Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Helen Leonard.
Mary Helen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve been blogging for more than twelve years now. It started as a hobby, but in 2007 was lucky enough to land a job writing full-time for The Natural Beauty Workshop, a blog about making handmade natural beauty products. I loved being able to work creatively every day, and the freedom of working remotely allowed me to travel as much as I wanted. My husband and I even lived in China for a short time. But something was missing for me, and I really wanted to explore more topics as a writer. In 2010 I attended a culinary program at The Community Culinary School of Northwestern Connecticut. Inspired by my new cooking skills, I began to work part time as a professional cook and thinking about where this new path could lead. Shortly after graduating my husband and I moved from New England to Texas where I began to focus seriously on my personal blog, Mary Makes Good. Since then my career as a writer has blossomed. I now have one book published (The Natural Beauty Solution) and another coming out in May (The Handmade Mama). I still write for The Natural Beauty Workshop, but I also earn an income from Mary Makes Good and from teaching culinary and craft classes whenever I can. I get to write about the things I love most: from scratch cooking, handmade natural beauty, simple craft projects, and my experience as a busy working mom. It’s my dream job and I’m grateful to be able to make my living at it.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have definitely been struggles! Like a lot of creative careers, writing and teaching doesn’t always pay very well. There have been so many times over the past ten years where I have considered throwing in the towel and getting “a real job”. It took me more than a decade to get to a place where I felt like I could finally make the jump to being a freelance writer and really be my own boss. In fact, it just happened this year! Being a blogger has changed a lot over the last decade too. These days’ bloggers are expected to produce magazine quality photographs, spotless recipes, and a huge quantity of content – not to mention being an expert on things like seo, HTML, and the ever-changing landscape of social media marketing.
Mary Makes Good – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’m a freelance writer, author, and blogger, so my real expertise is in writing, photography, and web design. I call my niche creative lifestyle, because I work on so many topics that revolve around things that are handmade – art, food, skincare products, babies! Through my blog, Mary Makes Good, I try to share ideas for what I call a happily handmade life. I’m inspired by the idea that bringing art and beauty to everyday tasks and objects can increase our happiness and sense of contentment.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
For me, success means earning enough money from what I do to justify not doing something ELSE instead. Getting to spend every day being creative feeds my souls and makes me happy, but I also need to contribute my share of our family’s income. Earning a living as a writer allows me to do what I love – and every day I get to do that makes me feel successful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.marymakesgood.com
- Email: maryhelen@marymakesgood.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/marymakesgood
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/marymakesgood
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/marymakesgood
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
