We were lucky to catch up with Abby Watson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Abby thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

My amazing parents adopted me when I was a baby. I grew up with an idyllic childhood sandwiched between 2 brothers. To quote Carrie Underwood they gave me “everything that I will need to make it through this crazy thing called life”.

This past September (2021) just life seemed to be falling into place. I was beginning my 5th year in my dream field– special education, I was starting a new relationship, had several beautiful nieces, and had begun the rebrand of my social media presence from focusing solely on teaching and moved to featuring lifestyle and beauty as well craft projects my Cricut and I undertake.. Then the storm hit. I was diagnosed with brain cancer and underwent a surgery, 6 intense weeks of radiation and chemo, followed by more chemo after a hiatus. My parents have been my rock. They’ve taken me to appointments, scans, and labs. Dad even helps drive me to work as my energy levels aren’t quite up to longer distance driving yet.

My mom and her parents had a huge impact on why I dove into teaching. Her parents and her grandma were all teachers. I guess just like the Carnegies are known for their libraries and the Hiltons are known for hospitality, my family is known (in our area) for teaching. People still tell me what an impact one or both of my mom’s parents had on them as a teacher.
My mom homeschooled us, which allowed me to do electives not found in a typical school– I would help mom with my little brother’s therapies which first peaked my interest in becoming a therapist or teacher. Some of these therapists even had me “help them” when they saw my interests. Because my parents chose me to be their little girl, I was given opportunities I would not have been had I not been adopted. I am grateful for my dad working hard so we could have the experiences we did.

Both mom and dad set an example of a hard work ethic. I know raising us wasn’t easy, but I am grateful to them for showing me consistency, love, and stability. They support me in my career as a special educator and are now getting to watch me enjoy my side job as an influencer. I feel I can share with them the ups and downs of both fields, and they will give me advice as needed.

As I prepare to get married next June, I can say without a doubt that I have been given everything that I will need to get through this crazy thing called life.

Abby, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I began diving into the influencer world a couple of years ago. I love beauty and fashion and wanted to share my tips and love with a new community. As a teacher, I am also able to tie in classroom style and teaching tips. I am proud of how I am growing my page and the network I have created. In addition to fashion and classroom style, I also am improving my creativity with my Cricut machines. I make and sell cards and design and create shirts for my family and myself.

I feel that living and teaching with cancer sets me apart from other teachers and creators as I use my crafts and creativity to keep my spirits boosted. Nothing is more fun for me than creating makeup and hair looks. I can control the situation when I’m designing and that is healing for me during this time when my world seems to be falling apart.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Jaclyn Hill was one of the first makeup artists I discovered. I’d watch her videos over and over and wish I was her. Her following and life seemed so glamorous. Recently, she launched her own line after working with other companies on collabs. Since I began my journey into the influencer world, I dream of doing collabs with companies such as Morphe or ColourPop. I would love to eventually have my own fashion and/or cosmetic line.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Pivot pivot pivot,.. I heard these words more than I could count during teaching in the pandemic. However, September 2021, I had to do the sharpest hardest pivot in my life. I was diagnosed with brain cancer, and my plans for the school year and for life were abruptly stopped. I began to sink into depression and anger. However, I was able to “find myself” again and decided to use my growing platform to reach more people. I am connecting with a whole community of cancer fighters/survivors and enjoy the family feeling we create in our groups. Cancer opened an entire new world of possibilities and fellow creators to connect with. Who knew that the words “you have cancer” would actually be good news for my pages!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: abbygrace1995
• Other: tiktok: abbywatson10 email: [email protected]

Image Credits
interstate studios Evansville Indiana