greenolive

and the winners are...

You've been very patient, and I'm pleased to finally announce the three winners of a fabric bits & pieces pack from greenolive textiles. (If you have forgotten all about it, read the blog post.)

They are:

• Lynsey

• Cathy

• Sarah Jayne

If that's you then expect an email from me soon, and get ready to decide what range you'd prefer: Kids, tribal or Urban type.

Thanks for your comments – sorry each of you couldn't win.

731 days

two years and one day old

Yesterday my blog had it's second birthday. (Am I bad for not posting on it's actual birthday? I hope not!)

Two years. Wow, that went fast. While I may not be posting as frequently as I did when I was a wide-eyed beginner, I am still posting. That's a good thing isn't it? It shows I am dedicated, reliable and very conscientious.

Birthdays are significant. They offer an opportunity to stop, reflect and mark the passage of time. To remember what's happened, how you've grown, and all the wonderful things that came into your life.

When I think back to when I started to blog, I was unsure of myself. I didn't know where I was going, or what I wanted to do. 

I had been retrenched from a high-paying web/IT job in the university sector. A job where I had worked my way up the corporate ladder, but one where I had totally disconnected with my creativity. One month I was a professional graphic designer, the next I had moved interstate with my husband and become a full-time manager at a Melbourne University. It's taken me some time to realise that wasn't the best decision to make.

Finally, after challenges, health issues, and the universe sending me a many signals as it possibly could, I have opened my eyes and am sitting up and taking notice. I think blogging was an integral part of that process. Reflecting, writing and connecting with you via these posts has allowed me to make conscious the stuff that had previously been unconscious. And to believe in myself and my creativity, and even dare to dream that I could making a living doing what I enjoy. So thank you!

To celebrate the birthday, and to thank you for being part of the last 12 months, three lucky people will win a fabric bits-and-pieces pack. (That's a fancy name for remnants!)

Just leave a comment or send an email and you'll go into the draw. You've got a week, but don't delay!!

PS: if you aren't one of the lucky three, don't despair – I'll have bits-and-pieces packs up in the etsy shop in a jiffy!

The urge to blog

temporarily misplaced

I've sold three knitted stripy thing scarves in the last week. Its great, don't get me wrong. But the buggers take about 6 hours to knit! And now I've got to knit some replacements for the etsy shop.

You've probably guessed this already, but my urge to blog has been temporarily misplaced. 

I think it might be hiding under the mounds of wool that have somehow migrated from the studio to the lounge room. Or maybe it's under the silk selvedge scarves that have been pinned and waiting to be sewn up for over six weeks...

Regardless of where I've put it, the fact remains that I can't find it.

Aside from being lost in the fog, I've also been consumed by the etsy shop. Been seeing quite a bit of action over there (well by greenolive standards anyway) and I'm trying to capitalise on that while its happening.

So life is a blur of etsy, work, life and cramming in knitting more scarves when ever I'm not eating, sleeping, driving or at work. I'm not feeling creative or inspired, but like I'm holding on tightly for the ride and I don't fall off.

But I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling like this at this time of the year... I've got two weeks off over Christmas, and my Mum will be down from Brisbane and I CAN"T WAIT! 

(I wonder if I can teach her to knit/crochet/sew? She's retired now, time on her hands...)

a bit more exposure

on the habby goddess

One of my Entangled Scarves featured on the habby goddess.

This week's theme for the habby goddess featured handmade products is knitting – and guess who is included? Moi!

Go check it out.

And check out Stacey from Sheeps Clothing too while you are at it.

So why don't you buy something knitted? Or maybe you are tempted by some of the habby goodness?

Thanks Jodie.

greenolive turns one

Happy blog birthday!

And you get the presents!

I had every intention of posting this first thing this morning. However I didn't get to bed til after 4am as I was spinning and plying up a storm on my very own spinning wheel. (More about THAT later.) And a girl needs her beauty sleep, especially at my age. So, with a few hours sleep I type this post (so cut me some slack with the spelling and grammar, ok?).

Exactly one year ago today I posted my first blog post.

I didn't really know what I was doing, exactly why I was doing it, what I'd write about or who would read it. Would anyone read it? Thankfully they did. And they commented – even better – you all know how I feel about comments!

Anna Laura was my first commentor. So I should probably send her a thank you pressie to mark the occasion. She's kind of like my blog's god mother.

In those subsequent 365 days:

• I have posted almost 170 posts (I have several drafts which have yet to see the light of day so it's hard to be precise – very unlike me, I know)

• received 615 comments (some of them are mine, but I have at least 600 "real" comments!)

• met lots of fellow bloggers who seem to understand me (see Patricia's comment on this post)

• written for mixtape

• sold greenolive goodies 

and had such fun. I love blogging. Now while I'm showering, driving to work, or trying to fall asleep, an idea for a blog, tag line or first sentence pops into my head and I have to write it down before I forget.

A year ago I couldn't have imagined how much this online community of crafters and creatives would come to mean to me. 

I love reading your posts: oohhhhing, aahhhhing, laughing, nodding in agreement and often shedding a tear as I read about your lives and adventures, challenges and triumphs, inspirations and frustrations.

I love seeing the images of things you have created, feeling inspired as I see each of them, in awe of your talent and skill. And your photographs of the world around you opens my eyes to new ways of seeing and new things each day.

I've bumped into quite a few graphic designers and several architects, and you remind me of a time when my creativity was with me 24/7, not just in the after-work hours under the guise of greenolive.

So to celebrate greenolive's first birthday, you get the presents. That's the tradition isn't it? Leave a comment – get a present.

Five is one of my favourite numbers, so there are five "presents". I can't promise I'll do the impartial random name draw. I kind of think I'll know who you are when I read your comment. No pressure!

Let the comments begin!

Small print: I'm not sure if the "presents" will be greenolive goodies or something tres desirable from my vast fabric-wool-button stash. But I do promise they will be comment-worthy!

Very small print: Aunty Shabby you are not eligible to win, sorry, but you can still leave a comment! And that goes for you too Mr greenolive.

a change of scene

about bloody time too!

Photo of some vintage linen I bought from Sandrine

I am SOOOOOO over the move. It has preoccupied my mind for the past month. I am sick of unpacking boxes and finding new homes for everything. I'm sick of feeling in transition between the old and the new, and of not having my routine down pat. I'm still feeling discombobulated. I remember saying in this post that I wish I could fast-forward the move to the bit where we are settled and everything is in its place. I think I thought that was going to take two weeks. That was overly optimistic, perhaps I should make that a month!

I'm sure you are over the move too! Most of my posts from the last few weeks have been move or stash related. I promise to remedy this right now, and get back to craft-related stuff.

As well as the move I have managed to buy some vintage linen (above), order some designer tea towels from skinnylaminx, find my birthday present (it had been bought, wrapped and packed away before the move!), start exploring a stitch for a new scarf, and even start spinning. (Not not at the gym!)

Eco Colour – a beautifully designed book and my birthday present.

On the life front, my old boss lost her battle with cancer about a week ago and in a strange way that provides a full stop at the end of that not-pleasant but ultimately life-changing period for me. 

And our new landlord informed us he is selling the property. Great, we left one place because of the impending threat of a sale and move into another that will be on the market by the end of the month!

Any of you have a lazy $1.5 million and want to invest in a property at Olinda? Mr and Mrs Booth (aka me & Mr greenolive) would be perfect live-in managers...

link love

don't you just love links?

I've been the recipient of some link love recently, and my hits have gone through the roof. It's a lovely surprise when you log on and see that new people have visited and left a comment.

My experience reiterates the social networking aspect of blogs and the power of links. Why don't you share some link love around?

Big thanks to:

Cuteable who started the ball rolling in early March with a post about the Pink Bubblegum baby blanket.

Nichola who posted a photo of Heidi snuggled in Pink Bubblegum.

A reply by sweetcaroline to a plea for help on Crochetville featured a link to my crochet catherine wheel scarf.

A wrap up of the Living Creatively stand at the recent Stitches and Craft Show in Melbourne has sent some visitors my way too.

29 June 2007

time flies when you are having fun!

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Seven months ago today I was bitten by the blogging bug. I wrote my first blog post as greenolive.

I thought about blogging a few years before that. At the time I was managing a team of web professionals in one of Australia's best universities. (The sandstone one in the heart of Melbourne.) So web technology, social networking and this thing called web 2.0 was stuff I was familiar with. Several of my team had blogs, flickr sites, delicious sites. For some reason I didn't. I think it was because I had nothing much to say, and it seemed too much like work. And for some reason I was scared of the technology, of not doing it right, of making a mistake. So I kept putting it off. Procrastination, I've already told you about that right?

Anyway, once I finally started I couldn't stop. Over those seven months greenolive has grown, taking baby steps and acquiring more confidence and a voice of her own. She's made some friends. And she's become slightly obessessed with this blogging lark. Everytime Mr greenolive sees me on the computer at home he asks in a forlorn voice, "You aren't blogging again are you?" He's had to learn to share the mac.

When I started the greenolive adventure I really wasn't sure where it would lead me. I felt great trepidation as I published the first blog post. I was sending it out into cyberspace, not sure if anyone would trip over it or not. It didn't even get a comment. And I'm not sure how many of you have read it. It really doesn't matter, cause it was just the first step on a journey and I'm enjoying the ride. Letting go and seeing where it takes me. How very unlike me!

So thanks to all of you who have visited, left comments and made me laugh and cry. I wish I could meet all of you in real life.

You know how a human year equals seven dog years? I wonder what seven months in real life equals in blog months?