I have to shout it to the world – Leslie and I will soon teach the Blogging Your Way e-Course and registration JUST started today! I can’t wait to dig in again and hang out with students in an intimate, private space online where we can connect! Leslie and I can’t wait to run this course because we won’t be running this particular one again until next year — so if you want to take Blogging Your Way, this is THE opportunity to do it! We have lots to share in this class, including a video from Leslie who will tell you about herself a bit more in detail and I’ll do a video as well (along with 4 podcasts so you can download them) and much more so you are guaranteed a good time!

REGISTER HERE – Class space is limited!

Blogging Your Way: Outline

Friday, February 25th – You will receive your login by email so that you can get set up before class kicks off the following Monday. On this day, you’ll listen to two introductory podcasts from Leslie and I, watch a webcast explaining how to use the site and forum, and you’ll receive a course outline that you can download and print out along with a printable download for taking notes week by week.

Monday, February 28th – Class officially begins. Ideally, it’s great if you can log in once daily during the week but if you can only log in a few times a week that is also fine. You will need to dedicate 2-3 hours per week to this class if you want to get the most out of it. Some really dig in, network, and spend more time and some only hop on 30 minutes 3x a week. However, I suggest logging in 3-5x per week and spending quality time reading the materials and completing the fun and easy weekly homework assignment for best results.

Monday, March 28th - Class officially ends. You will, however, have access to the class materials and forum until April 11th. At that time, the site will be taken offline.

To learn more about Blogging Your Way and to register, click here.

Hope to see you in class! xo

Holly & Leslie

Great news everyone! Kelly Wearstler has a brand new blog called My Vibe My Life! Yay! I was so glad when her office contacted me today to share this great news and asked if I would like to share it with all of you. Why yes, of course! Kelly contributed to my upcoming book, Decorate with a few great design tips so of course I am inspired by her work. I think what I love most about her is that she is fearless when it comes to designing interiors — I can’t help but think her new blog will be a huge success because of her style but also her courage in just going for it.

I like when people are fearless, when they have courage to go forth and do what their heart tells them to do. Unfortunately, so much of what we are exposed to goes through this giant filtering/editing process and the original beauty of it, the soul, becomes so completely watered down that the original voice gets lost.

With Kelly Wearstler, you never ever get the sense that she holds back. What you see is what you get, even if someone may criticize her designs for being so “out there” (design is subjective after all), she doesn’t change her style to please the masses. She is authentic, true to her vision, and this is what makes her so admirable to me personally. I can’t wait to follow her blog regularly and watch this creative dynamo in action. Congrats on the new blog, Kelly!
(images: kwid)

I just shared the decor8 book of the week, Romantic Style, so now I’d like to highlight the blog of the week, Sweet Paul. This is one heck of a blog to read if you are dieting, so calorie counters beware! But it’s just too yummy to pass by and reading and looking at gorgeous imagery is fat-free, so I guess that’s fair enough. Feast your eyes!

Sweet Paul is a delicious blog authored by stylist/crafter Paul Lowe, who develops recipes and crafts for editorial and commercial projects. Can you believe that he has published 22 cookbooks in 12 languages? Amazing! He also has an online magazine (here) that is gorgeous and on his Sweet Paul blog he publishes inspiration and new recipes several times a week! How’s that for an all-star blogger?

Paul Lowe is a huge inspiration to me personally which is why I wanted to talk about his work today — I find his blog and magazine a delight and I think that you will to if you haven’t already heard of him. His eye is amazing, and his styling work always feels modern and clean while also being quite soulful, welcoming, calming and crafty.

Originally from Oslo, he moved to New York and now works with some of the best photographers and clients in the industry and his prop styling is nothing short of perfect. I was reading that he started out as a florist and now here he is today. I love this interview with him on the Spoonful Blog, it’s amazing to read about this bloggers experience attending a shoot that Paul directed and styled, so I encourage you to read more about her experience along with an interview, here.

(images: paul lowe)

It’s images like these that keep me coming back to the lovely Lobster & Swan blog again and again and again. Jeska Hearne has such a girly, romantic, cozy home… Her arrangements of things are so beautiful and it really is a photo of a living room like this that makes me want a fireplace so badly… Her mantle just melts my heart! But we can’t have it all which is why we visit the blogs of various virtual friends to find inspiration through the things that they have that we wish we did! :) ha!

I especially LOVE the prints she pointed out over at the V&A museum shop online… Jeska if you are reading this you make me happy always. :)

(images: Jeska Hearne)

This is your last call to enroll in the Blogging Your Way e-course that will begin in September with co-teacher Leslie Shewring and I as your teachers. We may bring this class back again in February 2011 but cannot promise it as I have a lot of commitments in the early part of next year. This class sold out a few weeks ago but I decided to add more seats and open it to beginners who do not currently have blogs in addition to seasoned blog authors since we won’t be running another for quite some time….

We’ll have a lot to cover in 4 weeks but I’ll leave the class open at the end for an additional 4 weeks so that you can catch up if you need to. The forum will remain open during those additional 4 weeks so that you can network with fellow students. I will post a podcast weekly for 8 weeks, the final 4 weeks you will be invited to a special section in the forum where you can discuss the topic with other students.

This is a self-paced, password only e-course so only students can access all course materials, website and forum. We will not have group homework assignments in this class but will have weekly homework that you can do if you’d like — these exercises are meant to help you get the most out of this class but they are not difficult assignments — they are fun!

Class dates: September 3 (on the 3rd you will only receive materials to get you started, class officially kicks off after Labor Day weekend on Tuesday, September 7) and runs until October 4, 2010 with class/forum time extending until November 1, 2010.

Requirements: Either 1. You do not have a blog but want to get one started soon OR 2. You are already blogging and want to learn some new tricks and connect with us and make new friends… You also need a digital camera (point and shoot or DSLR, your choice) and it would be helpful if you started your blog during class so that you can directly apply what you’re learning as you go.

Complete course outline here.

Leslie and I cannot wait to welcome you to our next class – you can SIGN UP HERE until the class is full and then registration will close. If you do not have a blog, enter decor8blog.com in the URL field on the sign up page.

Enrollment ends on September 1st! We only have a limited number of seats left!

(images: Leslie Shewring)