If you’ve been here for awhile, then you already know a familiar face (ahem…mine) can currently be found on the I Did It! page of October’s Better Homes & Gardens magazine.
If you’re new, you can read about my reaction to the news HERE and details about the photoshoot HERE.
The experience was so surreal for me and if it weren’t for my own face staring back at me in one of my favorite magazines, I would swear it never happened.
There is also now the paparazzi to deal with, of course, and the hassle of being recognized and stared at by strangers when I go anywhere in public without a wig and sunglasses on. But this is the price one pays for fame, and I shall embrace it with all the aplomb of Lady Gaga.
No one has actually recognized me on the streets.
All joking aside, it was, and is, totally thrilling for me and I awaited the arrival of the magazine with great excitement. I thought BHG might send me a few copies but I had to wait for my mail subscription to come just like everyone else! I actually couldn’t even wait that long and ran right out to buy it in a store the day it hit newsstands on the east coast.
And……..drumroll……..if you haven’t already seen the issue, here’s the photo!
I can also now share a few more behind-the-scenes photos since the cat’s out of the bag on the photo composition and all.
Ada loved watching the crew work and she spent a lot of time watching as they moved our living room all around to frame the shot.
David, the photographer, set up shop on the screened porch and was in and out as he and Kit, the stylist, got things just as they wanted them.
Kit was my stand-in sofa-percher while they did some testing. Luckily Ellie was there in her pwincess dwess to make sure things were running smoothly.
I kind of knew this already about photo staging from some of the photos I take for the blog, but it was interesting to see how little it mattered what was already in the room. Most of the things you see in the photo actually do live in my living room, but they were all shuffled around and the little table vignette you get a sliver of in the background of the magazine picture is totally made up of things from other places in my house. That little table actually acts as an etagere in our downstairs bathroom. It was all about finding something that was the right height and accents that added the right amount of color and texture.
I was very relieved to see that I was not making any faces like this in the final photo. I am apparently a very facially-expressive talker.
Some pillow fluffing from David right before the real shooting began.
And then the click-click-click began! Remember you can read more about the day HERE and see some other behind-the-scenes pictures if you missed it the first time around.
It was all so tremendously fun and I was beyond excited to get the magazine and see it in print. If you haven’t had a chance, pick up the October issue of BHG – it’s full of great content, as usual, and you’ll see a familiar face smiling back at you :)
You are a superstar ;) love seeing the “behind the scenes”.
You are gorgeous!
Thanks, friend :) YOU are gorgeous too, in and out!
It was so cool to see you in there! congrats! I’m sure it is something you will always treasure :) xo Kristin
Absolutely – I still have the warm fuzzies over the whole thing! Would it be totally narcissistic of me to frame it? Because I’m thinking about it…but just for my office, not the front hallway or anything :)
I am so proud of you! When the magazine came I showed my kids excitedly and said “That’s my friend!!!!”
That is awesome, I love that you showed your kids! Thanks for being so supportive and excited for me, friend :)
I saw it!! I bought a bunch of magazines before my plane ride to Europe and started geeking out to my husband that I follow your blog and you were in a magazine!
One bad thing about showing him though, he now wants to reupholster the couch instead of buying a new one. I’m trying to talk him out of it since our couch is a hand-me-down from my parents and is almost as old as I am. ;)
That is great, I love it!! Sorry to have planted the seed with your hubs :) Maybe if you just tell him he has to all the work?…
Congrats! I have subscribed to the magazine for years and was so excited for you when I saw it!
-Shelley
Thank you, Shelley! BHG has been my longest running subscription so that made it sort of especially thrilling for me :)
Ahhhhh, congrats again! Such an amazing accomplishment and one that is TOTALLY deserved!!! :)
Thank you so much, Gabbi :) I am totally overwhelmed at all of the encouragement and genuine excitement from everyone. Hugs!
This is fantastic! I really enjoyed seeing the behind the scenes shots. It’s so interesting to see what these stylists and photographers create! A few years ago, after my nomination for Melanie Turner as a New Trad for 2012 for Traditional Home, I had a “Head Shot” done at her home for the feature. I bought 10 copies!!!!! No one ever recognized me either!!!!
Congratulations…..you look MARVELOUS, Darling!
Yes, it was so cool to see how much goes into one shot! It’s hard not to wave the magazine in everyone’s face because I am still so excited about it :) And thank you for being such a great cheerleader!!
You.are.fabulous! Well done!
That is so sweet, Danielle. And I think YOU are fabulous! I need you to pass some of your photography prowess along to me!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! I love this and I think I was smiling the whole time I was reading this post! So happy for you & so well deserved!!!
You’re the sweetest, Jesse, thank you!! I have the best group of blog buds ever!
That is so awesome! I bet that was such an awesome experience! I LOVE the sofa redo. What a great project!
It really was the coolest day. The whole time it felt so casual and relaxed (except for the profuse sweating on my part because it was approaching 100 degrees) which just made it feel CRAZY surreal. I felt like I should have been freaking out more…it’s not like I have photo crews at my house every day :)
So very cool! You look great and I bet your daughter thinks you are the real deal Lady Gaga-ish celeb! I think if I were in this mag I would frame the cover for every room!! Congrats and well deserved!
Laura
House Envy
I think I’m going to have to frame one copy…if only for my office :) And my daughter was super sweet about it and just kind of mesmerized by the whole thing.
congrats! enjoy reading your blog and posts. and u should definitely frame that! :) -katie
Thanks so much, Katie! I think a custom frame job is in my future :)
You are so adorable! Love all of your behind the scenes details, and have been so stinkin’ excited for you! I remember your first IG pic cutting off that brown leather…thinking there’s no turning back now!
Ha – you are so right – that cutting through the leather was the point of no return! So crazy where these hair-brained – or brilliant?! eye of the beholder :) – projects can take us, huh?
How exciting!? congrats friend!! well deserved :) I looked for your issue when I was in CA, but couldn’t find it, looking forward to picking up a copy!
I have a couple if you need one :) And my grandmom has a whole bunch from her bridge friends – love it!
LOOVE IT!! You are so gorgeous. I can’t believe he got that shot in front of a window. If I’d tried to take a photo in front of a window with light shining in, it would’ve looked like… a window… and a silhouette of a couch,
Seriously, the photography wizardry was amazing. They had screens set up outside my house basically on top of a giant hydrangea, and one in the living room, and one on the screened porch all to get the light just right. It was cool to watch…and humbling, because I realized I will never be that good! (or have that much equipment)
You are some AWESOME!!!! Congratulations … and you look so beautiful.
This is the sweetest comment, Nick, thank you!! Did I ever comment on your FB post about your anniversary?? Not sure I did, but I meant to – 25 years?! Amazing. Always have loved you two together :)
Jennifer, what a great opportunity! I am running to the store to buy the October issue so I can read the full article. You look gorgeous. I wish you the best always!
Hi, Joan – so great to see your name pop up here! The whole experience has been beyond thrilling for me and I really loved every second of it. We laughed through most of the shoot – which was a needed distraction since it was nearing 100º and I was in fall clothes :) Hope you’re doing well!
Ok so I have NO IDEA how I managed to miss commenting on this post, but shame on me!! Congratulations sweetie! You look so beautiful!! I still cant believe you took on the project by yourself. You’re a rockstar and this feature is so well deserved. Im so incredibly happy for you:)
Thanks so much for this super sweet note, Shavonda!
Please tell me how you did the re-upholstery. I have a couch I want to do myself and I love the looks of yours and the cost. I have a big leather sofa that is in desperate need of a new look. I appreciate it!
Hi Robin. It’s not, unfortunately, a straight tutorial kind of project since every sofa will be slightly different due to shape and construction. I shared some tips, techniques, and sources that might help here: https://www.thechroniclesofhome.com/2013/04/diy-sofa-reupholstery-sources-and-tips.html Good luck!!
Thank you so much! It will be a challenge since the sofa is leather and many fabrics will slip on it. I’ll look at your ideas and do more research! CONGRATS on being in BHG! Fantastic! I signed up to receive emails from your site. Great blog!
I stripped all the leather off – definitely will make sure you don’t have slippage!