens. Slowly trying to find some sense of “you will be accepted”. To think back now and realize that one of my greatest struggles is still present but was never needed to begin with is a real reflection. Eventually, a few amazing small business owners near me started poking and encouraging me; a little bit of belief was creeping in. Then bam, tragedy, Covid 19 shuts the world down. I didn’t think twice, I followed the leads and found a way to put my hands in the helping pot. I started sewing masks, donating masks, and helping to arrange deliveries of protective gear to local places in need. From nursing homes to hospitals, I was doing everything I could, I didn’t see it as much then, but it was changing the direction of my life very quickly. I was making connections, I was a part of the community, I was helping people I never even set eyes on. Before I knew it my expenses for the donations were putting a toll on my family and life. Everyone around me finally started yelling at me, look at what you’ve done, look at what you’re doing, why don’t you just start your business. At first, I laughed, then in reality, I did the numbers, and oh boy I either needed to become a nonprofit or a business and quickly. I had no clue where to start with nonprofits, how they worked or what was needed, I however knew about businesses. So, I did it, I jumped, I took the risk and said lets go, I built a website, I started remolding my garage to support small consultation area, I began applying for fairs and vendor booths throughout Colorado, that was another struggle I didn’t expect, with covid there wasn’t any. The city of log lane and Fort Morgan were my #1’s, and let me tell you sitting there at their events having the locals come and ask if I had a shop, How long I had been around, What does this stone do, do you carry smudging stuff, I am not kidding I had teenagers in tears when they walked up to my booths, the disbelief that something like my shop was right there was real for many. I was sitting there shocked at the diversity of the people young and old, from all denominations stopping by, the connections that were made. The amount of people telling me that just standing there talking to me so calmly and naturally was so comforting, I never would have believed it. My husband and sister were always giving me gruff about making people cry, though I wasn’t making them cry these were for real tears of release and to know that I was trusted with this piece of those around me I found the courage and started looking for a store front. Even that was a struggle as my first store front only lasted 4 weeks, however it led me to my current place which couldn’t have been any better of a connection made. This June it will be 3 years and we are only expanding on our ventures. So there has been much growth, healing and overcoming both struggles on the business side and my own personal journey.
I know that I am far from over the hurdles and struggles I will face in my line of “creativity”. When you are working with the metaphysical you often get labeled a witch, when you work with “energy” many will call you crazy and not take you seriously, now days the understanding of spirituality is more present than ever before but still so clouded by lack of education and deeper understandings. It’s a risky thing to claim these area’s are one you base your business off of especially if your looking to be taken seriously in any means of societal standards. This was my biggest fear with myself and struggle I had to get beyond in order to advance, it still is. With the risk of riding the edge when you are talking magical, spiritual, herbal potions, crystals and charms the first thing that comes to most peoples mind is “Witch”, “evil”, and the scariest part “the devil” which immediately brings in religion. Mixing religious beliefs and business is one dangerous road, trying to explain to a programed society that what I do is not religious, but is spiritual is a whole new world of hurdles and how the hecks. Breaking the idea that spirituality and healing your soul does not have to be connected with religion is rough, to many it may be and that is great, but there is just as large of a group that need something to bring faith, a belief that inspires them as well but do not fit in the defines of what we know as religion.
I have tried my hardest to combat this with the understand of cultural diversity and that no person deserves the disrespect of their cultural heritage and that those seeking this connection weather it be spiritual, religious, energetic, or genetic that they should have a place to safely seek it. I do not try to pretend to know everything, wow that would be on weight to carry, I however have the desire to guide whom ever to that connection that clicks with them, that sings to their soul and provides them with whatever it is they need to find belief in themselves and faith in their actions. It is about being at peace with yourself, however different or the same to others you may be, finding the click that makes sense and allows for the affirmations in your life that will help you see your own strength and courage. I am not here to do it for anyone but more or less to make them feel comfortable and inspired to fulfill themselves to their greatest self. My perfectionism and actually accepting that my products are of worth, and others might actually want them would be up next. A common fear in the creative line of work I hear. If it was not for the amazing support and some crapy life circumstances (thank you pandemic) I probably would never have stepped out of my home and little village of a family with my creations. The whole way through launching I questioned myself, in many cases my husband and children would put stuff in my finished box’s just to get me to stop doubting myself. I wanted everything perfect but how do you make perfect for everyone when you don’t know what everyone wants. It truly took just putting myself out there and taking the risk of someone not liking my stuff. It was actually a customer that once told me “what for one may not be for another but there will be more and when the right one sees it you too will believe it is perfect.” I took that experience and used it like a mantra to encourage me to trust the process and share what I was told was a gift with the world.
Now you see, my business is a business built off of passion, experience, flow and the community around me. Everything that I do in a sense, returns to the community and those around me. Even when thinking of what creation or what I will make next; the suggestions, requests or interests of my customers inspire the next step. The items in my shop are items that have evolved from traditions and experiences throughout my life. From childhood, motherhood, to now… not quite a grandma yet and in no rush to be there. I have taken the items used for our children, how family and our home and brought them for the public. I work with herbs and oils to create holistic items, like essential oil mists that help the energy in a room, or work with aromatherapy techniques to improve moods. I grow and provide herbs for incense, rituals, teas, and holistic creations of your’ own. I create simmer pots, handcrafted wands, altar supplies, and energetic tools to help in your spiritual exploration. Even now the suggestions and personal requests of those that come through my doors help develop the next items to created. Stones line the walls of my shop; Crystal are in almost everything. Art from my menagerie and other local practitioners and artists can be found throughout the space. All these things have been inspired from my own experiences and studies, my need to help others and see rich growth and abundance in the world around me.
I could talk for hours on the why’s and the how’s of the many creations I or where the inspiration or ideas for them came from. The truth is I spent early mornings reading to my babies, afternoons coloring and creatively playing with my children. It was an everyday normality to have education and creative arts ingrained in everything that we did so when the kids had bad dreams we made a dream catcher, When they thought something was under the bed we would make orange bombs (Pomander balls), I found myself using many of the holistic and spiritual practices I had studied and participated in growing up in different ways, applying all of these traditions and practices to our everyday life. Each year the things we created or used evolved and developed into new and even more fantastic items. What was once a traditional ornament made to give out at Christmas became an energy conduit that is now used daily to shift the emotional energy in rooms. Essential oils became mist sprays that gave the younger one’s courage and strength to face the unseen yet provide cleansing and peace to everyone around. Simmer pots grew into potions of manifestations and health. As the education and understanding expanded so did all of the mystical intentions behind them. It’s not just a menagerie of people behind the dream and success but a menagerie of items that just truly are hard to explain, you have to see it to believe it. ;-D
It is odd to say I didn’t really have a plan to own my own business because I did, it was my major in college, However, I started motherhood early and everything else in life took a backseat ride for a while. We will cut the long portion short and just say I have 6 children and an amazing husband of 21 years. Housewife was my new duty, daycare for that many is just not worth the 9-5, We knew my husband being the sole breadwinner was going to be tough and we were not going to have an easy ride but we committed. This, however, is where the passion and the true vision of my business came from. I would not have realized it at the time, I thought I was just being the typical housewife and often struggling with self-worth issues. It would be years before the true framework of my business and shop would take form. My products are, shall we say magical creations, hand crafted, imaginative items that evolved throughout my life; From childhood, to being a teen mom, having absolutely no clue how I was supposed to navigate life and be the best mom I could for my children, to now a devoted housewife, community fixture and businesswoman.
The greatest lesson I learned would have to be never give up, don’t let society tell you who you should be, your dreams can be reality if you’re willing to put the work in. It’s not easy, It won’t come on a silver platter and I can tell you it doesn’t happen overnight. Effort, determination, long hours, community support and involvement will strengthen you, don’t give in, don’t compare yourself, your not a cookie cutter, you are a piece of art and your story is only yours to tell! Pick your book up and get to writing!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In Fort Morgan we would definitely stop into the library and see the historic museum and local art. The river walk at riverside park off the historic Fort Morgan rainbow bridge is amazing. Bun Appitite, Zazzys coffee, the Ice cream shop on main street has the best Icecream, We would check out the Historic Sands Theatre in Brush, Deerfield is near and would start a whole ghost town historic route that would likely lead up to the hiedi mine and gold prospecting. The Damn store at the entrance to the Thompson would be a must. If casa bonita was opened we would definitely be checking out the updates. I’d take you along the main street and show you all the fantastic little shops in fort morgan and likely talk about the experience of having HGTV in town. We would go to the lake Pruit or jackson would be closer. Likely try to convince you to get a tattoo from one of the great places in town, Americana tattoos, soul speak ink and timeless tattoos in brush. We would check out the other local “metaphysical shops” that have popped up since I opened. Night trips to the prairie would rival the stars in the mountains. Adventures lots of adventures. Thursday night live would be a must for local gatherings and we would definitely be checking out all the festivals and fairs we could find.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Yes, definitely, there is! 100% my menagerie! I think we all know that there are major players in everyone’s life and in moments like this you often struggle to choose who would you spotlight. I however don’t, from the moment I named my business I wanted the biggest shout-out to be to those of “my village” Being raised in a small town you often had the idea of “it takes a village” and this is a value that has stuck with me through all my trials and tributes. You meet people and experience things throughout your life that change and shape you. Some stay and some go, but all of these are your village, your people, at some point in time. The basis of how you will build your own ideals. I was given the opportunity of a lifetime in a pretty open house, my grandparents on both sides were teachers, college professors, and educators. My maternal grandparents (The Denning’s) were cultural anthropologists, they taught courses at The University Of Northern Colorado, My mom worked at the college as well, though not as an instructor but in the offices and in the food and nutrition department. I spent many of my childhood summers hanging out at the college, sneaking off to the pottery studio, attending art banquets, and soaking up all the knowledge I could. Eventually, my grandparents left the college and focused solely on their art gallery. It was the beginning of my decision to own my own business. When I wasn’t in school I was often found at the family gallery (The Dragon’s Cache) working for my grandmother. I was setting up displays, creating art, soaking up knowledge, attending vendor booths, learning the gardens, and experiencing firsthand the lessons I was being taught. My mother was loving and never failed to shower me with encouragement, inspiration, and support. Even when she herself didn’t understand or have the slightest idea what to do with me. She did everything she could to provide me with the tools I needed to feed my need of knowledge, to keep my hands busy and my soul quiet. Even when I Myself became a teen mother and knew that I would be walking away from a very promising education to choose another path. I was supported. At 16, I had no idea how a child was going to change my world but my Destiny did. Everything about life flipped upside down. What I thought was my direction had to change, where I thought I was stuck was no longer an option. I had to fight and fight harder than ever before, I had to show I could be a mother, and prove I could provide even without that coveted education. I had evils to break and sadly addiction to walk away from, My life could have been completely different had my children not come along, had my family not supported me in raising them, helped provide daycare while I went back to school, caught me when I thought the earth was falling out from under me and held my hand as I stumbled back to stability. One of the hardest journeys was discovering and accepting that I couldn’t be perfect for my kids, I was never going to be but I could teach them how to fight for what they believed in, to create what they needed with their bare hands, to take what they would be told was nothing and make it something amazing, something worth saying to yourself, I did that. I looked around me and I made some choices, I knew I had what it would take, but I also knew I couldn’t do it alone. It was going to take a village to break the cycles, tear down the walls, and beat my own anxiety along the way. I honestly had no clue of where I was going, or what was meant for me now. I, however, had this village, this support system of people that seemed to always be there, good and bad, that encourage the unique, the mystical, the difference in my ways. I didn’t follow a book; I did everything they told me I couldn’t or wouldn’t and I kept blazing a path. When it came time to build my business, I refused to launch it until I found the right name, I kept thinking what is the shop to you, what is this space, what created it? Every time it came back to all these people that were around me, My children; my inspiration, My mother; my support, my strength; My grandparents, my education and open acceptance, My husband, my rock, my ground my stability, and armor through it all, My friends, those gone with lessons learned and those still next to me telling me how amazing something is and how what I do is so mystical and magical that they just wish they could too, everyone that begged me to make something for them too and I realized, I can’t just stand there for hours listing all these people and times, it would take a manifesto, lol, so what do you call a group of such a diverse amount of people, not just family, not just friend, not just business or social, each different and unique but all willing to cheer for me and never let me forget what makes me glow. I was envisioning unicorns (truly one of the most amazing creatures, I love my unicorns ;-D ), phoenixes, dragons, lions, tigers, bears, mice, and owls, always in a lushes green forest and it hit, what a menagerie of people I have surrounded myself with, each so magical in their own space, each reaching for something and willing to give it there all to find it and support those around them in doing the same thing. It was perfect, it was exactly what I was trying to bring, a place for everyone, to find that magic, that glow, that passion, that inspiration to take the next scary step and bloom to their greatest ability. At that though Mystical’s Menagerie was named, for the community I want to encourage, the village that helped me bloom and all those who want nothing more than to find inner peace and growth, however, that may come. So ya, I would dedicate this to the menagerie, past, present, and future.

Website: www.mysticalsmenagerie.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysticals_menagerie/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MysticalsM_LLC

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Image Credits
Mystical’s Menagerie, LLC