The Blog Notebook: Organizing my Bloggy Stuff~

Do you blog?  If so, is blogging a casual past time?  a serious hobby?  your job?  

For me, blogging is serious business.  It started out as a casual hobby...but then the obsession set in.  You know about that, don't you?   Oh, I think you do.  When you are sitting at the park watching your kiddos play and blog posts are floating on the periphery of your thoughts.  When you are walking through a store, and project ideas keep popping into your head...and you are composing blog posts in your mind to go with each.  Oh yes.  It's true.  It wasn't long before I was head over heels in love with blogging.

And before I go on, I have to say, that although I love my computer...and use it for soooo many things, I also love paper.  Yep, good old fashioned paper.  I'm a list maker.  An idea jotter-downer (yes, that is a technical term.)  I have notebooks...lots of them...where I keep track of just about everything.  And the notebook thing worked well for blogging -  for a while.  Until I started to not be able to find the idea or list or what-have-you that I needed, when I needed it.  So I knew I had to come up with a better plan.   And it still  had to be on paper.  (Couldn't give that part up.)

So I came up with the Blog Binder.  Okay, so some of you are probably way ahead of me on this one.  "Welcome to the club, Wendy!"  you're thinking.  "Slow, much, Wendy?" you're saying to yourself.  Well, maybe.  But now I have this great binder to keep my blog in order, so I wanted to share it with you...

First up,  I wanted to make it fun and happy so I chose a pink one. Why not use a happy color?  Then I had to think up the categories that would work best for me...

Here's what I came up with...

1. A Blog Calendar.  Once I started blogging in a serious way, I found it essential to plan out my  posts in advance.  So, I needed to use a calendar.  I used to  list them in my planner (yes, I use a planner...paper-using list-maker, remember?) but I wanted a place just dedicated to blogging, so a calendar in my binder worked well.  In the calendar I list not only posts, but linky-parties I'm going to participate in, when I need to remove ads from my blog, when I need to send invoices, etc.  In short, anything and everything solely devoted to the blog.

Here are some links to some great FREE blog calendar printables.  This one from Living Locurto (which I used in my binder) and this one from Evelyn Kate Designs are weekly.  A weekly calendar works well for me because I have lots of stuff I need to keep track of.  This one from Blogging BookShelf is monthly.  If you just want to track posts, something like this would work well.

2. Brainstorming.  Let's face it. Coming up with fresh subject matter isn't always easy.  Brainstorming for your blog is important.  So I have a section just dedicated to that.  When a random idea comes to me, I start a page for it.  Then when I have some time (ha ha), I brainstorm the topic to come up with ideas.  I also keep lists of projects I'd like to do that could be blogworthy, or single post ideas that don't need to be fleshed out, so that I can refer to them when I'm not feeling very creative.

3. To Do's.  I have a section in my binder for to-do's.  This is where I can keep notes on any projects that I am working on that I will want to blog, so that I can have all of my "stuff" in one place.  I like to list sources, ideas, fabric swatches, paint colors, you name it. 

4. Business.  Now, I must preface this by saying that my blog is my job.  So I have a lot of stuff on the business end of blogging that I need to track, including the dates for ads to go up and come down (that I can then transfer to my calendar), information for product reviews or posts of that nature, and other miscellaneous stuff.  Having all of the nitty-gritty in one place sure is helpful.

5. Inspiration.  This is one of my favorite parts of my binder.  In this section, I put magazine tear-sheets or photos or other things that inspire me that I might want to incorporate into the blog.  Some I choose just for the color, or a word, or the feeling.  Inspiration can come from just about anything.  But organizing inspiration (at least for me) is important. 

6. Finally, I have a folder (pink again!) where I can keep loose odds and ends that I need on hand...like these paint chip cards. 

So there you have it...my blog brain in hard copy.  A portable version that doesn't require wi-fi.  The Blog Notebook.  Hope it gave you a little inspiration... 

Have a great day~

Ch..Ch..Ch..Changes~

I don't know about you, but it feels like every time my world starts to fall into any sort of comfortable pattern, life kicks me in the stomach. 

For example...

The Hubby and I bought our first home in Massachusetts at the height of the market.  We were so excited!  We bought in a great neighborhood.  The kids went to a great school.  The hubby's contracting business was doing well.  And then...we all know what happened...the housing market crashed.  Hard!  And that wasn't a good thing for contractors either.  The work slowed down.  Our house decreased in value.  We got to a point where we had to sell it.  Thankfully, we sold it quickly, and we only lost our down payment. 

So we moved to Utah -  in January of last year.  We planned on renting a house for a couple of years while we saved up a new down payment for another house.  Things went well for while.  Then, as many of  you know, in August of last year, the Hubby was in a near fatal car accident.  Thankfully, he survived...but he basically crushed his right leg, broke 8 ribs and punctured a lung.  Needless to say, his recovery has been slow.  Now, unless you're really paying attention, it's hard to see him limping, but he does.  And if he's on his leg for any length of time it swells terribly.  So working is still difficult for him.  He hasn't really been able to work since the accident, and that has been hard on both of us.  But, with retirement money, and the money I make from the blog, we've gotten by.  Our neighborhood is FANTASTIC, the kids school is amazing, they have a great group of friends.  In short,  we're really happy here.

You can see it coming, can't you?

About three weeks ago, we found out that our landlords are selling the house.  Yep.  Selling it.  They offered us first dibs if we'd like to buy it.  But, of course, we can't.  So now we have to move.  Yuck.  I really hoped to stay in the house we're in  until we could buy another one.  No such luck.

We have an opportunity to rent a place that is really a blessing considering the situation we find ourself in.  Thing is, it's about 40 minutes south of where we are now.  A great town, and family close by.  We feel blessed that it has come up.  It will mean downsizing (not that we live in such a palatial house now).  But that's good.  There are boxes down in our basement that we've carried with us from move to move for probably 10 years...it's time they went.  It will also mean a new school for the kiddos, new friends, new experiences.  (Not to mention a new place to decorate!) 

And so, despite the fact that I cried when I first found out we have to move again, I've come to embrace it as a new opportunity.  A reinvention if you will.  I hope you'll join me on this little journey.  It should be an adventure!

And another fun change is on the way (well, fun for me at least).  The blog is in the middle of a redesign!  I'm loving what's going to be the new look and can't wait to share it with you all in the very near future.  So if you pop over one day, and everything looks different...don't worry...it's just a change for the better! 

And on an entirely unrelated note,  it's about time I announce the winner of the Lisa Leonard Gift Certificate....KIM WEBB!! Congratulations Kim.  Please email me, ane we'll get you set up with your prize!!

Have a great day!  Frugal Friday goes live tonight at10:00 pm EST.

A Post About Creating Waves in Hair... and Some Other Miscellaneous Stuff~

Ever since I decided to grow out my hair, I have been on the lookout for the perfect way to create pretty soft curls or waves. And that's not as easy as it sounds.

You see, I have a lot of hair, but it is VERY fine. It has a hard time holding curls. I thought I'd found the perfect way to create beachy waves. I even posted about it here. But I was never completely sold on the way it looked.

Then I discovered this easy method. Like so seriously easy that I felt silly for not figuring it out sooner. And the bonus is that this method works on pretty much any kind of hair. Even thick, somewhat curly hair like the Princess has. Here's all there is to it...

1. Wash your hair, then let it dry almost completely....leaving just a bit of dampness. Alternately, you can spray down your dry hair with a bit of water.

2. Part hair down the middle. And starting with one side, twist the hair around on itself. It will naturally twist into a bun. Once you've created a bun, secure with a rubber band or a few bobby pins (or both.) Repeat on other side, making sure that the buns fall just above the ears. (The Princess graciously offered to model for me...note that there are a few hairs that aren't secured in the bun. That's okay...we're going for loose curls and waves...not perfection.)

3. Once you've secured the buns, blow dry the hair for a couple of minutes on hot to set the curls. Then you can do one of two things...after letting your hair cool for about 20 minutes, you can remove the buns, and you'll have soft waves. Or you can do as I do and sleep with the buns in your hair (it's not uncomfortable, I promise.) Then in the morning, remove the buns and run your fingers through your hair to separate the strands. Add a little spray at the roots for volume and you're done!

It's seriously that easy...and the curl lasts ALL DAY!!!

Now for the miscellaneous part of the post....

Okay, so you may have noticed that the old blog seems to be overrun with giveaways lately. I have been a bit worried about that. It just so happens that I have had a lot of sponsors and product reviews pop up at the same time. And I love to host giveaways for my sponsors. And I enjoy doing product reviews. So I've been more than happy to have all these giveaways. Just worried that my readers might think that's the only thing I'm focusing on. So I want you to know, my lovely readers...that my blog is not turning into one of those crazy host-a-giveaway-daily type blogs. My main focus is still DIY and decor, with a little bit of entertaining and style thrown in for good measure. I have a lot of projects in the works to share with you along those lines...but I'm still getting back into the groove after taking last week off for spring break. So please bear with me.

You guys are the best!! Mwah!!!

Frugal Friday goes live tonight at 8:00 pm with a double-size edition of my Frugal Round-up!

Have a great day~

The Reality of Being Me~

Hi! I’m Wendy Hyde author of The Shabby Nest. Here at my blog I share frugal decorating at its best - I have an eye for pretty and I love to create caviar rooms on a tuna fish budget.

Before I became a blogger, however, I became a mom. But, becoming a mom was a hard-won battle. Once my husband and I decided we were ready to have children, we suffered 4 years of fertility issues. During that difficult time I pouted, ranted, screamed, cried and felt hopeless. Then finally, amazingly, we were able to conceive. And now I’m a mother to four. Four children that I am crazy in love with. With that passionate, irrational love that only a mother can really understand. They are my everything.

After the birth of our youngest, our lives changed forever. He was born with a genetic liver disorder called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency. Because it is a genetic disease, our doctors urged us to have our other children tested, and we found out that two of our other three children also have the disease. Three out of four. What are the odds? We were devastated and terrified.

Luckily, right now our three boys are essentially healthy and normal so I am able to push their disease to the back of my mind most of the time, and go on with life. But in the quiet moments before I fall asleep or when I first wake, the worry comes. And I hope and pray for them that the researchers working on a cure for Alpha-1 will find it.

Somewhere in all this mothering and this worry, I forgot about myself. I pushed my aspirations to the back. I focused so much on being a mom, that I didn’t focus on me…at all.

I have always been a creative person, so this began to take a toll on me. And I felt guilt about that, until I discovered the world of blogging. It didn’t take me long to realize that writing a blog was the perfect answer to my dilemma. I could put myself out there in the blogosphere while still remaining a devoted mom. And The Shabby Nest was born.

I was amazed and elated when I started receiving comments from people who were actually interested in what I had to say! And as my readership grew, my love for my blog grew as well. I love the fact that I can share my passion for design with like minded individuals all over the world. I love the fact that I can be Wendy – that I have something that is uniquely mine and that it is appreciated by others.

So I will continue to write. I will continue to share my love of design. I will continue to gain a voice. And in so doing I will continue to advocate for my boys and their disease. And hopefully, this will help me do what I can toward finding a cure for Alpha-1.


Posted as a part of Project Mom for MomCasting.

Frugal Friday (and my bloggy birthday)~

Welcome to this week's edition of Frugal Friday!

I am pre-empting my regular Frugal Friday project this week, because I am a bad blogger.

Would you believe that yesterday was The Shabby Nest's 2 year blogiversary? And I forgot. Okay, well I didn't really forget. I knew it was at the end of July...I just didn't remember what day, until I looked back through my archives...yesterday. Silly girl that I am.

Image from Lauren Drew

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BLOG!

This little blog has become such an important part of my life. It is really an extension of who I am. It is my catharsis...my creative outlet. Through writing this blog I have made many amazing friends...real, true friends! I have an online community that is creative, inspiring and incredibly supportive! I look forward each and every day to reading your comments - I just love to see what you all have to say! And I adore visiting your wonderful blogs and soaking up the inspiration!

Image via I Heart Cake

I am so grateful for my fabulous readers! I love that you come and visit my little old blog. I love that you link up to Frugal Friday! I love that this little corner of the blogosphere is the place I call my bloggy home.

Thank you for two wonderful years of blogging here at The Shabby Nest! Here's to many more! (and I think we'll have a little bloggy birthday party next week...since I was so oblivious this week....)

But now it's your turn...

Got something you want to share this week for Frugal Friday?

You know "da rules"...



1. Please link directly to your post and not just to your blog.
2. Please link back to the Shabby Nest so that others can share in the frugal goodness.
3. Comment, comment, comment! Show our participants the love!

A Girl and Her Blog~

I started The Shabby Nest almost 2 years ago. I wasn't sure what to expect at first...I just knew that I wanted a place where I could share my creativity with others. I also didn't realize, two years ago, that my sweet little blog would become such an important part of my life.

Through this blog, I have met the most amazing, supportive, and talented people! I have made true and lasting friends! I have found a constant source of inspiration in the many other decor and creative blogs out there in blogland! I have discovered, through my blog, that my true passion...the thing that I want to do when I grow up...the thing that makes my heart sing...is interior design. I had always enjoyed in it, had worked in it briefly, but never pursued it seriously until my blog brought it into sharp focus in my life. Writing this blog has created a sort of epiphany for me, and I am so thankful for that. It has given me the desire to follow my bliss.

Now, I'm going to let you all in on a little secret. For the past several years, I have worked from home as a part-time editorial assistant. I have been able to help support my family, while still being home with my children. I work for a University as a contracted employee. And that contract ends in just a few short months. So I find myself at a crossroads. What do I do for employment? I could pursue my former line of work...marketing and PR. I could return to my area of study in college...Fashion. I could find a full-time job somewhere and face the prospect of putting my kiddos in day care/ after school care (which breaks my mama heart) or I could follow my heart.


The loves of my life

And this brings me back to my blog. My children are where my heart is. The Shabby Nest is where my heart is. Interior Design is where my heart is. The intersection of these things is where I long to be. And so, my dear readers, today I am putting my heart on my sleeve. I am telling you all that I want this blog to be my daily commute, my lunch meetings, my business presentations. I want this blog to be what I do.

I want to make my blog everything it can be. I want to make it a place that you, my readers, love to visit. A place that inspires you. A place that becomes, for you, exactly what it has become for me....and that is a joyful place to be. So please help me, readers...let me know what you want from this blog. What sorts of posts will bring you back? What sorts of posts will bring others here?

When I was young, I set a goal, and I went after it. Fear never stopped me. Now that I am an adult, I have let fear stand in my way. And I'll be honest, right now I am a little scared, but I won't let that stand in my way this time. I have a favorite quote over my desk that reads "She believed she could, so she did." That's my new mantra. I'm not sure exactly what I am doing, but I am sure of one thing. I love this blog, and if it can be what I do all the time, I will be one very happy girl. And so, I'm going to believe in myself, and believe in this blog, and give it my all, 101%.

For those of you who are tech-savvy and "in the know", I could really use some insight into the best way to grow this blog. Any help or insights you have to offer will be greatly appreciated!

All of this said, be on the lookout for lots of fun and exciting changes around these parts. More design consultations...more tweets...more facebook posts...great deals on sponsorships...lots of inspiration to share with you all...


I look forward to sharing this journey with you!! Thanks for your love and support! Thanks for making this blog my happy place! I really do have the best readers in blogland!!

xoxo
Wendy