We are 3 weeks away from arrival back in New Orleans and I have about a million things to do before then. But also wish I could speed up the clock and make it May 28 already! So much is happening in preparation. 

In casting news, we have had an amazing amount of awesome applications sent in! I only wish we could do every house submitted, because every single one is charming, beautiful and loved by it's owner(s). I want to befriend every person who has reached out and offered up their home, they all seem cool and awesome and obviously have an adventurous streak like me to consider handing the keys over to us! I personally responded to many of the first submissions and have a few coffee dates set up just to meet up and hang out because they literally all have amazing stories and personalities, and I am always up for making new friends! I think we should have the houses chosen shortly and then I can start my design plans.

The best news came in a surprise phone call from one of my favourite people EVER! on Tuesday night. The talented director behind our pilot, Anne, called me to tell me she is our show's show runner! I first met Anne about 3 weeks after my first email from RTR media when she flew out to Edmonton to shoot a 4 minute sizzle reel for HGTV. We spent 2 LONG hot August days shooting houses I was looking at buying and working on my Laurier flip and she made magic out of those 4 minutes. Anne knew how to make me feel comfortable and at ease in such a foreign situation and I whole heartedly trusted her to make things look as pretty on camera as they did in my head.  Then Anne then took a big chance on us and put her life on hold to direct and manage our pilot last year in New Orleans and in those 6 weeks together she went from someone I admire greatly to someone I love and cherish like a sister. I have been mentally preparing myself to do this run without her (I've never filmed anything without her!) and here she and the girls from RTR have been conspiring to bring her. My heart nearly skipped a beat when she told me the news. One of the things you don't see on camera is the bond you have with the behind the scenes team, and I hope that we will have many familiar faces joining us again this run. I spent a lot of long, chaotic days with these special people and having fun and making it feel like a family affair made every day feel like a dream instead of a job. There were a lot of tears at our wrap party when we left last year and I am preparing for a few when we return.

Anne doing whatever it took to get the right shot, including riding in our trunk LOL.

What all do you want us to share as you join us on this adventure? I plan on periscoping from set regularly so be sure to follow me on there if you want to be a part of the action live from NOLA.  

Find the first installment of TV Talk here if you missed it.