Sunday, August 17, 2008

At Last!!! Post Number 100!!! How About a Giveaway?

Wow. I can't believe I've reached 100 posts. It seems both quick and also like it should have happened long ago. Starting this blog is one of the best things I've ever done. It may have saved my sanity. Here's my blog story...

We moved to the suburbs about 2 weeks before Rexy was born. Being city dwellers, we only had one car that my DH now had to use to get to work. We lived with that situation for more than 2 1/2 years. That meant that I was stuck at home every day with only a baby to talk to. (you can only force the relatives to stay on the phone for so long.) Of course I loved being with my baby and am lucky to be able to stay home with her. It's the stuck part that got me. Most of my old, city friends worked during the day and the ones that didn't lived 30 minutes away - on a good traffic day. My family all lives 45 minutes or more away - on a good traffic day.



(I know it sounds like we were crazy to live here, but this really was the best choice. We could afford it, for one, and it's generally recognized as a great place to live. Seattle Magazine recently wrote, “Shoreline turns up again – just as it has in the last few years – as a top-value neighborhood. A lauded school system, lots of parks and decent commute times to the city add up to a good family community...” This was in an article that rated our neighborhood number one overall as the best place to live in Western WA.)

I was also not working for the first time (for any signifigant length of time) since my first job started a month after I turned 15yo. I was 41. My last day of work at my very public (I physically interacted with 200-300 people a day and talked to just as many on the phone each day) was also 2 weeks before Rexy was born. Yes, I quit my job, bought a house, moved, and had a baby all within about 6 weeks - talk about life changes! Anyway, suffice it to say, I was going crazy being essentially by myself every day. On top of that, I knew something was up with Rexy but I didn't yet know that it was Autism. I was worried about her lack of speech. I was depressed, I was lonely, I gained about 900 pounds.



(Gina Smith)

Then I discovered blogs. Beautiful, lyrical, sweet, friendly blogs! What a world! What a life! What amazing people! And they liked what I liked! It was a revelation. It all started when I started researching ATCs on eBay...



(Jan Thomason)

I was researching my new love, altered art, on eBay and I noticed that all the art I liked had a little note at the bottom of the listings that said "proud member of ZNE." Hmmm. What was that? I finally came across a listing with a web address for ZNE and lo and behold! A whole community of like-minded artists! Then I found the groups on eBay. And the groups on Yahoo. All of a sudden there were hundreds (if not thousands) of people who liked what I liked. As the days went by and I read more postings in the discussion forums of eBay, Yahoo, and ZNE, I noticed more and more people talking about blogs.


(Suzan Buckner)


Blogs? Weren't those just journals for techies? So I started clicking on links and you know what happened next. That link led to another link, which led to another link, which led to another link...suddenly it was two hours later and I was immersed in whole new world! It was love at first sight. I could never have imagined that so much beauty lived online. Could you?


It took me 6 months to start my own. December 16, 2006


Why such a long delay? I dont' know. I think I worried about posting the "wrong" thing. I think I thought I should have a more exciting life. I perseverated over every post at first. Wrote it, rewrote it, wrote it one more time....Silly. I was certainly not that critical of everyone else's blog. I was, and still am, happy to read whatever anyone writes. If you want to share it, I want to read it.
(Pam Carriker)


And here I am today. A happy blogger; proud - and delighted - to be a part of such a beautiful, diverse community. Most of all, I am grateful. Grateful to you brilliant, lovely, kind, generous, and brave readers and fellow bloggers who put yourselves out there in your blogs and in your art - day after day - sharing yourselves with the rest of us. You set a fine example, one you can be proud of. If I could give each and every one of you a big, huge gift, I would.

(Lorraine Reynolds)


I can't do that, but I can give one gift - so I will. I will put the name of every person who comments on this post in the next two weeks into a hat. On October 10th I will draw the name of the winner. The winner will receive an original piece of my art. And this is it:


Friendship in Our Hearts

The larger, cut-out words read, "Sing to me of friendship, laughter, and love." and the hand written words on the edges both read, "I remember my first friend and my last friend equally well. No matter what now keeps us apart - or unites us - we will always have that friendship in our hearts." It is an 11" x 14" acrylic and paper on canvas. The colors are magenta, pink, brown, and aqua. I painted it specifically for this giveaway.



(slightly larger detail)



In this post I have included links to some of the lovely blogs that I have come across in the last two years. Each picture (that isn't mine) is a link to that person's blog and each link in the body of the post - each underlined word - is a seperate link to a different blog.



Note: Each picture here is of artwork that is copyrighted solely to each artist.




28 comments:

reagan said...

Yeah Laurie!!! You did it girlfriend!! And all before Rexy went off to collage, Suzan will be so proud-lol! Congrats on your 100th post! I am so happy to be the first to toss my name in the hat, I love this piece.
xoxoxo
Pam

CEDAR JUNCTION said...

Your blog is on my list of "favs". I hope you are having a wonderful day! - Teresa

SUZAN BUCKNER said...

OMG!! I fainted when I saw that you FINALLY posted the 100th!!Congratulations!!!!!! You did it!! NOW--could you pleaseeeeeeeeeee start on the next 100????? hehehehe... Thank you for including me in your post!!!

(by the way--I REALLY need to get a life--because, I started blogging 6 months AFTER you did, and I have posted...oh..675 and a few hundred that I deleted ...LOL LOL)

Love ya!!
ME.

Shabby Cottage Studio said...

Congratulations on your 100th post. I enjoyed your story of how you got from there to here. Thanks for the sweet link. I think your art piece is amazing and I'm throwing my hat in the ring! So pick me, pick me! LOL
hugs
gail

Anonymous said...

Laurie,

ZNE is made a wonderful group, by having wonderful members like YOU!

Thanks for giving my blog a linky, and ZNE a shout out.

I love ALL the blogs you mentioned here too.

xoxo - Chel

Gina M Smith said...

Oh my gosh! You sweet and wonderful woman! Look at all the loved you shared with your blog friends! Thank you for mentioning me and showing my banner-first up-how lucky am I? I feel the exact same way you do about blogging and my blog friends! Hope we can meet sometime, and your piece of art is perfect and exquisite! Good for you, Miss 100!

Altered Kat said...

WOW!...it's stunning Mrs. LBM!...you are an amazing talent! I know your early baby dayz all too well! :D...enjoyed the story.
So touched you put me down as a "friendly" link ;o)
...so if I may enter your fabu-contest here I'll take up lucky space #7! woohoo!
:o) Hugs Bugs & thank YOU!...for being one of those blogs to all of us!
Kat

Artsnark said...

What a great post! I've only just starting reading blogs & will be sure to follow yours Laurie. I've enjoyed your art on ZNE for a while now :)Thanks for pointing out some other fun blogs to check out

Cheers
Stacey M

glimmering prize said...

Hi Laurie
Nice to make a milestone, isn't it!
Thanks so much for all your love and support over the past few years- You're the greatest!
Lorraine

Sueann said...

Laurie!!! Love your work and your prize is stunning. I definitely want you to pick me.
And I enjoyed reading your blogs..congrats on your 100th!!!
Woohoo
Hugs
SueAnn

Unknown said...

you really are a big hearted, loving and supportive woman! i love what you've done here honoring others on your own milestone!

lovely, laurie!
xoxo
jul

Anne, Bulles dorées said...

Congratulations for the 100th post !! Thank you for sharing with us !!

Anne Le Toux

bonniebluedenim said...

You are beautiful, your daughter is beautiful as is your lovely art work! Sigh....a lot of hard work goes into living. You were one of my first contacts with ZNE with the journal round robin!!then on the design team and i've never looked back. what a wonderful on-line community ( I almost said "of faith"...but you know on some level it is!!)

i'm sorry if this gets posted twice....duh
Faith in the acceptance of the group and the love of all things altered! Thanks for having such a wonderful celebration of post #100!

MinervasMadness said...

Congrats,Laurie on your 100th post.
It seems that you found your worth thru you beautiful art, your sweet daughter and your many friends and family. I am proud to call you my friend. Could not have done the book blanks for A&P without your beautiful start to them. You are a wonderful woman.
Wishing you much happiness,
Cath

Unknown said...

What a wonderful post! I think I found blogging the same way you did. I'm really glad you did find blogging for I could meet you!

Xoxo,
Brandy

P.s. cool music!

harvestorm said...

You have an amazing Blog, Laurie! I look forward to reading your next 100 posts!!!

I loved your story about how you came to find ZNE ... it is very much like my own. :-)

Keep up the great work (both blogging and with your wonderful Artistic Creations)!!!

Best,
Hope (aka harvestorm)

Linda Walsh said...

Laurie,

Congratulations on your 100th post. That's FANTASTIC. I can't tell you how happy I am to hear you say that the blogging community is the BEST.

I, too, have met some of the most gifted, talented, and generous artists and crafters in the blogging community and have found they everyone is always so willing to help someone else out. Always so willing to lend support.

I LOVE blogging and I'm happy to know you share that love.

Have a great night.

Linda

Sherri said...

always enjoy your blog. Congrats on the 100 posts! I totally agree that it is a wonderful land--blogland.

paru's_circle said...

hi Laurie
thanks for coming over to my blog and your kind wonderful comments.. congrats on your 100th post!!
great blog you have here
regards
P

michelle cook infantino said...

It is a most gorgeous painting. You are most generous to share it with someone.

I know lonely just as you described it. My parents are over an hour away and it's very difficult to have a "play date." I'm sure you get the picture there--social issues. Everyone works during the day so Taylor and I pretty much exist here alone with the dog. It gets lonely. I was hoping preschool would work out but we too shall reevaluate over the holidays. Kinda lookin' like getting the label back in place, insurance card black in place, ITM meeting and IEP and special ed preschool. Should take a few months. Glad she just turned 3. Was planning on holding her out of kinder. until age 6 anyway.

This is such a tough road sometimes. I love her so much and my heart breaks daily. I need to accept certain things and realize she is pretty much happy. Actually she's great unless there are other kids around. :)

WEll, I'm rambling. Sorry to unload on you.

ONce again, your painting is gorgeous.

Jan Thomason said...

hey, you!!! you listed my blog in your post - ain't you sumthin' - that was so nice! thank you, sweetie!
i a sooooo behind that i am now no longer working in a 4" x 4" square clean area on my work table, i'm working on top of STACKS!!!
somebody shot me!!
i need an assistant but there's not one high school girl that has time to work in the studio with me.

enough about me.
let's talk about you.
i miss you and have not forgotten you - i think of you so often and continue to pray for rexie:)
okay.
i'm going to get a few minutes soon and you and i are going to sit down and have a little chat:)

but, first, don't tell me that i'm too late for the drawing.
i want to own a laurie piece of art:)
xoxoxoxo, jan

Cathy said...

love your art. hope to get to know you more on the mania site :)

Crafty Mommy said...

Congratulations and thanks for posting on the Many Maniacs site that led me here! Your artwork and blog are wonderful.

And your story - I am a S.A H. mom and love reading blogs - great, creative reads that take me from one to another! I added your blog to my favs. - keep up the great work!
Johanna

Lola Enchanted said...

Hello,

*~*CONGRATS*~* on your 100th post!!!!

You have one lovely blog! Stop by and enter my give~away!!!

Enjoy your day!

Stacie @ azoho.com said...

Yeah Laurie.....100 posts! Love the idea of a giveaway- as much as I love your painting....did I mention that I've got the perfect spot for it? LOL, no bribery or guilt- just sayin'. ;-)

Unknown said...

Congratulations on your 100th! You are very generous to give of your talent in such a way. Your story is very encouraging.
Best wishes, Here's to the next 100!!!

Anonymous said...

Laurie very inpressed with you!
I have enjoyed reading your blogs and getting to know you. Who was your first friend? Do you still keep in contact with them? They are the special ones that stay around for ever!

Kerry and Rachel said...

Great post! Thanks for sharing links to all your lovely blog friends, it's nice to see what others read. You have a great list!
Congrats on your 100!