Thursday, April 2, 2015

Thankful Thursday #9 - Ode to Bloggers

Sorry for this being posted late in the day.

Yes, it's back.  I used to do this; the last post I wrote is here.  Kind of nice to read it again and remember that meal, that evening, good friends, ahh.  It won't be long until we are back and hanging out on the patio again, munching on great salads like the one below.
Jude's Salad: lettuce salad with fruit, nuts etc. Yum!

I am truly blessed.  This thought filled me this morning during meditation.  Blessed with such good friends, and a loving supportive family.  Oh, we have issues, we are definitely not perfect, but we do love each other.

I have met such wonderful people during my one and a half years of blogging, and so today I wanted to raise a glass, so to speak, to these wonderful people.

Besides, it is always good to make time to be grateful and to acknowledge those who add to my day and to my quilting world.  When we first moved to Kingsville, in late summer 2012, it was quite a life change. Although I'd not been a part of the Alberta guild for a few years, where I'd been a member for nearly 10, I desperately wanted to connect with other quilters in my area and find out the scuttlebutt on shops, classes, fabric (sales, of course!), and the latest in all things quilt-related.  It was, and still is to some degree, hard to break in to this long-established guild with families who go back generations in the area.  Therefore, blog friends were an unexpected and supreme joy.

This week especially, there was a little "upheaval" behind the scenes of my blog, which all has worked out wonderfully, by the way.  I leaned on, and got such great support from a couple of close friends and family members.

My sister, Linda, and my daughter, Dayna, were the first faithful readers and commenters of this blog. When I contacted them yesterday to let them know of my issue, they were promptly sending good vibes my way and out into the Universe, and I thank both of you.

Judy of Quilt Paradigm and Lara of Buzzin Bumble: These two incredible quilters have become very dear to me.  That sounds flaky, but it's true!  When I shot them an "oh no, this can't be happening" email yesterday they each responded with support, "hang in there" virtual hugs, and in the end, virtual fist pumps.  I know I could text either one of them and say, "Hey I am in your city; wanna get together?" and they'd drop everything and make it happen.  Thank you both of you so so much. But that's not all these two have done for me: thanks to Judy, I am now a subscriber to The Quilt Apothecary, to Sharon Schamber, I bury threads thanks to this video, I got the stencil for Brrrrr Park from a source she got through a Cindy Needham workshop she did, I found out about Pets on Quilts from her, we've talked juicers and health stuff, and much more. Lara has shared so much with me too: we bonded over pitbulls, dogs in general, and all things Harry Potter, she it is who told me about the tutorials on adding drawing features to patterns on Modern Quilters Ireland, about her method using graph paper to add diagrams, she sang the praises of Christina Camelli, and so I made a very happy book purchase, she has offered to walk me through the process of creating my own blog button, thanks to her I found fabric.com, she notices and totally 'gets' some of my deeper musings. Dayna would have never got her beautiful Pitbull t-shirt (that I am totally going to claim for the summer btw) without Lara sending me the link.

Cynthia of Quilting is More Fun Than Housework:  Solid, professional advice and support have I received from her, not to mention inspiration galore (hers are the most patterns made by me of any one designer in 20 years of quilting... says it all) She was even willing to alter her Oh Scrap! post if need be, but also offered encouragement for yesterday's events.  The fact that she featured me on an Oh Scrap! Sunday post, as well as posted photos over the past year on her blog of every one of my Scrap-a-Palooza quilts is an honour for a small-time blogger. So thank you, Cynthia!

My good friend and next-door Kingsville neighbour, Jude, also responded to an "oh no" email I sent to her yesterday.  She, like Linda and Dayna, is not a quilter, but she took the time to write back right away with supportive words.  She even wrote me again today.

I can't say enough how much knowing these six women "had my back" and were rooting for me means.

Today I am also expressing gratitude to other bloggers, who I consider friends, people like Jasmine of Quilt Kisses. We've chatted about Minky backing, teaching, Ikea (still going to get up there and buy a roll of that kid paper!); thanks to her I have Doodle Buddy on my iPad, and Feather Boot Camp half completed.  Bloggers share so much, so willingly and for free: Nancy of Pug Mom Quilts changed my life with zipper tabs, Joanne of Canuck Quilter got me back into paper-piecing with her gorgeous Snowalong snowflakes, Cynthia of Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, has helped me put a dent in my stash, and helped me get so many scraps out of Rubbermaid boxes and into quilts or organized into squares or strips.

I would not be where I am today without free videos, free FMQ designs (yay Leah Day and Angela Walters to mention my first two online quilting gurus).

But there is more:
It's time to say thank you to those who host linky parties (this is how I've met all of these wonderful people, and where I've got the majority of my readers from), people like Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts, Lee of WIP Wednesdays, Sarah of Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Julie of Pink Doxies, Adrianne at On the Windy Side, Cynthia's Oh Scrap!, and on and on (see buttons on sidebar!)

Thank you to those who freely offer advice, either within their blogs or within the email threads of comments.

Thank you to those who write tutorials of well, anything and everything: Karen of Sew Many Ways for her Blogging Tips, (she has a great one on no-reply blogger issues) is one who comes to mind; another is Hilary of Hilary Florence Quilting Workshop for her many tutorials on new and very cool FMQ motifs.

Thank you to those who offer giveaways. I've won a few times and it's a thrill that never gets old.

And thank you to those who do "insert quilt-related activity-alongs": finish-alongs, quilt-alongs to name just two.  This helps me stay focused and get at those projects that sit in a drawer or look pretty on a shelf, but haven't 'grown up'.  On the other hand, there are those like Angela at SoScrappy who does a Rainbow Scrap Challenge, or Cynthia's Scrap-a-Palooza that gets me creating new quilts with their quilt-alongs.   The incentives (prizes, free fabric, gift certificates, free patterns, show 'n tell opportunities) have ensured several of my not-even-started projects are now done and in use, or new quilts have been made and gifted or in use!

I am sure I have forgotten activities, people, so feel free to write in the comments anything for which you are also grateful.  As I often said when I was a teacher, if principals, or the Board would just show a little gratitude with some small not even monetary acknowledgement, they'd get it back in spades from the teaching staff.  So this is my huge pat on the back to all these wonderful people in my life!
Rocco says, You rock!

Now to run the loose yarn through on Dayna's fingerless gloves so I will have a finish to post for TGIFF tomorrow!  Actually I have TWO!  And another bag tutorial!

7 comments:

  1. That picture of Rocco is awesome!! Are you kidding me?? If you texted and said you were in town and hadn't told me you were coming? I'd be P.O.ED! ;) I kid, I'd drop everything in a second! You have given back as much or more than you have gotten my friend! MWAH! :D

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  2. I know I am truly blessed for having you in my blogging community! I have enjoyed your comments and loved seeing your quilts since I started following you when you first started out. I certainly hope you text me if you are in Eugene - I would drop everything too!

    I agree with Judy - You have given back as much or more than you have gotten. You are awesome!

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  3. Sandra, the feeling is entirely mutual! I am always excited when I wake up and find a new blog post or an email from you! I enjoy your blog and our friendship so much! No one likes my zipper tab tutorial more than you (except for my Mom and my Husband--and they don't sew), and I am always grateful when you give me a shout out! Pugs and kisses, to you and the puppies. Rocco, you look so handsome!

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  4. You are too sweet! I'm grateful for your friendship as well. And you already promised me you'd let me know if you visited Utah, so we have that covered.

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  5. You are so welcome! Did I not tell you on Wednesday that all things work out in the end, so if it hadn't yet worked out, it wasn't the end yet :D

    I so value your blog (well, I value you too LOL). I love seeing a new post pop up, but as you know, I wait until I have sufficient time and attention to dedicate to it, as it duly deserves.

    Gratefulness? Too many, way way way too many blessings to list. But you, as my sister, are amongst them somewhere ;p !

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  6. Okay, now that I am done blushing, LOL...Sandra - "right back at ya!" Which means I feel the same way about you too. I count my blessing every day and you are right at the top! Thank you for the deep thoughts, the laughter, the guffaws, the way you make me smile everytime i read something you wrote.! You have mentioned a wonderful group of bloggers and it all reminds me of what a blessing the people of blogland are as a whole. I had no idea this world existed until last summer...it's so wonderful to have people to share our love of quilting with!

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  7. There are so many good people out in the real world and in blogland. You're one of them! I'm sorry you had to deal with some behind the scenes upheaval, whatever it was, but happy that it turned out well for you. Carry on with the blogging! I'll try to keep up with blog reading better than I have the last week or so. I apologize for filling you inbox with catch-up comments this morning!

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