A WEEK'S WORTH OF WORDS

Hello everyone

What an amazing mix of weather we have seen today: heavy rain, snow, more rain and from about 3.00 pm onwards brilliant sunshine.  I am sure that it is only in this country that you can experience all types of weather in just one day.

Thank you to everyone who visited and commented on my Handmade Monday post of last week, my Wednesday Multi-Coloured Blog Swap Carnival post from Karen and my Friday Guest-Blog post that wasn't a guest blog post.  Karen's post was lovely and I hope you enjoyed it - hope you also managed to visit my corresponding post on Mammasaurus's blog.  Thank you Trouble Doubled for arranging the Swap - great fun, lots of new visitors, followers on Twitters and new blog friends too.  I must add also that Hannah, a great all-round crafter, featured me in her Share Your Story post last week - thank you Hannah.

I love blogging and try to post twice each week - it's great fun and has brought me into contact with lots of new people around the UK and the world.  Not all craft-related and that's the great part of it really, because it has given me the chance to read and 'talk' about lots of things I don't really know much about.  Apart from the social part of blogging, I think as a business we tend to use it as a promotional tool.  We can talk about our business and what we make without feeling guilty because we are not forcing people to read our witterings.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my guest blogging this week and also taking part in the blog swap.  Sadly, I have found encouraging people to take up my offer of a guest spot on Fridays is proving very hard work.  I have a great blogger post this coming Friday, but not too sure what happened to last Friday's blogger.  Perhaps I should have sent them a BIG reminder, but (embarrassed) I have no contact details for them (except posting on their blog) and could not locate any in other likely places.  Tried via Twitter and discovered that unless someone is following me I cannot DM them even if I am following them.  Oh well, such is life - I know they are very busy and I hope will be able to join in at a later date.

The lack of participants in the crafts field has made me think that perhaps I should open up my Friday guest spot to anyone who would like to join in - what do you think?  I have a friend who runs a travel business and she has asked if she could join in - at the time I said sorry, no it has to be crafts-related, but I may re-think this.  I know everyone is desperately busy, and often it means extra work, but if you have time can you add to your comment why you think guest blogging is hard work.

It is lovely Handmade Monday time and unfortunately I have no makes to display.  A good reason as I have several card orders (one for a Golden Wedding, one for a 21st birthday, one for a 60th birthday and one for an 'ordinary' birthday - this is in addition to place cards and menus for the 60th birthday boy).  By next Handmade Monday all of my orders will be finished and I will add some to my next HM post.  In the meantime, please do visit all the other HM contributors and read their great posts and look at the lovely things they have been working on this week.

Have a good week everyone - I will be back on Wednesday.

Jill