So somebody thinks you’re crazy?

I get it a lot: bonkers, off my rocker, certifiable…

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Exhibit A: When 6 months pregnant, we tore out our laundry room for a complete makeover, only to be distracted a month later by the opportunity to finish out our attic.

Exhibit B: Taking that opportunity, we made the attic into a fourth bedroom / bonus room, doing much of the work ourselves… staining and whitewashing planks, building a bookcase, laying flooring, trimming it out, and decorating it.

Exhibit C: Throughout those months, I continued with other projects, like opening my Etsy shop and decorating my daughter’s nursery, not to mention taking care of my 2 and 3 year old boys.

Exhibit D: I knew baby #3 was due late May, and I still bought a ticket to Haven in early July.

Haven… a 3-day DIY blogger conference.

Exhibit E: I took 6-week old baby #3, flew across the country, and attended said conference alone.

And that’s when it hit me… I may be crazy, but I’m not alone.

Haven was full of people like me. People who didn’t think I was crazy for tackling our attic when I was 7 months pregnant, redecorating my mantel 18 times, or bringing a 6-week old to a DIY conference (ok, some of them still may still have thought I was crazy for the last one…)

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If you follow me on instagram, then you’ve seen a lot of these pictures. But I wanted to share them again today because each is a piece of the beauty of my experience at Haven. First, I got to be me – awkward selfies and all.

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Second, Miss Juliet was a dream (and so was this ah-mazing concrete chair. seriously.) #havenmascot

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Third, where else are the fashions totally awesome raspberry colored work overalls, complete with a hammer loop?!?! #duluthtradingcorocksmyworld

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Fourth, does it get any better than free stuff to bring home to your kids? #ryobination #twoyearoldsneedpowertools

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Truly, it was an awesome time of sharing and learning.

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But the best part was that I connected with people whose laundry rooms probably look like mine, complete with laundry, strollers, and photography equipment. In case you can’t tell, there’s a photo shoot of Friday’s delicious dinner recipe going on here. #bestnaturallightinthehouse

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They may even have power tools keeping their laundry company and multiple types of wood stain on their washing machine.

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And, if they’re really special, they have crazy unfinished projects like this laundry room floor which we couldn’t complete because we couldn’t decide on flooring yet so we covered it up with a rug. #brutalhonesty

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If you’re one of those amazing people who went to Haven (I miss you all already!) or a fellow DIY and decor enthusiast, then you totally  understand… But if you’re not, you still should understand.

You have something you love.
Something you pursue.
Something that might from time to time cause you to do crazy things…

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Conclusion? The only thing that’s crazy is not doing what you love because somebody thinks it’s crazy.

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14 Comments

  1. It was so great meeting you at Haven and chatting on Friday evening! Your baby was a dream with how much she slept through! 🙂

  2. Oh, Rachel! I”m so glad I had a chance to meet and talk with you at Haven! I loved this post so much! If you’re crazy, it’s the same kind of crazy I want to be!

  3. Well said dear kindred spirit! 😀
    Loved being able to see you and that sweet beautiful babe of yours! 😉

  4. So true. I wish I would have done some of those things when I was younger. You go girl. Your kids are adorable!

    1. Thanks, Marijean! I think they’re pretty cute, too, but I guess I’m a little biased. 😉

  5. I found your blog on Pinterest and love it! We have similar design taste and I love French things. Also, my name is Rachel 🙂

    Anyway, I totally get you on this, with remodeling a house and otherwise. I also think, the more babies you have, the more you realize what you are capable of and those “crazy things” just don’t seem all that crazy anymore.

    I am 7 months pregnant with our third and, though exhausted, am working harder than ever to grow my Etsy shop. I have three markets coming up before the baby is born, one weekend-long big one two weeks before the baby is due. I NEVER would have attempted that with child no. 1, but now it’s like, “Big deal, mama’s gotta make some money”. Ha.

    Haven sounds like an awesome conference, I would love to go someday. That is also my daughter’s name so I love it even more 🙂

    1. Haha… I love it, Rachel! I’m so glad I’m not alone in this, and I totally think you’re right about motherhood. One child seemed hard; then when we had two, one seemed easy… and so on. You just make new normals and keep on rolling, right? And way to go! I hope the rest of your pregnancy is awesome and all the markets go wonderfully. Maybe we’ll get to meet up at Haven one day?!?!

  6. First off, you’re not crazy. You’re normal. At least to me! Lol! And, secondly, you look amazing! Juliet is precious. I’ve been meaning to drop by and congratulate you on your new beautiful addition. It’s just been crazy moving and trying to get unpacked. I so wanted to go to Haven, but I just couldn’t get away. Looks like all had a grand time! Have a great week. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

    1. Thank you SO much, Kathryn! I’m so glad to know I’m not alone. 🙂 And thank you for your sweet comment – Juliet is such a precious gift (and I’m not biased at all, of course!). We missed you at Haven, though. Maybe next year? xoxo

  7. That last image is soooo awesome!! Love it! Isn’t it great that there is a place like Haven where other people who ‘get us’ go and we aren’t crazy?!? I loved it – so great to meet you in the ‘real’ world, friend!

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