old country house blog

THE BLOG AND WHICH WAY TO GO…FINDING DIRECTION

I AM AT A CROSSROADS WITH MY BLOG….

I FEEL LIKE DOROTHY IN THE WIZARD OF OZ

Unknown

First of all…In case you are wondering..or worried…absolutely NOT on the table is abandoning the blog. I am NOT going anywhere. I love my BLOG and I love blogging. I love you guys and I have no intention of stopping. But I do feel like I am at a crossroads…time for a change…but what..and how.

which way to go?

When I started my blog, I was still working on my house, the kids rooms were changing as they were growing and documenting our journey was cathartic and self educating. Sometimes I simply started at point A and ended at point Z…and took you along for the ride.  But I have to honor the fact that my life..and consequently MY OLD COUNTRY HOUSE…is changing. My daughter will leave for college at the end of the summer…leaving me one child away from an empty nest. GULP. We will have more room..and I might have more time..but I am not sure that I will be investing that TIME in my home..but maybe more things outside the home. Things I could not entertain with three kids keeping me anchored in place.

HERE are some things I am thinking about:

1. RE DESIGNING the blog. Organize all for he DIY projects and color projects and OTHER LIKE PROJECTS TOGETHER…making it easier to navigate the archives…

2. SOMEHOW I want to be more INTERACTIVE…I feel like it is all ME and not enough YOU. I want to listen and address your questions …but I think I need a better mechanism for acquiring your questions ..something more than the comment section.

3. MORE DESIGN FEATURES – I want to explore the world of Interior Design and Decorating and share MORE ROOMS, MORE ARTISTS, MORE IDEAS.

4. I want to incorporate MY REALITY…into my HOME decor ideas…EVERYONE that has kids will be where I am SOMEDAY even if your WEE ones are pint sized…and there are so many things I have learned about my home and how I would design things differently if I could go back and start all over..knowing what I know and knowing how we have lived..in a REAL home. I want to focus on what matters most .. and share…what is a waste of your decorating dollars….and precious time . and talk about What are GOOD investments and what are NOT.

WHAT IS STYLING? WHAT MAKES A ROOM...STYLISH?
WHAT IS STYLING? WHAT MAKES A ROOM…STYLISH?

5. I WANT TO CONNECT people with people….I feel like we all have gifts…things we know and can share…I am not sure how I will put this into action…maybe a PINTEREST SHOWHOUSE or some way to connect not only to you…but I WANT TO connect WITH YOU AND

CONNECT YOU with each other….

ANYWAY. What I really would love to to hear from you? I know blogs have changed and the whole mechanism and impact of blogging is different now with so many other methods of social media to share…magazines are digitalizing but I do feel like there is a reason why i am here and why you are here and I would love to hear your thoughts. I am kind of begging here….on my knees…I really cannot move forward without knowing what you want to see, hear, learn…or maybe just just want eye candy and no more words…I cherish your feedback…so please please please…gimme some!!!!

…and lets venture down this crossroad together!

DOROTHY AND SCARECROW WHICH WAY TO GO?
DOROTHY AND SCARECROW WHICH WAY TO GO?

22 thoughts on “THE BLOG AND WHICH WAY TO GO…FINDING DIRECTION

  1. I like all your ideas above, but I especially like number 4. What really does matter most? What is worth it and what is not? Maybe have a feature where you look back at a project, and in hindsight would you do it again? What worked and what didn’t?
    I also especially like learning about new designers. It usually gives me ideas when I see what’s been done.

  2. I love, love, love the pictures you paint! While this is an idea aside from blogging, would you consider an instructional weekend of teaching painting (not rooms)? You are so talented and to share your knowledge in this way would be so much fun. I have lots of ideas on this topic…

  3. I understand that crossroad doubts. Who hasn’t been there somewhere in their blogging lives?
    But, during all these months following your posts, your wonderful ideas, I’m sure and I know you also are, that any decision you make is gonna be a good decision, either is right or left. I’m with you!

  4. I like the mix you do of home design and family. I also enjoy when you share photos of homes and designers you like. Whatever direction you head, I’m sure we’ll be reading!

  5. I agree with all of the above! I would like to add that I enjoy viewing and reading about everyday people and their homes more than expensive homes with an expensive budget. You have wonderful insight and yet I can learn and apply your ideas to my home. Thank you, Debbie

  6. We live in an old house as well. My Grandmas old house. My Mom is 84 and grew up here! So our old house is packed with memories! I enjoy seeing what you’ve done to your house. Your ideas are practical down to earth and affordable! I love that you repurpose items. You have such talent! The love you have for your family is truly heartwarming! The icing on the cake is your love of animals!!! Keep posting a little of all these things.

  7. I vote for #4! This one, to me, seems to embrace all your other ideas, and I’d love for you to keep on sharing a mix of home, family, decorating, etc. I have 4 kiddos and my oldest is 15, so I’ll soon begin the path of sending my “littles” off to college one at a time. My hubby and I are always struggling with home decor, practical purchases, and even where to go with the house we now live in and love (and hate, sometimes, too)…do we make investments that will be practical and would hopefully suit the next owners when we are ready to down-size in a few years? Or do we leave it as is and live with it? Anyway, whatever your direction, you’ll be great at it, and I’ll be following along. Anxious to see what path you take!

  8. Glad to know you’ll keep blogging. I think you blog about real life and real life decorating. For real people.
    And like that you share family…drama, good times, pets and painting.
    You are a lot of things.
    Glad you share them all.
    That’s the crux of this message. You are a real person.
    :o)

  9. Well I am already an empty nester and yes, it does change your life and the way you live in your home. But once you get over them leaving it really does offer up lots of new decorating and life opportunities and is not so bad as long as they stay close! I have just one daughter and she travels for work but we “speak” in some format every single day and when she is home we see each other several times a week. So hang in there, it does get better! All that being said, I enjoy the ‘sensibility” of your blog but understand the need to do something different. It seems that is the tone throughout blogland. I have no suggestions other than to do what seems right to you or it will never work. So clean up your site, offer new Q&A options, increae Pinterest activity, mix and match design with life posts, you will know the answer when it happens. In the meantime, I will keep reading.

  10. Lesli, so glad you will keep blogging! I look forward to seeing, reading whatever you post. I love that you are authentic and please keep it up. I have an older house too, so I really appreciate hearing about how you really live in your’s. You are definitely in my top 3 blogs I follow!

  11. I think the new year is encouraging a lot of us to do things differently….in many areas of our life. I remember the kids leaving for college, returning for the summer, etc. It’s very difficult initially but you adjust and they do too! I guess that’s a part of giving them wings. 🙂 The only constant in life is change, whether we like it or not.

    I appreciate your being “real” ~ that entices me to follow blogs. I think that offering decorating advice to those of us in smaller spaces…I’m in an apt…would be very helpful! Downsizing happens as we move through life and budgets change too! 🙂

    xo
    Pat

Comments are closed.