The blog is back! But like, for real this time…

“The Blog is Back, ALRIGHT!” ::Sang in the tune of “Everybody” by Backstreet Boys::

Oh my God, I’m back again.
Brothers, sisters, everybody sing
I’m gonna bring the flavor show you how
I’ve gotta question for ya
Better answer now….

GUYS, I’m back! The blog is back! But like, for real this time. And apparently, I thought it was appropriate to regress to my teenage, boy band lovin’ years to re-introduce myself to the world wide web.

“Teenage Key is back, ALIGHT!”

Singing aside, some exciting things have happened since we last spoke, and I know there are a lot of new faces here (courtesy of Em Henderson), so I need to catch everyone up to speed. Where do I begin…

January 2020: Happy New Year

At the beginning of this year (before the pandemic put all my dreams on pause), I wrote down my goals for the year, one of which was to relaunch and grow my blog. Now admittedly, that is a goal I write down every year. But this time, I was serious!

Despite the on-again, off-again relationship I’ve had with this blog, I have always dreamed of turning this fling into a committed relationship. And this was the year I was ready to put a ring on it. But I had some trepidation — I rarely saw couples that looked like us (ie. me and my blog). The lack of diversity in the design blogsphere had me questioning if this marriage could even be successful in such a White-washed industry.

March 2020: The New Normal

Enters Spring. The World is in a full-fledge Covid pandemic. The US is on lock down. Staying home is the “new normal”. But as a self-diagnosed introverted-homebody who works from home, life still feels somewhat, “normal”.

Although things definitely slowed down for me business-wise (and it was nothing but the grace of God that we were able to still pay our bills), I took advantage of the extra time to put together a POA for the blog. The plan was to redesign the site. Work on some content behind the scenes. Relaunch in the Fall. And as for my growth/marketing/content strategy ::shrugs:: I guess just hope and pray that more than my mom and a few close friends would read my posts?

I wasn’t long into the planning process before the overwhelm, comparison, and imposter syndrome started to sink in. How am I supposed to get this blog off the ground? And where the heck are all the successful black design bloggers for me to be inspired by?

A reminder to continue the work towards anti-racism, diversity, & inclusion.

May 2020: Hope in the Midst of Chaos

Hang in there with me, things are about to get interesting…

We are all aware of the horrific tragedies that took place this year with the murdering of Black lives. However, I’m grateful for the awakening and awareness that came from it, and movements that have taken place to fight systematic racism, amplify Black voices, and create more diversity and inclusion. For the first time, I’m starting to see Black designers, bloggers, and creatives get the recognition and exposure they deserve. Finally seeing women who look like me, killing it in the design/blog space, gave me the hope and determination that I can do it to.

I know I mentioned some of this already over on EHD, so sorry if this is redundant for you. But I want to copy and paste it here for my OG East & Lane readers…yes, all 20 of you 😘

You guys know that creating inspiring content for you to curate a home and a life you love, no matter where you live has always been my mission (#BloomWhereYouArePlanted). But now, I feel like I found a new purpose for blogging–one that is much bigger than me or design… It’s no longer about the money or success (although getting paid for blogging would be AWESOME), but I truly just want to be a hope and inspiration for my community and for girls (young and old alike) who look like me — because representation matters!

They say before you start any endeavor, you need to know your “WHY”. You guys, are my “why”. My community is my “why”. Representation, diversity, and inclusion are my “why”!

But even though I was clear on my “Why”, I was still clueless about the “how”. How does one grow a successful blog/brand?

EHD Mentee Announcement

September 2020: The Stars Align

Enters Emily Henderson. Most of you may know Em from her HGTV show “Secrets From a Stylist”, or from her uber-popular blog/social media (with over 1million followers), or from her NY Times Best-Selling book, or from her being a renowned designer & stylist …and the list goes on. Needless to say, she’s basically queen when it comes to growing/building a blog and brand.

A few months ago, she announced on her blog that she was starting a mentorship program where the EHD team would “coach, guide, and advise an aspiring design blogger through a makeover project, to set them up for success and introduce a new talent to the world”. What a dream opportunity to give someone! God bless her gracious heart!

Well, long story short, I applied for the program. And low and behold I was selected! I still can’t believe it. As part of the mentorship program, I’ll be making over my office and sharing the process over on her blog, as well as on here (more deets here). Having the support and guidance of the EHD team on an upcoming project is truly a dream come true and exactly what I need to help me figure out the “how”. It’s like the stars have aligned and I can’t express how grateful I am for the opportunity.

Bedroom Sneak Peek

Today: The Relaunch

So here we are. November 13, 2020 @ 6am. I’ve officially published my first blog post in over a year. Unfortunately, the new site isn’t ready yet, but I just couldn’t wait any longer to start sharing my journey and projects with you guys.

So what can you guys expect to see on East & Lane 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0? Well, in addition to the office makeover I will be doing with EHD, I’m also currently working on making over my living room, and bedroom (more on that soon). Basically, every room in our rental needs a makeover, so I will slowly be making updates (emphasis on “slowly” because it’s so EXPENSIVE to furnish a home), but I’m excited to share the process and progress with you guys as I go! And of course, there will be some lifestyle content (style, recipes, wellness etc.) thrown in, as well.

Again, I just want to be a hope, inspiration, and resource for you guys, so any ideas or things you’d like to see on here let me know in the comments! Also, don’t forget to follow along on IG (@eastandlane) where I’ll be sharing a lot of BTS.

There are so many more doors/opportunities that are opening, that I can’t share quite yet. But when I can, you better believe I’ll be taking you guys along for the ride!

Whew, thanks for hanging in there! Now that we’re all caught up, I feel like I can officially start this journey. Ya’ll ready? LET’S DO THIS!

Xx, Key