If you had told me 10 years ago that the blog I started in my college dormitory would still be with me, I would have told you that sounded outlandish. But that’s the truth: in 2009, I started my very first lifestyle blog while sitting in my college dormitory. I idolized Gala Darling & Nubby Twiglet, I watched early influencers take off, and I wanted a piece of the action.

Most importantly, I loved writing. But I wasn’t sure what kind of career writing would give me. Through blogging, I found my path.

I believe that blogging can be many things for many people: a career, a stress outlet, a way to indulge in their hobbies. For me, blogging gives me purpose when I worry I’m going too far into "mom territory”; and it provides me with the opportunity to connect with other people. One thing I’m passionate about is the idea that once you become a mother, you don’t have to surrender the things that make you happy.

I hope that, whether you’re a young professional starting their career (and wondering if you really have to be working and gigging all the time) or a new mom struggling to find her identity, you know that you always have a chance to pause, collect yourself, and remember what makes you who you are.

This blog is all about the things that make me happy, the things that (outside my job, my child, my husband) make me feel fulfilled. I hope reading these posts, whether it’s a beauty review or how to get your toddler to eat healthy food, you give yourself a moment to feel that joy, the joy in learning more about something you love or looking into a product that will make you feel good. That’s what really matters, at the end of the day.

Now that you know how I got here, let me tell you about me: I’m Michelle. I'm a writer. A mom. A blogger. A lover of books, coffee, and Autumn.

I first started writing when I was 12. I’ve been involved in blogging on the internet for years; from Livejournal to Myspace to Xanga, I’ve seen it (and used it) all. I’ve always been an avid journaler, a collector of “things” (found receipts, movie stubs, clothing tags—you name it, I have journals full of it).

I attended the College of Idaho; I majored in Creative Writing with a focus in poetry. When picking minors, I decided to follow my non-fiction-loving heart: Interactive Journalism spoke to me in a way only poetry did before. I graduated magna cum laude in May 2011. 

I have interned for several female-oriented blogs, including CollegeCandy and Lovelyish. Since 2014, I have worked at a digital marketing agency as a content strategist. At the same time, I got engaged, got married, and bought my own home. Then, in 2015, I had a baby. I’ve had many life changing moments, moments where I felt the tree of my life splitting into two directions, but that’s probably the biggest one.  

I’ve always loved a lot of things (I have a lot of interests). But writing, beauty, fashion, music, and books have always been at the center of everything in my life. Without these things, I’m not sure how I’d get through each day!