Say Hello

Welcome to The Doer and The Dreamer, I'm so glad you're here. I still have a hard time believing this space even exists. Officially TD&TD started in October 2020 but I think it had been brewing in me for a while before that. While my husband and I have been doing projects since we bought our first house in 2014 there was one DIY that really set this all in motion.

2004 CAMPER RENO - bought fall of 2019 and sold fall of 2020

In 2019 we bought a small camper and I renovated it (mostly) by myself. I was sharing bits of it on Facebook and MarcoPolo with friends. When we sold the camper in late 2020 and it went "viral" on Facebook Marketplace (if that's even a thing, haha) I thought a dedicated space to share my projects would be fun!

At the root of it though, there was a deeper void I was trying to fill when I started TD&TD. I work as a Physician Assistant in Hospital Medicine and Critical Care. Fall of 2020 was a new low and work was truly depressing and overwhelming. Most of my usual outlets like travel, social gatherings or even my kids sporting events were nearly halted and I desperately needed something positive to fill my cup. I had so little control over the outcomes at my job and I needed to see results from something, ANYTHING!

So while I kept taking on DIY projects at home I started sharing them on social media. I dove head first into content creation and learned two entirely new skill sets. Many days just the opportunity to have conversations and thoughts that had nothing to do with the pandemic or my day job was enough to keep my head above water.

Over two years later and I'm still doing both the same PA job and sharing my love for DIY. Despite the healthcare environment the past few years and the real burn out I experienced, I have no intention to abandon practicing medicine. Rather I am leaning into my passion for both.

The name, The Doer and The Dreamer, was born out of my core values. I am an Enneagram 3. I thrive on achievements and success. I find peace in the "doing" and the completion of tasks. I am also most certainly a dreamer. I have dared to set dreams for myself bigger than what most would consider achievable. Applying this concept to the home renovation space seemed like a natural fit.

"The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do." - Sarah Ban Breathnach

I am still renovating our 1997 ranch style house in Michigan. My husband and I do projects together although he doesn't always find the work as relaxing as I do, he's always willing to step in to help and usually clean up after the messes I make. We are raising four sons and spend a lot of our time cheering them at sporting events or spending time with them at home.

My goal as I renovate is to add functional organization and spaces that fit our lifestyle. I'm not formally trained in design and only create spaces for my own home. I'm probably breaking some design "rules" along the way. I truly believe that your surroundings impact your mood and with intentionality you can create a space that lifts you up in any size home and on a budget. Follow along for DIY tutorials on a real life timeline and budget. I'm so glad you're here.

Dream big,

Tara