Inspiration can come in many different forms.  I find it absolutely fascinating to learn how an individual  births a concept into reality – anything from designing a product, forming a business concept, establishing a foundation…the list goes on and on.  I always think to myself, “How did they create such an amazing idea?”

As I venture out into uncharted territory – developing a line of jewelry – I would love to share my new beginning…

If you know me, you will quickly recognize my love and passion for spirituality.  I enjoy wearing symbolic images that reveal a glimpse of who I am, example: a crucifix, religious medals, sacred hearts, etc…  It was during my “hunt” for spiritual jewelry that I discovered a lack of “stylish” spiritual gems. I either found the same traditional medals at the Catholic Gift store, the “typical” high-end cross that still looked completely basic to me, or vintage medals that were so beautiful in age and history, yet lacked a modern application.  My desire sparked immediately at the thought of designing a new, modern line of spiritual jewelry.

The style came to fruition through my fascination with color and the different moods it can create, the authenticity and classic beauty of alligator skins, and the representation of time and tradition found in vintage, religious medals.  The combination made my heart elevate, and I visualized the end product to be absolutely beautiful!  The creation began…

Be patient…TREASURES will soon be discovered!

Stella Brand Scott

In 2008, my life, as I knew it, came tumbling down like a house of cards.  My picture perfect house that was featured in several magazines and blogs, the same house that ultimately brought me great recognition as a designer, was really a visual image of my soul crying out for help. You see, I wanted to FEEL the way my house looked.  I thought if I created a personal paradise, I could escape the turmoil I felt inside.  It worked, temporarily. Fortunately, it was the failure in creating the lasting feelings I desired that eventually led to my true success.  It was my new beginning…

The challenges I faced gave me life. Although my faith in God has always been a part of who I am – the trust did not exist. Why else would I try to control the people and circumstances in my life?  The battle for control created overwhelming feelings of stress and anxiety.  By losing all of the elements that I once depended on – my marriage and beautiful house ended in a divorce, my father’s health and strong voice that supported me was lost in a massive cerebral hemorrhage, selling my furnishings and possessions in a struggle to survive and care for my two daughters, a shortage of interior design jobs due to a global economic crisis, and a spiritual calling to simply “write” perplexed me – I was a designer, not a writer. In essence, I was taken out of my comfort zone. I was left with one hope, one comfort and one critical lesson to master – dependence on God and God alone.  I never knew that following God took so much self-restraint. Surrender did not come naturally to me.  It took great effort on my part to learn how to be free in sprirt and to truly live in the moment.  I had to learn how to JUST BE.  I had to learn how to optimize on the energy of Spirit and allow the forces of nature to conspire with my will, effortlessly carrying me to my destination.  I had to lose control, in order to gain control.  I had to work smarter, not harder.

It has taken time, discipline and perseverence, but I have been rewarded beyond belief.  I have been graced with the everlasting treasures of internal joy, peace, love and freedom.  I finally feel the way I have always dreamed of feeling. Inner peace is truly euphoric – it nurtures my soul, maintains my spirit and elevates my surrender to God.

Today, I celebrate my life – in a new marriage with my partner and husband, Stanton Scott, our daughter, Stella Scott, and my amazing daughters Susan and Sophia Stassi.  I nurture and respect my partnership with God by embracing diversity and utilizing my natural gift of design in culmination with my passion for spirituality, peace, love and lasting feelings of a personal paradise.

My three and half year renovation has been an amazing experience.  I look forward to sharing new interior design projects, my line of jewelry that is a reflection of my vision and style, and my book that will hopefully be picked up by a publisher – an authentic and raw accounting of my soul renovation, In+terior Design, Design from Within.

Cheers….to new beginnings, new postings, new designs, and a new outlook on the gift of spirituality.

The Divine Home

In my opinion, one mistake people make when trying to design their interior is not knowing what direction to follow.  Life offers us many different beautiful styles and options, and it is so tempting to want to dabble in a little bit of everything you see.  It is not that one style is necessarily better than the other, it is simply that one style may be a better representation of your family, your lifestyle and your personality.  I think the most difficult part is LEARNING TO FEEL what style suits you and your family most accurately.  Do not misunderstand me, I love to blend a variety of styles and different periods, but you must find the right balance. The key is in the blending. Set your goal to compliment styles in a thoughtful manner.

My first suggestion in discovering your own personal style is to research publications and books.  Create your own binder by making tear sheets and bookmarking pages that inspire you.  Write personal notes on each page, describe why you are drawn to the image.  Is it the overall style, the colors, the arrangement, the clean lines, the movement, etc…  Secondly, create catagories within your binder, remember that different rooms bring forth different feelings.  Thirdly, build up your binder over time, and study it.  Leave your binder open to certain pages for a lengthy period of time, place it on a table ,and look at the image every time you walk by.  Take note of how that image makes you FEEL and pay attention to the longevity of that feeling.  Is your feeling consistent when you see the image?  Is your feeling fleeting?  Do you feel happiness, peace and serenity?  Do you feel drama and action?  Is it too bold for your personality?  Do you contemplate if you really like that image?  Do you have thoughts of, “I like this image, but I can’t live with it?”  If the style is consistently in question, remove it from your binder.  If you can’t live with the picture, you certainly can’t live with the subject.

Once you have learned what your leading thread is, GAIN CONFIDENCE, GO IN THAT DIRECTION and ALLOW IT TO TAKE ROOT!

FEEL YOUR STYLE.  EMBRACE YOUR STYLE.  LOVE YOUR STYLE.

Action. All for us.

One of my favorite quotes is “We learn to live differently BY LIVING DIFFERENTLY, not by thinking about living differently.”

ACTION requires more than just thinking.  ACTION is putting thoughts into motion.  ACTION is work.

I know how simple it is to THINK.  We all THINK too much.  We THINK about wanting to change.  We THINK about what dreams we want to fulfill.  We THINK about who we really are.  We THINK about what what we should be doing with our lives.  We THINK about making a difference in the world, and most often we THINK about why some people have all of the luck.

Why is it so easy to think and so difficult to act?  Why are we afraid of receiving love, peace and joy?  Why are we afraid of success?  Why are we afraid of fulfilling dreams?  Why don’t we have the energy to change what we know needs to be changed, in order to live the life that we dream of?  Why do we punish ourselves and feel unworthy of what God wishes for all of us?

It is time to start BELIEVING!  It is time to start RECEIVING!  It is time to start putting thoughts into ACTION!

I have been thinking for the past thirty-eight years of my life.  I am tired of thinking.  I am willing, eager and determined to take action.  I will succeed and fulfill the desires that God planted in my heart.

I do not believe in luck.  I believe in work.

Ready, set, action!

The most frequent comment people say to me is, “I do not have a talent.  How did you find your gift?  How did you get started?”

It all starts with a solid foundation.

Just as in home building, the foundation is the most critical support of all that follows.  It does not matter how beautiful the architecture, draperies and furnishings are if the foundation is not solid and strong.  You can try to mask mistakes and take short cuts in an attempt to save time, money and effort, but inevitably the mask peels away and truth reveals itself.  The neglect can often be costly, and it can cause great suffering.

What constitutes a solid foundation?

A solid foundation is truth, brutal honesty in self reflection, vision, establishing guidelines and discipline in sticking to the goal.  It will require compromise, persistance and endurance.  I grew up hearing my dad repeat his famous words, “Do it right the first time so you do not have to do it a second time!”  Well, as you may imagine, I always had to do it a second time.  My famous quote is, “Practice makes perfect!”

In my past, I was always racing against time.  Now, time is my precious and cherished friend.  Forget about instant gratification, it can lead to mistakes.  Instant gratification only fills a temporary void, and at the end of the day you are stuck with a visual and emotional reminder of , “What was I thinking?”  Even worse, you still feel empty.

STEP ONE.  Take your time with plans, and ask for professional help, “Hello, Jesus!”  Get comfortable, silence everything around you (including your own thoughts) and breath.  Relax your body, and let go of everything.  Simply sit, and ask God to infuse you with His wisdom.  Do not tell God what YOU want.  Your wants may not be your needs.  Instead, ask God to SHOW YOU your heart’s greatest desire.  ASK HIM TO SHOW YOU what you are looking for!  Remember, HE knows us better than we know ourselves.  God also knows the heart of others better than we ever will.

TRUST IN GOD.  Know that He has your best interest at heart.  He makes no mistakes.  Isn’t that comforting to know?

LISTEN. Be attentive.

WRITE.  If a “thought” comes to you write it down and keep it in a dated  journal.

REFLECT.  Let it soak in.

BE CAUTIOUS.  Our heart’s desires can often be filled with lust, greed, envy, jealousy, etc..  Ask God, over and over again to PLACE your TRUE desires in your heart.  Pray on this as much as possible!  This is when I will tell you my famous quote again, “Practice makes perfect.”

BE PATIENT.  This is when you need your friend, Time.

TRUTH.  It will be revealed to you, if you ALLOW it too.  TRUTH may not always be what you want to hear.  TRUTH may cause you to change YOUR PATH.  TRUTH may cause temporary discomfort and pain.  TRUTH will lead you to FREEDOM, PEACE, LOVE AND JOY.

Based on my experience with in+terior design, I strongly encourage you to HIRE THE ULTIMATE ARCHITECT.  His name is GOD.  Give Him the opportunity to show you what plans He has drawn for you.

I can promise you one thing…

You will LOVE your new home!

How does one accomplish fulfilling so many desires all into one simple, cohesive and elegant package? This has been my struggle. My passion, desire and appreciation for so many different things in life, many of which can be contradictory. Not only bringing them all together, but balancing them out as well.

What I continue to ask myself is, “How do I fulfill my appreciation and love of beautiful ‘things’ while remaining true to my belief? My belief in that the true ‘treasures’ in life are not found in a store, but are found through intimacy with God. The true “possessions” in life are not bought, rather, they are earned by having a personal relationship with God.

I asked God. He answered. Little did I know what He was going to show me…

I knew exactly how I wanted to feel. I could easily create my surroundings into a stage of emotions. My home was simple, clean, fresh and grounded with hints of tradition, while unexpected hints of whimsy and color rippled evenly throughout. I wanted to live in a paradise of peace and tranquility, an escape from the commotion that life inevitably throws your way. I set the stage. God produced my dream into a reality.

While I am a professional at renovating and restoring homes. God is the professional at renovating and restoring souls. I did not need a simple make over, I needed a gut job! Just as in a home renovation, a soul renovation requires professional help, (thank you, Jesus!) hard work, (practice! practice! practice!) dedication, (prayer, meditation and adoration) long hours, (more than you ever anticipate) many tears, (I cried myself a river, just like Justn Timberlake!) the will to let go of all that once stood as a representation of myself (bye, bye, ego!) and trust (for we walk by faith, not by sight), which is especially hard for a designer because for me, seeing is believing!

My desire is simply to inspire others to live the life that GOD DESIGNED, specifically for you.