Tuesday, April 08, 2008

1 year on!

It's my blog birthday!

I tentatively started The Flour Loft blog a year ago today. I had come across the world of blogs by accident after doing a few 'goggle' searches. Different blogs kept popping up and i found myself reading more and more and became inspired by the huge amount of creativity and passion which i saw. Initially this blog started as a background to the business 'folkydokee' which Alice and i have ran for the past 6 years. It has been a place for us to show some of the things we make and to keep folk informed of upcoming fairs and new projects. It very soon also became a place where i could share other interests such as vegetable growing, activities with the children and my enjoyment of taking photographs.




I have also been working on a major project with Alice during this past year but have been unable to show much of what i have been doing, which has felt a bit strange. The process has involved many late nights, pressing deadlines, lots of cups of tea and most of all lots of fun.This project is now near completion and i can soon share more with you. This of course is our book, 'Sew Fabulous Fabric', which is published by David and Charles and is released on September 18th 2008. It feels great to finally tell you the title. The book is about using fabric, particularly as you may have guessed, using recycled fabric. In the book we offer 20 different sewing projects which we hope the reader will be inspired to create using some of their own saved and recycled fabrics.

On Friday i drove down to Devon for a last day's photo shoot and on Sunday Alice and i sent off the final text revisions. The book is nearly ready for the print stage and we will see the final colour proof in the next few weeks. It is very exciting. I am waiting for an image of the completed cover to show you and of further details should you wish to pre-order.

Sadly this week the Flour Loft Studio will close.(more news of home spaces to follow) . I am undecided as to how to continue this blog. Should I change it's name or even start a new blog as a continuation? I really hope that in whatever form it takes that i can return to posting about mine and Alice's sewing projects and explorations.


I would like to finish today by saying a huge thank you for all the encouragement and support which you wonderful bloggers have shown me over this past year. Your comments and posts really do make me smile and lift my days.
g x

19 comments:

Gigibird said...

If you don't mind me saying it was pretty obvious you were writing a book about sewing:)
I'm not sure if you need to change the name of your blog unless you wanted to link it in with the publication of your book? Yarnstorm has kept hers so I don't think it matters.
It would be very sad if you gave up writing one altogether but if you are pushed for time then maybe a long break?
What I want to know is where all those boxes of fabric are going to be stored??

Joanne said...

Happy Anniversary! Personally I think it's fine to keep the name of the blog. Often things become more than the sum of their original parts...

Lovely to hear of the book too - looking forward to seeing it on the shelves.

Kitty said...

Congratulations on the book - I will make a special effort to look out for it in September.

Please don't close the blog! You could just make a new header with the new name on it, rather than closing the URL and making a new one? That would give you both continuity in blog terms and no loss of readership. Just a thought.

Anyway, well done! And happy blog birthday. x

Florence Knapp (Flossie Teacakes) said...

That is the sneakiest, tiniest little peek you have allowed to slip out there...but the tiny bit that could be seen around the brown paper looked wonderful! I can't wait to look through its pages. You must both be so excited!

As a reader I think that your Flour Loft blog is so infused with your own personality and essence of Ginny that I have always thought of it as being very much your blog, rather than as an arm of a business...although maybe as the author of it you have viewed it that way. If the Flour Loft has helped you arrive at the point you are now, even though that may now be dissolved as your place of business, perhaps it still has a relevance to you that allows it to carry on being your blog name?

Hope you are having a lovely week. x

French Knots said...

Congratulations on your book - it must be so exciting to see it in the flesh, as it were!
I think your blog has been very much your own, rather than a business blog and hope you will continue.
Happy blog birthday!

alice c said...

I am at once thrilled and sad for you. It must be quite a rollercoaster at the moment. The completion of the book and the celebration of your blog birthday are wonderful things - congratulations! The packing up of the Flour Loft must be very sad.

I think that you will know if you want to keep the name or not - you will still keep your readers! It is a lovely name for a blog but it may have such strong memories for you that you feel like a fresh start. Don't worry - just tell us all and we will turn up for the blog warming party.

Ginnie said...

Happy Blogiversary! And congrats on the book - so very exciting!

willow said...

Happy blog Anniversary, you have had a very busy year.
Personally I like your blog name and I don't think it matters if it doesn't physically exist for you any more but then I can understand if you think a new name is appropriate for a fresh start.
Looks like your second blog year is going to be just as exciting.

Pipany said...

Oh don't give up the blog altogether!!! Such a sad thought to think of your studio going but lovely to have your own space at home - I love my little sewing room with a passion! xx

Sal said...

Being a fabric lover,I can't wait to see the book. I live a stone's throw from 'David and Charles' and will dive in and get it as soon as it is published ;-)
I hope you keep the blog going and also hope you keep the name, in memory of your flour loft. Sal;-)

Anonymous said...

Many congratulations on the book Ginny ~ how exciting!

Where would we be without all those cups of tea!

Happy Anniversary too ~ very best wishes for the coming year.

Hugs,
Marie x

pink-petal-designs said...

Happy one year blogging, looking forward to your book1 Love those flowers too.
Sarah x

this is my patch said...

Hi Ginny, I always love reading your posts and yes you must keep up with a blog in some form. I think a name change would be a good idea, as a new chapter in your life is beginning with your new venture. I do wish you the best of luck with your book, there are many crafters out there who will be keen to buy this. You have a lot to look forward to. x

Emma Herian said...

I am sew excited for you about the book, please put me down for a sighned copy!
I think you should keep the name, its what you are and will always be a part of even if the studio has closed down. A year goes by very quickly, but just look at the fun you have had!
XX Em

Raindrops said...

Congratulations on the book. Look forward to seeing it. Tricia PS I love the name you have

Jane said...

Looks like you might have a few pre-orders there!
I don't think that the title of a blog matters that much - it would be a pity(for me)if you gave up writing -I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with this new chapter,
J
x

Tracy said...

Happy One Year--and do keep the blog name, we know you for it, and hope very much you will keep it going! :o) Your blog has a very nice balance of the personal and business, I think. Congrats on your book--so exciting! Happy Days celebrating many new things ((HUGS))

Anonymous said...

What exciting times and all change too. It must be quite sad to be packing up The Flour Loft but maybe also a bit of a relief to have it all over and done with so that you can go on to the next stage. Can't wait for the book I just know it is going to be beautiful and inspiring and I'm sure it's going to be on an awful lot of peoples Christmas wish lists. Congrats on the blogiversary, hope you'll continue for another.
carolyn
http://willowhouse.typepad.com

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on the birth of a book!!

Sometimes I think it might be necessary to take breaks from the blogging thing, and like your creative output, you will want to grow and change it, so perhaps that is ok - do what feels right and most of all "follow your heart".

Also I don't think we can all be birthing continuously - everything has it's cycle, and when the next wave of flourloftness comes along you may decide to surf it, or use the energy to create something new!

look forward to holding your book in my hands in a bookstore somewhere and having a flick through!

Caireen