Just how can one describe the magic of a shooting star or sunset? Well, let us try.

Thalita came into our lives unexpectedly, but from the moment she walked into Nourish she radiated an authentic kindness and quiet confidence that could not be ignored. She is a woman that knows exactly who she is and instead of shying away she allows herself to shine brightly.

From afar (we lurk her on Instagram – A LOT.  Like A LOT, A LOT) we’ve gotten to know her best as a mama (twin toddler boys! Need we say more?) and a DIYer/Blogger who enlightens her followers that making a home beautifully liveable on a budget is doable. We’re also excited that Thalita has embarked in a new business venture helping clients to create jaw-droopingly beautiful spaces through her interior design business  – Thalita Murray Designs!  Thalita is busy-busy, but every time we see one of her hilarious social media stories, she is glowing.  She loves her life, and it shows.

Thalita tackles daily life with balance, but permits her followers to see her in all her crazy normal realness. From her boys colouring on the wall, to her (at times) messy chaotic kitchen, to her stunning magazine worthy home and upcycled masterpieces, she shows us that being real is important and we can all relate to her.  Her gumption to make authenticity something we should be proud of gives us all hope that we aren’t alone. We honour Thalita for her courage to show her real self and for inspiring us daily that although we all have daily struggles, we should never stop reaching for our dreams.

Thalita recently experienced our champagne and rose pedicure at Nourish Boutique Spa

A little more about Thalita:

Age:  34

Nickname:  “I don’t really have one, but I do get called ‘T’ a lot”

Occupation and Business Name:  Principal Designer at Thalita Murray Design

What’s Your Story?  “Oh jeeze, where to start? Well, I always knew I was meant to do something creative with my life, and when I started Teacher’s College, my dream was to become a High School Art teacher, because what kid doesn’t love art class? At the same time that I started working as a substitute teacher (and loving that job for that season), I started my blog, which quickly went from just random ramblings to documenting the DIY projects I was tackling to turn our house into a home on a VERY tight budget as newlyweds. Three years later, I got pregnant with twins. Timing was perfect – my job was flexible, I got to share my pregnancy with a community I grew to love online, and I “met” loads of twin mamas!

Aftering taking some time away from the blog after my boys were born, I went back to blogging, since I was still on maternity leave. By this point, my blog had become a small source of income for our family, so I knew I didn’t want to ignore it for too long. With a potential “return to work” date looming over my head, I started to look at alternatives. It didn’t make financial sense for us to put two babies in daycare, so it was decided I would stay home with the boys. It’s not lost on me how lucky I was to be able to do that. Right around their first birthday, I decided (with a lot of encouragement from my husband) to sign up for an interior design course. We didn’t take the decision lightly, and this was the igniting moment for me as the potential to become an entrepreneur started to become more and more real.

A year later the course had finished and I was overwhelmed with the task of designing a website, cards, building a portfolio, and starting a business, which I knew nothing about. I’m about 4 months into operating Thalita Murray Design as my main job while still running the blog, which is highly focused on home decor and lifestyle. Most days I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing, and I have lots of “fake it til you make it” moments, and at the same time, I know that my art background and years of writing about home decor serve me very well as I speak to clients”.

What’s your favourite part about what you do? “My favourite part has to be when I get comments like ‘I don’t know how you made it look exactly like what I had pictured in my head, but I love it’. Basically, seeing clients feel like they have a home (or a room in their home) that perfectly suits them and their families.  That’s the best part.”

What’s the best advice someone gave you? “To stay in my lane, and never compare my beginning to someone else’s middle. I think of these things every day as I try to keep my head down and do the things that I know are important to MY business, not someone else’s”

Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?  “Working out of a studio, hopefully in one of Northumberland‘s gorgeous century buildings, with big windows where clients can come to meet me and my team of 5-7 people. I can literally picture it when I close my eyes.”

What’s your favourite dessert?  “Chocolate brownies with chocolate ice cream. Just give me ALL the chocolate!”

What’s your favourite quote? “Of this be sure: You do not find the happy in life…you make it” – Thomas S. Monson

What’s your favourite drink after a long day? “Coffee with lots of cream is my favourite drink any time of the day, or sparking water. Boring, right?”

What ignited you to start your own business / or being an entrepreneur? “I suppose it was ultimately my husband. He’s the one that told me to start a blog, and he’s been the literal wind beneath my wings (so cheesy, I know) through this entire process of actually starting a business, which has been over 5 years in the making. Having someone there to push me when I get lazy/scared and to tell me I’m doing ok when I feel like I’m failing has been 100% necessary in my journey.”

What’s your best advice to women who are considering becoming an entrepreneur? “You will have days when you feel on top of the world. When you cross everything off your to-do list and everyone is happy, and new people want to work with you. You will have times when you keeping adding to the to-do list, and nothing gets crossed off for days, when you’re overwhelmed by the thought of opening another email and you feel like nothing is going right. Hang on to those good days. Write down the good things, the positive comments, and the way you feel on those days. And also, find your tribe. Find other women who get what you do, who you can vent to and support, who can vent to you and support you, who truly believe in community. There are LOTS of them, so find them and hold on tight to those people, because they’re your people.

What’s the best thing about living in Northumberland County?  “The waterfronts. The history. The people. The farms. The gorgeous country drives. I can’t name JUST one”

To learn more about Thalita, please lurk her awesome pages for all things life, DIY and design!

Facebook: @thelearnerobserver

Instagram: @thelearnerobserver

Twitter: @ThalitaMurray

Pinterest: @thelearnerobserver

Blog: The Learner Observer

Website: Thalita Murray Design

Since we have a huge crush on her husband, we thought we’d share a bit about him, too!  

 Instagram: @marquismurray

 Website: Mediacrate

Thalita + Marquis also blog together!  ♥

 Blog:  The Unfit Parent

 Instagram: @theunfitparent