One Year

Hello, thanks so much for calling in to the Attic today, I'm really glad to have your company because today we are celebrating!

Yes indeed, dancing about in the usual ditsy, excitable fashion (well thats me doing the dancing, not you, although feel free by all means to join in), making a mess in the kitchen with the brightest icing I could manage, smarties and stripy candles too. Singing Happy Birthday to the furniture, lighting and blowing out candles, drinking coffee and generally being really rather happy. That's been the extent of my morning, and for all that it amounts to (ie kitchen mess, some photos, some beauuuuutiful buns and not a lot else), I feel fulfilled and contented, cos it's been a Great Morning. Doesn't take a lot, as you well know by now, to keep a smile on my face and a jolly spring in my step.

Today, I'm celebrating the fact that Attic24 has been sitting in it's little patch of cyberspace for One Year. I believe it's officially called my Blogiversary? Uh-huh, one whole year ago I sat down at the computer and decided that was the day I would become a Blogger.

The above photo was the first one to be uploaded to accompany my very first little sea green words last March. My first tentative, rather shy steps into Blogland. Back then I had no idea, NO idea what to expect from writing a blog. I knew that I desperately wanted to do it, wanted to be a part of this giving, sharing, creative, friendly community that I had discovered.

But back then I had no real way of knowing what would happen, how I would come to be so excited by the world of blogging, how Big it would become. Because to me it is Big indeed. The emotions that blogging generates are big, and the part it plays in my daily life has become big also. At times it has been almost overwhelming and I have found myself in tears over the sheer emotion of it all. But it is all good. All of it. Every single, tiny scrap of bloggy related goodness fills me with happiness.

So what can we say about this past year at Attic24? Has anything changed? The above photo was taken this morning, and I think this just about sums it up really :: nope, not a lot has changed around these parts in the past year. Still quite a lot of the same stuff going on this March as there was last March. The same cornishware bowl with primulas. The same table cluttered with stuff. Crochet things happening, mess in the background. The main difference is that I take looooonger to write these days, I am so wordy now compared to then! 

I guess you could say I gradually found my writing voice, and I found that I like the sound of it as it comes tumbling out of that whirlygig tangled place that holds my thoughts. I enjoy being able to articulate the thoughts, feelings, activities, observations, delights, frustrations, discoveries and creatvity that form and shape my little world. I like sharing it. And that my friends is what it comes down to :: the sharing. I just love love love to share out these things, delight in it, dance around in it, it thrills me to be able to put all this stuff-of-daily-life "out there", to preserve it, record it and share it.

I never expected to feel so excited about blogging, about writing and sharing photographs. But to me it is really exciting. Every day, with every post I write, I feel a huge buzz of creative excitement. Sure, it's addictive, and yes it takes up quite a decent part of my free time to post as often as I do, and at the length that I do. But it has become essential to my well being. I find that if I don't post, I get a kind of "clogged up" feeling. I find that ideas and thoughts and stuff begins to get jammed with no way of being let out, and that makes me feel very disorientated. Writing this blog has given me an outlet, a way to take all the itsy bits of visual, mental and creative stimulation that streams into my chaotic brain and share it out so that I don't feel like I'm going to go PoP! Does that make sense? Its quite hard to put into words, but hey, I'm giving it a damn good go, and hope you get what I'm on about.

So, I've been pondering on what I can do to celebrate this little milestone here in the Attic. Cake? Of course, you can't have a celebration without cake. Gifts perhaps? Yes  I can do gifts too. But before we go and get all gifty and cakey, lets have a look at some pretty pictures shall we?

I'm aware that Attic24 has become known as the place where people come to "brighten their day", that my obsession with colour has become well known. So in honour of that fact, I've spent a little time this past week putting together some mosaics for you.

An Attic24-year-in-pictures......

:: there have been flowers, oh so many flowers ::

:: there has been baking, lots of baking ::

:: there's been the view from the Attic, in all weathers ::

:: there have been many cups of tea and coffee shared ::

:: celebrations too, the high days and the holidays ::

:: there have been outings, visits and jollies to share ::

:: there have been shopping trips and pretty purchases ::

:: and  crochet, yes there's been a great deal of hooky goodness ::

:: and there's been bog-standard, everyday domestic home life too ::

It might interest you to know that over the course of the last year, I've taken 3,485 photographs and a good many of those have been shared here on the blog.

There have been 242 posts written.

And you my friends have also been busy, leaving me a delightful, astonishing, wonderful, fantabulous 5,416 comments.

For the latter, I am truly, utterly thankful. For the friendship, encouragement, enthusiasm, humour and generosity in every word that you write to me, I am Thankful.

So....shall we proceed to the gift-giving now then???

Above photo is of my hallway this morning, right near the front door. That's my latest textile picture hanging there look. Looks quite jolly? Pretty even? Want a closer look?

There you are. I made this picture during yesterday, and  in truth, it did not happen easily. I am out of practice with making textile work, and I so wanted this picture to be perfect, for you to like it, love it even. I'm glad to say that in the end, yes it did come together pretty much exactly as I had imagined it in my mind and I am quite delighted with it actually.

Tiny pieces of fabric cut and stitched by hand and machine, with care and love. As a gift of thanks from me to you.

I have also been hooking some flowers to make more of these posie-brooches. Excepting eh-hem I have to confess I haven't quite finished making them yet.

But I figured you could overlook that little fact, because you are generous like that I know. So........if you would like your name to be popped into the hat for a chance to win this Blogiversary giveaway, all you have to do is leave me a comment at the end of this post. You don't need to say anything specific, just a few words cos I do so love hearing from you.

There is only one picture to give away I'm afraid, but I'll try and make as many posie-brooches as I can manage. I'll leave this open for a week, so you have until next Friday 20th March.....oh lordy, the fun never ends does it, I am bursting at the seams with all this feel-good happening around here!!

Now then, all that remains for me to say is, as ever, THANK YOU for being so damn nice and for taking time out of your day to pay me a visit. You are the Best.

Oh yes the cakey stuff, I almost forgot...would you like a bun?? Go on, help yourself, I'll go put the kettle on...........

See you next week, enjoy your weekend (I'm off to sea, again, I shall surely explode with excitement!!)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Comments

[Louise]

Hi Lucy! Happy Blogiversary! Thank you so much for writing your blog and sharing with us. It's lovely everyday.

Hope you have a great day!

Louise X

[Julie]

Lucy- what a wonderful post - you've excelled yourself! So lovely to look back on all the goodness that you've shared over the past twelve months. Such colours, such excitements, such joy and such a love for life, always to be found in your posts, blog and home. I love your mosaics - I know it's been said before, but I so think you should have a book of your photos and words - I'm sure it would be a bestseller. Wishing you a very very happy Blogiversary, enjoy every colourful, exciting minute of it. And have a wonderful time at the seaside this weekend - I'm hoping to do the same - am feeling a longing to be by the sea now that the weather is improving. xx

PS I think your picture is gorgeous - you are so clever.

[Penny Lewis]

Lucy
I can't believe I'm the first to comment.It really makes me feel as if you wrote this post just for me ! In fact that's how you always make me feel! I can't begin to tell you how positive your blog has been on my little life .Because you look for the little joys in everything I've started to do the same and it makes life wonderful .Thank you. Penny L xxxxxx

[byPetra]

Oh wow! Congratulations and thanks for the bun, it's lovely. And I would go dancing and singing around my house if I would be so lucky to receive something made by your hands.

xx Petra

[Ange]

Happy Blogiversary! Thank you for the past year - I couldn't imagine my days without checking out your blog! I'm sure the next year will be even more exciting for you!
love Ange
xx

[noelle]

happy day to you! great cakes, great picture, great photos. have a great weekend! noelle x

[Debs]

Happy day!!! Your photos are wonderful, so full of fun and happiness. I do love visiting, it really cheers me - thank you! Have a wonderful day! Debs x x

[Sarabeth]

Hello, Lucy! Thank you for once again brightening my day! I believe I'll mess up my kitchen too, perhaps Skittles on frosted cookies... Then when my little ones return from school, there'll be plenty of dancing at my house too!

Have a wonderful weekend!

[Nicola/smilernpb]

Oh wow, happy bogiversary! I am an avid follower of your blog, and swear by your recipes (although still waiting for the chocolate caramel shortcake one - NUDGE!).

Have a fabulous day and be happy in the knowledge that so many people are visiting Attic24 in cyberspace.

Would love to ask you a few specific questions but I expect you'll be bombarded with e-mails this week.

Lots of hugs, Nicola/smilenpb

[Michaela]

hello, lucy! happy blogiversary : )

thanks for sharing

[Hen]

Congratulations, a whole year, quite an achievement and so good you enjoy your blogging and it's had such a positive effect on your life. Loving the mosaics you have put together, thanks so much, so cheery, and the picture you've sewn is lovely. Now I really need cake!
Have a good weekend. I'll think of you whilst I'm "out West".
Hen x

[PinkCat]

Oh Lucy, I'm such a newbie your blog but in the last few weeks it has given me so much pleasure. It's so colourful and cheery and lovely to have an insight into your world. I must confess after I found it, over a couple of evenings, I worked my way through the archive.

It's almost like you're a friend to everyone who visits. Last night I was making your orange and raisin cookies to take to work for our Comic Relief cakesale and when Mr P asked where the recipe was from, I replied: 'Lucy, you know Lucy in her Attic'.

Have a very happy Blogiversary! Enjoy a glass of blogging fizz and as Brucie would say 'Keeeeeeeeep Blogging'!

[Steph]

Happy Blogiversary ! Your blog is lovely and I look forward to your next year of posts. Congratulations.
Steph

[Jill]

What a fabulous post! I think I'll go back and read a year's worth as I only found you a month or so ago. I start my day by checking in on yours. I look forward to many more wonderful posts from you. You bring a bit of England to northwest Colorado, THANK YOU!

Jill

[Rachel L]

Happy Bloggy Birthday Lucy! What a gorgeously colourful post! The words you wrote about blogging rang true for me too - I am approaching my blogs 1st anniversary and I now cannot imagine life without it! Those birthday buns look delicious!
:)

[susan hall]

Dear Lucy, can I please put my name in the hat for your lovely picture? What a generous lass you are offering such a great giveaway. The anniversary post is even better and more luciously colourful than ever and I bet I'm not the only one who'd love to sit down with you for one of those tasty looking buns and a brew!
Looking forward to your second year of wonderful photographs and tales from the Attic. Many happy returns xx

[Teasel]

Happy Blogiversary! What beautiful photographs and writing. I dream that I too could live with so many beautiful things - but i look around and only see mess. One day.............I can dream! -x-

[Z.]

Hi Lucy!
Thanks so much for showing me the world of crochet. I'm seriously hooked now, all thanks to you!
Have fun at the sea.

Z.

[Rosa]

Happy 'blogthday' It's so nice to visit you. Thank you for all your pretty things (and for the hexagons...help!! lol).

[Kathy]

Congratulations on your first anniversary. Yours is one of my favourite blogs - I love popping in to see what colourful offering you have in store for the day. Here's to the next year ...

[Karen]

Happy Blogiversary. This year you have taught me to make granny squares and convinced me to buy a very special green coat that I had been uhmming and ahrring about! Your writing and pictures always make my day a little brighter. Have a wonderful weekend. Karen X

[Jane]

Oh lucy those photos!
Wonderful, lovely, marvelous, eye-watering goodness.
Happy 1st Anniversary, my friend
Love, as usual,
Jane xx

[Funkymonkey]

Happy Blogiversary Lucy. I'm a year old too this week.Pop over to mine if you want to enter my giveaway.

Tracey

[kathy]

Hi Lucy - Happy blog birthday. Thanks for the bun, so beautifully decorated too! Love the picture, gorgeous you are very clever, gorgeous colours. Have a great weekend, Kathyx

[carole]

Bon anniversaire! thank you for all your teaching and sharing over the past year! lots of love C xxxxxxxxxxxx