I'M BRETT

HEY,

I'm glad you're here.

LET'S START WITH THE BASICS

I was born and raised in Springboro, Ohio, but currently live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I love spending time exploring the city and hiking in the mountains!

I believe I was created to create. I'm a writer, a deep thinker, a big feeler, and a curious hobbyist.

I love meaningful conversation, deep laughter, spontaneous adventures, and asking excellent questions.

A QUICK REWIND

My creativity was ingrained in me from a very early age. I grew up homeschooled alongside 6 siblings, loving the chaotic togetherness, but aching to feel set apart and known for my differences.

This led me to choosing a variety of unique hobbies: I played baseball on a boy's travel baseball team for 8 years, played the oboe in my school's concert band, joined a Destination Imagination team, and even sewed my own First Communion dress.

I also opened my own home bakery at the age of nine!

AN ENTREPRENEURIAL BEGINNING

Brett's Bakery was born out of love of baking and a desire to make an impact.

I learned how to manage my own small business, including the finance, marketing, and operations facets of the business.

My favorite part of Brett’s Bakery, however, wasn’t the spreadsheets or even the taste testing. It was the impact I had on the community through donations to the local food pantry. It’s this impact that propelled me forward, landed me in the newspaper, and grew my business to reach hundreds of people that I built honest, genuine connections with.

BRETT MAKES THINGS

As a self-proclaimed hobbyist, I find joy in a multitude of passions. "Brett Makes Things" is my umbrella for all of my interests and hobbies, from baking to crocheting to hiking to writing (and lots more, trust me). Each new project offers a fresh perspective and allows me to develop new skills, making life exciting and fulfilling. I love being able to keep my creative spark alive by leaning into the fact that I am a multi-passionate individual and always discovering something new about myself.

I share most of my creative endeavors on Instagram! Feel free to follow along @brettmakesthings or catch a glimpse here.

STAY KID

"Stay kid" is a personal mantra that embodies the essence of maintaining a childlike wonder throughout life. It encourages an openness to the world’s beauty and a curiosity that drives me to explore, learn, and find joy in the simple things. This philosophy is about nurturing the inner child, embracing playfulness, and seeking out experiences that bring delight and spark creativity. By living with a "stay kid" mindset, I experience a sense of freedom, spontaneity, and genuine happiness that makes life truly joyful.

LIFE IN FULL COLOR

"Life in full color" celebrates the richness and diversity of human experiences. It signifies living authentically, embracing all emotions and moments, both joyful and challenging, as essential parts of the human journey. This philosophy encourages seeing the world vividly, appreciating the beauty in everyday life, and finding meaning in the spectrum of experiences that color our existence. "Life in full color" is a vibrant, wholehearted way of living, where every emotion, encounter, and experience is valued as a unique shade that makes life more vivid and meaningful.

This concept is also the inspiration behind my debut poetry book, Life In Full Color, which takes readers on an emotional journey through a spectrum of experiences including joy, love, heartbreak, and healing.

Learn more about my poetry collection here.