What’s inspiring YOU this Spring?

I look out at my patio, and it’s so sad. There’s nothing there other than a few empty planters and a set of old, faded chairs, whose matching table was ruined after a big snowstorm two winters ago shattered the glass top. Our over-sized umbrella was destroyed by hurricane-force winds last summer to boot.

This does NOT keep us from entertaining, however! Far from it. We host frequent neighborhood get-togethers, outdoor play dates, and have family over all the time. But it would be SO nice to have a beautiful, inviting outdoor space that I can be proud of!

So… enough is enough! It’s time for me to start taking advantage of those extra hours of daylight and start digging into my to-do list. This is why I’m so excited to be partnering with Lowe’s this Spring for the Lowe’s Designer Challenge…

Lowe’s Spring Designer Challenge

WHAT
To help get our creative juices flowing, Lowe’s has challenged 3 lifestyle experts to share their inspiration for Spring by creating the ultimate outdoor room and hosting a Spring garden party using products from Lowe’s.

WHO
The designers participating in this challenge include:

• Chef Marcela Valladolid
• Designer Elaine Griffin
• Green living expert Danny Seo

WHEN/WHERE
The designers’ outdoor rooms will be revealed at an event in New York City next week.

WHY
Like the name says, this is a challenge. And there will be a winner – the designers are competing on behalf of their favorite charity. Each designer’s charity will receive $25,000 just for being part of the challenge. The designs will then be posted on Lowe’s Facebook page, where Lowe’s more-than-1-million fans will vote for their favorite. The winning designer’s charity will receive an additional $25,000 (for a total of $50,000!!).

What’s MY role in this?
I’ll be covering Chef Marcela Valladolid’s design from the planning stage down to the final vignette here on my blog and via Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

I’ve been a fan of Chef Marcela for years, ever since she was on The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. I remember a task where her team had to create a salad dressing. Being the chef in the group, Marcela put the recipe together herself and then worked her butt off selling it, winning it for the team. She seemed so down-to-earth and fun.

Fast-forward 7 or 8 years… and Marcela has done so much, all while raising her son, Fausto. She’s released two cookbooks – “Fresh Mexico” and “Mexican Made Easy” – and has a wonderful show on Food Network, also called “Mexican Made Easy,” which just entered its 5th season last week. To top it off, Marcela’s releasing a new line of housewares later this year! You can “like” her on Facebook to get a preview of that.

Like me, Marcela is Mexican-American and a mom to a 7-year-old. I feel like I can relate to her! She’s a great inspiration to Latina moms everywhere, showing us just how far hard work and true passion can get you, so I’m looking forward to learning from her and meeting her in person next week. I had the opportunity to chat with Marcela over the phone recently, to learn a little more about her inspiration for this project…

The Colors and Textures of Baja

Marcela was inspired by the variety of colors and textures present in the place where she grew up – the Baja region of Mexico. These are some photos she sent me. Beautiful.

Marcela wants people to know that there is SO much more to Mexican cuisine and culture than what is perceived.She tries to break away from the stereotypes, and is looking forward to showcasing Baja California through her vignette, drawing inspiration from:

• Succulents
• The Mexican flag
• The deserts she sees when driving through Baja
• Warm colors and textures – shades of brown and blue
• Talavera – a type of Mexican pottery

Follow me on Pinterest!

I’ve created a Pinterest board where I’ve been pinning some photos that inspire me, based on Marcela’s inspiration.

WHAT’S NEXT

I’m looking forward to seeing how I can take bits and pieces from Marcela’s vignette and bring it into my own home! In my next post, I’ll share with you what Marcela’s actual shopping experience was like, and will go visit my local Lowe’s store to touch and feel some of the products myself. While your desired theme may be different, with Lowe’s huge variety of products and affordable prices, I hope some of you can benefit from this design series and be inspired to create a wonderful space as well!

YOUR TURN: What’s inspiring you this Spring?

Disclosure: Lowe’s is covering all my travel expenses to facilitate my coverage of the Designer Challenge.