About

I am a interior designer, photo stylist, producer, do it yourselfer, professional shopper, hand model, and cake baker by night. That’s a mouthful, isn’t it? What does that all entail you ask? On a daily basis I get to help conceptualize magazine stories and sets, make DIY projects that are featured in rooms I design and style in a photo studio. That means I spend much time shopping for project supplies and home decor props along with making and creating handmade details and projects. I don’t get as excited about going to Target as others, I’m there on a daily basis. I am usually producing stories for Better Homes and Gardens publications, such as Do It Yourself, American Patchwork & Quilting, Quilts & More, Quilt Sampler, Real Simple, Holiday Crafts, 100 Best Halloween Ideas, Halloween Tricks & Treats, Christmas Ideas, Farmhouse Christmas, Storage, Color magazine as well as hand modeling in how-to videos for Better Homes and Gardens website.

I also get the pleasure of prop styling and hand modeling for many videos for companies such as HyVee, Schnucks, Nestle, Kraft, Panera, Aetna Health, Pfizer, Pella Windows, Iowa Lottery, and Kilz Paint. It’s yet another outlet for me to use the many talents I’ve been so blessed with. I just recently discovered the song Vacation by Dirty Heads and I felt like it should be my theme song. I feel so blessed to be able to do what I love and be creative and work for myself.

Not only do I do DIY for photo shoots but also in real life. In 2020 I purchased a home built in 1890 in the historic Kingman Blvd neighborhood and along with the help of my father we renovated it ourselves from top to bottom. You can see the the transformation on my instagram account @theQueenofKingman.

Cake baking is my creative outlet and hobby since I get to do all the other creative things for my living. Growing up my mom only allowed us, kids, to watch PBS on Saturday mornings instead of Saturday morning cartoons, so I grew up watching Julia Child and learned cooking and baking at a young age. Mom also let me explore the kitchen and try out new recipes and develop my interest in baking at young age. During college, I worked in the food industry and learned many professional techniques that helped me get where I am now in the kitchen. You might know me as @DJThreeLayercake on Instagram. I love to see how food brings everyone together and gives us a sense of tradition and family. In the kitchen, I get to be creative and forget all the other things that I have going at the moment. I believe that using the best ingredients is key to an amazing cake but, it also takes a little bit of science too - the only science I am good at.

In college, I studied Interior Design, Marketing, and Fashion Design Merchandising - all being a part of my creative mix. I love using my talents to creatively solve problems, making things both pleasing to the eye and functional. I love being able to develop new furniture pieces and spaces for a home making life run easier and more beautiful. 

Cheers! Leslie