in a Year
Anything can happen in a year. I feel like this year, anything did. Last January I shared the good honest truth about where I was standing financially and emotionally with Stitched in Color. What started as a hobby, needed to become a business because my other business was going belly up. So today is my last day, my very last day working at my old business. And I won't pretend that there isn't plenty of sadness in that, but overall I've very excited to step out into something new that is actually working.
Because I love being here! I still love blogging, even at the pace I've been keeping. I usually have more posts in mind than there are days in a week, and while some are certainly better than others (don't you know it!) I enjoy the regularity of sharing my day-to-day creating with you. I've peppered this post with mosaics of some of my favorite projects made in 2011! I know that I would do far less making if you all weren't here being with me. Thank-you so much! Hopefully I don't blather on too much for your tastes about my children and our pigs and whatnot. That kind of thing is like candy to some and like noise to another. My mind is to write what I like and hope you like it too! But, sometimes I have to remind myself of that because it's easy to fall into the trap of writing for an audience.
Sew Mama Sew has put out their annual call for folks to chime in with their thoughts on 2011 and predictions for 2012, sewing-wise (Check out Amy's answer if you're the thoughtful type). On the topic of social media I'd like to say that I think the #1 key to blogging is to keep your voice genuine. Unlike a magazine or a book, a blog is a personal story. Yes, there's inspiration and tutorials and that's a big part of the draw, but there's also a person behind it all that, hopefully, leaves their personal stamp on every last thing. The blogs that I most enjoy become journeys in which I'm simultaneously inspired/enabled and getting to know a new friend. Even if they don't have the time to reach out to me, I feel that I know them because of the "self" they blog.
We found out earlier this year in a particular post that there are many, many folks who feel inadequate from craft blog-reading. I think this stems from the popular choice to always keep posts 100% positive. No person is always happy, always successful, always right. I've made mistakes and shared them here. I've made goals that I didn't reach. Maybe I could have been even more transparent, but there is always that nagging question of "do they want to know". I've heard tell that crafty blogs are your "happy place" and any negativity is unwelcome. But that means I can't be myself (see above), and that leads to an unreal facade that you might
A. Write off as a fake or
B. Hold over yourself as a unreachable standard.
So, I guess my goal for 2012, blog-wise, is to continue to be genuine. To speak from my heart. To take pause because things can be (and certainly have been) misunderstood and words are powerful, but to take courage to speak still. It is absolutely my hope and dream and goal that Stitched in Color be a lovely, glowing place of inspiration and beauty. But let that be real beauty and real love from a real person. And pray God that person could be me.
Happy New Year to all!
 |
| Stitched in Color, 2011 |
Because I love being here! I still love blogging, even at the pace I've been keeping. I usually have more posts in mind than there are days in a week, and while some are certainly better than others (don't you know it!) I enjoy the regularity of sharing my day-to-day creating with you. I've peppered this post with mosaics of some of my favorite projects made in 2011! I know that I would do far less making if you all weren't here being with me. Thank-you so much! Hopefully I don't blather on too much for your tastes about my children and our pigs and whatnot. That kind of thing is like candy to some and like noise to another. My mind is to write what I like and hope you like it too! But, sometimes I have to remind myself of that because it's easy to fall into the trap of writing for an audience.
 |
| 2011, Finished Quilts |
Sew Mama Sew has put out their annual call for folks to chime in with their thoughts on 2011 and predictions for 2012, sewing-wise (Check out Amy's answer if you're the thoughtful type). On the topic of social media I'd like to say that I think the #1 key to blogging is to keep your voice genuine. Unlike a magazine or a book, a blog is a personal story. Yes, there's inspiration and tutorials and that's a big part of the draw, but there's also a person behind it all that, hopefully, leaves their personal stamp on every last thing. The blogs that I most enjoy become journeys in which I'm simultaneously inspired/enabled and getting to know a new friend. Even if they don't have the time to reach out to me, I feel that I know them because of the "self" they blog.
 |
| Black + Color |
We found out earlier this year in a particular post that there are many, many folks who feel inadequate from craft blog-reading. I think this stems from the popular choice to always keep posts 100% positive. No person is always happy, always successful, always right. I've made mistakes and shared them here. I've made goals that I didn't reach. Maybe I could have been even more transparent, but there is always that nagging question of "do they want to know". I've heard tell that crafty blogs are your "happy place" and any negativity is unwelcome. But that means I can't be myself (see above), and that leads to an unreal facade that you might
A. Write off as a fake or
B. Hold over yourself as a unreachable standard.
So, I guess my goal for 2012, blog-wise, is to continue to be genuine. To speak from my heart. To take pause because things can be (and certainly have been) misunderstood and words are powerful, but to take courage to speak still. It is absolutely my hope and dream and goal that Stitched in Color be a lovely, glowing place of inspiration and beauty. But let that be real beauty and real love from a real person. And pray God that person could be me.
Happy New Year to all!