The Cycle of Fear & Entrepreneurship with Amber Kemp-Gerstel

I’ve never been one to give up. I’m a hustler. A grinder. When it’s time to work hard, I work hard. When it’s time to dive deep, I dive deep. And when faced with an entire pepperoni pizza, I truly believe in my unwavering ability to finish that thing off… crust included.

Nested firmly within that “don’t quit” attitude is a persistent need to nurse my tendency for worry and anxiety. Simply put: fear.

As a blogger, influencer, entrepreneur, maker, crafter, editor (I’m never truly sure what to call myself) – there have been more than enough opportunities for fear to stake its claim on my productivity.

Fear has worn many ugly hats in my journey – and I’m willing to bet a slice of that pepperoni pizza that you can relate to one or more of my experiences as a fearful entrepreneur, or as was the case in 2016: a fearful “would-be-entrepreneur.” —Amber Kemp-Gerstel

No longer afraid to take the leap – hell, that part was done – I now feared the likelihood of success.

Fear: The Mud Around Your Ankles

In 2016, I was working as a child psychologist at the University of Miami. I had my Ph.D. in clinical pediatric psychology and was tasked with providing therapy services to children and families dealing with chronic illness. I was also responsible for conducting research in my field, in hopes of increasing my roster of publications in academic journals. I was making $65,000 a year, working a fairly regular 9-5 schedule and had incredibly good medical and dental coverage. By most standards, it was an ideal career – but, truth be told, I did not enjoy it one iota.

I wasn’t passionate about it, but I stayed out of fear… fear that my side hustle as a blogger could never be a sustainable career choice. After all, “People don’t make DIY projects for a living” – that’s a direct quote from my dear friend “Fear.” Funny how “Fear” and my mother had eerily similar opinions about my career path. Fear also regularly reminded me “This is what you went to school for!” and “You’ll never earn the respect of others as a ‘blogger.’” Fear is one opinionated son of a biscuit. So, with fear as my trusty sidekick, I stayed right where I was: in a secure job, with a secure insurance plan… but a job that left me hungry for more. Fear has a way of consuming your mobility like mud around your ankles. It will keep you in one spot – feeling doubtful rather than hopeful.

Fear: Success Out of Reach

Eventually, even fear could not keep me in my job as a psychologist. I’d like to say that sheer girl power, ambition and chutzpah spurred my leap from psychology into blogging. But honestly, it was exhaustion. After a year of feeling overwhelmed, something had to give, and with the support of my family I left. Just like every sitcom episode you’ve ever seen, I packed up my therapy office in a Banker’s Box filled with files, pens, the requisite desk plant… and of course, a good bit of fear. No longer afraid to take the leap – hell, that part was done – I now feared the likelihood of success. “Is this sustainable?” “Are you talented enough for this?” “You know, running a business is really hard!” Once again, fear hit me with the realness. Fear asked all the hard questions.

Fear is the best friend I never wanted – but the one I’ve desperately needed.

Fear of Being Successful

After years of growing my blog Damask Love, I feel confident saying I’ve found success. As the creator and crafter behind Damask Love, I’ve appeared on national and local television, I’ve secured big brand partnerships, and maybe, most importantly, I earn a good living; more than I did as a psychologist — and wouldn’t you know it, medical insurance, too!

Surely, these are not the only measures of success. I am also happier, physically and mentally healthier, more satisfied and content and find more purpose in my career than I ever did before.

Never being one to live a completely worry-free life, though, fear continues to wrestle its way into my entrepreneurship journey. These days I have a very real worry about finding too much success, and before you finish that eye roll, hear me out.

Image above: Halloween tag printables from Amber’s blog, Damask Love

I know that if I invest even more of myself into my business and my career, the outcome will be successful. I know that by waking up earlier, diving even deeper, dedicating even more of myself to strategizing and learning, I know that the result will be a better, more robust Damask Love. This is a far cry from that 2016 fear of leaving my job. Or that fear of finding success. Today’s fear is very different. Fear taunts me with the unknown of success, thus leaving me to literally stifle my own progress for fear that the resulting success will require more of me than I am willing to give.

Fear is the best friend I never wanted – but the one I’ve desperately needed. Fear has been there through each part of my journey and I’ve become somewhat comfortable with her companionship. Fear has asked the hard questions that I needed to answer. Fear has challenged me to rise up or back out. Unlike some perspectives that will encourage you to fight back or ignore fear, I’d encourage you to walk with her. Approach her. Listen to her. Then respond. Always respond.

In my journey, fear has consistently guided me toward paths of difficulty and discomfort – the same paths where I also found my passion and purpose.

I know I’m not alone in this — What are your fears in work and life and how do you push past them?

Image above: A modern Halloween decor project from Amber’s blog, Damask Love.

from Design*Sponge https://www.designsponge.com/2018/10/the-cycle-of-fear-entrepreneurship-with-amber-kemp-gerstel.html

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/179621184714

Warby Parker Invited 8 Designers to Reimagine the Handheld Mirror

If you’ve ever shopped for eyeglasses you’re probably familiar with the mirrors scattered throughout the shop that are there for you to get a better view of yourself trying on frames. The same can be said for Warby Parker and their retail locations that are stocked with ping-pong paddle like mirrors for their customers to use. After years of using the same handheld mirrors, they decided to invite eight designers from Los Angeles and New York City to reimagine this ubiquitous item with the only rule being that it had to remain functional. With that info in hand, the designers each came up with two original designs for Mirror Mirror that have landed in the company’s Greene St. NYC store and their Abbot Kinney LA store for display until November 11th. During this time, people can bid on the mirrors in a Paddle8 auction where proceeds will be donated to Free Arts, an organization that empowers underserved youth through arts and mentoring programs.

Egg Collective \\ New York City \\ polished stainless steel

Chen Chen & Kai Williams \\ New York City \\ UV bonded clear glass, cement

Brendan Ravenhill \\ Los Angeles \\ aluminum, brass

Fredericks & Mae \\ New York City \\ cork wood, cord, glass

Tom Fruin \\ New York City \\ Plexiglass, glass, metal

Eric Trine \\ Los Angeles \\ steel leather

LAUN \\ Los Angeles \\ cast aluminum

from Design MilkDesign Milk https://design-milk.com/warby-parker-invited-8-designers-to-reimagine-the-handheld-mirror/

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/179621157564

GANDIABLASCO Adds the Warm DNA TEAK Line to Their Collection of Outdoor Furnishings

GANDIABLASCO continues to add to their roster of covetable outdoor furnishings collections with their latest designed by José A. Gandía-Blasco Canales. With the DNA TEAK collection, a warmer aesthetic arises with the combination of teak timber slats framed in aluminum profiles. The darker tone of the wood creates a dramatic play of light and shadows that references their inspiration of Mediterranean window shutters.

Besides its beautiful rich coloring, teak makes for a practical material for outdoor furniture as it’s durable and will age well over time. The juxtaposition of the chestnut colored slats and the white or black anodized aluminum frames seen in the images creates an elegant look that’s perfect for anything from smaller patios to larger contract situations. Along with the white and black options, the DNA TEAK collection is available in anodized, sand, bronze, anthracite, agate grey, concrete grey, cement grey, olive green, blue grey, grey blue, red orange, and orange brown.

from Design MilkDesign Milk https://design-milk.com/gandiablasco-adds-the-warm-dna-teak-line-to-their-collection-of-outdoor-furnishings/

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/179619969754

7 Celebrity Haunted Mansions Where It Feels Like Halloween Every Day

Celebrities are just like us, except they have more money, more fame and bigger haunted houses. Just in time for Halloween, we present you with seven celebrity haunted mansions that vary from unsettling to downright horrifying. At these houses, Halloween is an everyday event.

1. Amy Winehouse’s Camden Flat In London

Amy Winehouse’s haunted flat. Image: House Network

Amy moved out of her house because she was scared to death of a little boy that haunted her. In an interview, Amy said that the ghost, named Henry, would scratch her. The night before her death, several witnesses heard screams, drums and animal howls coming from her flat. Since her death, her parents have listed her home.

2. The Benedict Canyon House Where Sharon Tate Was Murdered

The home where Sharon Tate was murdered by Charles Manson’s followers had a long, disturbing history. Image: Pinterest

We all know the horrific story of how Roman Polanski’s pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered by Charles Manson and his followers while at a party in this home. But this house was disturbing long before this event. It was originally owned in the 1920s by an MGM producer, Paul Bern, who gifted it to his wife, actress Jean Harlow, when they married.

Jean was so disturbed by the home she begged Paul to sell it. He unfortunately shot himself in the home four months later. According to House Crazy, Harlow moved out after her husband’s death but later died, at just 26 years old, from kidney disease.

In the years that followed (and before the horrible Manson massacre), two other people committed suicide in the house and one person drowned in the pool. Several sightings of male ghosts were reported throughout the years, including Paul Bern’s.

3. The New York City Apartment Building Where John Lennon Was Shot And Rosemary’s Baby Was Filmed

The building is surrounded by large, modern high rises and looks rather ominous. Image: NY Post

John Lennon and Yoko Ono lived at the exclusive Dakota on the Upper West Side when he was shot to death outside his door. According to the NY Post, Yoko Ono saw his ghost sitting at his white piano years after his death. She claims John turned to her and said, “Don’t be afraid. I am still with you.”

But it’s not just Lennon’s ghost that haunts the building. Lennon himself claimed there was a “crying lady ghost” wandering the halls. Other residents claim there’s a little girl that roams around.

The Dakota’s original owner had an interest in the paranormal and would often hold seances in the building, perhaps ushering in an array of ghosts that have moved in with the living.

4. Nicolas Cage’s Serial Killer Mansion in New Orleans

The LaLaurie mansion, where slaves were often abused and murdered by Madame LaLaurie. Image: Wikimedia

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Nicholas Cage said, “I once lived in the most haunted house in America. The LaLaurie Mansion in New Orleans used to belong to Madame LaLaurie, a well-known 19th-century socialite and serial killer. I bought it in 2007, figuring it would be a good place in which to write the great American horror novel. I didn’t get too far with the novel.”

Nick sold the mansion less than two years later. Passersby still report hearing screams coming from the house.

5. Jayne Mansfield’s “Pink Palace” In Beverly Hills

Jayne in her pink shag bathroom. Every room, as well as the exterior, was pink. Image: Curbed LA

According to American Hauntings, Jayne Mansfield was cursed. She died in a horrible car accident where reports say she was decapitated. Soon after her death, endless tragic incidents occurred in her beloved Pink Palace:

• Ringo Starr had the home painted white when he moved in but claimed that the pink shade would seep through the new paint.
• Jayne’s friends refused to go back in the house because they felt like they were being watched.
• The son of the next owner of the Pink Palace found Jayne’s pink Honda and took it for a drive. He was killed in an accident the moment he exited the estate. His family moved out the same day.

The house was demolished in 2002.

6. Adele’s Haunted English Mansion

Adele refused to stay a single night alone in her sprawling mansion. Image: Daily Mail

Adele was so creeped out by the noises in her former rental that she hired a female bodyguard to stay with her. She vowed to never spend a night alone in the house and eventually moved out.

In an interview with Anderson Cooper for 60 Minutes, she said, “This bit is quite scary, really,” as they walked through a dark hall.  The 25-acre West Sussex property was a convent before, complete with a chapel.

7. Marylin Monroe Is Still Busy Making Appearances

The home where Marylin Monroe lived and died. Eyewitnesses claim she still makes appearances. Image: Variety

According to several eyewitnesses, Marylin Monroe seems to be busy haunting places. She’s regularly seen in her former home where she died, and in the Roosevelt Hotel.

The Roosevelt Hotel was where she was staying in Hollywood when her modeling career took off. There have been sightings of her in her old suite 1200, her favorite Cabana Room Suite #246 overlooking the pool and in mirrors around the hotel.

The post 7 Celebrity Haunted Mansions Where It Feels Like Halloween Every Day appeared first on Freshome.com.

from Freshome.com - Interior Design & Architecture Magazine https://freshome.com/celebrity-haunted-mansions/

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/179617443359

An Igloo-Inspired Vancouver Apartment with a Hidden Loft by Falken Reynolds

You wouldn’t typically think an igloo would be the inspiration for a residential design but that’s the case for the latest project from Falken Reynolds. Located in the historic Gastown neighborhood in Vancouver, this loft settles in at just under 600-square-feet with a design that looked to the compressed living spaces found in Canadian igloos. In order to incorporate lots of storage in the compact apartment, they referenced the tightened entryway of the igloo and created a central corridor that separates the main living space from the entry, bathroom, and office area.

The main living space feels light and bright despite its compact size. White walls and two large windows help bounce light around the interior making it feel open.

The storage structure contains two five-foot closets, laundry, a drying closet, fridge, and pantries, in addition to a hidden staircase that leads to the loft bedroom.

The cabinetry was kept fairly minimal with hidden pulls and matte doors in a shade of blue. With so much storage relegated to the central white unite, the only upper cabinet needed was above the stove to house the vent.

A Bocci 28.7 fixture hangs above the dining table that seats eight people comfortably.

from Design MilkDesign Milk https://design-milk.com/an-igloo-inspired-vancouver-apartment-with-a-hidden-loft-by-falken-reynolds/

from Home Improvment http://notelocreesnitu.tumblr.com/post/179592245959