The past few months have marked the start of a brand-new chapter for Mischievous Monsters. Here are the highlights of some of our most recent milestones.
- We meet IRL now, not just online.
- Wear kindness everywhere with our brand new shirts.
- CVPBC and Mischievous Monsters are getting recognized.
- We're hosting a vegan holiday market in November.
- Finally, here's a sneak peek at what's going on next.
We Meet IRL Now, Not Just Online
You might have noticed that I haven't been writing as much lately, not due to slacking off, but rather because I'm spending most of my free time launching a new local plant-based initiative to Mischievous Monsters called Cedar Valley Plant-Based Community that began in March 2026 and met for the first time on Saturday, April 11, at Moo's Bakery in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Many vegan brands and blogs have an online presence, but as the world becomes increasingly digital, we also become more isolated and lonely. Especially as a vegan, many hangouts are kind of awkward already, but what if there's another way to socialize?
Cedar Valley Plant-Based Community is an opportunity for current and future vegans to enjoy great vegan food, fun local events, and terrific plant-based company, whether they are vegan, veg-curious, or somewhere in between.
We meet 3 times a month. Some of our previous events included, but were not limited to, Astronomy Night at the Grout Museum District, Classic Rock Trivia Night at Urban Pie, a Waterloo Bucks baseball game, and Anastasia the Musical at the Cedar Falls Community Theatre.
We currently have over 85 members across our Facebook Group and Meetup Group, and we keep growing every week. If you haven't already, follow us to stay up to date on the latest events that we're having in the Cedar Valley (Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and the surrounding Northeast Iowa communities).
Wear Kindness Everywhere with Our Brand New Shirts
When I was in high school, one of my career ideas was to become a fashion designer.
- I didn't know how to sew my own clothes, but I learned to quilt basic patterns with my grandma's help.
- I was, and still am, a tomboy who hates makeup, dresses, hairstyles beyond a ponytail, high heels, glitter, and so on, despite being a basketball cheerleader.
- My definition of fashion was and still is buying 10 outfits, meaning I found one style and bought it in 10 different colors or as many colors that I liked less than that.
- The main reason I wanted to do it was that I hated fashion, so in order to counteract that, I would design clothes that are contrary to the norm, including but not limited to varying sizes of women's clothes across brands, too short of shorts and dresses, uncomfortable fabrics, see-through outfits, clothes that shrink a size or two after the first wash, and super tightfitting.
Even today, not much has changed in the fashion world. Girls and women are supposed to look like supermodels and not their comfortable selves. Before my brother's wedding, I spent half an hour trying to figure out which bra I could wear with my white top without it being see-through, and then spent most of the afternoon of the wedding fighting to keep my shirt tucked in every time I walked, stood, or sat, without my bra showing with my V-neckline.
It's tiring to have clothes that fit size-wise but just don't work for anything other than wearing them in front of a mirror. That's why, when I decided to make merch for Mischievous Monsters and Cedar Valley Plant-Based Community, I knew we had to be part of the change to make clothes comfy and functional.
It's not just about the look, but about the feeling you get when you can wear something without thinking twice.
- Comfortable fabric
- High-quality graphics
- Lightweight and breathable
- Not see-through
- Looks the same after a few washes
If you don't believe me, here are some pictures of me wearing all of the awesome shirts in my own home. Hope you enjoy them!
CVPBC & Mischievous Monsters Are Getting Recognized
When I started Cedar Valley Plant-Based Community, I didn't want to be just a person of my own word but rather action. I was tired of waiting to see if someone else would start a vegan or plant-based group, so I started one myself.
Actually, I learned later that there was once an active vegan group in my area a few years ago, but it no longer holds any events because its founders moved away.
I only started this group in March, and I'm so happy that Cedar Valley Plant-Based Community is appearing at the top of the search results for "vegan group Waterloo, Iowa."
In addition, in May, Cedar Valley Plant-Based Community was approved as the 4th Healthy Community in Iowa. This group is a part of Building Healthy Communities, a nutrition initiative of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
The gist is that around the world, there are vegan and plant-based groups who strive to promote veganism and community. The events must include only vegan food, but you don't have to be a vegan to be a member of the group. Our group is open to more than just vegans and plant-based enthusiasts; it also includes, but is not limited to, vegetarians, flexitarians, pescatarians, and anyone willing to give vegan food a chance.
In addition, I endorsed Plant Based Treaty as an individual (Megan McFadden), organization (Cedar Valley Plant-Based Community), and business (Mischievous Monsters). Here's a video summary for those wanting more details.
We're Hosting a Vegan Holiday Market in November
I'm so excited to share that our first Cedar Valley Plant-Based Holiday Market is on Saturday, November 21, from 1-8pm.
There will be a paid VIP shopping hour from 12-1pm, but general admission is free. Instead, we encourage all participants who are able to make a donation of their choice to our featured nonprofit, Iowa Farm Sanctuary, a safe haven for rescued farm animals in Oxford, Iowa.
Megan McFadden
If you or someone you know would like to sell any vegan items or teach a class, please reach out to me. We would love to have you join our first of many vegan holiday markets.
A Sneak Peek at Summer 2026
- I just finalized our first group international trip itinerary for Spring 2027. Hint, it's vegan-friendly, lots of fun, and has opportunities to see animals in their natural habitats. I'll share more details in the next few days.
- Later this month, we will have another merchandise launch featuring a new shirt design with our brand's motto (where kindness travels far and wide) and additional shirt colors.
- Our upcoming summer plant-based hangouts include, but are not limited to, the Iowa Irish Fest, Lost Island Themepark, and The Falls Aquatic Center.
- I do have all the events planned through the end of 2026, including reservations for Pumpkins and Paint in September and for Vegan Friendsgiving and Pickleball in November. Please be patient with me as I put them on the calendar, because I work full-time outside of Mischievous Monsters and Cedar Valley Plant-Based Community.
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