Revelations in New York – Getting Deep

Ok guys…today is not going to be your typical DIY or design type of post. I am moving past the superficial and getting down on a deeper level with you.

So in case you haven’t been following along, last week I spent a few days in New York to attend the Better Homes and Gardens “BHG Stylemaker” celebration. “Stylemaker” is a title given to select bloggers and influencers (in design, fashion, culinary arts and lifestyle content), which Better Homes and Gardens reserves to those they acknowledge to be a source of inspiration for their brand and magazine (a major milestone in the blogging community) bear with me, til I get to the juicy stuff

In another post, I will be sure to give you the full recap of the event itself, but today I just want to share with you some of the revelations that occurred for me at the event and in recent days. So let me just get it all out there.

First off, I believe God (or the universe if you will) facilitates everything in my life so that I remain honest and humble. The days leading up to what should have been a glorious, glamorous day,  transpired into a shit storm of sorts.

Not to whine, but my mojo/swagger was definitely getting effed up by the minutiae of everyday life: our air unit died in 90 degree weather, my son fractured his arm 2 days prior to me leaving, the night we were supposed to fly out I cut my finger on a can of freaking green beans and had to return to the ER to get stitches, the engine in my car began smoking and then went kaput…..you really couldn’t make this shit up.

Keep in mind, I am a work-from-home mother of a one-year-old and a three-year-old ; therefore my life is anything but glamorous- I rarely attend swanky events and I am painfully shy. So as one might gather, I really didn’t need anything effing with my mojo on my big day, but unfortunately I arrived to the event completely sleep deprived, frazzled and with an eyesore of a bandage on my index finger as I shook the hands of  BH&G editors and bloggers I had admired for years (these people are basically celebrities to me as I don’t watch much TV). I was definitely the new kid on the block …add to that,  the socially awkward klutz.

Nonetheless, I had a major revelation while one of the keynote speakers, a branding guru who actually re-branded Better Homes and Gardens and Real Simple magazine, shared the concept of one of his inceptions, a smaller home decor magazine. He revealed that this particular magazine was conceived for those who “were tired of soul-less McMansions”. Cue the lightbulb moment in my frazzled brain

Not to bash anyone else, but nowadays it seems blogging has evolved into a side-project for wealthy people with glamorous lives to halfheartedly dabble with. I dont know about you, but all of the perfection… and the designer clothing… and the soul-less McMansions… are getting to be all too much for someone not dwelling in that sort of lifestyle. That is not my reality and after a while, it can really f$%k with your head….priorities can definitely get out of whack..

So, my promise to those of you reading my blog is to demonstrate how someone like me- socially awkward, exhausted with motherhood and very much middle class,  can still live the most beautiful version of their life possible….

You can design an amazing room using Craigslist scores,  thrifted accents and cheap swag from Homegoods. You don’t have to wear designer clothes to look like a badass bitch (and you can flaunt that mama pooch proudly). Motherhood, at times, can suck major ass….it is not as glamorous and darling as all of these Insta-moms make it out to be.

Essentially, life is not a cake walk …especially when you are middle class living in a society that values one’s ability to collect and invest wealth  much more than that of a stay-at-home mother responsible for nurturing and developing the lives of other tiny human beings (no wonder the world is so effed up!). And while life is not easy, it can still be pretty damn beautiful and amazing. You have the power to create a fabulous life., and I want to help facilitate that with my content.

Notice I am not referring solely to DIY and decor, because I feel I have so much more to offer you guys (and to be honest, we have already gone over budget with the remodel of our fixer upper (not to mention my engine and A/C unit going kaput and the numerous trips to the ER). Hence, I am going to have to get super creative with my remodel projects!

Basically, this compilation of word diarrhea is to define my mission to you as a blogger and as a human being. I am so fatigued with BS and I want to try to remain as genuine and honest as possible with you guys.

To those of you reading this: Please, stop comparing yourselves to the plethora of insta-celebs out there. Remember: they have nannies,  personal assistants, florists, interior designers and photographers – all who enable them to show you an unattainable version of life.

Not me, friends. I have to work hard for everything I have (and occasionally I do lose my sanity over it).  But in the broader scope, I feel I am on the road to being the best version of me, and that’s a pretty awesome feeling.

When you are on your death bed, with life flashing before your eyes, are you going to really care about that designer handbag, or how many instagram followers you’ve accrued or what car you drive? Probably not. Let’s keep our priorities straight.

So….cheers to mama pooches, TJ Maxx clothing, Craigslist furniture and keeping it real, bitches!

And in light of the horrendous Vegas situation, I cannot really find any words of my own,  but these lyrics really resonate….

vibrating with love and light
Pulsating with love and light 
In a world gone mad, a world gone mad
There must be something more than this 

-Phish

PS. I promise to return next time with more helpful content and also a recap of the actual Stylemaker event.