If you are here from Craftberry Bush, Welcome! Isn't Lucy the best?!
Almost every year (I missed last year) I head out to Atlanta to a blog conference called Haven. It is a place for DIY and Home Decor bloggers to get together and take classes. There are classes on the technical side of things including SEO and coding and there are classes on the topics that, as home bloggers, we write about. I have had the privilege of teaching classes in the past and this year I get to be a mentor.
Blogging and going to blogging events changed my life. I don't say that lightly. Before I started blogging I had found myself in a rut. I am an introvert by nature but staying at home with my kids for so many years had kind of intensified it. I literally would be filled with anxiety even thinking about making a phone call (even to someone I knew) or asking someone at the store where something was. I couldn't do it. Shane worried about how I seemed to be moving backwards and getting worse over time. Blogging opened myself up and made me vulnerable. Luckily I was received warmly by readers and other bloggers. I gained confidence and have grown so much. Going to a conference and being in a room with hundreds of other like-minded people can not be put into words. It fuels me for the rest of the year :)
Blogging conferences have helped me so much that I look forward to being a mentor and helping those who are new to blogging. As part of that, we are doing a little Q&A blog hop. You get to find out a little bit more about us bloggers :)
How Many Years Have You Been Blogging?
I started my blog at the end of 2010, so I recently hit 5 years! It has seriously flown by and while I can't say that I have loved every single second of it (there will always be days when you feel like giving up), it is the best "job" I have ever had and I love it.
What is Your Favorite DIY Project you've completed?
This is so hard. Every project you make becomes your favorite at least until you have made something else. Creating is such a personal thing and I am way to sentimental. I love my office and the reclaimed wood shelves with drawers.
I also and very proud of the book I wrote, Natural Accents. Technically it is full of DIY projects, but the book as a whole was the hardest thing I have tackled.
What is something significant you have learned from a conference?
I have had several other bloggers say things to me like "Why do you still go to blog conferences? Haven't you learned everything already?" First of all, things are always changing in the blogging world (and social media) so it is best to keep current. But mostly it is because I think the moment you think you know it all, you become unteachable. I think there is ALWAYS something to learn from everything we do, listen to, or see. You can go into any meeting, class, sermon, etc and walkaway with something useful if you have the right attitude. I always pray before any conference that whatever I need to learn, I will hear and recognize. Last year the big lesson I learned was something that didn't have anything to do with blogging but with perspective.
What is one piece of advice you would offer a blogger -new or otherwise - who is going to Haven?
Have fun! Don't stress about what you are wearing, what you look like while you eat, if anyone will even know who you are, etc. Introduce yourself to others. Step outside of your comfort zone! You made a great effort to get to the conference, don't waste time hiding in the corner. And if you don't know anyone, come find me and after I squeeze the crap out of you, we can walk around and be awkward together :)
The next mentor on the blog hop is Yvonne from Stone Gable!
Day 1: Southern Hospitality | City Farmhouse | In My Own Style | Rooms for Rent
Day 2: All Things Thrifty | Perfectly Imperfect | Beneath My Heart | Sand & Sisal | French Country Cottage
Day 3: Liz Marie Blog | My Repurposed Life | Just a Girl | Bower Power | Thrifty Decor Chick
Day 4: Unskinny Boppy | Mom4Real | Craftberry Bush | Not Just A Housewife
Day 5: Miss Mustard Seed | Vintage Revivals | Home Stories A to Z | House of Wood
Genuine question. I saw the picture of the bloggers you met. Are most bloggers white? I just realized all the blogs I read are written by white women and I'm shocked I just realized he lack of diversity I had NOT noticed.
I had never really put much thought in this so good question! In the home decor niche it does seem to be the majority although not 100% by any means. In other blog niches like fashion for example, there seems to be more diversity.
LOVE YOU, Stacey! Can't wait to see you again this year! We are going to spend LOTS of quality time together, okay?!