Featured Blogger Friday

Hi everyone! This week our Featured Blogger is a super-talented crafter and a new mom who was nominated by several other bloggers :) Say hello to Sarah Coggins over at her blog, "2 Paws Designs" - and here's some more information about Sarah...

Tell us a little about you: I'm 30 years old. Born and raised in rural Virginia, just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I moved to North Carolina in 1996 to attend college, and I have been here ever since. My husband and I share our home with our new baby boy, Dylan, and 2 cats (aka my "four-legged kids"), Cali and Chester. For the last 9 years, I've worked in commercial architecture designing buildings. With the recession and the arrival of Dylan, I'm currently holding a new title - "stay at home mom." I plan to return to work when I can, but for now I am just enjoying every moment being at home with my son.

How long have you been blogging? I'll celebrate 2 years in late October. That truly stuns me, as I had blogged once years before (circa late 90s - i.e. before the term "blogging" was even coined!) and grew tired of it. I think part of my problem was that it was also before the age of the comment section - having that interactive portion to blogs helps keep them interesting and proof that you aren't just talking to yourself! LOL!

Why do you blog? Initially I began blogging to share creative ideas from paper crafts to do-it-yourself projects. Over time, I began to write more about personal events in my life - a public journal of sorts. Now my blog is a mix of these and I continue it both for myself as a way to remember and as a way to share with friends and family.

What's your favorite topic to blog about? My little boy is my newest favorite topic! Can you blame me? :) As a first-time mom, I'm trying to absorb every little moment and blogging about them helps me remember to jot them down so I don't forget and can add them to his scrapbook album as I have time later. My second favorite topic would definitely be that - scrapbooking.

Have you learned anything special from blogging? I like to think I've learned to write better. Not sure if that is true or not. I've definitely learned a lot about other people and how it is possible to create wonderful friendships and truly care for people you've never met in person.

What do you hope that people get out of reading your blog? A little entertainment, some creative inspiration, and maybe the desire to try something as crazy as repairing a bathroom disaster with their own 2 hands? :)

Can you give us links to 3 of your favorite blogs, and tell us what you like about them? Just 3?! There are so many blogs that I enjoy reading. Off the top of my head...

Pattye Duffner's blog - I love the fun, creative projects she shares and the how-to's she shares.

Cameron Crazy - Besides sharing my love of scrapbooking, I became hooked on Laura's blog after realizing we were both expecting our first child (both boys) within 2 days of each other (although her little Cameron surprised her a month early and my Dylan held out 10 days after my due date). Now I enjoy seeing what similar adventures she and her son are up to.

Trying Our Best - If you want an ab workout while blog reading - this is the spot. My belly has literally hurt after reading posts by The Mrs.