I know, right? So exciting! So for those of you who follow along with me on Instagram, you already caught wind of this fun and fabulous announcement, but for those of you who don’t… you totally should! My second article for HGTV is officially live and you can see those here. I couldn’t be more excited to be chatting about trends that cycle and how they manifest in modern times. I will be writing a weekly column for them that focuses on this and I have some fun topics coming up that will even involve some DIY projects that I will be sharing here on the site! Can you dig it?
I actually cant’ believe I didn’t mention this prior to now. I seem to forget to update you guys on some of the amazing things I am working on in real life. How that happens I couldn’t even begin to guess, pretty sure it’s most people’s go to and first topic of choice. It’s something I’m definitely working on this year as one of my many goals, right alongside my mission to DO more, use what I already have in the process and consider it a personal challenge of sorts. I think an interesting thing has happened in the world of DIY blogging that pushes us toward the next big crazy mind blowing project that goes viral and I am making a pledge to myself to shut it down. I love a mind blowing project as much as the next gal, don’t get me wrong. And perhaps I have even been known to do one or two of them myself, but the problem with that is that those projects rarely leave you with a finished, well running, and happy household. It’s probably akin to chasing the dragon, if you know what I mean (I guarantee some of you don’t). Those folks may or may not have remembered to feed their children this morning, and I know this because this is me 99% of the time, so trust me, I’m not judging, just saying…. and I can tell you for certain that things are falling apart at the seams behind those pretty pictures (totally guilty). These social creatures probably haven’t seen their friends or family by choice and for fun in far too long and there may or may not be coffee or diet coke spilled on their shirt at this very moment, that might or might not have even been there for far longer than they care to say, ahem… just sayin.
I have enough trouble focusing on any one project at any given time as it stands. I am quite literally bubbling over with creative ideas 24 hours a day. I. Can’t. Stop. It’s a sickness really and it leads to so much productivity that I’m essentially completely unproductive with my 87 projects going on at once.
So here is where I put an end to this inner competition of sorts. I don’t want to be one of those people who looks back on her life and regrets not spending more time with her boys. Don’t get me wrong, I spend a ton of time with them. Probably too much time with them, in all honesty, but I want to change the quality of time I spend with them and the quality of my life in general. You see, I am happy when I am making things.. I am a maker, through and through. It’s what I live and breath for and it increases the quality of life for my family, betters our surroundings, fosters creativity and teaches my kiddos something pretty spectacular about value and time. A project has never been known to go quickly in my home (remember the 3 month bed that should have taken 4 hours? ya), and frankly that’s fine with me because it forces me to stop and smell the roses along the way (read.. change and diaper and feed my children).
My kids like to participate in everything I do, and I totally get it. I was the same way… except for chores, I did not want to participate in those, and I still don’t actually. Even if it means that I build in the backyard while they play nearby, it works and it’s lovely. I can take 5 minutes and push someone on a swing or toss a ball and then go clamp a board or paint something… It works and we are all happy when I am making. I forget this sometimes and get sucked into computer work or inspiration seeking and so on and so forth. I can’t forego the computer work, after all there is an entire backend to this business I run here at TDC and quite honestly 60% of it is email and accounting and research and writing. And while I adore what I do more than I can express, my goal this year is to work smart and find more time to do what I love and enjoy my life and my family so I look back on my time and think… ‘wow, what a life I lived, look at the things I accomplished, and all of the adventures I had’. My projects will continue, of course, but they will be more focused on things I need and want to do in my home. I won’t be chasing the DIY project dragon and blowing your mind for no reason, but I do have some amazing collaborations in the works that might just blow your mind and ‘go viral’ anyhow, who knows… but I don’t plan to give it a second thought and actually I was entirely kidding. Except for the amazing collabs part, that is true! I have been working on something for a few months now and I am fairly certain it will blow your mind! But more importantly I plan to enjoy this year and get shit done! Do more of what I love, which is to make and to inspire, to design and make pretty, to enjoy and to live fully, and also aparently to teach… This is something new I have learned about myself. And I do not mean teaching the little ones… not sure I am patient enough for that jazz, but teaching you bigger ones… I kind of adore that. We shall see.
So whose with me? Let’s make this year a year of DO, enjoy and live. Life is short, make something special of it. I would like to get a bit more personal sometimes here at TDC so I hope that’s ok with you guys, and I would like to get to know you guys better as well. Let’s make our time here a bit more worthwhile, shall we? I have some fun plans for you all… stay tuned for that. I heart you guys…
