"Make Yourself at Home" Backstory

On March 25, I'm dropping apparel! To read more about how that oriented, check out my last post. But since you're here, I'm gonna assume you came to hear the backstory on "make yourself at home." It's a bit of a duel meaning. Without further ado...

make yourself at home

I believe in hospitality. As an interior designer, that is a huge purpose behind what I do--I want to turn houses into homes by designing with what resonates with my clients. But I also want to foster hospitality. Not that we need perfect homes for that, but a space we love can encourage it.

There is a loneliness epidemic on college campuses. This article shook me. The study shows that over 50% of Yale's undergrad students use the mental health services. I recently got an email from Purdue's Dean of Students that from 2016-2019, only three years, there was a 20% increase in use of our student mental health services (CAPS). People are lonely, anxious, depressed, and hurting. This breaks my heart. And it's a problem undoubtedly linked to the rise of social media and decrease of socialization.

In a world that's starving for genuine interaction, there is something really special about inviting people in to your home. To your daily routine. I want both my home (house, apartment, dorm, whatever it is) and my life to be an open invite that welcomes people in. Cheesy as it may sound, I want to be a safe space where people don't have to crop, filter, and edit their lives, but they can know I'm there for the tough stuff too. College can be a weird time and I think there is a sense that we have to "prove our independence" and be "thriving" at all times. That's just not real life. As my mom says, life is kind of like train tracks where one rail is the good stuff and one rail is the bad stuff and usually they coexist. Being a fairly optimistic person, I believe it serves us all well to spend our energy focusing on the good rather than the bad; but also being someone who's been through some really challenging times, I don't want to downplay what other people are going through.

And the fact of the matter is this...meaningful conversations don't come up in small talk about the weather and homework between classes. They happen in the quietness of a home or over a cup of coffee. Often it takes a little intentionality.

Hospitality builds bridges. This has been true countless times in my life. I cannot tell you how much it means to me when someone invites me to their home. And even more now that I am in college! Some of the most influential people in my life have shown me their love through hospitality...dinner, game nights, bible study, you name it. It matters. Experiences have a way of bonding people! And I always leave knowing people so much better...think about it: pictures of family and friends, favorite games and movies, quotes and sticky notes with little reminders, and even decor style (#interiordesignerprobs) tell us so much about each other just by stepping into their home!

I understand this shirt can't be hospitable for us. But I love that it's a reminder to us while sending a welcoming message to others. And honestly, the best cure for loneliness just might be working to make others feel welcome and realizing a lot of the time people are waiting for you to make the first move.

It's a multifaceted message for sure, but this is for anyone who resonates with any of these messages! Might be...

• Interior designers making houses into homes. This is meaningful work.

• Anyone concerned by the statistics mentioned in this article & who wants to make a step toward change. This is not just for college students! It's all around us among every age group. Might be in the form of a widow, 2nd grader whose parents are too busy for them, or the middle aged married couple who don't feel like they have friends.

• Christians, this is part of our calling :) Romans 12:9-13 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

I hope you'll join me to WEAR & DECLARE this message. If this is something you believe in and want to spread awareness toward, the first campaign runs from March 25-April 15 through this awesome platform called Bonfire. Whether you're able to purchase or not, you may not realize what a large impact a quick share on social media can do! I am a very small business and young entrepreneur, so support like that would mean the world! I'll be posting updates on social media so follow along there & subscribe to be notified when the apparel drops & keep up with monthly blog posts.

T-shirts, Comfort Colors & Classic Long Sleeves, and Crewnecks offered in many colors. Check them out!

Don't forget to check out the backstory on John 3:30 design & how this idea started here.

make yourself at home,

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I am on a mission to create content that generates meaningful conversation. WEAR & DECLARE. Not only is each product a quality design I want to wear myself, but each one is intentionally crafted with a purposeful message. As an interior designer, I believe I was designed to design and want to share the creativity of the Creator with the world. Further, as a Christian student on a secular campus, I am excited to see the gospel spread! Please join me in this journey!

John 3:30—He must increase but I must decrease. This is the heart of the result of the gospel. We become ambassadors for Christ.

Make yourself at home—In a world that's starving for personal interaction, I want both my home and my life to be an open invite that welcomes others in.

Sales are open! Check it out