four years in.

Published on by Quandie

It’s my blogiversary!  As of today I have four years of blogging under my belt.  I’ve written 736 posts and had 121,042 visitors to the blog with 338,987 views of my posts, and those numbers don’t include those who are following via email (another 86,000 views for 2017 alone).

Wowza!  I definitely did not see those kinds of numbers in my future when I started this blogging thing.

I started my blog on Thanksgiving weekend, 2013.  The only reason I started then was because I happened to have some time on my hands with the four day weekend.  I wasn’t thinking ahead to the idea that my upcoming blogiversaries would coincide with Thanksgiving weekend and thus become the perfect opportunity each year to express my gratitude for my readers.

In other words, I couldn’t have planned that better if I’d tried.

So here we are at the perfect time of year for thinking about the things we are thankful for, and I want to take this opportunity to say that I am extremely thankful for all of you!  I have the most supportive, thoughtful, kind, enthusiastic, insightful, creative … well, let’s just face it, positively brilliant readers out there in all of blogland.

I cherish each one of you and I appreciate each and every comment that you leave whether it be short or long.

It wouldn’t be a blogiversary celebration without a giveaway, so be sure to read to the end of the post for more details!

In light of the announcement earlier this fall that this will be the last season of Fixer Upper, I’ve been thinking about longevity a lot lately.  How quickly people rise to the height of fame, and then either move on to other things or disappear off the map entirely (not that I’m saying that will happen to Chip & Joanna!).  Or conversely, how many start something and then just fizzle out quietly.

I’ve been at my day job for 30 years (I know, crazy right?), we’ve lived in our house for 29 years.  We’ve been married for 28 years (yes, Mr. Q and I shacked up before we got married).

And I’ve been painting furniture for more than 20 years.  Since long before chalk paint or milk paint became all the rage, and definitely before blogging was even a thing.  Actually, the internet itself was just getting rolling back then.

I know it’s terribly ‘old school’ of me, but I place some value on longevity.

I guess it goes without saying that when I find something that works for me, I tend to stick with it through thick or thin (whether it’s a job or a marriage, or so far even a blog).

That seems to definitely be the exception rather than the rule when it comes to blogging.

I’ve watched so many blogs come and go over the past four years.  And I totally get it.  Blogging is very time consuming, and the financial payoff for most is fairly minimal if not pretty much non-existent.

I could work harder to promote my blog, and I could ‘monetize’ it (by adding those annoying pop-up ads).  I know there are a handful of bloggers out there who have been able to quit their day jobs and live on their blog revenue, but I think that is pretty rare and not always long lasting.  I have no plans to ‘monetize’, and in fact I just upgraded to the next level of WordPress which means you’ll no longer even see those ads at the bottom of each post (you’re welcome!).

I do get one awesome financial benefit from the blog though, free product.  I’ve gotten paint and other supplies from Little Billy Goat, Rachel Ashwell, Real Milk Paint Co, Fusion, Homestead House and Miss Mustard Seed.  This benefit has been totally amazing!  It’s like getting a fun gift every time I receive a box of stuff in the mail. Although most of these have been one time deals, the Fusion/Homestead House people have been incredibly generous in continuing to send product on an ongoing basis.

Over time I’ve dabbled with increasing my exposure through HomeTalk and a Facebook page, and I’ve thought about adding Instagram.  There seem to be a million other options for social media these days.  But those things all take up valuable time that I’d rather be devoting to either refurbishing vintage furniture or to writing the blog posts themselves.  After putting in the time at my full-time day job (the one that actually pays the bills), there are only so many hours left in a day and I have to choose what I spend them on wisely based on my personal goals.

So, if I’m not doing this blog thing for financial gain and I have no immediate desire to focus on expanding my exposure, why am I doing it?

The answer is really very simple.  Because I love it.

It totally makes my day when I get comments from you guys about how much you enjoyed a post.  I also get a huge kick out of meeting people and having them say “I just love your blog!”  It’s always fun when someone tells me they were inspired by one of my projects.

I really enjoy the photography side of blogging as well.  Staging a piece to take photos of it is one my favorite aspects of blogging.  I’ve been working on improving my photography skills which has been pretty fulfilling.

Writing blog posts is also something I enjoy.  I’d never considered myself much of a writer before, but as it turns out I take some pleasure in writing a good blog post.

But most especially, I really relish the process of taking a beat up old piece of furniture and giving it a new lease on life.  I feel a certain zen-like sense of peace when I am alone in my workshop with some Pink Martini playing (anyone?) and a paint brush in my hand.  I could (and often do) spend hours just painting stuff.  I know I would do this with or without a blog.

You see, I am a furniture painter first and a blogger second and maybe that’s why I have managed to keep at it for four years now.

So thanks to all of you for sticking at it with me, and here’s to many more years!

As I mentioned at the start of this post, it wouldn’t be a blogiversary without a giveaway right?!  I wish I could just send this gift to each and every one of you, but that isn’t possible so instead I will draw a name at random from the comments left on this blog post by Thursday, November 30 at midnight (U.S. Central time).  The winner will receive a Seven Swans a Swimming box, a copy of the issue of Vintage Holiday magazine with a story about my ornament non-collection, a jar of Fusion’s English Rose (provided by Fusion!), five vintage pink bell ornaments (crossing my fingers that they will arrive intact!), and a pretty hair pin I made using a pretty vintage earring.  I might find a few other things to toss in as well.

Best of luck to you!  And thanks for helping me celebrate my 4 year blogiversary!

228 thoughts on “four years in.”

  1. Please don’t change anything. Everything you do is perfection. Congrats on your 4 years and thank you for putting in the time and effort to let us enjoy your work. Your blog is the highlight of my days!

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    1. Well I can’t promise not to change Ginette because hopefully I’ll continue to improve. When I look back at my earliest blog posts I cringe a bit because to me they seem pretty amateur-ish. Maybe one day I’ll look back at year 4 and think ‘geesh, thank goodness I’ve improved since then!”

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  3. Happy blogiversary! And thank you for taking the time to share with us your journey and creativity, I look forward to every post!

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  4. Congratulations on your 4 year anniversary! I do love your blog!!! No where else have I seen new life
    breathed into old, however lovely, furniture with paint! I so wish I lived closer so I could purchase some of the pieces
    I see on your blog that I truly would love to own. Thru your blog, I am learning to “style” my rooms as well. Thanks for
    always being a bright spot to my long days as I see your blog name in my mailbox and click to read the new installment. It never disappoints with the never ending creativity you show in your furniture. A “shout out” to Ken, who seemingly is able to repair anything. Wish I could clone him and have him “on call” to work his magic at my home.
    Thanks for your blog and I look forward to many more installments in the future!

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    1. I’ll be sure to pass on your shout out to Ken. He hates being the center of attention, but I truly couldn’t do what I do without him. He is mortified every time I bring up his fan club and their motto “I have a Ken-do attitude!” 🙂

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  6. I enjoy getting your blog in my email. I recommend your blog whenever people are looking for inspiration. So thanks for being part of my day. I hope you continue for years to come.
    And I do appreciate that I don’t have to close ads to see your beautiful photos.

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    1. I owe a big debt of gratitude to you Janice for hooking me up with the people at Fusion in the first place! And thank you for sharing my blog with people who are looking for inspiration too 🙂

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  7. Congratulations Linda!!! What a milestone! You KNOW I’ve loved your blog and your sales but I’ve also loved getting to know you in person the last couple years! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked up different posts of yours when I’ve had a painting issue or just a design dilemma. I look forward to it every time.😊 I REALLY appreciate you sticking around for 4 years, here’s to another 30!!! Keep up the amazing work!

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    1. 30 more years, bwa, ha, ha … can you picture me at 84 still wielding a paint brush … well, maybe 😉 I was recently reading a post on a Facebook forum where someone suggested that painters keep a journal of all of their pieces and what colors they used etc, but I don’t have to do that because I have this blog. I often go back to old posts to remind myself how I dealt with a particular problem, or what top coat looked good over a certain color, or how I mixed a custom color … it’s incredibly handy! I’m happy to hear that others use it this way too!

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  9. I love the peaks into your home, your family and your thought process in addition to loving your furniture style! Always a treat for me to see q is for quandie in my email.

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  10. I am retiring after 30 years of teaching high school! I plan to just paint furniture “all day long”. You inspire me! Congrats on 4 years of the blog. Also, I own my grandmother’s collection of vintage ornaments. (Oops, non-collection I mean ) I treasure them!

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    1. LOL, yes, non-collection is the proper term 😉 And lucky you, painting furniture all day long. Sounds heavenly! You deserve that, plus some sort of medal for teaching high school for 30 years!

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  11. Happy Blogiversary! I found your blog through a Pinterest pinned photo and immediately joined your fan club. I look forward to each email! Great ideas and inspiration. Congratulations and thank you!

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    1. I do get a fair amount of traffic from pinterest and I always wonder how many people just stop by and take a look at the photos, and how many follow along from there. I’m glad at least one person did 😉

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  12. Congrats on 4 years!
    I look forward to your blog everyday!
    It’s my favorite and very inspiring as I have 2 booths in an antique store here in Minnesota. We have similar tastes in painted furniture and I love your styling and non-collections.

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    1. I actually used to read quite a few more blogs myself! But many of the blogs I started out with have gone under and I’ve never replaced them. Plus I’m fighting that whole comparison thing that I talked about in my blog about decorating for free 🙂

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  16. I was reading this on my phone and it formats differently. I thought you were giving away a Seven Swans, and a Swimming Box!!?! What the heck? Then I clicked over from e-mail to the actual blog post and saw my misapprehension.

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  18. And this is why I love your blog. You can tell through your styling, photography and writing that you truly love what you do as you still work full time. And I agree with Janice that it’s nice not having to close an ad to fully see a photo. Congratulations on your anniversary and I look forward to many more.

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    1. I just read a really great article online about how the pop-up ads are really counter productive. They distract and annoy your readers, invite them to click on something else thus leaving your blog behind, and it’s really incredibly difficult to make any sort of real money with them. It actually kind of surprises me that so many bloggers use them at all. I wonder if they think about the cost in terms of lost blog readership versus the amount of money they bring in? It’s hard to know, and maybe that bit of extra money makes all the difference to them in terms of making ends meet or justifying the amount of time they spend blogging. I’m just happy that I don’t have to use them on my blog!

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  19. Congratulations ! Your blog is the highlight of my day ! Don’t change anything it’s truly inspirational. I have recently started painting furniture and love anything vintage. I always like looking at your yard sale items they are lovely X

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    1. Thanks so much Irene! Ahhhh, yard sale items, I’m starting to miss garage sale season already and it’s only November. I’ll be looking forward to spring when they start up again 🙂

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  20. I have just recently discovered your blog and look forward to your new posts. Your make overs, from what some would consider pieces with no future to beautiful unique furniture and accessories, are inspiring. My sister and I have inherited many item that are perfect for trash to treasure makeovers. You have given me many ideas and it’s nice to see potential in a “pile of junk” rather than just more stuff we have to get rid of. Love your creativity and blogging style. It truly shows how much you enjoy staging the wonderful things you have transformed, the pictures are attention grabbers. Thank you for sharing.
    Jill

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  21. No one spins a better story than you. In a sea of email, yours always rises to the top and is among the first that I read… Always. Without. Fail. Thank you for bringing humor, beauty, and inspiration to my world!

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  22. Linda, first let me take a moment to say how much I appreciate your blog. More than any other blog I follow I feel ‘you get me’. Your posts are full of beautiful photos that help illustrate the project or travelogue, full of helpful hints and your writing exactly describes the subject. Well done, you. I also love the no ads portion! So I’m glad you are in it for the long haul. And my comment is not based on wanting to win, it’s just to say thank you. Long live the Queen Quandie!

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  24. I feel like I’ve been with you since the beginning! Sitting down with a cuppa and your blog post, I always feel like I’m having coffee with an old friend. Keep ‘em coming, and congrats on 4 years of entertaining posts!

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    1. I always schedule my posts for the morning because I feel just like you, it’s like sitting down and having some coffee with my friends. I’m glad you’re joining me Mary!

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  25. Congrats on the 4 year blogiversary! I look forward to your blog everyday! I too have been painting and refinishing household furniture for many years. Your work is such an inspiration, that I am trying to take this painting hobby to a whole new level. I love your pink Christmas projects; and have my eye on an antique vanity for my own pink project. Even if I didn’t paint, your writing, lovely photography, and humor will keep me reading every single post.

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  26. Congrats on your blogaversary…is that a new word? I know you know this, but it should always be said out loud too…love, love, love you along with all your talents: your writing talents, your photography talents, your painting talents, and especially your talents with teaching what you love. You and your family (Mr.Q, Mom, Sis, Niece and yes, even Ken) are great people. Not too long before you too can retire and “sleep in”…and try to remember what day of the week it is! Life is good. Thank you gor sharing yours through your blog.

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  27. Happy blogaversary! I believe I’ve been with you from the beginning, came via another blog, but that was a computer ago and I can’t remember who! I love that you breathe new life into old pieces without harming the integrity of an old piece…you give it a new history if you get what I mean! Thank you for no pop up ads,,,so many blogs have them and I can never finish reading them cuz my computer is frozen. I enjoy your photos and your travels as well…think I need me a “Ken”. Here’s to many more years! Blessings

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  28. Congratulations! I always love finding a new post from you in my email. I’m always inspired to start working on some of my projects (even if I don’t find the time to follow through). Thank you for all the beautiful projects & posts!

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  29. I am a fairly new reader and you have quickly become a favorite. Your taste and style mirror my own and I live vicariously through your recycling and creativity. I struggle to get motivated and DO what I see on line…perhaps you will be the nudge (I think blasting powder might be required, LOL) that I need to reach my potential.
    I really admire your energy and work ethic.

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  30. Congratulations! Your blog is my favorite. I love your talent, projects, travels and commentaries. We are of the same age and I think thats why I feel such a connection to your blog. Keep up the great work and I hope you continue for a long, long time. Best wishes and Happy Holidays!

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    1. Yes, I think there is something to that idea of feeling a connection to people in our same age range. I think the way we look at things definitely changes as we get older, things that once were so important no longer are and other things that we didn’t always value make their way to the top of the list.

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  31. Linda do not change a thing.. you have the most amazing products and the prettiest most easy to read blog.. your love of both is so apparent. I do not comment often but I read everyone and they are my first to check out of many I follow on RSS. Well done and keep going, you do inspire and entertain!

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    1. So funny Lee Ann, as you know I have another friend with the same exact name as you (although she goes by Annie) and I can’t tell you how often I think you are her, or she is you! It always throws me. But then I see your Creative Moments email address and it clicks! Thanks so much for following along on my blog Lee Ann!

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  32. Congrats on 4 years! And on all of your other long accomplishments 🙂

    I found your blog at the perfect time, in the midst of a home renovation project (thanks to Christina Hanson). I value your creativity. I have little free time to search pinterest, but your blog popping up in my facebook feed is a welcome reminder to think creatively and reuse or repurpose! You were the inspiration for the bathroom vanity that I am working on (an old buffet repurposed). And, a great source for knowledge (I’m using the fusion paint that you recommended).

    Thank you for all you do. Cheers to another long tenure!

    Sarah

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  33. Congrats on your 4 year anniversary! I still look forward (been a fan for awhile!) to reading your posts each day that they magically appear in my inbox. You continue to inspire me. You rock!!

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  34. Congrats on your anniversary. I too am inspired by the great painting examples you share each week. It’s a treat to open your blog and get lost in creativity for awhile. Don’t we all need something positive and beautiful in our lives. Keep ’em coming, I love your style.

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  35. Linda, you are my favorite blogger! I feel like I’ve been reading your blog for over 3 years. So almost from the beginning. Best of luck for continued success!

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  37. Congratulations on your blog! I too found you through Pinterest. I can’t remember the exact piece but I do remember it was staged with a stack of vintage tablecloths and I thought it was so beautiful I had to see more. I must say I follow many blogs but yours is the one that speaks to me and inspires me the most. I love vintage furniture and your transformations are always so beautiful. Thank you for keeping your blog true to what you love. Don’t change a thing!

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  39. Time truly flies. Seems like yesterday that I found you through Bees Knees back on December 31, 2013. Thank you for all that you share here. I look forward to reading each and every post. Congratulations on your blogiversary! And I too am so pleased you are not monetizing the blog.

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  41. Congratulations! I love your transformations. I admire how you manage to balance a full time job and your passion for updating furniture. Thanks for sharing what you love and inspiring me!

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  43. I look forward to your blog posts! I have been reading you for quite some time and always love every post! I do enjoy your Ken fixes as well! I think you should do a weekly “ask Ken” post. We could ask him furniture repair questions! 😁 His handy ways are also fun to see on your blog! Happy Anniversary!
    Blessings

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  45. Thank you for sharing through your blog. I always have a smile after reading! I also am gaining much needed confidence to try bigger and better projects.

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    1. That’s awesome Sharon. I truly feel that anyone can accomplish what I do, especially using some of the amazing products that are out there these days, so I’m glad I’m inspiring you to try bigger and better projects!

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  46. I want to echo all of the above comments. Congratulations for your 4 yr anniversary!! I too love all of your work- true inspiration. I also have ‘ Ken envy’. Your blog is the first I read every morning. I was wondering if you could post a picture and/or instructions of the vintage earirng/pin. I have my Mother’s costume jewelry from the 50’s. My sisters thought it was junky and were going to give it away. Much to my surprise after searching on the net, some of it is collectable. I would love to be able to make it into something different then what it was intended.
    Thank you again for all that you share ( without all the pop up ads). Susan W.

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  47. I look forward everyday to your blog! You are always uplifting and inspiring! And….you paint really good, I mean really really good!

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  48. Congratulations on your blogiversary!!! I always look forward to reading your blog. Thank you for interesting content and for keeping the ads away!

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  49. Yours is my favorite blog, and I have learned alot from you! THANK YOU for sharing your talent, and I bet all of us girls posting here wish we were your neighbor….LOL 🙂

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  50. Congratulations on your anniversary. I’m a newcomer to your blog, and it has become the first one I open and read. I enjoy, not only your writing (I was a newspaper feature writer for 25 years, so I know something about it), but your photos and the subject matter, as well, and find many useful bits of information. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge, your style and a good read. I’m currently working my way back through your archives, so I’ve got some good reading material. Thanks again, and congratulations.

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