blogger profile: moodboard

for one of my classes i was assigned to interview someone in the arts/writing field that i enjoy/admire/want to learn more about. and because i'm always curious about the blogger behind the blog, i was lucky enough to score an interview with kate, whose blog, moodboard, is one of my absolute favorites. she has lots of wonderful things to say, and a blog filled with inspiration and beautiful images.

enjoy!

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In the Mood: One Blogger's Quest for Inspiration

The task of keeping a blog is one that is often underestimated. While one post a day may seem like nothing, life has its way of disrupting extracurricular productivity. For some, perhaps. But for Kate, the blogger behind the style blog, Moodboard keeping up with the images and bits of inspiration that she posts up to 8 times a week is anything but work. Rather, she admits, it's pleasure, pure and simple. "I can't begin to tell you how much blogging has changed me. I feel that the possibilities are endless on what I can create and learn."

A proclaimed vintage aficionado, Kate began Moodboard in July 2007 after discovering a forum in which she could explore her passion for vintage, beyond flea markets and thrift stores. "One day while searching the Internet I stumbled across Lisa Congdon's blog, A Bird in the Hand. I was so excited to find someone that loved vintage items and talked about it in a personal narrative, and I wanted to be part of that community. I thought my blog could be a place where I could virtually pin things that were inspiring me." So Kate threw herself into the blogging world, posting images of vintage creations, as well as profiles of homes boasting unique interior design concepts, culling her material from magazines like Domino, Harper's Bazaar and Modern Home. As Moodboard gained popularity in the blogging world, its rapidly increasing readership implored Kate to share her perspective beyond vintage design - they wanted to know what she thought about all things style-related. She immediately responded by expanding her material base. "I started to include reviews, outfit posts, and magazine scans. After receiving several reader requests, it has grown to become a source for old magazine editorials."

The extraordinary thing about Moodboard is its multi-facted exploration of beauty through a visual aesthetic. Featuring images and narrative on everything from food to books, from music to international thrift stores, from DIY projects to wedding planning. In searching through Moodboard's incredible two-year archive, it's impressive to witness the breadth of material Kate has discovered and captured - attributing her sensational eye for design to the way she was raised. "I didn't have a conventional childhood, so I think that impacted the way I see the world. We didn't have much money growing up, but my mother fostered the idea of finding beauty in even the smallest things. Most of our things were bought at thrift stores and yard sales, and I think that is where I developed my eye. She still sends me hangers and garbage bags in colors she knows I like!"

A visual aesthete, Kate uses Moodboard to hone a knack for creativity that hearkens back to her childhood. "I had little collections of items that I would use to decorate our barbie houses (built out of cardboard boxes). At one point I made all the Barbies pink ear muffs made of cotton balls, trash bag ties and food dye." As an adult, Kate has refined her taste beyond Barbie accoutrement. When asked about her personal taste in interior design, she muses, "Let's go with Transient Eclectic. Currently I'm loving rustic wood pieces, patterns and lots of rich color." And her personal style? "A mix of masculine and feminine elements. Though I can tend to love fussy pieces I don't like fussy outfits."

A life-changing endeavor, Kate notes many thrilling experiences from her life as a blogger. "My most memorable moments have been when someone I admire contacts me because of the blog. I purchased a vintage dress by artist Vinette Varvaro and was horrified when it was altered too short. I hate to think I may have destroyed or went too far from the artist's original vision. Vinette left the most lovely comment on my blog and put my mind at ease about the dress." But its not just designers and notable icons Kate is looking to impact, "I would love to continue to grow and to be a source of inspiration for other people as well. "