Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Briggs.
Hi Samantha, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi, my name is Samantha Briggs! I am 38 years old; I live in Texas with my sweet bestie Husband, Matt, and our son Ethan. Ethan is my bonus baby and I thank God for him every day!
I expressed myself through painting, drawing, and making things from a young age. My father was an antique collector and lover of things old. I just loved these antiques, and they were like treasures to me because Dad always treated them with care and taught me to do the same. Dad was a painter and restored old cars and fans. I also lived with my grandmother from the age of 9 to 18 and my aunt who lived there was an artist as well. I learned so much from her and she inspired me every day!
As I grew older and wanted to live independently, I began to work several jobs that demanded a lot of time and energy, and my focus was purely on survival. My relationships reflected this and my health as well. I felt the burnout and quite frankly lost. I wasn’t making time for rest and reflection. I didn’t know where I wanted to go in life and what kind of person I wanted to be.
When I began dating Matt in 2016, I was going through a tough time. Matt had been my friend for many years before we dated and he brought on a sense of peace, stability, support, and most of all friendship. This gave me such a wonderful space to slow down, take a step back, and care for myself. My focus shifted from surviving to thriving. I finally had time to sit and think, “What do I want to do with my life?” I wanted to be more intentional about the direction I was going, and I wanted different results, so I knew I had to do something different.
It started with the simple things. Growing my food, designing a loving functional home, and creating ART. I had shifted my focus and my intentions, and I remember thinking, “Wow I haven’t felt like this since high school”. The old me was back. The fun young happy girl on the dance team painting my room crazy and making art to hang up. I knew I was headed in the right direction.
In 2018 began to intentionally create beautiful things such as repainting outdated furniture and customizing home décor. I told myself to just keep creating things and learning EVERY SINGLE DAY. Even if no one sees it. I took a leap of faith and opened an Etsy shop. I started a YouTube Channel and later created my website! I dove deep into self-development, marketing, and learning new techniques for painting.
Once 2020 hit and we were forced to stay in our homes more, my Etsy sales took off. I was laid off from my 9-5 job and it felt so amazing to be able to focus on my life of being an Artist. I fell in love with all the details of packing up my art pieces, writing sweet thank you cards, and ensuring my customers were happy. Matt was helping me ship my pieces and Ethan was always eager to paint next to me and do live videos with me. It felt right.
Fast forward to the present day, my art life has evolved and now includes interior painting, such as Kitchen Cabinets and Bathroom cabinets! I have also done stair rails and built-in cabinets. I treat them as furniture pieces! I create display items for boutique owners and custom projects based on my client’s needs. I’m excited to wake up and work on my projects. I love this journey and all the parts that make up the process. This is the one thing I would do even if no one paid me for it. I DID THAT FOR YEARS.
My main mission is to inspire you daily to create a beautiful reality. It will change your life. I want everyone to see the beauty in small things. Surround yourself with furniture and art that delivers a smile, takes you back in time, brightens your day, and lifts your spirits. Something to make you stop, slow down, and just enjoy.
I believe we are affected by our surroundings. It creates a mood, a vibe, and an overall feeling. The more plants and colors you see, the more grounded and peaceful you feel. We get to create these feelings for ourselves. I encourage you to practice setting yourself up for these sweet moments and watch the magic unfold.
I truly thank you for being here. Thank you for reading this and taking the time to let my words grace your thoughts today.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The most challenging part was realizing what I loved to do was worth doing. I would paint something and if it didn’t sell, quickly I had to tell myself to be patient, the right person would come along. When no one bought anything at the Art Show, I had to remember it was only the beginning, and this was a great experience. I must remind myself, to never quit and always be coachable. Do what you love no matter who sees it. Your community and tribe will find you if you keep showing up and being yourself. Put yourself out there so people can fall in love with your passion and the ones who don’t resonate will fall off. When things feel difficult, I try to learn and educate myself to make them feel easier. It’s always easier once you act. When I feel stuck or in a rut, the best action is any action! I try to focus on creating.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
#2 – My specialty has to be putting an exciting modern spin on antiques. Using bright colors and fun combinations to create something bold artsy and bright. I love to use drippy gold paint as a final touch and I enjoy using colors that light you up, such as bright pinks, bold greens, purples, and blue.
#3 – I am so proud of my fun ideas coming to life and not being afraid to express myself. What sets me apart from others is that my pieces are fun and bold, yet they have a touch of elegance. These pieces are painted with clean lines, and almost always have gold accents. I usually paint the back of items even if you won’t see it as well as inside drawers. I love to have the entire piece painted and decorated so no matter how you turn it or flip it, you will see beauty.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is to slow down and remember each piece will have many layers. It will look crazy before it looks finished. There have been so many times when I think a piece is not coming out well, or I messed it up, and the truth is, those are the best pieces I have created. Many layers and lots of pauses in between make the best projects. When I take time and let myself be in flow, things turn out beautiful. I sometimes want to rush myself and I must remember to let go of that control. This can also be applied to the journey itself. I cannot expect to start a business and BOOM it’s beautiful and perfect. It will look messy along the way, it will have many layers, I have to take it slow, keep going, and let the layers unfold.
Contact Info:
- Website: decoratingtheshack.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshack85
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theshack85
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@decoratingtheshack?si=xyziiHg2N1ZmL9Di
