Who knew?

Who knew that this blog designing thing would actually turn into something!? It really just kind of fell into my lap! About a year ago I took an html code class at the local community college because I'd really like to get into designing web pages. Well, for a designer code pretty much makes your brain go haywire! It's NOT my thing...all those formulas and stuff. I did up a webpage for my husbands business with what I learned but as a designer I was not satisfied.

Fast forward about 5 months......I knew two people who had blogs. My SIL and my friend Michelle. I would check them everyday and enjoyed getting the updates. I decided "what the heck" I'd jump into blogland. And so I did. I soon discovered the html code section and with the little bit that I learned in the class I figured out how to manipulate it to make my blog look just how I wanted it! FUN! So soon I was offering to spruce up my family and friends blogs as well.

Fast forward about 4 months......one of my new blog buddies, Jennifer P, sent me an email saying, "hey I purchased a blog design from this other designer but she flaked out on me. If I pay you will you design my blog for me?" Well twist my arm Jennifer! Then one of her friends who had the same thing happen emailed me too and Taffy Talk was my next design. It just spiraled from there into what it is now! I'm staying busy and I'm making a little moo-la along the way! Which is exciting because I will be able to purchase the design programs I need to further my website design education & capabilities!

Even more unexpected than having this business dropped into my lap is the fun I have going through the process with each client. Each client is different and I feel like I have these intense week long friendships with them. I miss them when I am done and it's fun to stop by their blogs and see what they are up to. One of the best parts is when they make comments like, "you don't even know me but the blog design you did for me looks JUST LIKE ME!" It's been strange yet fun and challenging to take the info the client gives me and translate their personality into a design.

The other unexpected benefit is how it helps to fill my "love tank" up. Gary Chapman has a book called The Five Love Languages. Basically there are 5 different ways that people give and receive love: 1. Acts of Service 2. Gifts 3. Quality Time 4. Physical Touch and 5. Words of Affirmation. For me the way that I best receive love (my love language) is through Time and Words of Affirmation. But I would say that words of affirmation is my number one! So for me it's been a blessing to do these designs and have my clients be so happy with how it turns out that they in turn have showered me with lots of affirmation. And then I get the added bonus of going to their blogs, reading their comments, and hearing the affirming comments from their readers about the new design.

So who knew when I started this little blogland adventure last summer that it would end up being something that......
*provided extra income
*would be a stepping stone to my goal of website design
*would be so fun
*would be a place where I would receive prayerful and scriptural encouragement at times from readers
*would speak my love language to me

I didn't know! But now I do.

I did two blog installs in the last couple days. Both of these women were so great to work with and they definitely spoke my love language to me OFTEN!! Thanks ladies. The first is Suzanne from At Home with the Farmer's Wife. What a great gal! Check her out!



The other is Marie who lives all the way over in FRANCE! She is a vintage postcard distributor and this week I will be duplicating the blog design for her in a French translation version (no I do not speak French...but she does!) We are in different time zones obviously and so my night owl tendancy paid off here. I'd be up late working and then she would get up, check the progress and we would communictate. Then she'd say good night and I'd say have a great day! Someday when my hubby and I go to Europe I may even take her up on her offer of a place to stay!! How fun would that be! I joked with her that since I now have an international client....does that make me a "world renound" blog designer! LOL! You should hop on over to her blog Cpaphil-Vintage Postcards and check out all those vintage postcards. They are fabulous!