Sunday, January 2, 2011

One Year of Blogging Bliss

It's hard to believe that I have now been blogging for one year and one day.   I started the blog last year on New Year's Day at the suggestion of my husband and the urging of the whole family.  I was a little reluctant at first and didn't think I would have anything to say or any ideas that anyone would be interested in reading about.  Although I had in mind for this to be a decorating blog, I also know that we are very sloooooow in getting projects done around the house so when I made the decision to be fairly eclectic in my content I actually felt that I could make it work.   Fortunately, it also suits my random personality.   Initially I thought I would blog for a year and see how I was doing and decide if I wanted to continue at that time.  Well a year is up and the experience has far surpassed my expectations. 

I wanted to let you know the top five things I love about blogging (both in having my own and reading others):


1)  I love the blog land community - I've met some of you in person and many I have corresponded with by email and through the comments on my blog through good times and bad and I have to say you guys are the best.  You are unfailingly kind and thoughtful and helpful and go out of your way to be friendly.  I'm touched every time someone takes the time to write a comment.  When I publish a post I kind of hold my breath until I get my first comment and after that I don't mind.  I guess I feel it means that someone is interested and cares about what I am thinking about and writing.  I love the support, the suggestions, and the soul that is to be found in the blog community.


2)  I love being the editor of my own on-line magazine - or at least that's how it feels to me!  I decide what I will write about, I take the photos, I write the text and so it is my magazine.  It's kind of heady stuff.   I love letting the creative juices flow and see what I come up with.

3)  I love taking photographs and editing them and deciding which ones I'm going to put on the blog.  I took photos before I had the blog, but not nearly as many and I have learned a lot about composition, colour, and photo-editing over this past year.  I've fallen in love with photography and I see the world with new eyes now.  I'm always looking out for things to take pictures of and always have my camera with me so I can take some shots.  I've also taken to studying photos in magazines to see how they set up a shot and what angle they used to make the food look good or how to style a room.  I have so much more to learn, but that just thrills me no end.


4)  I love the inspiration - I love the ideas I see on other people's blogs and am constantly impressed with ideas for crafts, decorating, cooking, baking, and photography.  I can't tell you how many ideas I've incorporated into my home and life this past year (mostly because I've lost track), but it makes me happy to have this constant source of creative ideas to be able to draw on.


5)  I love the motivation - I love the little push I get to start - and yes, even to finish - a project so I can post about it on my blog.  As I've said we are slow getting things done around the house, but the blog has helped me be a bit more focussed and for that I'm very grateful.  I love, love, love finished projects and am enjoying the things we have accomplished in 2010.

I have to say that a part of me is a bit intimidated to have completed one year of blogging as  maybe I have run out of things to say, maybe I've done it all -  but I don't think so.  I still have lists on my desk with blog post ideas and 2011 is an exciting year for me so I don't think the creative well has run dry yet.  Here are some of the highlights of this year - it's going to be a big one:
  • we celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary in February
  • our oldest son is getting married in May
  • he's also graduating with his Bachelor of Arts in June
  • I'm going to Bangladesh for a month in the summer with a friend to teach in the Speech-Language Pathology department
  • hubby and I will be spending a week or so in France to celebrate our wedding anniversary (a stop-off on the way to Bangladesh)
  • Kate will be starting University in Nova Scotia
Phew - it's going to be a blast.  

I do have a giveaway in mind to celebrate my one-year blog anniversary, but I don't have it organized yet - so stay tuned. 

22 comments:

  1. Grace you are quite a woman!! Yes 2011 will be great!! Thank you for the inspirations!

    Happy New Years!

    Xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  2. I love your list, and all of those reasons would make my list, too. I really like how blogging allows me to develop some talents that aren't just in home decor and crafts.

    You are going to have quite a year! Congratulations a little early.

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  3. Except for the awesome photography part, I can so relate to this post about starting a blog. We started at the same time and it turned out to be much more of a wonderful experience than I could have imagined. I still hesitate before clicking the "publish" button on every post.

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  4. Grace,
    I love your blog! Congratulations on you "blogiversary." I cannot wait to read about all you have planned for 2011. By the way, you photographs for this post are gorgeous! It is truly a Winter Wonderland :D

    xoxoxo
    Ricki Jill

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  5. Congratulations!!! You know how happy I am to see you celebrating your 1 year blog anniversary, we started at almost the exact same time and that has made us sisters in blogging! You have so many things to celebrate this year, and wow 30 years of marriage commemorated in Paris, plus a wedding, and a child going to Uni will make 2011 an exciting year for you and your family! Keep doing what you're doing because I truly enjoy visiting your blog and seeing your wonderful pictures!! I love that boat photo!!!

    Kat :)

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  6. What a great post! I think your list is bang on to how I also feel about blogging! Love your photos also-beautiful!!

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  7. Congratulations to you Grace and thank you for being such a great blogger and correspondent. Sounds like 2011 is going to be exciting. Here's to your second year
    Sharon

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  8. Congratulations Grace ~ May 2011 be a great year for you and your family.

    FlowerLady

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  9. Congratulations on your one year anniversary Grace! I have enjoyed being a part of the adventure and look forward to another year with you! I absolutely love your photographs; they are a constant source of inspiration to me. What camera do you use?

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  10. Congratulations on your bloggaversary Grace! I have just celebrated mine as well and totally agree with your top 5. It certainly is going to be a fantastic year for you. I can see I am going to be paying quite a few visits to S&S in 2011! ;)Sharyne

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  11. WOW!! Grace your upcoming year sounds fabulous!!

    Love looking in on you!!

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  12. Happy 1st blogoversary, Grace! Take a bow - you've created such a gorgeous space here. I'm so pleased I found you in Blogland in 2011. And I completely agree with every one of your points about blogging. Wishing you only health and happiness for the New Year. J x (in faraway Hobart, Australia)

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  13. Congrats and Happy New Year! 2011 is going to be a busy and exciting year for you!

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  14. Great list Grace. I am so glad to have found your lovely blog. What a fabulous year ahead you and your family have coming. Enjoy. Deb

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  15. Congrats on one year! You have a great blog and I enjoy reading.

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  16. WOW grace, what a year!! I look forward to tagging along. And congratulations on 30 years of happy marriage - I don't have to tell you what an accomplishment that is.

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  17. blogging is such a great journey! congrats on the anniversary!

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  18. Grace, I've enjoyed reading your blog the last 6 weeks and I'm so glad you shared how to do the 12 days of christmas with us readers. I was able to send some joy using your ideas and tweaking it just a bit for the recipients. Thanks for having your blog. I like that it's sense and simplicity. Happy New Year to you and yours. AL from Calif.

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  19. Hi Grace,

    I'm so with you on your list of things you love. It's a constant surprise how much I love blogging!

    Your blog is so lovely - your photos are outstanding. And I love the way you write, too. It's such a pleasure to pop over and see you.

    Sarahx

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  20. Congrats on your one-year blogiversary! I know exactly what you mean about blogging being like writing your own magazine - it's so great to be able to write about what you want, when you want, how you want :-)

    It looks like you've going to have an exciting year in 2011 - enjoy every minute of it :-)

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  21. Congrats on your one year blogiversary! I adore your blog...it's one of my favourite! 'Grace Magazine' is such a source of inspiration to me and I have learned so many things from you! Your photos are fabulous too! Angie xo

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  22. I just discovered your blog today! Wow, the images are simply stunning. I love the inclusion of nature photos. I am going to spend some time here and best of luck in your next year of blogging.

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