What I've been up to, part two

Back with part two of what I’ve been up to - check out part one if you missed it! Another big project that’s been in the works since March 2021 is a collaboration with Tastemade. I’ve been working with Tastemade since 2019 on Weekend Refresh and various other social media series. This most recent project definitely takes the cake as the biggest one yet…

Y’all. I wrote a book.

I WROTE A BOOK.

It’s still sinking in as an actual fact of my life. I can’t say a whole lot about it yet, other than it gets released Spring 2023. I’ve never worked harder on any one project in my entire life. And I’m so excited to get to physically hold it in my hands.

But wait. There’s more.

I was also hired to do all of the photography styling for the entire book, including the cover. Another big moment for my career. By the time the shoot dates rolled around, we had already moved to Colorado. Which, logistically made the prep for the two-week-long shoot complicated; however, I’m quite proud of the way the whole team worked together to make it happen. In March, I flew back to LA and embarked on the most intense shoot of my life.

Outside Tastemade Studios in Santa Monica, CA.

For the first week, we shot on sound stages at Tastemade Studios. I had the privilege of working with a leadership team of mostly women, including my producer Lily Ng, project manager Tyler Wildermuth and photographer extraordinaire Bethany Nauert. Each day was packed with a to-do list a mile long. It was like a marathon, and there were times that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it. However, it speaks to the tenacity and grit of the team that we were able to lean on each other whenever we needed. And ultimately, we made our day, every day.

A selfie moment when the cameras were off, painting a gorgeous, rich, blue-jean-blue. Can you tell I like it or what?

Week two was on location at various homes in LA. They were still marathon days, but it was really satisfying to watch the homeowners see transformed spaces in their homes. Plus there were dogs on set - always a plus!

Here I am with my lead man, John. He and I have worked together since my first Weekend Refresh episode and I couldn’t make projects come to life without him!

Bethany Nauert, me, and Lily Ng on the last day of set.

The photography team and my art team. We did it!

We ended the week, and the shoot, photographing outdoor projects with the Southern California sun shining and a light breeze blowing. A perfect final day to a really tough few weeks. I can’t fully express the gratitude I felt for my team and for the opportunity of a lifetime. I think back to March and still feel amazed at the work we accomplished. And recently I got to see a digital version of the book, which included photos, and it was a total pinch-me moment to see it all come together.

I couldn’t have done it without these two amazing women.

A celebratory pazooki after the shoot.

The main takeaway from the shoot I got was that we can do hard things. We can push ourselves to work harder than we thought imaginable. And we can dare to dream, and make those dreams a reality.

Never shy away from an opportunity that scares you. When Tastemade first approached me about writing the book, I was nervous but I said yes. Had I ever written a book before? Nope. But did I hold the belief in myself that I could do it? Absolutely.

Since then, I’ve signed with a fantastic literary manager. And that will lead to more opportunities (and more books!) in the future. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be a published author. But most of the time, you make a plan and the Universe laughs. So don’t fight your life. Lean into the direction it’s headed and you’ll be amazed where it will take you.

I’ll post more updates (and more specifics about the book) when I can. I know I’ll want to celebrate it’s release next Spring!!