What started off as slow blogging quickly turned into no blogging... and I don't really know exactly why!! I started to have a much harder time figuring out what to blog about and couple that with school being out for the summer and it just wasn't a recipe for blogging success.
BUT! I'm back... I've got some recipes to share (2 lined up) and I'll be sharing a Back to School party soon as well.
During my hiatus my little one spent an entire week at her grandparents house and my husband and I enjoyed a lovely staycation - we ate out every single day *fatties* and did some housework and painting. We painted our master bathroom Woodland, which you would think would have an earthy brown tone... but it is extremely burnt orange. In Texas the two most major universities are UT and A&M - my husbands entire family roots for A&M, as do we... they are maroon. UT on the other hand is burnt orange... so... it wasn't exactly the color we were going for!! BUT... surprising as it may be, we really like it!
We gave my husband a Kindle for Father's Day and he and I have been competing over who can read books more quickly and finding several books to read together. In the past few weeks I've read the new Steve Berry novel "The Jefferson Key," the new James Rollins Sigma Force novel "The Devil Colony," Sara Gruen's "Water for Elephants" and James Pattersons "Worst Case." I love reading... and I LOVE the Kindle app on my cell phone. Of course my phone is half the size or less than the real Kindle, but it is backlit and easy to hold. I love reading on it. I'm waiting to start a new book until my husband finishes his... I beat him reading the Sigma Force novel... he's so slow!! :0)
I'm fortunate enough to live in the same city as a really wonderful party planner, Joanne of Oh Goodie! Designs and last week she and I lunched at a great Mexican restaurant in northern San Antonio. We talked parties, traded secrets (more hers than mine, LOL) and she really helped light the fire under my rear to get back into blogging.
When I started this blog... it was all about things that could help me organize my home and make my life more financially efficient. As the year progressed, I found myself less in touch with the reasons I started the blog and more in touch with party planning, crafting and cooking. I've just recently broken into the world of party planning although I've loved the idea of planning parties forever. I have found myself really wondering where my blog is headed... especially in the world of parties. There are party planners, like Joanne, who conceptualize and plan your party - from the icing on the cupcakes to the stamps on your invitations and everything in between. There are party stylists, such as Anders Ruff (make sure you check out their amazing new website) and Shindig Parties to Go who create ready to go printable party packages and give you amazing inspiration on how to throw your own party. Then there are party professionals who create gorgeous tablescapes and provide you with great eye candy for a particular theme... these photo collages are simply gorgeous and include props and people but sometimes aren't actual REAL parties. So you begin to fantasize about these great parties and putting them together, but they may not be realistic for the everyday person. There is a whole huge, dynamic party world out there and I often find myself wondering where I fit into that. And in that reflection, I have found this: I am a party lover... I love parties. I love planning. I love creating. But I love bringing things to my readers that they may not see elsewhere. I love sharing what wonderful ladies like Joanne and Amanda create. I love showing you that there is this party world that you may or may not know about. I have so many readers who didn't know this world existed and I love knowing that I ushered them to their new fave party planner. So, I'm going to continue to showcase the work of others - giving ALL CREDIT due them. And when I have a chance to showcase my own work, I'll do that too. And for now... I'll label myself a party lover.
I really enjoy the inspiration boards, although they are A LOT of work - I really pour hours of research into them. I try hard to pick and choose items from many different places and I try to pick things that the everyday mom can recreate. I also really love doing Top 10's - Top 10 party themes, Top 10 party must have's... etc. And not that this has anything to do with parties... but I also love sharing recipes!! Well, sometimes that does have something to do with parties... haha!
So... I'm going to try a new approach. I'm going to try to theme my days. I may add extra things some days, but I'd like to bring you a new post every day - it's my goal to blog every week day at least. I've not decided which topics will fall on which days, but I'm hoping to find a groove soon.
So - here's to parties... to gorgeous parties, to wonderful party planners, to amazing party ideas and to recipes (LOL). There will still be craft DIY's along the way and organization tips that I implement myself. I'm not going to completely forget my starting point, but I'm also trying to make sure I reinvent myself and this blog I love so much.
So... hugs to all - and happy reading!! I'm about to blow up your feed!! :0)
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