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I Did It: Better Homes and Gardens Feature

I’m over the moon to share some exciting news with you.  First though, it can’t go without saying that I find it truly incredible how one’s life and journey evolves over time.  For me, I have put so much time and effort into my passion for design and inspiration, and I have been incredibly blessed with unimaginable opportunities – opportunities that have exceeded hopes and dreams.  By being open minded (somewhat) and following my destined path, I have been given, rewarded, and I am ever so grateful.

On to my exciting news…  I don’t even know where to begin or how to start, so here I go…  My kids and I are featured in the I Did It section of the Better Homes and Gardens January 2014 issue.  This feature is beyond amazing.   It’s the last page of the magazine, so it’s really just as important as the front page (if you’re a back to front reader like me, ha).

Here it is…

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

Crazy, right?!

How did this happen?

I’m still pinching myself.

About a year ago through a friend/client, I was lucky to meet the incredibly talented Donna Talley, Stylist and Producer for Meredith Corporation (publisher of BHG and many other magazines).  We worked together on a few project submissions and photoshoots (more of which will be coming out in other BHG magazines in 2014), which then led to the submission of my central command center.  After review, the BHG team loved it’s incredible function and ease for any family to implement.  They thought it was perfect for their get organized-theme January issue.

From that point, a date for shooting took place, which was in mid-June, and the rest was history.  O wait…  I failed to mention one important detail.  My kids were also asked to be in the feature with me.  Yikes.  That news alone made the pressure (pressure I put on to myself) for perfection that much more.  Not only did I have to look good, but I had to worry about how my kids would look (not too big of a deal) and how they would act (sometimes a challenge).

And the biggest challenge of all…  WHAT TO WEAR!

In the end, nothing went as planned, yet ALL went incredibly well.  And it was ALL incredibly fun!

So here’s a little insight into the day…

Initial ideas for clothes.  In the end, totally different choices were made.

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

A central command center, of course, needs organization!

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

And there were many options.  Working with Donna, options are everything.  The motto Less is More, is not allowed.

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

It’s all in the details, so my nails were done…

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, www.sasinterior.net

And a few curlers helped my blah hair…

my sweet friends on IG left me some nice comments. xoI Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, www.sasinterior.net

And then I was ready and in front of the camera.

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

Photos were taken.  Outfits were changed. More photos were snapped.  And then the result.  On the back page of BHG magazine.

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM
It surely was a wonderful and eye-opening day.  The amazing Donna Talley vamped up my central command center like no other. It was perfect-i-o-n.  And the talented, John Bessler, photographer extraordinaire, made my kids at ease and as always took beautiful, engaging photos.

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

Since being involved in about 10 other photoshoots with Donna, it still amazes me how much goes into the set up and lighting.  Pictures in magazines look effortless, but there is so much that goes into making them camera-ready.  For my little 30″ command center wall, look at how the room needed to be transformed.

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

To get the light ideally balanced takes an incredible amount of work.  Something that I surely took away from the shoot and try to implement in my own blog photoshoots.

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

And lastly, a few pictures that I took of the central command center once the day was over and everyone was long gone.

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors,WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

These pictures are certainly not like the professional ones.  But they are good enough for me 😉

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

And that’s a wrap.  Phew, I am so glad I could finally share this exciting news with you.  It’s been a long 7 months holding it in!

My take away from this whole experience…  Amazing opportunities and experiences can happen to anyone.  Simply do what you love.  Put in the effort and your reward will come.

I Did It feature in January 2014 issue of Better Homes and Gardens - @Jenna_Burger of SAS Interiors, WWW.JENNABURGER.COM

If you’d like to get your hands on the January issue, it’s on the newsstands now. Not only is my feature fun, but the entire issue is jam-packed with great organization tips.

If you want to see more of the central command center, visit the original post.

Central Command Center_1

I will confess that the command center has been updated since the photoshoot and I’ll be sharing more of that in 2014!

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