New Branding and Blog Makeover Plus an Overdue Explanation!!!

I am so excited to share my brand new blog to all of you!

This endeavor has been quite a process. Let me start from the beginning since I feel an explanation is in order for my lengthy hiatus. Speaking of lengthy...this post might be too.

As a lot of you know, I kind of fell off the grid for about a year and a half after falling 10 feet through my attic floor into my garage. (I know...ouch). I broke my right arm and had to have surgery.  Though it was nasty break, I healed over time but it kind of rocked my world a bit.  I was lucky to survive as all the doctors and paramedics said.  And blogging became completely unimportant. Pouring into my home, family and my Jesus became all that mattered.  Understandably, so.


I popped in here and there but for the most part I stopped blogging and even reading blogs. It occupied too much of my time and I also found I grew increasingly discontent as I played the comparison game. Every lost follower hurt, every awesome DIY done by a talented blogger had me questioning if I had what it takes.  I began seeing this blog through what I thought were my reader's eyes. Wanting to please everyone instead of staying true to my own voice and what I love.

Don't get me wrong...everyone evolves over the years as a creative blogger.  Our interests change or mature, our photography improves, styles and trends emerge.  But I was trying to "keep up with the Jones'" so to speak. To sit at a "different lunch table" in blog land.

Ridiculous.

I lost sight of who I am.  Of what makes my heart beat a little faster or that rush I feel when an idea gets into my head and I can't get rid of it until I see it through.  The "thing" that makes the artistic side of me tick. God has given me gifts and I was squandering them as I did what we women can be so easily ensnared by...comparison.

And here is what I have realized.  And I hope this speaks to someone else who may be struggling with the same thing.

There will always be someone better. Someone more talented, more business savvy. Someone with a better project, a better looking blog, a better idea, a better marketing strategy.
And I think it's wonderful. (huge sigh of relief) Finally.

Why?  Because I had to dig deep...REALLY DEEP to figure out who I am as a blogger.  What kind of ideas always come to mind?  Where do I shine the most?  What gets me excited to get creative?  I consulted with close blog friends, talked to my husband, researched at length, and even did some blog soul searching to really figure out what I am passionate about.  Little did I know that my own blog would provide a lot of my answers. I have gone back and forth from quitting blogging entirely to being brave enough to finally blog about what I love.

That last part...won.  I realized that I love doing packaging, parties, party DIY's, and holiday crafts. And my heart finally felt free.


When I first started blogging, I was interviewed by Meg over at Shabby Blogs and she asked if I had advice to give other bloggers which was funny since I was fairly new.  But I said that a blogger should blog as if no one was reading it. And I still believe that. Not because we don't care what others think but because we sometimes forget our voice is exactly what people come to read.  Not the voice WE think THEY want. The GENUINE one that makes us unique and magnetic to other readers.

So.  (big breath)

(my head shots for my blog courtesy of paisley and pinstripes photography)

Here is me.  I like happiness.  Celebrations. Inspiration. Sweet and pretty packages. Color palettes. Fashion. Tablescapes. My Jesus. Free stuff. Stuff for kids. Party DIY's. Discovering undiscovered bloggers. Baking. Printables. Pretty things. I may talk about all of these things or just some of them.  But they are things that make me excited and what give me a passion for blogging again.  Hooray!

This was a scary post for me to write but it was so necessary as I strive to truly be authentic. To find my voice again and my creative passion.  I pray you join me for this ride.  I want to grow organically and trust that my content will speak for itself.  That my voice will resonate with you and new readers and that genuine friendships can happen.

When I returned to blogging this year it was so different. It seems pinning replaced comments. Blog content became more about other's content then the actual writer who possesses incredible talent themselves. I love the idea of featuring others.  LOVE IT. It's so inspiring. But I also want this to still be my space with my imprint on it. So I am swimming in new waters with a kind of "back to basics" mentality.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. It will be interesting to read your feedback on this brave new blogging world. In the meantime, look around.  You will find my nav bar will have some fun ways to search my archives especially in DIY, TABLSCAPES, PARTIES, and PACKAGING.  Some tabs like printables and recipes are areas I would like to grow and are there for future posts.

I want you to know how much I appreciate each of you who have read my blog from the beginning.  It has changed so much. :) And if you are fairly new...welcome!  You are a blessing to me!

It's a new beginning...(squeal)! I'm excited.