Mother, celebrator and illustrator. Perspective, 50-pound scrapbooks and joy — see what else makes the author and believer in Celebrate Everything! tick.
WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Obviously…celebrate everything!
WHAT IS ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND?
A rotating collection of art from my kids—if you think I’m creative, you should see their stuff! I usually have a series of parenting books sitting by my bed, given that I have three daughters (and one of them is a teenager!), but truth be told, I’m usually asleep before I even get past one page. I also have a little pinch pot that my daughter Pippa made at school that my ring goes into every night.
WHAT GIVES YOU GOOSE BUMPS?
Whenever I see my kids learn something new for the first time.
WHAT IS YOUR BAD DAY BACKUP PLAN?
I try to take my own advice here. I’m always telling people that no matter what goes wrong at a party, whether it’s dropping the cake or the electricity going out, that if you remember that the best celebrations are about being together with the people you’re celebrating with, then the little hiccups don’t matter. In life, no matter what goes wrong, as long as you can keep it in perspective, then everything works out in the end. I try to remind myself of this…even though it doesn’t always work! And if all else fails, a Soul Cycle spinning class with good music always helps.
WHAT ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR?
My family. I’m lucky that all the grandparents—my parents and in-laws—live within 20 blocks of us, and even though my sister lives across the ocean, we get to see her pretty often. And of course, my husband and three daughters who are what my life is about.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS?
Success is about being a good person, helping others, doing interesting things and enjoying it along the way.
BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
It’s hard to pick one thing. Over the years I’ve gotten so much great advice from my family, friends, and mentors that all shapes who I am. Having worked for Martha Stewart for over 25 years, needless to say, she’s given me a lot of advice. After she fixed me up with my husband Andy, she reminded me daily that we were meant for each other, and that I should marry him.
BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER GIVEN?
A few pieces of advice from my book, which are my go-tos:
- Life is short…celebrate everything!
- The best things in life are free…
- The best things in life aren’t things.
- DIT — Do It Together
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW THAT YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT?
In October, I launched my website and published my second book, CELEBRATE EVERYTHING!, so I’ve been spending the last several months working on some incredible book events and fun collaborations. It’s been a lot of work, but rewarding. I’m looking forward to working on what’s next!
HOW DO YOU PRESS PAUSE?
When I’m busy or stressed, drawing is an outlet for me. I also enjoy fun and simple activities with my family, like playing a game of backgammon with my daughter Ella at night before bed. Truth is that the times that I really press pause is when we’re on vacation and we have down time to just be together.
WHAT DID YOUR 8-YEAR-OLD SELF LOVE DOING?
The funny thing is when I was a kid, I loved doing exactly what I like to do today: being creative. Whether it was drawing, making birthday party invitations with my mom, making travel journals, sewing or selling homemade jewelry at a local boutique that for some reason decided to sell them for me, crafting and creating was always what I liked, and still do today.
IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE MAGIC POWER WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Ooh, that’s a good one. Other than the total obvious, which would be universal health and peace. The best magic power would be teleportation. I could be here in New York with my kids and in London with my sister and her family, or, like probably most working moms would want—to be with my kids and at work at the same time. So I could be at my daughter’s skating competition and at a book signing in a blink of an eye.
WHAT MAKES YOU FORGET TO EAT?
Momentum. I often find I get so wrapped up in the day—whether I have a photoshoot, a million drawings I need to do, filming a Martha Stewart Weddings Facebook Live, or any of a hundred other things—that I need to be reminded to take a break and get something to eat. Actually, I just made myself a resolution to take time to stop and eat a real lunch every day…so let’s hope that sticks.
WHAT 3 THINGS WOULD YOU GRAB IN A FIRE?
If my kids don’t count…then it would definitely be my scrapbooks. Or, I’d at least try to grab all of them (yes, I said all…there are dozens, including the 50-pound one I made for my wedding!). After that, it would probably be my charm necklace that has pictures of my kids on it and, who am I kidding, my phone.
FAVORITE WORD?
Love. What would we do without it?
FAVORITE WORK OF ART?
That’s an easy one—anything my kids make! I have memory boxes for each girl filled with their artwork stored in my craft room. Beyond that, of course, I’d take a Matisse.
FAVORITE BOOK?
Duh, of course it is CELEBRATE EVERYTHING! The book I just published has all my years of party ideas and I hope that it inspires others to create special memories. Other books on my bedside are Grace Bonney’s In The Company of Women (profiles so many inspiring women), Kate Betts’ My Paris Dream (it transports me to Paris every time I read it), and Meik Wiking’s The Little Book of Hygge (this thoughtful book was sent to me about Danish secrets to happy living).
To learn more about Darcy, check out her website DarcyMillerDesigns.com and follow her on:
