Book Report: Miss Mustard Seed | Virginia Photographer

Happy Day, Lovelies!

Because vacation at the beginning of the month, I’m trying to catch up on my blogging!  You’ll get more post from me as we close the month.  In the next few weeks, I hope to blog about blogger analytics, Adsense, and other ways to maximize your blog.

Today, I’m going back to my “Book Reports.”  As you may remember, I wrote a Book Report on my first photographer crush—Terra Dawn Photography.  I love bright photography, but this year, photographers seem to push the envelope too far, at least for my taste.  More and more photos are overexposed to the point that photos are loosing details.  Terra’s photography remains my favorite.  Beautiful deep tones, wide apertures, and even lighting.  Simply. Beautiful.  You can read my Terra Dawn Photography Book Report here.

Today’s Book Report is my first furniture designer crush, Miss Mustard Seed.  I found her when I started following “furniture link parties.” Miss Mustard Seed hosts one of the best!  Most Fridays, Miss Mustard Seed hosts a furniture link party where mostly ladies post their favorite furniture makeovers.  These ladies are super cool!  Smart, well-read ladies….who might just have a drill in their purse.

And our leader?  Marian of Miss Mustard Seed.  She used to work in the DC area, and then turned to a life as a mom and designer.  Leaving my day job was hard.  I was worried about what everyone would think of me—a master’s degree, but then working from home?  More than what others would say, I really judged myself.  Did I fail because I had worked so hard at an occupation that made me unhappy?

(Right) Rain-logged ladies: Marian of Miss Mustard Seed and Eddie of Jalapeño Photography | (Left) Boxwood, loved by both Marian and Eddie

Miss Mustard Seed is really an inspiration.  I think most women have something like 6 careers by the time they retire.  You are happy by surrounding yourself by inspirational people and work you love.  Sometimes (6 times on average in your life) you’re going to switch not just offices, but careers.

If we choose to stop working or to work from home, that switch can be especially tough.  It can also be amazingly rewarding.  Miss Mustard Seed turned her most recent career into a stellar one!  She redesigns furniture and has people nearly stampeding her booth at furniture design markets.  She is a writer for HGTV (Home and Garden TV).  A blogger.  And now, she has her own paint line!

It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it.

Miss Mustard Seed product-- circa 2011

I’d encourage you to follow Miss Mustard Seed’s blog.  She has great how-to tips, giveaways, and drop.dead.beautiful design.  Plus, pick up her book Inspired You.  If you pick it up from Marian, she will sign it for you.  It’s proven to be great inspiration for me at just the right moment.