HAPPY 2016 ..........

The countdown has begun .....

Thanks to  all of you that have viewed my blog, liked my posts and followed me in 2015 ..... Thank you for your support and friendship and for taking the time to comment..... it really is most appreciated. 

Wherever you are in the world, I wish you all that you wish yourselves in 2016.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!

XXXX

images 1 & 3: via realistrichie, images 2, 4 & 8: via la bonne vie, image 5: via inspiration lane, image 6: via moon cafe, image 7: via pinterest, image 9: via zsa zsa bellagio   

FROM MY HOME TO YOUR'S ..... MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS .....

Merry, Merry Christmas from my home to yours .....

Wishing all of my blogging friend's a magical Christmas filled with love and laughter.

XXXX

All images via ME !!

AMAZED, AGOG, AGHAST !!!! ..........

I'm was in shock ..... utter shock !! I posted one lovely post about how sad I was that our ' By Invitation series was over then, I started to lose followers ..... slowly at first then by the score !!!!!

I was totally confused !! I've hardly lost a follower since I started blogging six years ago ...... the odd one now and again, yes, but, over 100 !! Surely the By Invitation wasn't that popular ?!! .... or my own post that boring !!!!!

I was rather upset ..... I'm not particularly precious about how many followers I've got but, I've worked hard on my blog to accumulate nearly 2,000 followers so, it was a bit of a shock .....

..... a lie down in a dark room was called for !!!!!!!

Now I find out that many of you are losing followers and that it's probably a Blogger issue. Apparently  all of our followers are still there ...... it's just the total figure that's wrong !!! 

SO, 

any of you out there who have never followed me and  would like to help me get my followers back up to speed, feel free to follow me !!!!

..... and, if you are losing followers and you wondered why, at least you know it's not you or your blog !!!!!

image 1: via babble, image 2: via sunday in bed, image 3: via playbuzz, image 4: via umla, image 5: via where to get it

BY INVITATION ..........

I have been honoured to have been part of the 'By Invitation' family from the very beginning. To start with, there were just a few of us but, over the five years, it grew to quite a large membership.

Unfortunately, it has now run it's course and like all good things is coming to it's natural end this month.

We are packing our bags and today, ' By Invitation ' is saying goodbye.

For our final post we are thinking about .....

Blogging !!

I started my blog on a whim ...... I was looking for something and was directed to someones blog ..... at the top of the page it said ' Start your own blog ' so, I did. 

I like my home so I thought that I would write about houses and interiors but, over the years it has changed somewhat and that's OK..... things evolve. 

Over the years, the blogging world has changed and many of my first followers have left blogging and post more on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and the like and blogging has been made to feel a little old fashioned.

I made many friends in those early days and after about a year I would sometimes get over 100 comments on my posts but, many left their blogs and things changed. I don't know if it's an age thing but it seems to me that many are lured to anything new and are very quick to move onto the newest social media tool. 

I have so enjoyed my blogging experience so far, have connected with some lovely people from around the world and have even met some of them. On the whole, blogging has been a very positive experience for me with many highs and very few low's. The only negative thing that I can say about blogging is that some things sometimes get lost in translation and we lose the odd follower now and again which I find a little sad but, I know that this is inevitable and, of course, we can't expect to connect with everyone can we ? .. after all, we don't connect with everyone in real life so why should blogging be any different? 

I really don't know what the future holds for blogging and bloggers but, for me, I shall continue for as long as I enjoy it and hope that all of you out there will stay along for the ride.

What are your thoughts on blogging and it's future ?

I am more than a little sad that our ' By Invitation ' journey has come to an end ..... I have enjoyed every minute and, it was so lovely that someone would tell me what to write about once a month !!!!!!!!! 

Many thanks to the lovely Marsha whose idea and inspiration ' By Invitation ' was ..... she worked so hard to think of ideas every month and to enrol new members .... it's never easy to deal with everything and to lead a project {that's why I don't do it !!!! }

If anyone would like to start another similar group, I'm game to be part of it !!

I'll leave it to Pete and Dud to say Goodbye-ee !!

image 2: via la bonne vie, image 3: via clutter and chaos, image 4: via google images, images 5 & 6: via kero i am, image 7: via margadirube, image 8: via vogue.it

video: via YouTube

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN ..........

It's that time again ..... time to buy the tree .....

..... there will be tears !!!!

Every year, I buy one new Christmas decoration ..... the above is this years. 

Hope your Christmas preparations are going well and are tear free ..... I'll keep you posted on the tree buying !!!!!

images 1 & 2: via night tattoo, image 3: via love minimal style