Blogging Hiatus Over! (I'm Baaack...)

Well, hello again friends!  Happy New Year!

Are you wondering where I was the for the last four months?  Or do you want to know what big plans and changes I have in store for the new year?  Let's catch up, shall we?  :)  It is long overdue, and I missed all of y'all.  Here's the scoop on what's been going on behind the scenes while I was on this unexpected blogging hiatus!


P.S. - At the end of the post, some of those big plans include the travel destination that I'm headed to shortly!  I'm sooo excited, and I would adore any suggestions you have for me!

As of today, Vintage Zest is two years old and counting, so you you think I would have gotten the hang of figuring out how this whole rigamarole fits into my life.  Apparently, not so!

Last I left you in August, I was blogging every day with new recipes, crafts, tips, and a new small business to share with you seven days a week.  The Episodic Eater was a fun side project that did not take up much time.  I was going to move into a new home that I was excited to start decorating.  In fact, a couple people guessed that I packed and moved, both physically and virtually!  Really, things were good!

Well... things change and life happens!

First of all, many life changes occurred and things came up that I had to deal with.  One of those things means that the house I was looking forward to... is no more.  While dealing with everything, one day turned into a week, which turned into a month, and then almost four months passed by!  Well, what does that mean?  I'm not going to blast personal info all of the interwebz to be dissected, but all you need to know is that I'm happy and healthy.  Now, I'm back and better than ever!

What does this mean for the blog?  Well, a couple changes needed to be made.  Remember this crazy blogging schedule?

• Monday = Recipe
• Tuesday = Do Tell Tuesday
• Wednesday = Craft or Sewing
• Thursday = Tip (and now my Blogging 101 Series)
• Friday = Weekly Wrap-Up (adventures in my life!)
• Saturday = Shop Small Saturday Showcase
• Sunday = Sunday Synopsis & Stumped on Sunday

I've now streamlined it into the brand-spanking new schedule below!

• Tuesday = Do Tell Tuesday with new feature round-up (ooooo!)
• Wednesday = Recipe
• Friday = Craft, Sewing, or Tip
• Saturday = Shop Small Saturday Showcase

Here are a rundown to the changes that I've made!

• Four days a week instead of seven!
• Do Tell Tuesday features will be different... more on that tomorrow!
• The Blogging 101 Series may pop up on an occasional Monday, but it's not set in stone
• Say goodbye to my Weekly Wrap-Up, Sunday Synopsis and Stumped on Sunday!

The last two bits of blogging changes are pretty exciting for me!  First of all The Episodic Eater was blowing up with activity during my hiatus.  I went to L.A. Food & Wine and Newport Beach Wine & Food Festival as a member of the media, went to restaurant openings galore, and had sooo much food along the way!  Check out my Instagram feed as proof, yo!  That means that my side project is going to take up more time, but my tastebuds will thank me.  :)

Second, the gears have been turning slowly, but I'm about ready to start the slow process of moving... to Wordpress!  That means a much-needed, new design (and I'm sure tons of growing pains), but I may not even get to it until this summer.  It's in the works for both of my sites, and I have a fantastic designer that I can't wait to start working with.  Yay!!!

By the way, if you have any Wordpress or migration tips at all, I'm a super-newbie so send them my way.  I'll need them!

I know Vintage Zest takes forever to load.  :(  Thanks loyal readers!

Now, for the last little bit.  You might wonder why it will take me so long for the redesign.  My exciting bit of news is that I am going on vacation to...

...the Philippines and Melbourne, Australia!

I am super duper excited about it!  Honestly, I have no idea what I will be doing in the Philippines since we will be traveling with a group of people who have a lot more experience with the area.  It's so different than my Europe trip, where I meticulously planned every detail!  I think we may have a couple days to ourselves, which will be nice.  :)

As for any Melbourne suggestions, I totally need your help!  I know it is a foodie city, so I can't wait to try some delicious grub.  Activity-wise, I have some ideas, but please send me any that you have.  Otherwise, the kangaroos might wonder why I keep visiting them every day when there is a whole city to see.

Whew!

Now that it has all been said and done, I am so glad that you all stuck around!  Now, that I'm back, things should go back to normal... but I secretly hope they are bigger and better than before!  Thanks so much for being such awesome virtual buddies, and I can't wait to get back in the swing of this crazy blogging life.

Stay tuned for more...