My 500th Post

Dear Readers,

As I type this I still can not wrap my head around it – this is my 500th post.  Yes, mom, that is right, you have actually read FIVE-HUNDRED of these little articles I published into blog land.  When I look back on when I started this blog I would have never thought I would have written more than a few dozen posts before giving up, getting bored, or moving on to the next endeavor.

Nineteen months later, I am pleasantly surprised. Back in the summer of 2012, a few posts in to Sparkles and Shoes, then I called “A Few of My Favorite Things” I found the stats button in Blogger and I remember the day it got 56 hits.  I was jumping up and down even though half were probably definitely me (that silly little “don’t track your own page views” button, whoops).  In that first month or two I thought only my friends and family would care to see what I had to say.  I have never been so happy to be wrong – I think at this point I have found my place – a combination of fashion, food, NYC, and life. I have carved out my little corner for a girl who likes fashion but is not an over the top fashion blogger, a space for a girl who likes to write, but has no background doing so, and who loves the community that I have met and friends I have made.

Speaking of friends, recently one of my “real friends” came up to me and said, “Kelly, sometimes when your blog posts are too short, I feel gipped” and for a moment I could not tell if she was being serious but when I realized she was, I was touched.  People actually care about what I have to say, both real life friends, bloggy friends, and complete and total strangers. And let me tell you, today, fret not dear friend, this is one time where I have a ton to say.

I started this blog at 21 and I truly hope it will be a documentation of my twenties in New York City.   Sometimes it scares me to think about how much time I put into each post and into the blogging community, and what else I could be doing with the time but then I stop to remember, I love doing this, so that is what I am doing, I am creating joy in my life.  And to celebrate that joy somewhere besides the Internet I am actually in the process of making these first 500 posts into a book, this will be the final page!

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by every so often to read my most recent musings.   To some, thank you for mentoring me, to others thank you for guiding me on this journey while I guide you. If this is your first or one thousandth and first time visiting Sparkles and Shoes thank you for caring – Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! And let’s cheers to at least another 500!

Love,
Kelly