The Interior DIYer
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#MyBlogLife in Stellar magazine

Around this time last month the lovely Genevieve from Stellar asked if they could feature me as part of their #MyBlogLife series. I was excited and pretty humbled that they’d even ask, so I answered all the questions as best as I could, submitted my answers and a few photos. Everything was submitted before the Christmas holidays, so I kinda forgot about the feature [not entirely though – I’m not that bad! I was expecting it would be out next week]. So first thing this morning when I got into work my excited co-worker told me all about spying me in the current issue. Monday morning made! o/
I shared my thoughts on decluttering, hygge, upcycling, DIY and design in general. You can check meowt on the last page of the February issue of Stellar magazine, on shelves in all main news agents now! And thank you again Genevieve for thinking of featuring me x
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Rebrandiversary – what’s in a name

It’s kinda hard to believe one year ago I made the leap to rebrand my blog. I say rebrand as if my website is an actual thing that’s taken seriously, but nevertheless it’s been a year since that little change and I can say it was possibly the best change I made around here. Before ‘The Interior DIYer’ my blog was called ‘Hydrangea Girl’. I know it was the right decision to change it because that last sentence makes me cringe to no end [if you’re particularly bored you can read why I changed the name here].

In the year since changing the name of my blog I’ve been offered some amazing opportunities. I’m not saying it’s down to the name change, but within the past year I became Woodie’s DIY guest blogger, was asked to jump on board as Image Interiors & Living’s DIY Expert, conducted interviews at the spring and autumn Colourtrend Interior Design Forum and wrote for a number of bloggers and brands; with Harvey Norman’s blog being one of the more recent. It’s mad! It could be coincidence and I’m not saying such brands wouldn’t have worked with me beforehand, but I mean come awn. I think having the name ‘The Interior DIYer’ helped a little. It’s what it says on the tin.

Hydrangea Girl will always be how I started and I’m not turning my back on the name I picked quickly one morning when I first started this blog. Robert recently wrote on a card to me “you’ll always be my Hydrangea Girl” [insert ugly crying here]. I don’t think I could forget it if I wanted! 
So if you’re thinking of changing the name of your brand or your site, my advice? … 

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The internet and I this month

October was a busy month for me [not complaining] and while I wasn’t able to stick to the unhealthy level of pressure I put on myself to blog 3 times a week, I was busy so I’m going to make like Taylor and shake it off and possibly cut myself some slack. October was great as I was given the opportunity to be part of a wide variety of features and blog posts. I thought there was no better place to share them than here …
– I [somehow] made it onto Plumworld UK’s 100 Interior Design Blogs you MUST Read! list. There are proper people on that list. Emily Henderson is on that list. Design*Sponge are also on the list. I don’t know how I managed to get in there, but I am excited to be on it.

– I was interviewed by Floor Coverings International based in Alberta, Calgary, over on their blog. They asked me a quite tough question that I’ve never been asked or had to think about before. Until now – how would you describe your design style? I had to enlist in help to answer that because brain fart. 

– Then Me and My Home were featured on the Image Interiors website including all sorts of little details about our home and how I like to put my spin on it. It’s crazy to see how much our apartment has changed since I submitted those photos! Also, in my interview you can see which Instagrammer gives me the most interiors inspiration, and it’s not someone you’d immediately think.

– I was asked to team up with Harvey Norman for a trio of posts for their interior design and tech blog. Yes please! My first post was about 6 of my top tips for how to Love Your Rented Home, as it’s safe to say I have a few tricks up my sleeve for making a place feel less rented. I then wrote about Using Colour to Update Your Space where I created a collage of 3 different looks – bold and bright, country cottage and retro geometric. Which would you say is your favourite? I know I probably shouldn’t pick, but the Country Cottage combo was for sure mine … 

If I could start my design all over, I wouldn’t hesitate to go for this style of decor. I grew up in cottage country in Canada so this colour palette mixed with natural accessories really hits home for me. Fishing on the lakes, skiing along the local trails, lazing on the beach in the summer in the park and general just being outdoors. Very different to how I am now, but it’s a huge part of me growing up.

– And last but not least, I was asked by the lovely Nathalie for my thoughts on hygge in yesterday’s Sunday Independent business supplement [hygge – the Danish concept of comfort. And lord knows I love to be comfortable] …

I haven’t been able to blog as much as I’ve wanted in October as I had a few plans and projects on the side as well as some ghost writing gigs too [unfortunately, it’s not as spooky as it sounds!] It’s been a while since I worked on a DIY project of my own for our home and I can definitely feel it. I’ve had a couple of ideas for projects rolling around in my brain that I’d love to make [one of which = knitting a hat], so fingers crossed that in November I’m back in my usual swing of things.