The Hardest Decision I Made as a Creator (And Why I Don’t Regret It)
It’s no secret that Instagram looks a lot different from what it was just a few years ago.
What was once a platform for sharing beautiful photos and creative inspiration has turned into something that often feels more like a shopping mall than a creative space. Everywhere you look, it’s “shop this,” “link in bio,” “use my code,” or “tap to buy.” The scroll has become one long, curated commercial.
Instagram Has Changed — But I’m Still Here Blogging
Don’t get me wrong—I’m not against shopping. I love a good find just as much as you do. I’ve discovered some of my favorite items thanks to creators sharing their recommendations.
But what’s harder to find these days is the content that first made me fall in love with the platform: the creativity, the storytelling, the home tours, the DIY projects, the new recipes, and the honest moments that felt like a peek into someone’s real life, not their storefront.
If you’ve been on social media for a while, you may have noticed this shift too.
On this blog, I may sometimes use affiliate links, which means a small commission is earned if you purchase via the link. The price will be the same whether you use the affiliate link or go directly to the vendor’s website using a non-affiliate link.
When Instagram Became a Marketplace
There was a time when creators primarily used Instagram to connect. We shared what we were working on, offered helpful tips, and invited others into our process.
I used to spend hours crafting a tablescape, baking a new recipe, or trying out a new DIY project, and then I’d share it because I wanted to inspire.
Oh wait, I still do.
But the pressure on Instagram to monetize has never been higher.
A few years ago, affiliate marketing experienced a surge in popularity, particularly on Instagram. Overnight, creators who had been blogging for years saw an opportunity: promote products and earn a commission when someone buys through their link. It made sense. The income was steady, scalable, and honestly? Pretty substantial.
Many of my blogging friends took that leap. They stopped updating their blogs. Instead, they leaned hard into Instagram and other platforms, fully embracing affiliate links, storefronts, curated carousels, and sponsored posts.
And you know what? They’re doing well. Better than well. They’re thriving. And I’m genuinely happy for them.
But I made a different choice.
Why I Didn’t Quit Blogging
I thought about it. Like really hard. The numbers were hard to ignore. But every time I considered pivoting away from my blog, something held me back.
I love blogging.
I love the process of photographing a finished room after days of decorating. I love writing about the behind-the-scenes of a dinner party. I love sharing the journey of learning something new, like how to make sourdough bread or how to use air-dry clay. I love walking you through the “how” and not just showing you the “what.”
For me, blogging is about creating something lasting. A post I write today might still be helping someone a year from now.
Instagram is quick. It’s fleeting. Posts disappear into the feed within hours. But a blog post? That’s something that can live on and continue to serve, inspire, and connect. And that means everything to me.
So I stayed.
I Still Share Links and Here’s Why
Now, let me be honest. I do use affiliate links. You’ll find them in most of my blog posts, especially when I’m sharing a product I used in a room makeover, a kitchen tool I rely on, or a craft supply I recommend.
If I mention a great Amazon find, I’ll usually link it. But here’s the thing: I only link to things I actually love and most likely own and use.
Affiliate income is what allows me to keep blogging. That commission I earn when you click a link and make a purchase? It helps cover everything from web hosting to photography equipment, as well as the time it takes to test a new recipe or write a step-by-step tutorial. It means I can continue sharing everything with you… for free.
It doesn’t cost you anything extra when you click those links, but it means the world to me. Every time you tap one of my affiliate links and make a purchase, you’re helping support this blog. You’re telling me, “I value what you create. Keep going.”
And I can’t thank you enough for that.
The Disappearing Blogger
What worries me is how many bloggers have slowly disappeared. Talented writers, decorators, bakers, and DIY enthusiasts I once admired now only appear in my feed to post sponsored content or promote a new collection. Their websites sit dormant, their creativity compressed into 15-second Reels, optimized for engagement and algorithm approval.
And who can blame them?
The pressure to grow, to monetize, to produce content that “performs” has never been greater. The truth is, it’s hard to pour hours into writing a blog post when an Instagram story can earn more in 30 seconds than a blog post does in a week.
I get it. I’ve felt that pull, too.
But here’s what I’ve learned: fulfillment isn’t always in the numbers. It’s in the emails I get from readers who tried a project and loved it. It’s in the comments from someone who made my peach burrata salad for a dinner party and got rave reviews. It’s in the photos you send me of your own homes, your crafts, your sourdough loaves.
That kind of connection doesn’t come from a viral Reel. It comes from storytelling.
And that’s what blogging is.
What I Want You to Know
If you’ve ever clicked one of my links or shared one of my blog posts, thank you. Truly. Every tap, every share, every kind word keeps this little space on the internet alive.
I’m not going anywhere.
I’ll still be here, writing blog posts, experimenting in the kitchen, decorating my home, and sharing it all with you. You’ll still see me on Instagram, yes. But this blog? It’s my home base.
It’s where my heart is.
And yes, I’ll continue to share Amazon links and favorite finds when they make sense because that’s how I keep the lights on over here.
But I promise, I’ll never stop creating for the joy of it first. I’ll never stop sharing just because it doesn’t “sell.” I’ll never stop blogging, because this is where the magic happens.
The Future of Instagram… and Blogging
Who knows where Instagram is headed next? Maybe more shopping, maybe less. Maybe AI-generated everything. Perhaps even fewer original creators. But I do know one thing: there’s still room for people who create from the heart.
And I plan to be one of them.
I believe there’s still value in slowing down and sharing something meaningful, not just something clickable. There’s value in a well-written post, in a recipe you can trust, in a craft project that makes you feel proud when it’s done. There’s value in beautiful things made with intention.
And if you’re still reading this? You value that too.
So, thank you for being here. Thank you for supporting me, my blog, and this creative life I’ve built. I’ll keep showing up here, as long as you keep showing up too.
With gratitude,
Leslie
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Thank you Leslie. I rarely comment but I have so enjoyed your blog and have tried quite a few of your crafts with success. Your photographs are beautiful as is your story.
I purchased your book when it was first published and I do not just have it as a coffee table book — it is used and cherished.
Thank you Leslie for this heartfelt post today and for continuing to blog; sharing stories, recipes, and decorating ideas; teaching us a craft; and showcasing products we can’t live without. Your content is always welcome, current, and inspirational. Inviting us into your home the added bonus. I’ll keep reading and learning AND shopping!
I’m so glad!
Leslie, I love your blogs and how you present products, recipes and wonderful ideas to us. I am so tired of the click here and click there without seeing how well it looks or works. I appreciate you and all that you share with us. I feel like your friend across the country, waiting for your next update. Thank you friend!
I follow a few blogs, Leslie, and enjoy and learn from them all. At 78, yes, I still learn so much from others and have never considered following lifestyles of others a waste of time. And yes, especially during the holidays, I click on embedded items and often, too often, buy! Thank you for being a “friend” who inspires. You are appreciated.
I really love you blog. Your ideas are wonderful and practical. I just can’t afford most products. Please tell me if there is something I can do to help ensure your success and support. Thank you for all you do to help us add a little sunshine to our homes.
Thanks. I love your blogs.
I so appreciate your thoughts and you hit the mark perfectly with your assessments. I am among the many who are so grateful for your presence in the blogging world. While there is a place for instagram I find it kind of shallow. What you share and give of yourself on your blog is incredibly inspirational and professionally done. Thank you for all you share with all of us!
Oh my goodness- thank you for staying WITH us. Your ideas and plans and realistic descriptions are so doable and so clearly explained to us, getting them in the (e)mail box is a gift to us and include welcome surprises each and every time.
I rarely am able to buy from your links but your craft ideas AND recipes AND inspiration for all things ” Martha Stewart” enhance my life profoundly.
( and flowers, and your pool, and watching the progress when you rebuilt your beach house, and the way you reimagine rooms in your house as life changes, etc….).
I have never been on Instragram. Don’t know the first thing about it. What I do know is that living on a limited budget, reading your blog and others like it have inspired me to make my own decor, so that my home reflects me and fulfills me. And in the process I hope I have inspired others.
Leslie, as a blogger who loves to blog (and plans to continue), this post means the world to me. Thank you for sharing your heart and philosophy. I share so many of your thoughts. You continue to inspire and motivate me with each post you write. Thank you so much!
Thanks for still showing up! I read your email every morning! Such an inspiration! Thank you
Thank you Leslie. I rarely comment but in the world of commercialization your blog and content is refreshing. I too have made some of your crafts and “ clicked” on shopping and purchased. I enjoy your blog. Thanks for continuing!!
So happy that you’ll still be doing what you do so well! I love making some of your projects with my granddaughter and plan to make that beautiful decoupaged flower vase with the floating candle with her next. Your instructions are all easy to follow and we love that! Thank you!
You put into words exactly how I feel!! My satisfaction comes from writing my blog & doing all the things-making the projects, photographing, writing etc. It’s where my heart is (it’s my baby!)
I frantically skimmed your post with my heart beating, so afraid you were stepping away! I would be devastated! I get so many good ideas from you! And quite a few shopping finds as well, yet I have never once bought something off an Instagram post. I NEED YOU! 😉 every morning, I pour my cup of coffee and do my Wordle and then read your blog. Thank you thank you! You brighten all my days!
Thank you for not falling down the hole of creators becoming a small mall! I just rush past 99% of the products, especially make up, that are pushed on Instagram. I seldom ever comment on any of these sites, but your blog today was very refreshing. I needed to tell you that I appreciate you and the beautiful things you show us.
Leslie,
I love your blog. I rarely comment but I am so inspired by your creativity and your willingness to share your life. I do not do instagram – never have- Therefore , I’m thrilled you still blog. Thanks for broadening my horizons with your adventures ☺️
Thank you for this post, so glad you will continue to blog. I enjoy learning and being inspired by you.
I’m so glad and appreciate that you’re still blogging! While I do enjoy scrolling through IG, nothing replaces the enjoyment of reading a blog. I look forward to every post and reading through all the details, whether it’s a recipe or a home decorating idea.
Thank You Leslie! I could not have said it better! So many changes with Instagram and Facebook. Not only have I noticed everything you have said but as a crafter for many years and not a re-seller the other thing that bothers me is so many resellers going to Goodwill and thrift stores and just getting cart loads of things. So many of their customers are talking about it. I saw something a few weeks ago that just made me boil! A woman was sitting in one of the few chairs to try on shoes and had a cart that was full of things and when they would bring out new items she would take her basket and get right behind the cart almost knocking down people so she could get there first. So I asked her, “Are you a Re-seller and she said yes”. Then I noticed her ring back to that chair and sitting again and then the a Goodwill employee started bringing out items for her to look at to see if she wanted them which I feel really goes against the other customers. I am just tired of Re-sellers taking everything. I am just a crafter who likes to redo things but now there is nothing left because of these re-sellers. It just seems like everyone is out to make a buck! Sorry I had to vent. I really do enjoy your blog and glad that you are sticking with it.