Hey there, can you introduce yourself?

Hey there! My name is Moorea Seal and I own a company with the same name :) I have an online retail site mooreaseal.com where we feature over 160 designers who are either handmade makers or focus in sustainable fashion/ethical sourcing. We donate 7% of all proceeds to non-profits. I also own a storefront in downtown Seattle, WA! It's a beautiful new space that we just finished building out less than a month ago! I have also been a jewelry designer for 8 years now! And my favorite thing of all, I am an author. I published The 52 Lists Project just 2 years ago and it’s gone on to be featured on Oprah and is currently being translated into 9 different languages! My second book 52 Lists for Happiness came out a year ago and has been been just as successful. And my new book Make Yourself at Home just came out in September!
I deeply believe in empowering others through all that I do and my books are a huge part of that mission. In my latest book, I encourage readers to contemplate what it is that they truly desire within themselves to feel well and joyful, and through that self exploration, translate that vision in a home decor vision. If you can't feel at home in your space, it's hard to feel at home in yourself. And I want my new book to be your best friend in discovering just what you need to feel fully you in your home.

Tell us a bit about the book?

Make Yourself at Home is packed full of goodies:
The book is broken up into 6 sections focused on spaces within your home: Living Room, Kitchen, Dining Room, Bedroom, Office and Nature. Within each chapter, there is a personal essay and tour of my home where I share my insights and to what inspired the mood, needs and design of each of my spaces. Whether it's intension setting of community and celebration in the living room or intimacy and privacy in the bedroom, each essay shares how important it is to first set a purpose for your space before jumping into the fun stuff, the decorating!
In each chapter, you'll also find DIYs that are affordable and easy for anyone to create without losing lots of style and customization options! As always, I encourage lots of self reflection within each chapter with some special questions to get you dreaming about your spaces.
Lastly, there's an interview and home tour with a creative woman in each section that to me, is the cherry on top of a unique home decor book that is all about the heart and story telling behind interior design.

What was the inspiration behind it?

Being someone who is passionate about mental health, and recognizing that in my many years of moving from apartment to apartment, house to house, my personal mental health stability can so easily be dictated by the state of the spaces I live in which I think anyone who has moved a lot can relate to! I wanted to write a new take on home decorating from the perspective of your own personal wellness and the value of stories and sentiment in the objects that you cherish in your home. Invest in yourself by investing in your space!

Which is your favourite project?

My favorite project is the copper pipe blanket ladder. My dog managed to chew holes in two of my most cherished family Native American rugs and I didn't want to let them go. So I built the blanket ladder to be able to display the rugs I could no longer lay on the floor and to store blankets!

What is your craft space like?

I actually don't have a devoted crafting and writing space which is probably pretty surprising for an author of 3 books! I prefer a lot of variety in my environments and get a lot of inspiration from writing and crafting in a variety of locations. I prefer to sit on my sofa to write, or I'll write at my office or a coffeeshop. If I get tired on one location, I'll just move on to the next!

Have you always been creative?

Most definitely. My dream job as a child was to own and orphanage so I could save every kid in the world who didn't have a loving home (my mama was an orphan.) I'd spend hours upon hours filling up pages in my drawing books of how I wanted to layout my orphanage, how I would decorate each child's little bedroom with special things that made them feel loved and unique. I'd draw big playrooms, computer rooms, dining rooms, all the special details of my big dream community. I've always been a big dreamer, a person who values stories and communities, and I love designing, drawing, and writing as creative outlets to fulfill my dreams.

When did you first start crafting?

I was very lucky to have very artistic parents who could make things feel special on a dime. One of the things that blew me away that my mom helped me make as a child was a camping tent for my barbie made out of straws and a plastic shopping bag. It sounds silly but her craftsmanship was amazing even when she would make things out of random household supplies. She was a Journalism major with a minor in Art and I very much got my creative and resourceful spirit from her along with my passions for writing and making art.

Who are your crafty heroes?

JK Rowling will forever be my biggest author hero, not just because of the magical world of Harry Potter that she was able to create from her own imagination, but also the way that she channels her passion for supporting and giving to others through her philanthropy. Her organization Lumos https://www.wearelumos.org/ couldn't be more on point with what I have always been passionate about since I was a child, giving children safe and healthy homes.

Where do you find inspiration?

Inspiration for me comes for me through my communities (almost all of my best friends are writers of some kind, storytellers and creative spirits) and through my very introspective nature. I am a firm believer in therapy, mental health, and personal wellness. And through much of my self analyzation and philosophical wanderings, I gain so much inspiration for ways in which I want to give others the courage to create, the freedom to be more vulnerable, and the inspiration for self expression.

What's next for you?

I'm writing a new book for my 52 Lists journal series! I can't wait to share much more very soon. But for now I can tell you that it is all about community :) There's so much negativity in the world right now and I want to write something that gives people comfort and brings them together.

From the author of the hit journals The 52 Lists Project and 52 Lists for Happiness, comes a home design book that helps you discover how to style your home for a deeper sense of comfort.   Part self-help, part memoir, part décor inspiration, fans of Moorea Seal will love this book for its warm voice and candid exploration of what it means to create a comfortable home. Organized room by room, each chapter delves into what each room represents in our lives, and how we can feel at home in our spaces and at home in ourselves.   What you won’t find? Strict design solutions. This isn’t about a prescribed style. Instead, Make Yourself at Home will help you find which expression feels most authentic to you through color palates, interior design modes, conversation prompts, essays, approachable DIY projects and more. You don't have to have the perfect life or perfect home in order to infuse your space with your signature spark and feel relaxed in your space.   Each chapter includes: ·      A personal essay from online curator and style maven Moorea Seal. ·      Exclusive looks into her home and office spaces with tips for inspired, mindful living. ·      Two on-trend, beginner-friendly DIY projects to personalize and decorate your home on a budget. ·     Intimate looks into the homes and inspiring lives of a diverse set of creative women, with their best tips and tricks for comfortable, imaginative decor.