My 5 Blogging New Year’s Resolutions

The last few month of 2015 were very hard for me and my family (I’ll do a follow up post about that) and things here, on the blog, were neglected. You many not have noticed but I did and I’m making a commitment to change all that for 2016.

I know life always gets in the way of our jobs sometimes, it just can’t be avoided, and I have been very blessed to have blogging friends who were willing to help me keep up with my blog and lend an ear when I needed it. Thank you all for that {Hugs}.

Here are some changes I’m looking forward to and am actually excited about making for this year.Red Barn in WinterTaking Better Photos: Sometimes all that’s needed is taking the time to stop and put my camera on a tripod. Nobody wants to see blurry photos due to camera shake. Photography is a huge passion in my life and I’d like to get more creative with how I use it. I feel like I get in a rut with blog photography. How many ways can I photograph the same room over and over again? I need to get my thinking cap on and see things through new eyes. 

Winter Cow

Visit & Comment on Blogs: I’m pretty good about this already and do try and make a point to at least read the posts from those I follow. I don’t always leave a comment but I do keep up with everyone pretty well. This year I would like to take more time on each person’s blog and get to know everyone better.

Sheep in Winter

Find New Fantastic & Amazing Blogs to Follow: I know there are so many blogs out there that I don’t even know about. If you have some favorites leave them in my comment box so I can check them out. What I normally look for is GREAT photography, large photos, and content similar to my own. You know just regular people sharing their lives and home like I do.

First Accumulating Snow In MichiganExpose Myself: No, not in that way silly. I want to be more open with my readers and share my true self. I struggle with my weight, I have bad hair days, my house isn’t always magazine ready, my kid’s room is a pig sty, and hubby and I own our own business that struggles at times. I guess I want to share my imperfect self, and my imperfect life. I know it’s a great place to get that extra support that’s needed sometimes and a little prayer can never hurt.

Winter Horse BarnKeep an Organized Office:  My office seems to be the dump all spot for me. If I’m working on a project it gets dumped on my desk, if I’m taking photos my camera and lenses get dumped on my desk, movies I rent to watch…on my desk, library books….on my desk. You get the idea. My plan is to put whatever gets dumped away before I go to bed every night. By nature I am always very clean and organized but for some reason I know I can just shut the door and don’t have to look at it, so it sometimes gets out of control. I even like to dust my desk on a daily basis.

With 2 computers going it seems to create a lot of dust. The dog also sleeps in my office so she creates pet hair and dust too. I’ve been keeping a slipcover on the dog’s loveseat and I change it every day. That helps greatly with the dust, and I also vacuum everyday so I know that makes things much better than they could be.

Do you have anything that you’ll be working on in 2016? 

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42 Comments

  1. Oh gosh…. I need to vacuum and dust this house more. Two dogs that love going in and out all day long and shedding and…. well, any pet owner knows these things. I have one spot on the corner of my desk that ALWAYS has a pile of papers, and books. Need to get that under control this year. Also exercise, I did buy a small recumbent bike in 2015, and I do use it pretty regularly, but I need to add another movement to the repertoire so that pounds will drop off faster, and STAY off too! My blog is pretty much what I want it to be right now…. there was a time when blogging took up a great deal more of my life, and all of that sitting, preparing, photographing, editing, well, I finally decided it was not healthy for me. I hope that your home business as well as your blog grow this year and become what you have dreamed they would… enjoy this brand new year! xox

    1. Diane I find with the wood floors I have to vacuum at least once a day or I see tumbleweeds of dog hair floating across the floor and it drives me crazy. Our do is shedding right now because our weather is so strange it thinks it’s Spring ๐Ÿ™ I recently lost 45 pounds from food allergies, yipee! Have a wonderful 2016 Diane.

  2. I want to be a better photographer as well. Sometimes, I’m right on top of it. But I admit to not always getting the best shot, simply because I post every day and that means the lighting and conditions aren’t always the best.

    I like your list, my friend. Happy New Year! Sending you lots of love.

    1. Claudia lighting is always an issue here too with the log walls and this time of year we never see the sun ๐Ÿ™ Happy New Year to you and Don also XOXO

  3. Happy New Year to you and your family. I hope 2016 proves to be a good year for all of you. I enjoy your blog so much and look forward to each and every one. My resolution for this new year is to do a lot of “cleaning out” throughout the entire house and get more organized.

    1. Karen that’s a great goal. I did it last year and it’s so freeing.

  4. Love your blog and your photos.. Awesome โค๏ธ I’ve been striving to be organized and I’m 62. Ha.. You have a lot on your plate.. So just enjoy.. Try .. Lol!!!

    1. Melissa it’s never too late to get organized. I would love to do it for others as a job. I’ve spent weeks at friends houses just helping them purge and get things decluttered, I think it’s fun.

  5. Oh I forgot Happy New Year and best of Luck to you and you family!!!!! โค๏ธ

    1. Thank you Melissa Happy New Year to you too!!

  6. Well I love reading your blog and seeing you photos. I wished I was that creative. Happy New Years?

    1. Aw how sweet Linda, thank you for being a loyal reader.

  7. Hi Dawn,
    I love that you are always so open and honest with your blog. Thank you for sharing your friendship with me and being a wonderful support. I look forward too and wish for much peace, health and happiness as we settle into the new year. Both of us have had long journey’s this past 2015 and I am hoping and praying for better days ahead. Hugs.
    Kris

    1. Kris thank you for always being there for me. You always take the time to listen XOXO ๐Ÿ™‚ Yes I hope we both have a much better 2016 and so glad to leave 2015 behind.

  8. Blessings for a peaceful 2016!
    Thanks for sharing your goals; I loved your blogging calendar and tools for 2015!! I have a tiny home business and wondered if you would be doing that again for 2016?
    Keep on Keeping it real!

    1. Susie I ran out of time and didn’t create one for 2016 ๐Ÿ™ I will have to put that on my calendar for next year though. Thank you for the reminder ๐Ÿ™‚

  9. I love your photography and can’t imagine it getting any better Dawn!….I look forward to all of your projects and creativity in 2016…I wish you and your family a most happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year…and thanks for all of your help and friendship Dawn!!!!

    1. Shirley thank you as well for your friendship:) Right now Im on project overload on my calendar for the new year. I can’t wait to get them all accomplished and photographed.

  10. I’d love to improve my photography skills this year a well. Unlike you, most of my house is usually a mess, so I’d like to get that under control and keep things looking nicer – even when I have 10 projects in the works at the same time! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Happy New Year, Dawn!

    1. Angie I spent this fall cleaning every room and every closet of anything we didn’t have to have and donated it all to charity. It was such a weight off my shoulders purging. I did my last room this week, my shoe room, so now my whole house is complete even the basement.

  11. Great resolutions Dawn. I love your pictures in this post. I too want to focus more time on my blog, it is so far behind and I have so many areas that need improvement, but life and business definitely take over at times. I’m looking forward to following your posts this year. Happy New Year!

    1. Adina life sure does get busy and I feel most of it is self inflicted ๐Ÿ™ I hope to slow down this year and make many changes.

  12. Wishing you all the very best Dawn in 2016. Sounds like all your goals are definitly achievable. Although, I don’t know how much you could improve on your photography. I think you are amazing at that!

    1. Thank you so much Debbie for the kind comment. I hope to get better in 2016 ๐Ÿ™‚ Happy New Year girl!

  13. Dawn I really think you do an excellent job with your blog. I do photo shoots around the country, my husband and I enjoy the country so I keep a bag of goodies loaded at all times to take with such as quilts, crocks, small benches, a small table goes everywhere with us. We both like old barns, stone house, falling down fences and fence rows with a few tulips or daffodils we just pull up a display and shoot away. Inside you would be surprise what height can do, a bench in the middle of the table display under and on . I love your mustard tin cupboard in you dining room , I think it would look so good with a layer of height on it you have such good tall ceilings that it handle the height and it would give you something new to shoot, I decorate on the cheap but I have had couple homes publish, but like said I decorate on the cheap. Well I have been rambling but I want you to know that Creative Cain Cabin, Stonegable, Chippy Shabby, Faded Charm, Farmhouse 5220, Oliver and Rust, Buckets of Burlap, Little Farmstead are my favorite, I think you all are nice, you reply, and you all truly love your families and home. God Bless and may 2016 be better for you, your family and fellow bloggers.

    1. Joy thank you for all your advice. Yes with tall ceilings it’s always a challenge for me. I will check out your recommendations, thank you for them all ๐Ÿ™‚ Happy New Year!

  14. Dawn, I look forward to your posts even though I don’t comment on each one, too. You know I love your farmhouse style and we both like color even though mine is getting a bit toned down this year. Your photography is always good and I too want to do a bit more and learn more. I just bought a new camera a few weeks ago. Not a super expensive one, but better than my 3ti that was acting up. Looking forward to 2016 and Happy New Year!

    1. Kim a new camera lucky you ๐Ÿ™‚ My home is more toned down too with neutral colors. I feel they fit the cabin better. Not sure what took me so long to figure it out.

  15. Kathleen G says:

    Happy New Year Dawn!
    Always enjoy reading your blog and will look forward reading in 2016!
    Kathleen in Az

    1. Thank you for being a loyal reader Kathleen.

  16. Dawn, I want to wish you and your family the best for 2016! Last year was such a difficult year for your family and you were in my thoughts and prayers constantly. I just can’t imagine your photography improving as I think it’s just fabulous! But I was going to say that if you ever offer an online class on photography, I’m sure there would be a lot of people like me who would take it! Improving my photography is my #1 goal this year.

    1. Jane it’s nice to hear we are both working on the same thing. If I ever have any good tips I will pass them along ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you so much for all the prayers they worked.

  17. Pretty much all that! lol
    Always trying to take better pics. I’m not the best.
    I want to visit more, but don’t have time.
    … and our homes get messy, because we work IN them. And all around them.
    I already spill pretty much everything. I’m totally chunky, okay, fat. My giant boobs make it hard to dress and I have lymphodema from my cancer surgery. But, whatever. I’m still kicking :))))))) and I like dessert.

    Happy New Year ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Shannon you are too funny girl ๐Ÿ™‚ I just say I’m fluffy, lol. Happy New Year to you also!

  18. Great post to stimulate thought! I am very new to blogging and still have so much to learn, so my blogging resolutions are all about learning and improving. I definitely need to improve photography. My big Christmas gift from my entire family was a new camera, so I’ll be playing with that and experimenting in the months to come. I have been taking things slowly with the blog since I am learning as I go. There are technical abilities I need to develop in addition to improving my photos. You provide inspiration for me. One thing we have in common is our homes are similar. Mine isn’t a log home, but it does have mostly wood walls and it’s located in a rural area and we get very poor light in the winter. I have been following your blog for several years and look forward to continuing to learn from you as I work to improve my own blog. Thanks for all that you offer here. I wish for you a happy, healthy new year!

    1. Carolyn lucky you to get a new camera, what did you buy? Same here with the bad lighting in a wood home and winter with no sunlight. I normally have to edit my photos because of that. Happy New Year, and thank you for being a loyal reader.

      1. My new camera is a Nikon D5500. It’s my first DSLR camera, though my husband has an older Nikon. I have wanted to get a DSLR for more than 2 years, but we were moving, improving the house, and paying for a wedding and some long-delayed travel, so I just wouldn’t spend the money. Both daughters together with my husband pooled their money to get it for me. My birthday is in February, so this is a combination Christmas/birthday gift. I am thrilled and have signed up for an online class to help me learn about using a DSLR!

        I also want/need to learn more about editing my photos. These new pursuits are keeping me busy since retiring from my career. Always something new to learn.

        1. Carolyn, Im so excited for you. You will love your DSLR. Enjoy!

  19. Though I have so little time lately juggling 3 jobs I always take the time to stop in and visit you here. I love your use of color in your home in what has become a vanilla blog world. I love white and neutrals but it needs a spark of color for interest and to be more happy looking.
    Bettering my photography is always on my list, I am in too much of a hurry to take the time to do it right so that is definitely one of my goals.
    My desk is also on my list to tackle, in fact my entire office. I should do a blog post of the BEFORE then I would feel it more urgent to do an AFTER.
    I even announced to my husband that January is the month of purging my office. I have to move the old business files and paperwork out anyways so might as well stay at it until the entire office is freed of the clutter.
    So lets see how I do. ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Pam can’t wait to see your office reveal. It is amazing how fast the stuff can pile up and Im not sure why we feel the need to keep it all.

  20. Glad to read that! I’m going to jump off the cliff and start blogging about my business, home projects, and on occasion life. I feel like who am I do blog about decorating. On most days my house looks like a special on The Weather Channel after a tornado and some days I just don’t like people. I like to read real stories about life, and life isn’t always The Lifetime Channel or Pinterest pages. So maybe I am qualified!

    1. Kim you are so qualified ๐Ÿ™‚ Believe me we all have our messes to conquer.

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