Ash Ylvisaker

Born in 1985 and blooming into 40 with grit and grace, The Messy Hippie is a legacy-builder, memory-keeper, and thrifty style icon. With a heart full of nostalgia and a head full of stories, she's flipping the script on middle age — using her dad’s photo archives, handwritten memories, and soulful reconnections to write a book that’s part memoir, part time capsule. She’s weathered storms — infertility, pandemic parenting, and unexpected life pivots — yet walks through life with a mindful mix of resilience, humor, and a rebellious vintage flair. Whether she's listing thrifted finds in Tomah, WI or reflecting on the layers of motherhood and identity, she’s anchored in authenticity. Not quite where she expected to be — and that's the beauty of it.