Why I Blog...

Some of you guys might think this is interesting:
I started writing my little blog the of 2008, before I uploaded my first video to youtube in January of 2009.

But why? Why Did I blog?
There was no such thing as an "outfit of the day post" back then. And I didn't own a good camera, and my blog still isn't amazing like some of the super cool awesomely designed blogs I see everywhere.

I was inspired, to show people cool stuff, a peek into my life, so that you could feel my heart, welcoming you to be my friend. I wanted to offer encouragement, inspiration, be it creatively, emotionally, spiritually, or just to inspire you to dress or put on make-up up or do your hair however you like! I wanted you to see, hey if she wears that, maybe I can dare to let more of the "me that's hidden inside", come out and shine more!

I had started reading NieNie's blog back in 2008, and she inspires me to start blogging my Kandeeland blog. I loved feeling like I peeked into her day with her babies and had a "virtual friend" even though I've never met her, she inspired me and I felt like she was my "extra internet friend"! I wanted to inspire others that you can be a mom, be cool, be loving, be a little baby-wearing, organic eating, nurturing mama that still likes to dress cool and be fun, and so Kandeeland was started, although it was Adventures in Kandeeland before.  A little while after that one, I started my KandeeJ.com blog, to show more style, beauty, hair fun DIY and all that stuff, with less about my boring days and mom stuff! ha ha ha and this blog became more popular. I didn't think too many people still read Kandeeland, and it took up a large portion of my day writing it, uploading photos, and so I haven't written her in a while, but maybe someday she'll (and I refer to my blog as a she, hee hee) come back.

Yes, since I was a freelance make-up artist (that means no one employs you full time, you just get jobs as a photographer, ad agency, production company or whoever hires you) I wanted to share all my tips and tricks as a make-up artist, and show you what I thought was the best products that I was using and how to use them.

I didn't start blogging to be "internet famous", I didn't start Youtube to be "youtube famous" (that wasn't even a term when I started. I started because I wanted to help people, teach people, inspire hearts, inspire creativity, fill you with hope and love and to feel that you have an extra "virtual friend", that you may not be able to talk to, but to know the second I see you that I'll hug you, and you already know that I love you, no matter what.

Many blessings have come from Youtube and my blog...the biggest ones are the ones where people have said I've encouraged them or given them hope from my words. That means more to me than anyone saying, "gosh, you really taught me how to highlight and contour really well"...ha ha ha which is still awesome, but when I can show you how to "highlight your heart" instead of just your cheekbones....that is what's truly important anyway!

I don't even know why I felt like writing about this today, but it's what was on my heart...and I want to thank all of you for reading my little blog, that I've been writing all these years. I write it in hopes that you get inspired, laugh, I show you something cool, or that maybe in the midst of a crazy day filled with sadness or overwhelming-ness, that for just a few minutes I've proved a little escape and a whole lot of fun and love....

The picture above was on set of the videos series I'm doing with Glamour Magazine, which was a huge blessing to get a chance to do this...I cried on the way to set the last day of our filming, just thanking God for such an amazing opportunity. I wanted to tell my dad about how awesome it was, and I know from heaven, he is proud. I know he is more proud of me sharing love with people, than of any show, celebrity, or thing that seems great here on Earth.

I care more about people, inspiring them and making them feel encouraged and loved, than about a shoe, a purse or a celebrity. Nowadays many blogs focus on Prada, Chanel, and do you have the latest "must have" piece of the moment...all of that is fun, but in the end it's really meaningless. Are you loving people around you, do you think about ways you can spread kindness and hope, or are you just obsessing about a purse or a shoe? I hope my blog shows you fun styles and fun make-up and inspires you with creativity, but I always hope it leaves you feeling happier and little more loved!

I didn't start blogging to get free clothes, to get into fashion shows or magazines. I didn't start blogging to post my outfits of the day. People just asked me to take pics of what I was wearing sometimes so I did....but "outfit of the day" was not a phrase like it is now, ha ha ha. I just hoped showing you how to cut a t-shirt, or distress your own jeans would be something I would show my friends....who are YOU.

And that is kinda', a little bit, of why I write my blog, errors, typos, lower case "i's" and lots of "ha ha ha's" and all.....

And if no one, or even if someone has told you today, "I love you", I'm gonna tell you one more time...this crazy girl, named Kandee Johnson, loves you and will hug the heck out of you when I see you...I will, just wait and see!

PS. This is the video I'll be uploading later today, which is very fun! My editing software crashed and erased the video I'd edited about 3 times I had to start from scratch editing, which usually takes me days, so when you see it, I hope you love it...here's a sneek peek... Wait until you see the 3 other looks in the video....yayyy:

If you want to see all the other junk I feel compelled to post on the interweb, click away:
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