Haven 2013

I didn’t think I could top my experience of Haven 2012, but Haven 2013 knocked my socks off!  Two amazing jam-packed days of reuniting with old bloggy friends, making new bloggy friends, and soaking up all kinds of wonderful nuggets of wisdom to make Decor & More a better place!

opening session

The conference started off on a high note with an excited team welcome and opening address by the lovely Ana White!

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She gave us some fabulous advice for managing our time as bloggers and the whole “doing it all” struggle that we ALL have as moms, wives, and women of today.

One of my favorite sessions was with Katie Bower and Sherry of Young House Love…

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They talked about bloggy friendships and how to build them, protect them, and support each other.  Great information as I’m steadily growing my own bloggy friendships, both online AND iRL.  Plus, you know these girls are both hilarious!

I also got some great technical advice in sessions on advertising and Google juice, and some insights into contributing to the magazine world from Erika Ward…

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She’s the sweetest gal and such a design talent!

We also had an incredible array of sponsors, including Home Depot, Ryobi, Kreg, Ballard Designs, OnlineFabricStore.net, Lucy Inspired, Royal Design Studio, Shaw Floors, Moen, Annie Sloan… truly a DIYer’s Dream Team!

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Fun bookcase decorating challenges from Ballards…

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Stencil a drop cloth tablecloth??  Loved this idea from Royal Design Studio…

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My favorite fabric from OnlineFabricStore.net…

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Don’t you love that my nail polish matched?  I’m seeing drapes with this fabric….

Oh, and GMC was there, giving away a loan of the new 2014 GMC Yukon!  And look who won…

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My sweet friend Lisa from Before Meets After!!

And I loved catching up with so many of my friends.  I didn’t take a ton of photos, but I sure enjoyed spending time with these gals…

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Chelsea of TwoTwentyOne, Kelly of View Along the Way, and Michelle of Ten June blog.  I also loved chatting with Emily Clark (I’ve loved her designs for ever and now love knowing her!) and Elizabeth from The Mustard Ceiling, Erica from Spoonful of Imagination, Erin of DIY on the Cheap, Jessica from Decor Adventures, and so many more!

Especially this girl…

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Karah from the Space Between… I’ve already told my hubs we HAVE to head to Key West so I can hang out with her and all her DIY savvy (and her dogs!).

Yesterday, I finally got the chance to unpack my swag bag…

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First of all — THAT TOTE BAG!!  Thank you, Ballards!  And I’m super excited about this fabric…

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and this new Frog Tape Shape Tape!

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My brain is now swimming with new projects to try AND some creative ways to finish out projects-in-process!  #winning

Today, I’ll be tackling the mile-long To Do List I brought home from Haven (!), plus the To Do List that’s here at home with Back to School looming in two short days. #ugh.  I’ve also got some furniture to paint for my daughter’s apartment, since she heads back to school on Saturday. #yikes

So, I’m off and running, friends!  Hope you have a wonderful Monday… more fun things in store this week, so come on back!

heidi signature

Comments

  1. looks like an amazing time!

  2. Wow I’m so jealous I couldn’t come!! Next year I just need to take time off work and GO!!! I’m glad to hear you had a great time! 🙂

  3. Heidi- It was so much fun seeing you there again this year! I am loving the new look for your blog!

    Can’t wait to see what you do with that fabric!
    Hope you have a great week!

    xo-Lisa

  4. What an amazing time – and I am thrilled to have finally met you Heidi! Someone is mailing my swag to me – I couldn’t fit all the loot in my suitcase!!
    Kelly

  5. Ooh you got some cute fabric in your swag bag! 🙂 Loved seeing you there!!

  6. Wow, can’t wait to see what you do with that fabric, I love it!! And so happy we snapped that pic at the end. I loved seeing you again!! 🙂

Trackbacks

  1. […] (can you believe it??), I’m thinking wistfully of our last blast at the beach right before Haven Conference.  Even though it made the week before school started a little hectic, it was such a lovely […]

  2. […] went to Haven Conference… and have a notebook full of ideas and tasks I have yet to implement.  See above for my sorry […]

  3. […] I attended Haven last month, I got lots of wonderful information on making my blog “better.”  Making it […]

  4. […] so it was difficult to implement a lot of what I learned. You can read about my previous years HERE and […]

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