Wee Wonderfulness

So I've been thinking about the blogs I visit and the sites I enjoy. Which one should I talk about first? I guess it makes sense to start at the beginning.

One day in 2006, as Christmas was approaching, I went searching on the internet for free embroidery patterns. I had a pile of napkins I'd purchased at Target the year before for 90% off, and I thought they'd make a neat present for someone if I added a little embroidery to them.

I never did embroider those napkins, but that search led me to Wee Wonderfuls. Now, anyone who is crafty and follows blogs knows Wee Wonderfuls, but I hardly even knew what a blog was back then. In fact, I'd attended a little seminar about blogging for work, and left the meeting wondering why on earth anyone would even do something like that.

WELL! Once I landed at WW and started looking around, it suddenly all made sense. I remember calling my mom, all excited, and saying, "You should see this! This woman is just like me! She likes RED and THRIFT shops and CUTE stuff!" I loved the crafts she did, I loved her furniture, I loved her Christmas decorations, I loved her kid's name (there was just one back then). My mom asked me if I'd talked to her. Talked to her? Hilary is like a ROCK STAR, one of the grande dames of craft blogging! No, I didn't talk to her. Mom!

But it was like Hilary became one of my friends. I got to know her by going back into the archives and reading every single post. I checked her blog every day to see what she was up to. And eventually Hilary inspired me to dig out my sewing machine and use it again.

The first thing I sewed after dusting off my machine was a Valentine gift for my husband, Gerry. The design was a blatant rip off of one of Hilary's bears. But that bear is what lit the spark of creating in me again. Look what I made out of some junk I was just going to throw away! I made that!

So, Hilary, sorry about that bear, but thanks for the inspiration. Someday I hope my blog can grow up to be a little like yours.