Hello, again.

How a five-year break, motherhood, and a new creative outlet brought me back to writing.

Hello! It’s been a while since I last sat down and wrote a blog post, so I thought it was time to reintroduce myself. For anyone new, I’ll start at the beginning.

After starting my career in the Neiman Marcus Executive Development Program, my husband and I moved to New York in 2010, where I joined the merchandising team at Gilt Groupe. The energy of working at a rapidly growing start-up inspired me to blend my love of fashion with entrepreneurship and launch my blog HOUSE of HARPER as a weekend side project in 2011.

As an early adopter in the blogging sphere, based in the heart of the fashion industry, I benefitted from being in the right place at the right time. HOUSE of HARPER quickly outpaced my earnings from my corporate career, allowing me to pursue blogging full-time in 2013.

What began as a platform to share my personal style while working in the fashion industry in New York City evolved, most notably when I became a mother to our first son, Knox. While fashion remained a popular subject, topics such as family, entertaining, and home decor increasingly took center stage, transforming HOUSE of HARPER into a lifestyle destination. From pregnancy to decorating our first home when we moved back to Texas, I found that the subjects that captivated my attention resonated most deeply with my audience as well. (I like to think we grew up together.)

HOUSE of HARPER became something far beyond what I ever imagined when I typed my very first blog post.

After almost ten years of blogging, the world of social media simply stopped feeling fun for me. The constant shifts of new platforms, new formats, new expectations felt increasingly out of sync with the season of life I was in. What began as a creative outlet had slowly become something I didn’t enjoy, and I found myself craving more privacy and more balance as a “working stay-at-home mom.”

What I thought would be an extended maternity leave in March 2020 turned into a five-year pause, and to my surprise, it felt right. Stepping back allowed me to focus fully on my family, and those years with my three young children were a gift I wouldn’t trade for anything.

This time has been an incredible privilege, allowing me to cherish the little moments, do my best to meet the diverse needs of three kids, attempt to learn a new sport (tennis), launch and host a weekly women’s Bible study to grow in my faith and fellowship, volunteer at the kids’ schools, our church, and various local charities, and support my family and friends in a more meaningful way through life’s challenges and surprises.

During my time away, I found myself drawn to interior design as a way to keep creating, but with more privacy and far less time online. The transition felt natural, since so much of what I loved in fashion and content creation translates beautifully into interiors: creativity, style, functionality, textures, and color.

Keeping my client list small allowed me to take on projects at a comfortable pace while learning new skills. I’ve enjoyed immersing myself in podcasts, online courses, and design books, and it gave me a renewed sense of purpose helping others create beautiful, functional spaces. (I am not currently taking any new clients.)

I look forward to leaning back into my early blogging days by sharing more here on Substack in the upcoming year. This space feels more like the early days of blogging, a place to share more of my journey with you as it evolves, blending the old with the new so I can continue sharing all that inspires me in a fresh yet familiar way.

Some things will feel very similar to what you’re accustomed to from me, but you may notice a few small differences moving forward. I plan to continue with what I love and enjoy sharing, and leave behind the things that prompted me to step away in the first place.

Before stepping back from HOUSE of HARPER, I became increasingly aware of our children’s online presence, especially as Knox started Kindergarten. I realized I wanted them to grow up more offline, and that if I ever returned to sharing, I’d do so with a more intentional and protective approach.

Moving forward, I’m craving fewer curated photoshoots and more honest “brain dumps” about what’s inspiring me as a wife, mom, daughter, and friend. Some days that may be something light, like a beauty treatment I recommend, and other days it might be more personal. I’m also embracing a slower pace likely sharing about once a week once the holiday shopping rush settles. But you can always expect the same openness and the same aesthetic guiding my home and wardrobe recommendations.

That’s it. No fancy photoshoot or splashy announcement, just a soft, simple restart as I find my rhythm again.

Thank you for reading, especially if you’ve made it this far.

Cheers to the next chapter, wherever that takes us!

Caroline