Ready for a new year and a new start to this blog.

Welcome and if you have been following me for the many years I have had this exact same blog then you know all about me. If not and you are new or newer to the blog or came here from my Instagram then let me start off with an introduction.

Hello my name is Melissa and I have been a blogger for over a decade now. I am a interior designer, fashion lover and I am passionate about photography. I have found over the years that while blogging is a favorite of mine because I am able to write more details about my photos, that social media is my favorite platform for getting my posts seen and reaching more people who have similar interests. I love marketing, staging rooms, designing homes and businesses for clients, and sharing my passions with others. I love diy projects, crafts, and I’m not afraid of bold colors or design choices. I love all types of home design styles from modern bohemian, mid century modern, rustic, glam, worldly or traveled decor from Morocco, Indonesia and many other countries. I enjoy farmhouse and coastal decor also, I really love to step outside my comfort zone and try new things. I love the connections I have made through my blog, social media and events. My favorite is working with brands I support and admire, I love to share my favorite products and decor elements from my favorite designers, boutiques and brands online in home. I aim to take beautiful photos that catch others eye, while being authentic, sharing my own unique eclectic design style. I want others to see you don’t always have to have a huge budget or spend a lot of money to update a space in your home, add that extra something to each space that helps the room stand out or define the space. 

I’m a mom of two girls and I have been married for over 20 years. I love to dye my hair fun colors, and you can check out my Instagram to see the many colors I have been over the years. I also have lots of photos of my fave graphic tees, jeans and of course Spell and the Gypsy collective boho chic designs. I love bohemian and vintage clothes the most but a good graphic tee with some distressed jeans always works too. 

I’m working hard to get back on my blogging game. I have wanted to be able to link more of the pieces in my home and that I wear for you all because as my followers are quickly reaching the 50k mark since I added interior design to my social media it is harder for me to answer every single dm or email. I am however working hard every day to get back to every single one of you. 

I have been blessed to collaborate over the many years I have blogged with many fashion brands, boutiques and designers as well as beauty and makeup designers and lines, mail order boxes, or monthly subscription boxes, footwear, and now home decor. I’m excited about my current collaboration with Magnolia homes and Loloi rugs, then this week on February 20 I’m hosting a contest with 1Stoplighting.com for 2 lucky winners to get $100 gift cards and one grand prize winner will get a $500 gift card. 

I have a lot of diy projects and being an ex Home Depot employee from my college and early twenty days, I love to go to Home Depot and pick out new plants for landscaping projects this time of year, being the daughter of a landscape artist for my entire childhood. Then I also have done a major mudroom built in DIY, shiplap half wall in our half bath and all by myself I did a board and batten wall in our entry way. 

I’m going to make sure to add photos for y’all and I would love for you to pass by Instagram and show some love or engage on my photos. I always love to hear what everyone thinks. I’m working hard right now on finishing up some projects I started before the holidays but put off to spend the season with my family, after a hectic year. I’m ready now to relaunch this blog, start posting every couple of days and stepping up my game with every aspect of my social media and blogging I can. I have unpacked my lenses for my dslr camera and working on my new photos for my Instagram also working with some local ladies and gentlemen I have met who work in photography or home contracting to get even more involved for everyone who follows me but also to be able to share the best photos I can. For a year we rented a home and I was traveling a lot back and forth so all my photos were iPhone photos I only since the holidays started adjusting balances and editing my photos. 

Thank you for all your support and be sure to keep an eye out for lots of posts coming this week, that contest and some diy and project reveals. 

Happy long weekend,

Peace, love and light always 

Melissa 

Valentine’s Day

Happy almost Valentine’s Day, do you and your loved one celebrate the day of love or do you feel it’s over hyped? I use to meet people who believed Valentine’s Day was a day created by greeting card companies, florist must have been in on it also as well as all the chocolate companies too. Kidding of course but for sure I have some single friends or recently divorced who say Valentine’s Day is just a normal day. Do you have any rituals or romantic gestures your spouse or significant other and yourself share every year?

We always have gone out to dinner we use to go out on Valentine’s Day but we eventually started making reservations for the weekend or a few days prior or after just for more private time with less people or crowds. We always have a nice meal at home and I have always gotten flowers, a card, then my gifts have been from jewelry, camera equipment, books, a new phone and a vacation. This year we are planning a trip right now for a few weeks from now, I am sure I will be gettting some flowers maybe some chocolates and always a nice card. My hubby has always been romantic and very thoughtful. One of the reasons I fell in love with him was his way of expressing and showing how he feels, and always treating me like a queen.

We have been doing a lot of stuff around the new house. It is coming along. I’m trying to make lists and set goals for these projects because I have 5-6 projects left I want to do and a few walls needing some paint because I painted the spaces we needed to set up first, then I have been starting multiple projects and then I have ran out of our main color paint need it to cut in some trim then finish a few spaces. Painting has been the most daunting because we had to paint the entire house, every wall, but once it’s all done it’s so rewarding then it’s always fun how paint can transform a space.  I also love the accent and texture adding board and batten can add to any space from large or small to entire room or one wall only.

Working on some fun collaborations for my followers. Have the Loloi Rugs & Magnolia Home Collection collaborations right now, you can get my Lotus Magnolia Collection Rug in black and silver, I have the smaller entry rug and the runner here in our entry way. I also have the Skye collection Sky Brick and teal runner coming soon in our kitchen. Love the pops of blues, peach/blush  and corals. Be sure to check out my Instagram posts for links and I will update my side bar for y’all to shop my home..