StyleWhat I Learned from CWTS Round 1: Fly Your Freak Flag March 26, 2014 Well, y’all may have seen by now that my entry was #11 in Round 1 of Creating with the Stars. So many of y’all said you had your guesses and I am DYING to know what you thought! Please leave them in the comments! I loved so many of the others and thought, “I would love to have that in my house!!!” I’m going to share a lot of details, photos, and my inspiration behind my office tomorrow. For now, I’ll just say that I love this room. It is by far my favorite project I’ve ever done and my favorite room in our house. Since I finished it on Saturday, I’ve just walked in and sat and looked at it several times a day. More on the specific room and these two projects tomorrow. Today, I wanted to talk about what I learned from this first round. I had no idea what to expect with CWTS. First of all, I didn’t expect to feel the overwhelming pressure that came with it. I’m not sure why. I didn’t think it would be easy to turn around a project so fast. But I’ve gotten so comfortable with my style and doing what I love regardless of how I think it will be perceived, that I thought I’d just have fun with it and let things fall where they may. I mean, that’s the entire premise that I started White Buffalo on, right? Well, I have a confession to make. I kind of forgot some of my style mantra this past week. As soon as I knew I was a contestant, I had stress, chest tightness, and was even nauseous over choosing an idea! I kept telling myself I was being stupid. I needed to do what I do on the blog. Do something I love and then let it be. But I couldn’t get the questions out of my head. What if people think my style is weird? I mean my style is kind of out there. What will the voters want? Should I tone down my style to please others? I know what you’re thinking. You’re shocked that White Buffalo, who is founded on flying your style freak flag, faltered. Well, I did. Majorly. After about a day and a half of worrying about how the whole world would receive my first project (and tons of idea-block as a result), I sat down and journaled a prayer. This has become a daily ritual for me now and I can’t tell you how calming it is and how it immediately adjusts my perspective. I immediately had peace to be me. Thirty minutes later, the idea for the marble waterfall desk came and I FREAKING LOVED IT! I had no more concerns. I no longer cared what voters would think because I was proud of it. The next morning, I had the idea for the tie dye curtains, which might be one of my favorite things ever. All week, I was on this giddy high. I made the project and the more I got done, the happier I was. Not because I thought I would win this week or even because it made me think I’d definitely move on. Neither of those things happened. I hoped, sure, but had no idea what the outcome would be. But I was so excited because I knew I was creating something that made my style heart go pitter-pat. And that was all that mattered. Then, Monday comes and all of the projects are rolled out. Y’all, the talent blew me away. Everyone was so talented!!! The projects were professional grade and amazing. And the stress, pressure, worry, and doubt crept back in. I gave the results of this contest to God last week and prayed that I would not see anyone else as competition, but that I would do my best and support others. But still, all day Monday, I worried. And then on Monday night, I heard a still, small voice. “What would you have done differently?” After seeing the projects in all their glorious awesomeness, what would I go back and change? I pondered this a while and then it hit me… NOTHING. Not one single detail. I loved it that much. After seeing the results this morning, all of this was confirmed. Not because I made it through at all. In fact, I was shocked at some of the results! All of the projects were great and I know everyone worked so hard, but I really didn’t see some of the ones that were cut leaving. That green cabinet from Bliss at Home was one of my very favorites! But then I was reminded that White Buffalo is founded on the idea that we all have different styles and opinions. And I want to celebrate that! I can’t question what voters like or even worry about that. I can’t try to make my style into something I think others will like based on the results. Number one, I would hate it. But number two, because it wouldn’t be being true to me or what I founded this blog on. I refuse to compromise myself and what I love for votes or success. I’m going forward with my designing life and CWTS committed to FLYING MY STYLE FREAK FLAG, a.k.a doing what I love without worry of what anyone else thinks. And I want to re-encourage y’all to do the same! Fly it high and proud. Let it wave and flap in the winds of other opinions that brush up against it. Do what you love. Always. Without worry, without fear. And do it with joy. Because when you start to worry about what others are going to think or like, your joy and creativity is stolen. Gone. Without a trace. Trust me. After this week, I know. And it doesn’t come back until you let yourself be you again and FLY THAT FLAG!!! I’m off to work on Round 2’s painting project and I’m feeling so good. Not because I think the audience and voters will love it. I have no idea how it will go over. It may send me home. But I love it, deep down in my style soul, and that means it’s the right project for me.
Julia@Cuckoo4Design says March 26, 2014 at 9:24 am Fly your style freak flag! love your project and congrats Reply
Elizabeth @ The Little Black Door says March 26, 2014 at 9:25 am I love this post!! Cheers to you and your freak flag. Fly it high sister!!! And so glad you made it to the next round. Those curtains are on my lust list! Reply
Victoria says March 26, 2014 at 9:38 am I love you style… keep flying your freak flag! BTW is that a wicker trash can as a chandelier??? Love that. Reply
Kristin @ bliss-athome.com says March 26, 2014 at 9:42 am Freak flag flown…and booted out LOL…oh well! Congrats on staying in it! xo K Reply
Beth of designPOST interiors says March 26, 2014 at 9:52 am You’re allowed to freak out a little in week 1 since you had no clue what to expect, but now you just let that freak flag wave without any worries! Do it for all of us who would have freaked out even more than you 🙂 Reply
Jenn from Texas says March 26, 2014 at 10:09 am I absolutely love this!!! I loved your marble table, but even more than that, I love what you say about flying your decoration freak flag. I think that if you simply live with what you love, you can’t do wrong. Who cares what other people think? Love it!!! Reply
Gabbi @ Retro Ranch Reno says March 26, 2014 at 11:50 am What a beautiful post, and room design! I love it all and congrats on moving on! 🙂 Reply
Steph | glitter & goat cheese says March 26, 2014 at 12:18 pm I was SO impressed with your desk and curtains! I can’t wait to see the tutorial. Congrats on making it to the second round AND for being true to yourself! Reply
Jenn @ HomeStyleReport says March 26, 2014 at 12:32 pm Such a great post Lindsay! I think people are truly drawn to you because of your strong sense of self and your love of your own style, no matter what. You’re an inspiration lady! Reply
Jennifer @ Dimples and Tangles says March 26, 2014 at 5:28 pm So happy to see you move on, Lindsay! Reply
baileywife says March 26, 2014 at 7:35 pm Love your projects, although I didn’t guess this to be yours! And love the rug, the pouf (Target?), the rattan light, the chair…..should I go on? Girl, we LOVE your freak flag!! Fly it high and proud 🙂 ~ Kim Reply
Amber says March 26, 2014 at 9:17 pm Girl, be confident in who YOU are! It’s what has ALWAYS made you stand out in the most incredible way! Reply
Jacqui Madsen says March 26, 2014 at 11:02 pm So well said Lindsay! I loved your project! Good luck this week! Jacqui @ Brooke Eva Reply
Summer Hogan says March 27, 2014 at 6:22 am Wave it friend!! Love everything about it. I think you did go a little outside you comfort zone and look what happened!!! Beautiful. Reply
erin @ house envy says March 27, 2014 at 7:27 am love your style – love that it is not the same ol’ same ol’. Great job. You should be so proud! Reply
Bethany @ Dwellings by DeVore says March 27, 2014 at 1:26 pm love this post Lindsay and your office! Such a beautiful space! Reply
Lauren @ The Thinking Closet says March 27, 2014 at 2:11 pm Thanks for sharing your process with us, Lindsay. I have no doubt I would have felt similarly stressed out…but isn’t the power of prayer amazing? So glad you received that peace that surpasses all understanding and that you trusted your gut. As I told you on Instagram, yours was my absolute favorite and garnered my vote! And I cannot wait to see what freakish wonder you come up with for PAINT week! Reply
Trina @ Let's Just Build a House says March 27, 2014 at 2:29 pm i love the green chair the most, wait…the curtains…i love the curtains the most….blerg i cannot decide, i love it all. you did a great job! Reply
Kelly @ View Along the Way says March 27, 2014 at 7:28 pm LOVE this post! Your project on CWTS was one of my absolute faves, not just because it’s obviously incredibly gorgeous, but also because it has a point of view, it has something to say, and it’s not toned down for the masses. Keep flyin’ that flag high, because that’s what makes design FUN, and also what makes your particular style so gorgeous and so fun to see! Reply
Jennifer@The Chronicles of Home says March 27, 2014 at 9:37 pm This was great Lindsay! It took me a whole bunch of years to realize that personal style is about doing what you love, and not trying to replicate a magazine page or another person. I loved your desk and love your attitude and can’t wait to see next week’s project! Reply
Jennifer says March 29, 2014 at 5:36 am So…I have not been able to sit at my computer and read blogs in a LONG while. I popped on to ECC yesterday and saw your photo…without knowing it was your photo…and thought “this looks like Lindsey!” and it WAS! Honest? I’ve never been a huge tie dye fan…until these curtains. I adore ALL THE THINGS in this shot, my friend. God has given you this amazing talent and I’m SO GLAD you are using it!! This is such a fun contest…but yeah…no use getting stressed over it. 🙂 Have a beautiful weekend! Can’t wait to see what you come up with next!! Reply
th*rsty says March 31, 2014 at 8:12 am Would LOVE to make those curtains for my sons room. He is tie dye obsessed! I hope you will be posting how you did this. 🙂 Lovely room (my favorite) Reply
[…] No regrets at all. I have thought long and hard about this. You need to be you. As my friend, Lindsay, just coined in her blog post yesterday you need to fly your style freak flag. Her little phrase […] Reply