Is 2016 the best year to start a blog?

My name is Ordella Fentan. I am a teacher, a literature lover, a new mom, an eternal optimist and… an interiors addict.  I felt good to get that off my chest (even just writing it down).  I love life. I don’t always love my life, but I am smitten with the notion of adventures, personal growth, family, friends, drinking copious amounts of wine, I love challenge and I am eternally optimistic.

My journey began 15th May 2015 – the day we got the keys to our new apartment.  Now, I don’t know whether my overwhelming, devoted urge to create my dream home stemmed from being 6 months pregnant, therefore I was compelled to nest, or had it come from the fact that I didn’t want to live in another rented flat that didn’t feel like home?  Whatever the catalyst, I am grateful because after creating colour palettes, searching for sofas, picking picture frames and much rug ruffling, I created a lovely little nest, right in time for the delivery of our lovely little bundle. 

Our princess arrived and the herds of visitors followed. Our family loved the apartment. Our friends loved the apartment. I mean, like, they seriously loved the apartment. They didn’t know whether to gush at the baby or whether to gush at the decor.  All the “you have to come and do my place!” or the “did you hire a stylist?” and the occasional “Do you seriously live here?” made my heart swell.  I’ve always been an interiors junkie but I suppose, like any good addict, my habit stayed hidden amidst the beige and magnolia rented flats I’d occupied.  Initially I thought the requests for help to liven up a living room, to beautify a bedroom or to just clear out a closet was just polite chit chat – you know some kind of attempt to make a sleep deprived new mom happy – it worked. But, the requests were actually sincere! People were inspired by my ability to organise the s**t out of everything and how I had made my home pretty yet practical.  People wanted me to style their home. 

Since becoming a new mom I have never been busier. Were my expectations of maternity leave slightly deluded? absolutely!  I’m embarrassed to say that on my list of ‘things to do whilst on maternity leave’ included learning a language, devouring at least 20 books (they’re still stacked on my side table) and I'd hoped to hop straight back into netball coaching.  Having a baby is a job in itself! Six months spent caring for my helpless little muffin – there are some days that I haven’t had time to tend to my basic needs which is why I'm seriously shocked that I've found time to indulge in this creative passion.  Magically, I have made time to embark on this new hobby.  People say that becoming a mother will change your life.  It is true - becoming a mom has literally changed my entire make-up for the better.  Without little Erin-Olivia I wouldn't have launched this blog. If I hadn’t been pregnant there wouldn’t have been the urgency for me to move apartment, without maternity leave I wouldn’t have had time to just stop and reflect. I realised I had been living a creatively deprived lifestyle.  And now, less than one year later, amazing things have happened.  I’ve styled, decorated and organised people’s home, I’ve completed a course, I’ve had the opportunity to shadow a sensational visual merchandiser and wonderful homeware brands are now following me on Instagram – all this whilst adjusting to motherhood.

I love styling. I am great at organising. I have an eye for detail and I have a natural knack for putting things together and making them look spectacular.  Everyone wants to their home to be their haven, fear not, some inspiration is coming your way.

This post has taken me forever to write. Not just because I have to write it at stupid o’clock, when my daughter has decided to go to sleep, but mainly because I lacked confidence and didn't have the guts to put myself out there.  Even though this is only one blog post, it has taken a heart full of courage to put this out there.  So, is 2016 the right year to start a blog? Most definitely.

Here's the start of me becoming the worlds next most successful blogger EVER.