When Paisley and Porter grows up

There is a linky party going on today over at Thistlewood Farm about the journey of blogging and how each of us have our own goals for that journey. Basically, what do we want our blogs to be when they grow up?

This is something I've been thinking a lot about lately - understandable, since being unemployed has brought me to a proverbial crossroads in life. I've been pursuing the more traditional and expected means of job hunting,  but I've also been exploring other, maybe less conventional avenues. One of these avenues is developing my blog to be a platform to help start and grow a vintage design and decor business.

In that train of thought then, this linky party is a perfect way for me to set some specific goals.

So, what do I want Paisley and Porter to be when it grows up?

1. A social outlet

I've been blogging on and off for several years. Mostly as a hobby, but I've always loved the freedom of the platform to express myself and my creativity, and to "meet" other people who share the same passions and joys that I do. Now that I'm unemployed, it's especially important to me that I have some kind of social interaction. It's pretty boring to just sit at home, and while the very concept of blogging requires sitting behind a computer I've also started to develop relationships with other niche bloggers. It's my hope that these relationships with local bloggers might even become real friendships.

2. An inspiration, to myself as well as others

I get SO much inspiration from other bloggers. There are plenty of whom that I really admire and others that blow me away with their creativity. There is so much for me to learn from these amazing women, and I hope that someday I can begin to give some of that inspiration back to another new blogger.

3. Pretty

I would love to have a custom blog design for the blog. Goodness knows I've tried to create my own design, but everything I can come up with on my own it more "cute" than professional. I want something that is unique and cohesive and that reflects my future business goals.

4. A constant learning experience, for me

Already I have learned so much by participating in the blogosphere.  I've always been drawn to interior design and the character of old items but I always dismissed these fields as a career path because I didn't think I had a knack for it. Blogging has changed that for me. I'm now starting to realize that many of these skills can be learned and developed through experience and I've been gathering confidence in myself and my own abilities.

I've learned that having little to no budget for home improvement is tough, but I'm also learning that there are ways around those obstacles to create a home with beauty and character.

I want to learn how to transform this hobby into a business that will help support my family.

I want to always encourage myself to grow and stretch and learn new things - from blogging to photography to growing my DIY skills.

5. A reminder for good stewardship and to love the things I have.

Instead of surfing around Pinterest and being wowed by all the amazing things other people have done, I want to have focus to help me me finish the projects that I start.


I want to find balance between this hobby that I love and my family that means everything to me.

Instead of feeling inadequate for that DIY knowledge I don't have and the things I haven't done, I want the blog to be a positive reflection of the things that I have accomplished and can be proud of.


I want to have goals, a plan, and a purpose, and action.


Above all, I want Paisley and Porter to continue to be something that makes me happy.

Whether or not this little blog becomes profitable, gets advertising, or launches me onto HGTV as the hottest new thing (although all those possibilities would be fantastic!), I'm just happy to have found something that brings me joy.

How about you? What do you want your blog to be when it grows up?