So it all started one day out in my backyard. I had asked a garden designer to come and take a look at my home so she could give me some ideas. As we walked the property, I pointed out the issues I wanted to tackle. We came to what has now become the hub of operations-- "The Cottage" in Cottage by Design...
Sitting on a raised foundation in the back corner of the yard was a room that sat alone and neglected. Since my hubby and I had moved in, there had been little time to devote to fixing up the space. "What are you planning on doing with this room?" she asked. Hmm. "I don't know...I guess one day I imagine using it as some kind of creative space for some kind of business," I replied. I was an exhausted stay at home mom with two young girls, a house to run, and a hubby who was supporting us with his teacher's salary. I had always been the creative sort--game for anything, even if I had never done it before. (I have memories as a teen going to the lumber yard to get wood to build furniture to hold my "jam box." The high school I went to back in New Orleans had an incredible art department where I dabbled in calligraphy, water colors, pen and ink and charcoal drawing, pastels, color theory and more.) "Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked. "The next time I see you, I want to see your business card." I was a stay at home mom with two young girls, a house to run, a hubby who was supporting us with his teacher's salary, but now, with a fire in my belly.
The seed was planted. Little by little, over time, I explored what I was drawn to. Having a space just 50 feet from the back door let me develop my skills and interests. While the girls napped, I ripped out everything but the studs on the cottage. I read Home Depot's 123 book and tiled the floor. Up went new walls and a ceiling. Windows, outlets, and a ceiling fan ensured ventilation, light, and electricity. I was asking questions, researching construction of soft goods, finding fabrics, and pushing past what I thought I couldn't do. I learned how to sew, graduated to better machinery and grew my client base... Some jobs are easy, some are fun, some are "learning experiences." But through it all, I've grown a lot.
It's been 9 years now. My girls, Abby and Claire, are now 11 and 9 1/2. My hubby is still teaching. My garden is flourishing. We've recently added a third "child," our French Bulldog Chloe. My fabrics now line the walls of our garage. I have three industrial grade sewing machines, an embroidery machine, two regular home machines. I buy zippers by the 1000s. (How crazy is that?) I've taught myself to slipcover furniture, rewire/restring chandeliers, paint anything, recover lampshades, make bedding, use power tools (big ones like circular saws!), re-purpose things in ways other than what they were intended and think outside the box. It all started with the seed of an idea, a hubby who let me be me, the space to create, and the willingness to step through the fear of the unknown. There's nothing more fun for me than working with someone who "gets" what I do. I appreciate you taking the time to read this and to get to know me. If there is anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask. It would be my pleasure.
Sincerely,
Trish
Sitting on a raised foundation in the back corner of the yard was a room that sat alone and neglected. Since my hubby and I had moved in, there had been little time to devote to fixing up the space. "What are you planning on doing with this room?" she asked. Hmm. "I don't know...I guess one day I imagine using it as some kind of creative space for some kind of business," I replied. I was an exhausted stay at home mom with two young girls, a house to run, and a hubby who was supporting us with his teacher's salary. I had always been the creative sort--game for anything, even if I had never done it before. (I have memories as a teen going to the lumber yard to get wood to build furniture to hold my "jam box." The high school I went to back in New Orleans had an incredible art department where I dabbled in calligraphy, water colors, pen and ink and charcoal drawing, pastels, color theory and more.) "Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked. "The next time I see you, I want to see your business card." I was a stay at home mom with two young girls, a house to run, a hubby who was supporting us with his teacher's salary, but now, with a fire in my belly.
The seed was planted. Little by little, over time, I explored what I was drawn to. Having a space just 50 feet from the back door let me develop my skills and interests. While the girls napped, I ripped out everything but the studs on the cottage. I read Home Depot's 123 book and tiled the floor. Up went new walls and a ceiling. Windows, outlets, and a ceiling fan ensured ventilation, light, and electricity. I was asking questions, researching construction of soft goods, finding fabrics, and pushing past what I thought I couldn't do. I learned how to sew, graduated to better machinery and grew my client base... Some jobs are easy, some are fun, some are "learning experiences." But through it all, I've grown a lot.
It's been 9 years now. My girls, Abby and Claire, are now 11 and 9 1/2. My hubby is still teaching. My garden is flourishing. We've recently added a third "child," our French Bulldog Chloe. My fabrics now line the walls of our garage. I have three industrial grade sewing machines, an embroidery machine, two regular home machines. I buy zippers by the 1000s. (How crazy is that?) I've taught myself to slipcover furniture, rewire/restring chandeliers, paint anything, recover lampshades, make bedding, use power tools (big ones like circular saws!), re-purpose things in ways other than what they were intended and think outside the box. It all started with the seed of an idea, a hubby who let me be me, the space to create, and the willingness to step through the fear of the unknown. There's nothing more fun for me than working with someone who "gets" what I do. I appreciate you taking the time to read this and to get to know me. If there is anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask. It would be my pleasure.
Sincerely,
Trish
