ME | It's About Time for an About Page

I decided it was high-time to finally create an "About Page" for this blog.
You'd think I would've done it sooner at some point over the last 5 years…but I think for me...timing is everything. Let me explain...

You might assume the About Page was created for "you"…the readers of this blog.
After all, the information I'm sharing over there is very enlightening and obviously a great deal of insight about ME; the bits and pieces of my personality and the person behind this blog that you may have never known.

Honestly though, writing the Pen N' Paper Flowers About Page was for "me".
In an effort to get back to the essence of "who" I am and "why" I started this blog…
it was necessary for me to go through the process of actually writing down what makes me tick….what inspires me…where my roots are…and the many things I love. I want my blog to be a direct reflection of my life…my authentic life. Authentic content is what works for me in this blogging world we live in. I realize it's not for everyone…but it's so necessary for me.

I've always been the type that can't really promote something I don't believe in and since I never actually defined out loud what Pen N' Paper Flowers is all about…I struggled with the direction to take this blog. I didn't really have direction. Which is okay sometimes…I'm down for being spontaneous but for the long-term vision of this blog…I needed something to hang onto.

So…my About Page has now become my map. The map I can reference when:
I'm prepping post ideas
I'm approached by a brand
I'm asked to participate in a project
I'm considering a collaboration
I start to feel like I'm getting off course
and so much more...

Writing it was very therapeutic to say the least.
I started out just writing down anything and everything I could think of that I felt defined who I am. There were things I'd forgotten about and things I didn't really want to reveal. I tiptoed around some of the hard stuff and left some things open for interpretation. I kept reminding myself that this was just an "About Page"…not a book. But I really wanted to leave you feeling like you knew me on a much more personal level without completely sharing my entire life story with you in one VERY LONG POST. I think I was able to do that. You be the judge! (even though the post is still long I think it's an easy read).

The thing of it is…I HAD to do an About Page.
You see…there have been many times over the course of starting my blog that it's taken on a life of it's own. I found myself lost in the content on occasion…posting just to post but not really "feeling" the content.  I don't want to be that blogger. I've never wanted to be that blogger.

I LOVE blogging. I started blogging because I'm passionate about writing and sharing.
I'm passionate about inspiring others and I'm so completely passionate about journaling and documenting my life and my every day. Not for me actually...but for my children. They don't really get it now but I know one day they will and I also know they'll appreciate it.

Blogging is a form of expression for me…and it's an extension of who I am; A person who absolutely LOVES to be creative and someone who just wants to make my house a home and to keep my family first through my enthusiasm for making, baking and photo-taking!! That's it.

Blogging provides me with the opportunity to record my life in a way that will hopefully inspire others too. I really can't think of a more magical combination than that.

I'll be personally referencing "My Map" often because it was really written with the intent to help keep me focused on what matters most.

With that said, you may or may not notice a shift in the content I share on the blog. I've been slowly creeping towards the change for some time and look forward to keeping things authentic and real around here.

After all…when you love what you are doing and doing what you love…
People sense it.
People feel it.
People feed off of it.
People connect with it.
That's what I want for me…
and that's what I want for YOU!

Now…enough from me today…you've still got the new About Page to go check out!!

KEEPiNG iT REAL
I have to be honest and tell you...I wrote and re-wrote and erased then put back, simplified then unsimplified, read and re-read, post-poned and 2nd guessed myself the entire way through it. But at the end of the day…I think I kept it real and that's what I was going for.