Friday, November 22, 2013

Blogger Anniversary

Today marks the 8th anniversary of Idaho Beauty's Creative Journey blog. I always enjoy looking back at that first post explaining my reason for starting a blog and my intention for it. All these years later, my reason for blogging remains the same as does my intention, and the practice has proved its value just as I had hoped. I feel an obligation to my readers which pushes me along during the less than enthusiastic times but also a real connection that makes sharing the ups and downs more than an exercise. Your comments buoy me up, make me think, offer solutions I'd not considered, help me stay on track, and just generally remind me I am not working in a vacuum. I love being able to share my journey with you.

With the demise of Google Reader earlier this year, there was almost panic among blog followers to find a replacement feed reader that worked as well. I tried several until I discovered The Old Reader which indeed was nearly a carbon copy of Google Reader. It became so popular so quickly that its developers soon became overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of subscribers and reluctantly announced that it would have to cut off the subscribers like me who had recently joined. Much gnashing of of teeth ensued as we reluctantly went back to trying out other readers. But I decided to hang in there, lay low in the hopes that somehow I would be overlooked and spared. I never lost my access, and later found that someone with more resources had stepped in to take over The Old Reader and we were all spared. Amazing that such a little thing caused so much anguish and for me, ended in a sigh of relief.

I bring this up because, with a few exceptions, I don't have a good idea of how my followers found me let alone how they actually keep up with my postings. Have you bookmarked my site and check each day or every few days to see if I've added anything new? Do you use a feed reader? If so, which one? Do you only pop over to read posts that I have linked to Facebook and you are one of my Facebook friends? And if you do actually read my posts from the web page itself rather than from a reader, do you ever follow the links I have in the sidebar?

Leave a comment telling me how you follow my blog, and sometime next week I will randomly pick a name from those commenting to receive a little anniversary gift from me. Whether you've just started following me or have been reading my posts since the beginning, I value that you have chosen to come along for the ride.

11 comments:

Cate Rose said...

Congrats on 8 years, Sheila! That's truly a milestone. I'm coming up on 6 myself. I follow you in a reader, and currently I'm using Bloglovin', which works quite well. No, not as good as TOR, but way better than Feedly. As you know, I left TOR when they cut most of us off. Glad you were able to stay with them...I'll stay where I am at this point. Have a great weekend!

The Inside Stori said...

What an accomplishment....cograts. Good subject for a conversation. I follow using a Reader Feed.

Sherrie Spangler said...

I didn't realize you started so long ago! Congrats! I follow you through Google. I signed on to follow your blog and whenever you post it shows up in My Blogs.

Susan Sawatzky said...

I read your blog through Bloglovin

Guess what Sheila? I've met someone! He is Canadian, lives on Vancouver Island, is something of a Renaissance man, a weaver, a reader, an electrician, a construction worker, made bent wood boxes for tourist trade, a millwright, a ranconteur.

I'm wildly in love and we will probably get married in Feb.

How's that for a comment? Susan S.

June said...

Feedly and (more often) FB links. I never click on any further URLs, mostly because I'm always behind in my blog reading, so it's on to the next one.

I generally read from your site itself, but that's because a lot of times what I see gets truncated. But if the photo is wonderful on FB, I sometimes just look at that and don't go on to the site.

You might say, I catch as catch can, and am not exactly methodical. But you knew that:-)

Wil said...

Congratulations! You have been in my bookmarked list for many years now and I check your blog every couple of days.

Christine Staver said...

Congrats on 8 years. I just make sure I check your blog on my favorite blog list (which is on my blog). That way I see if you have something new to read.

Aunt Marti said...

I'm so pleased to find your blog. I stumbled across you while searching for an alternative "Design Wall Monday" post. I am also a native Idahoan (born in Nampa). I follow you via Bloglovin'.

Lucia Sasaki said...

Hi Sheila
Congratulations for 8th anniversary of your blog! I am glad for your perseverance, I have found lovely blogs that unfortunately were discontinued, it is very sad for me.
I found your blog when I searched bookbinding and fabric in Google and I loved your achievements and the way you share them as well as bits and pieces of your life.
As the way I read your posts, I read them at the web because I follow your blog and get your news.
Congratulations again!!

Lucia

magsramsay said...

Congratulations on your Blog's 8th anniversary - it will be mine next year, it's amazing how quickly the time goes.
I put links to my favourite blogs( including yours) on my own blog page, and can easily see updates that way.
Love those oak leaf lino prints by the way.

Michele Matucheski said...

Congratulations on 8 years of Blogging! I don't remember anymore how I found you ... Were we in a class together? Did you leave a comment on my blog? I do know I saw lots of things on your blog that seemed familiar--because I was doing a lot of the same surface techniques, and taking the same odd pictures of shadows and red berries. Kindred Spirits! Happy Holidays, My Friend! I use The Old Reader for RSS Feeds.