After graduating from business college with degrees in Marketing and Management, as well as an MBA in General Business, I became a girl of the corporate world. I was never truly happy, however, and felt it was not the right fit for me. A blessing in disguise, I began to have crippling panic and anxiety which forced me to leave that world. With the support of my amazing husband, I took care of myself and slowly got my feet back on the ground with my own dog walking business (of course named after my big man, "Hurley's Helper, Doggie Walking & Daycare.") I am an animal lover ~ DON'T TRUST A PERSON WHO DOESN'T LOVE DOGS! I loved what I did but after becoming pregnant with our son we agreed it was in our best interest for me to stay home as a full-time Mom. I now enjoy days caring for, laughing with, and loving our son, Bentley, our daughter, Gracie, & our Olde English Bulldogge, Hurley, whom we sadly just lost to lymphoma after a 13-month battle.
I have always been a creative person. My Dad and I would draw when I was a kid ~ I was always entering local art contests and taking art lessons; my Mom and Dad used to hand-make beautiful wood furniture; my Papa was a pattern maker; my Gram was a teacher and we did all kinds of art projects together; and my in-laws are incredibly talented artists and interior designers. Although I truly believe creativity is in my blood, my passion has grown tremendously over the last several years. I love all things creative, particularly interior design and decor. I guess you could say I like to make things "pretty" ~ home decor & accessorizing, refinishing furniture, flower arranging, decorating/hosting parties, almost anything I can get my hands on to give me that FIX. I love a great "crafting" session. Over the last few years I have also developed an interest in thrifting & antiquing, i.e. treasure hunting for vintage goodies. I have also taken an interest in refinishing furniture.
My husband is a talented electrician and "handyman" ~ we have spent the last eight years renovating our first home together. I have no professional experience, but I simply LOVE decorating our home. Pinterest has been one of the greatest gifts for someone like me! We are now in the process of designing and building our dream home together, our forever home, the ultimate Casa de Strazz ~ ETA September, 2014.
Over the last 13 months we have endured a roller-coaster journey with our beloved bulldog, our "first born," Hurley, after his terminal lymphoma diagnosis on May 1, 2013. I never could have imagined when we brought him home in 2008 what a magical, inspirational, smelly ball of unconditional love he could actually be. My relationship with my "big man" as I often call him, and our long, difficult journey in his cancer battle has changed my life in ways I never could have imagined. He will always be my heart and I am eternally grateful for the love, devotion, and life lessons we shared. There IS truly a silver lining in EVERYTHING. Our journey together has brought us life-changing opportunities, opened doors to help others, and allowed me to meet wonderful friends all over the world (two-legged and four-legged!)
I developed this blog partly as a way to keep our family updated on the life of our little ones, to document my creative endeavors, to share Hurley's journey, and to just chat about life...
Erin, E, Forever Hurley's Mama
