Behind the blog: Zie Campbell

Hi my friends! Today sees the start of a new series of posts on my blog. Some of my favourite bloggers will be interviewed, so you can get to know the person behind the blog! I am really excited to start this first edition with the lovely Zie from Zie Darling and Hello Darling Dear. Enjoy!

Welcome to Even Sweeter Dreams Zie! Would you like to introduce yourself to the readers?

 Hello, sweetlings! I’m Zie of Zie Darling and Darling Dear! And I’m so excited to play with you all today :}

Could you tell a bit about yourself and where you are from?

I’m an illustration and graphic design student in Nashville, TN and I’ve lived all over the country. I’m a city girl at heart, but am enormously in love with the countryside where my grandparents live, as I spent huge chunks of my childhood there. I am nearly 21 come this December, though, I am probably much older in spirit.

When and why did you decide to start a blog?

I decided to start blogging as a way to share my adventures and stories and to connect with the other old-souls who like to play as much as I do.

How did you come up with the name of your blog?

Darling Dear is both my business and my blog, but I have had many different blogs under different names. I always tried finding something that fit my ever-changing personality and it was just a constant struggle. Nothing seemed to fit my sassy side with my sweet side. And then during the past summer, I finally stopped trying to find a name & let the name kind of come to me, as silly and cheesy as that may sound. So Darling Dear became this little place that captures my adventurous side, my sassy side, my silly side, and my darling, sweet side. :}

You are a very creative person, were you creative as a kid too?

I believe everyone is born creative. I’ve never met a child that didn’t make-believe and invent these amazing and magical worlds all on their own. But I think that as we get older, most of us tell that magic to be silent so we can focus on grown-up things. So I guess, I wouldn’t say that I’m “creative” per say, more just trying to relearn how to let the magic and the make-believe run and rule my life again. :}

What is your favourite way of crafting/being creative?

Pretty much anything that includes paper, glitter or some other form of making a pretty mess.

How did your project It’s Paper Dear get started?

Again, this past summer my mother and I were talking about our undying love for paper. And then of course, we got quite a bit carried away and started talking about this nonsense of my opening a monthly subscription service of my own dedicated to pretty things, paper things, and pretty, paper things. And then, you know what? It happened. And I can honestly say I’ve never had so much fun in my life!

What is the most rewarding thing about blogging to you?

Now I know this will sound silly and disingenuous, but I can honestly say it has been the people I’ve connected with. I cannot tell you how moving, inspiring or uplifting it can be to read comments and emails and letters from people who have found such pleasure in my pictures and my words. I’ll never forget the ones who say that I brighten their day or that they cry with me and laugh with me and rejoice with me. I’ve touched strangers, yes, but they’ve touched me in return. And nothing is more rewarding in my mind.

How do you see the future of your blog and project?

Oh, goodness. A large question if I ever read one, ha! But I have journals and journals filled with plans for both my blog and my business. But the most important one, I feel, is to keep having this much fun for the rest of my life and to continue to meet and play with strangers and these darling readers of mine :}

Do you have any advice for new bloggers?

Have fun. I know a lot of people will go into how you need to just be yourself & not worry about anything, etc., etc. And that is all very true. But if you want to pretend to be a pirate one day & a royal princess the next, all the while documenting your intricate needle-work and cupcake-skills, then I say that’s more important then anything else. Have fun & enjoy it. Because your blog is for you, above all else. :}

Thank you Susie for letting me play on your blog today! :} I would love to invite you to all to come play on my blog with me all of the time. Who knows, maybe we’ll have a grand adventure together :} 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you Zie! Please check Zie's wonderful blog at Ziedarling.com and you can join It's paper dear at this site.