Monday, March 29, 2010

First Anniversary

This blog is a year old! My how time flies. I like to tell stories with a lot of pictures and few words but today I feel the need for going on a bit.

winter 009

I started out on this journey by signing up for an Etsy shop – my crafting needs to be more self-supporting though I still haven’t opened. Some said that a good way to promote the shop was to blog. Blog? You mean put yourself out on the web? Are you nuts? I imagined blogs as the territory of self absorbed, love-lorn teenagers swooning over Robert Pattinson or literary blogs with solitary writers reaching out for peer review and grammatically correct companionship from fellow wordsmiths, but I’d never heard of crafting blogs.  And then I spotted this -

 

DCF 1.0

 

I was perusing the magazines at Barnes & Noble when the colours on the cover of this issue of “Artful Blogging” caught my eye, I opened it and was blown away – so much colour, so much creativity, so much positive attitude; I started visiting the blogs in the magazine, much too timid to venture a comment. I noticed a recurring observation – many bloggers would say how blogging had helped to grow artistically, how the photography was improving. This is exactly what I needed – the motivation to improve – so I jumped in. I had (and often still have) no idea what I’m doing or where I’m headed but I’m in this for the journey. And because there’s bound to be a lot of wandering here and there and an eclectic mix of stuff I though I should travel as a gypsy – much of my life has been an un-rooted wandering, always eager to see what was over the next hill. I’ve discovered there are a lot of gypsies in Blogland!

 

0940 ShowgirlActress-122_SummertownSun

 

I also like the circus, with its mystery, colour, fantastic costumes and general creepiness. So this gypsy dabbles in magic – of the entertaining kind. I’ve also discovered something deeper, the community: when one person makes a positive comment on a blog I’m reading, even though I don’t know these women (mostly women) and the comment wasn’t directed to me, I feel uplifted by it. The goodness spreads like the rings in a pond after a pebble is tossed in and it influences so many.

 

budameditandofu2a

 

There is a Buddhist prayer:

“I go for refuge to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha until the attainment of the enlightenment. From the virtuous merit that I collect by practicing giving and other perfections, may I attain enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.”

The Buddha is the teacher, the Dharma is the law and the Sangha is the community of believers. In blogging I have been able to take refuge in this very generous community of believers so I would like to thank you: for creating your beauty and sharing, for uplifting and positive actions, for your companionship.

And to celebrate this blog’s birthday in true Hobbit style I would like to give you something – if you like vintage images please feel free to snag a few, below are some old postcards from my collection.

 

DCF 1.0

Happy Easter!

 

DCF 1.0

 

DCF 1.0

 

DCF 1.0

Because we all need love!

9 comments:

Lorraine said...

What a wonderful and giving post, I am very grateful for it, thank you Gypsy, it sure spoke to me ;)

Julie Ann said...

Happy 1 year anniversary!!! :D May there be many, many more!

Debby said...

Happy 1st blog anniversary. Beautiful post!
Debby

Karen Valentine said...

Happy Anniversary Gypsy!!!! That magazine was the catalyst for me starting my blog too!!!! Thanks so much for coming over and visiting me. You are right to keep telling your husband that being laid off could be just what he needs to pursue his dreams. It's happening all over America and it happened to me to! Have a wonderful week... and get that shop open! :)

Karen
My Desert Cottage
Valentine Design

Sea Witch said...

How wonderful and congrats. I'm also coming up to my first year anny...and you are correct, time certainly has flown by. I adore all of the wonderful folks I have met and all of their blogs have opened so many wonderful worlds and friendships. Sea Witch

Deborah said...

I love that magazine. In fact I love many of the Somerset Studio publications and spend way too much money buying them each month. I am glad you were motivated to start blogging. It definitely is a wonderful way to meet kindred spirits.

Deborah said...

Me again. Thanks for stopping by and the information on Live writer. I will definitely check it out later.

Karen Valentine said...

Hey Gypsy! I know what you mean about the air conditioning!!! I carry a sweater everywhere I go in the summer. I almost always need it inside! Hope you are enjoying these gorgeous days!
Karen
My Desert Cottage
Valentine Design

Tallahassee Land Surveyors said...

Hello maate great blog post