I am super excited to begin a brand new column with you all. Since The Fresh Exchange is all about inspiring and bringing fresh ideas to the table every day so for about two months now I have been dreaming up new and exciting content to bring to you guys.
Behind the Blog was the first fresh column I came up with because I really wanted to open the doors to other blogs and the people behind them. So many of us bloggers never get to know what life is like for other bloggers such as what is in their toolkit, what they struggle with, and even what their day to day is like. This is why I wanted to begin sharing and opening the doors to various blogs that I read and love. Each of the individuals I am planning on featuring now and in the future all are at various stages and places in blogging, work, and life, which I feel is extremely exciting. My hope is that these posts will be inspiring to you all and for you to see what life is really like behind being a blogger.
I really wanted to kick off the series with a fellow designer/blogger, Sarah Gabler of Design Me Daily...how stickin' adorable is she? I have been following her for a while and recently found out via Pinterest that she was a major fan. This meant that of course I had to share her and her awesome blog full of wonderful inspiration. So let's head on over and get to know this lady.
Sarah is from the suburbs of Chicago. She has a full time job and when she is not working she spends time with her little family above and somewhere in between she blogs, freelances, and oh yeah Pins like a rockstar. So I wanted to get behind Sarah's inspirational posts and find out more about what drives Design Me Daily, how it all started, how she stays organized, and all sorts of other fun things.
Q. Tell us about your blog how it began, when it began, and everything in between.A. My blog was born in 2009, when I was at the bottom of the food chain (a design intern) at a magazine in Chicago. Because I was crazy-good at my job (and there really wasn't much to do) I had a lot of free time, which meant lots of time to surf the web. I already knew how much I loved looking at design and fashion blogs, so the obvious next step was creating my own! And I was hooked for life.
Q. How would you best describe yourself?
A. Artsy, fashionable (most of the time) and organized
Q. What do you feel sets your blog apart from the rest?
A. Design Me Daily should really be called something else—like, Gimme Gimme Gimme—because what it really is is a dumping ground for anything and everything that is rolling around in my head at any given moment. I have so many interests, most of them visual, so my blog acts as an inspiration board for my life. When I have a new design project, I search my blog first for inspiration, or when I am plagued with the question of whether to buy those turquoise lamps or wait for the amazing chrome ones to go on sale, I'll click search all of the interiors that I've posted to see which style best suits me.
A. Design Me Daily should really be called something else—like, Gimme Gimme Gimme—because what it really is is a dumping ground for anything and everything that is rolling around in my head at any given moment. I have so many interests, most of them visual, so my blog acts as an inspiration board for my life. When I have a new design project, I search my blog first for inspiration, or when I am plagued with the question of whether to buy those turquoise lamps or wait for the amazing chrome ones to go on sale, I'll click search all of the interiors that I've posted to see which style best suits me.
Q. What keeps you doing it?
A. Really, I blog for myself, to motivate and inspire my own work and gather new ideas from the blog geniuses out there. But I guess if the question is who keeps you doing it, I'd definitely have to say my readers. It's amazing how many friendships I've developed online, just from comments and emails. The sweetest thing is receiving a message from a fellow blogger just to say they loved something I posted. It really warms my heart to know that others take an interest in my world :)
A. Really, I blog for myself, to motivate and inspire my own work and gather new ideas from the blog geniuses out there. But I guess if the question is who keeps you doing it, I'd definitely have to say my readers. It's amazing how many friendships I've developed online, just from comments and emails. The sweetest thing is receiving a message from a fellow blogger just to say they loved something I posted. It really warms my heart to know that others take an interest in my world :)
Q. What have you found challenging?
A. Time management. Ever since I got a new job (that actually keeps me busy all day unlike my last job) I have had the hardest time trying to balance work and play.
A. Time management. Ever since I got a new job (that actually keeps me busy all day unlike my last job) I have had the hardest time trying to balance work and play.
Q. Explain one moment as a blogger you felt accomplished?
A. Early on I didn't have a lot of followers. Actually I still don't when you compare me to other blogs I check daily, but when I spotted my first re-blog post I nearly fell off my chair. Like I've said, I started this blog for me, so seeing that other people not only read my posts, but liked them enough to post them on their own blog was oh-my-god-amazing.
A. Early on I didn't have a lot of followers. Actually I still don't when you compare me to other blogs I check daily, but when I spotted my first re-blog post I nearly fell off my chair. Like I've said, I started this blog for me, so seeing that other people not only read my posts, but liked them enough to post them on their own blog was oh-my-god-amazing.
Q. What is one tidbit you have found helpful while becoming a blogger?
A. Always be authentic. It's amazing how easy it is to tell who is genuine in the blog world and who isn't, so I try to make it a point to always write like myself.
A. Always be authentic. It's amazing how easy it is to tell who is genuine in the blog world and who isn't, so I try to make it a point to always write like myself.
Q. What do you consider your tools in your toolbox for your blog?
A. Since I'm a designer, of course I use design programs to my advantage, but I also know a little html, which really helps when I get the 3-month-itch and I just have to redesign the site :)
A. Since I'm a designer, of course I use design programs to my advantage, but I also know a little html, which really helps when I get the 3-month-itch and I just have to redesign the site :)
Q. How do you time manage your life to make sure it all fits together?
A. You'll notice right now that I'm in hiatus and my blog has a sad post about how I'll "BRB"...Like I said, it's a work in progress...
A. You'll notice right now that I'm in hiatus and my blog has a sad post about how I'll "BRB"...Like I said, it's a work in progress...
Q. Where do you go to find inspiration (shop, blog, book, place)?
A. Living in Chicago, there are a ton of inspiring places right out my front door, but when all I have is my laptop, I love logging onto Pinterest to check out the latest pins and of course I bee-line to my favorite blogs from my blogroll. I love how one blog can take you to another, which leads you to a completely new blog or site and so on. The internet is such a diverse community and I love how much there is to see and learn!
A. Living in Chicago, there are a ton of inspiring places right out my front door, but when all I have is my laptop, I love logging onto Pinterest to check out the latest pins and of course I bee-line to my favorite blogs from my blogroll. I love how one blog can take you to another, which leads you to a completely new blog or site and so on. The internet is such a diverse community and I love how much there is to see and learn!
Q. Tell us something your readers may not even know about you?
A. I don't get really personal on my blog, but I do let out the occasional secret...so, something they might not know about me? I'm a middle child (smack in the middle of three girls), I've been dating my boyfriend, Jake, for 8 years, and I'm a cancer survivor. Everything else is boring!
A. I don't get really personal on my blog, but I do let out the occasional secret...so, something they might not know about me? I'm a middle child (smack in the middle of three girls), I've been dating my boyfriend, Jake, for 8 years, and I'm a cancer survivor. Everything else is boring!
Q. What is one thing you plan to accomplish by this time next year blogging related or not?
A. I'm sort of in the middle of something kind of big for the blog and don't want to give it away...BUT I can tell you that I'd really like to improve the blog — how it looks and functions. :)
Finally to get to know Sarah's a little more I wanted her to give us some of what inspires her every day. This is the board she put together and why each inspire her personally.
2. Tattoo: I only have one but I'm hooked!
3. Blake Lively: I might blog glamorously, but on a daily basis I'm wearing jeans, a t-shirt and flats. The stylish kind of course!
4. Cupcakes: I've recently started cooking (baking mostly) and it's amazing! I can't stop!
5. Get it Done: I am super self-motivated, and I DO get shit done! So, this print is perfect.
6. Coffee: Starbucks is crack and I'm an addict
I am so glad I got to share a look behind Sarah's blog and what happens over at Design Me Daily. You can follow sarah on twitter and pinterest. Make sure to place her blog in your feed so you can keep on everything as she gets back into the swing of things in the near future.
Happy Wednesday friends!