my life

I turned 40 last year – I wrote a little bit about it then, but recently I have realised that turning 40 changed me in more ways than I at first realised. I have discovered that I care less about some things that I used to think were important, and I care more about other things that never even made it to the surface before.

For example, money: these days money is not at the top of my list, it is not even near the top of my list. It is not that I don’t need it, or think about it, or even worry about the day to day of household budgets or anything like that, it is more that my decisions about how I live my life don’t factor it in — it is no longer a reason to do or not to do things. I find if I don’t have enough money I just live a little simpler that week, we eat leftovers or use up what is in the pantry, if I am running low I don’t buy new clothes or go to the hairdresser – I save the money for the big important things and live simpler day to day. I know for some people money is closer to their mind because of need and for others it is because of greed, but for me money is just a side issue to what is really important in life.

Another example, what people think about me: of course I do still fret about this and I do care what people think — it is probably why I get so nervous public speaking, why I am shy at parties, why I hate small talk, why I am such a homebody … but as I get older, what people think of me or what I think they might think of me is no longer a deciding factor in my decision making process. These days saying ‘f*ck that’ is way more likely! I don’t hang out with people who suck my energy, I prefer to be with people who I can exchange energy with, who make me feel alive, and that is just as important with internet relationships as it is with real life ones.

I have been musing over these two points these last few days, in the aftermath of the f*ck quilt project and the ‘N’ quilt and reflecting on what it all means for me and blogging. How people’s reactions affect what I might choose to post or say here on my blog. I want to discuss advertising on blogs — yes I have a few advertisers on this blog, and it pays for the running and hosting costs and the various things that go into the IT support of the blog, that little bit of cash is nice, it is nowhere near to being close to an income, I don’t think I put enough effort into marketing and managing ads for that to ever happen. So when a few people in the comments of last weeks post asked me whether I had considered my advertisers before posting a guest post, it stopped me in my tracks — no of course I didn’t — why would I? What my advertisers think of each post was not and has never been a consideration of mine. When a business chooses to advertise with whipup they do so because of the large and varied craft audience, because of the longevity and reputation and because they get value for their money. But when some mean folks got a bee in their bonnet and decided to email my advertisers and tell them that their loyal customers might not return if they didn’t stop advertising with whipup this issue became real. Should a blog tell their advertisers what they will be posting in advance? Of course not — But when advertisers come into the mix the situation gets sticky. Maybe bloggers do pander to their advertisers, maybe they do think twice in case of offending advertisers, maybe some blogs are consciously or unconsciously being not so confrontational or real because of a perceived notion of what folks want — it is like the pastelisation of the home/craft blogging world – maybe I sometimes do that too?

If you add up the standard reasons people blog and continue to blog year after year (building a platform, selling a product, discussing a project, sharing a life) and then you remove the items that either no longer or never did apply to you, what do you have left? Once you and your blog evolve past a certain point, it is time to reflect on what/who/why you are doing it all for. For me, after blogging for going on 8 years, I think that my blogging style has evolved considerably, as have the reasons I blog and continue to do so — despite the hard work that goes into it, the soul searching, the writing, the answering of the emails, the behind the scenes maintenance — all of that — despite all of that — I still continue to enjoy blogging — sharing and being a part of this craft blogging community that has evolved with, and alongside, whipup.

This is all to say that whipup is not going to go through any drastic changes, it is a mainstay on the craft blogging scene – an essential component of a thriving and exciting blogging community. Whipup will however continue to evolve and this is just one little step on that evolutionary path to enlightenment. So while I am not sure exactly what form these changes will take, I know there will be a few, but I will continue to post what is real and raw in the craft world – I have no idea where that may lead — but craft activisim and the intersection of art and craft is more prevalent than ever before and I will continue to seek out the interesting, bold and new. But I will still be posting what is important to me and to you in the everyday craft making realm too — crafts for your kids, home and self, crafts for health, for practicalities, for creativity, for charity as well as those crafts that are purely for the joy of it too!

So thank you to readers who have supported whipup over the years and will continue to visit every now and again. This blogging thing is a bit of a roller-coaster emotionally (sometimes) but it is rewarding and it does come with its benefits, so I will be sticking at it for a while yet!

{ 36 comments }

[pics above - a selection from our year that was]

The start of a fresh year brings a need to reflect on what was and what will be.

Do you stop and have some reflection time at this time of year?

On reflection 2011 was a pretty good year professionally for me — on the personal/family front it has been good too – nothing bad happened (quick touch wood), we went on a really good family holiday, read some great books, made some cool things, started at the gym, the kids all did well at school, I learned some new skills, made new friends and drank some good wine.

I love to plan, reflect and write lists all year round, but this time of year is a particularly good time to really get to the nitty gritty of what you want to do differently – what needs changing. I am not talking about resolutions like getting fit etc. (as they inevitably get broken pretty quickly) but rather some big but achievable goals that you can work towards during the year.

My goals for the year:

• Spend less time online but be more productive with my online time: – use schedules and lists.
• Make a few changes to Action Pack (my e-magazine for kids), it was a good year but I think I worked too hard: – pull back a little.
• I’ll be working on some books and freelance writing projects this year so I need to really manage my time well: – get familiar with time management tools.
• Simplifying the clutter in my life by getting rid of stuff – not buying a lot of new stuff too: – be ruthless and clear out – don’t buy new crap to fill the gaps.
• Being eco friendly is important to us as a family – but I fear I have slipped this past year: the solution: – don’t buy stuff with lots of packaging, only buy clothes second hand or make them – and continue to shop at the farmers market.
• On the more personal front – take better care of myself: – continue to go to the gym, make more effort to avoid sugar and get a hair cut every once in a while.

Please tell me your goals – do these resonate with you or do you have a few different goals?

I have kick started the year by clearing out the old in my life and home — I have chucked out all old and unflattering clothing (for myself and everyone else too!), toys and books that the kids have outgrown, never used kitchen utensils, vases and lampshades that clutter, excess linen that is clogging up the storage spaces… This is what I have been doing in the first day of the new year…

• Did I use or wear this at all in the past 12 months? Is it taking up valuable storage space? Do we really need all that stuff … it just collects dust, doesn’t get used and makes a mess.
• What then do I do with all this stuff: Some of it I am not quite ready to throw out .. vacpac it and store it on the top cupboard, give to a family member who might dispose of it / or put it to use for you — advertise some of the better quality goods for sale, but because I can’t be bothered with this I will be giving it all to charity or to friends – is there anyone out there (who lives near me) who would like a treadle singer sewing machine?. I have bundled up bags of unwanted clothing for the charity shop but I may consider later in the year hosting a clothes/white elephant swap day with friends.
• For all the stuff I am keeping – it needs a home – and if I can’t put it away then I’ll be throwing it away. Kids toys – out of the living room, books – on books shelves, craft supplies – in a box (or two) on a shelf or under a bed, linen – folded and sorted in the linen cupboard. (You might need more storage – get some under bed roller boxes or put up some bookshelves). Then I’ll be making a pact to not store things on the dining table or the kitchen bench or on the couch – if I can keep these areas clear then I am winning the battle!

Once you have a clear space to live in – you will be better positioned to clear your head and think about the bigger picture that is your life. We are making plans this year to make some changes — less work, more play — more travel and adventure in our lives. I am planning for more books, a big trip and a location change — it’s going to be a big and exciting year … I hope you have some grand plans for your year too!

{ 6 comments }