I (Tamara) recently returned from my first Haven Conference! Dallas surprised me with a trip off the island to go to this conference for my birthday back in January, so I've been counting down the weeks & days since then.
It wasn't a kayaking, sailing, camping conference by any means, and I got a few interesting looks when I was asked what I blog about or where I'm coming from. Of course, saying I'm from the Bahamas was a big hit with most folks, but beyond that I was pretty much lost in the crowd. It gave me a chance to meet up with a lot of DIY bloggers that I really enjoy following. Living in Exuma has definitely pushed me to the DIY field and in that field you have so many incredibly talented people to learn from and follow on their blogs. I am so thankful that I can't just go out to a store and buy things that I need. I don't know that I would do as much stuff on my own if I could get it so easily, but now that I'm used to doing things on my own... I can't won't go back! I do have the occasional envy for a nice box store to get things at much lower prices or to be able to find the parts and pieces we need... but that just adds to the challenge of things!
One of my favorite bloggers is the very talented Ana White (above). She is a huge reason why I love woodworking and building my own furniture. Who knew that was even a hobby I would enjoy, but it comes in so very handy down here. She's a very sweet lady, and it was very nice meeting her in person, along with many other people in this field.
I had hopes of taking away something, anything, beneficial from the conference that I could implement into our company so that I didn't feel quite so guilty for going away and having a luxurious weekend getaway. And boy did I! I learned tons of tips on generating more followers on Facebook and Instagram, which will in turn hopefully lead more people to our website and eventually more people coming down to to trips with us. Google Analytics which is a science all on its own, but a very handy tool that helps you reach your target audience. Working with sponsors and brands to test their gear and write about it, which I would LOVE to be a part of in some form or fashion. Need some kayaks tested? How about some new sunglasses? What about a new boat paint? Or a modified camping stove and pot set? How about some paint for a new piece of furniture I just finished? You get the idea... I'm all ears for working with and talking to brands for relationships like this. This and much more (including a sweet bag full of SWAG!) was some of the stuff I took away from the conference!
The workshops were great, and they had some awesome hands on experiences as well. My favorite workshop was painting with Amy Howard of the Amy Howard at Home. I honestly didn't know much about this lady or her brand before this conference, but she was a very pleasant surprise!
The workshop was on the paint finish for this piece of trim below, but we also got a copy of her awesome book and heard part of her story and history, which I could say more accurately as part of her testimony. What a fascinating and inspiring lady! If you are interested in pursuing your creative dreams at all and trying to make it your life's work and career... Please grab a copy of her book. You won't regret it. This is not an affiliate post or link in any way... just out of respect for a job well done!
After being away from my little island boys for a week and a half (I went to see my sister and nephews in Vegas as well), I was more than ready to get back home. I left the conference feeling very encouraged and inspired to really make our little company into something more. If you follow us on Facebook or Instagram, then you have seen increased activity over the last week that I've been home. We have a mission, and Lord willing, we're not gonna quit until we get there :)
We hope to turn this blog into an area that deals with our kayaking, sailing, camping, DIY and island living all in one spot. We plan to share with you our many, many DIY projects for all our interests (Kayak, sailboat & trailer repairs, painting, building, etc). We would love to have you along for the ride. At the very least, I can promise you won't be bored if you hang out with us ;)
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