Media- the perfect storm

Ok, so I want you to know I am not trying to make you vomit by patting myself on the back (you say: yada yada yada here it comes- eyes rolling).  My life is usually fairly (correction: completely) boring and I am just so shocked at whatever this freak Twilight-like stuff that's happening in my life- I wanted to share my thoughts and thanks.
The past year and a half has been nothing short of amazing (no really- freakishly amazing)!  I put up my website, I started writing my blog (something I never thought I could do or had the time for), I started tweeting (ditto, and I suck at it), I got photographed for Country Home magazine, I (my house) appeared in Kitchen and Bath Makeover magazine, I was hired to be the Interior designer for This Old House TV show, My work was in This Old House Magazine a couple times, An article about me was published on the front page of the Newton Tab newspaper (Thanksgiving week no less), I have been quoted in Better Home and Gardens magazine, I was in New England Home Magazine, I did a piece for HGTV Blog and website, This month my house is in a four page spread in Better Homes and Gardens Magazine and I am guest Blogging for New England Home Magazine.  All of this after 12 years of obscurity, keeping my head down, working hard for clients and living on word-of-mouth referrals.
Holy shmoly!!!!!!

Last night at my book group someone asked me why all this is happening now?  Was it the TV show, was it the blog?  What was it and how did it start?  My answer???? I have no flipping idea! (I am surprisingly eloquent at times).  My grandfather used to say “luck is when hard work meets opportunity”.  Is that it?  is this just good luck or hard work meeting opportunity (notice I put luck first)???  Over the last 12 years of working in this industry I must say I always try to do my absolute best.  I am honest to a fault, straight forward, happy and friendly.  I believe in making my client’s feel good about their taste and choices and hopefully they love the design process.  I am by no means perfect, I am a small company and if one of my kids, husband or I get sick, the world stops.  I try to return phone calls and emails within 48 hours (I get hundreds of emails everyday)  Could I be speedier- yep, absolutely, but there is only one me and I do my best.  I am 15 min late for everything and the hip outfits for the first few appointments degrade into just shy of my gym clothes as time goes on (you think I’m kidding- you’re lucky I shower most of the time). Of all the amazing designers out there, I am as good as others at some stuff, and I am far worse at some stuff than many, but I do try hard and I really care.  I just can’t believe that after 12 years of designing people’s homes- I am finally getting noticed.  Ya freaking hoooooo!!!!!!!

For all this I want to thank all of my wonderful, incredible clients who have made my job so amazing- I adore every one of you!  I also want to thank all of my vendors, you are the backbone of my success.  In an industry that Designers work alone or with a very small staff, it is the wonderful relationships with my vendors and clients that make my job so amazing and supremely satisfying.  I love that my kids see that mommy loves what she does for a living- I wake up and can’t wait to start working.  I hope they find the same passion for their careers in life.