Wednesday 9 October 2013

Celebrating my 5th Blogoversary with TWO giveaways!!





5 years ago to this very day I started this blog!
 This post is the 1 605th I've compiled, which averages 321
 posts per year, {6 posts a week} For 5 years straight - phew!!

 Anyway...Hello again!  I thought it would be FUN to
 combine a Q & A with a GIVEAWAY! or TWO!!

Starting a blog is like building a house.
Getting the foundations laid is the starting point
for everyone, but it's the actual building of the house which makes
each abode different.  Then there's the decorating, & the making
 of a house into a home.  Creating a place where interesting things
happen, people feel comfortable & visitors feel welcome.
 That can take years...

  It takes minutes to CREATE a blog but YEARS to actually build one!


When I first came across this poster a few years ago I was
 ruffled...Now I can laugh about it because it really is SO TRUE. 
 As much as we would LOVE to have the whole world be interested
 in us as the amazing and individual people we all are, the truth
 is,they just don't have the TIME!

If anything...the longer the blog post the more off-putting it is...
So that is my number one piece of advice after 5 years.
KEEP YOUR POST SHORT :-D
So I best be going so as not to seem hypocritical LOL!!

Just sharing my first post here, followed by my first layout 
photograph, because life is always better with laughter!!!

---------------------------------------

MY FIRST EVER BLOG POST!!
Thursday, October 9, 2008

My First Day of Blogging

I created this blog myself so am quite impressed, in fact, flabbergasted, that I managed! I thought I would need an IT specialist to set it up for me, so for your information, it can be done WITH EASE. I have tons of stuff I want to load on to my blog as soon as I learn how to do it so WATCH THIS SPACE. I am wanting to interact with like-minded souls and thought this would be one way to start. Most of my days involve creativity in some form or other but today was particularly uneventful in that area as it was filled with chores and paperwork.

I'm finding this whole computer thing very time-consuming as I 'm still unsure of what I'm doing so I've been here for the last 6 hours. I just got e-mail 2 weeks ago...yes...for the first time ever!! Unreal I know, but I have had ALOT going on in my life for years and no time to sit at a computer. SAD i know!! Anyway, all that is about to change and I want to commit to some time everyday to download my thoughts,etc and get into this blogging lark. Will try and add some more photos tomorrow and need to start photographing my layouts to upload. Till then....


No comments:

THE FIRST LAYOUT I EVER POSTED ONLINE!


Seriously....lolololol!!!
{The quality of the photo is SO BAD I can't enlarge it any more!}

My intention was to have a humungous giveaway today
but alas I haven't had the time to dig through my stash.
Nonetheless I have a couple of RAKs to share that I 
photographed a while ago so if you would like to win one:-

1.  Be or become a follower 
{on my Followers Gadget with the headshot images}

2.  ASK ME A QUESTION! {anything! Although I may not answer LOL!!}

3.  Let me know which RAK you would like to win - Giveaway 1 or 2.

{Giveaway 1 consists of 2 x A5 packs of Kaisercraft 
Stamps plus one full set of alpha stamps}

{Giveaway 2 consists of 5 new bottles of spray mists}


*All product is 100% new & unused 
& I will post anywhere in the world!*


Giveaway closes at the end of October & I will draw
 2 winners soon afterwards in a Q & A post.  

{Feel free to post the images to your sidebar with a link
back to my blog if you are feeling generous yourself!}

THANK YOU for following me xoxo



41 comments:

Lizzy Hill said...

Well, THIS was a good start to my day:):) I must say your style has errrrrr......evolved!!!!!!!!!! And I bet ....oh, hang on, that can b my Q: how much time do you spend on creating a blog post on average now? Just being nosey!!!! And those sprays look just up my alley;););)!!!!!!

Janis said...

I just happened on to your blog from the My Creative Scrapbook Hop. Can't stop chuckling over that Blogging poster. What a hoot!!! Loved seeing your inaugural post and first LO on the blog. Congratulations on your 5th Blogoversary and for your persistence and growth. May you continue for many more years!!!

My question is: What made you decide to finally get email AND start a blog so quickly afterwards? Here's another: What would you have done differently??

How lovely of you to offer a chance at your wonderful prizes. I would be delighted with either of them. I am a brand-new follower of your blog by Google Friend and by email. Yippee!!!
<3 J

Helen Wallace said...

That's an enormous output Helen.. You must be a wizz at posting very quickly....something I still stumble around doing..takes me ages....My question is, which of all your posts is your absolute favourite...I know...it's like choosing a favourite child!

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

Congrats on the bloggy milestone!! My 6th year was in September... but I kept forgetting to blog about it!! LOL!!! Loving your first lo!! Toooooo funny how we all change, huh????

Ok ... my question ... If you could live anywhere in the world besides where you live now, where would it be? :)

Dale Tiernan said...

Hello Helen.
This was a nice post to read. Quite an affirmation really. Good on you for keeping up your blog for so long. you're so right about TIME.
RAK 2 would be my choice. I really like the Mr Huey's mists.

yyam said...

Congratulations on blogging for 5 years! Can't believe you've been using email for such a short period of time...lol. My dad's a geek so I grew up with computers...

A double-pager for your fist layout post? That's cool!

My question: How has blogging helped you in your artistic journey?

Giveaway #2.:)

Heather McMahon said...

OMG - you post 6 times a week? How do you find the time, especially with everything else you have going on? Oh - there's my question! Congrats on the 5 years anyway - that's a real achievement. And don't go giving the sprays to Lizzy Hill - pick me, pick me! (Just joking Lizzy!)

Eila Sandberg said...

Congrats on your 5 years in blogland!! Had myself a good chuckle, can so remember my own very first blogpost not to mention page. And I've still got it as a memory of my first baby steps. xoxoxoxoxox

Alison said...

Congrats on your 5th blogging birthday Helen...my question is simple..how on earth do you find the time???!!!
Alison xx

Unknown said...

Hi Helen,

I just stopped by to say thank you for reminding me to link back to SATW and saw that you are celebrating 5 years of blogging...Very Big Congratulations!!! How exciting! My question would be - what was the most challenging element of blogging besides the initial setup?

Giorgia Rossini said...

ahahah lovely post, you made me laugh a lot :)
it is funny to watch back to our blogging beginning, sometimes I watch my first post, jewels, LO and other experiments and they seems so ugly to me! but it is life, change and improve!
a question: do you watch tv series? I'm a huge fan of tv series, I watch 4 or 5 at the same time :)
I love to know something of ordinary life of people I follow!
thanks for the giveaway, rak number 2 would be a dream for me, I have only 2 spray color :(

topkatnz said...

Lol, I want the sprays too;) my question is how is Mercy doing these days? Being a friend from your early days, I miss all your personal chit chat;)

Mitralee said...

oh man. I am going to love reading some of these answers....CANNOT WAIT for that matter. ;-) Maybe you should write one a week and keep me waiting...

Just wanted to pop in and say CONGRATS!

Oh and my question: Where do you see yourself evolving into in the next year? More layers less layers more paint, etc.

Elaine coustley said...

I love reading your blog & keeping watch on your creations I could not do without the inspiration I get from
you. I just love how you alter your photos. x

Lynnda said...

Congrats Helen!!
Okay I'm making a short & sweet comment. Who would be your best inspiration when it comes to scrapbooking ?
I would love to win those mists!!!

Hugs x

Desire Fourie said...

You have come in leaps and bounds to where your current awesone creative style is today. I just love the slogan on blogging as it is sadly so trye lol.
Thanks for being so generous, giveaway no.1 is fabulous for my creative style.
Hugs Desíre {Doing Life}

Unknown said...

Congrats sweet with your blogland and so long 5 years and you now I love to come on your blog alway a inspire !!!to the nexst 5 years!!!

hugs Carla

Unknown said...

Congrats Helen....phew 5 years ..I haven't even made 1 year yet! LOL
My question...For someone who is so talented and achieved so much - what is one thing you still aspire to do? And yes I would definitely love the mists... I always seem to buy the wrong colour!

Unknown said...

Hi Helen! Congrats :D

My question would be - as a scrapbooker, in what way do you think you've changed? (style-wise, the way you create a layout)

I would love the first RAK.

Val-Belle said...

Helen. Happy birthday blogger :D How amazing. I think you are very brave to put up your first layout. Although it is kind of cool to see how you have evolved....:D and how you have inspired others too...
Sooo....
My question to you is....
Have you ever been to jail? :P
xox

Sandi Clarkson said...

You brought a smile to my face tonight! Your post reminds me of those first timid postings of mine. eeeck, Hoping people would come and look but freaked out that they saw my first stabs at this hobby. Oh, my!

Here's hoping for another wonderful 5 years. I'd love the Mr Hueys, of course!! A question .... hmmmmm ..... do you ever sleep? I think not!

Miri van Straaten said...

Congratulations. So glad I found you. I am still trying to find out how this blogging stuff works. Still from old school and takes me bit longer to learn all the technical stuff. Have a stunning weekend

Chantal Vandenberg said...

Happy blogger birthday! 6 posts a week on average? I'm impressed!!! I would like to ask - How long does it take to create a layout? :D

Unknown said...

Congratulations on your 5th birthday and for the continued inspiration. You are always my first go to blog. My question how do you plan your blog posts? and yes please I would like the mists.
thank you for a gorgeous post everytime.

Lynette Jacobs said...

Congratulations my friend. How far you have come in blogging, style and reaching your dreams.

I would also go for the mists RAK. My question is: You have a career and you manage to scrap so many pages and blog so often. How do you do it? Do you ever sleep?

xxx

FiKenward said...

I think even though your style has evolved it was still a great layout with some eye catching memorable photos.

juscrap said...

Congratulations on five years of blog. Its evolution was huge. I am a longtime fan, always liked their designs. I'd love to win one of these prizes!! My question is: Your husband is not at home ever? lol they hate to see women so long in the studio. This is a joke.

Nicole Doiron said...

How awesome that you shared with us your very first blogpost and layout!!! :) Our scrapbooking has changed so much throughout the years. I started my blog only in 2011 and I've loved every minute of it - well, ok, i admit, sometimes writing blogposts can get pretty time consuming and repetitive (for an English major, i never seem to know what to write!), but I still love it. My question to you is... What are your best time-managing tips? Meaning, how do you succeed in being on so many DTs at once, respect deadline, have your own blog and manage to have a life at the same time? :) I would love to win giveaway #2!

Ava Gavloski said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Keren Tamir said...

I love this Helen!! I can't believe its been 5 years!! congrats!! I'm just here to congratulate you!! I never thought I would say this, but please pick someone else for the prizes as I have more than I can be thankful for and trust me I'm very thankful, especially for having friends like you!!
I'm trying to think of a good question but laughed at VAl's jail question and about Heather not wanting Lizzy to win!! I do have to say that Lizzy Hill is very ver lucky lol!!
so the question is: when are you moving to Canada???

Ava Gavloski said...

Helen, the evolution of a blog is so magical........ truly, what we did not know at the time of that 1st post is amazing.... I am still learning huge!!! So, cute to look back at the 1st on-line layout. (smile) i guess i would like to win RAK # 1 if the karma genie waves her wand favorable in my direction. Dig out one of your first layouts, I did that recently to celebrate a LSS 10th anniversary.lololoo So what was one of your 1st layouts of????

sandi said...

Wow Helen how far you've come! Your style has changed so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Denise van Deventer said...

Congrats Helen on 5 years of blogger land! Your style has certainly evolved and quite cool to know that we all start somewhere and then evetually grow! ;-)
My question to you is: have you ever had a page a page that you really did not like, but had to post anyway, because you had no alternative?

Unknown said...

hi, have shared your giveaway on my blog http://scrappinpreciousmoments.blogspot.com/2013/10/scrap-blog-heroine.html
Congratulations and thanks for all the inspiration, I have had a bit of a break from scrapping but your tutorial yesterday has inspired me to start scrapping again.
here's to the next 5 years of blogging. take care W

Marjie Kemper said...

Happy Blogaversary!

langeatheart said...

It's amazing how much we change over the years. As for blogging I am still trying to figure out how to add the matching side to my blog but that would take away from my gadgets! Hmm question would be what is your favourite medium to work with? I would be happy with either prize a gift is a gift! Thanks!

Bellaidea said...

Congratulations Helen! 5 years? great! I wonder how long we know each other?

BlackDamaskDesigns said...

Congrats on your long and illustrious blogging career, wow so many posts! I wonder if you have any other tips for gaining followers...I've had mine for a few months but having trouble getting followers. I participate in challenges, forums...have asked nicely, etch. to no avail. I visit pages of people with *500* followers and can't really see what I should do differently. I now it's important as I would eventually like to be on a/some design teams. Thanks!! Also to win either prize would be super thanks!

alexandra s.m. said...

Congrats my Friend!
You are an inspiration and a ray of sunshine to all of us ;)

Tusia Lech said...

Well... Helen - I read your text and I laughed almost all the time :) You have to see my first published project lol :D:D:D Posted on December 2009 :D You have to see it http://ototusia.blogspot.com/2009/12/ksiazka-kucharska.html

The image you have published - the text is so very true :)

Congratulations on so many years blogging :) And the question is: do you have any pet?

If I would win, I would choose set 2, but do not take me into consideration - I live too far and the cost of shipping would be too high :):)

xxxxx

langeatheart said...

I am already a follower of your blog and joined SATW because of you! Do you ever get into a rut? If so how do you shake it off? All the best! :) I like Rak 2!
http://mybeaner.blogspot.ca/