Did you guys spy this on Instagram the other day? It’s definitely my news of the week/month/year:
Haven is a conference for DIY and home bloggers held in Atlanta, Georgia each year and I’ve wanted to go since the very first one in 2012!
Now, you also need to know this about me: I’m an introvert. An introvert of introverts, in fact. Even if I manage to come across as confident and lively and self-assured online (wait – do I even?), I’m only that way among a very select inner circle of people in real life. It’s hilarious because my husband Bryan is the exact opposite. He’s absolutely wonderful in a crowd of strangers, and I like to sit back and people watch – seen, but not heard. Or just stay home with a good book or my Netflix queue.
So while I may have sometimes entertained the idea of attending a blogging conference and even desired to do so, it wasn’t something I was about to jump into. I felt that I needed to work my way up to it before throwing myself into an entire pool of amazing bloggers around whom I was sure to be tongue-tied. You know, make sure that if I was star-struck by a blogging friend one on one and slipped into awkward-nervous-Southern-drawl (it’s a thing), I would be able to gracefully recover and still put together sentences semi-articulately!
Not to mention my truckloads of anxiety about traveling somewhere solo… I told myself that I would attend the next local blogging conference for sure. You betcha.
Then, this past week, I started seeing all my blogging bffs and idols mention Haven. One day, I jokingly mentioned to Bryan that I’d love to go, but it was in Atlanta, so yeah – no way that was gonna happen.
Then I was chatting online with my friend Trisha of Black and White Obsession, who was super excited because she too had just bought her ticket to Haven…
And all of the sudden I knew that I would intensely regret not going this year. This was my chance to turn the incredible online friendships I’ve formed into face-to-face friendships! And get out of my semi-agoraphobic shell. And push myself to the next level as a blogger. And make fabulous new blogging connections!
I called Bryan (who was actually at home, but simply sitting in a different room of the house) and said: “I want to go to Atlanta this summer. Is there any way we can swing it?” And after we figured out how to make it work financially – birthday presents, selling random stuff around the house on Craigslist, and calling it a “business expense” so I’d feel a lot better about it – I put on my big-girl blogger pants and excitedly hit “purchase” on my ticket to my very first blogging conference.
I’m still ironing out details like roadtripping to Georgia and hotel roomies and I spent all day Wednesday equal parts jittery from excitement and tense with anxiety… But overall, the excitement is winning out!
I mean – I have a fiddle leaf fig tree and I’m going to Haven – I’m practically Vintage Revivals over here 😉
Wait, is this picture working to convince you that I’m a) a cool kid, b) a full-fledged blogger, and c) not creepy? No? Crap.
So who’s with me? Are you going to Haven? Wanna be my Haven buddy? Is it your first time, like me? (Is this the first time you’ve even heard of a blogging conference?) Let’s chat!
P.S. While I have literally been obsessing about Haven nonstop for the last 36 hours, I found Trisha’s series of Haven blog posts extremely helpful! If you too are Haven bound, check out her amazing posts for everything from tips on what to pack to what she would have done differently!
Yay, yay yay!!! Can't wait to meet you! So exciting!
Me too Julia! Yay – I'm so excited you'll be there too! I don't know if I can handle the awesomeness of meeting everyone face to face!!! Fair warning: I'm sure I'll be super awkward 😛
how about "HAVEN't you heard?" he he…. you should have come to me. 😉 SO excited to meet you!
Oh my goodness, Cassie – that's perfect! Hehe, I wish I had thought of that! When my husband saw my post title, he immediately thought of several other punny titles… I guess I've been too hyper-excited about going to think clearly 😛 Can't wait to meet you too!
EEEK!! I cannot contain my excitement! You seriously will not regret it! Promise.
I hope our face to face doesn't turn out to be a disaster but in all reality I'm shooting for the Jimmy Fallon & Justin Timberlake or Ben Affleck & Matt Damon or Jen & Courtney!! #stagefiveclinger
You get mad props for talking me into it! Lol, I know we'll be awesome in person – a total power-duo 🙂
Wahhhhhhhhhh, I wanna go! Hehehe. You guys are gonna have so much fun!
Megannnnn – come with us!!!
what great news!! Maybe I will go next year.
I bet you will have a GREAT time!
I'm sure I will have a great time & I'm also sure I'll probably be a little sick to my stomach with nervousness too – they go hand in hand, right? 🙂
Totally not creepy photo. Also nothing wrong with sitting back with a good book but you'll have an amazing time. I wish I could join. Perhaps I'll mail you guys a paper me cut out which can be held a photo. Paper cut out me would give solid advice – like at the social you do need another glass of wine, or why isn't there a hashtag there.
This is probably the best idea ever!! We'd put the cutout could creep on the elevators, the first thing someone sees when the elevator doors open- classic!!
Stephanie, that is the greatest idea ever! You totally should & we totally would 🙂
Yay!!!! I am so excited to meet you!! And just so that you have enough time to prepare, there is dancing. You can be my partner!!
Life = made! I'm so excited about this it should be illegal!!!
I just discovered your blog and I feel like we should have met a long time ago. I have come SO close to buying a ticket a hundred times now and I keep holding back from pulling the trigger. It's reassuring to know they'll be others just as scared as me! Gah… I just need to go ahead and do it, I know there's like 30 tickets left!