Monday, September 8, 2014

Blogland Tour

I have been invited to participate in the
 Blogland Tour 


by everyone's favorite Blog Fairy
Linda at Life and Linda.
She was so kind to think of me.
Thank you Linda!

Life and Linda

Linda is so beautiful and talented
and inspiring.
When she wrote her Blogland Tour
everything she wrote could have been
about me.  I think we are kindred spirits!

You may have seen the Blogland Tour
going around where a blogger is
asked to answer four questions
about their blogging experience
and then nominate 2 to 3 other
bloggers to participate.


(1.  What am I working on?)
Of course with fall in the air 
I am getting Halloween ideas
swirling in my head, but also 
finishing up the garden and gardening
ideas.  I prefer to do my fall decorating
after Halloween (although I will throw in a
pumpkin here and there).  

I just love Halloween
because the kiddies love it so much.  
They go running through my house and
if I didn't put up one of their favorite
items, they get after me.  I get so much
joy from watching them enjoy my holiday
decorating and cooking.  My grandchildren
really inspire me to be fun!!! Someday they
will say, "Remember crazy Grandma Jackie?"
Maybe they already do!!

I am ready to publish my 7th volume
of my blog to preserve it for posterity
and I make a copy for all five of my 
children.  Twice my blog disappeared
and the shock of it pushed me to print
it on Blog2print.

I am also busy with creating books
for my eight grandchildren.

Grandma is writing a "Book of Cute"
for each one of them with pictures of 
them, often with Grandma, and fun
things they said or did.  I already
have fun reading through them.  My
computer crashed and that was the
one thing they were not able to recover!!
Fortunately about a month before, I
was inspired to print their books off
and put them in binders.  They weren't
exactly laid out how I would have wanted
them but I felt so fortunate that I listened
to that still small voice and printed them
or I would have had to start all over and
that probably would never have happened.

In addition I have been invited to teach
several holiday tablescaping classes
to groups in the area.


(How does my work differ from others in its genre?)

Everything on my blog, well practically
everything in my life, centers around my family.

I wanted to create a blog that covers
all aspects of life from food to travel, 
gardening to spiritual, fun, holidays, 
beauty and anything inbetween.  
Like Elphaba, I didn't want to be limited.

My family and creating for them and
our friends is what I love in life.

I love beautiful things and I love to
create beautiful spaces and I mostly
love to give people beautiful experiences.


(Why do I write what I do?)

When I first started writing,
I wrote to capture my creative
expressions whether it was a 
beautiful dessert, a lovely garden,
or a beautiful table.

My husband commented after
awhile that my blog captured
our lives more than my journal
so now my writing is often to capture
our lives.

I also write to teach.  I am thrilled
with how the internet has become
a mostly free teaching tool. I love
to include step by step pictures so
that others can learn and have fun
creating too.



(How does my writing process work?)

Now I plan more in my writing
process than I did at first.  I also
take more time with my photography
(usually) and I am constantly inspired
by what I see around me.

I try to involve my friends and
family.  They all love to be featured
on a blog, to contribute an idea or
a recipe or have me photograph
a party.  I love that they are excited
about my blogging too.

I usually start by letting the
pictures tell the story.  How
blessed we are to have such
wonderful cameras and computers
to help in our writing process.  
My last post was taken all with my
Iphone camera.  A few years ago
bloggers would post a photo and
then apologize for the quality because
it was taken with their phone.  Now
look what our phones can do.  We
always have a camera on hand!

I think there should be one more
question
---
How much do I love blogging now?


I love it more and more and
hopefully I am getting better
and better at it, although sometimes
when I look back at a post, I marvel
that I could have created something
that beautiful!  It seems a waste to
have it lost in the archives of my blog.
Then Pinterest comes in where it 
can continue to circulate.  I just love that!

Life gets crazy and busy and I
love how understanding blogging
friends are about that.  I love that
they don't mind if you take a break
or slow down if life is just spinning
around you.  I hope to keep blogging
always.

I would like to nominate
two lovely ladies 
---
of course since she was the
one who "forced" me to start
my own blog rather than be a
guest on hers.  Joni used to say she
wasn't creative and watching her now,
I realize she just didn't have an outlet
for it.  She is super creative.

I would also like to nominate
I have known Rachel since she
was a little girl and she was my
oldest daughter's friend growing up.

Rachel has so much talent, she just
explodes with it.  She is always so busy
creating beauty in other people's homes
and lives that she often doesn't have 
time to write it all down.  She also 
spends her life trotting the globe!  
She is one lucky lady and shares
it with us.

I love both of these women as people
but I love their blogs too.

Go and visit them and continue
the Blogland Tour.

Thanks again Linda for this
opportunity and for all of
the other great bloggers out there
who share so freely and beautifully.




11 comments:

  1. Congratulations. It is always nice to get to know the lovely people in this blogging world. blessings, Catherine

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  2. Jacqueline,it's fun to read more about PCH. You know I'm a long time avid fan!!! I'm so impressed that you are creating A Book of Cute for each of your grands. What a special treasure for each of them and fun for you to create Your are one of my most talented friends in the kitchen. ;-)
    Thanks for sharing your pretty creations and your creative spirit with all of us. I look forward to reading Joni's and Rachel's responses.

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  3. Linda is lovely:)

    And that's my fave thing here..How you LOVE your family:)
    My grandchildren would be so excited if we did the things you do:)

    Disney for one:) Harry Potter..Halloween.
    You are a nana extraordinaire.

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    Replies
    1. Oh Monique, you are an amazing Nana too! I love what you do with your little ones.

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  4. You're always an inspiration, Jacqueline, with all your talents and the fun things you do with and for your family. You're one fun Mom and Grandma for sure.

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  5. Jackie, I'm feeling a little challenged myself. Your mention of the books you are preparing for your grandchildren struck a cord with me this morning... My mind is racing... Thank you!
    Oh and I LOVE Rachel's blog a_little_cuppa_tea too!

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  6. Aww Jacqueline, you have such a lovely way with words. Thank for your very kind introduction about me. It is amazing how similar we are.....You always set the bar up high with your beautiful posts. Always inspirational and full of surprise. I applaud you for being that sweet Grandma and making sure they all have a good time. The treasured books will be such a blessing for the kids. A life journal with photos. Great post.....Looking forward to reading more about Joni and Rachel. xo

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  7. I've enjoyed getting to know you over the last couple of years and appreciate you sharing your family and adventures with us.

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  8. Thank you Jackie for the kind words! I am so excited to do this, and be nominated by you. I will have my post up Thursday. Have an event tonight, with hopefully some fun to picks to add to the post!
    Love your post, it was beautifully written, thank you again!

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  9. what i have always loved about your blog is the sense of family, it shines through always, the fun, the joy, the merriment, not to mention it IS always beautiful here! you live a blessed life, and your graciously share it~

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  10. I really enjoyed learning more about you and your blog. You sound like a wonderful mom and grandma! such a great idea of the books for your grandkids!

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