A bit of housekeeping

Dearest readers (and a hearty welcome if you are new to Tulips and Tea!),

I wanted to take a minute to update you on a few things.

1. I will be taking a petite break from blogging until the new year. The rest of this week is filled with holiday celebrations and festivities, so I'm going to "unplug" from the computer and bask in the simplicity of good times and good food shared with family and friends. Then, next Monday, Jason and I leave for Key West, where we will meet up with my parents and sister for a week of tropical fun. I'm looking forward to lounging on the beach with a good book and a cocktail, snorkeling, enjoying fabulous sunsets, and indulging in incredible food! Don't worry - I'll take lots of pictures to share with you! I will also post about my intentions for 2010 when I return, as I am still in the process of pondering those.

2. The Bloggers with Heart series is still alive and well, but due to a number of factors (mostly my own busy schedule), it's becoming clear that my original once per week plan was a tad overly ambitious. I have some really fantastic interviews in the pipeline that I hope to share with you early in the new year, and in the meantime, I appreciate your patience as I develop a workable rhythm for this series. (And please keep the great nominations coming by emailing me at tulipsandtea AT gmail DOT com.)

3. Finally: the fun news! I have been working with a totally rad illustrator/web designer on a very exciting makeover for Tulips & Tea, which I hope to unveil in early 2010. Along with the new look, I am toying with switching up my approach to blogging a bit, and possibly incorporating some new features. Recently, I've been so inspired by a number of sources and, as a result, feeling pulled to explore some new directions with this blog. As I refine my ideas further, I would LOVE to hear feedback from you all. What would you like to see more of? Or less of? Are there any topics you've been wishing I'd tackle? Any particular features you'd like to see (either within the posts or the site itself)? I would be so delighted to hear your thoughts, and if possible, would love to try to weave them into my plans for the blog.

I'm wishing all of you a joy-filled, relaxing, and peaceful holiday season! See you in 2010!

xoxo,

Analiese Marie

Image via Please Sir.