// Strawberry Rain

little chief honeybee kaelah bee
Yesterday's weather was totally yucky around these parts, but that didn't stop me from getting dressed up. (Truth talk: I didn't actually realize it was raining until we were about to head out the door... ahh, blissful ignorance). I found my trusty ol' strawberry umbrella and we braved the rain anyway. We quickly shot these on our back deck (with Mike safely under the carport haha!) and with my newfound awareness of the weather I opted to swap my shoes out for flats. But c'mon! Look at those shoes! They are dreamy, right?!?! I was a lucky winner of a Miss Karmaloop giveaway on Danielle's blog a few weeks back and I got a hefty $1,000 to spend on ugly shoes. Basically made my life. I'll have to do a little haul of my pickings because they're just that good! I had my doubts about these babies but I am in love. As for the rest of the outfit, I was originally wearing a black dress (black on black on black on black) but decided that was just too much so I changed into a lacy number I picked up from H&M a couple of years ago. It helps lighten the mood a bit!The heart cardigan helps balance the skull cameo brooch, I think. Yeah? Totally.
little chief honeybee kaelah bee
little chief honeybee kaelah bee
I know I kind of vaguely hinted at a "change" or whatever a few days/weeks/posts back, and I guess I'm starting to feel like I'm finally figuring it out? I'm not sure. So basically when I spoke on the social media panel at the Nashville Creativity Summit, I mentioned that I felt out of my element and sort of "lost" on the whole thing. I love this blog, and I love using it to document our daily lives and adventures and whatever, but I feel like I've just sort of been "aloof" with it all of these years. I never really had a purpose or a main "goal" with it. I never sought out to have thousands of followers, though at one point it was more of a priority. I've been really thinking about my relationship with blogging the past few months - not just as an author, but also as a reader. The kinds of blogs I gravitate toward, the kind I enjoy reading day after day. Not to try and emulate them necessarily, but to find "my groove". I love that so many of y'all read here because you're actually interested in my little family, like, personally. That seriously means so much. (So often I feel like I need to apologize for the narcissism and personal post dumps [ex. wedding posts], but I also know that's totally silly because it's a personal blog). 

I guess what I'm getting at (in a very indirect, roundabout way) is that I want to explore other ways of reaching people on LCH. With content, with comments, with any and everything. I want to open up ways for y'all to submit things you like, want to see, etc. I want to broaden my post "topics". I don't think one should try to spread themselves too thin in the pursuit of more readers, but instead I want to just expand my content. I want to post about things that I'm really bad at -- like cooking. So maybe my recipes won't be something you should like, invest in, but I'd like to get better at stuff and document that on my road to "sucking just a little bit less" haha Does that even make sense? 

In the era of Pinterest, the whole blog world seems so saturated with so many ideas and so many people saying "hey! look at me! I did it better!" but I think I've just had a cynical perspective. I probably won't come up with the best DIYs or recipes or whatever, but it'd be kind of boring if we only did what we were good at. Plus who cares if someone has done it before... I guess this is just one of those brain dumps. Just excuse me! 
little chief honeybee kaelah bee
I've really been itching for a redesign lately. Not just a redesign, but like a rebrand. A new focus (or well, a main focus to begin with!) It's a bit contridictory for me to say that I want a focus for LCH, but I want to expand the content, but that's exactly what I'm saying. I just want to try new things and if they work, awesome! If they don't, I'll rotate them out and try something else in it's place. -- To be honest, I'm really feeling the same in my personal life (as far as "work/career" goes). I just haven't found "it" yet, so the quest continues!

Basically this is me saying Thank You, to all of you who continue to check in daily and are sort of on this bumpy ride with me. Blogging can seem so weird if you really start to think about it, but I love it. Here's to hoping it's a fun ride at least! -- Did any of this blog post make any sense? (I realize I already  asked that a few paragraphs up...) Do you totally think I'm crazy? haha ugh.

The TL;DR version: I sometimes get bored writing my blog (bet that means some of y'all get tired of reading it) and I'm planning on ~changing things up. Nothing major. Just pushing myself to try new things that I've always wanted to but lacked the drive/confidence/etc. It goes a bit deeper than that, but I'm sure you get the jist. I love opening up the door for conversation on these sorts of things, but I'm pretty determined to move forward with my plan regardless. I hope you'll stick around for it! :)

H&M lace dress
Forever 21 heart cardigan
Thrifted belt
Assets by Spanx tights
Skull cameo brooch via Etsy
SheInside necklace
Forever 21 bracelets
Edition01 spike bracelet
Jeffrey Campbell Roxbury boot

PS; Can we just go ahead and say it to get it out of the way? Dumbest outfit title ever haha -- Newly goal: Create "fashion blogger outfit title generator" website. A bunch of random nouns and colors, haphazardly strung together for the perfect title. Taking all of creative thinking out of it ;)

44 comments:

  1. your umbrella is too cute and i love the post title ;)
    kw ladies in navy

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  2. I get it and i totally support you. As a long time reader i like your honesty and openness to change. I started a blog as a new years goal and quickly became discouraged. It seemed that everyone out there was A: sugar coating life (which just makes me feel inferior) B: stealing shit to get readers/ pageviews to rake in cash C: pretentious fake Barbiedolls D: non- responsive to their readers because apparently their too popular (totally takes me back to jr. High) anyways... i whittled down the blogs i follow to just a select few that i feel are honest and i still enjoy reading and am happy to read that you feel the the way you do! Loving the bits on posting about things you want to suck less at :) looking forward to future posts!

    Xo the rebel

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  4. Absolutely amzaing outfit! I love those shoes :)x

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  5. beautiful outfit! and i even like the title :)


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  6. I think it's good to explore change. I think when it comes to personal blogs most readers are interested in YOU and what YOURE doing... You're only human and it's expected that you'd want change, and to try new things. I think your readers -myself included- are interested to see what you're going to do next. Even if it's crap cooking, hehe.

    Can't wait to see what you've got up your sleeve.
    xox, amber

    also! thanks so much for replying to my email yesterday! it's always encouraging to hear back from people you admire...!

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  7. I haven't been following for very long, but your blog is seriously one of my faves :) I love reading about your family and making your home, and I am in love with your outfit posts (and your hair haha). I love that you and your man are covered in tattoos and piercings, and that makes you way more relatable to me (since my fiance and I are also fairly covered), especially since sometimes people seem to group us in these "alt lifestyle" ideals - when we're really pretty normal. Work, love, family. Ok, clearly I ramble too. The point is, carry on with your bad self - whatever you plan to write, I'll be here to read :)

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  8. Adorable outfit, I like the shoes a lot.

    As long as whatever you do with your blog feels right to you I am sure me and your other followers will continue to stop by and read and engage with you.

    Best of luck with your new blogging ventures :)

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  9. How super lucky of you to win the shoe competition! Ugly Shoes <3 I absolutely love your outfit posts (and every single other post!) I really like seeing your shoe collection too :) Totally not narcissistic, I just love seeing good design! I would like to see more of your design work, I find it so inspiring, it's like having a love of typography, etc. Pretty pictures all day every day!

    xx

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  10. Change is always a good thing, and I totally understand where you're coming from, because I feel the same way! I do feel a bit bored with my blog at the moment and feeling the need for a new design or something - something to give it a breath of fresh air, you know?

    Lovely outfit by the way -- I just adore that umbrella! Where did you get it?

    xoxo
    Nat

    modernbuttercup.blogspot.com

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  11. Love the outfit! That umbrella is amazing, definitely would be useful here in England.

    Change can be such a good thing. Getting a second wind after a change and finding something new that you love is a great feeling. I'm excited to see where you take the blog--love reading it every day :)

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  12. For starters, the blog post title was PERFECT and the outfit to go along with it was to die for. I want?!

    But yeah, I am HERE for your journey and so I can be here as a reader to help you grow as a person, not just a blogger. I mean yeah I want to help you grow as a blogger for your business, but I know I definitely care more about you as a individual in its entire being, as well as for Mike and Toby.

    And I'd LOVE for you to follow my journey in hopes of helping you find yours. Just wait a few days, I've been having some construction done and it'll be alll up. ;P

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  13. I love reading your blog because you ARE so honest with your readers. I love that I know about you as an actual person, the struggles, the achievements, and everything in between. It makes you a real person ( hope that makes sense). Totally support you in doing what would make you feel like you're changing it up and delving into something you've never done before. It's therapeutic in the least.
    I also feel like I haven't found "it" as a career, even though I had a set path. It's frustrating at times but how else do you know what you love/hate if you don't try.
    Go for it!

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  14. I don't like rain at all but with this umbrella I would start singing in the rain, even its raining cats and dogs... * all the best julia

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  15. I don't like rain at all, but with this umbrella I would start singing in the rain, even it would rain cats and dogs... * all the best julia

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  16. hey hey girl! i feel ya on the feeling lost..i'm working on just going for things too, even if they aren't the greatest/coolest haha! just create.
    lace makes everything better. i can't even imagine the shoe craziness going on..1,000?! what what

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  17. That is the cutest ever umbrella, would almost make me like rain. I try lots of things on my blog I am not good at, I am a Jill of many trades and master of none, but I stay busy. :)

    Marie @
    Lemondrop ViNtAge

    I am having a fabulous giveaway right here.

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  18. Your blog is awesome & I would love to see you branch out into different types of stuff!

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  19. Your blog is awesome & I would love to see you branch out into other topics!

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  20. This is weird to admit, but I don't read you regularly. I randomly come across you like once a month or so, but whatever your most recent post is I always end up getting sucked into and loving a lot. It's so easy to get caught up in branding yourself or presenting a story that I think a lot of bloggers forget that whole original concept of just remembering your life, and sharing it with other people. I definitely think expanding what you write about to include horrible cooking mishaps and silly tidbits that are for your own benefit is an amazingly good idea.

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  21. Darling umbrella!
    www.shannonheartsblog.com

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  22. I think this feeling has been going around the blog world like CRAZY lately! Always good to examine what's working and isn't working and change accordingly :) Good luck, friend!

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  23. Love your outfit so much :)
    laviecestyeye.com

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  24. Great shoes & your umbrella is sooo cute

    xo Ashley
    luckylittlebird.blogspot.com

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  25. I don't think your blogs sucks at all! I really look forward to reading new posts! Keep it up, you are doing a fantastic job!
    -Gaela

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  26. THOSE SHOES! So fantastic + that umbrella is the cutest thing I've ever seen.
    I really love this post. I've felt a little lost with my own blog, too. I actually posted a big ranty post today about how I felt like so many of the bloggers I originally adored are so fake and generic, and it bugs me to no end! It's so refreshing to read your blog and have you be so real with your readers. Basically, your blog is amazing and I adore you :) Haha
    xo Heather

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  27. I think that your want to change things up is just a reflection of how personal this blog is for you. People change, people grow and if your blog is truly a life blog I love that it will reflect just that real life. Mistakes, silliness, hardships and all. :)


    http://itsalexisgonzalez.blogspot.com/

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  28. I love this post! Like I said on twitter- I follow your blog because I like *you* as a person (and your family!) and I think you have a lot of followers that would read no matter what you slapped up here because you're genuine! I suppose not everyone follows blogs with the same interest in the person behind the blog - but for me, I can't read any other way!

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  29. I definitely know what you mean about there being too much perfect blogger stuff. I tried really hard to be that blogger before realizing that my life isn't perfect and I have to deal with dumb stuff all the time. It actually worked out pretty well for me. Now I just need to find the right balance. Not being too overly perfect seeming but also not being too focused on dumb stuff because let's be real, no one wants to hear me bitch all day. I don't even want to hear that. Anyway, point being, good luck with your endeavors and I can't wait to read about them!

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  30. Love the outfit and all your thoughts. Life changes, evolves, so why should we all expect somehitngs to stay in a certain way forever. love everything about LCH, because it's what you are. It's agreat blog with loads of personality! So I guess that whaever you do, if you do it with passion and stay true to yourself, will come out great! I would LOVE to read all about your cooking experiences, so many wonderfuul bloggers out there, doing wonderfl things, sometimes meke us feel so "unperfect"... makes sense? :)
    Alice.

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  31. I've been feeling the same way about my blog. I want to do more things but I feel like I'll be bad at it.

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  32. you are so cute!
    xoxo

    alice c'n'r
    http://cutenroll.blogspot.it/

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  33. I love your strawberry umbrella, it's too cute!

    -Kati

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  34. I love your style! :)
    xxx
    Tanja
    http://we-do-not-care.blogspot.de

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  35. It's great to see bloggers rethink themselves and their blogs we all change and it is great to see change being embraced. I love your blog and so it can be nothing but a good thing for you to love it too.

    Kirstabelle xxx

    Http://www.kirstabelle11.blogspot.co.uk

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  36. Most of the blogs I peruse are "fashion" blogs because I like to get inspiration to mix up my personal style. Even though LCH is a "personal" blog, I really enjoy your outfit posts because you present yourself as a real person I can relate to.

    Also, I think your outfit post titles are awesome! Don't doubt! Its cute the way you tie in the colors or patterns into the title. I tend to roll my eyes a bit when an outfit post title is like some super deep quote or something, like I've seen on other blogs.

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  37. I'll be excited to see what you expand into!

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  38. I think it's pretty natural to feel that way! :) I definitely have! I love your blog posts because they're so varied, and I'm totally sure to stick around no matter what!

    ♥ laura
    the blog of worldly delights
    the shop of worldly delights

    ps. THOSE SHOES ARE AHMAYZING.

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  39. 1. I love your umbrella!

    2. I totally agree. I don't really ever use pinterest to get recipes and directions but more for inspiration. But I definitely see a lot of people just always trying to be "perfect" on their blog and never talk about that time they burned the cookies or their DIY project didn't turn out as expected or whatever! That's why I wrote my post on why it's okay to not be perfect and why I also posted my cake pops post even though I forgot to buy chocolate and couldn't finish. I know I'm VERY new to the blogging world but in real life people always see me as "perfect" but really I'm human! I make mistakes, I forget things and that's something I don't want to hide from my blog.

    Sorry for the long comment! Haha
    xox Sara from tinysugarbee.blogspot.com

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  40. You know, sometimes I wonder what all of the fuss is about having a focus and a purpose. I think you can just be and that's ok too. I don't really have any sort of aspirations for my blog (maybe because it's very new still) and right now I'm happy to just be doing it. That said, I've always thought you were a very wise and thoughtful person (I agree with your Pinterest comment) and I'm excited to see what your blog grows into. :)

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  41. That umbrella is so adorable! I love your whole outfit! Post what you want, maybe we can learn how to suck less at cooking together;D

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HEY! Thanks for dropping by. xo KB