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Well Hello There My Allured Loves!! 

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I'm so excited to get back to you all and share the latest news of what's been going on in my world since we last spoke in newsletter form.

Ya girl has been BUSY, BUSY, and MORE BUSY per the usual!!

But busy can be a good thing and I've been blessed to have all kinds of great things I've been busy with.

I knew the Summer for me would be filled with one creative project after another, so it was imperative that a two week vacation to the Mediterranean (my absolute favorite travel destination) would be experienced to allow both my mind and body some time to just indulge and be care-free.

In addition, travel oftentimes inspires creativity and for me that was very important to have a wealth of inspiration I could tap into for all of the projects I'd be executing upon my return back to the United States.

After I returned home from the most amazing vacation in Italy this past Spring, I jumped right into working with JCPenney on their Distant Lands Summer Campaign. That entire campaign was ALL about the inspiration of bringing travel into our homes by creating summer retreats inspired by  the distant lands one either travels to or dream of traveling to one day.

 Considering I'd just returned home from Europe, it was the perfect Summer campaign to get involved into. In the event that you missed it, you can click on the links below to see my blogpost and the videos now loaded on the home page of my website...

JCPenney Videos

JCPenney + Allured By Design 

Addtional photo stills from the campaign were also shared on my social media pages on both Facebook and Instagram. 

Simultaneously, as I was prepping to shoot the JCPenney campaign, I was also in early prep with my Producing Team for my upcoming web series. And, I am soooooo excited to finally share the news with you all that filming not only commenced but filming is now also complete. 

Yes, you heard that right!!! I have officially filmed all episodes for my limited web series titled...

"Boutique Shopping Saturdays With Allured By Design"

To be able to say that is truly one of the greatest blessings ever. What started out as a dream of mine to Host and Executive Produce my very own web series is now a solid reality. My film crew and I prepped for several weeks with early preliminary prepping beginning this past April right before I left for Italy. Prepping came to a halt while I was on vacation but quickly resumed upon my return in mid-May.

The entire month of June was filled with meeting my contractual obligations to fulfill my Summer partnership with JCPenney. Yet, simultaneously, I continued to prep and have production meetings for my web series with my Producing Team also in the month of June.

FUN FACT: While filming my show opening in the French Quarter, my crew and I came across a beautiful and vivacious little girl who was so excited to see our cameras. Her joy and excitement was infectious, so I invited her to come and dance with me on camera. And, she happily obliged. I hope she remembers that moment for years to come.

I most surely will. 🥰

Once early July hit, or moreso right after the 4th of July was over...my team and I went in hard with putting our shooting schedule together and most importantly finalizing and locking down all of our boutique locations that would be featured in my series. In addition, we also executed our two days of film / tech scouting in early July as well. 

For those not familiar with film industry lingo...a Film Scout is basically a visit and scout of the location filming will take place in. Essentially it's a tech scout where all technical things are considered, discussed on location and worked out prior to the day (s) of filming.

Camera angles, lighting, special equipment that may be needed, power outlets, bathroom usage for crew, size of space to determine what equipment will or won't work in the space, etc...These are all things discussed on a film scout. Considering my web series is a reality show in  nature, script outlines and key talking points are also discussed during a scout to aid with the story that will be told per episode.

With my series being based in interior design and home decor, our scouts greatly aided with helping me and my team to prep what would be important to show on camera, what items in each boutique would be highlighted and most importantly the story arch we'd build and tell for each boutique. 

All Photo Stills by Stacy Marks Photography

Every boutique featured in my web series is not only unique but all design heavy weights in their specialty of what they do and offer. And, their talents are second to none!!! It was EXTREMELY important to me and my team as filmmakers to make sure we do the very best to film and capture the absolute best of each location.

As a designer, it was even more important to me to tell a great design story through each of these boutiques, their well-designed showroom floors and the designers that represent the brand behind each boutique.

As a native New Orleanian, it was without a doubt of the utmost importance to showcase and talk about the culture and evolution of design in my city...And, the best places to get your hands on the most unique and exclusive pieces in local boutiques right here in

New Orleans.

It was a total of seven days of filming, over the course of two weeks, which included shooting the show opening for the series.

Week 1 consisted of four shoot days, while week 2 culminated our final three days of filming.  

I had a small team that made a rather big and mighty impact managing a daily schedule of filming in mulitple locations per day in the hot and humid air of Summerheat in New Orleans.

If you know anything about New Orleans heat in the Summertime then you already know it was no joke!!!

Cue the raw and uncut behind the scenes video.

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As I mentioned in the video from just Day 1 of filming alone, me and my crew were all a hot sweaty mess on most days!!

BUT, we powered through and made the absolute best of it. Truth be told, outside of dealing with the elements, I had the most fun I think I've ever had in my filmmaking career filming this series. I've been a working, professional filmmaker for the last nineteen years and I've been blessed to work on so many amazing projects both small and big. But, mostly big studio or network projects. It took me executive producing my very own web series to have the most fun going to work every single day.

I was blessed with such an amazing team that had my back and I equally had theirs. We all wanted to be at work every day. We were all in our creative elements and just enjoying the journey of the magic we were all creating and so happy to be part of. I truly could not have asked for a better film crew and so much of that was made possible because of the financial pledges many of you pledged to my crowdfunding campaign!!!

I've said it so many times before and I'll continue to say...

I'm truly and utterly forever thankful and grateful!!! 

For so many of ya'll believing in my dream and wanting to see me manfiest this dream into a solid reality. 

 I had my producing team, my camera & lighting team, my audio team and even my (BTS) behind the scenes team, which included my Photographer and BTS Director all doing their thing. And, boy did we do the damn thing!!! Daily, I shared a lot of BTS footage in video and photo still format on my social media pages during filming to bring many of you along the journey and through the process with me. 

Apparently, many of you LOVED IT!!!

Each and everyday I would have a multitude of messages and comments to read through how much so many of you truly enjoyed all of the BTS coverage, making many of you feel like ya'll were with me and the crew on set.

That honestly brought so much joy to my day reading beautiful comments and messages like that because that was the sole purpose to make you all feel part of the journey...in turn for your support and contribution to my crowdfunding campaign.  

It was very important for me to have transparency and to show everyone  what their dollars contributed to. I was more than happy to share the journey with you all and will absolutely continue to do so.

What We’re Up To

Now that filming has come to an end, we've officially entered the post production phase where all of my episodes are currently being edited and cut together to tell this amazing story. In addition, there are TONS of unreleased behind the scenes footage also being polished and edited to be released at a later time.

Some BTS will be exclusives released first to those that contributed in specific larger tiers of my crowdfunding campaign than others. It will all be released to the general public on my social media platforms of course. But certain tier groups do get early access before everyone else.

Also, there is voice over work that will need to be done during the post production phase. My editing team and I are not in a rush, as there is so much daily footage to organize and comb through first. Plus, my voice is in the process of healing from all of the talking I had to do on camera daily. True Story, I lost my speaking voice two weeks prior to filming at the celebration of my 25th High School Reunion.

Clearly too much partying was had. It never fully returned by the time filming commenced and I had to make it do what it do and speak in what I called my newly sophisticated, raspy television voice. Speaking daily on camera only over-extended my voice even more. So to give my voice a bit more time to heal, I won't begin doing the voice over work for certain scenes until much later. Again, we're not in a rush as it's only late July and my web series won't be debuting until more than likely the first quarter of next year.

Speaking of, let me elaborate on that for those completely not familiar or understanding of the long process of film production. My web series is NOT an Instagram Reel or a TikTok video. It is indeed a full production with several episodes. Although my film crew wasn't massive and my episodes won't be hour long episodes, everything about my series will look and feel professional. To put out anything less than would be in complete opposition of who I am as a person and the respect I have for my craft as a creative in two fields...film and design.

I say this to say, please be patient and allow me and my team to do what we do best, create magic and something worth while that we believe you all will enjoy. I for one am super excited to share with ya'll what we filmed and what we created. But until that time comes, just know that...

Greatness Takes Time!!! 

Speaking of greatness...so many of ya'll really showed so much love to the wardrobe looks I rocked each day of filming. I made a social media post promising I'd share the source information with ya'll of where a lot of my wardrobe came from. Stay tuned for that, as it'll be a separate blogpost with links to purchase most or all of my clothing pieces.

Also, although my web series will likely not make its debut until the 1st quarter of next year, as I mentioned earlier, I have a wealth of photos and behind the scenes coverage that I will continue to share and tease up until the debut of my series. Giving you all something to continue to look forward to until the week of premiere.

I always make it a point to remind you all what the purpose of my newsletters are in each quarterly edition.

So allow me to do that now for both my old and new subscribers...

Every quarter you'll receive a seasonal newsletter delivered directly to your inbox. The Allured By Design® newsletters are used as a way to go beyond the world of interiors and home decor. And, more of a way to connect with you all if possible on a deeper level by addressing things going on in our world and things that we may all be dealing with in some form or fashion.

My newsletters also serve as an opportunity for me to highlight my hometown and most favorite city in the world, New Orleans...showcasing a mixture of beautiful city exteriors and cultural landmarks. But most importantly, my newsletters are meant to be a source of light and hope, especially in today's world where there's so much darkness. If I can provide just a brief moment of joy and happiness into your lives through my newsletters, then I've done my job...

And, it's my absolute pleasure.

Last season's newsletter was my first ever "Travel Edition," where I shared all of the details from my trip to Italy with you all and how much that trip inspired every fiber within me, including my design fibers.

I love every single newsletter I've ever produced for you all, but I have to say that one was truly one of my best that brings on all of the good feelings, each and every time I revisit it.

So if it does that for me, I surely hope that it was just as special for you all as well. 

And, while this current newsletter is all designed to share a peep into the world of my web series and what's to come, including the name of each designer and the name of their boutique...I hope it's been equally exciting to read and learn about.  

Although their names have been revealed on my social media pages. So, make sure you're following along. 😉

As I finally begin to bring this newsletter to a close,

I'd like to point out that a new change has been added to my website.

I now have a links page, making it much easier to access all of my important links, including all of my newsletters, press articles, my vimeo channel and my web series crowdfunding page.

Although the crowdfunding phase is officially over, I added the site to my links page for anyone to access how much was raised and to also read the show synopsis of my web series and all other details about my show.   Also, I'm really excited that my vimeo channel is now linked directly from my links page. And, of course all of my vimeo videos can also be viewed from the home page of my website as well.

At some point, I'll be adding a YouTube channel as I'm aware many of you prefer that particular platform. Just stay tuned, as big things are always popping in these Allured By Design® streets. 

I hope you all are enjoying your Summer season. I hope many of you have gotten back to travel and are truly being inspired by your travels. Also, I hope you've all taken time out for yourselves during this season. And, I most definitely hope and pray you all are thinking positive thoughts daily and speaking life over the kind of life you all want to live.

I always work to leave you all with a message in each of my newsletters...but the one message that's always and will forever be consistent is to encourage you all to give life through both your thoughts and your words into whatever it is you want in this life. There is sooooo much power in what we think and what we say!!! We truly can live the lives we want to live and have the very things we desire to achieve in this life. Albeit God says the same.

BUT, we will not manifest anything in this life unless we firmly believe it to be so and pair our beliefs with our actions.

For faith without works is dead. Continue enjoying the rest of ya'll Summer. I'll be here being busy per the usual with one project after another, and sharing as much of my busy journey with ya'll as I can. 

As I said once before...

Big things are always popping in these

Allured By Design® streets.

So make sure you're always staying tuned for more of what's to come.

⚜️

Until next time...

⚜️Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler⚜️

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