Thursday, July 31, 2008

Happy Belated Anniversary


Okay, so this is truly embarrassing. For some reason, I have been convinced that I started this blog on July 31, 2007. I just checked, however, and it seems that my first entry was actually July 30, 2007 - so, I missed my own blog anniversary! (Puts head under pillow and mutters for 30 seconds.) At any rate, though, whether yesterday or today, the sentiment is the same. I've been doing this for a year - the blog has gone through its drooling, spitting up (so to speak), rolling over and crawling stages and should by now be tottering around unsteadily on its feet. And possibly saying "Mama" at odd hours of the night and day.

Just between you and me, for several years I never really "got" blogging. What was the attraction of reading about the daily life of a complete stranger? When you sit down to think about it, it is a bit of an odd phenomenon. However, one day, when I had a bit of time on my hands, I surfed over to the Yarn Harlot's blog, which had been recommended to me by some knitting friends. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard in my life, at least not in front of the computer. So, I started lurking on a bunch of knitting blogs (I was just on the cusp of turning into a bead fanatic back then but had not yet fallen).

After I started collecting art beads, I began visiting bead blog sites, such as Melanie Lukacs' excellent blog (I believe I pulled the blog address from one of her business cards, originally, after making a purchase from her). I stumbled upon the new Art Bead Scene blog shortly thereafter and by then I was not so much sliding down the slippery slope as hurling headlong down it. When Melanie and Heather Powers of Humblebeads (who also has excellent blogs, by the way) invited me to participate as their designer in a Bead Exploration Collaboration project, I said yes immediately. In order to participate, I needed a forum in which to post my jewelry designs and, thus, this blog was born.

Honestly, I never thought I would have enough to say to maintain a blog full-time (now, of course, it's hard to get me to shut up, but that's another story) or be interesting enough for anyone to want to follow the blog or even check in from time to time. However, according to my comments section and stat counter, there are those of you who do, and I am very, very grateful to you all. Thank you so much for making writing this blog such an enjoyable experience.

I thought I'd share a little love with you today, so I am giving away one of my "Geek Love" pendants this week to celebrate. For anyone not familiar with this particular pendant - it spells out "love" in binary code (with a red resin heart in place of a zero). Like most of my work, it is fine silver. In order to enter to win, please leave me a comment below. Next Thursday, I will have the Short One pick the winner from his hat. Once entered, you must come back to see if you've won, and I will provide details on how to claim your prize.

Thanks again!

17 comments:

Arsinoe said...

Happy belated anniversary!

How do you do it all?

Carlene said...

I have to agree-blogging is an odd phenomenon. But for us lurkers (who leave occasional comments) it can be an inspiration to see what other folks are doing in the artsy world. So keep it up!!! And happy belated anniversary!!!

Anonymous said...

I just discovered your blog - love the pendant! I'm just getting into blogging, myself!

Anonymous said...

Happy anniversary.One year,time goes so quick.I really don't know how you do it.You create such beautiful things.

Lorelei Eurto said...

Yippee! You made it a whole year!
From one beady blogger to another, may you have many more years of happy blogging!

Maria said...

Happy Anniversary! I love popping in to see what you are up to and of course looking at your creations! You always amaze me! Here's to the next year! Congrats!

melanie brooks said...

Happy Anniversary, Melissa! I am amazed and very impressed with hw much you have grown over the last year. I remember encouraging you to make a blog...I knew you would find a voice with it! YAY! I am so proud of you!

Melissa said...

Congrats on blogging for a year. I don't know how long I've been reading your blog, but it seems like it's been close to that long. I enjoy it, and love your work.

Anonymous said...

Happy belated anniversary! Very beautiful and creative pendant.

Hannah

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary!Your work is so beautiful.I've got several magazines here that have your beads & things in it.I've tried to find you on the net to buy somethings.Well,now I found you! and I wish you and yours' the very best!

The Bead Gypsy said...

Hi Melissa!
Found you through Art Bead Scene, happy anniversary! I am looking at blogging for my business, been lurking and checking out blog spots, need that next extra push to fall into the blog scene myself. Thanks for making it look so tempting :-)

Amanda said...

Happy (very belated) anniversary!

This probably feels like a little milestone... it's a fabulous celebration of commitment!

It's so nice to see beady bloggers who have stuck with it! It gives the rest of us hope.


The pendant is a pretty fabulous idea.

This is a little less e-geek related and more... carnival-related-geeking. I was just wondering if you'd read "Geek Love" by Katharine Dunn. It's more about geeking in the carnival rather than the world wide web, but I picked it up thinking it was about computers... and I fell in love with it. Now, every time I see "Geek Love," I associate it with people biting the heads off of chickens. :P If it sounds like it's your speed, I'd definitely recommend checking it out!

Michele P. said...

Happy Anniversary! I am a fairly new blogger, and would have been doing this years ago if I knew how fun it was! Your pendant is very pretty! Please stop on over to my blog too, I am having my 50th post giveaway (yeah, a few posts late myself!)

Unknown said...

hi mel,

and happy anniversary!

i have been very impressed by both your blogging and artistry. how do you manage to find the time?

and what will the SO be wearing this halloween? i can't wait to find out.

from rainy sydney,
sarah

Ring by Ring Designs said...

Belated Happy Belated Anniversary. I do wonder about bloggers as I add information about my house, vacations etc in addition, I hope to some interesting things. Blogging is a bit addicting. Here is to another year of interesting posts.
Bev

SueBeads said...

I just discovered your blog too! I am a lurker, as well, but love to peek and see what you wrote each day! Thanks!
SUe

Christina J. said...

Happy Anniversary! I always enjoy reading your blog. :)