Hi there! I’m Jen—wife of almost 30 years, a proud mother of four, a fitness instructor, an interior designer/decorator, a jewelry designer, and a baking enthusiast. My passion for creativity and design started when I was five years old. It all began with my first set of fashion plates where I could mix and match different designs (remember those?!). This inspired me to take home economics classes throughout middle and high school (remember those?!) and eventually led me to earn a degree in textiles and design.
After six years working in the industry, I took a leap to open my own bridal shop while starting my family. Running the shop was fun and exciting, but it was also extremely time-consuming and exhausting—just like owning any business! After finding out we were expecting our third baby, I decided it was time to close the shop and focus on my family full-time. During that time, I spent quite a bit of it redecorating and remodeling our home.
A couple of years later, after having our fourth baby, I felt that creative spark again and launched my jewelry business, Salty Starfish Jewelry (check me out on Facebook!). I loved doing home shows and street fairs. The business was doing great until the pandemic hit and put everything on pause.
Right before 2020, my husband (who runs an excavation business) and I decided we’d like to try flipping houses. After building two homes of our own and renovating several rental properties, we thought we could do it as a business. I was so excited, I could have just exploded (LOL). When we first started flipping houses, I expected it to be much more stressful, but for me, the experience was thrilling and rewarding. I got to see my designs come to life in bigger and better ways. It was everything!
After two successful flips, we decided to develop some land we had purchased years prior. If you’ve ever built a house, you know it can be even more stressful than remodeling in so many ways – more permits, more inspections, and more everything. But we successfully built four more houses, and while the projects were profitable, the experience itself was priceless to me. I’m most thankful for the knowledge that these projects brought me and for the happiness that it brought to these families. And now, we’re on to our next set of builds!
I’ve been lucky enough to help many of my friends and family in their remodeling projects. I’m always flattered and honored when they ask for my advice on whole-house renovation or even just updating a room. I’ve noticed that while I find it all very exciting, it can be stressful and overwhelming for some. That’s why I’ve always thought starting a blog would be a great way to share tips, insights, and inspiration. But honestly, I was intimidated by the idea of writing (as you may have noticed grammar is not one of my talents!) and the technological side of running a blog, all felt a bit too challenging for me.
Then, in 2023, my world stopped when I was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer. Though I was told it was treatable, it was shocking and devastating news. No one in my family had ever had breast cancer, or any cancer, for that matter. I’ve always been health-conscious, and as a group fitness instructor for over 30 years, I kept wondering, “Why me?” Eating healthy and exercising couldn’t change the diagnosis, but with the incredible support of my family and friends (thank God for them), I faced it head-on.
During this time, I gave more thought to following through with the idea of having a blog. I had to put my insecurities aside and tell myself, “It’s now or never!” because there’s no better time than the present. After doing a little more research on how to start, here I am – starting my blog and showing up for myself and for you!
Whether you’re looking to remodel a kitchen, redecorate your entryway, or add a twist to a cookie recipe (although I’ve never met a cookie I didn’t like), I hope my pins will inspire you to find joy through creativity.
Join me on this exciting new journey—I can’t wait to share it with you!