Madigan made… a mission statement and my reasons for blogging.
I think by now y’all know I’m a bit of a ‘deep thinker’ when it comes to my blog and blogging.
I started this blog on a whim and I was not quite sure where this blog was going to go in the first year.
But I can tell you that everything I bring to this blog is done with as much purpose and intention as I can. (*Except when I want to talk about my coconut addiction… or when I feel the need to apologize to fruits and veggies. Hey, a girl’s allow to ramble once in awhile, right?)
When I first started to blog, I wrote a “why I blog” post. My goals at the time were basically to create an online space to journal and share about my creative passions. I also had wondered if this blog could grow into something ‘more’. My hunch was that the blog may become a springboard to open an online, handmade shop. Maybe I would sell purses or cute home accessories?
But now I have 2 years of blogging behind me. And as I’ve blogged and created more and more projects, I realized something. I’m not cut out to sell products in a shop. I am not the type of person that enjoys making the same thing over and over again. I enjoy the creative process of making one thing but then I want to move on to another craft.
BUT you know what I REALLY relish? I love showing YOU how to make that project. And I know that my readers share my appreciation for simple and elegant crafts, too.
So, the purpose of this blog has finally bubbled to the surface for me… I don’t need a shop or something to sell, I’ve created a classroom or mini-magazine!
This site is a platform where I can teach readers, support bloggers and inspire creativity. Madigan Made is a place where I can celebrate ‘simple creativity’ with others who crave it! (and if you crave chocolate, I’m sure you’ll appreciate this blog, too!)
The Mission of Madigan Made:
To inspire readers to create personal and home projects that are elegant, easy, AND budget-friendly. To support others who also understand this passion and share their ideas with the Madigan Made community. But, most importantly, to show readers that: yes, creativity can be THAT simple!
On top of clearly defining my mission, I wanted to better outline WHY I blog today…
Why I Blog: 2012 and Beyond
To teach and inspire others to create.
See that mission statement above? THAT is one big, HUMONGO reason why I blog.
I meet people all the time who tell me they don’t DIY or that they are not very crafty/creative. Or they say: “Wow, you made that? How?”
I want to show you that you can make your home personal and pretty… and it is easy to do! I want to encourage y’all to make stuff. Simple projects, mmkay? If I can do it, you can do it!
I also love teaching. As part of my day job as a pharmacist, I sometimes get to teach and mentor students. I enjoy sharing what I know and serving as a teacher. In a way, writing DIY tutorials is a way to teach others. When I learn or create something cool, I want to pass that information on!
To push myself creatively and learn new things.
I love making stuff. My heart is happy when I can create something beautiful. I started blogging because I liked writing, taking photos and sharing crafts. But I had NO idea that I would also enjoy creating this blog and community!
Don’t get me wrong, I will always want to craft with new mediums and make fun projects. But I also want to continue to learn more about blogging. I want to push myself to better understand social media, blog design, working with brands, SEO, HTML, and so much more. This is an exciting time to be online and the possibilities out there are what you want to make of it! The landscape of blogging has changed so much in 2 short years… who knows where this little blog can go in 2 more?
To support others who share my passions.
What I’ve loved the most about this blogging journey is the PEOPLE I’ve ‘met’ online (and offline). My readers (you!) are wonderful and they clearly appreciate my passion for simple DIY. I love reading comments from my readers… you guys “get” me and my style!
The craft blog community is incredibly supportive of each other. I am so grateful for the other women bloggers I’ve met online. I want to continue to share the blogging love… I always look forward to sharing guest projects with you on Fridays. If you stalk follow me on Facebook or Twitter, then you know I frequently feature other bloggers and their projects. Madigan Made will always be a place where we celebrate simple creativity!
To pay myself for my efforts and in turn, grow this blog even more.
This last reason might sound a little selfish, but hear me out. I’m not going to lie, this little site requires a LOT of work and time on my part. I love it, but I’ve realized that I want to be compensated for my efforts. This blog started out as a hobby… and while it is still a passion, I did decide to monetize this blog last fall. I explained in my ‘why I want to monetize’ post that running this blog takes time and it does come with costs. I will talk more about my blogging goals and how I want to grow this blog in another post this week. But, I can tell you that in order for this blog to continue to grow, it will require an investment (time and financially) on my part. (site hosting, site upgrades, etc)
And while I do work full time, I also hope that this blog can provide a small, additional source of income for our family. Who wouldn’t want to get paid for something they are passionate about? So, you will continue to see ads and the occasional sponsored post on this blog. Thanks so much for understanding this fact. You can read more about what I disclose here.
So, those are my reasons for blogging. But you may be wondering, “Ok, what’s next?”
How do I hope to grow this blog? What dreams do I have for Madigan Made?
I’ve been thinking about these goals for awhile. Attending the Bloggy Boot Camp conference this past weekend was JUST the thing I needed to solidify these objectives. Stay tuned later this week!
In the meantime, have YOU filled out my annual blog survey? I REALLY want your input to help this blog grow.
Won’t you fill out the survey? Pretty please?
Thanks sooo much! Click here to go directly to the form.
