There has never been a better year. 2011 has been an eye-opener in more ways than one. I found my calling, better still I found the courage to pursue it. I surprised myself in many ways. I walked out of something that I dearly loved, set up an organisation, even signed up for an Interior design course. With less 1000 fans on my Facebook Page and a measly number of regular readers on the blog, I may have not done much. But to think that these numbers were zero once does bring a smile to my face. In all this journey, my vital support has come from my family and my dearest friends, some of whom have done things for me without even asking them for it. But there are others who are oblivious of my existence, whose stories and life have inspired me to take this step. Their work is something I look upto and their beliefs and ethics are things that I will strive to imbibe in my work, no matter what.
Archana Srinivas is a blogger, photographer and with all that I’ve read is also a great designer. Her home will make your eyes pop out, so do her cakes (I’ve only seen photographs!) Her blog Rang Decor is one of the first that I started to follow. When I started on this blog, I wanted to do it just like her. Though it is difficult to match up to those standards, I am hoping to get there some day.
Vineeta Nair blogs at ArtnLight. Her designs are breathtaking, so is her journey. She was recently featured in a book ‘Desire to Inspire’ and rightly so. Her projects are beautiful, thoughtful and I am sure it reflects the person that she is. Her blog is her account of things that make her happy. How simple isn’t it to have a great blog?! 🙂
Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan is a superstar. If you’ve read Apartment Therapy, you’ll know exactly what I mean. The website covers everything from house tours to parties to home supplies to flea markets to just about everything one will need if you were to live a life (in the US, of course!) Their research is so thorough, so reliable and unbiased. I hope 10 years later, someone will say this about CraftCanvas.
Design*Sponge is a design blog run by Brooklyn-based writer, Grace Bonney. Her column on Biz ladies provides free advice on the subjects of PR/marketing, legal concerns, business/financial decisions and wholesaling for women entrepreneurs working in the design space. The blog is drool-worthy and covers a wide range of topics like home design, DIY, planning a party, even recipes! On a really dull day, all I need to do is put on some good music, get a cup of coffee and open Design Sponge. It is a cure for any kind of day!
This list is not exhaustive and there are many many more people I’ve missed out. I am happy I found all these people. I thank them with all my heart and hope their lives and work will continue to inspire people like me.
P.S: There are still times when I think that quitting a high paying job, putting my foot down on a start-up that I co-founded and then venturing again to do the bootstrapping wasn’t a great idea. When I hit this point, I have my list of inspiring people. Then it’s all about following your heart, no matter what.
