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No Longer a Pinterest Addict

How do I start this post? Do I just come out and say I don’t go on Pinterest anymore? Or at least very much? Or do I explain that all the joy has gone out of trying new pins because Pinterest is not the same as it was? I guess I could do both – and some of the other reasons I haven’t been on here much.

Tulip Fabric Spray Paint sitting on a vintage blue and green chair
This was my first viral post… have you been around since then??

I started this blog, Pinterest Addict, in 2011, after I was invited to join Pinterest and it opened my eyes to all its many wonders – all the links, all the ideas, all the information! It was like opening my eyes and finding I was no longer in the world as I knew it. It was suddenly full of kindred spirits, and so many things to try out and do that I had never even imagined. I guess you could say I wasn’t much of a blog person before Pinterest. To be honest, I wasn’t even aware that they existed. But wow, I was suddenly following dozens of them – all the original DIY bloggers like Kate at Centsational Girl (now called Centsational Style), John and Sherry at Young House Love, Charlotte at Charlotte’s House (although it was called something else before). The list was long and they were all so much fun to follow. I started doing new things, trying new hobbies, making crafts, buying stuff I didn’t need, and of course, figuring out which pins were amazing and which were B.S. The ones that didn’t work out were usually the most fun, actually.

green dinosaur birthday cake that is melting and basically a mess. Major Pinterest Fail
dinosaur birthday cake fail

I loved Pinterest for what it was… a virtual pinboard of ideas from all over the world delivered straight to my computer.

And then… Pinterest messed with all the things, and it’s no longer what it was in the beginning. They changed everything that made it great. People started stealing images from my blog and redirecting the traffic to other websites – and Pinterest either did nothing, or deleted ALL the images/links, including the legitimate ones from my blog, and crushed any traffic I was getting from them.

Navy blue painted piano with two white lamps on top in front of a mirror
Painted piano

I think I’ve gone on Pinterest three times in the last year, and I’m probably overstating that number. And those times, I went to find recipes that we had tried before and loved (and therefore already had pinned). There are no more days where I scroll through the ideas and pretty pictures, or see what my blogger friends have posted. It’s all about ads and professional photos… It’s just not fun anymore. Not to mention that as a blogger who relied on the clicks to my website, they changed everything about their algorithms and what/who they showed, and suddenly, the traffic from Pinterest to my blog was almost nothing. When bloggers tried to address these issues, Pinterest ignored us. They tried to say we needed to create new posts, pin more times a day, etc, etc… but it was bologna. We were creating free content for their website, but they didn’t want to send the readers our way.

Yes, I realize that Pinterest is a business, and of course Pinterest would want to keep people on their site, but if we were creating the content for them, wouldn’t it have made sense for them to give back to us? It became a game of trying to figure out what they wanted us to do to get views and clicks each time they changed things.

black bathroom with art gallery from floor to ceiling
My very favorite bathroom ever – one of the most stolen photos from my blog

I can’t blame it all on Pinterest. As time went on, life got in the way of me keeping up with blogging. We moved a few times, adopted our girls, and moved again. Life was insanely busy, and it was overwhelming and a little bit scary to share what was really going on behind the scenes. It was a kind of a mess to be perfectly frank. I couldn’t share that, and be judged or condemned for my failures as a mother. Nope, wasn’t going to happen. I even went back and deleted the adoption posts. I was already so sensitive about not being the perfect adoptive parent, I could not imagine having anyone else pile on the criticism.

By then, DIY blogging became the business it is today, I quickly learned I couldn’t keep up with the professionalism some of the bloggers brought to the table. There are so many people out there slaying this profession. And then there was me, I was just doing this mostly for fun. I figured since I couldn’t compete with them and “win”, I stopped trying. Somewhere along the way, I just stopped posting all together.

photo of granite countertop with black cabinets and mirror
The comments on this post when shared were hard to read.

Now, as I realize how much I miss blogging and the friendships it created, I struggle to figure out what to do about this blog. Do I rename it? Start over? Go back to Pinterest and see if I can find enough new ideas to try and report back on? (I’m not really hot on that idea, if I’m honest) I think Pinterest Addict had outgrown its original intent a long time ago. What would you do? Do you have any clever names I could change it to? I don’t want to walk away from this blog all together, but it seems silly to try to stay on the same track as before. I’m open to suggestions – lay them on me!

photo of a wooden herringbone pattern headboard in a gray bedroom next to shelves and a desk
Another popular post that was redirected often.

Before I close this post, I wanted to say thank you for all the years you’ve stuck by me. The friendships that I’ve found over the years from writing this blog have been such a joy to me. I appreciate your loyalty and hope you’ll continue to stick by me in the future as I make a few changes to the blog and the direction it is headed.

Thanks for stopping by,

Eliesa

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Pins I tried 7

Comments

  1. Donna Johnson says

    May 5, 2022 at 8:56 pm

    I, too, rarely go to Pinterest any more. If I click on one tiny pin to see what it is, then my entire feed is filled with duplicates of that item. If I pin one item for a project, that’s all I see, and nothing new and interesting is ever on my feed any more. I loved reading about your projects, but sadly, I don’t know what advice to give you. If it helps, I spend a lot of time watching YouTube videos, and apparently, you can make some money based on subscribers. I watch a lot of quilting videos, but I’m sure there are plenty of DIY subscriptions as well. Good luck!

    Reply
  2. Maggie Overby says

    May 6, 2022 at 6:09 am

    Hey Eliesa, I feel you! I left blogging for almost two years and constantly feel like I’m “not doing it right.” I came back because I enjoy sharing my projects and I enjoy the community but this time I’m trying to do it on my own terms. I have a full-time job so I’m not going to have the hassle that some bloggers have but I can still share the joy my projects bring me. To do this I have to step back and stop making the comparison. I went to Haven last year and it did invigorate me to step back in but I do wish they had a class for bloggers who are just in it for the love of DIY not necessarily the money. As for a name change, I always felt I did myself a favor using my name, it doesn’t get old. How about “Eliesa DIY” addict of just plain “Eliesa’s Place” your name is unique enough I think it could work.

    Reply
  3. Terri says

    May 6, 2022 at 12:17 pm

    Agree with Maggie, you have unique spelling to your name and her suggestions for names are good ones. I don’t think you need a “clever” name for the blog, I follow bloggers for their content.

    Reply
  4. Kim G says

    May 6, 2022 at 2:44 pm

    I have been reading your blog since the beginning and liked many of your projects (I even tried a few!). I agree with Maggie & Terri, I don’t really care about the blog name, I enjoy the content and the little bits of personal information so we can “get to know” you. I still read several blog posts (as long as I can get them via email), but I rarely comment. I work full-time and just don’t have time to always comment.

    It is good to hear that you may come back, I will continue to follow you if you do. Hope you have a great Mother’s Day.

    Reply
  5. Gina says

    May 6, 2022 at 9:23 pm

    A blast from the past WOW! I’ve been following from the beginning. And I agree with you and understand you. I’m still an avid blog reader and have followed so many of the OGs like you for years. I’m not even sure who is around anymore. But I’m happy when I get emails like these! it was nice to see this email in my inbox! I’ll still be around to enjoy your content should U decide to return!

    Reply
  6. Cassie Bustamante says

    May 8, 2022 at 9:50 am

    I like Maggie’s suggestion! I changed mine to my name years ago so that it could be anything I wanted it to be. And now it’s nothing. Haha. (One day I will pop in and explain where I’ve been.) I don’t have time and I don’t care because I am still sharing stories and writing in a way that is now more fulfilling to me. I love where my life is taking me and happy to connect with people in my town in front of me more. I think it’s just important that you do what lights you up, on your terms. XOXO

    Reply
  7. Melissa G says

    May 30, 2022 at 5:07 pm

    Wow! I Finally got to my email!

    I thank goodness you’re on Instagram! I get the best of everything, your projects, your humor, your amazing family…

    Name, Pinterest doesn’t deserve to be there. But it Is kinda Your blog Brand.
    Then again, we are here for You and what You Do, with your home, family, dogs, cats, bathrooms, pools! 8*)

    What makes You Happy usually makes Us Happy too! <3 <3 <3 8*)

    Reply

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Welcome!

Hello! I'm Eliesa, and I am a Pinterest Addict. I love finding new ideas and trying them out. DIY, Decor, Diets, and Recipes - it's all fair game. Follow me, and find out which pins are all they seem to be.

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© EP; A Pinterest Addict, 2011 - 2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. All images are property of Pinterest Addict unless otherwise noted. You may not use these images without prior written consent. Excerpts and links may be used with written permission, provided that full and clear credit is given to EP; A Pinterest Addict with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. This blog is not, in any way, officially affiliated with Pinterest.com. They don't even know I exist. This is all a one-sided affair, in which I am most definitely getting the most out of our "relationship".
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