With the new year comes the exciting craving for change and growth. We're big fans of goal setting. We love dreaming big. We're obsessed with change. If you've read our blog for long you know that these are some of our favorite topics.
In the same breath, we're big believers in the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
We love A Beautiful Mess and over the past six and a half years it's slowly transformed from a just-for-fun hobby of mine to the backbone of our growing company. We're content and committed to what we do. It's literally our dream job.
So with that said, we want to share with you our goals, plans and dreams for this blog in 2014. We're not reinventing anything, but small changes and tweaks are what keep us growing and moving forward. It's exciting to find that balance between change and focus. Both are needed. Both are important. What's Changing?
Our Team: Earlier this year we shared our "state of the biz" in which we shared lots of details about our growing company. Over the past few years Emma and I transitioned from a two-person-operation to a team. We hired our first two full-time employees!
While we never expected our blog to take this path, it has proved to be one of the best choices we ever made. One very exciting change 2014 brings is Laura Gummerman, who we originally hired as a Project Assistant, is now also a writer for ABM and will be sharing her beautiful ideas and projects here on a weekly basis. So, to clarify, Laura will be helping with behind-the-scenes work as well as writing some of her own original posts. We love her unique perspectives and style, so we expanded her position here. She actually already started last month! Here's us at Emma's bachelorette party. We love you Laura!!We're looking forward to slowly adding to our dream team. Next month Sarah and Josh will be joining us all the way from Arizona (with a newborn daughter too—eeek!)
Our Schedule: In 2013 Emma and I worked too many weekends. Almost all of them. And while that will always happen from time to time, we want to work harder to protect our days off in 2014. Give our minds a little more time to replenish. It's weird how doing something we love too much at once can inhibit us from doing the very thing we love, you know? Anyway, one change that will help us solve this problem is that we will be closing comments on the weekends. The reason we chose to do this is because we moderate comments, which means that someone always has to be working 7 days a week to make sure your comments are getting published. So this small change will enable everyone on our team to unplug and enjoy their weekends. There will still be scheduled posts, but the comments will be closed just on Saturday and Sunday posts. We'll be sharing things on the weekends that don't necessarily need comments like roundups, wish lists and announcements. 🙂
What's Evolving?
New E-Courses: You may have noticed that our old e-courses are no longer for sale. That's because we have new courses coming soon. We're writing new 2.0 versions of some of our most popular courses like Blog Love, Blog (Design) Love and Dream Job as well as adding a ton of new courses in areas like photography, goal setting, sewing and more! There are more exciting details and additions we will share with you soon. I promise we won't make you wait much longer, full details are coming later this month!
More Focus: This is the first year in two years that we aren't writing a book behind-the-scenes on top of writing the blog. We do plan to write more books in the future, but a small break was much needed. That means that Emma and I will be able to focus more creative energy on what we love the most, this blog! We're going to take advantage of this year and really focus on building the content that we are most passionate about, Food and Home. We love writing about a variety of topics here, but those two areas are where we want to invest our time, energy and resources this coming year. The possibilities are endless!
What's Next?
In 2014 we have a lot of exciting projects coming out! A New Book: In August our new book, A Beautiful Mess Happy Handmade Home will be released! (Yes, it's already available for pre-order… isn't that crazy?!) We're looking forward to sharing more as the release approaches. We poured so much love and energy into this book I'm surprised we're not in a coma now.
A Whole New App (!!!): More details to come. In addition, we have another fun little A Beautiful Mess App update in the works.
New Product Collaborations: Emma and I have collaborated with a few of our favorite companies this past year on products that we can't wait to wear, use and share with you!
We also plan to add to/change up how we feature fashion here on the blog. Adding a full time photographer to our team next month we feel will really enable us to be in the front of the camera (instead of behind) just a little bit more from time to time. 🙂
I can't help but feel like I'm probably forgetting something important, but I guess that's it for now. 😉 Cheers to a new year and renewed energy and passion! We love you guys, we really really do. xo. Elsie (and Emma too!)
Credits // Author: Elsie Larson, Photography: Janae Hardy and Sarah Rhodes.
I read in your blog as in a travel guide and always find new, interesting information. Much coincided with our experience. Thank you for that!
guys i am so exited for 2018..
I will keep following you guys, my biggest source of inspiration!
I read in your blog as in a travel guide and always find new, interesting information. Much coincided with our experience. Thank you for that!
Heii!! guys i am so exited for 2018..
I will keep following you guys, my biggest source of inspiration!
I love your goals and I just love your blog.
Elsie, Emma, Laura…and team!
I am so excited about all your upcoming plans! I have been reading your Blog now for over a year and half, which is what triggered me to buy the Blog Love course and start a blog of my own. I must say, I could have predicted all of this (and I think I did a few times!) – all of this success was and is due to happen due to your outstanding talent and work ethic.
Congrats Laura, for having an expanded role at ABM – and thanks for your quick and efficient responses to a few emails I have sent since you started…love the look of your creative work, so what a fab addition you are to the team.
Keep it up…and I do not want to forget anyone – also sending a big congrats to Emma’s husband who I know plays a big part in the behind the scenes running’s.
Love you guys and wishing you all the best – I am off to Amazon to pre-order your book now. xo
Jeanine in Jamaica
how exciting! ABM is one of my all-time favorite blogs, can’t wait to see wear 2014 takes you!
xo, cheyenne
question!
will the new app be available for android the same day as apple….or do we have to suffer again!?
thanks!,
Les
Excited for you both! Can’t wait to see what the new year brings you 🙂
You girls are always such an inspiration.
Springfield love!!
I just love your blog. Keep up the good work, can’t wait for the book 🙂
x from The Hague, Netherlands!
Love your website, girls, and love the positive and upbeat spirit both of you (now all of you!) share. Blessings on your goals and your new year!
I got your photo book for Christmas and one of my New Years goals is to practice my photography. You’ve inspired me to start a weekly photo challenge ( http://tadpegs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/photo-friday-challenge.html?m=1 ) I promise I won’t steal ideas straight out the book though! I have really enjoyed reading it and want to make sure I actually try some of your ideas. Happy new year ladies. Zoe x
You gals are just so inspiring! Congrats on all of the hard work! Look forward to your fun adventures in 2014!
Love,
Chelsea
aka Mixed Mediums Theatre
I’m thrilled for you guys! Congratulations!
Thank you so much! I’m soooo looking forward for February! 🙂
this is all so exciting! i think it’s awesome that you guys can take a step back and enjoy your real lives too, not just the blog world. good for you 🙂
xxoo,
nikki
www.dreaminneon.blogspot.com
Way to go you guys … you’re such a huge inspiration in the blogging community. It sounds like you have an exciting year ahead for your fans to enjoy (and hopefully for you and your team to enjoy doing too!) And good for you for taking things down a bit on the weekends. You must save your energy and have some outside fun, in order to keep on creating!
And I certainly have been enjoying seeing Laura’s posts so far.
I’m super excited about the blogging courses!
Hi!
I can’t wait for your new book! I love your first book so much, total inspiration everyday! Also, just wanted to share that I may be 4 months too late, but… I finally created my 4 Simple Goals today and shared them on my blog. Hooray!
I hope you both are having an amazing New Year so far. Looks busy!
xo. J
http://waywardandwandering.blogspot.com/