About

Hi there.

I’m Jodie. A creative designer renovating a 100 year old house (lovingly dubbed “Camellia Villa”) on a mission to inspire simplicity and healthy + intentional living.

If you could filter out the noise, live with intention and create a more mindful and stylish life, what would it look like?

Simple Minded is for anyone looking to explore personal style and embrace life more fully through living more simply + intentionally.

For me, it looked like selling a townhouse I loved in the big city of Atlanta to live a slower life in small-town South Carolina.

It’s also a resource for personal growth and practical solutions to help you design your life with purpose.

My goal is to create thoughtful content and resources that inspire you to become your best self, inside + out.

Join me as we renovate and decorate our 100 year old house, start our own little “urban farmstead” and explore slowing down all around so that we may enjoy more of life’s simple pleasures.

My Story

At the end of 2009 I was jobless and on the verge of losing my home. With the recession in full swing, schools were slashing ancillary programs such as art and music to save money. I was struggling to find a new job as an art teacher and recovering from a 10-year relationship that didn’t end the best.

Unfortunately, my fears came true and I lost my home to foreclosure. Unable to find a full-time job and my home now gone – I felt lost. Minus my car, clothing, and a few kitchen essentials – I sold everything I owned.

This is one of the best things that ever happened to me, although I didn’t realize it at the time. I had no idea the positive impact getting rid of all my belongings would have. While I was sad about losing my house and job, the absence of all the “stuff “ brought a surprising sense of lightness and peace. It felt as if a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. I felt free. Free to create a new life and explore possibilities.

For the next few years I lived a very minimalist lifestyle out of necessity as I worked to slowly put my life back together. I worked part time jobs while I studied and learned new skills. Eventually, the recession lifted and I was able to find a full-time teaching position again. However, I knew teaching art was no longer what I wanted to do.

In 2014, I quit my teaching job permanently to pursue a career using my new skills in branding, web design, user experience and design psychology. I successfully transitioned into a wonderful career as a graphic and UX designer for a software leader in the transportation industry.

Fast-forward to the present and I now approach life more fearlessly and with more intention. After having lost it all and successfully building it back with purpose – losing everything is no longer a concern.

I continue to work as a graphic and UX designer as I grow this blog and YouTube channel.

Why Simple Minded?

I’m an eternal optimist and a sucker for light bulb and aha moments.

Also, I’m still learning and growing on this journey. Sharing what I learn along the way is my happy place. It is my wish that through Simple Minded, we’re all uplifted and inspired to be optimistic, see life’s limitless possibilities, and to embrace the amazing creative creatures we are.

While I love the design aspect of my current job, I’ve missed helping others grow through teaching. Nothing fills my heart with more joy than seeing someone blossom into his or her full potential. I see Simple Minded as the perfect way to marry my love of design with my desire to teach and inspire others.

More Facts About Me…

jodie-jen-about-pic
  • I’m an experienced seamstress and owned my own clothing line called “Natty Girl” in my twenties.
  • You could call me a Francophile. I love the French’s elegant yet practical approach to life & style.
  • Simple lines and Scandinavian design make me swoon.
  • I’m a GRITS, Girl Raised in the South.
  • I’m an INFJAries = sun and Gemini = moon, and the core numbers in my numerology chart are; life path = 3, destiny = 3, personality = 7, and hearts desire = 5.
  • I studied fine arts at North Carolina School of the Arts in high school and Interior Design and Photography at the Atlanta College of Art (now SCAD) in college.
  • I have a Bachelors degree in Art Education from Indiana University where I graduated with honors and a 3.72 GPA.
  • I’m living my dream life with my beautiful wife Jen and our two cats Coraline and Sebastian.