Blogging My Passion

Will you come with me on a little journey dear friend?  I’ve just read through the wonderful e-book  above by the lovely Tara Gentile (aka Scoutie Girl), and it’s definitely given me the push and inspiration I needed to get back into both blogging and creating.  Believe me I know things have been a little sparse around here too.   It’s not from lack of ideas, it’s just plain old lack of inspiration to get them down.

But if we don’t get them down… they go away.  (Unless that’s age…. shush you)

When I first started blogging a few years ago, my little cafe was not born yet.  I actually had a blog called Rockin Paper and Scissors on Blogger which you can still visit by clicking here if you dare.   I didn’t really know why I wanted to start a blog at that time other than everyone else was starting one,  and as a result didn’t pay much attention to it.  In fact my last post from October 2007 was a “bad blogger” announcement that I’d be back soon… and then I never went.

I don’t think I felt like I really had anything to say.

And then I decided to just start fresh with a new space, and new ideas, and a new me.  It’s so easy to re-invent yourself online isn’t it?   And I’ve loved this space… so much so I migrated to my own url (and thank you to those of you that came along) so I could really make it my own.  I had weekly features that I feel guilty I let slide, time and life get in the way of course, but still I was neglecting my space (and my readers).  I was trying to get myself and you excited with gadgets and gizmos and bells and whistles.

And then honestly know what happened?  I went to BlogHer 09′, and I met other bloggers who were inspiring, and who made me cry with their beautiful and touching posts, and who had hundreds of readers, and were intelligent and witty and uber chic… and though I left feeling inspired by them,

Then I didn’t feel like I had anything relevant to say.

At the conference the hot question of course was “What do you blog about?”, and since I wasn’t feeling excited by my answer of  “oh crafts, scrapbooking, and OK sometimes my cats” , I didn’t know why I expected others to be.  I’ve never had a real clear vision (minus the catchy cafe related categories) of why I’m a blogger, other than I know I love it.  I love the community, and the friends I’ve made.  ( Of course we all blog for praising comments too… it doesn’t help to pretend I don’t).

So, without further ado, I am sharing with you what is my new Mission Statement for my blog, which is the first exercise in Tara’s book.  I feel a little exposed to put it right out there, but it’s important to me for you that do come back again and again (THANK YOU!) to know I’m working on improving,  that things are going to change just a little around here, definitely for the better.  And I want you to know it’s because I want you to be inspired by what I write and do.

Because if I’ve learned anything from the day I started blogging to today, it’s that what I care about most is my readers, especially when we become friends.

So – here we go:

The Crafty Cafe is a friendly space where all who enter are encouraged to realize they are creative beings. Within, one will find easy step by step techniques or projects illustrated in photographs, shared stories of inspiration or laughter, and my own crafts and the reasons behind why I create them. Readers will feel like they have sat down with a friend over coffee for a chat, and leave feeling inspired to create.

My little journey will be behind the scenes though you’ll see it come through in new posts and new content, and hopefully you’ll find it just as enjoyable to read as I will to write.  I’m ready to turn the page and stop trying to constantly grab new readers, just be better to the ones I have by really Blogging about my Passion.  Because after writing the above mission statement and getting it out there… you know what?

I’ve realized I have LOTS to say.

Thanks for stopping by today sweet friends, and see you soon.