The Lazy Genius Podcast - #7: Finding Your Home's Personality with Addie Jones

Episode Date: June 14, 2016

Introducing the coolest girl ever with the coolest job ever. Addie Jones is a stylist, decorator, and creative ninja. She's also incredibly kind and generous with her ideas and encouragement. Kendra and Addie chat about her jobs, the craziest thing she's ever hung in an Anthro store, and how to see your house with fresh eyes. Where to find Addie... Her design business Twine and Twill Pinterest: /twineandtwill Instagram: @twineandtwill This podcast is hosted by Kendra Adachi and executive produced by Kendra Adachi, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, lazy geniuses. I'm Kendra Adachi and you're listening to The Lazy Genius Podcast. Here, we help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things you don't. This is season one, episode seven. And my guest today is Addie Jones. Addy has the coolest job ever. She makes anthropology stores look the way they do. I know that she has some really fresh, welcoming, lazy genius ideas on how to bring her own creativity into your home and your life. She is dear and awesome and super fly and you'll love her. How are you? This is so good to see you and talk to you. Oh my goodness. I know. Good to see you. Okay, so we can like pleasantry it. I'm so sweaty, Addie. I've been cleaning. I've been trying to set up the nursery. Oh. Which is a hard thing for a giant pregnant lady to be doing.

Oh my gosh. When are you due? Well, technically, the 17th, which is in like two, well, over two weeks. Yeah. But based on her size Monday. Oh, okay. And I'm already like dilated a lot. And so it's just, I don't know. Who knows?

It's going to happen. It's going to happen. Apparently with third babies, which holy crap, can we just say I'm having a third baby? That's so terrifying. Apparently with third babies, it's like, like the doctor said a couple days ago, it could be tomorrow. It could be in three weeks. Like it's there's just no predicting it all. So we're just kind of like at any moment our life is going to change.

Oh, crazy. We're just waiting for it to happen. But it's fine. I love that you had to put an addition on your house. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. It's like what is happening. But it was really now that all the sawdust has settled. Yeah. It's it's it's nice because I've gotten to like decorate a whole new. set of house. It's really fun. It's been really fun. Speaking of, okay, so I have a practical question for you. I have a window treatment question for you. Yes. So I just hung up these like light, okay, rewind. Babies need darkness. So I ordered these custom made like blackout shades and they're like a cream burlap. And so they're they're fine. Like now that everything, they look stupid when I first hung them up because there was nothing in the room. It was horrible. But now that there's like stuff in the room and there are other things, it's like, oh, no, I think these are going to be good. But they're too wide and heavy to hang two. Like they won't. They just cover the entire window like all the time. And that's not fun.

So, but I don't have one of those like cool like curtain hook things, you know, that like with one curtain that you can just kind of hook them. Can I do something where I don't have to install a curtain hook? Like, what can I do? I was going to try to, like, tie a ribbon, but then how does the ribbon stay on the wall? So you're trying not to drill something into your wall? I mean, I don't mind nailing, but I don't like to use a drill. It makes me feel really inadequate. A hammer I'm okay with, but for some reason, a drill, I'm like, nope, like anything that whers, it just makes me nervous. So I don't mind putting a hole in the wall. Just maybe with only a hammer.

Do you have any brilliant ideas for me? I mean, you could probably nail like some kind of, some kind of nail maybe and do a ribbon, but nail it to your window sill, like kind of to the side. Oh, to like the casing thing? Yeah, because that would probably hold a nail. Now your wall, it'll probably pull it right out.

You could do something like that and do like some fun rope or a ribbon. Rope. I would not have thought of rope. Yeah. Sounds like furlap and rope could kind of go. And they're really heavy. Like when I pull, they're like these things are legit. Like they could kill a man if you were creative enough.

They're huge. It's crazy. Which is why only one will work on the window. It's like, what am I going to do? So, okay, I'm going to try that. I'm going to try like a nail on the casing and see how that goes. That's a good idea. And then you don't see it hang in there.

Like, do I nail the ribbon to the casing or the rope to the casing? I think. The one side, like the one piece, but then you would probably want the flexibility to be able to wrap the curtain. So you don't have to take the curtain and stick it through a loop. Sure. Right. It does make sense. Maybe like pull it and then have enough nail to like spin it around or somehow like.

Oh, right. I like that. I can see that. Okay. Once we get off this call, I'm going to try that. Okay. And see how it goes. Okay.

So I'm so excited to talk to you because like we, you're one of those people. who I feel like we missed, we missed our window is like a misconnection of being able to be like super good friends. Yes. Which bumps me out totally because it's like we just didn't quite, we were like Jim and Pam. It was like we just never found our right rhythm to like be friends. And then you go and move to Cincinnati. Is that where you are Cincinnati?

Yeah. So it's like, come on, Addie. I know. Why'd you have to move to Cincinnati? But I'm so excited to talk to you to be able to talk. But then also, like, you have the coolest job that I think I've ever heard anyone having. And you're super creative. And so it's just fun to like, I just want people to like, including me. I just want to get your like creative wisdom. I'm so excited. This is so fun. So can you tell me what? it is exactly that you do. So, ooh, that is a really hard question to answer. I do a lot of different things. So I have a small business. I formed a small business, which feels like the biggest accomplishment, just like doing paperwork. Totally. Totally. To set it into the government, you know. I'm like, oh, I'm good. When the government gets involved, it's like, oh, I'm a grown up now. Like, this is a real thing. Yeah. So I say things like, I do freelance.

creative work, but I also have a small business. So I'm still trying to figure out how to, you know, introduce that. I have a lot of conversations with people out and about where they're like, what do you do? And I have like this 15 second window to tell them. Right. And so I try something new every time. And there was a point where I would get the blank stare. Like, I'm a display artist. And they're like, oh. And so I lose them. I can see the eyes blazing over and I lose them. So I even tried one time I was like, oh, I'm an interior designer. I decorate with pillows, you know? So anyway, all that to say, yeah, I do a lot of different creative projects.

So that could be in like the retail world doing retail window displays. Some interior design, but mostly for like international furniture market. And High Point, the trade show booth design display and merchandising. So yeah, so in essence, some interior design picking colors for walls. coordinating and that kind of thing. And what else? Anything else? Styling for photo shoots, that's something I would love to do more of because it's just

such a fun little edit for one frame. So yeah. So it's like the hippest thing ever. And it's just it's just too fun. So when you say you have a business but you also do freelance design. So is your business something completely different than the freelance design part or are you trying to get the freelance like under the business umbrella. It's technically all under the business umbrella.

Okay. So yeah. So it's just hard for me because with anthropology, I still technically work for them. But they hire me as a contractor to come in and like open their stores and do all the display work I did when I worked in the Greensboro location. Right. So. So for the for the lay person. So let me recap.

My understanding is when I follow your Instagram, which is so fun, and I'll put a link to it so people can follow it because it's such a great. Both your account. Your personal account is so fun, but you're twine and twill. Isn't that right? Yeah. Yeah. The business account is like, it's just so cool and inspiring and to see all these cool things that you're doing. But like, okay, so a new anthropology is opening in Portland.

And they call you and they say, hey, Addy, would you come set up the store and make it pretty? So when we open the doors, people come in and are like, this is the coolest place ever. Like that's kind of what you get to do, right? Yeah. Yeah, essentially. Stop it. And of all the stores, like the reason that people like to go to anthropology, because let's be real, who can actually regularly shop in anthropology?

Like the regular person really can't do that so much. Yeah, not many people. I let here. Okay. Sidebar. when I go into when I walk into an anthropology the salespeople are like super kind but they can read me really quickly and like almost always I walk in and they'll say like this sales room is that way like they just know it's like that's where she's going she can't afford the full price things it's

fine like we don't hold it against her we're just going to point her in the right direction so like You go to go through the little sales room and then you go to like walk around and see it's like, it's like a, when I say a grown up circus, I don't mean it's like crazy, but it kind of is. It's like the grown lady circus. It's like, what attractions am I going to see today? And you get to create those things. I do. I do.

It's very fun. So do they, okay, so let me ask you this. Like when they don't give you like this is what we want it to look like. like, right? Like, is it your, or do they have like a vision board that you try to execute or do these ideas just come from your head? It's a little bit of everything. So there's definitely inspiration. There's definitely a story to be told depending on the season, depending on the area of the store. And they used to, and I'm not so sure as of recently, but they used to have like a story about a certain girl and then she would encompass all these things and these are her interests and this is what she

likes to do and so that was kind of like a fun way to get to know her and then build the environment around that um so there's that there's also prototyping that happens in stores all over the country and at home office so there's always there's um like display teams at home office that are constantly like prototyping with like material testing and color stories and all that. stuff. So there's tons of information and research that comes out to all the stores and for openings. And then there's that interpretation that happens, especially for openings. Like, they're always like a really big deal. They want to feel really special and kind of give some excitement outside of maybe another store that she's visited before. And so, yeah, so with openings especially,

it's a little bit more out of the box. So there's some freedom there, which is really fun. So that's like that's that's that's that's awesomely intense like there's a lot of work. The reason that the stores are so great I'm now discovering is that there's so much work that goes into like creative thinking stories like you said it tells a story. Yeah. That's so cool. How okay so let me ask you how has having that kind of job impacted or influenced how you decorate something? your own house? I think that it's taught me a lot about how to hang things that will stay in places. Nice. Nice. What's the weirdest thing you ever had to hang? Oh, let's see. Like in my house? Or the store. Okay. The weirdest thing. Oh, hands down. There was this giant piece of a building that came to our store as a found object, like antique object to sell. It's a piece of a building.

I want to say like some kind of like cornice on the outside of a building. It was like 3,000 pounds, and they had turned it into a mirror. I think there was a mirror involved. And I had to somehow lift that and hang it on a wall and hope that I didn't kill everyone involved and, you know, that it would stay there. And it was, that was the weirdest thing I've ever had to hang.

do you have any sort of like engineering background? Because even the thought of that terrifies me. Like how do you, like, I don't even feel confident hanging like those IKEA picture frames that don't have the built in hooks. They have to like weave the wire through those little like eye hoop things. I don't what they're called. I'm like, I don't, this, this is going to fall. I don't feel confident in this. And you have a 3000, like, how do you even lift something like that? Do you get a crane? Like, it's crazy. It was, it was insane. We had a lot of people involved in that lifting and a lot of sweating and panicking on my part. But yeah, I mean, structurally, I kind of understand enough to know like what things can hold. And then I've read a lot of the little containers of like toggle bolts and hooks at Home Depot or lows and really

studied like how many pounds this can take. And then also having a husband that also builds things. Like he's my go-to. He's a sculptor, right? He is. Yeah, he does woodworking as well. That's awesome. Yeah. So is your, like, do you feel, because you're doing all of these out-of-the-box things with your, or at least this aspect of your job, does it make you want to make your house like super simple?

Or are you, like, inspired to turn your house into like a place where you might consider, hang. a 3,000 pound corn is here? I think both. It depends on the day. I think it depends on how exhausted I am or how inspired I am. Like it really, I don't have a formula for that. It's interesting trying to meld styles because Matt is very, very particular as well about, like, design and style.

So coming into it with both of us, like having thoughts about, you know, this corner or that corner and like should we paint the walls all these dark colors or keep it white and clean it really does change all the time but i think i want to change it all the time at the same time does that make sense it does right so it's okay that you're kind of having to do this dance of like combining styles because you don't mind if it changes all the time yes and it kind of keeps it fun right oh yeah right So where I just have all these questions. Oh my goodness. Okay. So where do you get, where do you get your inspiration? Do you, is it, and it could be a different, what am I trying to say? Like you could get inspiration. It would look very different. I would assume for like doing displays versus doing like a little vignette in your living room. Or is it kind of the same thing? It's kind of the same thing. Like I get. inspiration. Oh, let me think. I feel like I absorb inspiration when I have a little bit of free time to just kind of like get lost in certain things to let myself wander, if you will. So that can

happen like out and about a lot of times like walking around downtown in Cincinnati. The architecture is gorgeous and just being able to wander a little bit there. Like things will surprise me. and that's my favorite way. Other than that, like magazines, I've always loved magazines. I have all kinds, like fashion, decor, even cooking magazines, music. Music always, like I can kind of paint an almost like a color story or like a time period or a vibe depending on what music I'm listening to. So that's kind of a big one too.

But yeah, anything and everything. I feel like It's kind of fair game. Yeah. What would you say? Okay, so clearly, if I am, I'm kind of your regular person in that I'm half, I'm simultaneously really excited to try to make my house fun and reflect me and my family

and our style. Let's just say my style. Let's just be real. Like I try to, like I give cause like a few. you like here honey you can pick out this light fixture and he does a great job but really i just do it and then if he hates it badly enough i'll change it but it's kind of a forgiveness versus permission sort of thing yeah um and we've that's like the dance we have found and it works great um but i feel like i'm kind of like the regular person where i i really do want to to make my my space feel like

me and feel fun and um and when i say eclectic i don't mean like ecclesic i don't mean like eclectic in style, but just like it doesn't look like it came from like rooms to go. You know, it was just like one big thing. Like I want it to have personality. And then on the other side, I'm like terrified of doing it wrong or of it looking dumb or and I think that's something that we all kind of deal with. And so and I don't know that I have a place where I get inspiration. And maybe that's part of maybe that's part of the problem is like, I'm sort of moving, I go into a room and I'm like, okay, I approach it like a surgeon. You know, like try to systemize it and like, okay, I think someone, if I have a table,

you should put a lamp on it. So let me go find a lamp. And then if I, you know what I mean? It's kind of like, so hearing you say that you get inspiration from all these places is very, huh, inspiring to me. but like how can you help someone like me or someone who might be listening who is thinking the same thing like how do we translate that kind of inspiration from all these things where it's not just like a blueprint like here's a picture I'm going to copy like how can I translate an inspiration

from a cooking magazine into how I decorate my living room right I think that when I say like inspiration from particularly like a cooking magazine I think mostly I'm talking about like color stories. Okay. So I'm obsessed with color and combinations of color. So that would be more specifically from that kind of a magazine. As far as like a formula, there is still a formula. Like even in a creative way, there's still like basic design principles.

And that's like that scale and balance and symmetry versus asymmetry. And for some reason, like as, you know, free as I feel sometimes, like, I have always wanted to, like, a pair of nightstand tables and a pair of lamps or sconces, like, next to the bed. And Matt always teases me about that. He was like, why does it, why does it have to be a pair? I was like, I don't know, but it just needs to be that. So, in trusting, entrusting those things about yourself, too. I think that, you know, if you have a certain size wall and you feel like, I don't know, like if you have, sorry, I'm throwing stuff, you have a sofa and a large wall over top, like you think, okay, I probably need something substantial to go over that, over that. Right. And so that's where you start. Or, you know, if you have a table and you want a lamp on it, maybe, you start thinking about where you want your light sources to come from and like how many.

Like you've been in an IKEA showroom and the lighting in those are spectacular. But if you count the lights, there's like 47 lights in a bathroom. And that's why it looks so lovely. So I think kind of bringing it back to like the end result, like do you want this like warm, cozy, well-lit space? Then you kind of plant your lights accordingly. Almost like working backwards. I don't know if that's helpful at all. But no, that makes sense, though. So you're saying like, like if you want like a moody room versus a like, and I guess moody can be inviting in its own way. But like just thinking like how you want the room to feel. Yeah. But what if you don't know like you know how you want it to feel, but you don't like what are this like how do you move backwards in that? Like if you don't have any sort of. You know. Like you know how you want it to feel. But you don't like what are this like how do you move backwards in that? Like if you don't have any sort of. Like,

of design training or natural like understanding of those principles like so if you if i know like okay i want my room um i know that i like cool colors more than warm colors and i but i still want it to be cozy and usually people equate warmth with cozy maybe not you know cool feels like like modern and you have to like wear like black room glasses or whatever so like is are there any are there any ways any tips that you can give us that are like yeah Yeah, like how to move backwards. Like if we're starting from the end result, like what are some kind of standard principles that we can kind of implement in our spaces, if that makes sense?

Yeah, definitely. I would say specifically like talking about like a cool room that you want to feel cozy. So cool would be the colors. Cozy could be texture and that could mean like layered rugs or, you know, layered textiles of some sort or even like textiles that have. have texture to them like linens or like you said we talked about burlap earlier or um those kinds of things um there's there's so many things but then also it's like you know generally you know what you like and so to feel confident in choosing things that you like because it's going to be your

space you're going to be looking at it forever or as long as it takes to you know change your mind right That's great. And I think just choosing the things you like, kind of the big objects that you like. And then, I don't know, there's simultaneously like design principles that make sense in a space, but then there's also no rules at the same time. I'm not being very helpful at all. No, you're being so helpful. But I think that's the thing is it gives affirmation to people like me who are like,

why am I why can I not figure this out um and I did take um I love to read um my favorite home blog to read and the whole world is the nester because it's it feels it's like regular person decorating and regular budget and right like it's just it's regular it's so good um and that's one of the things that um that that she sort of tries to give courage in is like you're not ever going to like it kind of just affirms like yes there are rules to follow and then there are rules that you can break it's kind of like it's that whole idea of like try to basically know the rules so that you know how you can break them oh totally you know like whatever um but that makes sense like you said like if you get big pieces that you love in our new um den or whatever in the addition we i found this

rug that is a cowhide patchwork rug. It's like, it's like rectangles, like lots of skinny rectangles of cowhide that are like mismatched. And it's, so it's like a, it's like a weird cowhide quilt sort of situation. I don't know. But when I saw it online, I was like, stop the world. I want to make out with that rug. And so I just bought it. It was like, I'm just I love it so much. And maybe that's maybe that's a way to start if you're thinking if you're saying like starting with big things. Like if you are so in love with like your sofa or your rug or like like like, yeah, like a really cool table or desk or something like that. So you're saying like start with those things. And then those might sort of like lead you in the direction of how to kind of like. This episode is brought to you by Defender with its 626 horsepower twin turrets. V8 engine, the defender Octa is taking on the Dakar

rally, the ultimate off-road challenge. Learn more at land rover.ca. Amazon presents Jeff versus Taco Truck Salsa, whether it's Verde, Roja, or the orange one.

For Jeff, trying any salsa is like playing Russian roulette with a flamethrower. Luckily, Jeff saved with Amazon and stocked up on antacids, ginger tea, and milk. Habaniero? More like Habinier, yes.

Save the everyday with Amazon. There's something else here now. Something new. From, exclusively on Paramount Plus, it's the series Stephen King calls scary as hell. Everything here is impossible, but it's also real.

Sci-fi vision calls it the best show streaming right now. We're running out of time and we still don't know the rules. Don't miss what the movie blog of something you need to watch. Saving those children is how we all go home. From Binge All episodes exclusively on Paramount Plus.

Aw isn't something we need to travel for. It's something waiting for us in everyday life, whether in a city street or a moment with a work of art. I'm Dr. Keltner, host of the Science of Happiness podcast. Join me for Cities of Aw, a special series on how our public spaces can spark awe, wonder, and enhance the quality of public life. You can find us wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Fill it in. Yeah, absolutely. And like add to the personality and stuff. Yeah, there's a chair in my living room and I bought it. It was at, are you familiar with Design Archives? I love it. So they used to be in this location, not quite so downtown on Elm Street. I forget the other street, but it was not quite so far down.

And this chair, I had wandered upstairs, I think, into a room I wasn't supposed to be in. Nice. It was covered. The chair was covered in clothes. And I saw the corner of like the cushion and then like a little piece of the leg. So it's like this bright teal like tweed kind of texture. Nice. Nice.

And then a wooden leg. And I saw that. I was like, I went to the girl. I was like, can we unearth this? So anyway, so that was like my, my big like style piece for a long time. And so I used that. and then I kind of formulate everything around that, even still to this day where I feel like I keep picking out teal things.

And then I realize, oh, wait a minute, like, we can't have the entire room, be teal. Right. Like, I understand I love that color because I love that chair. Right. So, yeah, and that's where you can kind of find things that contrast to then not create that kind of showroom looking or like rooms to go looking thing where you're like, okay, I have the cowhide thing. So maybe I have a more modern coffee table on top of it, kind of contrast. So it is a puzzle. And then even, you know, if modern isn't something you typically are, you know,

attracted to, there's probably a good mix between those two. And it's a hunt. It's definitely a hunt to kind of fully furnish something. I don't know if I've ever fully furnished anything of my own. That's really encouraging to hear. Oh, yeah. I really think that's like, because we sort of assume that people who are really creative or decorate things and shop for a living, like that their houses are, and you know, and you see,

like in, like, design magazines or online, you know, and they show like, you know, like a tour of these designers' homes. But, like, you forget that it's not like a photographer just walked in and started taking pictures. Right. Like all those things, I'm assuming, are like, super styled. Yeah.

And they don't ever look that way in real life. Right. So it's, yeah. You know, I'm just thinking, so that's really encouraging to hear that you've never fully furnished one of your own spaces. That gives me courage. It's like, okay, good. Totally.

It's always in transition. You know, I was just thinking when you were saying the thing about, about like, the puzzle of putting it all together, I would bet, because the thing that popped into my head, I was like, oh, it's like when you invite friends over, like when you have a dinner party, you don't want to invite, like, if people don't always know each other. You don't want to, like, necessarily invite all the same kinds of people. Right. Like all introverts or all extroverts or all whatever because you want to have, like, interesting conversation. Or like putting together an outfit.

Like, you might have a blouse that you bought at anthropology. Like you splurge, but you just were in love with it so much. And so, but you aren't going to wear like, you know, all pattern and weighing the whole So like, I bet every person, like if you just think for a second about like how like where is a what's an area that you can. Oh, what am I trying to say? Like what's an area of life that you sort of understand how to put pieces together? Maybe it's a recipe.

You know, maybe it's cooking. Maybe it's fashion. and maybe it's people and relationships. I can't think of any other examples. But like to try to apply that to your room where it's, you know, it's like, oh, I can't have everything slick and white because then it looks like a hospital room. Yeah. Or whatever. So that makes sense.

Like if you can just sort of take the part of your brain where you already feel confident in putting pieces, different pieces together. and just sort of try and transition that into your room, it might make more sense. Totally. Does that make sense? Oh, yeah. I think that's a really smart way to put it for sure, because especially like I think the dinner party thought really struck a chord with me because that makes so much sense. You don't want to have all the same people in the room.

I mean, it could get really fun and hilarious. But, you know, you want to be able to like sit and learn something from someone or like have a balance or contrast or dialogue. Like all those different things are like what make things interesting. Experience is interesting. And that's what makes a room interesting for sure. Like I actually really love to go to someone's house. It sounds really creepy.

And I love to look at their shelves or like the little corners that have just like piles. You know, I gravitate towards those things because I feel like there's a lot to look at. There's a lot to digest. And you kind of learn something about people. all the things that not that they want to hide necessarily but they're like oh that shelf you know it's just a pile of stuff or like a collection that makes no sense that's what's exciting to me do you see like do you see story and that like is that where you're like this is where the story is like in those pieces or is it like are you trying to see like oh you know what they don't see that if they pull out these things

it's like you see the beauty where other people don't see it is it that kind of thing yeah it can be Definitely. Yeah. It's funny because my mom, we're constantly trying to decorate her house in different ways. And then also for Christmas now, like I'll go down and decorate her house for Christmas. And it's funny because she loves so many things, but being able to be separate from all the love for those things, like I can see a pattern. And the same thing goes for like wedding and event design. Like my cousin got married and she gave me all these images. And I said, just pull everything that you've ever been attracted to. And I saw a distinct pattern in either the color or like a texture thing. Like, and the same with my mom's house, like where I'll see all the things that she loves. And then I'll be like, well, let's take this thing over here and mix it in with this. And then she's like, I don't know why I never thought of that before. So it is, it's easier coming from the outside end, too.

When it's your stuff, like I like organizing other people's stuff. and I hardly ever organized my own. Like my place is mostly messy. My office is mostly messy. But I can go in and organize somebody else's office in a heartbeat. So maybe that, I mean, that makes so much sense, though. Like, maybe that's something that other people can do, like in their own space is, because I remember, I guess it was around this past Christmas, actually,

where I, the way that I'd like to decorate for Christmas, We don't do like crazy decorations. Like I want it to sort of still feel like our house and the same colors and all that kind of stuff. But you know, you just have like little different elements that you can add. But I was also in a, I just want to redecorate everything kind of mood. And so I sort of took everything off of all the surfaces, like all the decorative stuff and just stuck it on my table. And I looked at it all together. And I was like, I have a very distinctive style.

Because it was like all. It was like metal and. wood and teal. Yeah. Like that's pretty much what covered the table. And in like lots of different forms. Like I have this like teal metal pig that I found at an antique market that's made out of like old, I don't know, some old like metal thing. I don't know. But then you have like wooden bowls and like all these things. But it just, it was like, oh, clearly I'm drawn to something. And so it actually helped me like when I go shopping to kind of know like what those elements are, textural and coloral.

Coloral. That's a good word to use. Like what those elements are in my house because it's like, oh no, this is related. This is related to what I already like. So I can to find the pattern. So maybe that's, I love that idea for people is to try it, like maybe gather your stuff or even just walk around your house, I guess, with the eyes of, okay, what are my patterns? Like, what, let's pretend like I don't live here and walk through and try to find the patterns

because that just might give people who just say things like, well, I don't really have a style or, you know, I just buy what I like to give you like an anchor to hold on to a little bit. Like, no, no, you actually do have a style. You just haven't taken the time to give it words yet or to give it like a personality or something like that. So I really like that idea of, I really like that. That's good. Yeah. And I think I really do think like, because I know a lot of people that will say, like, I don't have a style or like those same things or I buy what I like. But if you like certain things, then you have a style. You know, and it may not be. It's so simple. It may not be in like the design world, like a term that, you know, is regarded as, you know, whatever. Right. But it's yours. Like, it's what you like. It's what you like. It's what you like. and it's what you want to surround yourself with. Same thing happens with clothes. You know, I buy too many black shirts.

Like I looked in my closet. I color-coded my closet. One OCD moment. And most of it was all black. And then I had like two brown shirts and then a couple colorful ones. Right. So clearly, strange. You have a fashion style.

Right. But that's what happens. I think when you like put it all together in one place or give it any sort of order. It's easier. to see when it's easier to see the pattern when you apply some sort of order to it whether it's like all in one place or you know like lined up or something you can kind of yeah yeah that makes sense my little sister she um little i mean she's like 27 whatever but um my my sister she when they got their first house um they had like most of their furniture was from different family members and you know

just kind of how you are when you first get married. Like you just sort of collect all these things from from your own life and from different people who have like a dresser in the basement or whatever. Yeah. And I remember her being like, Kendra, I don't understand it. But I keep buying like like lacy things and like doilies and chickens. And she's like, am I a grandmother? Like what is happening?

But it was what she liked. It was oddly, not oddly, but like she felt like it was. odd because it's not my mom's style. It's not my style. It's not, you know, like, I don't have doilies and chickens in my house. And so she's like, I think I'm like, is grandma Sheik a thing? Oh, yeah. And I said it is if you make it one. Like totally. Like do your thing. So I think maybe that's part of it too. As you're talking about like when you said like it might not be like what's on trend or maybe I guess that doesn't really matter. Like what you. you like is what's important. And if you like it and identify with it and it makes you happy,

that's your style. Rock Grandma Sheik and do your thing. Like, it doesn't matter. And that's going to give, that's going to give your home just as much personality as you. And so then when people come experience your home, they're going to, they're going to see you. They're not going to feel like they're in a showroom because I feel like kind of showroom set up styled homes. they're beautiful and people love that and that's okay too but i feel like there's more story to tell um in a space when you let yourself kind of just put things and do things with it as you wish and you know even on a like deeper emotional level like i was just thinking um if you're putting your personality and who you are kind of on display

in your home, if someone appears to sort of reject the style of your home, it can feel very personal. Yes. Because it's like they're rejecting you. Whereas if you just kind of do like the whole, like I'm just going to buy, there's nothing wrong with buying a room from rooms to go. Like do your thing. You lazy genius it however you need to. And if that's your move, like be proud. It's totally fine.

But I wonder how many people might do that in order to kind of like subconsciously protect themselves. Yeah. From being personally rejected. Because it is really hard when you make, when you make like a, when you take a risk. Oh, yeah. And you're in your home. And then people walk into it.

And you're like, yeah. And then they hate it. And then they hate me because that's what we do sometimes. You know, like we internalize things that don't need to be internalized. So I just feel like maybe we just need to give in this moment. Okay, everybody, Addie and I give you permission. Yeah. To know that if someone rejects your house, they're not rejecting you.

No. Like they're completely separate things. People just have different styles. Yeah. And that's okay. It is okay. And it is hard, though. Anything that you create that feels like it comes from you.

like that's why being creative that's why like working in a creative way you're giving you're putting out into the world like this this thing that came from you and it is so personal I feel like going through art school like it was helpful because you are being critiqued all the time so it helps teach you to put it out there

and then just let it go like it's not you anymore like it's out there and just let it be how it will be And I don't know. It's a hard thing to do because even now, it's like there are certain projects I am super excited about. Like I know my heart beats a little faster when I'm working with something that it's going to be even more painful if it gets, you know, frowned upon or if the reaction isn't as good as I want it to be. And I'm thinking, oh, I guess maybe I'm not as good as I thought I was or, you know, all those weird things. but also another thing that I love to see in people that do things that come from themselves is just confidence, even if it's like famed confidence, but just like, yeah, that's me.

You know? And I'm good with that. And it's hard to ask that of people. It's hard to be that way. But I know when I see someone that does something that I would never do or I think, you know, it might just be really ugly. But if they love it and they embrace it. I'm like, yes.

Yeah. Do that. Keep doing that. And I, you know, I think that that I've started to learn. Maybe this isn't true for everybody. But for me, I feel like confidence is like developing muscle memory. It's like the more, like you said, like if you fake, it's, it is kind of a fake until you make it sort of thing. Yeah.

Because the more, it's like you start to believe your own hype. Yeah. Like you're tricking other people kind of like, yeah, this is cool. Like, you know, I, it's not like, I don't care if you don't like it. it's just being confident that you do. Yeah. And the more you practice that muscle, the easier it is to actually believe, like, no, actually, I really, like, it's cool.

Like, if they don't like it, that's okay with me because I love it so much. So, yeah. But it is kind of a risky, it's just a risky step. But the more you take it and realize, like, no one's going to die. Yeah. Like if your neighbor walks into your house and she kind of makes a face at your choices, like, you're not going to, like, it's going to be okay. You're not, nobody's not I.

So it's just like putting it in perspective. And that brings back the fun too. Right. That kind of frees you up to then continue to have fun with it and kind of go from your gut and enjoy it for what it is and and how non-life threatening it is. Right. Because if anything, that's one thing that I really believe strongly in that people don't do enough is to take their fun. seriously to not apologize or feel guilty for having fun over things that maybe don't feel like they should be fun or, you know, like, I need to just function. This house just needs to function

or whatever. And it's like, I mean, you live in it all the time. Like, I feel like it needs to be a place where you walk in and you're like, yeah, dog, I love being in this room or whatever. Like, that's an important thing. So I, that's really good. I really, really resonate with with that idea. that's really good. Well, okay, so I mean, wamp, like I could ask you a million questions and keep talking about all these things, but like we should probably stop soon. So, okay, so let me ask you just to kind of wrap up officially. Well, first of all, well, hold on. I have like, here's what happens in my brain. It's like firing 17.5.000. things. It's like, Kendra, pick one, pick one, pick one. Hurry, hurry, hurry. So if you were, okay,

so if you were meeting, you know, just like a regular person with regular creative fears of like, I'm going to do it wrong or like all the things we said, if you could kind of distill everything down to just sort of like one mantra or one like battle cry thought. as people move into their own, like trying to be confident and their own creativity. Could you do that? Is that a hard thing to do? It's hard, but the first thing that pops into my head is this little coffee sleeve that I got from a place in Chicago. And it says punch fear in the face.

Oh, that's so good. Oh, my word. I need to track that down right now. That relates to everything. It does. That's so good. That's that's all I can say about that. Amen. I mean like drop the mic and walk away. Punch fear in the face, man. Because it's so stupid. It's like it drives so many decisions, but it has no authority to do so. We give it the authority to boss us around. And it's like, nope. That's so good. Punch fear in the face, man. I want to make a shirt that says that. I'm so excited. I'm so excited. Okay. Well, you just you just did way more than I. I expected you too with that one. I love that. Okay, so as we finish, just to kind of get to

know you a little bit. And again, I'm going to put like your handles and stuff and the show notes that people can follow you. And I really encourage you guys to follow Addy on Instagram because, like, she's creative and she's visual. And so it's like obviously a great feed. But it's, I feel like a lot of times really like creative, artistic Instagram feeds can feel really intimidating. Because they're so like angular and like I don't know. Like they don't feel accessible and yours combines both of those. It's like cool and like wow, that's I never, she sees that so differently than I ever would, but it feels really accessible.

So I would encourage you guys to follow Addy on Instagram and I'll put it in the in the show notes. But okay, so Addy, as we leave, can you tell me something right now that you love, something you need and something you hate? And it can be as you need chapstick to you need validation. Like the sky is the limit. There's no wrong answer to any of these things. Let's see. So I've thought a little bit about this.

I love to check the mail. Love it. Like snail mail? Yeah. Love it. But I don't get much. That's really good. So I don't know where this love comes from.

But I have to do it and I get excited about it. Matt will hand me the key to our mailbox and be like, here you go. You need a win today. Open the mailbox. Wow. And I don't get anything really that good. Anyway, love it. So is it just the anticipation of like something being good in the mailbox? I think so. Yeah. What if nothing is? Are you like super devastated or it's like, oh, I'll get to do it again tomorrow? I'm a little bummed. Yeah. But I actually think about like, oh, it's close to 1230. The mail came and I'll run downstairs and grab the mail. That's fantastic. I don't understand it. I love that. I don't either, but I still love it. That's so good. That's so good.

Something I need, I would definitely say sunshine because it was a really gray winter. And I know everybody probably feels the same way. But if it could just be sunny and 70 all the time, that's what I need. And what I hate, I hate the sound of people chewing. Oh, that's so good. That's so good, you know, but it's very, very understandable because, okay, I am married to the most silent eater of anyone ever. And so, like, because, my sister is the same, she's the same way. She, like, hates to hear people. Like, it's abhorrent to her.

Like, please don't make me hear you, like, make your food small. It's so gross. So she has said, like, she'll come over for dinner. And, like, the first time she realized, she was like, cause, I don't hear you. Like, how do I not hear you chewing? And he was so confused. Like, I don't understand what's happening. But, like, that's a real thing.

So I'm telling you, like, you are not alone and your hatred at the sound of chewing. Like, that's the total real thing. I want to get over it. I really try. I remember dating Matt and it didn't bother me. Like, hearing food sounds didn't bother me. But I remember it was a year and a half into it. I remember the place I was.

I remember what kind of weather the day. had and when all of a sudden I was like I have to get out of here it's true love though that you you say like I feel like that's probably that might have been one of your wins for him like I think I really like this guy because I don't mind the sound of his chewing yeah so bizarre that's too funny I love that those were fantastic answers oh my goodness oh so good well um thank you for taking the time to do this and you will always be my misconnection but it's going to be okay we're going to make it I don't know why it's so funny like I think because because we've known each other like we met I mean years ago it was like over 10 years ago yeah and so it's I mean we're grownups

with like technology it's not like we can't talk it's such a weird thing but for some reason it's like Addie's, Addy's the friend that never was. Addie's the one that got away. She's the one that got away. And the feeling is mutual. I devour everything you put out into the interweb. Oh, thank you. I really do.

That's really kind. That's really kind. It's the adult long distance friends. I know. I feel like it's like what's keeping it. It's like punch fear in the face, man. Let's just do this thing. Like who cares?

Well, thank you for giving us. Like, I just, I feel so. encouraged and I know other people and I'm the most cynical person in the entire world. So like if I feel encouraged by something, I know that other people are too. So I'm so excited for people to hear your thoughts and and to actually know like when they walk into an anthropology like this came from someone's brain. Yeah. This one might have come from Addie's brain. Like it's such a cool thing. So I'm so excited. Well, I hope that you have a really good mail day today. Thank you. And thanks for having me. This was so fun. I'm so glad. I'm so glad. All right. We'll talk like real friends soon. All right. Okay. Bye.

Thanks guys for listening. If you want to connect with Abby on Instagram, you can find her at Twine and Twill to get all sorts of beautifully inspiring creative images and freedom to do things the way you need to. So we will be back next week with my husband. of all lazy geniuses, Kazidachi. I can't wait for you to meet the man who has really made me who I am. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, thank you so much for taking the time. Please subscribe, even though we only have a couple of episodes left,

you can still subscribe, you can still leave a review. It still helps so very much. So thank you for being part of this community. We'll see you next week. Have you ever felt like you were living just a B or B-plus life? It's so dangerous to live that more dangerous than a B minus or a C plus life because when you're living a B or B plus life, you don't change it. You think it's good enough. Is it? I'm Susie Welch. I host a podcast called Becoming You. People think, okay, an A plus life is not available to me, but there is a way. We are all in the process of becoming ourselves. Listen to Becoming You wherever you get your podcasts.