Hello and Happy Sunday to you. Over here, its another freeeeeezing day. This is the kind of biting cold that honestly makes you want to stay inside in your pjs, hop into your bed and not leave until March. It is bitter, gray and incredibly uninviting. It is quite something that so much of our country is experiencing this extreme cold. I say please bring on an early spring!!

Good day for the movies…we may head out to one later on. Seen anything good lately? We saw Twelve Years a slave and I must say it was excellent. I have heard rave reviews over Lone Survivor, it looks intense but incredible and to know it’s a true story makes it that more compelling. Any other recommendations?

I really appreciate the over 200 bloggers that participated in my blogger poll. The results were so interesting and I know many of you are eager to see them. The results are below, wondering if there were any surprises to you?

I am also sharing some beautiful (and a few mouth watering) images from my Pinterest boards, random things of beauty and/or inspiration that caught my attention this week. If you want to see more click here.

And finally, if you love your kitchen and think it’s “contest ready” please snap a picture and send it in for my Kitchen contest! I have gotten some amazing pictures so far and look forward to getting more. Details are on the bottom.

Now for those results…..

1. Do you generally look over other people’s comments before you leave your own??

OK…yes sometimes? 45%
Yes! All the time??? ?? 32%
No…never ? ? ? ? ? ? ??? 23%

2. How important are comments on your blog?

Huge, they make my day and validate why I do this in the first place ??
?47%
Average…..I love getting them but don’t need them to validate what I do??
? 44%
Not that important, they are a minor part of why I blog??
?9%

3. How many hours a day do you spend on blogging?

1-2?? 56%
2-4?? 26%
4-6?? 14%
6-8?? 6%

4. Blogging is changing thanks in part to Pinterest and other social media sites?

Yes, absolutely??? 57%
Not dramatically, its a great companion to blogging?? 34%
Not that I have seen?? 8%

5. Is there a social hierarchy in the blog world? Does it matter?

Yes, absolutely as in real life?? 63%
There might be but I have not noticed or paid much attention?? 28%
I dont’ think so, its a virtual world so it’s quite different ? 10%

6. How gratifying is blogging?

I really enjoy it but its not my epicenter ? 49%
It’s hugely gratifying, I cannot imagine life without it?? 34%
It’s a small part of my life, more like a minor hobby ?? 17%

7. How likely is it that you will be blogging in four years from now?

I would like to but who knows? 70%
You can bet on it…can’t imagine life without it 24%
Highly doubt it, it’s fun but not forever 5%


8. If you advertise on your blog, what do you make on your blog annually?

?$1,000-4,000???? 45%
$10,000- 20,000? 22%
$6,000-10,000?? 12%
$4,000-6,000???? 8%
$30,000 or more? 8%


9. How many blogs on average do you visit every day?

5-10? 39%
1-5??? 26%
10-20?? 21%
More than 20?? 14%


10. How likely are you to visit a new blog or look for new blogs of interest?

Very likely…always looking for the next great thing!?? 51%
Here and there, I look when I can? 44%
Just about never, just don’t have the time? 5%


11. What is the number one piece of advice you would give a new blogger?

Make sure you have an authentic voice?? 38%
It is your content and what you write that will keep people coming back ?? 26%
Be sure your blog has a lot of pretty pictures, that is what draws? people in??? 25%
Develop a thick skin, people can be tough? 10%


12. Your family and friends support your blog and understand why you do it.

Yes?? 82%
No??? 18%


13. When someone leaves a rude comment,? will you delete or keep it?

Depends on the severity of the comment? 57%
I will promptly remove it? 27%
No to each his own, I leave it, doesn’t really affect me that much? 16%


14. If you visit a blog and dont’ like what you see , will you still leave a comment?

No I will generally only leave a comment if I truly like what I see? 53%
Depends not always?? 33%
Yes, if it’s a blog I visit I will find something nice to say?? 13%


15. How many years/months have you been blogging?

2-3 years? 22%
3-5 years? 21%
1-2 years? 19%
5 years or more? 15%
1-6 months??? 13%
6 months-1 year?? 10%

16. Think of all the blogs you visit daily and how often you leave a comment vs. just looking and leaving

I mostly do not comment but do visit? 31%
I would say I leave a comment on about 50% of the blogs I visit? 21%
Maybe about 25-50% of the ones I visit? 20%
I try to leave a comment on 80-100% of the blogs I visit? 17%
Maybe about a quarter of the blogs I visit do I leave a comment on? 12%

Some interesting findings, don’t you think? Did anything here surprise you? For me it might be that the majority visit blogs but do not comment. I find less time to comment than I used to but I still do my best to leave a comment (when inspired) at all my “usual stops”. Looks like most of you think blogging is changing in part due to Pinterest and other sites, don’t know if that’s good or bad yet?

The good news for newer bloggers is that the majority of us will seek out new blogs and are always looking for the next best thing…that could be YOU!? And interesting that the majority of us look over other peoples comments, I do on occasion but not regularly. This was fun and enlightening.? Many thanks again for participating!!

Now lets turn off our brains and just enjoy some pretty inspirations, shall we?

?Anytime you end with pictures of darling children its always sure to put a smile on my face! Hope you enjoyed this random inspiration….if you want to see more of my Pinterest boards click here.

Many thanks as always for stopping in, and to all my fellow bloggers who took the time to participate in the poll. Always a good thing to continue learning and growing. Wishing everyone a fabulous and hopefully relaxing Sunday!

Here are the details for my KITCHEN LOVE contest…..

My new contest is called Kitchen Love. A subject near and dear to our hearts, the heart of the home. Send in your pictures of your kitchen or it can be a snippet of your kitchen, something that makes your kitchen special and beautifully yours. I cannot wait to start getting the entries! Rules are-