Behind the Scenes with Do It Yourself Magazine

 Back in January 2012 I got an email in my inbox from Bethany, the editor of Do It Yourself Magazine. She said she had been reading my blog, saw some photos of my home, wanted to see more and asked if I was interested in having my home featured in her magazine.  I wasn’t sure if it was some sort or hoax or a scam because it seemed too good to be true. Really, my house in a magazine? When I showed my husband, he seemed to think it was legit. I was planning on writing her back and saying “Thank you but our house is not in good enough shape to be photographed. Maybe it will be ready in two years- I will contact you then” But Rob said “No, write her back and say ‘OK’. You can do this.”  So I spent the next week cleaning up the house and reorganizing. I sent her some photos of most of the rooms. She wrote me back saying she loved the house and wanted to move forward and send a team to shoot the house. I was terrified. 

The original goal was to have the shoot sometime in March or February of 2012 but that got delayed. Then it was April or May but we couldn’t get a firm date. It was great for me because it gave me time to finish all the rooms. Finally it was decided that the photo shoot would take place in July 2012. Cathy, a stylist and designer for the magazine would be coming from Iowa where the magazine is based along with a photographer.

Cathy had me pick out some different rugs to use for the shoot. They were shipped directly to my home along with some other accessories. I got to keep some of the items like floor pillows and some art but everything else got shipped back. 

Finally after months of preparation and still not enough time; July arrived and it was time for the shoot. The first couple weeks of July were a crazy busy time for me. I was putting in a lot more hours than I normally do at my day job, then I was a bridesmaid at my friends wedding. I ended up getting a new job and had to start that job the same week as the photo shoot. I was loading trucks for UPS and my hours were about 3am to 9am. So on my second day of work after working all night doing hard physical labor I had to do the photo shoot. It was crazy but it was great.

Cathy arrived on a Tuesday and brought her husband Mark along for the trip. They met with me in the morning, checked out the house and started styling the house with some accessories they brought. Then Cathy made a list of supplies they needed and they took off shopping for the day. They came back to the house that evening and we continued moving things around and get everything styled. 

 The next morning I arrived home from work in the morning and John the photographer was already at work snapping photos with Cathy directing the shoot. John brought an assistant along to help with the equipment. They spent a day and a half taking photos. They took some shots of me and Rob on our scooter as well as some of us around the house and around the property. The second day of shooting was only a half day and then we spent the rest of the day packing things up. We said goodbye to Cathy, Mark and John .

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Last September I received an email from Sara who works for the magazine.  She sent me some questions for the interview and write up that went along with the photo shoot. She checked out this blog for information about how I made all the projects and asked me about ten questions for the write up.  

Now finally a year and half later the issue is out! It’s literally a dream come true. Working with everyone was so much fun. They were so professional and had great ideas. I must say, it is amazing how great your house can look with the help of a professional stylist and photographer. If you pick up the issue and see my home you should know if normally does not look as good as it does in the photos. Real people live there and we make messes! I love Do It Yourself Magazine and I am so proud I got to be a part of their spring 2014 issue.