Wow, I’m so nervous and excited today!! I just purchased my domain name for my blog. I can hardly believe I took the plunge.
I’m not generally a fearful person, I tend to dive headfirst into all sorts of projects. Yet the idea of sharing my thoughts and ideas with the greater population has haunted me. Let’s just call it what it is: FEAR. Fear of rejection I suppose.
A couple weeks ago I heard someone say that they asked their mom why people at school didn’t understand them. The mom’s response was priceless: “They don’t have to”.
Bam! That’s what I needed to hear. It was like the crazy catalyst, that I have been praying for, to light this fire. It doesn’t matter if people get what I do or like what I do, they don’t have to.
But I have to share because it’s my passion. It has been for as long as I can remember.
As a young girl I wanted things to match in my bedroom. The first thing I can remember sewing by hand (too young for a glue gun) was a round, soft pink satin pillow. No clue where the fabric came from. And I’m pretty sure I covered an existing pillow (because hey that’s what you do when there’s no budget). I even made it with a matching ruffle. Mind you, this is looooong before the internet and YouTube. I figured it out by myself. I was so proud of that pillow. It was just the start……
Then in my teens I told Mom I was going to renovate the small bathroom that my sister and I shared. I can’t remember everything I did in there except that I melted the end of a screwdriver while removing the backplate from the electrical outlet. The screwdriver slipped and went into one of the holes of the outlet. Oops! We all have to start somewhere.
Through the years I did all sorts of projects for Mom: fabric covered walls, wallpaper, flower arrangements, ceiling fan installs – the list is long.
Then when I married, it was already in my blood!
One project that I was particularly proud of was a set of beautiful contemporary napkins I had purchased from Pier I. I had them professionally matted and framed. I hadn’t really thought it was that big a deal. Until a friend later saw them and was so impressed with my idea.
I then began doing projects for people outside the family. Still do! But I’ve never charged for any of my time because it’s always been a hobby.
Fast forward to our current home which we lovingly call Grant Ranch. It’s nothing like a ranch, I prefer to think of it as my castle because I love ornate moldings, carved furniture pieces, shimmery textures, gold tones and jewels.
My style is chic old world (not even sure that’s a thing – but it’s my thing). It took us 5 years to completely renovate this place. Most of the work was DIY and where we did have to hire contractors, I was the GC. It took so long because I was still working full time as an Operations Manager. (I left that 26-yr career in 2016)
Mom found the house for us. And believe it or not, it had more right than it had wrong. But a very big WRONG for me was the use of so many different shapes in the front elevation. Check out that front door! Two different arch types ;(
The first thing to go was all the overgrown shrubbery. Then you could really see all the awful shapes, lol. And I was so anxious to get rid of those dormers!
Tada! Dormers gone and only one arch shape was used throughout. And all those window grilles – gone too 🙂
Mom lived here with us for 12 years. (We sadly lost her to heart failure in February of 2022.)
We renovated the whole upstairs for her to feel like she had a full-sized home. This meant we had to convert an upstairs bedroom/closet/bathroom into a kitchenette/living area situation. It came out really nice. I will eventually show more pics of this remodel.
This was part of a Jack-n-Jill bathroom set up. To the left of this was (and still is) the toilette room. Once we knocked out the wall on the right, it was the beginning of the sink in mom’s new kitchenette.
The toilette room is still through that doorway. But what was once a small vanity room was then combined with the walk-in closet to become one side of the new upstairs kitchenette. Mom was very happy with her new setup. She had all the basics.
Opposite the sink in the kitchenette we were able to get a full size refrigerator in there! (It is never coming out, lol.) And beyond this kitchenette is a seating area. It worked out really well for my mom. She also had a separate bedroom and office.
Once the renovation was complete there was all the decorating. Mom would often come downstairs for a visit and would ask “En que estas trabajando hoy, mija?” (what are you working on today, darling?).
Mom was amazing but not with her hands. Not a DIYer by any stretch. But she had incredible taste and fashion sense. She was always impressed with my ideas and talents. “Mija you should go into business. People would pay big money for what you do.” “Thanks Mom but you have no idea, there is sooooo much great talent out there.” This was an ongoing conversation throughout the years.
Now here I am starting my second act.
I would have never dreamed that blogging would be something for me. But I really want to try it. And what’s so remarkably interesting is the timing. I’ve been studying this whole topic like a mad woman for about a week. Last night it was 10:30pm and I decided not to buy my domain name until today. I wanted to be fresh and rested before diving in. It wasn’t until the purchase receipt was emailed to me that I realized I started this on what would have been Mom’s birthday.
Happy Birthday Mom! I’m finally listening to you and doing something more with this talent. I love you so much and thank you for how you always inspired me and believed in me.
So here we are Friends. I invite you to join me as we explore new challenges, relive old ones and together work on Making it Fabulous!