Moms to Know Diana Blinkhorn of @mrsblinks by Julie Tingley, @weemacree
If you are a mom and on social media at all, you may recognize this go-to mother of all beautiful birthday bashes, creative costuming (hello, Hamilton-Halloween!) and idyllic ideas to make magic in the mundane. And while her hacks are Pinterest-worthy, they are also completely possible…which makes this viral digital superstar feel like a familiar friend. From her one-backpack per family member trip through Europe and pink and red Christmas table-scape to making frozen vegetables from Wal-Mart look farm fresh, I can attest that Diana is also just like every one of us. She is a confidante who has spent hours with me on the phone trying to navigate school options in a pandemic, a girls’-girl who shows up and supports efforts in the local community, and an ever-present mother with her own sweet girls. A content creator, one of the original mom bloggers and influencers, and my friend: Mrs. Blinks.
TBPM: We haven’t had a chance to catch up with you since you went viral and became known as “Pinterest Mom” on TikTok! Fill us in on what has changed in the last few years for you in life and business, and what 2022 holds for ‘Mrs. Blinks.’ DB: The last few years have been crazy. Let’s completely rewind and start from the beginning. At the start of 2021, as I was trying to navigate this new normal as other moms were, I downloaded an app I had heard so much about, TikTok. I wasn’t sure what I was doing but I started posting, sharing little hacks and activities I was doing with my kids to make our time at home a bit more magical, and honestly, it was the best decision I could have ever made for my business. I was able to find a community of like-minded mothers who wanted to create magical memories with their kids but didn’t have the time or energy to do the complicated picture-perfect things they saw all over IG. I was a busy mom, just like them, who did not have the energy to get through the day, let alone complicate it, so I created simple and attainable hacks that anyone could do. I shared parts of my life, my struggles and victories, and my community grew. Last year we totally stepped out of our comfort zone and took our girls to Europe with just a backpack each. I shared our crazy journey on our blog and socials, and that trip not only changed us, but completely changed the trajectory of my business.
26
TampaBayParenting.com MAY 2022
This year has been equally as crazy. We started a new series called “22 Adventures in 2022” where we are taking the girls to new places and trying new experiences all over the world. My brand, my blog, everything has changed. And honestly business aside, all these wonderful changes have really challenged me as a person, wife, and mother. It opened my eyes to insecurities I didn’t know I had and prompted a lot of self-growth and healing. So, with all the big business changes that are happening for me this year, what I am most excited about are the changes that are happening internally. This slow journey to better myself as a mother and find my identity as a person.
TBPM: In the ever-evolving world of social media, how have you found your own voice, and what practices do you implement to be sure to differentiate yourself? DB: When I started my rebrand a few months ago, I got the opportunity to do all these fun exercises to help me understand my vision and messaging for Mrs. Blinks. One of my favorite activities was creating a mind map of my brand. The goal of this was to understand the core emotion of my brand and what I created to evoke that emotion. It's such a great exercise and I would suggest other entrepreneurs try this. It helped me to find my voice. I have always shared the real side of motherhood but sometimes as creators we can get lost in the noise of it all. Focusing on your unique perspective,
without comparing it to others, not only makes your work better, but more fulfilling. When people ask what type of content I create, I always say “inspirational, but always attainable.” Now I have a mind map, taped to the wall in front of my computer to remind me every day how important it is for me to create content that supports that messaging. Not only because it’s what is good for my brand but it’s the type of content that fills my cup every single day.
TBPM: How do you navigate having your family be a part of your business and content? What is the fine line that separates your professional life and personal life when there is so much overlap? DB: This is really hard and honestly something I have struggled with for years. My children’s autonomy is really important to me so I have created certain boundaries in regard to what I will share on social media or my blog. They are too young to know the ramifications of having a public persona, so even though they are a part of my journey as a mother, I try to keep the perspective on my experience and not their lives. Something else I do is make sure I set aside times when I am not working. Since my life is my work, it’s hard to find that balance, and honestly, it led to quite a bit of burnout. Now I am really focusing on enjoying things just for me. So maybe that is a dinner with Scott or a non-work vacation— having something that is just ours is so beneficial to my mental health.
