You’ve already heard me swoon about my Haven Conference experience, so I won’t open that bag again (because gosh darn I don’t have my smelling salts to revive me). As I mentioned in that post one of the most valuable things I got out of the conference was a group of lovely blogger friends. As I have been getting to know them and their amazing blogs, I realized I wanted to share all this bloggy goodness with you too! I just get so inspired by these girls that I know you will too.
My first feature is my friend Jackie from Teal & Lime. Fun Fact: I first met Jackie at Haven when I was sitting next to her at the first class of the conference (a photography one). We were both the eager ones up front. I ended up striking up conversation over her…wait for it…teal jacket. That was even before I knew her blog name. Way to wear your brand on your sleeve jacket Jackie! Well done.
Also, this is a very exciting time for her since she just announced her e-course that you can sign up for now. If you’re looking to define your style (which is surprisingly hard – I’m definitely still working on that) this is the course for you.
Now, let’s settle in for a little Q & A with Jackie!______________________________________________________________________________
Could you tell me about what inspired you to begin your blog Teal & Lime?
Hmmm, where do I start?! Well, I had another blog before this one, associated with an online store I ran from home. I loved the blog more than the store. Sadly, when I got pregnant with my youngest, I got very ill and some things in my life had to give. The shop and my blog went away. I missed the blog the most. I felt empty. I made it through my pregnancy and my son’s first year. To cope with my empty feeling, I read lots of blogs. He was only a week old when we bought this house and I was on maternity leave when we moved in. Just after my son turned one, I decided it was time for me to blog again. This time about the undertaking of transforming our builder basic home into a space that felt like us.
Where did the name come from?
This might sound strange, but the first part of the name I decided on was the ampersand. I love ampersands and wanted one in my blog name and logo. Then, came the challenge of figuring out what to put before and after it. Around that same time, we had just painted my son’s nursery a beautiful shade of teal and almost by accident I stumbled upon lime green as the most perfect accent color.
I am a color lover through and through, so I wanted to some how capture that in the blog name. Teal & Lime it was. To me, the name Teal & Lime signifies trying something unique…something that might sound crazy or make you uncomfortable at first. It is about embracing who you are and what you love, even if it is not mainstream. I don’t know anyone else with a teal and lime nursery or a teal and lime dining room…and I love that!
What is the project you are most proud of?
The basement hands down. We hired a contractor to do framing, plumbing, electrical, and drywall. Then, I took it from there. I am finishing and decorating the entire space (over 1,000 sq. ft.) from the ground up. I installed cork floors, chunky baseboard, created a bamboo planked wall, and DIYed everything for my studio. The space is 100% us from top to bottom. I still have to finish molding, add doors, finish the bathroom, build the kitchenette, and do more decorating, but it is so fun to control every design decision in the space.
What is your best DIY tip for readers?
You’ll never know until you try. I always here people say things like “I wander if…” or “how could…” when they talk about potential projects in their home. I also standby and see those same people never tackle the projects they talk about. They just ponder. Sometimes you have to stop thinking and just do it. Start on something small. What is the worse thing that could happen? You are out a few dollars or a few hours. But, what is the upside if the project is a success? Pride in your work, money saved, a project completed not just pondered about, a new skill learned, and a home you love.
What is your most read project?
My most viewed project of all time is my DIY Faux Malachite knobs. It still astonishes me to this day, because it was a random, quick and easy project. I had seen lots of people using Sharpies on coffee mugs, so I just ported that idea over to coloring porcelain knobs. They were a huge hit, and my favorite detail in my studio.
Would you mind sharing a DIY blunder? Sometimes those are the best stories!
Well, I have blunders every single day. It is part of the DIY life. Usually they are minor and dont affect the overall project, but some times I have a complete failure. I recently shared my failed DIY Glass Finial project. I am still trying to figure out how to recover that one and looking for all the advice I can get.
Where is the weirdest place you have ever blogged?
Ooh, fun question. I have blogged every place my phone and laptop can go, which is surprisingly a lot of places. If I have an idea, I have to write it down immediately. My mind is always working…which might be a blessing or a curse. The notes on my iPhone get used and abused. I always have my phone, so I can quickly jot down a post idea or draft an entire post while waiting in the checkout at the grocery store. But, by far the weirdest place I have blogged, is a bathroom stall. Don’t judge…it’s not exactly what you think. When I was working full-time and blogging 5 days a week, I used to sneak off for breaks at work and hide in a bathroom stall to approve and reply to blog comments. I am happy to report my bathroom stall blogging days are over, since I made this my full-time gig earlier this year.
Can you provide some words of wisdom to other DIYers?
My top three survival tips as a DIYer are:
- Research – Project failures are part of life, but a little research on tools or techniques before starting a project can prevent a lot of them.
- Try everything once, then try it again – DIY is hard, so it is important not to judge how much you like doing something just on one experience. The first time I used a miter saw, I never wanted to again…power tools kind of scare me. But, I tried again. Then, I used one to cut every piece of flooring and baseboard for the basement. Now, I also have my own drill, jigsaw, sander, and brad nailer.
- Balance – I wrote for 31 day series on DIY or Buy. The topic of how and what we choose to DIY fascinates me. There has to be a good trade off between money and time to make a DIY project worthwhile. If you are hardly saving anything, but putting in a lot of DIY time, then I might be better to buy. If the project saves a bunch of money and takes relatively little time, then DIY is a great option.
What is your favorite way to spruce up a room without spending any money?
Shake it up. Move all your accessories around and try something new. When decorating my home, I decided on a whole house color palette and accent color palette upfront.
The color palette helps the rooms in our house flow well together. Because we have a defined accent color palette, our accessories are interchangeable from room to room.
These vases started out in my dining room, moved to the living room mantel, and now live in the kitchen. Whenever I get bored of accessories in one room, I shake it up and swap things between rooms to get a new look.
Anything else you would like to share?
My motto is Make It Home, Make It You! I believe your space needs to be a reflection of you and that you are the best person to decorate your home. My goal with Teal & Lime is to empower you to decorate your home in an easy and approachable way.
Thanks so much for having me Megan.
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Thank you Jackie for stopping by the blog today. Now make sure to head on over to Teal & Lime to check out her beautiful blog!
Great post! Love to see the Haven connections come alive! : )
Can’t wait for next year.
Thank you! It is so fun to take two days of knowing someone into a real connection! I’m already counting down the days too!
I love the question and answer format! This was fun getting to know Jackie better :). I can definitely relate to sneaking off to the bathroom stall to do a little blogging!
Thanks Jena! I agree. I am also totally with you on sneaking off to blog. We’ve all been there!
[…] started this blogger feature with Jackie from Teal & Lime, and now I’m back with Megan of Two Live Colorfully. Yes, Megan’s unite for this post! Plus, […]
[…] bloggy goodness out there (especially when I know these lovely ladies). I’ve already featured Jackie from Teal & Lime and Megan from Two Live Colorfully. Now I’m back with Jena who hosts two incredible blogs: […]