Celebrate Mom, Celebrate Life: Malia of Yesterday on Tuesday

A little bit of effort goes a long way for Malia of Yesterday on Tuesday. Whether she’s working on a special recipe or doing arts and crafts with her children, she makes even the smallest effort count in order to show how much she loves the special people in her life. A law school graduate, Malia has taken interest in upcycling and DIY projects and has turned into a professional crafter – aside from being a fulltime mom and wife. She works her magic by rescuing junk from the trash or recycling bin and transforming them into useful, beautiful things.

Yesterday on Tuesday is an online community where Malia and her readers share ideas for creating cheap and chic DIY projects and delectable recipes. A resident of Seattle, Malia’s projects have afforded her the opportunity to be the DIY diva at KOMO TV, a local TV station and the fourth-oldest television station in the Seattle-Tacoma area. As the DIY diva, she shares frugal home tips and remarkable but simple crafts and recipes. Some of her videos are available on her blog.

When Malia is not busy crafting one-of-a-kind projects or cooking up a feast in the kitchen, she finds the time to hang out with her kids, husband Neal, and golden retriever Sophie. She tells Balsam Hill how functionality is key when buying home decor for the family.

BH: What is your favorite part about being a mother? What is the most rewarding and most challenging aspect of it?

Malia: My favorite part about being a mother is seeing the world through my children’s eyes. It’s fun to see the wonder and delight they experience with things we adults take for granted. The most rewarding part of motherhood is the strong connection and love that my children and I feel for each other.

BH: How has motherhood changed your style and design aesthetics?

Malia: Before kids, I didn’t consider the functionality of pieces; it was all based on how they looked. Now I am concerned with how durable items are and how easy they are to clean!

BH: How has your mother inspired your decorating style? Would you mind sharing some decorating advice she’s given you with us?

Malia: My mom is a great decorator. She always told me to group things in threes and make sure they’re varying heights. She’s also vey clever at using unusual things in her décor. For example, my dad was a printer; she’s incorporated his old type cabinet into their living room furniture.

BH: What advice has your mother given you that you would also like to give to your children?

Malia: My mom told me to be nice to everyone and, if there was an issue, to ‘kill them with kindness’ and also not to take anything personally. Those are things I try to teach my kids.

BH: Is there an activity you do now that still reminds you of something you did with your mother as a child?

Malia: As a child, I used to keep my mom company as she made dinner. I love it when my kids do that with me now.

BH: Do you have any springtime traditions you would like to pass on to your children and grandchildren?

Malia: My mom and I would go to the plant nursery in the springtime and choose plants and flowers for our yard. My daughter and I do the same thing now.

BH: How do you and your family prepare your home for spring? Is there a specific piece of decor you put out that signifies spring has arrived?

Malia: We prepare for spring by doing some serious purging of stuff we don’t need or use. Then it’s out with the winter grays and in with the bright spring colors.

BH: What’s your idea of a perfect Mother’s Day celebration?

Malia: My perfect Mother’s Day celebration would be breakfast out with my little family and then just hanging around together; walking to the coffee shop and taking the dog for a walk to the beach. Just being together and not feeling the pressure of having to ‘be’ anywhere else! But if a gift card for a spa day happens to show up, I wouldn’t turn it down!