The latest issue of Artful Blogging arrived today, and as I flipped through the pages, looking at all of the gorgeous photography, and reading some of the bloggers’ stories, I got to thinking about my own blogging experience, and what I would write about if given the opportunity.
When I posted my introduction in September of 2005, it was on LiveJournal, in a blog I had created with the primary intention of promoting my business. Since then, I have moved the blog to my own server, and let it blossom into something much more than an advertising tool to me.
In April of last year, I was about a month into dealing with a painful loss, and I had times where I would escape to the Internet, immersing myself in other worlds for a while. I started looking for more polymer clay blogs, and in doing so, caught on to an entire network of crafty blogs I never knew existed. And, wow, did it ever have an impact! I found myself in the grips of an inspiration overload like I’d never known, and for the first time since 1996, I had an urge to try my hand at something other than polymer clay.
I tried to ignore it, but before long I was buying a sewing machine and teaching myself how to use it.
It was about that time, that I decided I didn’t want to be on LiveJournal anymore and that I really needed my own space, where I could have complete control over the look and feel of the blog. I installed WordPress on my server, and have been blogging almost daily ever since.
I’m in the throes of a creative kick like never before. I’ve been crafty for as long as I can remember, but I don’t think it was ever so much a part of my everyday life as it is right now. I’m inspired to do more with my newfound sewing skills. I’m inspired to continue to find fun ways to combine my polymer clay work with fabrics. I’m inspired to improve my photography. I’m inspired to take advantage of creative moments with the kids as they arise, and to take the initiative to orchestrate some of those opportunities myself.
What started as a place to post bestseller lists and book reviews has slowly blossomed into a garden, abloom with things I’ve made, things I’ve thought about, experiences I’ve had. It’s become an important part of my day – kicking back with a cup of tea, feet up on the couch, taking the opportunity to tell you all about my latest project, or something special I did with the boys. And it’s become a special little community, too, I think.
I find it amusing to note that exactly one year ago today, I posted an entry on my LiveJournal entitled simply Flickr, wherein I asked to be enlightened. A year ago, I didn’t get the point of Flickr at all, and today it is a verb at my house.
“You’re not going to flick that are you?”
“Oh, look out, Mommy’s flickin’ again.”
I’m happy to be here, in my own happy blog space. I’m happy to have found so much inspiration out there from which to draw. I’m looking forward to many more moments of creativity, domesticity, entrepreneurity, and relativity to share. And I’m glad so many of you are along for the ride!
The images in this post are from our trip yesterday to Branch Brook Park. In terms of camera fodder, it’s hard to beat cherry blossoms on a beautiful spring day.
It’s a little cheesy and a little over-the-top geeky but pretty much the same deal here. I still can’t explain the appeal of what is, essentially, an online diary tool to my mom. She’s fine with Web 1.0 stuff – research on google, paying her bills online and email.
She doesn’t understand why anyone would want to share the random pictures of their studio, their yards, talk about what other people are selling, spread the word about someone elses Something Important, comment on someone’s photos or art or videos… Basically, the water cooler effect of the Web 2.0 stuff.
Of course, for some of us(people who are at home for one reason or another) it’s an essential part of life – a way to get the inspiration and kick in the butt that you can occasionally find working with others – and I’d feel profoundly lost without being able to see what my ‘friends’ are doing! And now, my office / store front / studio / water cooler space is pretty darned huge and yet still 100% private.
See what Elaine has been blogging about: More ‘Green’ Hints for the Polymer Clayers
Yeah, there’s a similar disconnect between me and my mother, too. It makes me wonder what things my own children will be involved in someday that will boggle my mind as to what the appeal is 😉
I guess until you get involved in some kind of online community, you really don’t have any concept of how “connecting” it can really be. You do run the risk of having more of an online life than a real one, but I think you just have to be aware of what kind of time you are spending online, and whether anything else is suffering for it.
My 20 years of socializing online has been an overwhelmingly positive one for me. And so far, I haven’t become some sort of weirdo that plugs herself into her laptop in the morning, never to emerge again until bedtime. So far 🙂
I’m not sure what it is about the blogging phenomenon, but when I first started on Livejournal back in 2001, I couldn’t imagine telling complete strangers (if anyone was even going to read me, that is!) about my life at the time. I slowly got accustomed to it, and then found I was making friends, too! I had been fiercely protective of my life and my anonymity and am now able to post my name and picture online – ooh, big steps! I met a woman who was teaching a Muse course, and through her, one of my fellow muses taught me about painting with watercolour inks. If you can see this gravitar, it’s one of my favourite paintings.
My hubby and I also came to Flickr as early adopters and got given pro accounts to post all manner of things. I post my jewelry, my paintings, my tattoos, my graffiti shots and more recently, my wedding. The online world has given me and allowed me to find all manner of friends and cool people I’d not have found otherwise and have also allowed me to begin a small outlet for selling my JOOLZ via etsy. I can’t imagine not having my online life and friends to check in with now that I’ve got them!
I’ve been involved in one kind of online socializing or another for about 20 years at this point, and I really feel that without it, I’d feel very isolated. Between an online community of mothers that I’ve been a part of for nearly nine years, and the various creative communities, I think they’ve been an overwhelmingly positive influence and helpful resource. There are people I’ve only ever known online that I sometimes forget are not actual Real Life acquaintances.
Me too, and I’m inclined to agree. I’m sure I’d find other ways to fill my time if I wasn’t online as much, but I’ve built such a network of good friends here that I can’t imagine them not being a part of my life.