merry christmas and happy new year: Blogging for me...and you! :)

Hey kids! How's your week treating you so far? I'm feeling better...not 100%, but better! Feeling under the weather wasn't all bad. On the positive side I got some much needed rest and caught up on some of my fave blogs. It's mind blowing to me to see how many I actually have in my reader! Or I should say readers. I must have over 1200 blogs racked up! I know some are old and dusty and most likely abandoned...but I think it would take me a day to go through and tidy up. I've been blogging since 2006, and in that span of time...which you can either see as a short while, or epic...I have met so so so many amazing friends, artists, crafters, etc. It is just incredible! I had no idea going in that it would be possible to connect with this tremendously expansive spectrum of peeps from around the globe.

I started my blog with no expectations. For me it was a genuine attempt to get out of the house when I was unable to actually do so. It was when Aaron was laid up after his accident. We no longer had the store, no van, walks involved a walker, or a cane, or crutches...so we couldn't go very far. It was just us in our tiny apartment hoping that bones were finally healing correctly after a ton of surgery. With kismet on my side I found blogs and my world was changed forever. As Aaron and life in general slowly started to mend we were faced with having to change up our career. Doing big heavy furniture was no longer an option, so we began selling our art online...ebay and the early days of etsy. My blog was a place to share all of the new paintings and pieces we were working on. Kind of a peek into our studio. I knew how much I loved seeing a bit behind the wizard's curtain when it came to my fave artists and designers...I thought it would be a cool way to connect with our collectors.

And we did connect...with so so many like minded souls. We began teaching at fantastic art events, traveling...and somehow this world that was made so much bigger via the internet simultaneously shrunk. A globe became a neighborhood.

It goes without saying that so much has changed. In our own little world at home, and in the burgeoning blogging community. This community which can be described as a series of over lapping circles. Each circle is complete...it's own unique self...but at some point there is a commonality that links it to the next circle and the next circle... There are Mommy blogs, Craft blogs, Fashion blogs, Food blogs, etc, etc...but the thrill is in finding the common thread...maybe the one thing that invites us in...piques our interest. It could be a photo, a recipe, a dress, a joke, a story of hardship...or even the writerly "voice" of the blogger. I'm so excited to see the reach and range that's possible in blogging.

I am so so thankful for you guys... I appreciate every single comment...and wish I could throw a big party and invite all of you! :)

My blog has certainly grown into something more than a mere means of "getting out of the house"...or a way of getting my artwork out into the world. It's become bigger than me...the tail is wagging the dog. And I really enjoy it...I have lots of plans and ideas...but I'd LOVE to her your thoughts as well! I blog for me...but I certainly blog for you too...of course I do! I'd love to hear what you guys like...or what you'd like to see more of!