On our blogging hiatus

Sometimes taking a break is a good thing. While it may not work for everyone, we can truly say that it is exactly what we needed. Sometimes, when life happens, it is just hard to keep up with everything, and although we have missed our blog friends so very much, we did not want to post stuff just because....

Leela and I used this time away to get in touch with our inner selves, re-energize ourselves and most importantly, to re-focus. So while this post is a long one, we could not possibly move forward without sharing how we got to this point.

We started Ooh Leela!™ in November of 2010. Back then, we were selling dish towels, coffee sleeves and coffee mixes. Naturally, we thought the next step was to start a blog, to create a place to document our creative journey that would also help us generate traffic to our shop. That is how this space came to be. Over the years, I have used it to document a little bit of everything, tutorials, cross stitch templates, recipes, business tips, etc etc etc. 

There were months where I blogged a lot. Other months not so much. I never wanted it to feel like a job, so there was never any discipline or structure in place.  Essentially, I blogged when I felt like it.

When we made the switch to dog apparel last year, I truly understood what passion is all about. Although I love embroidery, dish towels, sleeves, etc, creating unique items for dogs and animals fulfills me in a way I never thought possible. I think about Ooh Leela!™ 24x7. I dream about new products and designs... About color & fabric combinations. About my customers' faces when they open one of our packages.

I feel happy, content, and finally that I am where I was always meant to be.

While we were having a blast creating screen printed shirts, collar blings and beds, I felt very lost as far as the blog was concerned. I had developed a following and was worried that the content I was compelled to write about would no longer interest them.

So I tried to stick to the same topics I had been writing about in the past, but it was no longer a true reflection of where my heart was at, or the direction I was going.

If felt as though the blog had become its own entity and was no longer connected to my shop, which is such a big part of my life.

It was hard to keep up with 2 very distinct things. Because of this disconnect, we no longer enjoyed blogging, and when I am not happy, it shows. If you are not going to give something your very best, why do it at all? Thus our little blogging hiatus.

Here is what we have been up to over the past 2 months (more on each of these things soon):

We have launched a 4th of July line.

Reversible tank top for dogs, in red

Reversible dog tank, in white and blue

{{Did you know that Leela and I design all of our patterns, and make each one of our items? It may take us extra time, but at least you will know that your furry friend is wearing something that is truly unique.}}

 We went to Oregon.

We attended Blog Paws, in Salt Lake City, UT.

We worked on custom orders {have we mentioned how much we LOVE custom orders???}

We have made lists (in Excel, obviously - nerd alert ;), and a plan we are comfortable sticking to.

Most importantly, we got our groove back.

We've decided to write about things that truly reflect who we have become, even if it means that the overall direction of the blog will change a bit.

So what does this mean my dear friends? It means that we are ready to give this whole blogging thing a try again! Hey, we have truly missed it!

For those of you who have been with us for some time, I invite you to stay. We will still have lots of fun, I promise!

For those of you who have just joined us, welcome! We will have lots of animal related projects, articles, fashion tips, travel tips and recipes. 

Have you ever had to take a break from doing something you love? How did you deal with it? 

About The Author : Leela

Leela is a 4.5 y.o. Silky Terrier who truly believes she is a baby. She is the Chief Designer at Ooh Leela!™, a dog boutique that specializes in personalized dog shirts, trendy dog clothing, beds and accessories. She is sassy and sweet, full of personality and attitude. You can follow her on Twitter and you can connect with her on Facebook