Coffee with Sarah of A Beautiful Build

Here we are again with a sweet friend that is a true creative. When I first met Sarah back when she was in high school, I knew she was a creative. It is in every fiber of her being. She has a new venture and I thought I would introduce you to her. You will fall in love with her just like I love her!

If we were sitting down at your favorite coffee shop enjoying your favorite drink…where would we be and what would you be having?

My favorite place to sit and chat over some coffee is absolutely the Hyppo Cafe in St. Augustine. My parents think its weird that I will go out of my way to go there when I go up to visit, but its adorable, calming and I love their wooden tables and chairs. As for a drink, I think I have the soul of an 1900 victorian lady. I prefer an earl grey tea with a tad bit of milk and sugar, especially on a chilly day while wearing a sweater.

This is an exciting time in your life! Can you share what’s going in your world?

I don’t know how I got into this whirlwind of time. A couple years ago, I turned 22, and when my sister was my age, she had graduated college with a nursing degree, gotten married and then pregnant. I laughed thinking I wouldn’t have anywhere near that many accomplishments. Here I am however, at 25, graduated with a degree in stage management, engaged to an amazing follower of christ and working full time in a job I love. What happened to the child three years ago compared to the adult I feel like now?

Why DIY? What got you started and what fuels your passion?

I work with my hands and build stages and work with special effects at my job. I get to see so many props and scenery which added to my inspiration to start a DIY blog. When I was younger, my dad taught me how to use some power tools, and then let me put together furniture from Ikea. Meanwhile my mom taught me how to sew and use a sewing machine, and my sister taught me scrapbooking. Between my three influences, I must have been groomed to be a crafter. I took the inspiration with me to college and began in theatre classes. I learned how to design and draft out my own ideas, sew more difficult things and find new ways to create props. Do it yourself (DIY) projects always appealed to me because that is exactly what I had to do in school. If a show needed a coat hanger but it had to look like the 1800’s, then I had to figure out a cheap way to buy or build it. Now that I have done multiple building and creating projects, I know the cost of items, and I see that sometimes it is easier to buy things. When you create something however, there is this feeling inside you of accomplishment, of knowing you had your hands on every aspect of that item, that it turned out beautiful and you made it so. I have so many friends who love what i do but feel like they are not creative at all, or can’t afford to create these super fancy things.
I created my blog www.abeautifulbuild.wordpress.com as a blog for creative and non creatives alike, to give projects that anyone can do without costing a fortune. I want to give people a realistic idea of what a project costs before they go into it themselves. There are so many time I encountered a pause in a project because I had to make a run to home depot for 1 item and then I go back 2 more times that day.
One of the blogs I like to look at is www.jeffbranch.wordpress.com
I not only love the bookshelves and benches, but the beautiful fluidity of the cut pieces themselves. I want to create a blog that inspires people to push their creative limits.
Katie Shelton is a writer for the blog http://www.abeautifulmess.com
and her hair tutorials, sewing projects and home decor ideas are so lovely and adorable. I want people to feel that way when they see something they can create from my blog.What are some goals you have for 2016 w your blog and creative side? My goal for this next year is to have a new project at least once a month, if not more. I already have a giant project in mind that might take some time.

Who is your favorite Disney character?

As for my Favorite disney character, I am incredibly obsessed with frozen, however, I still think my favorite character is Merida, the princess from brave. She is stubborn but fearless, knows how to make her own way and has awesome red curly hair that makes me think of my best friend. Also I think Scotland is beautiful.

What part, if any, does your belief in God play in your role as a creative?

My biggest inspiration of them all however is in fact Proverbs 31. I had always heard of “A Wife of Noble Character” But had never really looked at it. Int he past couple months, i have been studying this chapter much more closely. This chapter encourages me daily to do what God gave me gifts for. I do not want to eat the bread of idleness, but I want to set about my work vigorously and have my arms strong for the task. I read each verse and apply it to each day. In my description of my blog, the last sentence says this:
“So get ready to work with eager hands, grasp the spindle and pray you are ready to make A Beautiful Build.”
Prov 31:13 “She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands”
Prov 31: 19 “In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers”
That is the woman I want to be, the woman who works with eager hands and grasps the spindle ready to work.

And just because I can, I’m throwing in an old school photo from my first trip with Sarah.