How long have you been a military spouse?   I’ve been married to my wonderful husband Adam for 13.5 years. Adam and I got married right after college, and my journey as an Army wife began. Children/ pets? Adam and I are blessed to be parents to a fun-loving son and a sweet and sassy daughter. We added on to our family at back to back duty stations; one while stationed at Fort Lee, VA, and one while at Fort Knox, Kentucky. What are you into? Coffee, lots and lots of coffee. It fuels everything else. I also enjoying reading,...

Lauren is not too keen on talking about herself, but we did convince her to answer some fun questions, so you can all get to know Hope Design Ltd.'s owner, creator, and artisan a little better. How long have you been a military spouse?"I have been a military spouse for 11-1/2 years and I am proud to be a wartime bride. We did a courthouse wedding before Greg’s first deployment because the departure dates had changed no less than 4 times. We celebrated at Chick-Fil-A with our families immediately following the courthouse wedding. We eat Chick-Fil-A on every anniversary…except for...

The commander’s New Year’s Day Reception had its beginning in France with King Louis XIV. The tradition then crossed the English Channel in the 18th century and became a formal court assembly or reception. In the United States, George Washington held the first New Year’s Reception and it was considered a very formal affair. Foreign diplomats, the diplomatic corps, the Judiciary, the Congress, the Army and Navy, and representatives from different departments attended the event. This was the beginning of the social season in Washington. Thomas Jefferson began the tradition of shaking hands with each and every visitor as part...

What a month it has been! From the Second Lady wearing a Hope Design Ltd. brooch, launching the #ShopMilitary movement, attending #MIC2018 Military Influencer Conference, attending the AUSA annual conference, receiving incredible endorsements for #ShopMilitary, to participating in a congressional round table on behalf of military spouse and veteran owned businesses. Seriously, when on earth did I find the time to be a mom, a friend, and a wife?! My husband laughed at me today as I blitzed from one end of the house to the other. He asked why I was running in our home and I asked him...

This statement could apply to SO many things in life right now - #ShopMilitary movement, all the happenings of the Military Influencer Conference, or in tonight's particular case - new jewelry. I will update you later this week with all the happenings outside of jewelry, but now it is time for the sparkle: American flag brooch Finally, a Hope Design Ltd. design that can be worn by everyone, not just those supporting a particular branch of military service. There are 48 options available, so be sure to check them all out here and here. Army branch jewelry These necklaces and...