“You should start a blog.”
Two people had said those words to me in the same week. I couldn’t get them out of my head.
Ten years ago, I was a junior magazine journalism student at the University of Pittsburgh, wrapping up a fall internship at Pittsburgh Magazine. I had the chance to write a short article for their annual weddings issue–my first print piece–which was about a local couple who ran a blog. Working on that article led me down a rabbit hole to the first blogs I ever read (this, this, and this). As I pored over them, clicking through pages and pages of past posts, I found myself hooked. I knew I wanted to work at a wedding magazine someday and was racking up as many internships as I could. But what if I could create my own portfolio, showcasing my writing, personal style, and growing knowledge of the industry on a regular basis?
That is what led to me sitting at my desk the evening of December 8, 2010, opening up my pink Dell laptop, creating a WordPress account, and hitting publish on my very first blog post.
That was 1,026 posts ago. Something Pretty did serve its original purpose, I am glad to say, but what I had no idea on that night was how much more it would see me through. A handful of amazing internships. A move to Austin and then to North Carolina. My dream job. Reconnecting with my future husband, getting engaged, and getting married. Two beautiful babies on earth and one in heaven. Our first house and the house we hope to raise our family in.
This blog is the story of my twenties.
It is 1,026 posts and counting of what has inspired me–a celebration through the best seasons and an encouragement through the hard ones. So much of who I am today is due to the thousands of hours I have poured into this site because blogging has taught me how to seek out, find, recognize, and even create beauty, in more ways than I can count.
The experience of blogging has changed most significantly to me over the past few months, as I transitioned into a season of working to make it my full-time job. Emotionally, it has been harder than I anticipated to fight an unexpected wave of comparison and jealousy that didn’t exist when this fell firmly in the “hobby” category in my mind. Most of all, I’ve been fighting the fear that even though I’ve been blogging for a decade, I missed my chance to turn this into a career. But the fact of the matter is, I love doing this. I have loved doing this from day one, and ten years, a half-dozen new “it” social media platforms, and an influencer industry pushing $15 billion later, it has not lost its luster. It has changed…gosh, it has changed so much. But the joy I find in publishing a post I’m excited about? That never has.
I want you to know that whether you’ve been following along since my college days or you just found me last week, I am SO grateful for you. Every comment, every click, every like, every tag, every DM, and every e-mail encourages me. Even if it’s something as simple as a question about where I got my sweater, I love having the opportunity to share things I love, and, hopefully, make your days a little easier or more beautiful as a result. The fact that such brilliant, thoughtful, kind women around the world choose to spend a few moments of their busy days on Something Pretty literally brings tears to my eyes. Thank you. Thank you so much.
As a little thank you, I’d love to treat ten of you to gift cards to your favorite local coffee shops. Considering the number of hours I’ve logged over the years blogging in coffee shops, it seems a fitting treat! Just leave a comment below and let me know how long you’ve been reading or any favorite past posts that stick out in your mind. I’ll reach out to ten random people on Wednesday for the details on your coffee shop :)
Cheers to the next ten! I can’t wait to see what they hold.
Dress borrowed from BHLDN, one of the first brands I ever partnered with back in 2013!
Happy 10 years! I started reading around the time of your wedding planning (I was one year behind in May 2016!) and have loved reading ever since. My favorite posts are the monthly goal check-ins and NC spots to try as a fellow Triangle resident. :)
10 years!? Congratulations Lisa! I’ve been following along for about 4 years, like many, I found you through Southern Weddings. As a girl a season or two behind you with a similar life mindset & interests, I have LOVED following along for your unique perspectives, creative take, intentional loving, and stories. Plus your blog has one of the best compilations of topics I’ve ever seen!! Congrats!
Ten years! Wow! I love your sentiment that this blog is the story of your twenties. I started reading sometime around Southern Weddings and have been following ever since!
Congratulations, Lisa! I have loved following along with you since 2013 and have truly enjoyed reading your posts as you walked through new seasons as a bride, wife, and mama. Something Pretty is a beautiful chronology of so many sweet things and it’s been a delight to read along! :)
Cheers to 10 years! I know I found you through Southern Weddings, but I think I added Something Pretty to my blog feed in the last couple years. I love your monthly “Goals” posts — as a Powersheets user/goal setter myself I love reading others’ plans for the month! Also loving your feast day posts, and I’m not even Catholic! Love this little corner of the internet. <3
Congrats on 10 years! I found you through the last round of Sheenazing Awards, so it’s been a couple years.
I enjoy your travel posts, especially the NYC trip you and Dave took. I got to visit several of the places you did while visiting my brother last year and loved the recommendations!
Endless congrats on TEN incredible years of blogging, Lisa!! That is such an exciting and monumental milestone, and I have absolutely loved reading your thoughtful and beautiful posts ever since you joined SW. Your blog has long been one of my favorites, for sure. That dress is breathtaking on you, too!
Congratulations! I’ve been following along since 2014! I found you through Southern Weddings and your blog quickly become one of my most favorite accounts (and still is!). I don’t think you’ve ever had a post I didn’t like, but my favorites include your monthly goals and all of your faith posts! Your words have helped me in so many ways, especially in the past few months which have been extra difficult. Here’s to 10 more years!
Congrats on 10 years!!! I started reading when you came to Southern Weddings. I’ve always loved your travel posts most of all, especially in 2020 when traveling to far-flung destinations feels like years away. Local Raleigh posts are also great! When you say coffee shop now I automatically think Jubala :)
Congratulations on ten years of blogging. I’ve been following along since 2013 when you started planning your own wedding as you felt like a grounded voice in a space that largely seemed vain. I’m not sure if they’re my “favorite” posts, but the transitions/posts that stick out the most to me are 1. when you wrote about the fear of losing your sense of feminine style when becoming a mom and then how you embraced a chic mom style once Charlie arrived (a theme I appreciated you recently visiting about how you approach new fashion purchases out of need and wardrobe fit) and 2. when you wrote about and began the switch from a wedding/fashion blog to a catholic lifestyle blog. I’ve loved following along in all seasons, but really enjoy the content and encouragement of being a mom and a wife of faith.
Congrats Lisa!! I could not be more appreciative that you started blogging 10 years ago, because you have brought a cherished group of women into my life!
Your goals post and your faith post are always a favorite of mine! I am constantly in admiration of your openness to share your beautiful Catholic faith with others!
Congratulations! Such a big accomplishment, and I am so impressed with how you’ve maintained (and grown!) this space throughout the many changes in your life. I started following here when you joined the SW team, and am happily still reading every post. Thanks for all that you share!
Congrats, Lisa! I found your blog through Southern Weddings. Your post for Charlie’s first birthday stands out. I’ve read a ton of birth stories/posts on motherhood, but the obvious thought that you pour into your writing elevates it for me!
Congratulations on ten years! I’m not the best at time but I believe I started reading your blog 6 years ago. We both had sons around the same time so I really enjoyed reading about your favorite things and what books you were reading. You have a great perspective and I enjoy reading your blog because of that.
Happy Ten Years, Lisa! I found Something Pretty through Em for Marvelous several years ago, and you and Emily are my favorite bloggers to date :) I’ve loved your content as long as I’ve read it, but have found it particularly encouraging in this past, difficult year. It has been hard for me to summon joy throughout the challenges of 2020, and you’ve helped me to do it in small ways through the inspiration you’ve shared in your posts. Thank you!
Congratulations on 10 years! I’ve been reading since right before y’all got married and just truly love your content and heart behind it!
Happy 10 years!!!! I have been here from day 1 and have loved every post! For some reason, one that stands out is the fashion post you did on wearing turquoise and red :P This post brought back wonderful memories of when we went to BHLDN and how fun that was! I loved the Friday series about incorporating things you love into your wedding since I helped come up with that idea late at night when we were home from break. I always love the celebration posts, which also leads me to love your feast day posts. So proud of all your hard work and happy to be alongside you the entire ten year journey. Love you!
Oh!!! And the posts about me!! And my wedding! Those are also favorites! :D
Congrats Lisa! I think I have been following you since just before your wedding! Crazy! My favorite posts are always the goal updates- so relatable and encouraging!
I love your blog, Lisa! I have been following for a couple years. I adore your fashion, but also appreciate the liturgical living inspiration.
I suppose still having a box labeled “Lisa’s Fifth Grade Writing” doesn’t count towards the longevity award and family not eligible for fabulous prizes awarded on the site but I have been reading a long time. Love it all!
I started reading in college, after I listened to the episode you did with Claire Swinarski for The Catholic Feminist! My favorite types of posts are goals and the style round-ups you’ve started doing. Congrats on 10 years of blogging!
Yay, congratulations! I started following your blog when you began writing for Blessed is She. I love what you bring to the blogging world. You are such a bright light and so authentic and practical. Keep sharing your stories and posts with us! I can’t pick a favorite post, but I love all the “For This Feast,” your goal setting posts, and motherhood pieces too. I love everything you recommend, and I am so glad I found your blog a few years ago! Cheers to 10 more years :)
I’ve been following for 8 years, since your first post with BHLDN. It was posted just days before we reconnected. I looked at it way too often leading up to our first phone call… then we dated and I married you and we had those babies you mentioned. Best 8 years of my life.
Proud of you my love. Cheers to the next ten for sure.
I’m a relatively new follower and have been enjoying your thoughtful posts! Also, I LOVE LOVE LOVE your dress. Trying to find an excuse to buy one for myself…
Congrats on ten years- a whole decade of blogging!! I really love your posts about being a mom, balancing work/ life/ family, and seeing how you decorate your home. Can’t wait to follow along for the next ten!!!
Happy 10 years and congratulations!! I’ve only been following for a couple of years but you have definitely become one of my favorite bloggers! My favorite posts have been the ones about liturgical living (specifically celebrating feast days). They are a true inspiration on taking my faith to the next step!
Congrats on ten years, Lisa! I found you through Southern Wedding back when you were planning your wedding. Love the variety of content that you post about :)
Lisa, this is such an amazing accomplishment, congratulations!! Career or not it takes so much work and dedication to make it this far and I think do you it effortlessly. I love reading your blog and I am so excited for you!! I remember the BHLDN post from so long ago and thinking how amazing it all was! And I love the dress in this post too :)
Congratulations!! I think I have been following since 2016. I really enjoy reading your travel posts and the post about your half marathon. I’ve liked the daily stories you started doing on Instagram recently!
I’ve been reading since you became pregnant with Charlie. :) I absolutely love love your dress and the heels! I’m a sucker for any pair that has ankle straps! Where are they from?
It has probably been close to the 10 years! I have loved following you and appreciated your candidness and the joy shining through your posts. ❤
Congratulations on a wonderful milestone! It has been a joy to watch your family grow for the past few years.
I especially loved getting to learn a little about your childhood in Singapore. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself so genuinely here. (Coffee and Mimosas are also now a favorite part of my day.)
Wishing you lots of joy and happiness for the next ten years!
Congratulations! I’ve been reading for about a year, and it’s been really fun to follow your journey as I’m in a similar life stage!! I hope you’re about to celebrate today all you’ve accomplished over the past 10 years!
Hi Lisa !
I found you through Blessed is She during Lent and I love your simple and non-imposing glimpse into motherhood. My husband and I met in the Raleigh area and while we moved away for my grad school and got married, we hope to move back and settle there with our family. It’s SO easy to struggle with comparison on social media and blogs… I love your style of sharing your true self while not comparing or trying to have the best of everything. Keep doing what you love!!
I’ve been with you for 30 years! I love all that you do with Something Pretty and the honesty, integrity, and thought you put into each post. So proud of you my sweetie!
That dress is gorgeous!!
Congratulations on 10 years! I’ve been following since you were with Southern Weddings. I just made the 7 layer bars a few days ago and they were so delicious :)
Congrats in this huge milestone, Lisa! I’ve been reading since you were introduced to the world by the Southern Weddings team! What stands out most to me over the years is not a particular post, but how you’ve stayed unbelievably true to yourself, your style, your faith, and your family. I always feel like I’m reading an email from a close friend when I read your posts, and I thank you for your authenticity in an industry that feels quite the opposite at times!
ugh congrats ON this milestone. I hate typos. 😂
Congrats on ten years! That is such a big milestone. I am a more recent follower (through Everyday Mamas home tours!) but happen to have had a similar timeline of marriage and now two little ones as well. I really love the care you take with your content, from the writing in the posts to the ideas for enhancing the liturgical life of the home and the products you mention. It shows how thoughtful you are of your readers and your genuine desire to bring a little more beauty to our lives. Thank you!
Congratulations Lisa! I think I have been reading for the full ten years :)
Joemy
Congratulations, Lisa! I’ve been following you since 2015 and absolutely love your posts on motherhood. Can’t wait to keep following along on your journey and wishing you all the best as you pursue blogging full-time – I believe in you!
I have loved reading ever since Charlie was born — cheers to you!!
What a sweet post! Celebrating alongside you, and smiling at all the ways our paths have mirrored each other’s and diverged! Love you so much, friend!!
[…] Favorite blog post written: I loved marking some special milestones on Something Pretty this year with these posts: Seven Years in North Carolina, Four Years with Charlie, and Ten Years of Something Pretty. […]
Just a few months but I am sad I didn’t discover it sooner! Such an inspiration to the faith and family life!
Too late for coffee–I’ve been trying to stay off the internet during the week in Advent–but wanted to say, been following since Charlie was little? I think? Favorite posts have been those showing how you incorporate your faith into your life and home decor, particularly your gallery wall in your old home! I have found so many wonderful small shops through you (Lovely Lady Linens particularly!), but I also love that you include Target, because as much as i would love the $65 candle, the $10 candle is definitely the one for my budget.