Celebrate Interview:
Melissa Michaels-The Inspired Room

Tuesday, December 9, 2008, by Leigh Anne & Sherra

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We will be interviewing women who inspire us, encourage us and renew our spirits. Women from diverse backgrounds…women just like you…women very different from you…women who share and teach so we can all learn something new. Their words may be just what you need to read today…

Leigh Anne and Sherra say…

The Inspired Room blog has been inspiring both of us for many months. In fact, Leigh Anne says it was one of the very first blogs she started reading which inspired her to start her own blog. Melissa Michaels is someone we wanted to get to know better and we definitely know you will enjoy meeting her too. (Maybe Leigh Anne will get to meet her in person before she moves away from Portland!) Be sure to visit her site for unique and beautiful ideas that you can easily incorporate to celebrate the simple things this holiday season and every day!

I’ve always been a romantic when it comes to homes and what impact they have on our life. I started an interior decorating business in order to help people find their personal style. I am a big believer in weaving together life and design. I love inspiring women to shape their life first and then have the joy of living a beautiful life be reflected in their homes. As a result of that process, women love their homes and the home becomes a big part of celebrating life every day.

As a way to share more information with clients and potential clients, I began a blog called The Inspired Room a little over a year ago. Much to my surprise, the blog took off with a life of its own and provided me with writing opportunities in online magazines, as a featured writer for a large retail chain and a position overseeing the Home & Garden channel of Blissfully Domestic magazine. I never imagined how the internet would grow and expand my business but I love every minute of it. I meet amazing women every day that inspire me and keep me energized.

I currently live in Portland, Oregon with my husband and three kids, but we are in the process of moving up to Washington to start a church.

First, a few personal fun facts and questions…

Favorite color:

That is a toughie. I love all colors. I guess if I had to choose one, I am most drawn to the color coral, if it is a rich pink orange, not pastel. I often buy tulips that color!

Favorite food you associate with the holidays:

The meal I think about most around the holidays is our traditional Christmas brunch with our kids while we are opening gifts.

Pet Peeve?

Complainers.

What is something that no one knows about you? (that you want to tell the whole internet world)

I never drink the last sip of water from my cup. I’m not sure why.

One word that describes you:

positive

What’s your motto or mantra:

I use this one for my blog “When life inspires our home, our home inspires our life.”

What are the top three things you that are most important to you — the things you love to do and you are passionate about?

Faith & Family are at the top of my list. I suppose my home and how I can share my passion for it with others is in third place.

Word of the Month ~ Celebrate

Give us your definition of celebrate:

Making a lasting memory out of life’s special moments.

What is your favorite memory of a celebration in your childhood?

I remember my mom using our “You are Special Today” plate. I also remember birthday parties! They were almost always at home and simple, but just as fun (or even more fun) as the lavish things kids expect today on their birthdays! I also remember my dad making a big deal out of Christmas morning. He’d have the fireplace lit and Christmas music on when my sister and I woke up that morning. It was his way of making the day memorable.

What is your favorite holiday to celebrate?

I love Christmas.

How do you celebrate throughout the year, not just at the holidays?

I love celebrating in little ways more than I enjoy the big events. I love spontaneously taking my son to get ice cream when he has something to celebrate, or leaving little notes in a lunchbox telling the kids how proud I am of them.

Do you have any unique celebrations that have become traditions within your family?

We have a unique way of ushering in Christmas. It has turned into a silly tradition that has been going on now for nearly 20 years now. In Portland we have an old sign on a building that has a lighted deer on it. In December, they put a red light on his nose. Every December when we drive by that sign, we turn it into a big party in the car! We sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer at the top of our lungs, and (this is a bit embarrassing to admit) we talk to him as though he can hear us and he talks back to us. I would do Rudolph’s voice and try to cover my mouth so the kids couldn’t see me talking. When the kids were little they LOVED talking to Rudolph and believed he could really hear them. It was adorable to listen to. As they got older, they started to realize it might just be all in fun but they would play along just in case. Then eventually of course they knew we couldn’t talk to Rudolph, but we keep it up because it became a tradition.

What’s your best tip for a new wife or mom on how they can create a new celebration tradition for their young family?

My suggestion is to start something manageable as a young family that doesn’t involve a ton of time or money. I’ve started a few traditions that I couldn’t keep up due to busyness or finances certain years. Breaking a tradition is hard, so it is better to start small and be consistent. Think about little moments in life that might be fun to celebrate. Children losing teeth could spark a celebration, the Friday night before school starts up could be a special family night. My middle daughter enjoyed celebrating her half birthday at school. We would bring cupcakes to her classroom and sing “Halfy birthday to you.”

How do you find reasons to celebrate the “little things” in spite of the stresses of every day life?

I think these days we all feel overextended. And sometimes we don’t celebrate life because we think that requires us to take on more than we need to or go beyond what is really necessary. Because of the stresses in life we need to make more of the little everyday things. My husband and I decided early on in our family that enjoying every day life was more of a priority to us than big vacations, big events, holidays or elaborate celebrations. We lowered our expectations away from those big events and placed the focus on little things we could enjoy more spontaneously and regularly. Big events require more money, more effort and more stress. We make the small moments reason enough to celebrate and enjoy those moments far more than the ones we might get stressed out over.

Can you offer some suggestions on great ways to celebrate on a limited budget?

I think if you tie together simple elements like drinking hot chocolate with mini-marshmallows and watching Charlie Brown Christmas, for instance, you create a special holiday memory for pennies. I think the best traditions and celebrations are very low budget and involve just spending time together. Those are the times the kids remember the most. Setting a special dinner table to honor a family member or having them wear a crown for the night can celebrate someone’s achievement. Decorate a large poster board to praise a child or highlight a special celebration. We have a chalkboard in our kitchen where we can add to the feeling of celebration by writing a greeting that changes with the events in our life. Celebrations don’t have to cost money, you just have to leave a lasting impression by making the day seem special in little ways.

Share with us some ways you give your celebrations that added “signature” touch?

In our family, setting the table ahead of time is a big part of our “signature” touch. We feel like if the table is all set and pretty, we are ready for a celebration. We usually use a lot of candles, either lining walk ways to the door or on tables in the house to set the stage for all of our events. I think a lot of people would associate our family celebrations in life with candles!

Share a life lesson learned about celebrating, something, perhaps that you know now that you didn’t know when you were 18?

Life is short, don’t wait for the big events to fully live your life! Every day has something worth celebrating.