4 Year Blogging Anniversary & Behind the Name

Having a good chuckle at myself, because until I went reminiscing and flipped through some old blog posts I thought I was on year 5 of blogging! Whoops!

Flashback to September 18, 2014 and I posted my very first post on Pugs & Pearls. Well back then it was called Pugs, Pearls & Positivity. I had so much fun going through those first few posts that I shared. I'm so proud that I went for it and hit publish even though I was so unsure at the time. Back then there was a lot more quantity over quality in my posts, but it was still cool to see the journey that I've shared here. 

Things didn't really pick up around here until about year 2, so I'm really glad I stuck with it. It's important to know if you are thinking of starting a blog that things do not happen overnight and you shouldn't do it to make money or become famous. 'Cause that ain't happenin. However, it has been really neat to work with brands and make a little money with this side project of mine. I definitely never anticipated that! 

Recognize these old logos?

Picking out a name for a blog is incredibly challenging! So many good names are already taken, and it's hard to find something both unique and meaningful. I have noticed a lot of people recently just using their name as a website name and I really wish that was a more obvious option back in 2014! I definitely didn't know anything about branding then.

I decided on Pugs & Pearls because it was a fun alliteration, and I felt that those two things said a lot about me. My pugs are definitely a big love in my life, but they also represent that goofy, quirky side of me. Pearls are such a classic accessory that really define my style. Ironically, I have yet to showcase an outfit wearing my set of pearls yet! 

Love for pugs and a my set of pearls are also both gifts I received from my husband! He gave me 2 strands of pearls and matching earrings on our 6 month dating anniversary. I had always wanted a string of pearls and he was so generous! By 6 months we knew we wanted to get married, so it reminds me of those feelings. Plus, I wore them on our wedding day!

I'm not sure if everyone knows this, but I didn't really like pugs when I first encountered them! They shed a lot, and can be rather smelly! Blake and his sister had a pug named Willy when I met him. Willy was a sweetheart, but he was one of those smelly pugs. He was cute, but I always thought I'd want a hound dog in the future. Needless to say Willy grew on me and I started to love him. When I met a certain black pug puppy, I was smitten and here we are with 3 pugs of our own. Pugs are such good dogs and I just love that they make people smile! I really love that Pugs & Pearls has introduced me to so many pug people! In fact my 2nd most popular post of all time is a detailed list of what to expect from getting a pug. 

Things have absolutely changed in the last 4 years since I first hit publish! I'm sure things will continue to change too. For now I'm really content with posting once a week, with bonus posts here and there. I love sharing great outfits, travel diaries, favorite products and pug pics! It's been fun to get to know other bloggers. It's been a learning experience working with companies. And it's ultimately been an amazing digital journal! While there are some embarrassing posts here and there, I really love looking back on the past and seeing what old me was up to. My writing has gotten better, and I've really learned a lot about design and photography along the way! 

Thank you all for following along, always leaving such engaging comments and keeping this a positive place! 

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