Here’s what she had to say:
1. Your home is gorgeous! (seriously, can I move in!?) tell me about how you found your decorating style.
Aw thank you! Honestly, I think my decorating style is something that I'm still discovering! It's constantly evolving. I think it has mostly been developed through practice and experimenting! Sometimes, I don't know if a piece of furniture, a paint color, or an accessory, is my style until I try it in my own home. I just try to gather pieces that I love and then do some fine tuning to make them all work together and look cohesive.
2. When did you start your blog, Rachel's Nest, and why?
I started it in August 2011. Starting a blog was something I had thought about for quite a while before actually doing it. I wanted a place to record all of my projects and pictures of my house as it goes through upgrades and changes in decor. Of course, I also wanted to share these things with friends and family and anyone else who might be interested in following along! I love that even though most of our family is at least 3 hours away (and some as far as Canada!), they can sort of keep up to date with things going on through the blog. It has become a great place to share pictures from our holidays and updates of Audrey with them too!
3. You do a lot of Great DIY projects---where do you find the inspiration and what are your top 3 favorite DIY's you've done.
Thank you! I find inspiration from so many places! Blogs are a great place to start. I also watch a lot of HGTV to get ideas on DIY and design. Other times, I'll just be in a store when I see something I love and that will inspire me to come up with my own version of it. Oh gosh, it's hard to pick just three! I guess I'd have to say: My slipcovers (one and two) ; Pacifier clips ; My painted desk.
4. Which room in your house do you feel will "never be finished?"
I don't think I'll ever feel like any room is truly finished! But, the den downstairs is by far my most unfinished room. It's sort of the neglected room in the house, as far as decorating goes. It's an odd space that we don't use very much, other than when we have overnight guests. I have some ideas for repurposing it and redecorating it to make it function better for us, but it is far from being finished to my liking!
5. Your baby girl is adorable (that face! she is just too cute for words!) tell us what inspired your nursery decor.
Thank you! I always knew that I wanted white furniture for the nursery. I also wanted the overall feeling to be classic and beautiful and something that didn't just scream "baby". Otherwise, a lot of my inspiration came from Restoration Hardware's Baby & Child catalog. I started getting in the mail when I was pregnant, and instantly fell in love with the gray and soft pink palette they had featured in several nurseries. I knew that light gray walls would be perfect to fit in with the rest of our home decor, and I couldn't resist the sweet and soft pink accents for our little princess! I love that her room has touches of pink, but otherwise it's very neutral and could easily stay the soft gray color for years to come.
6. What has surprised you most about motherhood?
Above anything else, I always knew that I wanted to be a mother. I'm actually tearing up a little writing this because I just love being Audrey's mom and being able to stay at home with her everyday and take care of her. It's such a blessing. That being said, I think the biggest surprise was how challenging it has been. We've had a lot of hurdles from day one. First, an emergency c-section, then a rough recovery, trouble breastfeeding, a sensitivity to dairy, a baby who doesn't like naps, and wakes up to eat every 2 hours like a newborn (until just recently!). All those things, mixed with not having family nearby, has made some days quite difficult to get through. Still, the joys of being her mother and watching her grow and change far outweigh the challenges we've had!
7. As a busy mom, how do you find the time to blog? do you find blogging helps create balance in your life because it's something you really enjoy to do?
As far as finding the time to blog, I do it mostly later at night after Audrey has fallen asleep, and on weekends when Josh (my husband) is home to help with Audrey. Some days, if she takes a good nap, I can write a post, or take pictures of a project. Most posts take me a couple of days to write and edit/add in pictures! Blogging definitely helps me to feel like I have a little more balance in my life! It's something I love to do and it feels like a little escape for me! I feel like the blog also encourages me to challenge myself with new ideas and projects, which is always a great thing!
8. Where are your favorite places (or online/websites) to shop for home decor?
Home Goods, ZGallerie, Pottery Barn, World Market, JCPenney (curtains), Frontgate, Ballard Designs, Overstock, thrift stores!
9. You're quite the stylish mom---tell us where you love to shop for clothes and accessories.
I hardly feel stylish these days, but thank you! Lately, I mostly wear nursing or nursing-friendly tops, but otherwise, I love J. Crew for their classic styles. I find their clothes easy to wear, and I always feel put together when I have something of theirs on. I also like Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft, and shopped there often before I was pregnant! Right now, I'm at an awkward stage where most of my pre-pregnancy clothes still don't fit, so I'm trying to hold off shopping for too many things, in the hopes that I'll get back into them soon! For jewelry and trendy belts, my favorite store is Forever21! Charming Charlie also has great, inexpensive jewelry and I love Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft for their accessories too!
10. Where do you like to shop for your daughter? any hidden gems we should all know about?
Janie and Jack (expensive, but irresistibly cute), Jacadi (even more expensive, but it's a French brand designed in Paris...I can't resist!) Vitamins Baby (they have the cutest jammies with a matching "blankie buddy"), Baby Gap (so fashionable!), Macy's (always has good sales and adorable little outfits), Carter's (inexpensive and great for everyday basics), Ralph Lauren (classic and cute). Also, Trumpette makes the most adorable ballerina socks with bows for little girls!
11. Besides having your daughter and marrying your husband, what accomplishment are you most proud of?
I would have to say, our home. We bought it as a foreclosure and it was such a blank canvas. It needed lots of TLC, and I'd like to think that's exactly what we gave it. We've made several upgrades, and we've decorated it to really make it a home that we love to spend time in as a family. I'm proud of how far it's come and I look forward to constantly improving it...until we move...someday!
Thank you for sharing a little glimpse of your life with us, Rachel! If you have any questions for Rachel, feel free to pop on over to her blog, or leave a comment on this post.
xoxo,
Veronika.
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