Haven re-cap

Whew! I just got back yesterday from a whirlwind adventure in Atlanta at the Haven Conference. I had a blast learning more about blogging and DIYing. Plus I got to meet some amazing ladies who are weird like me and get all giddy and starry-eyed when they walk into a Lowes or Home Depot.

The conference kicked off last Thursday with a humorous, yet informative presentation from bloggers John and Sherry from Young House Love. In case you don’t already know, they are kind of a big deal.

The first conference session I attended was about growing your blog. I had the privilege of listening to these fabulous ladies talk about how they have expanded their readership over the years.

From left to right are Myra, Sarah, Rhoda, Traci and Beth.

Next, I went to a basic woodworking seminar with the lovely and talented Ana White.

During her session, Ana built a bench while wearing fabulous high heels. She’s a DIY superstar from Alaska who definitely knows her way around a power saw. Girl power!

I also had the opportunity to attend a session hosted by Rashon Carraway, aka Mr. Goodwill Hunting. He taught us how to shop thrift stores like a pro.

Throughout the conference, I was blessed to connect with some very talented and inspirational women.

Here I am with the lovely Rhoda of Southern Hospitality.

I got to catch up with my sweet friend, Traci, from Beneath my Heart.

Spoiler alert! Here I am with Myra of My Blessed Life. We are comparing our baby bellies.

I will be five months preggers next week. Yep, that’s right. Tiny will be getting a baby brother or sister in November. She says if it’s a brother, she will throw him away. Let’s hope she’s joking.

Here I am with Tonya from Love of Family and Home and Myra.

I met so many other great ladies that I hope to stay connected with as well. Conferences like Haven are an excellent opportunity to stretch yourself and get out of your comfort zone. I came to Atlanta by myself. So, at mealtimes, I literally walked up to tables and asked the ladies seated there if I could join them. Fortunately, they were sweet and friendly and didn’t say, “Get lost, weirdo,” or anything like that. It was a humbling experience that really helped me grow personally and professionally.

One more HUGE perk of this conference: I won an iPad from Rust-Oleum (one of the conference sponsors)! Is that stinkin’ crazy or what? I pretty much peed my pants when I found out I won. (That may or may not be an exaggeration.)

After the conference was over, my sisters and a friend drove down to meet me in Atlanta for a four-day girls’ getaway.

From left to right are my sis, Meg, our friend, Nicole, me and my baby sis, Jackie. After spending the night in “Hotlanta,” we headed north to America’s largest home, the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed to take any photos inside the home.

Here’s a side view of the house.

Here we are in the gardens.

I love this view! Biltmore Estate is definitely a must-see if you are into architecture or history.

Now that I’m back home in Pa., I am exhausted yet exhilarated from my trip. It will probably take me a week or so to unpack and dig out of the laundry pile. In the meantime, I want to make good on my promise and share with you what I learned at Haven. Later this week, I will be posting some of the helpful tips Mr. Goodwill Hunting gave us on shopping thrift stores like a pro.

Have you done anything lately that has forced you out of your comfort zone? I would love for you to share.

I’m linking this up to Southern Hospitality.