I'll never forget the first time I went to Glen Lake. It was 2008. Larry invited me to spend a week at Glen Lodge with his daughter and friends. He had been vacationing in this area for more than 20 years and his kids grew up feeling as if Glen Lodge was their second home. Over the years, different relatives and friends would join Larry and his family. Some have continued this summer tradition and some have popped in and out of the picture. Now it was my turn to experience this magical place.

I don't remember exactly when I started collaging but it has been a number of years. When I was trying to figure out how I would operate my interior design business, I was listening to countless podcasts and audiobooks for inspiration and direction. When I heard something that resonated and I wanted to remember it, I would type it out and then overlay images with it. I would create a visual that expressed how I was feeling or captured a vision of something I longed for. Words, images, and colors have a dramatic effect on me and I have a habit of surrounding myself with them. I'll find images on Instagram or Pinterest, copy them, and paste them into a collage. It feels to me as if I'm creating a breadcrumb trail to my soul. When I go back and read these meaningful words or phrases, it sparks something in me and when I focus on the images I paired with it, I'm deeply comforted as I remember. It redirects me to joy and wisdom.

In 2019, I was working full-time while operating my interior design business in the evenings and on weekends. I desperately wanted to leave my day job but the time wasn't right. This is when I precisely followed the Bagua Map to display specific decorative items in my office cubicle that symbolized what was important to me. I created an environment where I was physically sitting in the center of my dreams every day (symbolically represented by the objects and images around me). To say it was inspiring and motivating is an understatement. Not only did it make me appreciate sitting at my desk every day, but others loved it too. Countless times, people would come in to conduct business and they'd ask if they could stay with me because it was so serene. They didn't detect the discontent I was personally feeling because the hidden messages I had in my décor, kept me feeling uplifted and excited.

Recently I've been talking to women who are feeling unsettled in their home. One woman has a blank canvas to decorate. She followed all the advice on social media to create a neutral palette of freshly painted walls, refinished floors, and new floor moldings. Without decorative items in place, she's unable to fully appreciate all of the updates they made. The other woman is moving into her partner's home. He is completely open to updating the home to her preferences and style but she feels overwhelmed and isn't sure where to start. 

A vase of fresh cut flowers can brighten any space. It symbolizes beauty. I also see it as a symbol of nurturing because I'm physically tending to and nurturing those flowers when they require water. The specific color of the flowers can be symbolic all on its own, creating even more meaning and depth to a simple bouquet. Adding a small mirror beneath the vase, next to it, or behind it adds reflective light. The mirror visually expands what is reflected. Take it a step further and add a candle; symbolic of ritual or ceremony. Do you have a small framed picture of someone or something you love? Add it to this collection. Now you have a vignette! Not only is it beautiful but it's meaningful. Together, these items represent beauty, nurturing, reflection, and ceremony. When you tend to the flowers, do it slowly. Light the candle and pause. Take a moment to really see the framed picture. Breathe. Immerse yourself in the essence. You've just created a new habit and a story you can repeat as often as you want.

"You're already enough." This quote is something Cathy Heller, podcaster and author, says all the time. I wonder, "Do you know that you are already enough?" I sure don't! I'm always looking to find a better way to do something and be a better human. When words speak to my soul, I don't want to forget them.

It was 8:26 p.m. on Monday, August 23, 2021. We just finished eating dinner on the back of our boat, something we love to do most summer nights. Our view overlooks a bay and we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a feather cloud that disappeared as quickly as it formed; in moments.


We just returned from a 15-day long boating trip to Mackinac Island that was full of magical coincidences. Larry asked me to start writing a journal to track our trip so I did and I chose to share it on Facebook. Each night I wrote about our experiences of the day and posted many pictures to go along with it. Family and friends would comment and I immediately fell in love with this new habit. I felt as if I had everyone I love, right there with me. It's a habit I've continued with every trip since then.


Today as I write my first entry here, I'm associating my feelings to the moment of my feather cloud. When I looked up the meaning, I read, "Seeing feathers in clouds suggests that it's time to have faith and trust in yourself and your own abilities. It is time to tackle and overcome personal obstacles." That resonates deeply with me. I feel no less grateful and in awe of life then I did that night. Writing to you, sharing stories, experiences, and advice is deeply fulfilling to me. So here I am, writing to you in a new format and excited about all I want to share.


​My hope is to create a soft, quiet place that ignites the stirrings in your soul. May the sparks that light up my life be the kindling that starts your fire.