Hello again!

I have been thinking about this blog a lot lately, even if I haven't been posting. With the holidays and a bunch of work projects, these past couple of months have been busy. But that's only part of the story.

My 2014 planner

I've also been reflecting on what I want to write about in this space moving forward. After a long day with baby E and a bit of work, I often use the evenings to crank out some writing or just relax with Scott. (E has been going to bed around 7 pm these days and (mostly) sleeping through the night, which is awesome.) I feel like I spend way too much time in front of my computer.

It also feels like there is so much noise, all this content and sharing and conversations. The benefits of the Internet -- always accessible, lots of information at your fingertips, the opportunity to connect with people you never would otherwise -- are amazing. But they can be overwhelming too.

When it comes to my blog's direction, I don't have it entirely figured out. You'd think being a writer and helping my clients with content creation and strategy, I'd have a clear focus for my own content. But here, this space, is a bit of a blur between personal and professional. I want to share things that provide value to others and give a peek inside my life.

With all that Internet noise, it sometimes seems like everything that could be written has been. But I think about what I'd tell my clients: Everyone brings a unique perspective. Your personal story and your experiences and your voice make your content different. What you write has the power to touch other people, to make an impact.

And that's why I write. It's wonderful to have this blog to record events and memories, but the reason I'm doing so on a public platform is to share my thoughts, make connections, and help other people.

Awhile back, I added a tagline to my header: celebrating creativity and the pursuit of happiness. I think that still rings true for me, both in life and on this blog. I want to celebrate. I want to be creative. I want to find happiness, fulfillment, joy in the everyday and the extraordinary.

I hope you'll join me in the journey.

Happy 2nd Birthday to My Blog!

Here we are, two years of blogging!  I wanted to mark the occasion with something special, something big and celebratory.  But instead, I decided to offer a little bit of honest reflection.

As far as my intention for blogging, I think it should be fun and creative... it should bring people and ideas together.  And it is... it does.  But somewhere along the way, I (like many bloggers recently) started viewing my blog as another "to-do."  I haven't been feeling as creative or reflective or inspired lately.

I write because I love to write... and I want to write about these topics.  I pour my heart into each post, and as much as this blog is for me, it's also to inspire others.  But sometimes I wonder if I should be doing something more or something different.  Sometimes I feel like I'm one tiny voice in a very large crowd.

This isn't supposed to be a pity party.  To be honest, I've read SO many posts just like this one, and I've wondered if maybe we're all being a little too hard on ourselves.  We want to blog x times a week and receive a ton of comments and build up a bunch of followers.  But is that the point? 

Blogging takes time and effort, and it has so many benefits, but living life is more important.  Some days, I feel like I'm tied to my computer between emails, social media, blogs, and writing.  Do I need to take pictures of everything I do?  Do I need to read every Twitter update?  Do I need to go through my whole blogroll?  I used to think all that computer time would lead to more inspiration, but now I think I need to step away more often, quit comparing, and focus on the present.

I'm not going to quit blogging.  I've learned so much, tried new things, expanded my creativity.  I love the community I've found, and it amazes me how I've developed friendships through this little space.  I want to grow that even more.  So please, if you enjoy Inspiration and Rough Drafts, let me know what you like, what brings you back, what you want to see in the future.  And please stick around to see all of the inspiration to come!

Now about that birthday thing :)  For a peek into some of the many posts I've written, check out my Table of Contents.  It is by no means comprehensive, but it gives a sense of what this blog is all about and how it's grown.  Let's celebrate!  Two amazing years of writing, ideas, inspiration, and community!

I'll leave you with a celebratory picture... a "sampler" of all the cookies and bars my mom made for our family visit in July.  Yes, they were amazing.  And yes, I ate at least one of each over the course of five days.  P.S. My mom is visiting this weekend, and I'm so so so excited!  Have a lovely weekend, my friends.

A Few Exciting Announcements

Hello, hello!

Just warning you that it may be quiet around here the rest of this week, but to make up for it, I have three exciting announcements to share.

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1. I joined Twitter on Friday, so please find me at @melissatydell and let's connect on yet another social media platform :)  I'm still getting the hang of things, but it's fascinating to see what everyone is up to in the Twitter-verse.

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2. Beginning next Tuesday, I'm starting my FIRST guest post series called "Share Your Story." 

I'm inviting people—writers as well as those who don't consider themselves to be writers—to contribute a short inspirational post.  Each post will be a sort of short personal essay, sharing a piece of the guest blogger's "story" by telling about a specific time in his/her life.

Possible themes:
Overcome a challenge or difficult time
Learned a lesson
Taken a leap of faith
Discovered something new
Changed your mind
Seen something/someone differently
Stood up for yourself/something you believe in
Achieved a goal

As a personal mission and as a part of my consulting & coaching services, I want to show people that writing doesn't need to be intimidating. To that end, the content of the guest series is meant to inspire, but I hope that the form will inspire as well.

I have some amazing bloggers lined up for the first few weeks, but if you'd like to contribute, feel free to shoot me an email at inspirationandroughdrafts [at] gmail [dot] com.

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3. Remember that survey I asked you all to fill out?  First of all, a big THANK YOU to those who completed the survey (and if you haven't yet, it's currently still open!).

I don't want you to think I've forgotten about the e-newsletter series... because the truth is I've been working on that little project behind the scenes and I'm very excited about how it's evolved.  More to come on that front in the next couple weeks!

...Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Blogger Blitz Chicago

I guess it's a sign of a super-fun weekend when you feel exhausted on Monday.  I can't complain too much though... the past couple days were jam-packed with good things.  And I'm heading home this week to see my family and have some down time (soooo excited!).

This weekend... besides dinner + a movie with some of the girls, yoga, a bridal shower (complete with limo transportation, Mexican food and sangria, and bar-hopping afterwards), Mass, and a couple of drinks on the porch with friends... I attended Blogger Blitz Chicago!

{av} from {long distance loving} organized and hosted the event, which was on the fabulous rooftop at Market.  Though it was a million degrees outside, we all braved the heat to meet and greet fellow bloggers.  It was great to see some new faces and catch up with some of my blogging buddies.

I didn't get pictures, but some of the other ladies did.  Using the handy-dandy blogger directory we each received, I put together a list of everyone who signed up for the event (many of them posted recaps and pics of Blogger Blitz too!).

Alison {long distance loving}

Alaina live creating yourself

Amy Goodies and Besties

Cathy Fiscally Chic

Chris Chubbette Tales

Dana five30three

Danielle breakfast at toast

Diane a spot of whimsy

Erin Living in Yellow

Hannah A Big Little Life

Jennifer Darling Notes

Jillian cornflake dreams

Julia The Urban Slant

Kat A Girl & Her Food

Mariel Mariel's Window (she posted lots of good photos!)

Mary Little Bit of Class, Little Bit of Sass

Melissa Inspiration and Rough Drafts ... that's me :)

Paige Little Nostalgia

Stephanie bourbon and glitter

Susan a little ray of sunshine

Taylor The Daily Tay

Zoe Style Foodie

And here's the adorable goody bag, very helpful blogger directory, and my glittery nametag (um... love!).  The pretty notecards were from The Scribble Pad.... can't wait to use them for some special notes.

Bonus picture... Because I can't have a drink or two with friends without snacks, Scott and I made a run to the store and put together a little spread on Sunday.  It was easy and yummy... just what I needed at the end of a long, fun weekend. 

And yes, that's a bowl full of cherries... how appropriate, right? :)

Liebster Award!

You know those unexpected little surprises that have the power to make your day?  One of those lovely moments came along last week when I found out that Sarah of Inspiration-Driven Life nominated me for the Liebster Award.

“This award we’ve discovered is given to bloggers who inspire you and have less than 200 followers. The Liebster Award takes its name from the German word meaning ‘Beloved, Dearest or Favorite.’”

Sarah and I first connected after she commented on one of my posts earlier this year.  I love how Sarah continually challenges herself and others to communicate, connect, and grow.  Besides sharing the word "inspiration" in our blogs' names, we also both have a passion for writing and connections to Kansas City and Chicago.  (Hopefully we can meet up sometime when she's in Chicago visiting family!) 

Thank you for the award, Sarah!

I'm thrilled to nominate three fabulous bloggers.  To be honest, I realized that I follow a good number of bigger blogs, but I am excited to share three "smaller" ones that are constant sources of inspiration and information. 

These ladies are super talented and creative... and they have been so supportive of my own little blog!  Please visit them and see what I'm talking about...

Bethany of She Writes and Rights

An amazing writer and artist, Bethany writes about her life, poetry, literature, and what inspires her. She's not afraid to address the tough stuff either, whether it's faith, grief, or the struggles of living out one's passion. Her Etsy shop features paintings and drawings inspired by her mother, who passed away earlier this year. I love Bethany's writing and how she brings it to life through her art. 

Cathy of Fiscally Chic

Cathy and I were connected through a mutual friend right around the time we both started blogging.  She's an accountant with a love of cupcakes, serving up a mix of financial advice, style and food inspiration, and ways to live life to the fullest, even while on a budget.  And she has a fabulous Etsy shop, which features fun pillow covers and cozy knitted scarves and hats.

AdeOla of JostWrite

AdeOla is a freelance writer and shares her goals for writing and life, her favorite things, travels, motivational quotes, success stories...and all the ups and downs along her journey.  I love how supportive she is of other people who are following their hearts and living their dreams, just as she is.

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Winners, if you wish to participate, please keep the love going and refer to the instructions below.

1. Link back to the person who gave it to you and thank them.
2. Post the award to your blog.
3. Give the award to 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers that you appreciate and value (It’s a great way to get to word out there about other blogs!!)
4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have received this award.

Blogger Meet-up

It's been a good weekend.  Not the most productive one, but hey, I have Monday off (from nannying).

While I was home over the holidays, I felt a need to connect with more people in the blogging community.  Sure, we read posts and write comments, but these days, it's too easy to replace face-to-face time with online communication.  I shot an email to a few girls—people I knew from the blog world and "real life"—and suggested a blogger meet-up.  Those girls invited some others, and soon enough, we had a nice little group assembled... so on Saturday afternoon, Jillian of Cornflake Dreams hosted a bunch of us Chicago blogger ladies. 

Everyone brought an appetizer or wine, so we sipped, sampled, and got to know each other better.  It was a really nice afternoon... I was happy to broaden my little blog network... and the food was sooo yummy!  We chatted about the stuff of life: engagement rings, wedding planning, apartment searches, babies, dogs, the best restaurants in the city, recipes, bikes, and big-screen TVs.  You have to check out the apps everyone brought to share!

I brought Spinach Roll-ups from the Taste of Home Summer Appetizers cookbook (my go-to for easy, delicious party apps).

Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon (I left this out)
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
6 flour tortillas (8 inch), warmed

1) In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, green onions, bacon, and salad dressing mix.  Stir in spinach until well blended.  Spread over tortillas; roll up tightly jelly-roll style.  Wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 5 hours (I only did for one, but a longer time would probably help while cutting).

2) With a serrated knife, cut into 1/2 inch slices.  Refrigerate leftovers.  Yields 12-14 servings.

Thank you to all the ladies who attended.  I had a great time catching up and getting to know each of you!

Ashley of Ashley Nicole Catherine 

Cara of City Girl Chicago 

Jillian of Cornflake Dreams 

Cathy of Fiscally Chic 

Jess of Makeunder My Life 

Lara of Simply Irresistible 

Lesley of Six Twelve Place 

Zoe of Style Foodie 

Shari of The Daily Dish

A little tip for you party-planners out there... I used Paperless Post to send out an electronic invitation for the blogger meet-up, my first time using the website, and it was awesome.  The designs are adorable, the process is easy, and the tracking is super organized.

I started with this template and changed up the fonts to make it a bit more casual.

When you sign up for an account with Paperless Post, you start with 25 "stamps" and 25 "coins" (each stamp sends one email to one recipient; coins are used for premium content and features).  From there, you can purchase more stamps or coins for a matter of cents or earn more by referring friends or liking Paperless Post on facebook.  The invite designs look like ones you would send via snail mail (cute fonts, layouts, etc), and the tracking of RSVPs is really clean and streamlined.  Love it.  Recommend it.

And the rest of the weekend... Scott and I enjoyed low-key evenings on both Friday and Saturday.  On Friday, we watched the movie Moneyball (good stuff), and on Saturday, we made a frozen pizza, had a couple of drinks, and I read Sense and Sensibility for one of my classes while Scott watched football.  Juuuuust right after a long, busy week.

Sunday was a lot of fun... I went bridesmaid dress shopping for a college friend's wedding.  A whole group of us made stops at Bella Bridesmaid and Macy's with a little lunch at Feast in between.  Great news: we found our dresses!  And I love mine!  (A few hints: dark blue, chiffon, a ruffle.)  I can't wait to support the lovely bride & her groom and then dance the night away on K's big day in October.

Now, back to that whole productivity thing... it had better kick in tomorrow morning!

Happy 1st Birthday to My Blog!

One year ago today, I wrote my first post on Inspiration and Rough Drafts.  I started this blog as a creative outlet, something to encourage me to write on a regular basis and share it with others.  The name really says it all--I wanted to be creative, try new things, find inspiration, and then write about it without worrying about being perfect.

Life isn't perfect, but it's interesting and fascinating and fun.  There are ups and downs, people who come in and out of our lives.  Along the way, we learn what brings us joy, what challenges us, and what we need in life.  I know I love writing--it makes me happy, it always calls me to keep working and growing, and it is what I need to express myself and feel fulfilled.

Being creative, whether it involves writing, food, fashion, or home decor, feeds my soul.  And of course, my wonderful husband, family and friends mean everything to me, so this blog highlights the celebrations we share as well.  In some of the most stressful or confusing times, I know that the people I love and my faith in God are what make life worth living.

Hope you have enjoyed this first year of posts--this one is #93!  Looking back, I see how far I've come and how much I've done over the past year.  Plus I've discovered so much information and inspiration through other people's blogs--it's truly a little community.  Much more to come...

And as a fun recap to celebrate my blog's first birthday... here's a "taste" of the treats that have graced Inspiration and Rough Drafts this year!  (Can you tell I have a sweet tooth?)  Which one was your favorite?

"Big Huge Birthday Party Post" 11.07.2010

"Dessert + Booze = Rum Cake" 02.19.2011

"One Year Down, Forever to Go" 06.06.2011

"Tickled Pink - Baby Shower Fun" 04.18.2011

"Cake Pops for my BFF's Birthday!" 05.26.2011

"Impress Guests with this Fancy (Easy!) Dessert" 03.19.2011

"Fabulous Five-Minute Fudge" 12.14.2010

"Healthy Muffins vs. Sinful Cupcakes" 10.14.2010

"Two-Ingredient Brownie Muffins" 09.14.2010

"Big Huge Birthday Party Post" 11.07.2010

"Our New Year's Eve Celebration" 01.01.2011

Friends and Followers

It's been a good weekend, a nice mix of relaxation and activity. Yesterday was Scott's 29th birthday (happy birthday to my favorite guy!), so we celebrated by having dinner at Gibson's on Friday night with his family and then going to the Bulls game with a whole group of friends last night.  Throughout the weekend, I got to catch up with lots of people - my work ladies during happy hour on Friday, Scott's family, our Chicago crew, and a few Notre Dame friends.

I drank wine, ate delicious food (steak/twice-baked potato/carrot cake, homemade blueberry-banana pancakes, beers/hot dog/nachos, quiche/french toast/latte at brunch, BBQ chicken pizza), wrote the beginning of my fiction story for my writing workshop, read some of a book for fun, went for a long walk with a friend, attended Mass, got a much-needed good night's sleep.  (Clearly, I love food....)

The bottom line is that I realized how happy I am when I get to spend time with people - to catch up, laugh, eat, and just generally have a good time.  And while I can't be with my family very often, I really treasure my time with them.  (So good to see my sister A last week!  And I can't wait to see my two youngest sisters next weekend, J & J!  Then the rest of the fam in March...)

Through blogging the last almost-six months, I have also developed new relationships via my blog.  I have reconnected with wonderful people in my past, as well as "met" new connections.  I have been pleasantly surprised when others tell me they have learned or tried something new after reading my blog.  Reaching out with my writing and my life, sharing what I love to do and the small things that inspire me, has only expanded my community and brought me even more inspiration.

I know there are a few of you who enjoy reading my blog but have not yet said "hello" :)  I would love to hear from you - whether it's your first visit or fiftieth!  Please drop me a note in the comments section (choose a profile in the drop-down if you have one, or just select Name/URL and type in your name... don't forget to "validate" by entering a code if it requests one!).  Or join as a follower of Inspiration and Rough Drafts.  From my own experience, I have found that being a participatory part of the blogging world really makes an impact on other bloggers, readers, and contributors.  It only builds the "conversation" to be more robust and helpful to all.

Thank you to my readers and fellow bloggers for support and inspiration... There is much more to come!

The girls enjoying July 4th in Chicago (2010)