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When you share your real-life creative passions, joy, and fabulous opportunities happen!
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You are invited to take a sneak peek behind the curtains of Leslie Saeta’s 100-Year-Old dream home she shares with her husband Dave! As a full-time lifestyle blogger and influencer, she shares her ever-changing life in this gorgeous home as well as her beach house and a remodeled a fixer-upper home in Waco, Texas. Enjoy our fabulous conversation with Leslie and hear how she ReBloomed combining her passions for art, decor, DIY crafts, recipes, flea market shopping, and entertaining. Amazing things can happen when you follow your creative passions!
Website: https://my100yearoldhome.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/my100yearoldhome/
Blog: https://my100yearoldhome.com/blog/
Haven Conference: https://havenconference.com/
Our Podcast is proudly sponsored by Jet Creative and UrbanStems! Jet Creative is a women-owned marketing firm committed to community and empowerment. If you are looking to build a website or start a podcast--visit JetCreative.com/Podcast to kickstart your journey.
UrbanStems is your go-to source for fresh gorgeous bouquets flowers and gifts delivered coast-to-coast! USE: BLOOMBIG20 to save 20%!
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Transcript
Introduction to Rebloom Podcast
00:00:01
Speaker
Do you have a dream that is a small seed of an idea and it's ready to sprout? Or are you in the workplace, weeds, and you need to bloom in a new creative way? Perhaps you're ready to embrace and grow a more vibrant, joyful, and authentic life. If you answered yes to any of these, you are ready to re-bloom. Welcome to the podcast where we have enlightening chats with nature lovers, makers, and artisans as they share inspiring stories about pivoting to a heart-centered passion. Hello, I'm Lori Siebert, and I am very curious to hear from friends and artisans about the creativity that blooms when you follow your heart. And I'm Jamie Jamison, and I want to dig deep into the why behind each courageous leap of faith and walk through new heart-centered gardens.
00:00:54
Speaker
Each episode of Rebloom will be an in-depth conversation with guests who through self-discovery shifted to share their passions with the world. Get ready to find your creative joy as we plant the seeds for you to Rebloom. Well, hello, everyone. We are back for another episode of Rebloom. I'm Jamie Jamison. And I'm Lori Siebert.
Leslie Seda's Creative Journey
00:01:19
Speaker
And today, Lori and I are taking a magical trip to California, where we meet Leslie Seda of my 100-year-old home. Hello, Leslie. How are you today? I'm great. Thank you so much for having me on your show.
00:01:36
Speaker
Oh my gosh, we're both fangirling over you, Leslie. And, um, yeah, we are. So I really wanted to meet you. Were you at alt summit last year? I was thought. Yeah. And I like, you were the one person that I wanted to meet. And then for whatever reason, I was painting a mural there and I got all into that. And so I didn't get to meet you. So when I reached out to you to ask if you'd do this and you said, yes, I was like, Yes. So I did a little deep dive into your history and found out things that i I didn't know. I really only knew you from the hundred year old home and didn't realize your background as in an artist and a painter. So and then I feel like we're even more kindreds because you talked about how you've been a maker your whole life and you started sewing when you were eight. And I started taking art lessons when I was seven and
00:02:36
Speaker
I've always been a maker. So I'm so excited to hear your story today. So can you just tell Jamie and I like sort of the the seeds of your journey and how how everything started for you creatively? oh Absolutely. Absolutely. It's been a fun journey. It all started when I was younger and I was an Air Force brat living, um gosh, every two, two and a half years we moved, which led to two things. Number one, I had to learn to entertain myself. Number two, I'm very close with my siblings because you can only be the new kid on the block so many times.
00:03:14
Speaker
So throughout that whole journey all the way through college, I was like a craft queen. My poor mother, I would do something, finish it in a day. And I'm like, okay, now I want this. And she used to roll her eyes at me, but she's the one that taught me how to sew. She's the one that kind of encouraged my love for creating things. But I think it was more about creating things and then giving them to people. that for me was super fun. Interesting. That's great. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I made all my sorority dresses for the formals. I made my wedding gown. I used to make suits. So sewing was definitely, but I did everything, every craft known to mankind. So
00:03:53
Speaker
to finally have made this transition where I get to do everything I love to do every day it is kind of mind boggling. You mentioned the art. I um was in marketing forever and decided I needed a more permanent creative outlet. So I took up oil painting and I painted exclusively with a palette knife, which I just made a cake with that last week. I saw that. it's Incredible. Oh my god, you made it and see this cake. It's harder to paint with frosting than paint though. i Oh my gosh. Well, you mastered it. You did amazing. Well, you're nice. But um so anyway, I started painting and I was doing that while I was working just on the side as a hobby.
00:04:40
Speaker
and eventually it kind of took over and I was painting a lot of seascapes because we were in California, we have a house near the beach and it just kind of led from one thing to another and I finally said I want to do this full time. So within a couple years I was teaching all over the country And um I realized that not only was art teaching painting important, but art marketing was probably more important. So I started teaching classes um on how to sell your art.
Blogging and Social Media Success
00:05:10
Speaker
And I was helping artists put together websites and doing social media. And I would pick a town and find a place and we would go all meet there like 10 of us and we would stay and talk about
00:05:23
Speaker
marketing and I picked Waco of all places because I was a huge fixer upper fan yeah and we did a lot of workshops there and one time I was there and I realized how inexpensive homes were so I bought a house and I say I bought a house because my husband never even saw it until after I was done remodeling it a year later wow and um that kind of got me, I don't know, it just made me super fulfilled the whole process. And um I decided one day that I wanted to be able to sell, by then I was doing large abstract paintings, really big ones. And I thought, you know, I'm watching Fixer Upper, I'm looking in magazine, everyone has like mirrors or signs, they don't have art on their walls, kind of in the farmhouse decor arena. So I decided to start a new blog and website and Instagram. And I named it my hundred drilled home. And I solely did it for the reason that I was going to create a collection of paintings that would fit kind of in more a little kind of modern art in a traditional home. And um I wanted to sell my art. That's why I did it. I was going to do this collection, and introduce it. So I started one day and I already had a great Instagram for my art that was doing well. But I started this and started sharing my home and I did my homework.
00:06:43
Speaker
And I found certain hashtags that you could put on your post that might help. And now this was seven years ago. It was a lot easier then than it is now, I'll tell you. yeah So I learned about the hashtag, hashtag my BHG, which was for better homes and gardens. So I posted like my fourth post, a picture of the outside of our home and I tagged it. And three days later, I'm at the grocery store and I'm like, oh, my Instagram broke. Something's wrong. It's going crazy. And a friend of mine says, oh, my gosh, your house is on the Better Homes and Gardens Instagram. I'm like, what? Oh, boy. Wow. And I got 10,000 followers in one day. Oh, my God. Oh, yeah. That was a luck.
00:07:21
Speaker
that No skill. No, that's skill. You know, i I teach social media and that's exactly what you're supposed to do. You tag, you hashtag. Now you're right, seven years ago, life was a little bit easier. Yeah, way easier. Still, yay you. I mean, that's fabulous. That's fabulous. So this is so not how I thought it happened. I thought no. So this is fascinating to me. So I thought that you were painting, but then um the home you're in was your husband's childhood home. Is that right? So I thought you bought that house and that's when you started the that Instagram account. When you like bought that and then started decorating that. yeah
00:08:07
Speaker
We've been here 26 years. Wow. Yeah. So no, I've only been doing this for seven, which are almost eight. That's even more brilliant. That is even more brilliant. She's re-bloomed and re-marketed her own house. That's fabulous. Well, and then all the movies and filming we do here is a whole other thing. But the funny thing about this story is then I just was I remember having an argument with my youngest son because he's like, mom, you don't need to answer every comment that everyone makes. And I'm like, of course I do. They're going to take the time to make a comment. I need to let them know I'm reading their comments. yeah And I've been very, very attentive to that my whole um social media career. And I think it's really paid off because I do want people to know that I'm listening um and watching and appreciative of when they interact with anything that I post.
00:09:00
Speaker
Now, sometimes if you get 500 comments, it's a little hard, but most of the time I do. Well, and, you know, one of the things that I teach is it's about communication and it's about connection. And that's exactly I mean, people think, oh, I'm just going to put it out there and I'm going to be insta famous. That's not the way that it works. It's about making connections and and relationships. And this is proof positive of making those relationships. and coming and having a relationship come from a good grow from just social media to actually meeting somebody, whether it be on a podcast or in person. But, i you know, I think oftentimes people just, oh, I'm going to put it out there and the whole world will all come to my mind. No, it's what you're ah tagging, hashtagging, commenting. That's and that's the algorithm that Instagram loves, too. They love that. and
00:09:50
Speaker
Well, because it's social media i mean versus yeah Pinterest is more of a search engine and people are looking to buy things and it research. But i mean Instagram is all about community. sales And i love I love meeting people through that. you know I've made friends through Instagram that then when you do get the chance to meet in person, it's amazing because you already know them. You do. So six months after I did Instagram, I started my blog and that's truly the love of my life because it's a chance for me to not show what I'm doing, but share how I do it. And I think that's yeah the most important thing for people who follow me that they know I'm going to tell them.
00:10:31
Speaker
where they can find this and how they can create this and that. It's not as hard as it looks because when I do my craps I want them to look like they cost a million dollars but they cost hardly anything to make and they're not super hard. But the moral to the story is I started my Instagram to sell my art because I was going to create a collection and of course I never created it because I kind of realized suddenly, wait, I have this blog and Instagram where I'm doing entertaining crafts, decor, remodeling recipes, and it's everything I love. And the art just, right to be perfectly honest, kind of fell to the wayside. Although I do have
00:11:08
Speaker
paint and I have canvases, I'm going to paint some art for our beach house, which will be fun. I was going to send you the best journey. And sometimes I go off like this year, it's all been about spring. It's all been about gardening because I finally figured out how to do it. And that's been fun. But I just kind of follow my passions. I don't I don't post things that I'm supposed to post for SEO or or all the things they tell you to do. I post what I currently love at the time and figure, hey, someone out there will hopefully agree with me. So I just had this conversation. I went on a trip with seven other artist friends and they were kind of complaining about social media because they really so they started early on and they liked it more as like a gallery and showing their work. and
00:11:55
Speaker
And I said, I kind of look at it as my daily journal, like it's a visual journal. And I just share, like my feet is not, it doesn't all look the same. It's not curated in the same colors. I'm all over the board, but that's how I live my life. And so that's what I share because I'm excited to share that stuff. That's awesome. And that's exactly what you should do. You should share your your heart. You should share your passions. You should share your authentic self. And even if that pivots and I love that, Leslie, that you pivoted, you know, you start to realize, too, you're like, wait a minute. i Yeah, I could do just the art, which is super successful. But I have all these other things. And what you realize, too, is that when you put some of those things out there, whether they be entertaining or your home or decor,
00:12:43
Speaker
Yeah, a lot more people are going to connect with you because they have those same passions but they but nobody's had the voice to to share it with them. And yay, Lori. um I just was wondering if you could talk about the Haven Conference because you you talk about that on your website and how life-changing that was for you and i just I'm curious about that. You know, the thing about being an Air Force child or Air Force brat is you learn to walk into a room and say, hi, I'm Leslie. I know no one, but I'm going to get the best of it. And the first haven conference I went to, I knew zero people. Zero. Now I take it back. There was like three people I had like followed, but it was really early, really, really early.
00:13:27
Speaker
And I went and it was so welcoming. It was so motivating because the problem about being an influencer is that you're kind of at home alone and there's so much going on outside
Embracing New Learning and AI
00:13:40
Speaker
of you that you aren't aware of what you don't know. And I went to Haven. I was like after the first day. Oh my God. I know nothing. And it was incredibly motivating for me. And then the next year I was a mentor. um And this year I'm teaching a class on AI and how you can use AI to make your life so much easier. And I'm telling you, nice it's a game changer, a game changer. And it's been the most incredible about journey. And i I spoke about it at the All Summit this just in February.
00:14:10
Speaker
You were at this one too? People were kind of blown away. Because a lot of us have those, pardon? You were at this one too? The one that just happened? Yes. How did I Well, I will tell you, i I typically don't stay the whole time. Okay. blow in for one or two nights and then, because it's so close to my house, it's just a two hour drive. but Oh, I'm sorry. We were paying the mural by the pool. so Oh, I know exactly what you're talking about. Yeah, it was beautiful. Darn it. Next year, you guys will have to meet. Well, Haven, so ai so let's wait, let's circle back. AI, how do you think AI is changing what you do and how you do it, Leslie?
00:14:55
Speaker
Oh, wow. Yeah. The first thing, do you guys blog? Do you have a blog? Uh, occasionally. I have an email and I, yeah. Not like you. There is, um, something that you have to do on your blog where you have to name every single photo and you're basically doing it for someone who can't see the photo and it takes so much time. And I'm super nervous when I do it because I want to make sure I explain it enough that if the person can't is it visual is visually impaired and they can't see this, that it really explains to them and it takes so much time and it causes me anxiety. And now I have an AI plugin that what i said the second I load the photo, it does that for me. I mean, that alone saves me because I typically load 40 photos to my blog every day. Wow. So imagine how much time that takes.
00:15:45
Speaker
And it's wow life changing. I also use it to help me with my writing and um not in the way you would expect but I'll type in like a craft I just did it or ah ah or a craft and I'll say I just made this and I use this and this and right out the steps of how to do this. And it's unbelievable. It writes them all out for me. And it's something I created but it's just helping me explain it. And that for me saves hours every single day. Wow. It's my boggling and a lot of people are afraid of it. A lot of people, um if it was different, if I said write a blog post about, you know, whatever, that's so different because I'm putting in my specific, my specific craft or my recipe or what I did in a room and it's just helping me kind of, it just helps me write it easier if that makes any sense.
00:16:38
Speaker
So can you do those retreats that you were doing, teaching artists on how to make money with their art and teach all the things you know now? Because I want to come to you. I want to come. Laurie and I are both coming. You're very sweet. You know, I haven't thought about it. I know there are people out there that do that.
Balancing Passion and Profession
00:17:01
Speaker
When I was writing my book, so I wrote a book that came out two years ago called A Home to Share. And when you write a book and they're and you're turning it in a year before it's to be published, you can't tell anyone about it. So I was working full time, at least 10 hours a day, plus working another six hours a day on my book for six months. boy it was
00:17:23
Speaker
it was really hard and after that and the day I turned it in but once you turn in they're still editing and so much but after the book came out I was like you know what I can't work this hard anymore I mean I was literally sleeping four to five hours a night for a year and a half wow and I decided that's done now it's time to take care of Leslie and so now I work about half time So the idea of me teaching workshops sounds really fun, but then I also have to think about, well, if I did it, I still have to, you know, do a blog post. Now I have a team that helps me, which is great. And yeah we're typically working about a week out on the blog posts. So they're already all done and ready to go.
00:18:03
Speaker
Oh wow. And which is great because I used to finish him. Do you Every day. Every single day. But you also have become an influencer because of your blog, because of the you know the multiple channels you're on. So that you've worked and you're working hard at that too. Oh definitely. Yeah, definitely that's a big piece of the puzzle. um We just talked with another guest and he was talking about, which it sounds like you've done too, putting different eggs in different baskets. You know, just kind of making sure you've got ah you've got a little in the blog, a little in the Instagram, a little in the influencer, Waco, all kinds of different things. stillli at marketing
00:18:42
Speaker
affiliate marketing absolutely yeah I just think I would be too bored if it was the same thing every day so I have to kind of rein myself in probably more than anything but it's really important not to think that Instagram is gonna you know, be the only thing because it has changed so much. yeah I used to get 4,000 comments a day now I get a couple hundred if I'm lucky and yeah do I care? No, not really because I still doing the best job I can and if the algorithm is changed and everything's different there's nothing I can do so I'm not gonna worry about it.
00:19:17
Speaker
And yeah part of that is because I have my, I'm involved in a lot of different things. So I'm not just depending on it. and Absolutely and when you work as an influencer and Lori and I both do some affiliate things and some influencer type things because we but but we've all worked hard at it. It is showing those clients that it's it's more I always teach to it's more about the relationship and it's about trying to build a relationship with a particular brand rather than just a quick fix $50 or $100. It's really about trying to build that relationship and
00:19:51
Speaker
So, you can be authentic too. And many of the brands are looking for um ladies like ourselves who are a little seasoned. I won't say old, but I'll say seasoned because we do, we you know, it's like sitting down at the table with your aunt or your grandmother or your mother or somebody to say, hey, what do you like? And you go, oh, you need to go get this or that. And and so, the brands are really starting to pay attention, which they should. um But it does take work. It takes some evolution it you know takes a lot to pull it together. And you certainly have done that both in your blog and your Instagram. and and are you teaching So you're teaching at Haven? where else are you Do you teach as well too?
00:20:30
Speaker
um I don't. I presented the last couple of years it'll be the alt summit in Haven is what I do. Although last year I missed Haven because my husband booked a bike trip in Canada and the Rockies and I should realize the same dates but I will be back um as a mentor and presenting on AI which I'm really excited about because the thing about me is I'm in the trenches I don't have this huge big massive team where I just show up. um I do all the work. And because of that, i am I think I can get the viewpoint of what it's like to be who most of us are and the struggles that we come up with and the frustrations and the ways to make our lives easier. And that's kind of what it's all about.
00:21:14
Speaker
One of the things you talked about um relating to the Haven Conference, and I i love this and i didn't I don't necessarily follow it, but I love that you talked about going to a conference and don't always sit with the people you know. really push yourself to sit with other people and meet other people and that did happen a couple times at all this year where you know I kind of was hanging mostly with my daughter because we were painting together and other women that we had met last year but a couple times I did sit with other people that I didn't know and found myself with some really interesting
00:21:52
Speaker
conversations and connections and ways that we can kind of work together moving forward. So I love that you talked about that because I think it's really important. Well, it is. And one of the things I do whenever I present is I try to, before I'm always there early, so for 15 minutes, I try to introduce myself to everyone that's sitting in the room personally, just because I want people to feel like they have the connection to the last questions while I'm presenting, but also just to get to know people. And sometimes it's somebody that I know follows me that we've commented back and forth and I'm like, oh my gosh, that's you. And so, um you know, it's,
00:22:29
Speaker
You have nothing to lose. i I had breakfast one morning. I was barely awake at Haven and I turned and talked to someone and it ended up being the largest collaboration I've ever done. So you just never know who is going to be there. And I think you you miss out if you don't be the person who walks up to a table and introduces yourself to everyone and engages in conversation. And um you just get to know other people. It's a great opportunity. I think so many people are afraid of that, you know, there's that fear of, I don't know, whatever it is, rejection or, ah or maybe sometimes for me, it's out of pure laziness to be honest, because for me being an introvert, it takes a little more work for me to talk, sit and engage with someone I don't know. But every time I do push myself to do that, it ends up taking me somewhere that's
00:23:24
Speaker
Pretty great. So yeah I love that. I think you always I think you get a gift. And I think that is the beauty, too, of of Instagram is that you can direct message people. And so you can end up with um a nice connection that way. But I love that, Leslie, about just talking with people that you don't know, because every time I have put myself out there much like you and Laurie, you you do you get a gift back. you end up You end up growing in a way. Somebody gives you something. You think, oh, I'm just being polite and saying hello. But sure enough, they give you something that you take away and you will always remember. And so that's fantastic. And and along those same lines,
00:24:05
Speaker
You gift your readers and you gift your followers with so much information. You're not territorial about it at all. And it's not. I mean, as I always say to people, the wheel has been invented, people, you know. like the wheel has But but ah do you find that the more you give, the more you receive? Oh, a hundred percent. you No doubt. No doubt. yeah And it's funny because, you know, like when I was doing, we talked about the, um, little, uh, rack on the table of the bottle shower that I gave at the wedding gown. I was so excited to share that because I, number one, I couldn't believe I, it worked because you know, you have this idea. I think what happened, I think I saw.
00:24:54
Speaker
something pop up on my Instagram of that little rack with little clothes hanging on it. um And I was like, Wait a minute. And the what the funny thing is I had just been tying um napkins in the shape of a bridal gown, trying forever how to make them, you know. And so that was so on my mind that when I saw that and I was like, could I? I had no idea if the rack was the right size, so I had to measure everything. I ordered two cookie cutters immediately, and they came the next day on Amazon. So I'm like trying to figure. And this was like five days before the shower. It's not like it was two months.
00:25:30
Speaker
But once it was done and I had the pictures and and and the reaction from the bride and my client from Bed Bath & Beyond was here from the shower, so I was super nervous. But once I saw that, I was like, I was so excited to share it. And I'm like, I hope people make this. I hope people do it. So many people send me pictures of like cookies all over their counters that they've made. And it was super fun, super fun. So absolutely. And sometimes I don't get the kind of response I would think but it doesn't it bothers me for about five minutes and then I'm over it because I'm like yeah that's fine. Well for for our listeners who don't know what she's talking about too she made these um these dress cookies out of a ah bride's dress and then used doll hangers and put cello and then hung them on
00:26:22
Speaker
um or hung them on a little rack and they were each in the centerpiece of the table for her bridal shower. but And it so I was obsessed about these. I mean, I can't imagine every I mean, they were amazing. And so we all so I was like, wait, I need to send this to this person, this person, this person. And my I have a daughter who doesn't even have a boyfriend yet, but I'm like saving it under her yeah I mean, it was just so cute. But again, that's something that you could hold on to or you could share. And you were so polite and so lovely about sharing every part of it. Here's where you get the hangers. Here's this. Here's that. And it and it's like, wow. And then you feel so connected to someone. So amazing. Amazing. Thank you. It was really fun. So I was just as excited, I think, as everyone else, because there's times where I do something and it totally flops and I'm like, ah
00:27:12
Speaker
So those you don't really get to see but ah fortunately more often than not they do work because I have a pretty good idea how it's going to go from here to here just because I've done so many different things. um li So Leslie I have one more quick question. um So you know with trends and homes what where are you seeing things going
Family, Design, and Lifestyle Choices
00:27:32
Speaker
now? Are you seeing people coming back to the home or how is how are things changing in your world and what are you seeing? Well, I just shared a, hold on one a second. I just shared a post about
00:27:47
Speaker
is the open concept going out of style. Oh, I saw that. I saw that. What do you think? Foreign articles come out, and they come out. One just came out on, was it house I think it was House Beautiful. Martha Stewart had one last year, and I was screaming about it. And they're like, yeah, well, and especially after the pandemic, which I understand a lot of people needed more private spaces. but um you know Part of the problem with the trends that happen out there is because people want you to change and So there's trends just because they want it to change the same thing with the open concept, you know People are tired of it. It's too loud But my viewpoint is you know what if you love it great Don't let someone tell you to change it and if you don't like it do what you can to not have an open concept Yeah, I feel like people
00:28:36
Speaker
there's There's such a good thing when there's new ideas out there and there's there's things that you can learn from and that you can get excited about and bring into your own home. But don't let what people do influence what you love. And I think that's the gray area that's really frustrating for me. That's that's brilliant advice. And we we built our home and I built my new home to look old. But one of the pieces of advice that I got was don't build your house for the five days a year that you have parties. Build it for the 360 days a year that you live there.
00:29:11
Speaker
Where I would you build your house for the 300 days you have parties and then we entertain a little too much yeah But but it but it truly to your point it way but to but to your point whether you have a lot of parties or you don't and yeah mean it's how do you live and I think to your point it's if you're if you're a lot of people that need a lot of individual spaces keep it individual if you're a family that likes to have open spaces open your heart up open your house up Let's take a quick minute and thank our amazing sponsors. Our podcast is proudly brought to you today by Jet Creative and Urban Stems. Jet Creative is a women owned marketing firm committed to community and empowerment since 2013.
00:29:57
Speaker
Are you ready to Rebloom and build a website or start a podcast? Visit jetcreative dot.com backslash podcast to kickstart your journey. They will help you bloom in ways you never imagined. And bonus, our listeners get an exclusive discount when you mention Rebloom. And a huge thanks to Urban Stems, your go to and our go to source for fresh, gorgeous bouquets and gifts delivered coast to coast. Use Bloom Big 20 and save 20 percent on your next order. And don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and follow us on Instagram and Facebook at Rebloom podcast. Thanks to our sponsors and thanks to you for joining us today.
00:30:44
Speaker
So before we hit record, you were talking about how this is like you're involving your family. You're basically creating for your family and. and just sharing that. And i I love, I love that. And also, I love the fact that you started out as a little girl, as a maker, basically, then moved into painting, but then kind of pivoted right back to where you taking yourself back to all the things that you loved when you were young. So can you talk about that a little bit?
00:31:20
Speaker
Oh, of course. um One thing I didn't mention, though, after college, before I started painting, I was in marketing forever. So that kind of ohboard helped me with the share, you know, share, don't show. And that's my motto, share something, just show it, because there's a huge difference. um But remember, I have a mother of three boys, so I couldn't make frilly dresses, I couldn't have pink parties. So I had mad scientist parties where the the invitation went out in a Petri dish. And I bought little short sleeve dress shirts at the Salvation Army for everyone to wear as lab coats. And we made experiments. So I mean, you you kind of have to work with what you're dealt with. Right. Yeah. What's so amazing is now that my children are in their 30s and one owns a home, the other one's buying a home. I see it was going to make me cry, but I see
00:32:13
Speaker
what they observed in their own home that they're carrying on. I mean, even when I go to visit my boys in Austin a couple of years ago and I opened the cupboard for a water glass and there's bell jar glasses, which we've had in our house forever. And I'm just like, I actually rubbed off on them in the right way. ah yeah it's It's something that I've always said that my family is number one, my husband and my three boys and my grandson and my daughter-in-law and my soon-to-be daughter-in-law and hopefully eventually another one.
00:32:46
Speaker
But um that's kind of why I was put on this earth. So without being too much of a helicopter mother or grandparent, my goal has always been to make sure that they always want to come home. And my middle son looked at us for six months for a while this year, which was so great because he was kind of in transition. And he was amazing because he's like this health nut. So he talked his mother into taking her entertaining caretiles and turning it into a weight room, which has been fantastic. Oh, wow. It's so fun now that they're actually kind of helping us and changing us in our ways like we have done for them for so long.
00:33:29
Speaker
But my biggest goal, and they know this, is I want to enjoy what I'm doing. And the minute I'm not, I'll change it. Or i fortunately, I think I've been able to kind of shift a little bit here and there. But um when I wrote a Home to Share, the whole premise of the book was looking in every room of your house and making sure it was suited best for you, your family, and your friends. And so if you have a living room that no one ever goes into, then it's time to change that. So you start using it. Same with the infamous dining room. And it was so fun to go through our house and make changes. And then the book then goes and talks about how you can entertain in each of the rooms. And there's some pretty crazy parties that I introduced, some really fun ideas. And um I just think, you know, it all starts in your home and that's where you want to have fun.
00:34:23
Speaker
And that's where um you you know you do what you can and it doesn't necessarily mean spending money. My mom used to move our furniture around the house all the time. I mean literally we would move to a new house and three months later I come home and the furniture was totally moved around. She didn't have a budget to do any remodeling but she just figured out how to do it instead and I think there's a lot of her in me. No doubt. I take it your whole family is very supportive of you and what you're doing. and Are they involved at all? like do they Do they join? It's really funny.
00:35:02
Speaker
One time Matt, I don't remember which son it was, they went out on a blind date and he told me he led with the fact that his mom was on Instagram and I was like, wow. and theyre all real um No, but so they're they're very supportive. My daughter-in-law and I talk all the time. We go to the Serena and Lily outlet every time I go up there and visit and It's, I appreciate the fact that she ah wants my input, but more importantly, she has amazing taste in what she tells me is more important than what I tell her. So it's just been a really fun kind of journey. And I think I've learned when to step back, which is hard, yes all of us. it's hard as is It's hard as the mother-in-law. I will tell you, because I have a son who's married. It's hard. That's hard. yeah Oh, yeah.
00:35:54
Speaker
yeah oh yeah Yeah. But it's been great. We are so blessed and it takes work. It's not something that happens automatically. and My boys were all in sports. so because they played a D1 sport, we went to watch their games or their swim meets, their matches. And that was so nice for us because we had a reason to see our children a lot when they were in college. And not just like in too much. Yeah. And now you're creating reasons for them to come back. And I think that that is so special and so important because that's what we want to do as parents and as friends or even as you said, I love the idea of creating
00:36:31
Speaker
different spaces within your home that are touchable, that people can feel warm, and and that's that's the best the best feeling when people come in and say that, yeah. Oh, i just I have two questions. um One is, what are some of the your most favorite things to do now? And then another question is, what are some things that you're dreaming about happening down the road a little bit? Oh, great questions.
Personal Stories and Joys
00:37:00
Speaker
OK, so first off.
00:37:02
Speaker
um And this kind of doesn't really have anything to do with my 100-year-old home, but i've my husband and I have really gotten into e-bike riding. And um discovered, we went on a trip with some friends last year and I fell in love with it. And it's like the first time, my husband's so good at everything he does. He played volleyball in college, he golfs, I mean, he's just a superstar athlete. But this was finally something we could do together. Ooh, I like this. It's amazing. And so we bought bikes when we came back. And when we're up in Ventura, we ride along the coast. We've rivet ridden up to Ojai, which is about 25 miles each way. um We rode to Santa Barbara to see a Kenny Loggins concert, packed all our stuff on our bikes, and stayed at a hotel and came back. So that has given me a whole new a whole new viewpoint of the area that we enjoy, because it's not like walking. It's not like driving in a car.
00:37:58
Speaker
When you're on a bike, it's a whole new experience, which has been really fun. And I've shared a lot of it because I can't help it on my Instagram and in my blog as well. And they so we're going to Bordeaux in September and my my brother and his wife and my sister and her husband are are coming on the trip to which I'm super excited about. Oh, fun. So um I guess in that and I've kind of gotten into more recipes than I have in the past. But it's really funny because I make a lot of desserts and I haven't had a dessert in eight years. So it's kind of a... So you make them and you donate them? You make them and you donate them? Yeah, wait a minute. Wait, circle back on that. Okay, I'll tell you the story. And as the mom's listening, I think would appreciate this. But eight years ago, my son came home from
00:38:47
Speaker
college It was actually summertime. He was training because he played volleyball and he had a lump in his neck. So long story short, we went to the doctor and they did a biopsy and they said he had lymphoma. And um it's the thing you don't ever want to hear. And they said, but we need you to come back for more biopsies because something's not right with it. and we came back and the the college where my son went they had the head of the hospital meeting his therapy and they were so great and they took another biopsy and his brothers came down they're like well can you do it on us too because this isn't fair it's just happening to my brother I mean they're they were so supportive and we got the car and we were driving back and the head of the hospital called me it says we have the results and he does have lymphoma so we came home and I said to I mean you know it's the why is it my child why isn't it me
00:39:37
Speaker
thing so I said okay I'm giving up desserts that's it never again until he gets through this. So they kept calling back saying we're sending it to another lab or sending it to another lab and about 15 days well exactly 15 days later he called and he said are you sitting down and I said I can't take any more bad news and he said no he doesn't have cancer. he has an empty bar And I'm like, I don't believe you. Lastly, we have tested this so many times. He doesn't have cancer. And wow and of course, I felt guilty. Why?
00:40:14
Speaker
Why is my child so lucky when so many other people aren't? i mean i was just like a yeah wased case But I thought to myself at that time, well, I gave up to start and it and it sounds so silly. And it turned out the way it did that, you know what? I can easily give it up and we'll go to dinner and my brother will say, well, Michael, good thing your mom's trying to eat and deserve so you don't get cancer. And it'll he'll tease me, but it's just something, it's a promise I made to myself and gotcha. Something that it's been the easiest thing I've ever done. So. when you
00:40:49
Speaker
Well, and I'm glad he's okay. What a blessing that he's okay. yeah yeah He ended up making the national team, playing in the World Cup for volleyball, played overseas for two years in France. yeah It was amazing, but it's kind of a treat. But I think it just goes to we do things that are important to us, especially when it comes to family. Is he the son that set up the the gym at your home? Is he the one that came home? No, that's the that's my other son. He's the one that poured 140 tons of sand in our backyard court for a beach volleyball court. and
00:41:23
Speaker
with my husband. I think you need another blog, another ah called mom of boys, how to survive mom, a boy, mom, be the boy. Yeah, that's definitely been fun. I don't know if we ever have a granddaughter, it'll be a miracle. I don't know what to do. Well, I have a brand new grand baby named Jack who is is four months old and is the cute, I mean, he's got, oh, it just melts your heart. so amazing It's fun watching your son have, oh, sorry. Go ahead. Go ahead. go ahead No, I was going to say talk about reblooming when being, being a grandmother is the best rebloom of all. Yeah. It was incredible. Everyone said how amazing it was. You're like, yeah, sure, sure. But oh boy, it is really, really.
00:42:06
Speaker
And the most amazing thing for me was looking at my son for the first time knowing he was a dad. Yes. It's just mind boggling. am i watching Watching your children become parents and then also kind of sitting back kind of chuckling a little bit going, okay, well, good luck with that. yeah Well, remember when Kenzie had her first child saying to me, she said, mom, now, like before I had a child, I didn't think that you were, I didn't really think about you as a person who had dreams and hopes and wishes. And like, I just, you know, and so now I understand like,
00:42:44
Speaker
Oh, yeah. My mom is a person too. Not just someone to support all my hopes and dreams and wishes. She has some of her own. So i thought that was pretty interesting. Well, it's so special. It's so special watching them. And and it's so special, Leslie, hearing about your journey from art to marketing to blogging to becoming an influencer to your book. I mean, it's just been pivot, pivot, pivot. But the continuity, and Lori and I love the continuity, is just, I guess maybe it goes back to your, to being a ah military brat, but it's opening your heart to whatever comes comes your way. And it's just beautiful hearing your story, and we are so thankful that you shared your time with us. I mean, this is amazing. Amazing. I just as much i can't come and have coffee with you once a week. because I know. like I feel like we could make, we could be makers. Are you guys coming to me this year?
00:43:49
Speaker
um I've never been to Haven because i have I'm not really in the home decorating space, um but it sure sounds amazing. Yeah, it's incredible. Most everything they teach has nothing to do with the home decor part. Really? Really? When is it? all the workshops and everything are more tools for you to be successful regardless of... Really? Yeah. So go to their websites in July. It's in July. And you know what, we will put that on the link when we ah when we have the podcast out. So we'll make sure that we've got the link to Haven for people too so they can... I'm just glad you said that because I always thought of it as part related to the poem, but if it's other, I mean, Jamie, we should go. We should, go we should at um I think we might have to. And then we can finally meet Leslie in person. Yeah, exactly. For sure. Yeah, we will definitely have we will definitely have coffee. Well, thank you so much. I love to leave everybody with a little bit of a quote. I'm going to go with one since she was the first lady of California, Maria Shriver. And she said, life is yours to create and recreate. And I love how you have created a beautiful life and you continue to recreate your life. And Leslie, we thank you so much for joining us today. And this has just been a pure pleasure.
00:45:15
Speaker
And thank you for responding to my DM and saying yes. yeah People sign in everyone's DM. She said yes. Yay. Well, thank you. And before we before we sign off, Leslie, do you want to leave anyone with some advice that you have received or you like to give people who maybe want to rebloom and have a little bit of fear to do so? I guess I would say don't be afraid because it's not your only choice. And if you don't try, of course, you'll never know what can happen. If you would have told me when I was traveling all over the country teaching art lessons and art marketing lessons that in six months I wouldn't be doing that anymore because I found something better, I would have laughed. And i by making that change, thinking I was doing it for one reason and realizing it was for another and that was so I could actually
00:46:07
Speaker
do make money and work and doing everything I absolutely loved. It completely changed my life. And so um keep the fun factor in there. Make sure that it's something you're enjoying knowing that it's not going to be every second. When I was writing my book, I literally was, I cried a lot because it was much work, but but um so worth it. So worth it. And if it's not going how you think it should, then try to make a change. Pivot and re-bloom, pivot and re-bloom. Thank you, Leslie. but Thank you so much for your time today. Thank you. Take care. but Bye-bye.
00:46:46
Speaker
Lori, what a treat to talk to Leslie. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I want to be her new best friend and I want to go and make stuff and paint stuff and create with her once a week and hang out in her beautiful homes, all three of them, plural. But I love what she said about just creating those spaces for family and creating spaces that you use. and But I also really love how she's rebloomed along the way, how she's taken the gifts that have been given to her and she's pivoted and and grown with it.
00:47:23
Speaker
Well, I loved how maybe you start off on in one direction, which for Leslie was painting, but then kind of through different encounters and things that she learned along the way. She she found an even more encompassing path that that involved all of the things that she loved and was able to create a living out of that. That's pretty inspiring and pretty amazing. talk about talk about blooming, re-blooming, but it all I think it all stems from just opening your heart to what comes your way, but not trying to define it, to sort of let the things come to you and then sort of going with going with what God has given you or going with going with it and then growing from there and phenomenal. What what a conversation.
00:48:13
Speaker
Yeah, I kind of thought about the metaphor of how her mother would rearrange the furniture. It's kind of you take all the pieces, but you rearrange them and look at them in a different way yeah that maybe feels a little better and works better for you and for where you want to head in life. So yeah, that was a really inspiring chat. It was. Well, we're so thankful for Leslie. We're thankful for our listeners and our sponsors, and we wish you all the best. Peace, love, and re-bloom.
00:48:45
Speaker
Life is too short not to follow your passions, so go out there and let your heart plant you where you are meant to be and grow your joy. We will be right here sharing more incredible stories of reinvention with you. Make sure to subscribe to our podcast so you never miss an episode of Rebloom. Until next time, I'm Jamie Jamison. And I'm Lori Siebert. Peace, love, and Rebloom, dear friends.