Friends…can you believe it? Pink Roses & Blue Skies has been up and running for ONE whole year!
It was just last fall when I had this brainiac idea to start this whole blogging journey. I was almost 9 months pregnant, getting ready to meet my little sweet boy for the very first time, and nesting hard when I first got the idea! Yes, I knew I was going to have my hands full with a baby and a 2 year old, and had no idea how I would make this happen, but there was just this something else that I needed to do…because this would be something for ME! Something that would make me happy, take me out of my comfort zone (in a good way!), and help me use my creativity in a way I could only dream of.
Some people may have thought I was crazy for starting it at the time I did because with being a mom there’s this natural tendency to kind of yourself. You also lose sight of what makes YOU happy. You just want to give give give. Give to your husband, give to your babies, your family, your friends, your day job. And at the end of the day, there’s not much left to give to yourself.
There’s also this stigma that as a mom if you do ever make yourself a priority then that makes you a bad mom. The hell with that! Actually, making time for yourself makes you a better mom, IMO. It gives you time to unwind, destress, and reconnect with yourself. As a mom, you need an outlet.
For me, that outlet was blogging. It was a way for me to get all of the noise out of my head and to do something I always wanted to do. I mean, ever since I was a kid, I always loved putting cute outfits together. I’d spend hours in my bedroom figuring out ways to style my clothes so that I never had to wear the same outfit twice. I’d even help my friends with their wardrobes! My dream was to be a fashion designer. I would sketch and sketch and sketch. They were terrible sketches LOL but nonetheless, I loved seeing what I could create on paper. And, who knows, maybe one day I’ll be able to follow that dream (hee hee).
Once I got older and purchased my first home, decorating cute spaces in that home became another favorite pass time. I would spend hours a day thinking of new ways to decorate each room. The little trinkets I’d add here and there, how I could utilize each space. I’d have Fixer Upper playing on repeat everyday for inspiration!
Before that home though, when Babers and I were living in our first apartment together, I found an equal love for party planning. I loved designing how my parties would look, what we would serve, and what fun things we would do. Hosting the holidays was my absolute favorite! Come on, who doesn’t love a good Ugly Sweater Party, am I right? Then, once I found my love for wine, wine parties became my fave (LOL go figure!). Now, with the kids, I get so excited to plan out their birthday party themes, that I pretty much start the planning a whole year early (I know, I’m crazy!).
(To see some of my kiddos past parties, check out my posts for Mila’s Mermaid themed first birthday and Leo’s Golf themed first birthday)
But, I’m not sure what it was that finally made me pull the trigger on THIS. I kind of just woke up one day with this overwhelming need to just put all of these desires, and dreams, and ideas out there in the world in hopes that maybe it would inspire others to follow their passions and do what makes them happy! And, if I could help them achieve that with my ideas, then YAY!!! Most importantly though, I just wanted to show my daughter that it’s never too late to follow your dreams. Lead by example right?
BUT man, let me tell you….the road has not been easy! There’s so many facets to this whole blogging thang that I had no clue what I was getting myself into. I’ve realized that it’s not always fun, it’s not always pretty, and it’s not always easy! Hell, it’s never easy!
Even just learning how to blog is a whole process in itself. Add in having to figure out SEO so wonderful people like YOU can actually find my stuff to read, taking time to pin my ideas to Pinterest, creating and running an Instagram profile for myself (shameless plug: if you don’t follow me already, make sure to check out my IG page instagram.com/pinkrosesblueskies and hit that cute little blue follow button lol).
And this is all just to PROMOTE my content. I haven’t even gotten into the time it takes to create content. It’s pretty much a full time Job, no joke! And here I am a year later still trying to navigate the waters. Trying to figure out how to balance it all. How to make time for it all. And trying to be consistent with everything I do. I’ve had a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of long days. But, I can honestly say I’m doing what I LOVE!!!
And how freakin’ lucky am I to have you on this journey with me?! I can’t thank you enough for giving me the time of day, to read my posts, pin my ideas, shop my links so that I can make some kind of money doing this, and just your endless support for me and Pink Roses & Blue Skies. I appreciate you more than you know!
So, with that, and in honor of Pink Roses & Blue Skies turning one, two of you amazing friends will be winning a $50 Sephora gift card (or PayPal option)!!! All you have to do is comment on this post. Everyone who posts a comment below will be entered to win a random drawing (I’m going to put all your names in a randomizer and draw two of you!). This is just a little way that I can show you guys how much you and your support mean to me!
From the bottom of my heart, thank you again for following on this journey with me!
XO, Jules