Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award… Take 2!

I absolutely love blogging… I would do the projects anyways so it’s an extra step of awesome to share all of my little ideas with y’all. But the absolutely best feeling is when someone else sees what you’re doing and acknowledges the awesome. That’s what happened today when I checked my twitter account… there was a notification that Chocolate ‘N Children had tweeted “I nominate @happilyeverafteretc for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award.”

What? Me?! It was completely out of the blue! I wasn’t expecting this today! I have been nominated for this award in the past… but come on does being acknowledged ever stink? diminish? Is it ever less awesome? NO! So thank you for the nomination Chocolate ‘N Children… you rock!

And so without further ado… I give you the rules, guidelines and parameters for this high honor:

1) Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their site.
2) Answer the 10 questions sent to you.
3) Make up 10 new questions for your nominees to answer.
4) Nominate 8 other bloggers, link them in your post and notify them of their nomination

How long have you been blogging?

Since September 5, 2014… so that’s 10 months. Wow! I’m almost at the year mark! I knew it was close but I don’t typically sit down and count the days (literally) so I didn’t realize I only have two months left until my one year blogaversary! Whatever shall I wear?

What are your long-term goals for your blog?

To reach 100,000 views a month (man that seems like a big number! I just picked one randomly… it changes depending on the day, but mainly the goal is to keep growing and reaching more people!) To collaborate with more bloggers and talk to more awesome people. To open my own etsy shop and publish my own ebook series (I’m working on the first one so cross your fingers!) To monetize so that being a stay at home mom isn’t a pipe dream… and that people won’t call working on the blog “goofing off” anymore.

What do you dislike the most about blogging?

The same thing I hate most about photography… that no matter how much I enjoy it and love doing it… the person taking the picture can NEVER be in the picture.

What is something your learned about blogging that you didn’t know a year ago?

That there isn’t one set path. That my blogging journey and yours may look completely different and both are completely right. That there isn’t a formula that works one hundred percent of the time… do task A and receive benefit B. That no matter how many tasks you cross off your list there will always be twenty more waiting to be done… and that you can’t fake that human element. We aren’t writing text books… people read blogs for the personality!

What are your hobbies outside of blogging?

Decorating (didn’t see that one coming did you?) reading, watching tv (I get addicted to tv shows), going to the dog park, going shopping!, crafts, scrapbooking (and with a dedicated craft room I’m hoping to get back to it!).

What’s one thing you do to pamper yourself?

I don’t know if it’s something I DO… I’m bad at pampering since I grew up with a Colonel for a Dad. His moto is “is it bleeding? torn clean off your arm? then stop bugging me about it!” Don’t get me wrong he’s a great dad… just not the pampering type! My absolute favorite thing in the world is getting a massage… so my hubby gives me one every night. Even if it’s just a quick “five second massage” it makes me feel so much better… but it’s not something I DO!

How do you juggle it all?

Two things: I don’t sleep, I have no kids. It’s hard enough to find time in between working full time and actually spending time with my family… blogging is very time consuming!

What is one thing about yourself that most of your readers do not know?

I am very shy in real life and would rather send my hubby to talk to you then go myself. I love talking to people I know but say I had a question for the guy at the store… no way I’m going up to the counter to ask! That’s what the super out going hubby does best!

What is your favorite thing about blogging?

I love sharing my story! It’s kind of a combination of an online diary and scrapbook… showing everything I’ve been up to creatively for the last 10 months. I love that.

How does your family influence your blog?

My hubby is the best influence because he helps me see things in a new light. Where I might be stuck on a project he says “that looks amazing honey!” and that little bit of pep helps me to get back in the grove. I love decorating and blogging but I see it as something safe… I’m behind my keyboard not on stage talking to large groups of people (gulp) so I see myself as a fairly tame person. But the other day when picking paint colors and starting to strip wallpaper in the kitchen my hubby said… “honey you’re fearless”. I asked him what he meant and he said “you don’t let things hold you back when it comes to decorating, you may not know what you’re doing but you go ahead anyways and figure it out. I would give up if I didn’t know what I was doing.”

I never thought of myself as fearless before.

My mom has a much more direct influence on my decorating and therefore the blog… she’s my go-to help for arranging furniture, sewing chair covers, picking wall colors, deciding on board and batten heights… all the little things. She’s the gal who taught me HOW to decorate in the first place and tends to be the little voice in my ear whenever I work on a project… when I think somethings “good enough” she’s the little voice in my head that pushes me that extra mile.

Thanks for sticking it out y’all! Now for my nominees and their questions! I would love love love if y’all would answer… I want to know what you think!

1) Cook Craft Love 2) Green with Decor 3) Sequins in the South 4) Create in the Chaos 5) The Fox and Bear Homestead 6) Less House, More Home 7) Mid Michigan Mom 8) At Home with Sweet T

1) How long have you been blogging?
2) What are your long-term  and short-term goals for your blog?
3) What do you dislike the most about blogging?
4) How does your family influence your blog?
5) What is something your learned about blogging that you didn’t know a year ago?
6) What are your hobbies outside of blogging?
7) What’s one thing you do to pamper yourself?
8) When setting goals how do you pick an appropriate one? Do you wing it or do lots of research?
9) What is one thing about yourself that most of your readers do not know?
10) What is your favorite thing about blogging?