Blog Banter
Twenty-Twelve Resolutions
Every year we publicly proclaim a few of our resolutions in the hope that it’ll light a fire under our arse (arses?) and help us “get there.” So without further ado (except for this gratuitous and very much in-progress pic of the cabinet doors being primed)…
… here they are:
Resolution #1 – To Get Around: We’re excited for 2012 to be a good travel year for us, since we have been invited to speak at the Portland Home & Garden Show in February (really? us?) and at the Haven Conference in Atlanta in June (we’re the keynote speakers, which makes us excited and nauseous all at the same time). So we’ll hopefully get to meet a lot of you guys at those events. And when our book comes out this fall we hope to get to do some touring just to thank as many of you for reading our blog right to your face as possible. You know and be awkward and blushy and say things like “that’s so weet of sou” instead of “that’s so sweet of you.” True story.
Resolution #2 – To Make Our Archives Easier To Navigate: With 2,000+ posts that have been written over 4+ years, we completely understand how hard it is to find things, especially all of the projects that get buried as we go! So we’d love to revamp our Projects page with photos and easier to use archival systems. You know we like to DIY things, so that means learning some coding stuff as we go. Should be fun…
Resolution #3 -To Find More Balance: This guy’s a repeat because we haven’t conquered it since declaring it last year. We mentioned that “since the internet is 24/7, and we work from home, sometimes it’s hard to resist working nights, weekends, and even on vacation, so we hope to get a handle on that.” Especially with Clara around, some healthy family-friendly balance seems like a good idea. Here’s hoping 2012 is the year that we get it down!
Resolution #4 – To teach Clara how to prime & paint: Ok, maybe that’s not very age appropriate, but at least let me teach the girl how to caulk. Kidding again. Hmm, maybe we can show her how to peel painter’s tape? Seems like something she’d love! This resolution is just about keeping Clara involved and hopefully raising a little DIY lover like ourselves. I mean, we won’t force it on her, but including her in some toddler-friendly projects or steps could be fun for the whole fam. The girl does love her tape measure (more on that here), so we’re off to a good start…
Resolution #5 – Simplify, simplify, simplify! Sometimes it seems like we should say yes to every opportunity (why not?) or try to tackle ten projects at a time (gung-ho!) but we’ve learned that keeping things simple and staying focused on one task at a time might just be the key to sanity. So we have to fight that “little voice” that pushes us to do more/attempt to be super-human/cater to everyone else. Just sharing whatever’s going on in our little world is what got us here (over four million hits a month is both humbling and mind-blowing). So we have to fight the urge to keep piling more on our plate or attempting to please everyone on the planet. This is just a good old fashioned DIY diary. And simple = a beautiful thing.
Who’s ready for 2012? What are your resolutions? I’d love to hear what you guys would like to accomplish this year (either in list form like ours or just a sentence or two about whatever you plan to focus on). Do you have any personal resolutions going on? I’d love to drink more water, eat more veggies, read more books, and get back into painting (on paper and canvas – since I have wall and cabinet painting covered already). Oh yeah and to Netflix Homeland since so many people have recommended it. Is that resolution-worthy? From what I hear, it is.
Psst- We’re over on BabyCenter sharing a cute handmade-with-love nursery that’s gender neutral, modestly sized, and packed with DIY ideas! Check it all out here.
Feeling Grateful & Giftful
**Psst- We know most Fridays we just post once, but Sherry will be back in a few hours with a big ol’ tool breakdown for everyone who requested some DIY-related holiday gift ideas. Does that get you as hot and bothered as it gets me?
It’s time for our monthly shout out to thank all of the Santa-esque sponsors who help make our other 30+ posts possible. Putting this jolly ol’ round-up of items together was especially fun, since we’ve definitely had gifts on the brain. So we’ve chosen things that feel seasonal-ish & festive (even if you just give ‘em to yourself). Not that we’ve been gifted anything (here’s our no-swag policy). And of course there are some pretty sweet discounts to take advantage of at the bottom of the post for ya. Happy holidays everyone!
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- Simplify 101‘s organizing workshops for the scatterbrains on your Christmas list.
- Chemical-free cleaning systems from Norwex consultant Heather Pheasey.
- Hometalk‘s $200 HomeGoods giveaway this week. That’ll buy lots of gifts!
- This faux gator tray in festive lime green from Z Gallerie (for the holiday hostess).
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- The Tile Shop‘s bold glass mosaic patterns, like these cool “cherry” ellipse guys.
- This open-form star pendant (and other holiday lighting) from Shades of Light.
- WallQuotes‘seasonal decals that get everyone into the spirit (they’re removable, btw).
- New removable glue-free wallpaper in kid-friendly patterns from Trendy Peas.
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- Tons of holiday silhouettes at Le Papier Studio, like Santa hat kid plates. Cute!
- FLOR‘s mix-and-match texture-filled patterns, like this one called “Rake Me Over.”
- Custom holiday cards from Hoot Design Co. (though you might be cutting it close…)
- A Vintage Poster‘s prints (they’re cool, affordable, & could make nice stocking stuffers)
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- Dot Coms For Moms‘ round up of DIY-able, gift-able, and decorate-able projects.
- This pillow from Lacefield Designs (love the small-scale pattern & color gradient).
- The fun vintage stuff that comes up when you search “Santa” on Ruby Lane.
- Liberty Hardware‘s smart adjustable width hook rail (for thick & thin doors alike).
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- Vintage stockings, Christmas banners, and Santa plates at House 8810.
- Smock Paper‘s holiday gift guide, including gems like this bright 2012 calendar.
- Cute, custom pillows featuring your cartoon-ified kid from Sarah + Abraham.
- Royal Design Studio‘s “Floral Fret” pattern (for holiday projects… and beyond).
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- This seasonal yet year-round-acceptable dotted pattern from Chic Shelf Paper.
- The large metal version of this icon from Jilly’s Happy Home (so bold and fun).
- Lots of options from Heart & Stone Jewelry for charm necklace customization.
- SugarFresh‘s “Peaceful Trees” trio of prints (in just about any color you want).
And now for the JUICY DISCOUNTS:
- Shades of Light: 10% off using code YHL0811
- WallQuotes.com: 15% off with the code YHL15
- The Tile Shop: 10% off when you use the code YHL10
- Heart & Stone Jewelry: 10% off your purchase with the code YHL10
- Royal Design Studio: 10% off stencils with code YHL10
- P.C. Fallon: $5 off orders over $50 with code YHL5
- Sugar Fresh: 10% off with code YHL10
- Hoot Design Co: 10% off custom orders using code YHL
- Simplify 101: 15% off Organizing 101 & Goals workshops with YHLSAVE15 thru 12/14
- Jilly’s Happy Home: 10% off custom orders using code YHL
- Le Papier Studio: 10% off with the code YHL10 (thru Dec 21st)
And Now, A Much Awaited Book-Process Post…
We promised you guys a post all about the whole book-deal process back in March (when we spilled the beans about our upcoming book here). And the only reason I can think of that it has taken us this long to write is because we’ve been so busy actually writing our 260+ page book behind the scenes along with juggling the bambino and the blog and all of the projects that go along with those things. Haha. So forgive us for the delay. Many of you guys expressed an interest in how it all went down (a few years ago we never would have known how to navigate the waters of book proposals and agents and potential publishers to somehow “land” a book deal), so we’re happy to share. Here’s how it all happened, in bullet form (with photos of Burger acting out our emotions, naturally):
- About two years ago (after blogging for about two years) we were contacted by a few agents & independent publishers about a potential book deal.
- We went crazy for the idea (we love to write and share our projects). We basically did this.
- We chatted with John’s sister about the folks who contacted us (she works in NYC with a large magazine publisher – so although she doesn’t do books she knows who’s who for the most part).
- She gently explained that they were a bit less “legit” than some other folks that we could potentially work with if we held out, so we decided to just wait and see what happened.
- We sort of forgot about it.
- About six months later (a year and a half ago), we were contacted by a NY/Boston literary agency (Zachary Shuster Harmsworth) – so we asked John’s sister about them and she got really giddy and said they were highly recommended (their agency just emailed us out of the blue asking if we would like to pursue a book).
- Uh… yes! We got excited. And naturally, we dove right in.
- We immediately started working with an agent to put together a book proposal (this is what they send out to potential publishers to “shop” around a book idea and see who’s interested).
- A proposal is typically 70-150 pages, so it takes a while to put together. The process starts with a book outline and you write an intro and a conclusion and explain why your book would be different/fun/exciting. You basically plead your case.
- It took us a year to complete our book proposal. Not lying. It was a ton of work! And we kept tweaking things until we loved it (no sense in pitching a book that you’re only feeling so-so about, so we took our time developing something that we thought was fun and fresh and exciting).
- After a year of work on that 100-ish page document we got to a place where our agent thought it was time to send it out. So she did.
- Then she had a baby. So another agent took over after the “pitching” process. That was a little nerve-wracking but it was such an exciting time so we tried to just remember to breathe and eat and stuff. This was our nervous face:
- It turned out that after our literary agency pitched our proposal to about twenty publishing houses, seven of them were interested in bidding on our book. We were crossing our fingers for one or two (which we heard was typical – hey, you only need one!) so it was an insanely exciting and unbelievable reaction. We still get glassy-eyed when we think about that day.
- After publishers indicate that they’re interested, there’s an “auction” (yes, it’s sort of like ebay – haha) and they each extend a bid about what they want to do/pay (everything from a book advance to royalties is indicated in their bid along with where they “see” the book going – so one publishing house might indicate that they see a giant expensive coffee table book while another wants a smaller less expensive handbook).
- It was super helpful to learn which publishers wanted to do big expensive books and which ones were more of a small shop atmosphere who do a more customized look at a more affordable price point while believing in a lot of collaboration (obviously that type appealed to us a lot more).
- By the end of auction day our heads were spinning as we compared the offers and picked a publisher. Our pick? Artisan/Workman. Workman is a huge publisher who is known for all sorts of best-selling books (like What To Expect When You’re Expecting) – but Artisan is their smaller boutique agency that manages a much smaller volume of books per year in a real hands-on way that’s full of collaboration. They understood that we didn’t want to create a giant $50 coffee table book and that we just wanted something fresh, fun, and affordable – and full of great ideas and great photos.
- They actually offered us a two-book deal, which is especially encouraging because they were saying “we have faith even before your first book comes out that it’ll be great and we’ll want to do a second book with you” – so yeah, we were over the moon. We have no idea what the second book will be about (since we didn’t touch on that in the proposal) so it’s nice and open-ended now. Which we like (who knows what we’ll want to write about after the first book comes out).
- About eight months ago we all signed on the dotted line to make things official (which is actually when we shared the book deal news with you guys – we couldn’t wait!). Then we… you guessed it… dove right into writing the actual book.
- After about seven months of nearly nonstop writing (behind the scenes while we continued to blog and love on Clara), we handed in our 100+ page manuscript outline, which felt pretty darn good. Although it’s around 120 pages now, when the tutorials and photos are added it should hit the 260+ page mark. This momentous hand-in day was over a month ago. We’re currently gearing up for the photography stage (working on the book’s layout, fleshing out all the tutorials, and beginning to secretly complete and shoot hundreds of projects with a pro photographer).
- We’re also coordinating with a few other guest bloggers who we’d love to feature (you know we love to share the love slash eye candy).
- Let’s just say we completely understand why the title of “author” is a full time job. It has been kind of crazy being stay at home parents to Clara, keeping up with the blog and the projects that we share, all while writing a book and doing secret projects for the book behind the scenes. But we couldn’t be more excited to see how it all turns out! And when we’re done we’ll probably sleep for at least five days straight.
- The book is slated for release in the fall of 2012 (although there are occasional murmurings of the spring of 2013). Isn’t it amazing how much longer books take to make than blog posts? Especially since most of the content is already completed and the release date is still a year (or more!) away. All that pro photography and layout and production stuff takes time though, and we’re sure it’ll be well worth the wait!
As for what our book is about, the concept is that it’s an idea book. A giant compilation of over 250 ideas for showing your home some love (our tentative title is actually Spruce: 257 Ways To Show Your Home Some Love). The number might change as we continue to execute the projects that we have detailed in our manuscript (some might be awesome and lead to other ideas while some might fail – so it’s flexible). We just want it to be a fun book that you can flip through to see tons of numbered ideas, and then you can start on any page and do any project in the order that it appeals to you. Informal just felt right to us, and the idea that every project or suggestion could be altered a bit (so everyone can do their own spin to fit their house and their style) seems fitting.
A decorating bible with explanations about boxpleats and start-to-finish home staging, it’s not. It’s more of a spark. A starting point. A junkload of ideas to pick and choose from and adapt to fit your home. Some are more involved, some are super easy. Some are free, some might be something that you have to save up for a little to take on. Basically it’s the blog. Only a book. And instead of getting a post or two a day, you get 250+ ideas with photos and checklists and tutorials and illustrations (along with a lot of extra tips, sidebars, and commentary) and a little dorky humor a la us.
Oh and virtually all of the 250+ projects/photos/illustrations will be new for the book – so it’s nothing regurgitated from YHL or anything. Some of the ideas might be the same (ex: paint a piece of furniture or reupholster a bench) but those general concepts had to be included – so we decided we’d execute them in a fresh way (instead of seeing the same bench that I painted three years ago for the blog, you might see a dresser painted in a completely different way that we secretly completed this winter). Sure it’s extra work, but we really want the book to look fresh and be full of different “takes” on a ton of decorating ideas – both classic and unexpected (and pretty much everything in between).
So there it is. A big ol’ rundown of the book process, what we’ve been up to, and how it all went down. I would definitely encourage anyone who is looking to be published to work with an agent (if they don’t email you, I’d definitely try emailing them a proposal to see if they’d like to take on your project). Let’s just say that I can name fifty times that having an agent to help navigate the contractual terms, timeline, and general process came to the rescue – so it’s definitely something we probably couldn’t have gone without.
Does anyone else out there have publishing tips to share with others who are hoping to get into author-ship? Has anyone actually tried to author a book in the past? Any self publishing experiences to share (we were too scared to go that route, but hear it can work too). As for book ideas, waaaay before John and I were bloggers we tried to write a proposal for a hilarious pet naming book (say the people who named their dog Hamburger) but after realizing how much work it was… it just sort of fizzled out. Maybe someday we’ll give it another go. We owe it to Burger. Haha.
Giving Thanks
**Psst- We know most Fridays we just post once, but today we’ll be back in a few hours with a post about the newest ceramic animal that we’ve added to our family. Not exactly cuddly, but cute.
It’s time for our monthly shout out to thank all of the lovely sponsors who make our other 30+ posts possible. And of all the times of the year, this one seems the most suited for our little thank-fest. So in that spirit, we’re highlighting a bunch of things that bring out our favorite parts of Thanksgiving – family, food, warm clothes, and warm colors. Not that we’ve been gifted anything (here’s our no-swag policy). Oh and there are some bonus discounts rounded up at the bottom for ya. Happy turkey day month everyone!
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- These knitted goods by N. Fallon Design Studio that just scream “sweater weather.”
- That fellow blogger Between Naps On The Porch‘s table is already set with fall spirit.
- Fall aprons from City Chic Country Mouse (our favorite ironing board cover makers).
- Whimsical home decor from Jilly’s Happy Home, like this simple framed truth.
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- This mixed metal chandelier from Shades of Light (so great for a dining room).
- Z Gallerie‘s proof that even your Thanksgiving table can rock some autumn-y sparkle.
- A way to snag some of that sparkle: a $250 Z Gallerie giveaway from Hometalk.
- WallQuotes‘ charming kitchen decals (just in time for all that holiday cooking).
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- Penny tile from The Tile Shop! But you already knew we were digging that these days.
- SugarFresh‘s simply stylish rendering of one of Clara’s new favorite songs.
- Great playful patterns from Chic Shelf Paper (like these lovely yellow leaves).
- Tiny Tag birthstone charms from Heart & Stone Jewelry (for my fellow Scorpios).
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- Sustainably made cards from Smock Paper that give thanks for even the little things.
- Sarah + Abraham‘s custom placements for your little Thanksgiving sous chef.
- This other stencil from Royal Design Studio that we also considered for our office.
- P.C. Fallon‘s selection of pepper mills (in case your turkey comes out on the bland side).
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- The warm color palettes at Lacefield Designs (even the soft and subtle ones).
- This so-quirky-it’s-cool vintage planter on Ruby Lane (gobble gobble, baby).
- “Homegrown” hardware from Liberty Hardware that’s all made by hand.
- House 8810‘s Thanksgiving round up, including the coolest turkey platter ever.
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- The baking section of Dot Coms For Moms‘ fall guide. Um… yum.
- The fact that this “Stripe It Rich” pattern from FLOR comes in the color “Moolah.”
- A Vintage Poster‘s playful prints, especially the ones that encourage more dessert.
- This map print from Hoot Design Co. even if it is Missouri (and not Virginia) themed.
And now for the JUICY DISCOUNTS:
- Shades of Light: 10% off using code YHL0811
- WallQuotes.com: 15% off with the code YHL15
- The Tile Shop: 10% off when you use the code YHL10
- Heart & Stone Jewelry: 10% off your purchase with the code YHL10
- Royal Design Studio: 10% off stencils with code YHL10
- P.C. Fallon: $5 off orders over $50 with code YHL5
- Sarah + Abraham: 10% off orders with code YHL10
- Sugar Fresh: 10% off with code YHL10
- Hoot Design Co: 10% off custom orders using code YHL
Oktober Thank-fest
**Psst- We know most Fridays we just post once, but today we’ll be back in a few hours with a post that might contain our creepiest photo ever. Not for the faint of heart…
The leaves are changing, the days are getting shorter, and we’re back for our monthly sponsor shout out (you know, to thank the folks who make our other 30-some posts possible). This month we’re highlighting items that we think capture the spirit of fall… or are orange or brownish at the very least. Not that we’ve been gifted anything (here’s our no-swag policy). And a bunch of discounts are listed at the bottom for ya too. Happy fall!
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- The simple, sweet, and oh-so-true designs from A Vintage Poster (no mess, no glory).
- Seasonal wall decals to swap in and out from WallQuotes (they’re removable, after all).
- All of the autumn-tacular copper and rust tile combos from the The Tile Shop.
- On sale lighting from Shades of Light, like this Antique Hex Mirror Lantern.
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- Design for Less‘ orchard safari tile (it makes us want to go apple picking).
- They’re not ceramic, but these squirrels friends from Z Gallerie are pretty darn sweet.
- Hoot Design Co.‘s Simply Baby poster. We do have a niece or nephew due any day…
- This skull & crossbones collar from Hollywoof Styles. Ahoy puppies!
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- Fall-colored classics from FLOR (as well as a bunch of hot new designs).
- Dot Coms For Moms‘ fall guide, including round-ups of Halloween & autumn decor.
- These air plant pods from Dirt Couture. Seriously, we’re mesmerized.
- Liberty Hardware‘s selection of knobs and pulls (as we inch closer to replacing ours).
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- Loads of fun Halloween decor at House 8810 (check out the”Bone Appetite” apron too).
- Gazing at other Royal Design Studio stencils, now that we’re on the bandwagon.
- Soy candles and diffusers from Archipelago Botanicals available at P.C. Fallon.
- Browsing orange accents & natural textures (mmm, burlap) over at Lacefield Designs.
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- The new collection of charming Mayi Carles custom drawings at Sarah + Abraham.
- Fun paper DIY projects on Smock Paper‘s blog, like these simple paper pumpkins.
- The oddly fascinating vintage “Halloween Stunt Game” listed on Ruby Lane.
- Chic Shelf Paper‘s nature-riffic Fall Leaves design (such a fun surprise in a dresser).
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- Hometalk‘s $1,000 Home Depot gift card giveaway. Um, sign us up…
- Customized charm and medallion designs by Julie at Heart & Stone Jewelry.
- SugarFresh‘s sweet-as-can-be “Together Forever” print in any custom color.
- Not a sponsor, but our recent trip to the State Fair is definitely a highlight of fall!
And now for the JUICY DISCOUNTS:
- Design For Less: 10% off using code YHLove10 (including sale items)
- Shades of Light: 10% off using code YHL0811
- WallQuotes.com: 15% off with the code YHL15
- The Tile Shop: 10% off when you use the code YHL10
- Heart & Stone Jewelry: 10% off your purchase with the code YHL10
- Royal Design Studio: 10% off stencils with code YHL10
- P.C. Fallon: $10 off orders over $75 with code YHL10
- Sarah + Abraham: 10% off orders with code YHL10
- Sugar Fresh: 10% off with code YHL10
- Hollywoof Styles: 10% off with the code YHL10 (thru Oct 30)
- Hoot Design Co: 10% off custom orders using code YHL
