I'm Nikki, a creative old soul who loves tea time, tip-toeing through gardens, mounds of books, swaying to records, watercolors, sunset walks with our three yorkies, and star-gazing with Paul. This blog carries snippets of my life with just us two (five with Rusty, Lucy, & Ethel) - I hope it brings you happiness as you snuggle in with something warm and delicious and begin reading. Enjoy, friends!

the blog!

If I had to choose:

The Most Neglected Blog

Hello, dear friends.

The window is open next to me, Rusty is curled on his “stoop” watching Paul change my brake pads in the garage, Finding Neverland is playing in the background, and I’m realizing how terrible I’ve been with my poor blog. (Shall we have some music first?)

I’ve spent the last two days completely gutting this thing, reorganizing posts and categories, archiving images, and I’ve come to a sad realization: I’ve abandoned this blog. In the last two years my views have dropped significantly. There are some months where I didn’t blog at all.

The past two years have been a bit chaotic in not only my personal life, but my career life. I’ve been trying to sift through the fog to figure out what I’m supposed to be doing. I’ve started new jobs, ended jobs, started school, ended school, moved from a place I felt grounded and whole to a place I’m just now trying to develop some half-hearted roots. In a nutshell, I’ve been trying to stay afloat ever since I announced my retirement from photography, and nowhere is that more evident than this poor neglected blog.

So here I am! I’m showing up, pumping life into the one constant that’s been with me since Day 1, when the background was green and orange floral and the theme song from Up blasted through your speakers when you came to visit.

To help get me back in the flow of things, I need your help. I need to know what you want, dear reader. What gets you wanting to read this blog? Do you like photos? Watercolors? Everyday life? Instructional posts? I’ve created this poll for you to take, similar to one I had you take over 3 years ago. Please do me this favor and help me out! This blog is no good if you don’t enjoy being here.

What would you like to see on the blog?

Thank you for taking the time to help me out. You’re the bee’s knees. :)

On to exciting news! Do you know what tomorrow is?? The sample calendar will be arriving!!! I wish I could convey how excited I am but trust me, I’m doing back flips in my head. I started creating that calendar in March, about a month after I left my last job. It’s been 4 months of creating, erasing, changing, and deleting and I am so excited to see the final product. Here’s a sneak peek into some of the months. :) :)

2019 Watercolor Calendar | Nikki Jean Tran | www.shop.nikkijeantran.com

Although it’s not technically for sale yet, I’ve added it to my new online store. Once I approve the sample coming tomorrow, I’ll be putting in the massive bulk order and they should all be here before the end ofAugust!! I’ve also added a downloadable/printable grocery list template to the shop, and I’m planning on adding more printable/downloadable items – next will be recipe cards. I can’t wait. :)

Now that the calendar is finished I’ve started on my next big project – a 2020 Children’s Calendar!! I’ve been wanting to create something for children for a long time and now that there’s no looming deadline, I’m enjoying this so much more.

Children's Watercolor Calendar | Nikki Jean Tran

This calendar is going to have all sorts of fun facts about animals and the earth. Each month is themed, for example, January with all its chilly frost and bluish days will be an Arctic theme, hence the polar bear in the above photo. :) I’ve also painted a narwhal, walrus, and I’ve even immortalized myself as a cartoon teacher that will appear somewhere on each page spewing off a random really cool fact. Think Ms. Frizzle but a cardigan and scarf-wearing brunette without a magical bus and talking lizard. :)

Well my darling friends, Paul’s about done changing out my brakes (he’s my rock, you know) and dinner still needs to be made. I’m thinking salmon for me, chicken for him, veggies for both, wine for me, beer for him. Perhaps we’ll dine under the twinkle lights tonight. I’ve rearranged the front porch – trying to grasp a spot outdoors that makes me happy like our deck at the last home – and I think I’ve found my new happy spot in our house.

Our deck at the old house…swoon.

Twinkle-Lit Deck | Nikki Jean Tran | www.nikkitranphotography.com/blog

And the new spot that will slowly but surely be as darling as the old home. :)

Farmhouse Porch | Nikki Jean Tran | www.nikkitranphotography.com/blog

Alrighty friends, it’s official – Paul’s done with my car and it’s time to eat. Toodles for now!! xoxo

  1. Nadia Marie says:

    My blog is probably more neglected than yours, my dear, life happens so don’t worry! I’m excited for your calendar! I really want to get one for myself, one for my mom & one for my cousin-in-law (is that a thing?). Can’t wait!!!

    • Nikki says:

      You are simply the best!! Thank you so much for taking the time to say hi – I appreciate it so much! I’ll be sure to update when the calendars are officially for sale!! :) :)

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