I Have a Secret

... or rather this desk has a secret

And I'm going to be cruel and make you wait to find out what it is.

Feel free to guess in the comments, although if I told you in my excitement, don't ruin the suspense!

I picked it up off Craigslist yesterday- isn't she cute?  As per my standard when I get amazing deals on amazing pieces, I felt the urge to do my happy dance.  To spare us all the embarrassment, however I just dance in my head, then grin like an idiot.

This beauty, or more aptly, future beauty, is going to be refinished for my sister-in-law's posh NYC apartment.  It seriously is the perfect item for the space- you'll see.

Have an awesome weekend!

Blogging My Way

When people ask me the name of my blog, I generally get sideways glances when I tell them.  It's long winded, I know, but there is a point behind it, I swear!  I originally started blogging because I was feeling lost.  I decided that if I started exploring my creativity and pushing myself out of my comfort zone, it might lead me to some realizations about myself and what I wanted out of life.  My original plan was to commit to blogging at least twice a week for at least a year (hence the "Year") and explore things outside of my comfort zone ("Strategic"), in hopes that by challenging myself, I would open up an unknown world of possibility ("Serendipity").

serendipity [ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪtɪ] n the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident

When I began blogging a year and a half ago, I had no idea that it would turn into a home design/DIY focused blog and that it would help me rediscover my design passions.  Serendipitous, don't you think?  (Sorry, couldn't resist).  I've enjoyed blogging and sharing my 'adventures' more than I ever anticipated, so it's time to up my game.

For the past month, I've been an eager learner in Blogging Your Way 2.0 run by the amazing Holly Becker (of Decor8).  Maybe I can absorb some of her and the other teachers' blogging awesomeness simply by proximity.  Just in case that doesn't work, however, I figure I should make the most of the lessons and homework assignments.  (Some of the homework assignments have included this post and this post).  The class has far exceeded my expectations!  It has me looking at my blog in a whole new light.  I'm just disappointed that the month-long class is almost over- I want more!

The most beneficial part of this class for me is that it's helping me find my voice.  This is an outlet for me to share my passion and build my brand, and I need to present my thoughts in the best possible way.  I always know what point I want to get across in my posts (sometimes babbling a bit too much about it), but I'm starting to really understand the best way to curate the information.  There will be a bit of trial and error really figuring this stuff out, but it's only getting better from here!

Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Soaring Solo in NYC

A vibrant 25 year old aspiring actress in NYC should have a vibrant exuberant home, don't you think?   That's why, when my wonderful sister-in-law, Lily, moved into her first solo apartment a few weeks ago, I offered to design it. Sorry, only "Before" pictures to share today.  I'm just getting started on plans now, but I can already see how amazing the space is going to be.  I'll be visiting her in 3 weeks, so the design countdown begins and I need to start pulling the first room together (AK, only 3 weeks to pull together a design!)

Our first design target: the living room.

Since this is her first place sans roommates, we're starting with a near blank slate.  I mean really blank- all she's done is unpack, so the apartment is just waiting for my vision.  She has very little usable furniture and a modest budget to work with.  I couldn't ask for a better client, though.  She's not afraid of color, pattern, or having fun with design.  Sounds like the recipe for a good time to me!

We'll be reusing and revamping what we can and looking for bargains and creative solutions for the rest.  (This isn't going to be ANY fun for me at all... ok, maybe a little)

My plan is classic chic with a glam twist and pops of color.  Can't you just see it already??  I totally can, and I can't wait for it to materialize.  We've got a few DIYs planned too, so I'll definitely have some fun projects to share in the near future.