M e e t H a i l e y
Check out this lovely interview from the lady behind
Coastal Heart Country Soul, a lovely lifestyle blog!
1. Tell me a little about your self and what you do?
I am 24 years old and anxiously trying to find (or create!) a rewarding, challenging, and enjoyable career. My husband (an engineer) and I will celebrate our third year of marriage in November; we are native Californian's living in Denver (in our 115 year old home), with our two dogs and cat, trying to find peace and contentment in this unpredictable season of life.
2. How did you get started?:
About a year ago I stumbled across the fabulous blogging world and I was so inspired by the way other women were using it to express themselves creatively, I knew I had found my niche. I started my blog simply as a way to collect, organize, and share ideas for everything from decorating to recipes, but I found that the blogs I am drawn to the most are extremely personal...so I am learning to become more confident in simply sharing details of every day life, without feeling like I need a "reason" to.
3. How would you describe your personal style?
This is such a multi-faceted question, my answer is probably going to be way more complex than necessary... When it comes to writing, I am very particular about expressing my thoughts and feelings as accurately as possible while allowing my tone and sense of humor to show through. I respect well-written, creative, and thoughtful posts and want to provide the same. As far as fashion goes, I tend towards classic pieces with fun, feminine touches- I love the timelessness of J.Crew & Ralph Lauren, but the eclectic feel of Anthropologie. At the end of the day I would rather have a few essential pieces that I absolutely love and feel great in, than piles of low-quality trendy clothes that I regret. At home, our style is constantly evolving, but as I mature I am more concerned with only living with the things we really enjoy and use, not useless clutter used to "decorate" our space. Most of our things are hand-me-downs and thrift store finds, or objects I have re-purposed to better suit our taste. I also respect the art of good design and believe that the truly special pieces should be as enjoyable for artisans to create as they are to wear or have in our homes.
4. What advice do you have to offer to others just starting out?:
I think it's important to realize that blogging is extremely time-consuming- writing posts, taking/loading/editing/adding photos, composition, style, etc.- takes time if you want to do it well. Also, be true to yourself- Not only do readers appreciate honesty, but you'll also take more pride in your work if you can look back and see that you weren't simply trying to copy someone else in order to be "successful".
5. What inspires you?
I am inspired by people, especially young women in similar places in life, who are simply out there pursuing their passions despite sometimes difficult circumstances. I'm not following the blogs of accountants and analysts, but those of jewelry designers, bakers, painters, photographers, musicians, and missionaries who are simply "following their Bliss". When I read about people doing what they truly enjoy, I see their love overflow onto their families and the world around them, and that's inspiring.
6. What's your most cherished item?
Obviously, if our house was on fire, my priority would be the safety of my husband and our three furry babies... but if I could grab one thing it would be our photo-album collection. Those pre-digital images are priceless and irreplaceable.
7. Anything else you'd like to share?
I am just so excited to have the opportunity to meet and work with so many incredible and inspiring people in the blogging world. Thank you fellow writers and readers. Thanks Samantha for doing this feature!!
