During a wonderful lunch yesterday with the gals who organized and put on the Library’s Literary Picnic this year, I was asked about “my company.”  Apparently, some family members…maybe even friends and readers…believe that the daily delights is raking in the dough.  🙂  Imagine my surprise! 

First of all, thank you to everyone out there that has such confidence in this gal!  🙂  When I began my .com a year ago (a whopping $5 investment), I’ll admit I had high hopes.  My intention was to find delights everyday (simplifying my blogs and vast interests) and to encourage other women to do the same.  Not that this wasn’t a great goal, but I just didn’t get the reception I had envisioned.  🙂 

Don’t get me wrong, I was finding delight everyday, making new friends, enjoying friends that are far away, and overall having a blast.  Honestly, at some point, the thought did cross my mind, that I could make money blogging.  Of course, to do this you need a product, service, ads, or perhaps something even more complicated.  The ads seemed the best way to start.  I thought I’d switch to wordpress.org, where I could post ads.  Making this switch proved harder that I thought (at least from a budget standpoint…I’m sure if you have a generous budget, this is the easy part…perhaps some day…) 🙂

It seemed best to give away ads for a while (thanks to those of you who were willing to jump on board).  After giving up the wordpress.org plan and the larger investment required, I researched and found wordpress.com peeps that had ads.  One fabulous gal, Jessie, sent me in a great direction.  Things got busy, and the art commissions began to increase. 

In the mean-time, I felt tied to my blog, overly responsible for the content, and it began to consume me.  Finally, the designer spoke my fears out-loud.  We had a wonderful chat, realigned some goals, and I have been happier ever since (I think he has too)!

Will the daily delights always be ad-free?  For now, yes.  Is anyone paying me to write?  No. 

So sit back and relax.  Enjoy my ramblings, recipes, discoveries, kiddo daily delights, artful moments, delightful living, etc.  Feel free to comment on my theories and thoughts…throw out your opinion: it counts in my book!  Let me know if you like the recipes, if you have improved them, or if you just didn’t like them (that’s ok too).  🙂 

Am I making any money?  Yes, a very humble start, but it is something. 🙂  Thanks to those of you who have bought paintings; I have earned some money while enjoying a passion, learning, refining, and exploring.  Right now I have made more money at the plein air contest this year, but we’ll see…perhaps the daily delights will someday help me earn some money while doing something I love. 

Do you love art?  Think of me next time you find a bare wall or need a unique gift for that special person.  I’ll be having a sale this Fall, so stay tuned.  Don’t like art but have an art-loving friend?  Send them to the daily delights, and let me know…I’d be happy to give you a portion of the profit or a discount on a painting (whichever you prefer).   

Here are the paintings I have sold, that I attribute to the daily delights (thank you everyone!):

   san elijo beach – thanks to Jayci

  chloé’s blessing dress ensemble – thanks to Jessi, to  see them up close: the bonnet, the hem, and the sleeve

   the draper home – thanks to Lesa

  baby jaguar – thanks to Sara, and

   julia’s windmills – thanks to Julia