BLOG. It’s even a funny word.

I’ve got to admit that I have been rather conflicted about this “blog” of mine for a while now. I keep going back and forth between “what is the point, just delete it all and be done” and “if I just made the time to put a little effort in, I could really make something of this whole thing”. And that’s the thing. Do I really want to put the effort in? Do I want to constantly have to come up with some new amazing idea that people will want to Pin?

I love this blog. But it’s mostly because I love journals, and I really enjoy reading back on posts I wrote years ago. It’s fun to laugh at myself and see how far I’ve come in developing my talents and growing as a person. It’s like a virtual journal, with photos! Couldn’t I just as easily stick some photos in my journal and call it good? I also like the comments. I enjoy sharing what I’m working on and seeing what other people think. I enjoy meeting new people and having conversations and building FRIENDSHIPS.

Really though, if I’m being honest, the blog just isn’t giving me that. I do have a select group of friends and family who are regular visitors to this little site. But it seems most visitors just sort of stop in for a sec, look around, and move along. (If you are a regular reader and haven’t commented, Hello!! Say hi sometime. Let’s be friends!) I get it though. I’m totally not a big commenter on other blogs. Because I just don’t feel that CONNECTION with people. Sometimes people comment back and that always makes my day. For me, I guess, it’s not about the CONTENT of a blog, but more that connection with it’s owner that I love.

That’s why I love Instagram so much. Since getting my smart phone a year or so ago, I have made so many more friends out in the blogging world. Women who I have always admired from afar via their blogs, I consider friends now! I emailed a popular blogger recently, to ask her if she could help me with a project I was working on. I said something along the lines of “You might maybe recognize my Instagram username, flavorpink” and her response totally made my day. She said “Of course I recognize you, I’m OBSESSED with your artwork. I love how you capture people!” Also, I have gotten SO many more commissions through Instagram. It’s really been amazing how much painting I’ve been able to do directly because of that silly app.

So, what do I want to do?

This blog just isn’t very appealing to me right now. I don’t want to completely delete it though. I’m thinking it’s time to transition this website into more of a “website that also happens to have a blog on it”. Does that make sense? I want it to be more of a portfolio of my artwork, with a shop, and a little blog that I update occasionally. Someday, I’m going to get more serious about my artwork. Someday I’m going to branch out and offer prints and stationary and all sorts of fun products alongside my custom portraits. (You know, when the stars align and they decide to add about 10 more hours to each day. Or when the kids go to college. Whichever comes first.)

I’ve started copying all of my blog posts into a big fat PDF so I can print them into books. Once I get that all finished up, I’ll be cleaning up my archives. Only leaving the handful of posts that get the most traffic. At some point I’ll be redesigning the site and all that fun stuff. Maybe I’ll have a celebratory giveaway once I get it all finished. Because giveaways are fun. And maybe, just MAYBE, I might change my “name”. It’s something that has been on my mind.

When I started writing this post, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do. I just felt like writing somewhere. But the more I just typed whatever popped into my head, the more I realized that it’s time. I’m definitely ready to give up the “blogger” status. I feel like this has become a “it’s not you, it’s me” letter to my poor blog. I’m feeling good about it though. And I’ll still be around on Facebook and Instagram (and the occasional update on here) so don’t expect me to go away any time soon.

In other news. Tomorrow is Flynn’s birthday party!! I hope you all have as much fun this weekend as I intend on having.