Hello, everyone!
Just for today, I’m lifting the red velvet cupcake, oops, I mean red velvet curtain behind ‘Miss Party’ to thank all of you directly. I really am so happy that you’ve joined us to celebrate our 1st birthday over the next two weeks. Whether you’ve come for entertaining inspiration, crafting how-to’s, recipes, or just curious –all are welcome, welcome, welcome! I also want to say an especially big THANK YOU to everyone who revisits MissParty.net on a regular basis.
(To anyone visiting for the first time today, look around and stay awhile! MissParty.net will look a bit different for a couple of weeks during our extended birthday celebration, kinda like leaving the crepe paper streamers up for a few days after the party.)
I can hardly believe the year has flown by so quickly! It seems like I was just fretting over MissParty.net’s aesthetic design, agonizing over putting up those first few posts, developing Miss Party’s character and voice –and trying to figure out what in the world I could write about next, and next, and next (can you say that 300 times fast? Yes, ‘Miss Party’ just put up her 300th post this week!). I never would have believed I had it in me on March 17, 2011!
MissParty.net has been a wonderful outlet for my passion for beautiful and joyful entertaining and for all my interests in crafting, cooking, designing, creating, writing, dreaming and sharing. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed speaking through the voice of ‘Miss Party’ –my quirky, practically perfect, fictional muse of a hostess who pontificates on all manner of entertaining-related topics. She’s larger than life (which I am not), a bit of a ‘know-it-all’ (which I hope I’m not) and there’s an opportunity for the creative writer in me to embellish a bit and add a dash of humor here and there to keep things fresh, light-hearted and interesting.
The instantaneous, imperfect nature of a blog, makes so much possible and not just possible, but viable and realistic. Ten years ago, publishing a hardcover, party planning/entertaining book was my dream. Fast forward a decade, and today the PERFECT vehicle exists for me that I didn’t have then, one that is, literally, at my fingertips –a blog. All the publishing hoops I would have jumped through a decade ago to put my vision and ideas into your hands, have become nothing more than smoke rings with the blogging format. Every day, Miss Party is one click away from being in front of the perfect client or (wink) becoming the next Amy Atlas! A very motivating thought, indeed!
One year ago, I decided I would try the ‘build it and they will come’ strategy. I wanted to work on establishing a solid presence; attracting a loyal audience, and building up the archives of entertaining information to keep hostesses, crafters and cooks coming back for more. With almost 100,000 views one year later, I’m encouraged that my point-of-view and style seems to be resonating with a few of you. I think I’m on the right track. (One of my new goals for year two, is to encourage you all to chime in with comments or questions for little Miss Party!)
Here’s to lots more birthdays for MissParty.net! Thanks again for visiting and please return often, there will ALWAYS be something new to see. Every single one of you are my inspiration and what keeps me creating, imagining and writing. Oh, and Miss Party says (wink) –”Entertain with creativity, enthusiasm and joy!”
With warmest regards,
Christina Komine
a.k.a. Miss Party
