Saturday, July 4, 2009

One year on...

It's one year today since my first blog post. I've come to blogging rather late, but have enjoyed it greatly - much more than I had anticipated. I like the impetus it provides to reflect on events in my life; I've enjoyed improving my still limited photographic and computer skills; unexpectedly, it's given me pleasure to take care with my writing; and I'm especially delighted when readers take time to comment on what I think and feel and make.

And, I've just discovered I share my blog anniversary with Rose Red - such a pleasing coincidence!

Blogging's been such fun that I'd like to give some blog anniversary gifts:

bags 4

I've made some project bags this last week. Two of them are destined to be gifts for readers who leave comments on this post by midnight Tuesday 7 July, Sydney time. [I'll still be up at midnight watching the Tour de France!] I'll randomly select two people from amongst the commenters, and will make sure that the gift bags contain some yarn that suits the recipients.

I've incorporated into the bags some hand-pieced patchwork squares I made sometime in the early 1980s - probably 1982. You could think of them as retro - certainly the colours are!

bags 2

The patchwork squares are a traditional eight-pointed star pattern, and some of the fabrics are scraps from clothes I made for my daughter when she was small. I suspect I must have had some grand ambition of making a quilt - but I think the project bags are a much more realistic use for the squares.

You may have noticed that there are three bags in the photographs, and I'm only offering two gifts. The third bag has already gone to MissFee, whose birthday also is today. July 4 is clearly an auspicious date.

Bags 1

AliMachenMachen commented on my first blog post:

'Dance like nobody's watching, blog like nobody's reading and it will be exactly what you want it to be.'

It was good advice. I'm not sure that I've been able to follow it, and I know the blog isn't exactly as I want it to be. But trying to blog as if nobody's reading does help to eliminate the deep self-consciousness that has made me avoid writing in the past. So, thanks for the advice, Ali, and I'll try for a second year.

13 comments:

Rose Red said...

That is excellent advice for blogging. I'm so pleased we share a blogthday too! It is always a pleasure to read your posts.

Donna (Random Knits) said...

Happy Blogiversary, Lyn! Your blog is one I've really enjoyed keeping up with :)

Kate said...

A day of celebration all around - may you many more.

Anonymous said...

Happy Blogiversary! it's fun having a blog, isn't it? I really enjoy mine and have made lots of friends through it - real life ones!

Sally said...

I had no idea you'd only been blogging less than a year; you blog like a pro, and I've enjoyed reading yours immensely. I stumbled upon Shades of Grey after commenting on your Baby Surprise Jacket on Ravelry, and have been "hooked" ever since. I didn't know we had quilting in common as well. Your bags are an inspiration for those random squares I have in my workshop. Thanks for blogging; thanks for your inspiration. Sally from St. Louis, MO (seedesigns on Ravelry)

knitness said...

Hey Lyn! Happy blogiversary! I like reading your blogs, you're definitely a better and more interesting writer than I! And the bags are really cool... It's now inspired me to quilt as well! :P

missfee said...

Lyn
happy blogiersary- If I had known I could of made you a cake for yesterday too.
I love my bag and it already has the sock project stashed inside.

I agree with Sally, you blog like a pro. I love reading about your adventures knitting and others.

M-H said...

Congratulations on your first blogiversary Lyn. I look forward to many more years of blogging and friendship.

Bells said...

Oh you've summed up precisely some of my own feelings and thoughts on the subject of blogging. I think by a year in I felt much as you did and it seemed a good enough reason to keep going. I love your little corner of the blogosphere!

Probably Jane said...

I'm very glad that you decided to take up blogging and always look forward to reading your thoughtful posts.

DrK said...

very auspicious day indeed! i enjoy your blog greatly, for your reflectiveness and your care with writing! hopefully there will be many more years to come.

Emily said...

Definitely auspicious - and I so enjoy your blog. Doesn't make up for not making it to knitting groups to see you (and others) in the flesh, but it's pretty great all the same!

(I've been much more behind...)

Anyway, congrats.

Anna said...

Lyn,

You have such an engrossing writing style that even if you didn't write about something I was interested in, I'd still want to read it anyway. (The fact that you write about stuff I am interested in is an added bonus.) I look forward (in hope) to many more years of reading your blog. Thank you for brightening my days.

Anna