A Comment That Touched Me...

Blogging...why do we do it? There must be hundreds of individual reasons why we each blog, but some things that come to my mind are...sharing, inspiration, connecting with others, making friends etc.

I think most of us start out in the blogging world by reading other blogs. Then we "lurk" for a while...stopping by and enjoying each post, but not really making ourselves known. Then it happens...we open a blogging account to becoming a follower on blogs and the opportunity to comment. Comments are what make the blogging world go round. Comments equal connections.

Then some of us take the next step by starting a blog. Now "WE" want the followers, the comments and the connections for our own blog. We write that first post, then the next. We share and take time...lots of time...writing tutorials, baking recipes, sharing thoughts and pictures, but we need that "connection" to others to make it all feel worth while.

About 2 weeks ago I did a post on Your Blog Likes and Dislikes...CLICK HERE if you want to read that post. It was very popular with 111 comments. I just received another comments on that post a few days ago. Most people don't go back and read comments that are left on an older post, so I wanted to share it with you today.

This comment was left by Daryl from the blog Patchouli Moon Studio. The letter that she wrote touched me so much, I emailed her and asked if I could share the comment and her blog in a post.

Here is the comment she left...

"I stumbled onto your blog and I pretty much agree with you and the comments posted about what makes a good blog. I have 2 blogs and after 5 years, I rarely received any comments at all from anyone, except a personal friend of mine, that I finally just recently turned off the comments altogether. I found it depressing that no one wanted to say anything to me at all. I see so many blogs that have so many readers that comment that I couldn't understand why I wasn't getting any,so I just decided that I was doing my blog for me first and if I had no place for comments then I couldn't get depressed about not receiving any. I do have an email button so if anyone wants to ask me something or comment that way they certainly can contact me.

I feel like I do pretty much all the right things that were mentioned by you and others on my blogs and I've done so from the start. I see blogs that are too cluttered and try to sell way too much and that is a huge turn off for me. I have no online store so I have less clutter on my blog than most blogs. So many blogs are created as a business to sell something or link to their online store and if they don't have a reason for me to return to their blog then I don't.

I had a tutorial blog that I just recently deleted too. I only did tutorials on that blog because I thought it would be a good thing. Well it was time consuming to create even the simplest tutorial, and I had so few hits on that blog after a few years, and no one made a comment that I wondered if anyone even cared at all? I decided if I wanted to do tutorials I would do them on my blog and not a separate blog as maybe that was the problem?

I find too that most people tend to be what they call "lurkers" where they visit a blog but never comment or even sign up to follow the blog. I have so few "followers" that sign up on my blogs. I know people look because of the counter I have, but I guess I don't know what makes some people follow a blog and not follow another one, except for the reasons stated by you here and by others, which like I said I feel like I have been doing all along. Oh well,I blog because I enjoy it. "

We've ALL been there at some point...waiting for a comment or a click of the follow button. What does it take? Like Daryl says..."I don't know what it takes for someone to follow a blog and not follow another one".

Sometimes I thinks it just takes a chance. A "chance" meeting of someone, a "chance" for someone else to share, a "chance" click that leads to another click and there you are on a different blog. We all just need a "chance".

Well, here's my chance to share a new blog with, so Daryl can have a chance to connect with you through her comments.

CLICK HERE to visit Patchouli Moon Studio. OMG you will not be disappointed. Daryl is a Jane of all Trades and a Master of them ALL. I went though her blog and let me tell you, she does it ALL.

She quilts...

Hand quilts

Decorates her new sewing room...

Sews beautiful bags...

Makes her own baskets...

Lots of mug rugs...

and boy does she knit!!

She MADE this!!...

and this cutie.

She even dyes her own yarn...

I could go on and on, but you will see what I mean. Fabulous!!

Go for a visit and get lost in her blog. I told her to open up her comment section again. I know all of you are the best blogging friends ever and will not disappoint.

She better get ready!! LOL

Ah, blogging. I love it. A new friend and new inspiration...nothing better!

Take care,
~Karen~

Quilt Show...Congratulations Tina!!!

Had a great weekend...did a lot around the house and had some fun tucked in there too! We cleared out some things that we just don't use any more and brought a car load of things to a family who could really use some help.

Moved some furniture around again...when I finish painting some things, I'll share some befores and afters!

I also went to the Ninigret Qulit show too. Fabulous event and my quilt partner in crime, Tina, stole the show!! Click here to visit Tina over at Seaside Stitches. Peek in her Etsy shop too...she has the cutest, littlest pins ever. I should know I have 2 of them!!

Here she is next to her 2 ribbon winners!! Congratulations, Tina!!

This one on the left is just fantastic and my favorite!

Won for Best Mixed Technique.

The bottom one to the right is the Blue Ribbon Winner and my favorite too...you know I love my hexagons!!

Woo Hoo...Best Piecing!!

The next three are all hers too...I'm hanging my head in quilter's shame :(   I haven't quilted in months.

This is her daughter Julia's quilt...she is a senior in high school and is an awesome person! Great quilt, Julia..I love it!!

The rest of the quilts are random shots of quilts that caught my eye...I was definitely inspired this weekend!!

Hope you enjoyed the show,
~Karen~

Featuring Special Friends...

I usually feature special friends on my "Friends on Friday" posts, but I think friends should be on any day of the week. Friendships and connections are the basis of blogging. Whether it be just a single comment to someone or regular emails back and forth, blogging has help make the world a little smaller.

Case in point...I have made 2 new friends all the way over in France. Anne sent me this beautiful picture below. She and her friend Catherine made these bird nesting cages from this tutorial. Theirs are so much prettier than mine with the, to die for, red and white Ikea string and adorable buttons.

Anne and Catherine do not have a blog, but maybe with a little encouragement from all of us, they will start one and share more of their great projects! Come on girls...join in on the blogging fun!

Thanks so much for sending me the picture!!

My next new blogging friend is from Sacramento, California. Debra has a wonderful blog called Whiterose Designs.

She just remodeled her sewing room and it's beautiful. This is her cutting table...such a great area.

Love the corner sewing table and the chair...I want it! Love the color.

Fabulous thread organizer.

She placed fabric in a frame and then mounted the thread rack on to that...so cute!

I saved the best for last. Debra is a seamstress and her dream of working out of her home has now come true. She makes such beautiful garments and accessories. I love this dress! If you would love for her to make you something, I'd send her an email...I'm sure she'd loved to hear from you.

Thank you ladies for such inspirational pictures. I just loved sharing them,
~Karen~

Another New England Friend is Having A Give Away...

Hi everyone, I wanted to share another wonderful give away from a blogging friend. Gail is from the blog, The Fairy Gardener Quilts Too. Her blog is not only full of quilty inspiration, but it is chock full of gardening tips. This is the area I need the most help in. My thumb is definitely NOT green. LOL!!

Speaking of green...look at the beautiful greens in these fabrics. Her give away is 6 (yes, 6) half yard cuts of the fabrics below. That's 3 total yards...WOW!

Click HERE to go to her blog and enter this give away. Click her Follow button too...her gardening tips are wonderful and spring is coming...I hope! There's hope here in New England. I'm starting to see parts of the grass.

Have a great day,
~Karen~

Join Me For Zlaty's Baby Shower...

Many of you who have read and enjoyed Zlaty's blog know that she is expecting a baby girl this month. I've only known Zlaty through blogging, but I'm so excited for her. I did a post a few months ago to invite any one who would like to make or buy her a little baby gift.

As you can see by the PINK button below, she is having a baby girl. For some color hints , she loves the color green and she is using light purple in the baby's room. For more color help, pop over to her blog (click here)and you will see some beautiful baby blocks that a group of friends are making for a baby quilt for her.

The tradition in Zlaty's family is to have a baby shower after the baby is born. I was thinking, if any one would like to send her a little gift, which will probably be in February...let me know and I will arrange an address for you to send it to her.

Leave a comment on this post if you are interested and when I have arranged the address with Zlaty I will email it to you. That way you can send her the gift directly. If there isn't an email address attached to your blog or if you don't have a blog, please make sure I have a way to contact you.

Thanks so much and I hope you can join us in celebrating this wonderful time for Zlaty and her family,

~Karen~

Friends, Fabric and Food...

There's no better way to spend a Friday than with friends, fabric and food. Last Friday I went to a new to me fabric store with my friend Tina from Seaside Stitches. Tina and her friend Janet (no blog, but I think we should convince Janet to start one though, lol !!) invited me to join them for a day of shopping at Ryco Trimming Co. This store is amazing...6000 bolts of quilt fabric and trims to die for. I think I went to ric rac heaven!

Another blogging friend, Shellie, from Shellie Sews, works at Ryco. It was so wonderful to finally meet her in person.

The picture below was taken in the store. Tina on the left, Shellie in the middle and then me on the right. Next time we'll remember to take a picture with Janet and my sister...they were taking this photo.


Here are a few of the things I purchased that day. Isn't this the cutest Halloween fabric from RJR.
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and great Christmas fabric too!

Here is a picture of the trim I purchased. I could have stayed in that section all day.

Isn't this JUMBO ric rac the best.

My sister happen to call me while I was in the fabric store, so she met us there too. We all went for lunch and had a great time. I made 2 wonderful new friends in Shellie and Janet that day.

Thanks ladies for a wonderful time!

If you want to follow two wonderful blogs, hop on over to Tina's and Shellie's blogs...they are fabulous. So many great quilts, projects and pictures. Here are their links...Seaside Stitches and Shellie Sews

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Have a great Friday,

~Karen~

You're Invited To A Baby Shower...

A virtual blogging baby shower that is. I became blogging friends with Zlaty last year. She joined a few of my fabric swaps and has always been there for me with a kind word on every one of my posts.

I know a lot of you know her through her wonderful blog Zlaty Sews. Well, she recently announced on her blog on this post that she and her husband are expecting their first baby in January...and it's a girl !!! Woo Hoo!

I was thinking, wouldn't it be fun if we had a Blogging Baby Shower for her! I've never done this before, but I was thinking we could:

• make, create or share something with Zlaty for the baby
• maybe knit a pair of booties or blanket, sew a little quilt or wall hanging or buy a cute little baby frame or how about those onesies, boy do babies go through those!...just something small to share with the new baby.
• she is due in late January, so we have plenty of time to make something
• I will have a reminders in the months to come
• in Zlaty's family, the tradition is to have the baby shower after the baby is born, so I will send everyone who wants to make something for Zlaty the address where to send it, probably in February.

I have spoken to Zlaty about this idea already, so it's not a surprise. I just think it will be so much fun to get little packages in the mail from all her blogging friends during that special time.

If you'd like to come to a Blogging Baby Shower, just leave a comment here. Hope you can join in the fun. Maybe we'll have a few baby tutorial posts along the way.

Thanks in advance for joining in on the fun,

~Karen~