HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUBBY & BEAN!

I'm going to start off this post by with a little disclaimer. Bubby and Bean's actual 'birthday' is tomorrow, November 22nd.  It was that day, 2 years ago, that I wrote the first official post.  But tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the states, and as someone who has had to share her birthday with a holiday (New Year's Day!) every year for 30-something years, I just couldn't let this little blog's big day be overshadowed.  Therefore, we're celebrating today.  Bubby is Bean is 2!  Hurray! 

It's actually a little baffling to me that this blog has only been around for 2 years (especially when I go back and look at early posts - hello, embarrassment!).  Bubby and Bean is such a huge part of my daily life now that I almost can't remember what my work days were like before it existed.  I've mentioned before that when I started this blog, I had no intention of creating something that would eventually be considered part of my career.  I knew nothing about blogging, and I certainly didn't know at the time it would be something I enjoyed so much.  I'd had a (very) small blog that was a companion to my clothing business where I'd post about once a month about sustainable fashion. And I'd read a few blogs a handful of times.  That's it. 

So how did Bubby and Bean come to be?  In the summer of 2010, I experienced a sudden and incredibly tragic loss.  After coming out of a dark mourning period, I knew I needed to reevaluate.  I forced myself to take some time away from my workaholic lifestyle to travel, visit old friends, and spend some time away from the city exploring nature, writing, making art for fun, following my bliss, and re-learning how to be inspired in the everyday.  When I returned, I was recharged and full of ideas.  I decided to start selling my art and greeting cards, which had been a long-time side project, and opened the Bubby and Bean Art shop (named after my sweet Bubby dog, and my sister's dog, who I call Bean). Starting a companion blog to go along with the shop seemed like a good idea, so I did just that, thinking it would be an occasional place to share inspirations.  Things often have a strange and wonderful way of working out when you're not expecting it though.  Despite my original plans for the blog, I had a new found appreciation for the simple parts of life and was feeling so creatively inspired that it quickly became an entity of its own, and began to grow.  

In Bubby and Bean's first birthday post, I talked about how (as silly as it may sound), this blog felt like an old friend.  Today, I can say this is still holds true - even moreso, in fact.  I spend a few hours with it almost everyday.  I share pieces of my life with it.  I tell my blog about my favorite things, my latest design obsessions, fashion I covet, music I love, and new things that creatively inspire me.  If I have ideas for decorating my home, I tell my blog all about them.  When I travel, I tell my blog about my adventures. I even planned my wedding with my blog.  I get together with my blog to work on DIY projects.  When Bubby dog passed away last December, after telling my friends and family, I told my blog.  And as a (wonderful) extension of this, I've also shared these things with all of you.

Bubby and Bean has evolved so much in two years time.  After its first month, it had around 30 subscribers and had received 200 page views.  Now it has nearly 6,000 subscribers, averages 100,000 page views a month, and has nearly 700 posts.  I have also had some absolutely incredible experiences because of Bubby and Bean.  I've worked with some amazing companies, traveled to San Francisco as an Adobe Photoshop Elements ambassador, written for Lucky Magazine, met some incredible blog friends (both online and in real life), and gained a readership of some of the most inspiring people you could ever hope to have reading your little blog.

Just as with the content and readership, the design of Bubby and Bean has evolved as well.  A lot. Do any of you remember either of these layouts?


There is so much more I'd like to do with this blog in its third year, but for now, I'm just going to say one more time how grateful I am for what it is today.  Because tomorrow is Thanksgiving and lots of people are traveling or spending time with their families, I'm not sure how many of you will be reading this.  But if you are, please know how grateful I am for you as well. You guys are the reason Bubby and Bean exists.  I'm simultaneously getting a little teary and gagging at my cheesiness as I type this, but it's true.  Thank you so, so much for your comments, your feedback, and for choosing to come to this website and actually read what I have to say.  It means more to me than I could possibly put into words. 

Wishing those of you here in the states a very happy Thanksgiving!  And to all of you, I'm looking forward to getting to hang out with you here for another wonderful year!