why i blog

well friends, christmas break was pretty amazing (and i hope yours was too!)… we celebrated, visited with friends and family and spent an entire week tucked away and unplugged at our family cabin in the mountains. i feel refreshed and rested and ready to jump into 2014, starting with this blog.

over the holiday i had several people ask how the new site is going, what my mission is and what i have planned in the future. um, yeah – i didn’t really know how to answer them. i mean, i guess i know the short list, at the top of it being to have fun (i am a girl after all), share and make cool stuff and document our family.

 

//ozzie age 10//

but then i started thinking and writing my answer down and it became much more longwinded than i had originally thought. for whatever reason i feel compelled to share it – maybe so you know what to expect when you come here or as a reminder to myself when i start to wander or loose my focus. regardless, sharing my reasons takes me a lot outside of my comfort zone, so before i change my mind, here is the long list of WHY I BLOG…

TO SHARE IDEAS, RECIPES, TUTORIALS & DESIGNS – (such as the antlers above) it’s in my nature to share what i have. clothes, food, money, whatever you need, if i have it, it’s yours… and if there is one thing i’ve learned through giving it’s that there is always more where that came from.

the same thing applies to the creative things you’ll find on this blog. what’s mine is yours and that makes me happy.

& ALSO TO SHARE LIFE – motherhood is a pretty amazing gig, but let’s just say, it’s not for the faint of heart (see exhibit a below). i hope that when you “stop by” you feel encouraged, loved and inspired.

//exibit a – dinnertime at our house… look familiar?! however, working on a post with ideas for keeping the munchkins busy while you cook.//

TO REMEMBER – we’ve all been told a million times that this season in our life will fly by. somedays that’s hard to believe. then i stumble across a picture from 3 years ago (above) and it feels like yesterday and i know how true those words are and i don’t want to miss a thing… so i’ll be using this blog as a place to document our family.

TO HANGOUT WITH YOU – it never ceases to amaze me how small the internet has made the world and i love when it leads to unexpected chats and friendships.

TO BE A WORKING MOM THAT SOMETIMES GET’S TO WORK WITH MY KIDS & HAS A FAIRLY FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE – (phew, that was a mouthful) as a graphic designer i spend a lot of my work hours in front of the computer with a sketch pad by my side. while i certainly draw inspiration from my children for some of my designs (and LOVE what i do!), blogging has brought opportunities to do more hands on projects, outings, videos and photo shoots with or for my kids. admittedly, sometimes i’m more excited about it than they are but they always get a kick out of seeing the final product and (bonus) i can do it from home!

TO CHALLENGE MYSELF – i am a people pleaser (middle child, yo) with a decent list of insecurities and if i’m being 100% honest, blogging scares me to death. it’s impossible to genuinely put yourself out there and be worried about making everyone happy. there will always be friends, family, acquaintances or strangers who don’t agree with what i share, or don’t like my style or how i explained a DIY or that we are having a 5th child or (i know i’m crazy) you name it. i mean, have you seen my grammar!? ha! but that’s ok. it’s time for me to get over it and just do my thing. :)

i also want to be a better writer and in the words of parents everywhere (my own included), practice makes perfect.

so there you have it – my longwinded explanation of why i blog.

what about you… do you have a blog? ever thought about starting one? interested in good resources or have good ones to share!? tell me all about it (with links) in the comments!

xo . rae