something dawned on me last week.
i used to get excited to scrapbook. i used to find a picture or take a picture and have a story to tell.
now, i take a picture and i get excited to blog it.
lightbulb moment: this blog has totally stolen my scrapbooking mojo.
so.
i need to refocus. because scrapbooking is more important to me. i dont want this to replace it. i cant let this replace it anymore.
this was a perfect outlet for me in the last year. this blog came at the perfect time. literally two days before mckenna went into the hospital. i used it to update, to vent, to celebrate, to gain so much support and love from you all. i thank you for that.
but in the last few months, the blog for me has changed. and right now, i feel it is best for me to continue only as a photo blog. i will not be leaving the old blog up, and i will not be publishing any of my old posts online. i hope not to lose your support, and i hope you understand.
i cant thank you enough for staying with me during a year that i never thought could happen to us and then thought would never end.
i am so ready to face 2006.
with a fresh start.
peace.
t.
I understand doing what is right for you. When you get that peaceful feeling knowing you are doing the right thing.
I am just happy that you are continuing this as a photo blog.
christine
(saving my pennies, nickels and dimes – not quarters because those are for laundry! – for when I can convince Jeff that we can afford to have pictures taken by the wonderful Tara!)
Peace girl.. love ya..
I understand that you have the need to create. I will miss this blog but I’m very happy that you will still leave up your photo blog. Best wishes to you and your family.
Amy
I want to be you when I grow up :)
totally understand and you know I got your back..
Tara, I have really enjoyed reading your blog and looking at your pictures. I wish I lived near you; we need family pictures made. Do you know of anyone who takes similar kinds of pictures in the Dallas/Fort Worth area?
I can so understand what you mean T. Just do your thing girl. I will certainly stay and visit your blog, just love your photography you keep inspiring me. I will surely miss your stories about the kids and your life. If you do want to start another blog with your daily life stories do not hesitate to tell us :)
Keep ‘m coming T. You rock
hugs Alette
love you t.
Well, girl – ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Disappointed for me – happy for you ;). Take care o’you and at least we still get to look at your amazing photography. Thanks for that! And thanks for a great year of sharing your heart and your art through this venue.
Love and hugs!
Ally
I so look forward to hearing your honest words about your life and people in it–I will miss that. But I am heartened to know I will still have the opportunity to be inspired by your amazing photographs that are filled with love and meaning. You are making the right decision for you and your family now and I completely respect that. Thanks for the wonderful chance to peek into your life this past year. My family had more medical challenges this year than any other too and it helped my heart to see how gracefully you handled what was going on in your life and helped me to not feel alone. For all these reasons and just for who you are, I thank you. Julie
I have learned so much just from staring at your photos! The rest has been icing on the cake, as they say.
take care!!
T, you are one of those rare people you meet in life that alters you for the better, forever. We’ve never met, you don’t know me from Adam, but… I feel like a better person, a different person after following your blog. Thank you for that influence for the past year. We are all fortunate to be able to admire, learn and peek into your life from your photos. Thank you so very much!
Thanks for sharing pieces of your life. I look forward to seeing even more scrapbook pages. Either way is awesome because you keep everything so real, a true inspiration. Take care of you and yours!
Tara, I so completely understand, because I realized myself that I haven’t done a layout AT ALL since a few months after I started blogging myself. I am glad that this blog came in at at time when you needed it, and of course, I’m sure, like me, most of your readers will still love to see your wonderful posts! Who knows, maybe once in a while you’ll post a short update. :) Thanks for letting us into your part of the world for a little while. :) Enjoy your scrapbooking mojo, can’t wait to see your stuff again!
yikes! no tara stories to start my day!? no tara’s kids stories to start my day?! well, i certainly understand that you have to do what you have to do for your creative self. so i wish you the best. but oh my gosh i will miss all this!
I am always so impressed an inspired by people who follow their own inner voice — the one that often speaks in contrast to the masses — the one that makes each person’s life just exactly right for them. You are one of those people.
I can SO relate to your scrapbooking hiatus! I haven’t scrapbooked in ages… but as I look back at my own blog pages, I realize that they will someday make wonderful scrapbook pages — because for me, so much of the scrapbooking process is about telling the story. Tara, when you combine your amazing photography skills with your beautiful, soulful writing — well, you most certainly have a winning combination!
I hope that you keep writing — for your own personal use — because you have such an amazing gift with words — truly you do. And I hope that you’ll continue to share your photography secrets and inspiration (in addition to your pictures) on your photo blog… I have learned so much about photography — about where to start the process of play — of trial and error — of experimenting — from you.
Peace & love to you, too.
I’m sorry to hear this, Tara… but completely understand your decision. I read your blog every day. I’m so impressed with your talent, and I’ve learned a lot from you. Glad you’re keeping the photo blog going!
All my best to you… and have fun scrappin!
Jaana
tara, i think that is such a great idea. a fresh new start. do what feels right to you. i love you.
I am so excited for you to feel your scrapbooking mojo come back to life!
Margie
I will miss your day to day happenings but am glad you are still keeping a photoblog…You are so inspiring to me on a day to day basis…I love looking at your photos for inspiration and they are just all so unique…
Cari
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” -Scott Adams
You’ll definately be missed but I can’t wait to see more of your art…
I’d only recently discovered your web site, and the more I read, the more compelled I felt to go back and read all of it (not something I do on other blogs). I hope you will print it all out to keep for the day when this rough year is far, far behind you.
Thank you for the honesty and compassion your writing shared.
Lastly…I love your photos and LOVED the information you shared about photography. Have you considered leading an online photography course via the Big Picture?? I’ll keep hoping!
All the best!
Tara, I am new to the blogging world, and don’t have one myself, but I admit, I check your everyday as it is such an inspiration.
What is your photo blog web address?
Sorry, I am new to this? I would love to continue to see your beautiful photos!
T…I have to say I am sad, but also so excited to see some pages from you again. I miss your work so much! :) Is your photo blog going to be at this address or a new one? I have to have your photo fix…hehe. :) Best of luck to you…i know you will continue to do great things. you always do!
love seeing your photos but also love hearing your thoughts, am going to miss you.
but i also can’t wait to see your pages again. i have missed them soooooooo much…..cause then i get to see your photos, your creativity and your thoughts all wrapped up in ONE PERFECT PACKAGE!!!!!!!
happy thanksgiving.
tara
Although I completely understand, (because I feel the same way at times) I will say that you will be terribly missed. Your blog is my first stop every morning, and I’ve always been grateful for your blatent honesty and views on being a mother, a wife, and a person with talents and interests trying to balance it all.
Thanks for all you’ve shared.
Please update us all on your photoblog address. Can’t live without our Miss T. photo fixes!
GOOD FOR YOU!
PEACE, MY DEAR!
R
It’s good to be at peace with a decision!
I’m thrilled that you’ll still be keeping up a photo blog. Thank you in advance for the continued inspiration. :O)
what courage to follow your inner voice and know what is good for you, just you, and no one else, looking forward to seeing your work in SS and maybe at 2peas?
rochelle
Pleasure is the only thing to live for. Nothing ages like happiness. (oscar wilde)
What happiness you must be feeling…a photo blog is good. that is what drove me to your site…i personally think too much family information is put up on the web for all to see and it takes away from the intimacy of the family unit. (too much information for all to know.)
you inspire all and just think your photo blog will help others capture their own family moments.
peace!
Lisa
Your blog as we know it will be missed SO much, more than you can imagine. But I say BRAVO to you for protecting your heart, your stories, your gifts. I can’t wait to see all your new pages in SS!
I am thrilled that you will continue as a photo blog. Hope you will pop in from time to time. :-)
Blessings to you!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and your amazing family with us. While I’ll miss the daily stuff, if it means more scrapping inspiration then that’s a good thing!
Glad to hear that you’ve made a decision that is right for you and your family, Tara. You will be truly missed here…you are such an inspiration to so many and even though we don’t “know” each other, after a year of reading your blog it certainly feels like we do. I will miss my daily stop at your blog but will continue to look to your amazing photography skills to learn, to inspire, to simply enjoy the world through another’s eyes. Thanks for at least keeping up with that! Will you keep your address the same or have a new blog address?
Take care of yourself, Tara, and that beautiful family of yours. I look forward to seeing more of your pages soon….after all that is what initially drew me to your site. You have an amazing talent and I look forward to seeing it again! Thanks for all that you’ve shared this past year….Ü
hi guys-this is this site will stay up, the format will just change so it is strictly a photoblog. :)
thanks for all the nice comments.
and can everyone see the new banner?
part of life is being able to choose between something good and something better. you do it well. so happy for you!
It’s an Ah-Ha moment that’s for sure. I’ve enjoyed the ride. I feel the same way as far as the computer pulling me away from what got me here in the first place. Good for you for following through on you true self.
WHAT??? NNNOOOOOOO! That is like someone saying I can’t ever have another Diet Coke. How will I get threw my day without you?
O.K… Well, I will just have to watch for you on 2Peas and admore your photos.
I will miss your blog so much, but I know exactly what you mean about the blog taking up all your scrapbooking Mojo, and scrapbooking IS WAY MORE IMPORTANT! Way to go and best of luck!
Thanks so much for sharing this year with us. You have been an inspiration to so many people! I’m excited that you’re officially a “Simple Gal” so we will get to see your work in the mag. And I’ll still get to drool over your pics :)
ps love the banner :)
As long as we still get to see your fantastic photo’s I am happy :) to lose that too would just be awful! Does this mean you will be doing more stuff for 2peas, missed seeing your stuff on there.
love the new banner, can’t wait to see more photo’s
Di
At least we’ll still have the photos to look forward to!
Wish you all the best.
You have to do what’s right for you – totally understand that. I don’t even know you, but I feel like I do from reading your blog and getting a little glimpse in your life. I have enjoyed your thoughts, pictures and quotes. And, having started a blog recently myself, I completely understand how it gets a little all-consuming. I haven’t been scrapbooking as much as I used to either, come to think of it! Here’s to getting back on track, and here’s to you and your inspirational creativity!
Oh, Tara! You just totally took the wind out of my sails. I think the reason I like blogging is it’s like scrapping without the extreme effort and cost. And my family across the country can all see it. So I know what you mean completely. But OH I’ve loved this SO much. So, my only request is this (cheeky as I sound here…) – keep ::ALL:: your photos up. As a photograper, I’ve found them so inspirational and helpful. I’ve never seen such great family shots ever and they’re kind of a resource for me. Prettttyyy please?!?
I’ll miss the reading, but I’ll LOVE the viewing pleasure of a photoblog!
Thank you SOO much for so far.
Like others, you don’t know me from Adam however you have inspired this girl from Michigan. I’m going to truly miss this blog. The way you capture life both in print and photo is simply amazing. I’m feeling like my favorite TV show has just announced it’s season finaly! I’m so glad we still get to see your photos, don’t know what I’d do if we were cut off from those. Thanks for your creativity and spunk. You’ve helped me look at my life with 4 kids with a more positive perspective; I can do this. I some how feel more equipped to take on the 4 kid challenge. For that, and so much more, I say thank you! You’ve truly inspired a total stranger. I will miss this blog and hope that some where down the road you change your mind or at least have a “reunion episode” via the photo blog.
New banner looks fab!
Thanks for the past year. You owe us (your adoring fans) nothing… you ose yourself everything. You have some incredible knowledge of your own self. Keep on doing what you need to do.
that was supposed to say
“owe yourself everything”
where did I get my spelling skkkill?
love you, tara!
high fives,
g
I’ll miss your blog, but I’m kind of excited for you and for us too because your pages are exceptional and its those that I love so much. Can’t wait to see all your energy be put into those!
i recently realized the same thing, to a degree. i spent more time hunting up links for my blog, than I did living life, scrapbooking, taking photos. i felt like iw as only taking photos to help illustrate my stories in my blog. it seemed, well, wrong. so i threw my old blog out, and have a new, simple blog.
i hope you will keep sharing some of your photo shoots with us, you’ve been beyond inspiration to so many of us natural light-ers. :D I love your work!
Love the new banner!
Teresa