You Are Invited to a Creative Adventure
Hello!
It is so nice to meet you! I am Lauree and I am ecstatic, thrilled and jumping for joy that you have stopped by to see me & my blog. It is your ticket to ride along on a fun-filled, exploratory journey of creativity as I share my attempts at making a beautiful home, a productive & organized life, and throwing awesome parties. I would be thrilled and honored if you would join me on this creative adventure.
From Whence I Came
I was born in Redford Township, Michigan. I don’t really remember living in the mitten state, but I do remember lots and lots of road trips to Michigan to visit family. Sometimes my mom would be homesick and we would go for the weekend. (She was brave traveling so far with four kids!) We moved to Tennessee when I was four years old. We settled in the middle Tennessee area, but we moved around a lot. In fact we moved 12 times in 12 years.
My mom was a stay-at-home mom for most of my childhood. I remember a couple phases in life where she worked outside the home. One of those was when we owned an ice cream shop (I inherited the entrepreneur spirit!). For many years she was a seamstress making clothes for other people including bridesmaids dresses, cheer uniforms for the whole squad (my brother loved it when they came to our house for fittings). I loved watching her take a piece of fabric and create something beautiful.
When I was about 6 years old she put a needle and thread in my hand and had me start learning to sew by sewing lines she had drawn on paper. She always encouraged me to learn how to do things and she instilled in me that I should do all things to the best of my ability. “Perfect practice makes perfect”
Creative Childhood Adventures
As the oldest child I would come home from school each day and play school with my brother and sister. There was a shed attached to the back of our detached garage that we used as our school house. We set it up with table and chairs and a chalkboard. We decorated it like a classroom, too. Even then I loved learning and loved sharing what I learned.
I would spend hours creating my own version of a “Barbie Dream House” out of cardboard boxes. Cutting out windows and decorating them with scraps of fabric from my mom’s sewing room. I used milk jug caps for plates, small boxes for end tables, and I would fashion lamps from a pencil and an empty thread spool. I was repurposing before it was cool! I was constantly recreating my dream house with new ideas, better boxes, and newly acquired treasures to recreate into something new. It was hours of imaginative, creativity and fun.
As a teen I loved planning all sorts of ways to redecorate my bedroom. I must have moved the furniture around 1,000 times. That was so much more fun than actually cleaning my room. Then real life happened…
Finding Creativity Again
As an adult a.k.a. mom, wife, full-time employee, dog owner (2 sweet Boxers), ministry volunteer, and all the other hats most of us wear, I lost the creative side of myself. I became so caught up in doing my best when wearing all those other hats, that I forgot to do the things that I loved.
In 2012 we sold our home of 16 years and moved into a new home with more than double the space of our first home. As I embarked on the fun adventure of redecorating this new living space, I began to rediscover the creative side of myself.
The best way to create a unique home is with my own two hands. I spent hours on Pinterest finding new ideas that I could make my own. Even more hours scouring through thrift stores, yard sales, clearance bins, Goodwill and other places dreaming of repurposing my newly acquired formerly loved treasures.
Instead of constantly redecorating my Barbie Dream House, I now had the real, grown up version to decorate and make into a home. One day it occurred to me that I was finding real joy in my re-found creativity.
Sharing is Caring
Once I made that realization I started thinking about how I could share that joy in a tangible way. I started by making things other people would enjoy. That first step was the birth of my Etsy shop, Dancing Dish & Decor. Having the heart of a teacher and wanting to share what I was learning about developing creativity made me want to do more than just sell on Etsy. So my second brainchild was born – this blog.
Here I hope to share personal & home decor successes (and maybe some failures), as well as my personal journey to develop my creative side. On this blog I plan to share my stories, my personal experiences, checklists, planning tools, decorating tips, projects and more. My prayer is that you will be blessed and inspired to embark on your own creative journey.
Patience is a Virtue
Kenny is my husband of over 20 years and he has the patience of a true saint. He really dislikes clutter and mess. I cannot help but make a mess when I am in the throws of a creative project (or several projects). He puts up with my creative mess of projects in progress like a champ. There are times when the dining room is my photo studio for weeks on end.
He is a creative as well. He plays guitar and writes beautiful songs. Some of my favorite creative time is when he is working on his songs in the next room (His music room / home office is next to my craft room aka my playroom.). I am not sure why he married someone who cannot even sing Happy Birthday in tune!
My Babies
We still live in middle TN, not far from Nashville with our two Boxer babies, Zoe & Levi and our daughter, Zandalee. She is my absolute favorite gift from God. He gave her some amazing talents and gifts. She can draw anything and has her Daddy’s musical talent. As if that were not enough God made her with a beautiful heart and mind. I cannot wait to see what she accomplishes in her life.
Fun Facts
…I LOVE pink and I am always wearing something pink!
…favorite saying “Pink is not a color, it’s an attitude”
…theme verse, Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
…I have run 7 half marathons
…I love quotes
…I love touring historical homes
…bubble baths are boring IMHO
…not only can I not sing, I don’t dance either, but I greatly admire those who do
…I love Jesus! I asked Him to be my Lord and Savior when I was 33 years old
…the beach (especially in Sarasota FL) is my happy place
…Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year
…I am a geek who loves gadgets, tools, and technology
…I have lived in Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky and Germany (when it was still West Germany)
…I have traveled through or to all the states it takes to get from Michigan to Florida, North Carolina
…I have traveled through or to Memphis, Chattanooga, Atlanta, New York, Chicago, Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Berlin, but I have only been West of the Mississippi River once which was a business trip to Baton Rouge
Why Am I Dancing?
Some people ask why “Dancing Dish & Decor” – Don’t you feel like dancing when you get a second chance, a new purpose, a renewed spirit? The primary source of the supplies for the creations sold in my Etsy shop are formerly loved items. I recreate used, cast off items from thrift stores, estate sales, yard sales and other similar sources. I love finding a piece and know exactly what it will become; it is even better when I find a piece a I KNOW I must recreate, but I have to think on it for a while before I find its new purpose.
You can dance with me everywhere…
If you’d like to continue dancing with me on this creative adventure then be sure to connect with me at any and all of these places:
~comment on my blog posts, I do my best to reply to each one
~join my email newsletter
~get my R.S.S. feed
~Pinterest
~Facebook
~Twitter
~Instagram
~Etsy
~Email
Enjoy These Posts
Sample of the results of my creative adventure
(from my Etsy Shop)
‘[etsy-shop shop_name=”DancingDishAndDecor” section_id=”14643489″]’
Revised: July 2015