Welcome once again to Transformation Thursday! It's the one day of the week that we all get together to celebrate getting things done. No matter if this is the first time you've joined us or you've been here every single week, everyone is welcome. Just join in with MckLinky below.
Before I get started with my post, the winner of last week's Lisa Leonard giveaway is Ann Marie at La Fortune La Maison
I'm gonna be brave here. Really brave. I'm going to type out loud the thing that I've discussed with many folks behind the scenes. I miss the days of blogging about our lives. I miss the posts where we shared our homes and used what we had and just enjoyed one another's company.
We work hard at sharing our homes and sharing our lives, but sometimes our lives take the backburner. Which is sad. I miss seeing more about your lives!
I want to challenge myself, and any of you who are interested, to spend less and live more authentically. And blog accordingly.
I wanna be Sarah when I grow up. She lives and blogs with her heart - and I love her for it. She's amazingly talented and just a sweet soul. Her beach cottage adventures are my very favorite thing to relax to.
Don't worry, there will still be DIY galore - but the focus might shift slightly. I hope you'll stay along for the ride.
Alright - you ready to see the awesome ideas? I know you are! Just leave your permalink into Linky below and PLEASE link back here so everyone can be inspired. Welll... you know what to do....
I absolutely agree! I love creating a beautiful home and very little or no money.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration!
~Liz@HoosierHomemade
Well, here's three of us. I don't have alot of money to spend on extras. We lost almost 3/4's of our retirement when the market took a tumble. I need to basically make do with what I have. I am new to blogging, just really got started a month ago, and some days feel pretty out of it. I love reading all the blogs and will continue to do and love getting ideas from DT and thrift stores. God Bless!
ReplyDeleteGreat inspiring post. Thanks for hosting -Hope you are enjoying your week!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post...that seemed from the heart...so maybe your alot more like "Sarah" than you think.Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThaks for hosting. I am new to all of this so I don't know what it use to be like, but I do know I like your ideas of how you want to live and how you want to blog.
ReplyDeleteGood thoughts! Often the focus can be too much on "stuff" and not as much on what really matters.
ReplyDeleteIt is funny how experiences seem to happen in bunches. Your post is the third I have read in the last few days about cutting back on blogging about life and concentrating on living life. Even thought I have only been blogging a short time I found that readers responded more enthusiastically when my posts revealed the life experiences that accompanied my decor adventures. I will be looking forward to reading your posts as you make this shift.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Gina,
ReplyDeleteI am linking in to Transformation Thursday for the first time....thank you so much to you for hosting it!
Happy day!
xojanis
hi gina! thanks for the opportunity to share and grow with others in creativity! and can i just say i want to be sarah, too. i am also a follower of hers and i told my husband i want to move to australia because it must be such a cool place, which i am basing solely off of her cool blog! ;)
ReplyDeleteLOL I just reread your post and realized that I misinterpreted. Sorry for the big old delete up there...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I do look forward to seeing more of the lives of the people behind the blogs.
Thanks for inspiring us! And for hosting! :o)
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI think I won the Lisa Leonard giveaway, but I'm not sure what I need to do now. Help?
Gina! I SO AGREE WITH YOU! I even told my hubby I didn't like the direction many of the blogs had taken. If you don't produce...you aren't worth reading. Sometimes it feels that way. wow...I'm so glad you typed your thoughts out loud. I agree with this and have noticed the lack of neighborly visits and more of the drive by visiting. I am going to try and do more of what you said;;;;;;get back to the basics. We are bloggers growing up together in this new venture...which is basically wonderful. I'm lovin' it....but I do enjoy more of the 'down home visiting' than just the party~see what I've done this week. Not sure how to solve it but I'm so glad you said this. Blessings,
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Oh Gina, I'm definitely along for the ride. I love both your's and Sarah's style. It is fresh honest and unstuffy, both for your decor and personalities. This topic reminds me of some of the cliques in high schools, etc. and I have found you both to be authentic, not snobby.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100%! I love hearing about bloggy lives and seeing everyone else's homes. And who doesn't want to be the beautiful and talented Sarah...she rocks!
ReplyDeleteKat :)
inspiring post, Gina...I have just restarted my blog and hope for the same attitude towards it. while I do want to make others happy, my blog should make me happy first! thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteHi Sherri...I am not prepared to join in but I will do some visiting to others. Thanks for becoming a follower..I thought I would tag along with you as well...and well...to be honest, you have one of those "etsy" shops of which I have a weakness! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. Come back when you can!
Hugs,
Mona
I'm glad you spoke up Gina. I think a lot of people feel that way.
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting! I hope you are having a great week!
I agree completely! I love it when a blog is a little personal and "real" :) And I love your blog!! Thanks again for hosting another fun link up, though....I really do love seeing all the great ideas!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you posted this. I am new to blogging for a little over a month now, and have found myself getting a little frustrated and near quitting my blog b/c I just don't think I can compete, or want to compete, with some of the fierce "creating" going on out there. You have helped me see that there is nothing wrong with just posting some of the funny, simple, frustrating, or sad things going on in my life w/my crazy three boys and husband. I hope you will stop by and visit some of my recent posts that are just about us. My favorite is, "But Butts are Funny." http://thesometimessupermom.blogspot.com/2010/03/but-butts-are-so-funny.html
ReplyDeletei have always enjoyed "your words" but i think i really like you more now.
ReplyDeletei so agree. i'm not going to lie here - my heart does get a little excited when i see alot of traffic coming from a link party, but i love it MORE when i get comments on "regular" life/child/mommy posts. since spring has started i've really tried my hardest to do more real life posts & lots of picture taking. i think these last few weeks i have been more calm & happier about my blog then ever before.
man, did i just write all this?
thanks for your honesty. it is extremely refreshing!
kellie
i linked up to the party...but come check out my other current "life/spring" posts this week. if you'd like.
thanks for the party.
Gina - you summed it up quite well. Sometimes the "girlie" blogs focus too much on stuff and not enough on life...
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for hosting such a great party again!!
ReplyDeleteCheck out my new
GIVEAWAY!!!
~Morgan
Meet Virginia!
Meet Virginia!
Meet Virginia!
I agree with you about the focus of blogging. It can be about both. It's hard not to get caught up in trying to keep up with all the amazing bloggers out there!
ReplyDeleteThis was a very nice post. I don't think I've figured out where I fit as a blogger, I just share a bit of my life a couple times a week. My life is busy with 6 kids, so decorating is more of a daily "straightening up" for me :-) I love visiting all of the blogs though, and the wonderful ideas shared on them. I also enjoy reading about what others are doing in real life, and I look forward to reading more on yours.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Marcia
I don't know what it was like before, but I know what blogs I like to visit. I like to know the person and feel some kind of connection whether it be decorating style, what fun things they do with their kids, crafting, organizing or sharing ideas. Thanks for hosting and thanks for linking today.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Ann Marie!
ReplyDeleteI like the "back to basics" approach. I blog about everything because I have such eclectic taste. I'd probably explode if I couldn't post photography one day, my garden adventures the next and whatever crafty thing I'm working on the day after that.
I don't think it's possible for me to spend less (than nothing)...but I like a good challenge. :)
Your are so right, Gina! I do enjoy learing a bit about our fellow bloggerettes and not just see all their fabulous, make you drool buckets transformation they create week after week. Besides, it's really hard to hate someone you don't know anything about ha!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being a wonderful host gf!
Cheers!
Tina
Hi Gina- i have just 'cottoned' onto your blog via sarah....
ReplyDeletei have to say i couldn't agree with you more- i make my pot of tea & have a sit with all my fave blogs once a day...sarah lives around where i have a house in oz & for me its popping back into see a part of my life- that at the moment i'm not living- & i love her for that connection- you feel like she's chatting with you! I have moved with my family of 5 to the countryside of england from the beaches of australia- & started blogging this year about all sorts of things that this experi entails- from the things i make & sew to how my kids are going at school & travelling around europe... i think a happy balance of 'all things in your life', make for a blog i like to go back to...
& having raved all that- i will be back here!!!
Happy thursday- will have to give your 'sharing' above a go!
Melissa
Miss Sew & So
http://misssewandso.blogspot.com
Please understand, I don't say this to be unkind, however you write that you miss the days of blogging from the heart and reading other blogs that blog from the heart as well. I've posted on your Transformation Thursday 4 times, and you haven't come to visit me (or others that are newer to Transformation Thursday) not even once with any word of encouragement.
ReplyDeleteThere are people out there that do blog from the heart, but sometimes you get into a place where you visit the same friends and don't find the time to make new ones. I do the same thing myself unfortunately sometimes... I completely understand that there are SO MANY Transformation Thursday friends that you cannot visit everyone I really do understand, but there may just be some new friends out there that might be an encouragement to you as well, just as so many of us visit your blog to glean a little of your creativity and inspiration.
Amen sister! I don't need to say any more
ReplyDeleteHave joined the partay!! I'm not 100% sure what you mean about blogging from the heart (call me slow lol) but sometimes you do have to be a bit careful what you put out on the world wide web. I made a decision this year not to put as much of myself & family out there on my blog due to a nasty internet experience. So sometimes you gotta play it safe too :0)
ReplyDeleteHowever I am totally embracing the decorating side of it, so many bloggers are just SO inspiring, I love it!!
Alicia :0))
I understand what you mean! I keep two blogs - one about my family, and one about my crafts :)
ReplyDeleteThey used to be one, but I split the crafts off about a year ago when I felt like I was bombarding friends and family with crafty stuff.
Anyway...
I wanted to mention that I think your blog looks beautiful! LOVE the color scheme :)
I think that's a great idea. First and foremost I try to remember that I'm blogging for ME. It is MY online journal. I love to share thrifty crafts, and re-purposed items and decor stuff but I really LOVE sharing the silly stories or sometimes life changing experiences. I've gotten to the point where I tend to apologize before I talk about a personal issue and warn the reader about what's coming up! I have spinal issues and that's the 2nd most popular way people find my blog...so I don't think it's inappropriate to blog about stuff like that. I know there are many blogs that I go back to again and again because of the WRITING! ;-)
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree with you more! I like to have a good mix on my blog. :)
ReplyDeleteI too agree with you and your sentiment. I love to read about each other's lives.
ReplyDeleteI am so with you there girlfriend. I have been feeling a little frenzied and stressed by crafts lately on my blog. I look forward to reading some more of your day to day life -
ReplyDeleteI know what you are saying. I ended up having different blogs for different things. (I have 5 or 6)....but that gets a bit crazy.!!
ReplyDeleteGosh, I'm late to the party but am enjoying your blog and linkers greatly and am, currently, your latest follower.
ReplyDeleteLife on the farm is quite different from life in the city but there are many similarities as well. Looking forward to more cozy reads.
I'M A LITTLE LATE ALSO TO THE PARTY BUT HEY...WHAT THE HECK..I READ WHAT YOU WROTE ABOUT BLOGGING ABOUT YOUR LIFE AND PEOPLE REALLY DO WANT TO CONNECT WITH "YOU"..THAT'S WHAT I FIND SO FASCINATING WITH THIS WHOLE BLOG THING...OH WELL GUESS YOU'RE GONNA GET TO SEE ME WITH CURLERS IN MY HAIR..LOLHAVE A GREAT DAY AND I LOVE THE LAMP SHADE THING BUT WAS'NT SURE WHERE TO FIND THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR IT CAN YOU FORWARD ME WHERE TO LOOK FOR IT..SUZANNE IN THE MIDDLE OF REDOING TWO SHADES...ALL THE BEST
ReplyDelete