Weekly Calendar:
July 17
Katie from Kati's Quilting
Jamie from Sweet Baby Jamie
Janine from Rainbow Hare Quilts
This week's guest post is by Kerry from verykerryberry. This is another of my favorite blogs - I love all her cute and inspiring projects. And I always love her fabric choices. Plus, with my new interest in paper piecing, Kerry's blog is a great resource (as is her other blog Sew-Ichigo.) And she also has a great collection of blogging tips on her blog.
Thank you to Beth for inviting me to share a few thoughts in her Advice for New Bloggers feature. I am Kerry and I blog over at verykerryberry. There have been some great contributors already so I thought I would narrow my focus down to voice. This is the biggest thing for me in blogging. Blogging is ultimately a form of diary keeping in words and pictures so I want to feel some truth and integrity beyond the pictures or the recipes, or the goods or service they may also provide. I am attracted to blogs where I feel an openness, a willingness to share ideas and inspiration and a little bit of themselves. I don't need to know a blogger's inner deepest darkest secrets but I like to give a piece of me when I blog and I guess I like the same in others. When I have got to know this type of blogger better, the person never disappoints.
Ayumi's Pink Penguin blog was one of the first I followed and she has become great friend.
 |
| Image from Pink Penguin via verykerryberry |
Her blog is such an inspiring place to visit. It is clean and easy to navigate, there are lots of free patterns and tutorials and she connects with her readers, responding to comments no matter how busy she is. She has no pretence and is honest and open and her many blog readers reflect how much people appreciate this.
Many of you will be familiar with Lynne from Lily's quilts. From her early days of blogging, what has stood out is her humour and her willingness to share. We have sent many emails back and forth over all sorts of quilting and non quilting issues and meeting her in person was lovely and confirmation that she is as easy to sit and chat to as she is to read. You hear Lynne in her posts, it is like she is standing there talking with you.
Many of you will be familiar with Lynne from Lily's quilts. From her early days of blogging, what has stood out is her humour and her willingness to share. We have sent many emails back and forth over all sorts of quilting and non quilting issues and meeting her in person was lovely and confirmation that she is as easy to sit and chat to as she is to read. You hear Lynne in her posts, it is like she is standing there talking with you.
 |
| Image from Lily's Quilts via verykerryberry |
Anna Maria Horner is a great example of someone who despite her busy working and family life, genuinely loves blogging and connecting- not because we are her potential customers but because she loves what she does and likes to connect with others who feel the same. I never feel like she is corporate in any way despite being a massive brand in the quilting world.
 |
| Image from Anna Maria Horner via verykerryberry |
Her blog still feels personal, never commercial and on Instagram she posts the usual mix of pics like everyone else of pets, kids, home and works in progress. I admire her hugely for keeping it real and her free flowing creativity is reflected in her fabrics, her new range Field Study, look incredible!
Blogging is a multi platform activity. I love Instagram. It is such a fast way to capture and share images and is a great aid to blogging as the pictures are easily sent to Flickr, Facebook and Twitter. Instagram has its own community of commenters and likers which feels friendly and intimate- it is a gentle, supportive way to connect with other bloggers. Twitter is a little different. It took me a while to get the hang of Twitter. It takes time to get to know how it works- Laura did a great post on this here. Twitter is fast and there is nothing better than your twitter friends for a speedy bit of advice, I have had responses in seconds. Katy Jones (Imagingermonkey) is the Mistress of Twitter and Instagram. She is fresh, funny and fast. She is all those things in person too!
 |
| Image from I'm a Ginger Monkey via verykerryberry |
Katy also demonstrates the different feel you can get from a blogger depending on the social media they use. She has a different voice for each platform and they all relate and complement each other. She is a skilled communicator and gives a lot of herself to each medium, nothing is neglected. It is hard work, you have to love it to do it so skillfully on so many platforms. You need to use Twitter to really understand it and get beyond weekly tweets announcing that a new blog post is up. Twitter is in the here and now, it is micro blogging on the run and its speed can make it the funniest and rudest place. I laugh loudest and hardest on twitter rather than Instagram or blog reading. I feel like I dip in and out of Twitter between the demands of work and family and sewing but there is always someone there and always something I can connect with. If you want a way into Twitter, shared events like #fqchat create new ways to get to know your blogging friends and make new ones.
I hope my ramble helps you in the world of blogging. Above all, be yourself, that's the best advice I can give for life generally or just blogging!
Thanks Kerry!
Are you inspired to get on Twitter and Instagram after Kerry's post? I've been using both more often recently and have participated in the chat she mentioned - and let me just say - that was a super fun and funny chat. One of the questions asked and discussed was what fabric would you want with you on a deserted island?!? If you are already using Twitter or Instagram or sign up for the first time this week, find me so we can "figure it out together" - ha, ha. You can look me up as plumandjune for both.
Check out the list of tutorials from blog hoppers here. And here are this week's highlights:
Intro to HTML by Echinops and Aster
Personalizing your Blogger Comment by Made by ChrissieD
How to Have Your Blog Linked in Your Profile by Fabric Engineer
This week's giveaway is from Sew Fresh Fabrics. Peg is offering one lucky person a $40 gift certificate to her wonderful fabric shop. She has a great selection including some really fun bundles - I especially like her stash builders organized by color and her Kona bundles that she puts together inspired by recent fabric lines. And if you are looking for it, Peg has a great selection of Birds and Bees.
To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment on this post - any comment. Want a topic - how about letting me know if you have used any of the advice we have received through the advice series. One comment per person for an entry. This giveaway will remain open until Saturday, July 21, 2012 at 8pm EDT and one winner will be chosen at random. And, please, unless you are sure that you are NOT a no-reply blogger, write your email address in your comment. The winner will be announced in the Blog Hop News on July 23, 2012.
The winner of last week's giveaway from Poppyseed Fabrics is: MichalaJuly 9, 2012 6:09 AM Congrats!
1. Anyone who is participating or following along with the hop can add a link that is quilting or sewing-related.
2. For this week, what about linking up an old blog post that you got a different response than what you had expected - either one that got more comments, pins, or links than you would have thought or vice versa. When the link tool asks for your name, write the name of your favorite breakfast.
3. You can also link up your recent post - when the link tool asks for your name, write the name of your second favorite breakfast BUT I'm hosting TGIFF this Friday so consider whether you want to link your recent posts now or then (or both, I guess?!?)
4. It is up to you but consider linking to this page from your blog so others can join in as well.
5. Please visit (at least) the person who links up before you and leave a comment to say hello!
Hey Blog Hoppers - link the events you are hosting on your blog here and on the main blog hop page! Just list the name of your event and your blog when the link tool asks for your name.
