It’s Day 27 of the Pink Collar Savvy & Chic on Purpose Project and blogging has now served as the catalyst for getting me to finally try out the curtains I bought years ago to replace the horizontal blinds I inherited when I married my hubby and moved into the home he already owned. Having been promised I’d be free to redecorate all of the rooms except for my stepsons’ and the man cave, slowly but surely, I’ve been able to inject my Shabby Chic style into what once looked like Sports Central. Now only the boys’ rooms and the man cave look that way, as they should. But when it came to the living room, where I spend the majority of my time, I literally hit a wall when it came to whitewashing the faux stone wall peeking out below or replacing horizonal blinds that dated the room. My husband would argue that my style looks like an old woman lives here, but I loved this look long before shabby became chic and believe it looks classic and fresh. Shabby chic decor is reminiscent of my great aunt’s home and creates a personal sanctuary away from my professional life. Even so, for years I’ve not even attempted to convince my husband to agree to me painting the stone or hanging curtains to create not just the look, but the feel I need my home to have.

Blogging changed that. I was an interior designer in my first career life. So, with my love of it and a degree in it – I’ve always wanted to include home interior images on my blog. I’m no photographer, however, I find my home so beautfiul that even though my novice skills don’t do it justice, they can’t make it look bad either. That gray stone can. On Mother’s Day I’d broached the subject of whitewashing the stone, only to be shot down. I then mentioned the vertical blinds and got the same response. Frustrated, I just wanted to move to a house we pick together and leave the hated wall and blinds behind. Then I recalled the promise I’d been made and how I’d kept my end of the bargain and not altered the man cave where the menfolk who outnumber me by alot hang out. A room of my own where I can take photos with a white backdrop and blog plays a large part in me living out my purpose. I use my God-given strengths to coach, encourage and inspire Pink Collar professionals – inside and outside the workplace to be serene at home, smart at work, to own their sense of style, to be balanced, and to live their best lives. All to his glory. Dramatic as it may sound, those blinds were hindering me from using my God-given decorating skills, from being serene at home, from owning my sense of style and from living my best life. And they absolutely had the abililty to make my home look bad. They had to go! When hubby returned from golfing (one of his strengths) below is what he found.

Today, being Pink Collar Savvy & Chic on Purpose meant showing my home some Savvy & Chic Shabby Chic love. If jueging your home would cause you to be more serene at home, then you’ll be showing yourself some love too.