< Blog Anniversary//Six Years >

This month SIX years ago I made my very first blog post. My first post was on my first blog called Aesthetic, but I had to stop posting on that blog because my photo quota reached it's limit and I didn't know what to do about that back then. So I created a new blog, this blog {but I still count it as the same blog just a different url}. A fresh start. I called it All Things Lovely because that is really what I post about...anything in life that I think is lovely. Plus I like/use the word lovely...so a perfect name.

Aesthetic was my blog throughout college, which really began after my third year of college so the last 2 years of college are documented. I sure wish I started it my first year, that would be fun to go back and read about. I am so happy the majority of my college experience is documented, well not just my college experiences home life is as well. Those are the years I really got to know myself, my artistic self, my style, my interests, became connected on an adult level with my family and made great new friendships. It is when I began to refine all aspects of life which I could easily say I have been doing ever since. A lot of growing up happens in those years and I am so so so happy I have proof of it. ha.

My first 4 blog posts are in 2006, but then didn't post again for a whole year. In that time of not posting, I was at an art seminar in college and the speaker taught us a lesson that changed my life...no exaggeration{I feel like my life/brain revolves around art, so yes it did}...he said something like "as an artist you need to know what art is going on around you and to be informed in the world of art". He told us it was our job to know, which was something I hadn't thought of before nor done. Ever since then I made it important to me to know more. What a perfect time in my life to hear that advice because it was a time when I started to really figure out what style I was and what my passions were...and was a time when I started the desire to share those things I found on my blog.

I specifically remember the Fall when I was off school for the semester and I discovered Etsy. That Fall a lot of things played into me finally realizing what was me...a combination of searching for art, discovering Etsy, A Fine Frenzy's style and music, discovering Urban Outfitters and acquiring a better taste in music all played into that epiphany. I went back the following semester better in my art classes because I finally knew more about myself and knew what art felt like to me. This was also around the time when I got more and more into blogging.

A trail from high school starting to get into photography, being editor of the yearbook, scrapbooking, working at a scrapbooking store, falling in love with layout design, college art classes and the epiphany I had has all lead to me to be the blogger I enjoy being today. Sometimes I will hear a silly remark from someone I know about me blogging and sometimes that makes me feel stupid for blogging...as if I am wasting my time. But then I remind myself this is who I am. Blogging has been with me for six years and I have been a very very steady blogger that whole time. I don't care if someone else doesn't understand it. I have things to say and share and I won't stop that.

Blogging has always been a process for me first. I think that is so important. There are so so many blogs out there right now who I can just tell who blog to get viewers, money and their hearts and being are not really into it. It drives me nuts. I have been blogging long enough to tell who does it for themselves first and those that do it for others/blogging sake. For me I never even considered spreading the news about my blog publicly until this year. Like I said this blog is first and foremost for myself...an artistic expression, life timeline/journal, and just something for me that is innate. But I decided this year that I would like to share all my hard work, findings and life with others. I have done a little "advertising" for my blog, it's nice to know people are a part of All Things Lovely and interested in what I have to share. This was the first year where I have tried getting interaction from others and more involved in others blogs as well. It's been a very slow process getting my name out there, but that's okay.

I have changed and developed a long the way and it's so fun. I know I will be a steady blogger always because I do it for the right reasons. I have noticed a lot of bloggers talking about burnouts and feeling uninspired or how they lost track of why they began. It's sad. People worry too much about pleasing readers with their content instead of just posting what they want. It's your blog silly! There has been times when I thought to myself, "no one cares" "no one reads" "no one comments"...but when I think like that I have to quickly remind myself that it doesn't matter...that really no one could see my blog and that would be fine. I need this creative outlet. It has been a comfort on my lonely days in Switzerland, a way to develop my artist talents, to document my life, to spread inspiring images and to all around just feel myself everyday.

So happy six years to me for having a blog that I love!

I love when people do their blog's anniversary they post some of their favorite blog posts, so I am going to attempt to do that. HOWEVER, that is sooo hard because I have sooo many blog posts and so many posts that I love. So it will be hard for me to chose. 

My very first blog post, here. What a funny way to start.

First blog post after switching my blog to All Things Lovely, here. 

Some of my favorite posts from Aesthetic 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10 

that was hard. I don't even know if I got half way through the blog before I already came up with 10.

Some of my favorite posts from All Things Lovely 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10 

whoa, that was even harder to narrow down some of my favorites.

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I am always learning and growing so we will see where this blog continues to take me!

Thanks for all the support. I appreciate those that leave comments and take the time to interact with me. It's nice to know I am not always "talking to myself". It is for sure not unnoticed. 

>>>M