"Have you got a blog?" ( said, perhaps, in a slightly bemused tone)

this is NOT my desk (way to neat/clean) image from here

See, it's funny isn't it, this blogging caper. I like it very muchly, yet I often wonder, why it is that I find it so hard to explain it to other people. Do you find that?

For a long time you bunch of lovelies were the only ones that knew about my blog... I didn't tell anyone, and it is still something many people who know me know nothing about. I find it so hard to explain the relationships formed and the sense of community that crafty blogs have... that it is not about showing what you have made to show off rather showing what you have made to share it with those who will appreciate the time that went into it. Who will appreciate the time and who will smile when they see it.

To read and see that there are others who like making things for makings sake are doing, at home whilst they juggle families and work and life. Others who understand that when the need to make things takes over nothing can stop or get in that way , that if you have an idea in the middle of the night you need to act on it as it will be impossible to settle until you do? Others who you can share the excitement of learning a new skill, like the first time you sewed a zipper, or finished an embroidery piece etc, or learnt to crochet and you could do nothing other than think about how much crocheting you could fit into your life, could you do it during work meetings etc. Or to inspire others to try new things and to be inspired by others who have pushed themselves and tried new things. Others who understand the overwhelming rush of a new idea and most of all many many others who would never call themselves artists or even refer to themselves as artistic yet create amazing things ALL THE TIME - and this includes taking fabulous pictures, and who maybe for many many years didn't know anyone else who liked making things like they do.

I love the sense of sharing of women's things, mothering and how sometimes it is not all smooth sailing. I love the sharing of ideas, resources, the swaps the giveaways the tutorials. I am nosey by nature and love seeing inside peoples homes, best of all I love Kirtsy's My Creative Space, I love to see what everyday people, like me, are doing at home between hanging out loads of washing and wiping little bums.

And the relationships you have with some of these people you have never met, that you know, you just KNOW you would get along with in real life and that one day you will meet and it will be like seeing an old friend. And these friends send you things for often for NO reason and you could just cry at the niceness of it...I think that is another thing I like to, I love sending little pressies to people as much as I love getting them, probably more so and I love that you are allowed to do that without it being misinterpreted as anything other than nice. Chef is constantly amazed at the little packages that arrive for me (sometimes us) and it took me ages to convince him they weren't Etsy purchases!

Kate and I talked ( when I say talk I mean emailed) about this recently as people keep asking me about Busys dress and where I got it. I was kind of stumbling over my words at a loss as to if I could/ should call Kate "a friend" and how do you refer to someone you have never met but you think is tops without it sounding like a bit of a weirdo? Kate and I decided to refer to each other as friends as we KNOW we would get along in real life and I do see her as a friend...but to the non blogging community it all just sounds a bit weird.

But it is a community right? It is sharing and caring and funny and inspiring.
Is your blog a secret?
What do people say to you when you tell them about your blog?
Do you find it difficult to explain?
Do you know any other bloggers? ( I only know one in real life)
Tell me EVERYTHING!!