Personal Makeover

Posted by Amy Baranski

When I was pregnant I discovered interior stylist, blogger, DIY-er, and general creative Justina Blakeney. With close to 2M followers, she quite a popular person on Pinterest. I happened upon her through her board called "Boomba" - a nickname for her daughter who was incidentally born after my Babeski. I was looking for inspiration around baby things and just dreaming of the new shapes and colors that would soon take over my living space. Having a baby was a celebration for all the things in my life that would be wonderfully turned upside down.

This bookcase is a hot mess. What my style has sadly become.

I started following Blakeney's blog and Instagram feed. I find inspiration daily from the shapes, patterns and colors she shares. From botanicals to global textiles and MCM architecture to vintage curios her eye has helped me to get in touch with my own style aspirations.

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I've always enjoyed staring at a blank wall. Literally just looking at a white wall--it gets me every time. I often write that way or problem solve. It's an open canvass--an abyss--but one that allows me to sort through my thoughts and the pictures in my mind.

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When I had the idea for styling month I thought that it would be a fun way bring more intention to how my space looks and how I look. I also thought of it as a good opportunity to bring some more DIY elements into my life and exercise my creative muscles.

I'm starting late this month (hey at least I'm starting) I can say that my goals are three-part:

1. To improve my living space
2. To renovate my own look
3. To set a beautiful table for a summer dinner

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I have to make some changes to my apartment. It's stale and I'm tired of the current mix of things and arrangements. Since Babeski arrived and started moving, my interior styling has solely become abut function. I want the space to be safe and welcoming for Babeski so he can explore his environment and feel at home. I also feel stymied by the fact that I'm a renter and some of the changes I want to make to my home's interior would require a considerable investment--or DIY skills above-and-beyond what I'm currently capable of.

In terms of my wardrobe I'm totally ho-hum. Having my body go through so much change this past year I feel that I have lost some of my personal self-expression. I can't fit into some of my older pieces and my newer pieces just feel way to "Mom" for me. I need clothes that can cross from weekend-casual to professional pretty easily so that I represent myself better at work. I also don't have much time to shop. It's one of my least favorite activities to do with Babeski. It just feels so commercial and weird to do with him. So my new method of shopping is to go to Ann Taylor loft 2 times a year and buy all the tops I can afford that accommodate nursing. Then to Old Navy to purchase cheap pants that fit me. But this is so unsatisfying. I desperately need to improve the current Baranski dress code.

Lastly, I'm interested in teaming up with my blog partner on how to style food and place settings for a summer dinner. I haven't talked with her about this--but I'm remembering our beautiful urban farm to table sidewalk feast and Pallea celebration that was so spur of the moment and DIY it caught us all off guard. I don't want to recreate the past but I do want to conjure that same kind of energy to see what we can do next. Plus who doesn't love an occasion to break bread with friends.

There's not much time left in this month--exactly ten days excluding today. But next month's iPhotography challenge is a great cross-over month since styling necessitates a lot of before and after pictures as well as styling for the camera!