Rediscovering My Purpose

Hello friends, 

I can't believe I haven't written anything since November of last year. But, with everything that's been going on, I shouldn't be surprised. If you keep up with my Youtube, you've seen why. Though if not, last month...I quit my job. I know I've written before about how difficult that job was and it was starting to really wear on me in a negative way. I starting seeing myself change in a negative, self destructive way and I just had to get out of there. My peace of mind is above everything in my life. Since leaving, not only have I noticed a change in myself but so have several people that are really close to me. Honestly, even my stress acne has cleared up...hahha! 

Lately, I've been focusing soooooooo soooooooooooooooooo (I can't say this enough) soooooo hard on my art. That's legit all I've been thinking about and I'm probably isolating just a little because of it. We've gotten out a little though, that's something I've been making a conscieous effort to see more people and get out every once in a while. I've never really put forth much effort to be a working artist, and getting shows, and pushing my art out into the community. Truthfully, I really don't know why that is. It's what I went to school for after all, and it's what I've dedicated my life to. Why haven't I done anything with it? I suppose it's always been because I've been nervous to put it out there and be rejected, but who isn't worried about that.

I think now that I'm a little older, and I've put some time into the 'real world'...it's become clear that I don't fit into that mold, and it is physically difficult for me to hold on to a career like that. I do not fit well into polite society and it's taken me quite a while to recognize the fact that it is okay. Most of us grow up with the idea of that you have to get a normal job, go to a normal college and get that white picket fence and all that. It wasn't until just recently, that I realized that there are so many different ways to live and have a career. 

The internet is such an amazing thing, really. And, I know in this era that is a completely ridiculous thing to say because of course it is, we all already know that. But, over the past couple years it has really opened up my eyes to what life can really be. There are just so many people out there that have made their own path and made a living out of being creative....and that is so inspiring. Maybe, I'll write a post about who's really been an inspiration to me over the past few years. I'd love to share the people that have brought joy to my life with you amazing people. 

So, what's the point of all of this? Nothing, really. I just wanted to come on here again and talk with you all. I've really missed this little corner of the web that I can just come to and release all these insane thoughts of mine. I've come to realize, after reading some of my old posts, that this theme of 're-figuring out myself' has become a major part of who I am. There were so many years that I just didn't know who I was after mom died. I threw myself into several situations that washed away my personality, and all of my soul. It's become such a driving force in my life to find myself again because I haven't felt like myself up until very recently. How strange it is to not feel like yourself. I often was so completely confused when I would hear of mothers or anyone that had gone through trauma say they feel like they weren't themselves, that they had forgotten how to be themselves without what ever it was that was happening. Mothers lose themselves in the act of taking care of their families and in a way that's how I lost myself too. But, before I go down that dark path, let's redirect....

Honestly, all I want to do is create and make beautiful things that make people smile. That is my purpose. It's hard to stay on the path. It's hard to remember who I was before all the darkness. And, it's hard to not be who I know I am supposed to be. I've been doing a lot of reading, and listening to lectures on ego. Buddhism has been very intriguing to me recently. I am not religious, but I am always interested in the wisdom that religion gives us. 

That is something that's been helping me stay focused, calm and remember what is it that I'm working towards. This is a very interesting moment in my life, and I feel that I am either on the edge of something greater or the verge of knowing my limits. So, this should be fun. 

Has there been any major changes in your life recently? Tell me about it down in the comments! 

xo. holly erinn 

ps. if you would like to purchase some of the art seen in today's post, please check out my shop! 

Big Changes 'Round These Parts!

**this is gonna be a long one, folks**

Hello friends! 

Well, as per usual I have taken another long break from blogging. For a while, I kept wondering why I do this, why can't I keep my blog running for more than a few months...why do I get bored with my writing? I was going strong from January to March with some of my favorite posts I've ever written like the Josh Ritter appearance on the Jukebox, A Jean Vest Journey, and some of my Weekly Update posts like this.  Accidentally, I took a short break back in March that ended up being an extra long break up until now. In that time, I really sat with the idea of my blog and explored all aspects, questioning myself and my motives behind it. I did a lot of reading. There's so much to learn from our fellow bloggers, and the gals that have paved the way before us. My largest board on Pinterest is my Blogging & Business board.  I've got almost 500 pins on there that are mainly 'how to blog better' type posts. Reading about how other people found their focus and their tips on the subject really had me thinking about the path that this little corner of the internet I have here is going. 

I've been flying under the name Happinessbrand since about 2013. It was born after my first blog Order & Chaos, a blog that I ran with a few friends of mine, died. There was a lack of balance in the effort that was being put out and I basically got burned out, eventually wanting to branch out on my own. Happinessbrand was my answer to that... I was looking for happiness and I figured this would be a good place to start on creating my own. And, I did! Over the years, this brand has served me well, and I've created some things that I am EXTREMELY proud of. But as the years go on, I've grown....and I've grown out of the Happinessbrand name, and what it stood for.  I'm thankful for the years that I've had with my brand and what it has afforded me to do, but it's time for a change! 

I begin to analyze what really makes me happy, especially when it came to blogging. What sparked a passion in me, and what did not? What posts during the week did I dread writing, which posts were a pain in the ass to write? It was those fluffy curated posts that mainly came from other people's photos and posts. Everyone writes those, I thought....so why am I? Don't I have something better to offer? Don't I have something better to say? Enough with these curated, under-inspired posts...what am I doing?! I need to make some shit!! 

I've found through my personal blogging exploration that I am most excited and inspired to write when I am sharing my art, or making a craft and sharing the process! Those are the posts I love. They drive me to make things, and in a way force me to draw more...there's a reason to do things like that when I blog! That is what drives me! I'm tired of trying to blog like I'm some one else, or attempting to have a blog that, well, just isn't me. 

So, my friends, this brings me to my point...Happinessbrand is phasing out and a new identity will be rolling in. I have chosen to rebrand the blog with a new name, logo, look and feel....even the content will be a bit different. I want this blog to feel like me again. I need to stop being 'trendy' and trying to write about 'trendy' topics. I am a hippie, a bohemian, a free spirit-- and this blog does not reflect that at the moment. Recently, I've been getting back to my roots and finding out who I really am. Ideally, I want this to be a home for more thoughtful, honest content and exploding with color and art! It's taking a little longer than I would like, only because I lost all of my editing programs like Photoshop when my good computer died, but we're working around that. My brother is going to let me use his computer, and I think I'm going to get a cheap-y version just to make things work for the rebrand. Until then, the name will stay Happinessbrand and I will keep you guys up to date on the progress. I've chosen a name already, but we'll take about that in a bit. 

This rebranding will happen in stages, and I'll share each step of the process with you guys as I go along. I'll announce the new name in a separate, more official post. We recently moved and I'm currently in the process of putting together my new office, and the rest of our new home. It's mine and Bry's first home, and it's been quite the undertaking. So, things have been put on hold in a way while we get everything in order. But, I'm still working behind the scenes to plan content, and gather information and ideas. This has been in the works for a few months now, I've felt this deep urge that something wasn't right here on the blog--something just didn't fit-didn't work. And now, that I've figured that thing out...things are going to set off like a wild fire! 

You read all these posts from big bloggers that have their shit together...most of them tell you 'find your focus, find your focus'! And up until recently, I didn't think that was very important. I just figured, I could blog about anything I want at anytime and that would work. And, for a moment it did....but I couldn't keep up with it. I wasn't inspired. I didn't have the passion to continue writing like that. I was trying to be someone I'm not...we'll talk more about that later too! I've got a whole post planned on that subject. 

I've also found out through my 'trying to blog like someone else' phase that blogger burn out is a real thing, a real pain in the ass thing. I was trying to have a new post up every day, it was driving me nuts--just too much pressure. Trying to juggle a full time job, an Etsy shop, and this blog on top of attempting to have some sort of social life was a bit too much when I was trying to make this blog run full time. I had put too much on my plate, and I was crumbling. So in addition to rebranding, bringing you better content--I will also be cutting down on the number of posts that go out each week. Each post will be thoughtful, and the best quality content I can possibly put out there. And, that's the main goal! Instead of trying to pump out massive amounts of sub-par quality shit, I want to bring you the best I can make! 

If you've made it through this whole post, congrats and thank you for reading down this far. I know this post is incredibly text heavy, but I had a lot to say on the matter. So, in addition to all these changes, I want to invite you all to feel free to comment, question, and voice your concerns! This blog is mainly about my journey in the art world, my view on social issues, and my pursuit of a more colorful world--but I also want to harvest a sense of community. That's a huge part of the rebranding. I want to develop a tribe a creative souls that crave color, and live for social justice, a tribe that enjoys creating a beautiful world around them and strives to learn as much as they can! If that sounds like something you'd be into, stick around...become part of the family! 

xoxo, Holly Erinn 

10 Ways to Keep Your Blog Organized

Hello friends, 

Today, I wanted to share with you 10 ways I keep myself organized while blogging and planning my blog content. These are very simple, very attainable ideas for even the newest bloggers! Now, granted I have never been the most organized blogger...taking a few breaks from blogging here and there over the years. But, last year into this year I have focused my writing and creation of blog content and have really gotten into a groove. I wanted to share my little blog habits and tricks that keep my head a float! Let's get started!!! 

1. Get a calendar: get yourself a monthly calendar with a notes section in the back. That way you have all your ideas and you can see your entire blog month at a glance. 

2. Make an editorial calendar: plan out your month with writing days and post days to keep things straight. This will give you tasks for each day instead of just guessing and rushing to post things at random. 

3.Write down every idea: keep a list of all your blog ideas, and write down everything...you never know when that idea may come in handy! 

4. Make a million lists: make lists about your post ideas, the things you need for your blog, the things you want to research, the blogs you want to read...make lists about everything! Not only will it get your brain working, but it's also great to look back on when your experiencing writer's block. 

5. Color categorize everything: This will help you with visability on your calendar. When things are different colors it is easier  for you to check at a glance what that day's tasks are, and lends itself to a prettier set up too! 

6. Schedule writing days and post days: separating the days you write and the days you post will not only keep you sane but it also leaves you time to edit and leaves you wiggle room if life gets in the way. 

7. Use scheduled posting via your blog platform: Nothing says organized quite like a gorgeous lineup of scheduled posts! Keeping up on your writing a few days in advance will keep your mind at ease and allows you to stay consistent with your posting. Random posts here and there are not the ideal blogging experience for you or your readers. 

8. Use Pinterest AND Flickr: These two sites are godsends! Flickr allows you to organized and store all your original photos and Pinterest is a blogger's best friend for finding new ideas, tutorials, and great articles on blogging.....and so so so much more! And the best part is that they're both totally free! 

9. Write down notes for your content: Most blogs have great photos, that's basically rule number 1 in the blog world. But, so many blogs don't take the time to write good copy. When your planning your posts, take notes on what you want to say before you even start typing. This gives you bullet points on what to talk about so you stay on topic, and also allows you to remember everything you wanted to say. 

10. Take on only what you can handle: There's nothing else that can kill a good blog, and a good groove that a good burnout. I've done this to myself a few times over the years...you get into a good groove, you start taking on more than you can chew, and you end up giving up and stepping away from what once was a really good thing. You have to know your limits, what you can handle and what you can't....and when to say enough.

I hope these little tips help you in organizing your blog writing and creation a little more. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions...please feel welcome to comment down below! How do you guys keep your blogs organized? I'd love to hear from you!!! 

xoxo. Holly Erinn

Welcome Back to the Blogosphere!

Hello friends, 

It's been quite some time since I wrote on here! My computer got fried in a rain storm a few months ago, and I was never able to fix it. I recently celebrated my birthday on the 30th, and my present to myself was a brand new computer. I've just been dying to get back to writing and get back to you guys. Life just isn't the same without the Happinessbrand blog!!! I'm just so happy to be getting back in the swing of things! 

The past few months have been kind of nuts. I got a new job, been hella busy with that. The hours I work are kinda random. But, I really do love it. It's an excellent gig. It allows me the time to work on other things, and still get my creative vibes out there. In between the hours at my "big girl job" and the rest of life, I have been working on tons of art, and even started making dolls. I made one in the fall for my gorgeous niece Alice, and she loves it; so I figured some other little kiddos might love them too. I haven't put any up in the shop yet. They're still in the process of being made. So far, so good though- they're turning out adorably! 

Below are a few photos of the dolls in progress, and a few of the most recent pieces of art that I've either been working on or ones that are already up in the shop! The very last photo in the set is of myself in a stunning necklace from Mirina Collections. I recently paired up with this amazing family-run business as a partner in their brand ambassador program. You can save 20% off their famous collection necklaces with my code: "holly20xo". You should definitely check out there jewelry, its so amazingly well made and truly worth the price (especially with my awesome coupon code!!!). I'm madly in love with my "Nura" necklace, I can't even begin to tell you how many compliments I get on that monster when I where it out!! 

Well friends, get ready for some amazing new content on the blog for this beautiful new 2016 year!! I can't wait to share the coming months with all of you. 

How did you wrap up 2015, did you blog about it, share it on social media? Share you links down in the comments. I want to get back in touch with all you beauties!! 

xoxo. Holly Erinn