Introducing CARMEL.com

 

One of my great pleasures in being a blogger is getting to make friends with many other people whom I would probably never encounter without the internet. I have one blogging friend whom many of you might know as Bree Holloway of Tea + Bree. Bree and I have been around the block. We were blogging friends, I think, before either of us started writing blogs and have continued to pal around in the literary realm as well as beyond. Bree's real name is Carmel (emphasis on the "mel") and while she'll always be Bree to me, I am delighted to kick off 2015 with an announcement of the brand new, beautiful website that Carmel is launching. My lords and ladies, I present you with

CARMEL.com

CARMEL.com is a place where interests in writing, fashion, health and graphic design converge. It's a celebration of art and beauty and elegance. It's learning to be edifying and uplifting. It's life lived to it's fullest, bodies filled with the best, minds flowing with inspiration, mouths speaking words of wisdom and intelligence and truth. We're here to be the best versions of ourselves, and I welcome you to join. All the love. <3
And I got to sit down (virtually. We aren't that cool yet) with Carmel and tap her brain about the purpose. vision, and fun of this new place in the blog world.

1.) In four words, your vision for CARMEL.com:

Clean, Inspiring, Productive, Beautiful.

2.) You are already known to many bloggers as "Bree Holloway." What precipitated the switch?

I have for a long time struggled with the duo-identity that a pen-name entails. I’d thought on it for a while; I knew when I published my first book I wanted to do it under my real name; I had this budding idea under my hat: they all came together at once.

3.) Is CARMEL.com meant to be a platform from which you plan to explore new options and mediums or more of a rebranding of your current status?

I’m hesitant to say the platform is entirely new, since in many ways it is still just me, and the writing aspect of the blog will remain, as promised, unchanged. However, the other blog-aspects are new platforms, all tied so as to keep things neat. I’m always exploring more options. The categories listed are just the starting point; whatever art medium I find interest in I want to share with the world, and anyone who will listen. Basically, I’m widening the horizon of Tea & Bree to incorporate more - or all - of me.

4.) Number one things about CARMEL that excites you:

Fashion, hands down. I think it’s Kleon’s principle of phantom limb pain, and that one’s been shoved so long into the proverbial closet (har har) or the confines of Pinterest that I can’t wait to bring it to light on the blog. I don’t claim to have any great insight, but style & fashion are two things I’ve always heartily enjoyed, and to be able to share them with others without losing sight of my original blogging purpose - it’s pretty nice.

5.) How long as this project been in the works?

The original idea of it came to me around the beginning of last year (2014). For all of spring and summer I ignored/delayed thinking about it because I simply didn’t have time; it wasn’t until I cut my dance hours down drastically (from 15-a-week to 1-a-week) for the sake of repurposing my time and writing more, that I began to realise this was not a passing whim, but a real, steady interest that needed to be given some love. I spent the rest of the fall semester designing and fidgeting and inspiration-boarding (PIN ALL THE THINGS) in my spare time, and I can’t wait to show the product of my labor.

6.) In your biggest dreams, where do you see CARMEL.com taking you?

All over the world with a large packing case full of clothes, a trunk of books in a wide, white-windowed house, and lovely people all around me. Or to Europe. You choose. XD

7.) Are there any blogs or bloggers that have particularly inspired CARMEL.com?

Yes; many, actually. In principle, I admire the versatility of The Pioneer Woman site, though content-wise, we aren’t very similar. As for inspirational bloggers, there are too many to mention; I do particularly enjoy Wendy’ and Rachel’s where fashion is concerned, and of course there’s always The Crew (you know who you are).

8.) What is the biggest way Bree Holloway fans can support the transfer?

Spread the word. Comment. Give constructive criticism.

9.) What is the biggest way new followers can support CARMEL.com?

Join the community! One of my favorite aspects of blogging is meeting people and cultivating healthy friendships.

10.) Are there any upcoming posts for which you are particularly excited?

I don’t like to say too much; still I’m excited to share my Elegance “philosophy” (if you will) as well as a certain Spring Lookbook that’s been on my agenda for a while... 
I am so excited about CARMEL.com. From following Carmel on Instagram and Pinterest, I know that she has a great sense of style and since fashion has become an increasingly large part of my own blog, I can't wait to see what she does with it! Not to mention the whole recipes/pictures/DIY/writing side of things. Welcome to the internet event of the New Year: CARMEL.com.

L'chaim.

Hello! My name is Carmel, though you probably know me better as Bree, or Bree Holloway. That's alright, I'll still answer to it - I went by Bree on this little blog world for over 4 years, and in many ways it's become a part of who I am. But before Bree Holloway, or Blogger, or any of all this, it was just me. Carmel. I could tell you about how I'm different than most people you probably know, but I'm sure you've read that 100 times over. Instead, I'll tell you what I love.

My first pursuit is Christ; in Lewis's words, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." If I can lead one person to the saving grace of God, if this journey of self-discovery encourages others to join me, I've done something worthy, despite countless mistakes - and that's firstly what this place is about. As for the rest? I'm a prolific reader, writer of allegorical fantasy, ballet dancer, graphic designer, style-lover, bright-lipstick enthusiast and high-heel wearer. Chocolate is my love-language.