What a week it’s been! I almost let my 5 year milestone slip by unannounced, but then I would have missed out on so much fun, sharing it with friends and reflecting on the relationships that have resulted. Today’s guests include artists, magazine editors, writers, bloggers and shop owners. All of them wearing multiple hats.
I was touched beyond measure when my wonderful, long time blog (and real life) friend, Patricia van Essche, aka PvE, illustrated her vision of what my shop would look like, should I ever take the plunge! She incorporated elements of my home, the pink tulips (of course), a little animal print, a bar cart loaded with champagne and pink petals leading the way. A dream of a shop!!! I think it’s so fun seeing what others envision for you. I might keep my eyes open for the perfect storefront!
Patricia also shared this perfect-in-pink table setting, from The Pink Pagoda, that she could imagine for my “party”. I might just have to copy this one!
Patricia came into my life, unexpectedly, when she illustrated my home which had been featured on the blog of my next two guests.
It was complete serendipity. This illustration hangs by my desk so that I see it every day. It also marked a moment that drew me into the world of blogs. So, you could say, Patricia is a huge part of why I jumped into this world. Thank you, my dear friend!
Next up is a pretty pink tea party setting by my long time friends, muses and now authors, Eddie Ross and Jaithan Kochar. These are the kind of friends that you say, “I knew them when….” They have been an overnight success in the making for as long as I’ve known them. They compliment one another perfectly and their talent is only dwarfed by the size and generosity of their hearts.
Some people come into you life and you know it was just meant to be. That’s the case with Sue De Chiara, known broadly as The Zhush! Sue and I were introduced shortly after we started our blogs by mutual friends. Sue and I have attended blog conferences, cocktail parties, Blogshop and numerous other blog related events. She taught me why and how to use Twitter and Instagram and I remember when she first had the idea for her online shop. Along the way, I gained an amazing real life friend, who I would enjoy whether we were talking about parenting, art or vacations.
These are the tulips Sue picked up for the occasion! Love the pink combined with the blue and white!
So, there you have it. Why blogging has been so much fun and so rewarding. I’ve learned it’s not about the number of comments, the number of followers or your google analytics. Sure, those things are a nice window into how you are translating into a broader audience, but it has been the relationships and friendships that I look back on and appreciate the most.
There are many others….and I hope you all know who you are…that have enriched my life and welcomed me into this ever-changing worlds of blogs. I have no idea what the next 5 years holds….but for now, I’m savoring the moment and excited about what the future might hold.
Thank you to every one of you who has stopped by regularly or just now and then. I know you’re out there and I appreciate it more than you’ll ever now!
And, that my friends, is a wrap! What does your weekend hold?
