Let's recap

Okay kids, it's gonna get a little heavy up in here for a minute. I suppose it is always best to start at the beginning.

I began blogging, I don't know, nine years ago? I felt a sort of disconnect with most of the world. I was young (19-ish), employed full time,newlywed, had just bought a house, and pretty much leading a very different life from everyone else I knew. They were all college bound singles, renting crummy apartments with a handful other college bound singles, maybe working part time, and pretty much having the time of their lives every Thursday through Saturday night. Before the days of Facebook, blogging was my way of connecting with the alien culture of my peers. By connecting, I mean spying.

I logged in regularly to capture a thought or two of my own before skulking about my friends' pages envying whatever it was I thought they had. So it went for a few years. Then, I changed jobs, got myself one of those fabulous creatures they call a baby, Facebook happened, my marriage stopped happening, the house had to be sold, I became college-bound, and picked up two (or three, I forget) additional jobs.

And still, I was living a life separate from my peers. But I logged on to my blog and to Facebook so I could capture a thought or two of my own before poking about on my friends' pages and envying whatever it was I thought they had. Then, I fell in love with a cute smart incredible boy, I changed jobs, continued college, got married, quit my job, graduated, moved to another state, and got a new job.


Regularly, I logged on to my (new) blog and to Facebook so I could capture a thought or two of my own before flitting about my friends' pages to see what they were up to these days. I was happy. But not content. Then, I made a pair of bridal garters as a shower gift for a dear friend and somebody said "you should sell these!"

In the beginning there was very bad photography

Yes, yes I should!  I had made this very personal gift with a lot of love - a quality most products out there lacked. The cogs started turning, plans were made, and I moved to yet another state where I launched Never a Plain Jane Designs.

And all along I blogged about my life and my family, and the adventures of being in business for oneself. Then...

Then, I asked for some advice on making my blog more popular so I could spread the gospel of handmade garters made with love.It was, ahem, strongly suggested take out the stuff related to my life and my family. So I did. I cried the whole time, but I did.

A year went by. A year in which I spent hours researching topics appropriate for my business blog. I almost never touched my personal blog. Blogging became a chore.  Each post felt like only half the story.  Or, even worse, it felt like someone else's story. I had been happy with just enough discontent to make me want to keep changing/growing/making/blogging, but now the discontent had taken over. I logged in regularly so I could capture a few thoughts (often not my own) before heading down the rabbit hole of blogs and wondering how anyone else could get pleasure out of blogging.

Then, I stopped.

For the past month I have been neither blogging nor reading blogs. I had told myself I would do research and build up my list of scheduled posts, but I didn't. I didn't want to do much of anything, actually, and I think I know why.

It is exhausting keeping my life compartmentalized. It is hard just being part of a person for a portion of the day. Never a Plain Jane Designs is based on things that are important to me, things that make me laugh, things that make me think, things that make, well, me!

So I am back to blogging about my business. And my family and my life. Because it feels genuine. I want people to like me, to feel connected to me, and then want to buy my designs because I made something just for them. And I made it with love.

Now you know the beginning and the middle. This is not the end, it is just the now, but it is a good place to stop.

For now.