justBeConnected

My Blogging Story; Share Yours~

I haven't been a hostess this year because I thought there might be a week where a Scheduled Hostess would be unable to post and I could fill in for them. This is the week~ Now I get to be a hostess!

  After Maggie was born in the spring of 2004 I was searching for a way to express myself creatively. I was feeling isolated and stifled as a stay at home Mama of two children under two. (Ethan was born in the fall of 2002). As always I had my journals and books to keep me company, but I needed more. My usual trips to the self-help/metaphysical section of the bookstore failed to help me find the comfort in pages that I had so often been content with in the past. I wanted to connect with someone who understood and could validate my feelings of love and longing.

I began reading my old journals. I decided to create a visual book out of copies of my old journals, papers I bought from the local craft store, and scraps from my past I had collected over the years. The result was a 100 page mixed media memoir called Be Alive Believe Be You based on a poem I wrote about my life experience. (you can read a few pages here.)

I thought if I could publish my book either on the web or in a more traditional way I would finally get to connect with all my sisters I felt were calling out to me.  In the summer of 2005 my search began for how to publish a book. Every article I read said how it was important to have your own web site. I knew nothing about web sites or code or domain names. When researching host sites I came across information about a blog ~ an online journal. This seemed like a great idea to me and looked much more natural than the static web page that I saw created by many authors.

I chose TypePad because I liked that you could have a custom banner and look of your blog without knowing any code. After 6 months I upgraded to TypePad Pro because I wanted to have more than one blog. I purchased the domain name Be Alive Believe Be You and then mapped that name to my TypePad account. I used a different domain hosting company at first, but their service was horrible so I switched to GoDaddy.  My 5 domains are all with GoDaddy. They have very good customer service. I was intimidated at first by all this~ by little by little I figured it out. and remember you can too! Don't be afraid to ask for help!

In late August 2005 I created my first post and then sent a mass email to everyone I knew about the launch of my blog. This...well...I don't like to say regret, but I definitely would not recommend it. I would slowly and carefully tell the people I want to tell in my real life about my blog. Sometimes I feel I hold back on my blog because so many of my family members read it...I never want to offend anyone, but it is my blog and therefore comes from my perspective.

Soon after I published my first post I began reading other blogs. In most cases I think this happens the other way around~ someone reads blogs, comments, and then finally starts their own blog. But I started reading blogs after I began posting.  Right away I was addicted! I read and commented and it all felt...very natural. 

  I sent out a query letter to Red Wheel Press about publishing my book. I got rejected. Then I created and sent out the cutest mini-book query to Chronicle Books. I got rejected again and cried. I also sent my book to The Oprah Winfrey Show and let my mom and sister read it. 

and then I put my book away. Not because I was giving up but because by this time I had already found what I was looking for. It soon became evident that the community I hoped to find by publishing a book could be found right here through blogging.

The bloggers I have connected with are my teachers, my friends, my support, my loves.

Everything isn't always rosey in my cyber world. There are times bloggers have made me mad, been mean to me, or disappointed me. But I love that! I love the richness, the fullness, the realness of blogging.

I am looking forward to sharing more of my story this week with you.

It is fun to look back and remember how it all began.

I would love for you to share in the comments or in your own post how your blogging journey began. and it would be great fun if you would link to your first post in the comments here!

Here is mine from August 12, 2005 ~ Be A Spark

XO, Melba

Help & Thank you ~

Sometimes when I am feeling like I need to stream line my online activities, I think of taking a break from justBeConnected, But ~

each week I get so inspired from the hostesses, your comments, and emails~

How could I possibly stop this!?!

Thank you for your continued inspiration & support!!!

I changed the banner this week because sometimes during the week a blogger new to justBeConnected will think that I am posting instead of the guest hostess. So I want to include the gist of the blog in the banner.

But I am not loving the one I made.

Want to make a banner for justBeConnected?

I would be so grateful if you did!

email me your creation as a jpeg. (ofcourse credit for the banner will be given to you on the blog)

The banner should be about W 850 pixels x  L 200 pixels.

The banner should include the same information that is there now, but it does not have to be word for word.

The Hostess Schedule is filled for the next 6 weeks ~ If you interested in Being a Hostess please email me.

Thank you!

Have a great weekend!

XO, Melba

P.S.  ~ justBeConnected really is a community, collaborative blog ~ I am VERY open to any suggestions!

Spring has DEFINITELY sprung!

Sprintime is my favorite time of the year. I love the aliveness of everything in springtime.

I spontaneously decided to take a trip to visit my sister who lives in Arizona. I live in Nevada so it's a short drive. It is a drive I normally loathe because, as readers of my blog know, I am no fan of the desert.

But this drive was amazing! The wildflowers are in bloom and to bright oranges and pinks and yellows and reds and purples against the giant saguaros and light green hills was simply amazing. I enjoyed the drive very much. Even the deadest of places bursts forth with life in the sprintime.

It reminded me that there is beauty everywhere, in everyone, in everything. This is something I forget living in the desert. A place that seems so dead and empty gently reminds me each spring - I am alive, I am lovely.

I am.

And so it it in us too. We all suffer from creative constipation from time to time. When I feel stuck, one of my favorite things to do is take out Taro Gomi's doodle book and do some pages - usually with my daughter because let's face it - kids have NO shortage of creativity. They are never cut off from the flow of the creative river.

The never forget that they are FULL of life.

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I was going to post links, but I think we all have enough.LOL. But - do you listen to http://www.craftcast.com/ ? I love Alison's podcast. She is a great interviewer and has fabulous guests.

Thank you Melba for allowing me to share this time with everyone!

in-joy - Cheryl

cherylol.typepad.com

My Thoughts on Creativity and Inspiration

I think creativity is spiritual. I absolutely believe that.
F. Murray Abraham

I love being among creative people. People who bounce ideas off of one another. People who have original ideas. People who love to say "what if..." and aren't afraid of experimenting and making mistakes and discovering the secret path to the magical place I call "the zone". People who laugh at life and more importantly, at themselves. The creative soul. The beautiful, amazing, brilliant creative soul. The lights of the world!

I truly believe that creativity is gift from God, who is after all, the very source of creativity. God is pure creativity.

But how does one find inspiration? How does one stay creative? How does one turn it on when they need to because they (unortunately) can't escape to the studio when they feel inspired?

Inspiration is everywhere. I find myself coming up with ideas when I am in the shower or bath, or when I am exercising. We can go to the internet for inspiration. We can go to our magazines for inspiration. We can go to nature for inspiration.

And then you just make a mark. Every painting I begin I write a note, thanking the universe for my creativity. I will write random beautiful and powerful words, which are eventually buried beneath layers of paint and other stuff - but I know they are there. I ALWAYS start a painting that way.

I was recently commissioned to create a painting for a woman to memorialize her trip to Rome, where she fell head over heels in love with David. I felt very intimidated to create a work of art based on one of the greatest works of art ever created by human hands! But I did it. One layer at a time, allowing the process I use above to get me going.

If I am starting a sewing project I will sometimes wrap myself in the fabric and feel it against me. I will let the color absorb into me. I live it. I am thankful for it...I let the pattern dance on me. Sometimes I put on a hat. I don't know why wearing a hat makes me feel more creative - but it does.

I disconnect from my inner critic. She goes away. I never criticize my work while I am working on it. I shut my mind off completely. My hands create the ideas - which aren't really ideas because I don't think about them...they just are. And oh yes, there is always music! My favorite artists to create to are Jack Johnson, Shaun Paul, Holly Williams, Gypsy Soul, Kathryn Priestley and Spencer Lewis to name a few.

Creativity is not a commodity - it is ever plentiful, ever unique, ever perfect. It is the pure expression of our individual souls. Maybe that is why creative people share so freely among one another. We share ideas. We share techniques. We share knowledge. We share ourselves.

I am honored to be the guest hostess this week among such creative souls.

The creative energy flows among us like a bright, glistening meandering river.

Mmmmmmmmmmm...drink up. Dive in.

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Tomorrow I will post my favorite links for inspiration and hope that they inspire you too!

In-Joy -

Cheryl

cherylol.typepad.com
elleoelle.com

Happy Spring!

Thank you to all who participated in the Spring Random Re-Gift Swap!

I had two partners who both showered me with goodies.

I received these lovelies from Vivian

My children fought over this little gem! It is a massager (I think) Now they both take turns keeping it in their room!

and my other partner was Nicole all the way from Hong Kong!

Thank you Vivian! Thank you Nicole! ~ I really appreciate your kindness!

If you participated in the swap please leave a comment here and share your experience.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

XO, Melba

Linky Love

Every morning I love to look at blogs with inspiration...

websites with beautiful things...

any place on the internet with a  photo or a quote that will kick start my day!

Put a few of YOUR favorite sites in the comments, because you KNOW I need to have more to look at!

So here we go...  a few of my favorite Inspiration sites.

Big Picture Scrapbooking's  Quotes and color.
http://www.bigpicturescrapbooking.com/colorquote.php

Decorating isn't any better displayed than at Poppytalk. I love how they find items with themes
http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/

Video's to inspire
http://www.ted.com/index.php/

Clothing that's IN at Who What Wear Daily (bag and glasses photos!)

http://whowhatweardaily.com/website/home.php

Stores I want to LIVE in
Pottery Barn
http://www.potterybarn.com
Anthropologies
http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/index.jsp

And my 'Friend List' at my blog with a list of MY friends and associates who blog!
http://patsloan.typepad.com/pat_sloans_corner/links-to-my-friends.html

I look at WAY WAY more than this. I hope this TINY taste of what I look at will spark your creative ideas...

Many Thanks to Melba for having the list and inviting me to guest blog. And many thanks to all of you for hanging out with me this week. I really enjoyed meeting new people and chatting about creativity! Please visit me at my blog where I post every day.  http://patsloan.typepad.com/

Big Hugs everyone!

ps.. Photo at Pottery Barn, WWSW and Anthropologies

Inspired by Quotes

Quotes are one of my great loves.

---Love to search for them
---Love to share them
---Love to be inspired by them

I have several quote books, lists of quotes, and many bookmarks to quotes online.

I have a goal for myself to put more words and quotes on quilts (as quilts are my main medium). But I'm thinking of just doing little pieces of art with quotes. Not sure where that will go but they would be quicker to do than a quilt... maybe!

On this blog I've read many of the guest writers. We all have a Dream and I think this is a perfect quote for us.. I might have to put it on something VERY soon!

"There is nothing like a dream to create the future." ― Victor Hugo

If you don't have that dream, your future just muddles along doesn't it? No goal, No point you are reaching for, No purpose.

As you now know, I'm one of those people who must have a purpose. I am constantly working to FINISH something so I can say 'It's DONE!'.  Often my next project is started 2 minutes later. It is a constant flow of projects.

I seem to like this, it's how my brain works, it feeds my soul, it lets me reach my dreams.

What is your dream and how will you reach it?

**************
Top Quilt is 'Be Thankful' - pattern here

Bottom Quilt is my online workshop at American patchwork and Quilting's new online University. Read about Quilt University HERE

I also have a kit for that workshop at my shop

we are creative people

We are creative people who read this blog. We are people Who Make Stuff (and write stuff... which is just another form of making). And life is good when we do enough of it! I love having this community and getting to meet others like me.  I have a theory that people who 'make stuff' will 'get' each other. We have a common bond.

Recently my VERY YOUNG hair stylist asked me if everyone I knew 'made things'... this cracked me up. And it got me thinking. Most people I hang with make stuff. We 'get' each  other.

Sometimes people write me because they can't find others who do what they do. It's a concern to not have people like ourselves. People with the same interest. The internet has bust open the field of friends we can find. From forums, to yahoo groups, to blog rings... we can find people who do what we do.

But sometimes we need to see those people in person. Do you have a group of friends like you? People you can hang out with and 'talk creative shop'? Yes? That is FANTASTIC!!  Woot Woot... you are so lucky!

But what if you don't?  Then you need to hang out where people 'make stuff'... any kind of stuff. Put up notices in all the usual places like bulletin boards at the grocery store, library, community center, church...etc.. Invite people to a monthly 'group' for people who like to 'make stuff'. Start a writers group.

Make it your mission to build the group of friends that you want.... they may not appear on your door step... you may have to work to find them. BUT .. they are out there waiting for you!

My very best girlfriend group is made up of gals that 'make stuff' but we don't all do the same thing.  And the best part is that  we ALL do other stuff. I think it's the camaraderie of 'making' that we crave... and we all GET each other!

I worked in computers for many years where we 'made' programs... and a large majority of the people I worked with 'made' things or 'fixed' things. That common interest builds friendships...

It wasn't until my early 30's that I found people who sewed. My girlfriend convinced me to learn to quilt so she'd have a quilting friend.. hehe... and I never looked back.

Tell me about your friends, your community of like minded people. And if you don't have one,  put that notice up on the bulletin board. It works... I've heard many a great story about friendships built this way.

PS - for a silly break, which we ALL need.. come over to my regular blog today and put on a smile!  http://patsloan.typepad.com/

Photos - My quilt Celebrate, Eat Cake
Sherbert color chairs outside LLBean in the mall... just right for friends to sit in!
Coffee cup from my SideWalk Cafe Pattern

Creating Sparks

I ADORE this topic title Melba suggested... Creating Sparks!!

It needs MANY exclamation points ... It's catchy... it makes me think... I like that. Particularly the thinking part.  She suggests we do a challenge or talk about our passion. More thinking... my passion...  Sometimes I think my Passion is to be busy. To be productive. To have a 'job'.

I'm a little like a herding dog. I NEED to have that 'thing I do' and it better be fun and I better like it.  If it isn't... then I'm like a herding dog with no sheep or cattle... standing around wondering what to do with myself... hehe!

So what's my 'Passion' in life? What makes me Tick? What do I get on my soapbox about?

I think my Passion is to help people BE creative.
-My Passion is to let you know you SHOULD be creative if you want to be
-My Passion is to tell you that you CAN be creative if you feel it.. want it... even just a little bit.  If the desire is there you can do it.
-My Passion is to throw out 'The Rules' as I'm sure they were made by cranky people having a bad day.
-My Passion is to help you get rid of the 'shoulda, woulda, coulda' and 'I don't have time' excuses. No Excuses.. just MAKE STUFF is what I live by.

Everyone who wants to make something can. You can find the time, You ARE talented, there is NO room for perfection as it stifles you. Yep you heard from me, Perfection stifles you and keeps you from your passion.  ... unless of course you are doing brain surgery.. then by all means please be perfect :)

So my CHALLENGE to you this week is NO EXCUSES, Let's BE CREATIVE.  Let's Make Stuff. Let's pull out the paints, the paper, the fabric, the bag of soil to garden with. Let's find a little spot to call our own. Let's be happy and feel the SPARK.

Your assignment... in the comments tell me what YOU want to do this week that you've put off doing (and not the taxes or cleaning the house).

.. THEN get out your stuff.. TONIGHT... yes TONIGHT. I don't care how tired you are. How late it is. Get it out and look at it. Touch your paints. Sort your fabric. Feel all your wood grains or your dodads for scrapping. Pull the gardening magazine. Just GET into your things. Want to write? Then open a document and write about how tired you are... just write for 5 minutes.

Tomorrow I hope to be reading about a LOT of creativity here in the comments.. come on.. let's go!

Photos -
-Quilt is 'A Sunday Drive'. Here at my webstore
-Vacation photo - a cruise we took to relax... having a 'get away' sparks MY creativity!

ps.. LOVED visiting your blogs and hearing from you... I need to hear from more of you today!

Pat's Blogging Story

I'm Pat Sloan.  What is the core of 'me'? Well I like... no let's say... I LOVE to blog! 

Thank you Melba for creating a community blog.. this is so awesome! I enjoy reading the guest's post, your comments, and hearing from other creative people.

It's inspirational and motivating to hear why YOU blog and I love feeling connected to you.

So... why do I blog? I had to REALLY think about this!

I didn't start out as a writer, although I did 'write' in a sense. I worked for 20+ years in computers.. writing code. Old ancient code now.. code only those of who started a hundred years ago still remember. I wrote. It was English like. (later I wrote reports and employee reviews... sigh....)

But really I make stuff. My deep down desire is always to make stuff. So 'making' code worked for awhile. But in the end I was meant to make things for a living. And I always wanted to work for myself. I'd only been working about 2 years when I was trying to figure out how to work for myself (but it took about 22 until I did!)

Now I'm a designer of quilt books, quilt fabric, quilt patterns. I have a webstore. I travel. I teach. I lecture. I blog.

At some point I wanted to connect to more quilters, more often. So 5+yrs ago I started a yahoo group as there were no blogs that I knew of.  I still have this wonderful group at yahoo. (see it HERE)

The group concept is not for everyone. And I wanted to put photos with my words. And I wanted to chat with people who wouldn't join a group. And I wanted 'different' kind of chat than what I did on my quilt group.  Like chatting on decorating, trips, gardens, food...

So I started to blog. I'm crazy for blogs with photos, the more photos the better. I'm SUPER visual. So this is a fairly long post for me... hehe!

I use typepad ... well.. because I pay a fee and if it's broken they fix it.. pretty fast. I learned my lessons from having the 'free' service... you get what you pay for!

Has blogging changed my life? Such an interesting question. Life evolves doesn't it? I can't think of one person or one situation that has not changed during the course of things.. even it's only just a little bit.

So I would say blogging did not change my life.

My life changes.. changes fast at times.. changes slow at times. Starting to blog was a change that happened when it happened. It's good. I do it because I enjoy it. That's my biggest reason.

Do you have a blog? Put it in the comments!! I am ALWAYS looking at others work and I'd love to see yours...

so "Pretty Please with a cherry on Top"... put your blog addy in the comment so I can visit you.

This week I'm excited to chat with you about creativity.. that is my passion. That everyone who WANTS to do something creative, SHOULD. I'm all about throwing out theories and 'can't do ideas'.... I'm all about living your life as you want to live it. I'm all about doing it... can't wait to hear what you think!

Do you have a specific 'something' you want me to chat about? Put it in the comment or email me at pat@patsloan.com

Here is where you can check out what I do... what my crazy life is like
My blog - http://patsloan.typepad.com
My website - http://www.QuiltersHome.com
My Yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pat-Sloan-Quilts/
Read 7 little know things about me - I was tagged recently CLICK HERE
My Second Life blog (oh yes.. I ADORE second life!) CLICK HERE
Don't know what Second Life it?  Read my SL post on my RL blog
CLICK HERE

photos - First is me at Blarney Castle in Ireland, Second is my book on the Ireland trip, Third is my newest fabric line.