photo taken from Queen of Nostalgia, 2009
While participating in A Fanciful Twist’s Halloween Blog Party, I came across so many beautiful and inspiring blogs. One of the ones that caught my eye was Queen of Nostalgia. Maintainer, Kristen evokes such a natural charm in her posts which feature her beauitful homemade crafts. Please drop by and check her site out.
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The Wonderland Ten
Name: Kristen Kelsey
Blog Name: Queen of Nostalgia
1. What made you decide to start a blog?
I started blogging because I thought it would be a good way to promote my business (I sold on eBay) and because I had several colleagues and friends who raved about having blogs. It has since morphed into more than just a “business tool.” I feel like I have created a special place,an old fashioned parlor, with pretty things to look at, interesting things to chat about, and a place for my friends to stop and visit…
2. How would you describe your blog in 10 words or less?
Musings from a paper artist who embraces life and beauty…
3. How did you come up with the name for your blog?
I used to teach high school English, and was also the yearbook adviser. My students used to call me the Deadline Nazi, and I said that wasn’t very… friendly 
So they started calling me the Deadline Queen, that morphed into Yearbook Queen… When I started scrapbooking with my teacher friends, they joked that I was the Scrapbook Queen, too! So that is where the “Queen” part came from. “Nostalgia” is a word that I just love, the feelings it evokes, the memories it harbors… and my “specialty” is vintage inspired design, old fashioned style. When I decided to create a business name, the only name that felt true was “Queen of Nostalgia.”
4. What’s your favorite thing about running your blog?
I love, love, love to take pictures of what I create, and I love to share those pictures. I know I get inspired when seeing something pretty, and I hope that giving a glimpse into my old-fashioned world will make someone smile. I love writing as well, and I really enjoy creating posts. I love adding gadgets, like a music player, and having my favorite Etsy items in a gallery…I also love reading the comments from visitors, and hopping over to their parlor for a nice visit… I love it all!
5. What advice would you give to people out there who want to start their own blog?
Not to sound cheesy, but treat your blog almost as if it were a garden. It has to be cultivated. You can’t just walk through it once a month and then wonder why it isn’t flourishing. Prune away old buttons, mix up your song list, update your galleries… and take a stroll through all the other gardens out there! If you find another blogger out there who makes fabulous creations, drop them a note, follow them – don’t be shy! And I think it is important to blog meaningfully and authentically. Your blog should be a reflection of you and your art, your passion. you are taking the time to post, and someone out there is taking the time to read – make it worth everyone’s while
6. List one of each of the following categories that you would recommend as a source of inspiration:
Book: Shattered Silk by Barbara Michaels
Movie: How to Make an American Quilt
Blog: A Fanciful Twist
Artist: Mary Engelbreit and Diane Duda
Music: Loreena McKennitt
Publications: Somerset and Artful Blogging
7. Where’s your favorite place to daydream?
The campus at Central Michigan University
8. What stores do you like to shop at?
I love any kind of arts/craft stores, I love antique shops, and adore Etsy!
9. If you could have an item from any story, what item would you want to have?
Oh, so many good stories out there! I guess it would be pretty neat to have the quilt from “Stitches in Time”…
10. And lastly, it wouldn’t be Wonderland without a tea party… so what type of tea would you like? Raspberry with a bit of honey
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Thank you, Kristen, for participating in the my profile segment and for adding a spark of magic to Wonderland.
And yes, I did add a new question, taking the questiosn from “The Wonderland Nine” to “The Wonderland Ten”.
