Even typing those words seriously makes me stop and go "wait, did that happen?" Yes. YES IT DID.
I was in bed on April 14, it was 7am and I was scrolling through my email, as one does. And I see an email with the subject line "Gray Malin Collaboration" and I thought wow, that spam subject line is so on point. And then I opened it and well, it wasn't spam.
It was an invite to help activate the recent partnership with Gray Malin and Pinterest that focused around starting with the art. When designing a room, start with the art. That was the challenge. I would design a room in my home starting with a piece of art from Gray Malin. How did Gray's marketing and PR team find me? They saw this post on my Instagram feed.
But, here is why this story is so good and how it came full circle (I have goosebumps just typing this). I had saved and saved to buy my first Gray Malin. And after a rough few years (my husband had a bad accident that results in a brain injury - praise God he's fully recovered now!), I decided to redesign my master bedroom and I literally started with the art. I chose Gray's Ipanema aerial shot as that was where Rick and I went for our honeymoon.
I felt our master bedroom needed a refresh, some new energy to bring new life and meaning into our space. Little did I know that that design, from that very hard season in my life would lead to this moment and this opportunity. God is in it, He knew it all along. That's the best part about this. He took pain and gave it purpose.
Needless to say, I accepted the #startwithart challenge with a massive smile on my face and got to work! You can see the full reveal, why I chose the print I did, the background of my design process and more by visiting the Gray Malin Blog.
For anyone reading this who is amidst a career change, or pursuing a dream, or stuck, or not feeling confident in your work or in a painful season or is ready to give up...DON'T and just keep going. Take the next step, do the next thing, say the next prayer and trust that God is in it all. Because He is.
xx,
Ann