Aflutter is One!
It has been a whole year since I first posted here on Aflutter. This blog has brought me so much in just one year: empowerment, new discoveries, re-discoveries, joy, pride, new skills, exploration and so much more. When I get overwhelmed with something I often turn to making lists. And I am not just talking about being overwhelmed with grocery shopping; when I sit down to write my boyfriend a card I get so overwhelmed with love that I can only fathom expressing it in a (very long) list. So today I will try to express my love for Aflutter in a series of lists.
Stats.
- 68 posts
- 65k visits
- Most Popular Post: Fabric Letters How To with 50K visits
- Amusing referring search term: "why is it hard to be kind to people" ... Tell me about it! :)
- Amusing referring search term runner-up: "where to buy nerd fabric" ... Here.
- State with most visits: Texas (?!)
- Irish visits: 193
- Pleasingly popular posts: Costumes (especially Medusa), Acorn Cookies (thanks mama!), and Crew Cuts.
Pats on the back.
- Starting a blog.
- Still loving my blog and not giving up.
- Working on my graphic design/photoshop skills
- Remaining grounded in terms of budget, figure flattery, modesty, and practicality in fashion posts. There are enough emaciated models, booty shorts and berkin bags out there. I like to provide something normal. Which, ironically, is different.
- Giving credit where credit is due. I do my absolute darndest to give links and credits to all images and ideas. I ran into some plagiarism early on with my fabric letters post and found it really hurtful, so I wouldn't want to put that on someone else. Not to mention it is ver ver annoying when you can't find the link to something on a blog.
- Being brave and sharing my seemingly geeky hobby (miniatures). I am excited to pursue that more.
Lessons and Goals.
- It's ok to be personal. Sometimes I feel this pressure to sound like the big blogs out there, you know, all wonderful and put together as if they always have fresh-cut flowers next to them and a perfect manicure. But that just isn't me, I like to pretend sometimes though. I can be grumpy, sarcastic, jubilant, and silly. I want to work harder on not feeling the need to sound like an ideal.
- I can/should post snippets and ideas, rather than stress about the best and heartiest content. A mix is ok.
- Be less of a chicken and try to engage with fellow bloggers. This isn't the playground in elementary school, if the turn me down, so what?
Ooodles of Thanks.
- Ansel
- Mama and Papa
- Sibs: Ceallaigh, Brennan, Jason and Tami
- Little ones: Junia and Will, who inspire me to create for them.
- Pals: Tony, Hannah, Sari and Lani
- Surprise readers; some whom I have discovered and am sure more are out there.
- A certain fuzzy kitten who is stubbornly involved in all craft projects and who has only known me as a blogger and so never questions my legitimacy or place in the design world as I sometimes do.
And that's about all I can handle. But just one last thing. Today is our first day back in Seattle after four months in the arms of our loving family in Minneapolis. I am heartbroken even as 21 yr old adult with love and a happy home here too. But I won't judge myself because I am lucky enough to have the most wonderful family that fills me up, so how can I not be sad to say goodbye once again? This blog doesn't change that, but it is a bridge to even greater self empowerment in my career passions that makes this crazy cross-country lifestyle a quest rather than a question.
xo, Sarah
