A Big Girl and a Mom Bot

It's been a busy week here at le petit a.p.t., hence the radio blog silence. Eric will have been in four cities within five days by this Sunday. When he's away, I desperately try to keep myself physically busy with projects around the a.p.t. (installed two things with my drill today, woo!), walks, playdates, outings with Ms. Avery Etta, errands galore. Anything to make the day go by faster works for me. It's been a nice break from the computer and social media, which we all know can becoming draining after awhile. 

With all of the travel Eric has being doing lately, I've been what I call "single-momming it". This is only for a week at a time. I'm in awe of those who do this always. I honestly don't know how they do it. Much respect to you, mamas! I know some don't consider being a mom a true job, but it is the hardest job. And that's an understatement. You truly don't know until you are living it. There's no amount of babysitting or experience with children that can prepare you for it. All I can say is I Heart Avery, and I Heart Daycare. I feel so lucky to have a good support system place, and I give major props to those who don't and actually make it through the day, raising a healthy, well-adjusted child to boot.

You can have the happiest, most easygoing baby, but they are still a baby, and you are still a mommy who needs a break once and awhile. Or at least you need to know that your partner is coming home at the end of the day to let you take a five minute breather by lying face down  on the spaghetti-milk-filled floor while he throws tiny human in the tub. It's hard when you know he's not coming home. It's a different mentality. You basically just power through like a mom bot. You enjoy the alone time and sense of independence to an extent, but it gets real old real fast. For more on single momming it - aka #babydaddytravelsalot read this great blog entry by Katie Schorr. 

So, while I'm failing in the search to find some extra time to upload and edit my final images from the Big Girl on Broadway project installation, I want to share with you the "winning" style board that my client chose. Awhile back, I shared with you the two runners up. You can find them here. 

Without further ado, ta-da! Here it is:

Big Girl Glam

Gorgeous pink, blue and mint rug, coupled with sophisticated mirrored dresser. Blue/green walls to pick up on rug. Mixture of textures and patterns to avoid fussiness. Upholstered faux leather white trundle/storage bed (bonus- wipeable!). Black natural material accent table + fun animal art gallery wall to tie in black/white zebra chair. 

I can't wait to show you how this came to life, once I'm done single-momming it... Until then, I'm on momopilot mode. 

Signing off!

~L.S.

Professional Help

I need professional help. In more ways than one - hah!

But seriously, it's tough starting your own business. Having worked for years at a very well established high-end interior design firm, I am now starting back at what one might call the bottom. I am in no way complaining. Quite the opposite. I am thankful to have this opportunity to develop my own business while attempting to be a present mom. I know that many people would love to do this, but for a variety of circumstances cannot at this time in their lives. There are also those who love their corporate jobs and have no desire to grow a business and a child at the same time. No judgement here. Hats off to everyone! This is what makes the world go 'round, and we're all just making it work.

I'm just sayin' - being a small business owner can be scar-y. It's definitely outside of my comfort zone to completely put it all out there. But they say (who are "they" anyway?) that if you're not pushing beyond your comfort zone, then you're not growing. Case in point - I've been working on branding myself - basically just by being myself. I've heard that that is the way to attract your dream clients.  It has been exhilarating and satisfying and energizing and terrifying.

That fear of rejection, the "what will they think?" lingers in my head way longer than it should. I know that at age 32 this is ridiculous. I should just tell that little nagging voice in my head to shove it. Sometimes I do. But often, I don't. I answer it's call like I would an old emotionally draining high school friend who I just can't resist meeting at the old neighborhood pizza joint.

That's okay though. I'm only human. Especially in a creative profession, you are pouring your heart and soul into your work. You then suck in your breath and hit "post", catapulting your creation into the universe (aka Twitterverse) like a helium balloon from your kid's first birthday party. Up, up and away it goes. Where the heck is it gonna deflate and land? An artist's rooftop party in Bushwick? Nice. In the dumpster behind Key Food? Ugh. Or does it reach the tip of the atmo(blogo)sphere and explode into oblivion, never to be seen again? No one really knows. But maybe that's the beauty of it.

I recently had the amazing opportunity to attend a creativity workshop with some other Brooklyn moms (thank you momtrepreneur Leah Fox of Charm + Magic!) and some of these issues of self doubt and judgment came up. I found it so therapeutic. These intelligent and creative mamas had similar hopes and dreams for themselves and their families. They also  often had that same nagging doubtful voice, that little devil on their shoulder. I thought I was the only one - so glad others are suffering too! Kidding. But it's good to know I've got company.

These ladies also had some amazing recommendations regarding inspiring books, blogs and podcasts. I tried to soak up all of this useful information at lightning speed. I sat there furiously scribbling down notes. I realized I only know what I do not know, how much I have to learn from others.

I couldn't wait to scoop up these books, subscribe to these blogs and download these new podcasts. And speaking of podcasts, lately I've had a little addiction problem... As far as I'm concerned, they are the new therapists. While miss Avery Etta babbles herself into her afternoon nap, I excitedly scramble over to my iPhone like it's the secret 1 lb bag of M+M's I store in the back of the top kitchen cabinet (mom!). I can't wait to click on that little purple podcast icon, update and see what's new for the day. I empty the dishwasher along with my motivational podcast friends (more on them soon!). They can do it, and so can I!

Let's be honest - I need all the professional help I can get in the department of learning how to own it, love being boss, love myself and live life with intention while simultaneously running a successful interior design business and being a wife, mom (and don't forget organizational enthusiast). Phew! I'm not afraid to admit that this is as overwhelming as it sounds in a sentence. But listening to these podcasts sure makes it seem doable. (And it definitely makes scraping smushed blueberries off the floor feel a little less mundane.)

So, in the spirit of growing my business, working it and loving my s(h)elfie, I recently decided to have some professional portraits done for my website. Eek! How scary to be up close and personal with the camera. And to share that all with you. Here are the outtakes! 

For the winning image, click here. 

All photographs were taken by Alex Blaiotta, and have been professionally helped!

~L.S.

Blank Space(s)

Cause I'm young and I'm reckless.... O.K. I'm neither young, nor reckless. But I got a blank space, baby.

As a follow up to A Petite Duplex on the Park, home of momtrepreneur Sandy Saccullo, I'm here to share the "before's" of the aforementioned amazing outdoor space(s). Right now, they're blank. I love this. It's like a stark white canvas just waiting to be painted and brought to life. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

To those of you non-New-Yorkers, this may just look like a plain crusty old rooftop with some seriously unfortunate architectural eyesores. "What's the big deal?" You might ask. "Really? You're excited about this?". Why yes, yes I am!

Here's why. These two (arguably three!) private terraces are extremely rare in this lovely city of New York. As city-dwellers, we'll go anywhere to just raise our faces up during lunch hour and soak in a tiny sliver of sunshine beyond the towering buildings casting shadows down upon the taxi-lined streets. We'll precariously perch on a bird-poop strewn park bench next to the sleeping homeless guy (he's just sleeping, right?) just to dine al fresco with our gourmet takeout from the falafel truck guy parked on the corner.

To be able to have Multiple. Private. Outdoor. Spaces. is truly a luxury, a precious rarity in NYC unless you're a billionaire... in which case you probably never even use your outdoor spaces anyway because you've already jetted off to your private home on an island in the Seychelles. And you probably own the island. 

Anyways, Sandy's petite duplex on the park is not only a gem on the inside, but one on the outside as well. I can't wait to fill these blank spaces with warm and inviting seating arrangements, a place to sit down and bake in the sun (with SPF on of course!) and a dining area to shamelessly consume all the unhealthy items we will be barbecuing, just cause we can. Sorry I'm not sorry.

Because isn't that what life is after all? Just one big blank space before you, waiting to be filled. Only you can create the space you want, so you better make beautiful!

~L.S.