January's monthly bio is a new coming blogger/business owner here in Portland. The reason that I choose Courtney is twofold. The first reason is because she has recently started her own business (and I am always inspired by small business owners), and secondly because she is in the business of redesign (which I love!!!).

I actually have known Courtney Goodwin for the last 5 years (maybe more). Although we haven't really had much interaction face to face (even though it is quite funny that we delivered one of our kids on the same day... three rooms from each other at the hospital), I have followed her passion redesign through her mother-in-law (who is a very close friend of mine). Her ability to identify the "use what you have" method is amazing. Her business, Nesting Instincts brings a creative flavor to ReDesign. I struggle with color and design and I am always inspired by those that clearly have a gift for beautiful spaces.

Her is Courtney's interview. Enjoy!

What inspires you to get out of bed each morning?

Usually the resounding chorus of "mamaaAAAA"'s that I hear through the baby monitor from my 1-yr-old and 3-yr-old girls, who share a bedroom...and this usually starts sometime before oh-dark-thirty. The "mama"'s start out cute and pleasant, and then grow increasingly more demanding until I feel quite inspired to get up.

What do you do, and why do you do it?

I do "interior redesign" and event design. Interior REdesign is unique, because I help people redecorate their homes using primarily furniture and accessories they already own. It's budget-friendly, and people love it, because they are still dictating their own home's style. I also offer event design...I love parties! I just did a large wedding last month that turned out beautifully.

I do these things because, simply put, I love to do it. I'm not trying to get rich or become famous, I just love to make people happy by creating a space that is beyond what they could have accomplished on their own. It's exciting for me to be able to help people get the most potential out of their living spaces and all their beloved objects. It comes naturally to me, so I have more fun at this job than ever before! 

What is your favorite song to rock out to in the car?

That's a tough one...I'm a big fan of KLOVE radio, so you'll usually find me singing along to whatever they're playing. But if I had to choose...probably belting out "Famous One" with Chris Tomlin. 

What is your guilty pleasure and why?

These days, it's blogging, and all things associated with it! I am loving all the internet "research" I have to do to put my blog together...shopping on Etsy, reading many other beautiful blogs, traveling the world while sitting on the couch during my girls' naps. I call it my guilty pleasure, because my blog is often produced to the detriment of things like HOUSEWORK. Aahhh, well. I'm finding it so much more fun and rewarding than I could have imagined, and I only just started a few months ago!

What is the one decision you  are struggling with right now?

 It's both one big decision and lots of little ones - all wrapped up in how to balance my new business with my responsibilities to my family and household. I am so excited about my new business and website and blog that it is easy to become wrapped up in it and let family things slide. But my kids and husband are absolutely my number one priority, so I am constantly having to evaluate whether I'm giving my family everything they deserve on a daily basis.

What is the one book you can connect with and why?

 I adore reading, and have read many, many books over the years. My favorite genre is mystery novels...I love the additional workout my brain gets when I'm trying to solve the mystery right along with them. But choosing a book I connect with is difficult - it's more personal, I suppose, than just choosing a fun read. One book that came to mind is actually Disappointment With God, by Phillip Yancey. I could really relate to questions like, "If God is good, why does He allow suffering?". But the way that Yancey looks at these questions honestly, biblically, and thoroughly was impressive and, ultimately, encouraging to me. Yancey doesn't pretend to have all the answers, but somehow in the end, I felt I understood just a little bit more.

What is your favorite gift to give and why?

 That's a great question. I LOVE to give gifts, and I tend to be very individual in my gift-giving, trying to tailor the gift really specifically to what I think that person would want - so it's difficult to pick just one. But the first that came to mind is candles...I just feel you can never have too many. In fact, once when I was newly married, my in-laws came over for dinner. While they were there, unbeknownst to me, my father-in-law walked around and counted how many candles I had lit. He counted seventeen. And it wasn't even Christmas! (If you're a fire marshal and reading this, please forget what you just read.)

Courtney can be found at either her websiteor her blog!