Saturday 6 November 2010

Celebrating Blog Friendships–Blog Party!

Blog_Party_Invite_061110
Good Evening All Bloggers!

A big welcome to our  Blog Party.  This is a Blog Hop, with 29 wonderful people blogging on the subject of “Celebrating Blog Friendships”.  You start right here and can follow the links from one blog to another, all the way round the chain, until you will (hopefully) end up at Jo’s blog – Curlyscrapbooker

As this is a party, I hope you’ll have some fun on the way, perhaps have a little music, cake, a balloon or two, play a game… whatever our friends have in store for you, I’m sure it will be fun! 

Every party should start with a little bit of a quiet spell, while everyone has their first little drink (!) and warms up a bit; this is the quiet start, but I hope it will soon get lively!  So, pull up a floor cushion, get comfortable, sip your first drink and let’s make a beginning to our evening. 
BFS
Firstly, a little bit of history… this time last year, many of those taking part in this evening’s Party were starting out on a new online course, created and organised by the ever-fabulous Shimelle (yay!).  It was, of course, “Blogging For Scrapbookers” and as a result many of us started our first ever blog, or began to use our blogs on a regular basis, to post about our lives, homes, families, scrapping and crafting.  Of course, we also began to read others’ blogs – many of those on a regular basis too.

As always, there was a forum available to all course members, where we could post questions, comments etc and our responses to challenges set by the course.  Shimelle dropped in regularly to give support and help.  We were encourages to introduce ourselves and to “meet” others who were on the course.
All that was a year ago, starting on 2nd November; but for me, and many others, it has continued well beyond that initial month of BFS.  I began to visit other blogs on a regular basis and quickly gathered a list of blogs belonging to other BFS classmates, which I read daily and often responded to with comments.  I started updating my new blog on a regular basis too and was so pleased when someone commented on one of my own posts.

And now? 

Well, last month I realised that I’d had this blog for almost a year.  It got me thinking about the year and how my blog had developed, what sort of posts I’d made, whose blogs I had visited, the enjoyment I had while joining in with the huge Blog World that is Out There.

I mentioned this to Jo, during a bit of a chat we had.  We agreed that we wanted to do something to mark the occasion.  After all, it’s not every day that you have a “Bloggiversary”, is it?  

We chose today as our Official Bloggiversary – or Blog Birthday if you prefer – and a subject of “Celebrating Blog Friendships”, since we both felt that the most significant benefit to both of us, from becoming involved in our blogs, has been the wonderful new friendships we have formed during this past year!

So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all Blog Friends who have been with us this past year.  Even if you already had your blog, or if you’ve started it since, we want you to know that we appreciate your friendship, we love having you around and it is a pleasure to know you all!

* * *

On a personal note, I want to tell you how very much I personally value the friendships I have begun this year.   A number of you – and you know who you are – have become regular visitors to my blog.  You read the various rambling waffles that I choose to call “Blog Posts”; you even leave me comments. 
Your encouragement when I have posted a tutorial or pictures of my various layouts, craft projects or bookbinding efforts, has been much appreciated; your appreciation of my efforts to please has cheered me and made me happy. 

It is great to have people laugh with me, when I post something that I have found amusing, to have someone to tell about my adventures – small or big.
 
And, really important to me, I have wholly appreciated the wonderful, supportive, encouraging and friendly comments that you have left for me, when my posts have not been about adventures, crafting or fun, but about sad, lonely, dull, frustrating or unhappy episodes in my day-to-day life.  I have posted about these things and you have supported me every time.  It makes it easier to cope, knowing that other people do care – even though they are people I have never met face to face – even though they may be hundreds, or even thousands of miles away, across oceans and lands I have never seen. 

I LOVE MY BLOG FRIENDS! 

* * *

Okay, that’s the soppy speech-making out of the way guys….

Shall we liven things up, just a bit?  Fancy a few Party Games? 

* * *
parcel2
Pass the Parcel
(the essential game for any serious British Party-goer! )

In case you have never played this and don’t know the rules: 

There is a large parcel, wrapped in many layers of paper. 

This is passed round a circle of people, while someone plays music (live music is not required, but if someone fancies bringing their guitar to the party, well, hey, we won’t say no!). 

The musician (or controller of the cd player) stops the music – whoever is holding the parcel at this point tears off One Layer of paper.

Often there will be a little prize (sweeties?), or a forfeit in the wrapping.  Any forfeit must be done straight away, then the music starts again and Pass the Parcel continues.

The final layer of paper will always contain a Prize (and maybe a forfeit too, if the party-host is rotten, mean and likes teasing their friends). 

Of course, being a British party game, the person in charge of the music does tend to try and make sure that everyone gets a chance to open a layer of the Parcel.  We do like Fair Play!

* * *

So, how can we play Pass the Parcel by Blog? 
Easy!
Yes, really!
At every blog you visit in the Blog Party, you will get the chance to open a layer of wrapping.  The “Prize” will be a Letter.
?
Okay, bear with me here…

You will get a Letter from the Alphabet.   Each letter, in order, will be one more clue to work out a Phrase that will entitle you to have a try at winning the Final Prize in the middle of the Parcel.
(okay so it’s a bit of a fiddle, but we thought it would be fun).

So, has the music stopped?  Are you holding the Parcel?   If you are, the Letter under the first layer of wrapping is….

“H”!

Sesame_Street
Umm… I’m getting a bit of Deja-Vue here….

Collect all the letters, keep a note of them in order and when you call at Curlyscrapbooker at the end of the Blog Hop, you will be told what to do next.

Okay? 

Good Luck!

* * *
Pin the Tail on the Donkey
Pin_the_Tail

Another good, old-fashioned Party Game!

Ever played this?  No?

* * *
There is a picture of a donkey, usually side-on, but in any case, it must include the part of the donkey where the tail would go (with me? hee hee…).

Each person in turn is blindfolded.  The Person In Charge then spins them round and round, until they are probably dizzy.

They then try to Pin the Tail on the Donkey – ie. they try to attach a “tail” to the donkey’s picture, in the correct place. 

The “Tail” can be a sticker, a bit of string on a push-pin, a paper slip with blu-tac on the back….

If the person attaches the tail in the right place they win a prize – OR  at the end of the game, the person whose “tail” is judged closest to the correct place will be the Winner!  (the second rule is better for older kids – or “grown-ups”!).

* * *

Pin the Tail on the Donkey… by Blog? 

Yup! I know, I get madder and crazier every post, but never mind eh…

Okay… this is really a Giveaway in disguise…

All the best parties have Prizes.  I wanted to give away some prizes at my party, so I have found some goodies to share.

I have five prizes!

Prize Number ONE
061110_Blog_Party_Prize_Stamps
Since this is really a Birthday Party, I thought I would share part of a great Prize that I received recently. 

In August, Shimelle held a weekend Inspiration Party, with challenges and ideas posted every hour.  Some were scrapping posts and those in between were photo challenges.   I won the prize for this Photo Challenge.  It included these great little stamps, with a Birthday Theme.


Prize Number TWO
Covered_Notebooks_Pink_Owls
What does Liz do?  Liz makes BOOKS!  So I had to give books as my other prizes.

This is a pair of notebooks, one A6 size (approx 6x4”) and one A7 size (4x3”).  They are tablets of plain white notepaper, which I have covered with pink cardstock and this cute wintery Owl scrap paper.  Each book ties with a pale blue ribbon.

I chose the owls because I know Jo loves owls… go on Jo, have a try to win these!

Prize Number THREE

Teeny_Notebooks_Size2
Teeny Notebooks!  These notebooks are absolutely tiny, weeny and teeny!  You can see from the photo above that they are sooo small!

They are filled with twenty or so sheets of thin notepaper.  The covers are stiff scrapbook papers, by Imaginisce.  The binding is a Japanese-style stab-stitch in red linen thread.

They would be great for a very small handbag, or a wallet.  You could fit one in your pocket and still have room for your door key and a pen.

Or you could make them into scrapbook embellishments – what an interesting way to record your journalling!

Prize Number FOUR
Christmas_Bauble_Mini_Front
A Christmas Decoration?  Not quite… it’s a mini-book. 

This is a mini scrapbook, with embellished chipboard covers, pages made from coloured cardstock, with Christmas papers and a book ring fastening, decorated with ribbons.

Christmas_Bauble_Mini_Inside
Inside view…

It’s about 3 1/2” diameter and has 10 pages for you to decorate as you choose.  Of course, you could turn it into a real Christmas decoration and hang your completed mini-book on the Tree!

Prize Number FIVE
061110_Blog_Party_Prize_Pamphlets
A pair of pamphlet-style notebooks, measuring approx 6 x 4”.  Each book contains 20 pages (40 sides) of good quality sketch paper (stiffer than notepaper), hand-cut and folded into a single section and hand-stitched with ivory-coloured cotton. 

They are covered with stiff scrapbook paper – one has a design of Christmas trees on a burgundy background, the other has tiny spots in burgundy, olive and aqua, on a white background.  Each book has a wrap-round ribbon which ties on the front cover.  

Ideal for your seasonal planning, Christmas shopping or present lists, journalling notes for JYC, collecting quotes, scribbles, doodles and drawings… anything you fancy!

* * *

How to Pin the Tail on the Blog Donkey? 

Please leave me a Comment!  Simple really!  I would love to know your opinions on Blog Friendships.  Do you feel they are valuable?  Are they “real” friendships, or just something contrived?  Do you feel that you have blog friends who support and encourage you, or do you not really want this sort of interaction with other bloggers?  Everyone has different points of view in life – would you like to share yours? 

Perfect
* * *

OKAY!  So now we’ve come to the end of this round of party games.   Thank you for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed yourself.   However, it’s not over you know… there is more (much more) to come!

To continue on your way through the Blog Hop, follow the link below, to the Second Party Host’s blog… Jennifer will be happy to welcome you!

http://jennifersjumbles.blogspot.com/

* * *
In case you should become lost at any point, or a link fails to work, here is a complete list of Blog Party participants, in order:

http://www.lizziemade.blogspot.com/  (You Are Here!)
http://jennifersjumbles.blogspot.com/
http://ispeakmelsh.blogspot.com/
http://www.overatourplace.blogspot.com
http://www.creatingpaperdreams.blogspot.com
http://www.gallorganico.blogspot.com
http://libertycottage.blogspot.com/
http://scrapadventure.wordpress.com
http://chattycraftyartypig.blogspot.com
http://mypaperview.blogspot.com
http://www.lifebehindthepurpledoor.com
http://www.clearingthebrambles.blogspot.com
http://www.fromhighinthesky.blogspot.com
http://www.rachelbsworld.blogspot.com
http://www.sunlight-simplicity.blogspot.com
http://journalofcuriousthings.blogspot.com
http://www.enjoytheridetoday.blogspot.com
http://thelinarstudio.typepad.com
http://sharyncarlson.typepad.com/living_artfully
http://paperturtle.blogspot.com
http://www.amysoto.blogspot.com
http://www.snapsandsnippets.blogspot.com
http://www.scrappyjedi.com
http://mayadahan.blogspot.com
http://www.kbwalker.blogs.com
http://www.melissagross.blogspot.com
http://www.xnomads.typepad.com/blog
http://www.debs14.blogspot.com
http://www.curlyscrapbooker.blogspot.com

* * *

Have a Great Time – see you at Jennifer’s in a minute!

* * *

This Blog Post was brought to you by the Letter
Sesame_Street_H

and the Number

Sesame_Street_1

This was a LizzieMade Production…. Thank You and Good Night!

45 comments:

  1. oh i loved pin the tail on the donkey and of course u my lil blog friend are quite mad but adorable. laughed all the way thru the post, cant wait to read all the way the circle.
    Jo xxxx

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  2. Great post Lizzie! Thanks so much for helping to coordinate this blog hop and remind us how these blog friendships have become a part of our lives.

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  3. I love the idea of playing internet party games.

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  4. Many.many thanks for organising us all to celebrate what has been a wonderful year! I value my blog friendships very much indeed and I'm looking forward to enjoying many more years together x

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  5. This post made me smile at several points. You are a great party starter! I love blog friendships because they expand my horizons... I now have friends in lots of places, like the UK, Asia, Mexico, and other places in the U.S. I love that!

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  6. Hey girl, please don't include me in the giveaway but just wanted to say "hi" and thanks for organizing this! Great post! And yes, I do believe in online friendships and treasure them very much.

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  7. These games are FAB!! as are the sesame street references, ahhh, brings back memories!

    I have a couple of blog friends who I originally only knew via our blogs but the friendships have grown & blossomed until they have outgrown the blogs. I think the blog helps find like minded people and bring them together.

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  8. Fantastic Lizzie! I love the games!! Thank you so much for organising this and bringing the classmates all together fir a few hours :)

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  9. Lovely post! Couldn't agree more about friends you make online through scrapbooking,pics, galleries, blogs :) they're keepers!

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  10. I was always awful at pin the tail on the donkey but I consider some fellow bloggers as real friends and I laugh it when they leave me comments/inspire me/make me think and or laugh. Great first post thanks so much xxx

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  11. Marevellous Lizzie :-) I love the Sesame Street references!
    It has been a great year and I love to visit you - thanks for being a wonderful friend :-)

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  12. I value every comment I receive on my blog, I can feel friendships forming every day. thanks to you all x Thank you for this blog party, now I have lots more places to visit!

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  13. SPECTACULAR Lizzie! Love the party games. This was such a wonderful idea, thanks to both you and Jo :) And thanks for regularly encouraging me. Your comments are so welcome and uplifting. I greatly value our bloggy friendship, even if (hanging head in shame) I rarely leave comments of my own!

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  14. Great start to the party lizzie!

    Those notebooks are so cute! Love the last two, especially as I like to sketch and doodle!

    I really value blog friendships. I don't have huge amounts of friends, and I don't know anyone in real life that is as mad on papercrafting as me! So blogging reminds me that there are lots of like-minded people out there, spread all over the world. It's a good thing to know. It proves I'm not the only crazy one! x

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  15. I love your prizes! I'm surprised at all the time you put in your post! I've never made a blog post that long! I love blog hops and usually gain a few followers to my blog when I join a blog hop! I believe blog friendships are valuable because I look at other blogs to get ideas for my scrappin! I found out about this blog hop from Maya's blog!

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  16. I'm running a bit late but pleased to see the party's still going strong! Thanks so much for co-hosting this, Lizzie :-) My answer to your question can be seen on my won blog... So happy to be your blog friend! xx

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  17. Love the blog and love the prizes - they are so cute !!!

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  18. Oh, Lizzie, I do love you and your blog! Thank so much for working with Jo to bring us all together to celebrate the anniversary of our friendship (oh, and Shimelle's class!). Getting to know you and the rest of our circle through our blogs has been such an unexpected blessing! I am grateful for your friendship and endless inspiration. Thank you, Lizzie! xo

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  19. Great post Lizzie! I am looking forward to following the blog hop - will be doing it tomorrow now as it is a bit late! I too have made many friends through Shimelle's class, and seen some wonderful work that everyone has produced over the past year. Thanks for setting up the blog hop!

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  20. What a great party starter you are. I absolutely think blog friendships are real; they are only contrived if you try too hard and aren't patient enough to allow them to happen over time. All good things some to those who wait (and blog in the meantime)!

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  21. Hey everyone, thank you for the lovely comments! It's been a long day for me (I did my first craft fair today!) and I made my posting deadline with only 2 minutes to spare ... I am so glad I did though! It has been great and I have really enjoyed celebrating with my Blog Friends.

    Hello to new friends too - Melissa, Bernice, Nancy, 'K, Miriam, Amanda, Lesley and ''S' - I don't think I've seen you before in Blog-Land, but hope to get to know you all better.
    So, not only have I celebrated my "old" blog friends, but I may have found a whole lot of New friends too!

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  22. thank you for this post and helping to organise the hop. I am not sure why I havent swung by your place more often but will in future! blog friendships are so great. you can guarantee day or night someone across the world will be tuning in to the blog. ive had help with travel questions, culture questions, recipe questions and just great feedback and friendships from my blog. i wouldnt give it up for the world

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  23. Lovely Party Games! Until I read it on your blog, I wasn't quite sure what the game "pass the parcel" was OR how we were going to accomplish it on this blog hop and... now I know. I so value all of my bloggy friendships and I believe I will be gaining some more friends as I hop around the world tonight!

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  24. Blog friendships are definitely real. It's wonderful to meet virtual friends in real life but it's just as good to keep on meeting through blogs - and how many real friends do you look at at midnight or later?!/

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  25. Lovely post - those notebooks I brilliant, I love the mini ones!

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  26. I'm off to a late start, but have my coffee next to me. Thanks for sharing your love of blogging with all of us, and for all your hard work with Jo setting this up! My whole post is about how important my blogging friends are. Sure to make some new ones tonight as well.

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  27. great blog hop, lizzie!! thanks so much for coordinating with jo :)

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  28. Thanks so much for getting us going. I love my blog friends - you all free very real to me. I remember especially the first blog hop we did - such fun!
    Rinds

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  29. Thanks for letting me join in on your hop. I don't have any blog friends but I do have online friends and feel like they are real friends.

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  30. This post is hilarious! Love it! This blog hop is going to be great! I can't wait to come back and read more of your blog on a regular basis! I love stumbling upon new blogs and looking to make new blog friends!
    Thanks for the opportunity to win one of your prizes!!

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  31. This post has made me laugh so much. I am looking forward to reading more of yur posts in the future now I have found you. Thanks for the chance of winning a prize x

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  32. So much fun! Such cute ideas. I love blogs. It is a great way to get a glimpse into peoples' lives that are no where near you geographically. Pretty cool! Thanks for a great start to our party. : )

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  33. Oh I hope I am not too late to join the party since it was night time in Dubai, what fun! Lizzie, I love to read your blog, its always interesting and even though I don't know you in person, I feel like I know you a little through your writing and your kind comments on my blog. I think bloggy friends are very important!

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  34. I truly value all the friendsips I've made through blogging...and love reading so many varied blogs.

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  35. I love blogs and blog hops...my problem is I get so caught up trying to keep a track of sooooo many I never seem to keep them all in one place. I have had my blog for a little over a year but have not made any bloggy friends- I think I need to post more often (and perhaps do the bfs class I bought a couple of months ago...) I love the inspiration you have given me to get on there and be out there for people to find and become friends with! Here's to friendship!!! Cheers.

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  36. What a great idea and what a great party opener. Being British (even if I don't live there any longer), I always LOVED pass the parcel - took me back far too many years!! I have made a few "friends" via blogging and I certainly consider them real. I look forward to seeing what is new on their site and to hearing from them on mine. There is a connection there that is very real - I love the way we are connected all over the world.

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  37. What a great start to a party, although if I have to have a drink at every stop, I may be in no fit state to ready Jo's blog at the end!
    Thanks for organising - sorry I can't stay longer but I have a lot of places to go to!

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  38. Great party games! I love getting to know people through blogs & I love that I can know people all over the world this way

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  39. I loved this post. I did Blogging for scrapbookers too, but had such a hectic year my blog is all neglected. Good to see you are all still here.

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  40. I've had so much fun on the blog hop and its been great to visit a few familiar blogs and discover so many fantastic new ones. I hope I'll be making some new blogger friends because everyone involved has been so lovely.
    Thanks so much for organising the hop!
    Nat x

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  41. Yay!!! I love a good party and this one is better than good!! So very happy to have been involved xx

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  42. Sorry I missed the party, but thanks so much for hosting! My blog friendships are now one of the most important facets of my life. I have made many great friends thanks to Shimelle's Blogging for Scrapbookers class and I couldn't be more grateful!

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  43. Sorry I missed the blog hop but I just wanted to pop over and say hello- and what afab way you celebrated ! Great post, loved it x

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  44. Woweee!!! I was sooo tired yesterday. We had Scrap Club and I did go, also had a good day, but I just wasn't "firing on all cylinders".
    Then I logged into my blog, before going to sleep - 40 comments (40 comments!!). Now there are 43.
    I am amazed, delighted, thrilled, "chuffed to bits" as they say in the North....
    I am also feeling a bit humbled.
    Everyone is so nice, so positive, so friendly.
    Thank you everyone for your lovely comments.
    (and I'll repeat this comment at the top of my next post!).
    XXXX :-))

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  45. finally getting round to the party :) I enjoy reading others' blogs and am so inspired and touched by what people share. Seeing others photography has helped me have a better eye when composing my shots. I wish the scrapbooking and cardmaking posts got me into my studio but I just seem to ooohhhhand ahhhhh ... maybe today lol I always get a physical thrill when I see a comment :)

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