Breaking Off

Thank you all so much for the beautiful and thoughtful comments on Friday's post.  It's so reassuring to know I can be myself here, and that you guys are willing to provide words of encouragement and love.  By the way, I called and apologized to my mamacita and we are all good.  I felt so much better after we spoke.

I've been a bit conflicted about the direction of this blog for a few months now.  I originally started this space as a family blog, then turned it into a life-style blog about a year ago.  I intentionally added the hyphen to the life-style part because I never saw this place as purely a lifestyle blog where I just focus on pretty things, but more of a blog about life + style.  It was a play on words that I'm sure no one ever got but me, and that's okay.  I figured it allowed me to blog about life, the good and bad which is so important to me, plus blog about style.

Since then though I've built a mixed audience, some that read just for the style posts and some that could care less, as well as plenty of you that read for both.  I've felt for a long time though that I've been holding back, not blogging too much about style in fear of turning off some readers, as well as because it just sometimes feels odd sharing so much about my life and kids one day and then the next day showing which outfit I'm wearing.  A little confusing, a little schizophrenic if you will.

(me, tristan and jules)

On Friday night I went to the Decor 8 book signing with Jules and met Tristan from Besotted Brand for the first time.  Afterwards we went to dinner with a few other bloggers including Alexandra, and Holly Becker herself, who is beyond sweet and down to earth.  At dinner I also sat next to stylist/photographer Leslie Shrewing from A Creative Mint.  I have to say considering my post on Friday about letting go of looking good, it was a bit ironic and overwhelming to be sitting at a table with such inspiring, talented and yes, stylish women.  Once I got over my discomfort of feeling like the odd one out who doesn't really read design blogs, I had a lovely time.  We ate French food outdoors, drank wine, laughed and shared a lot.  Nothing in particular was said that night to help me come to my decision, but it just occurred to me almost through inspiration osmosis somewhere between the steamed artichokes and the warm goat cheese salad that it was time to split off and start a style blog.

So as soon as I can finalize a name and design, I'll be blogging about all things style over at a new space.  I love reading so many style blogs and think they all have something worthwhile to contribute, but I've also felt that there is a bit of a void for women like me.  Women in their late 20's, 30's and beyond, whether you're a mom or not, who want real, practical and simple inspiration for creating your own personal style.  So I want to evolve Playgrounds & Lollipops once and for all and feature more personal outfits and give advice, inspiration and tips for what helps me get dressed every day.  I want to focus on women of all shapes, sizes and ages and want to feature friends and readers as well.  I want to find creative ways to shop your own closet and turn something old into something you love again.  And I don't want to create a space where I curate items that just leave you and me feeling like I want, NEED more stuff.  Unless it's to highlight fantastic, other-wordly items like the Missoni for Target line because hello, everyone needs to know about those gems!

So in a way I'm starting all over but I'm excited and you know what?  I'm not scared!  And that is such a relief.  I will continue to blog here at Four Flights of Fancy, but I'll leave this space as a place where I can blog about everything else that I cherish in my life; my family, my home, my food and my heart.  You don't have to read both, but I'd be tickled pink if you did :)

So guys, can you help me come up with a name for my new blog?  Here are some ideas I've been tossing around in my head.  I don't know if I LOVE any of them so I'm open to suggestions and honest opinions :)

Credible Style (not to be confused with incredible)

Seasoned Style (does this make you think of meat seasoning though?)

Inspired By (I'll be writing a lot about inspiration)

Muted Style (I think my style is a bit toned-down & simple, Art loves this one but Miranda said no)

AV Style (my middle name is Victoria)

Newly Minted (does this make you think of coins/money though?)

In Step (does this make you think of dancing?)

Do you guys like any of these?  Please chime in.  In the meantime I'm also on the hunt for a blog designer that specializes in Wordpress because I'm switching over for the new blog.  Any suggestions, pretty please?

Thanks again guys!  I'm excited and I hope (some of) you are excited too!  Here's to fresh beginnings!