Announcement

When God dog eared this creative corner of my heart I didn’t have a clear direction of what he wanted me to do with this platform. I have day dreamed about everything from a booth at an antique shop, to furniture building, and pop up shops.

Over the last couple years I  have drafted plans only to have them not feel right. I can only describe it as trying on a pair of pants that just doesn’t work. On the rack they look perfect, but as soon as you zip them you just know they don’t feel right. You find yourself tugging and pulling for comfort. That has been the story of this process for me.

Last summer a co-worker asking for help picking paint colors. We have all been there. We know the image we want in our head, but it seems to be such a leap through the mounds of tiny paint swatches to get there. Slowly it evolved to other friends and family members asking for insight on their space. Sometimes it was just rearranging what they already had and other times it was a full construction zone. Each time I loved meeting these sweet souls in the middle of their adventure and helping create a space they love.

It has felt like I am their coach cheering them on. I love when they cross the finish line and accomplished something they didn’t think they every could. That joy is contagious and the feeling of coming home to a space you love is overwhelming!

 We each have God given gifts and talents. I have always loved sharing mine whether it be at a patients bed side, a blog post, Instagram story, or jumping in the weeds with someone to create a space unique and individual to their loves and life. That creative spark and desire to help have always been my favorite gifts.

Since that warm June day in Leann’s living room, this little dream has sprouted. It has been like putting on that pair of jeans that fit like a glove. I don’t know all the details yet, but I know this is the direction of my adventure.

I recently heard that our view of life is like looking at the back of a tapestry, we only see the knots and loose strings. While God sees this beautiful masterpiece. These past six months of  Made with Grace and Grit I feel like God has given me little peaks at my tapestry. With this step I look back and see how God planted a seed in a little girl who adored decorating and crafting. The seed went dormant for a few years as I went about my business making babies and adulting. It came out of hibernation during those late nights in the she shed.

Ironically it was in that adulting where I developed some crucial skills needed to take these next steps.

As a nurse I have learned to look beyond the surface of any situation. Sometimes people don’t know how to put into words what is happening in their body or heart. It is my job to ask the right questions and look for the answers they may not see as relevant.

Some days I am more of a therapist with all of the family dynamics that rear their heads during an illness. Some of these same dynamics appear during a renovation or project. My husband and I rarely fight until there are tools and a ladder involved. My years of DIY and nursing have developed my skills as a communicator to navigate conflicts and draw out solutions.

About six years ago I took a break from patient care to work for an EMR software company. If you want to grow professionally join a start up! It was a leap to go from a large hospital system to this 130 person company. In smaller businesses you wear many hats, and I loved all of the opportunities. In my time with the company I worked mainly on and with their implementation team. We were known for being a well oiled machine capable of conquering the go live process start to finish in 30 days! If you are in the healthcare or software industry at all you understand it is unheard of. Some more complex systems literally take YEARS to go live. We developed workflows, clearly defined roles, checklist, and processes to keep each of the projects moving.

One of the many hats I was able to try on with this company was Project Management. Project Managers oversee the project from start to finish and are the primary contact for anything project related. During this time I would collaborate with our internal team, clients, as well as other vendors to ensure we hit our milestones. As I took on my first Interior Decorating client the skills from this adventure came flooding back. There is a reason large construction teams use project managers. There are a lot of ducks to keep in a row. By nature I love checklist, organization, and quality communication. The opportunities I had as a project manager absolutely prepared me for this next road.

My last role for the start up was a training position. That and blogging has really reignited my passion for teaching. When I worked with LeAnn on her living room I taught her some of the key tricks I have learned over the years of decorating my own home. She later said those little tricks were the game changers for her space. It was those “rules” and a game plan that helped her to navigate the overwhelming options to create a space she loves.

This little walk down memory lane all to say, I think God has been preparing me for this both personally and professionally. From those late nights in my she shed working on projects to long hours at a start up company I feel like he was stretching all the skills I would need for this.

So without further ado I would love to introduce you to Made with Grace and Grit Interior Decorating Services.  For all of you that have offered to pay me to decorate their house, this is because of your encouragement. Without all of the people in my life cheering me on, I never would have had the courage to take this step. There is a need in the Sioux Falls market for someone who wants to help you create a beautiful space, while maximizing your budget. I love the high end stores too, but a beautiful home does not have to be limited by your budget. Regardless if your budget is in the hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands I would love to partner with you to create a design plan that fits your needs.