In case I haven't mentioned it lately, you inspire me.
I'm grateful for that!
Your blog posts have kept me going through good times and bad.
You're funny, creative, and a pleasure to have in my life.
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But, there is always another season of life.
It's been a very hard decision, but Joan and I have talked extensively and decided
that it is time to pull the plug on blog hops. We have both seen the trend in readership dropping
over the past few years. There just doesn't seem to be the traffic to our posts or interaction with
comments that we saw a few years back. Life changes and we get it.
Blog hops are about the only thing I post anymore and I don't have the time to read other blogs, either.
It's been a joy hosting the hops with all of you and working with Joan has been a blast.
Hopefully someone will host a hop from time to time that I can jump in and play.
I will still post my projects on here, my Facebook page, Instagram, and Cackling Stitches.
The last three blog hops...
October - Something Wicked - hosted by me
November - Gnome For Thanksgiving - hosted by Joan
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December - Virtual Cookie Christmas Exchange - hosted by me
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Happening now - Boo-Along on Facebook Cackling Stitches
Awwww Carol, we all appreciate your dedication and work behind those blog hops. I hope it gives you more time to do your thing! I have certainly fallen off the blogging/blog-hop boat. I still read blogs, but I'm fast losing interest in that too. I've been blogging since 2007, so maybe it's time to walk away from it completely. Hope you have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThat was my "Anonymous" comment above. I changed browsers and it won't keep me signed in!
ReplyDeleteI totally understand your reasons for this decision, Carol and Joan, even though I'm a bit sad. You've both inspired me so much through the hop challenges and that is something I'll always be grateful for. I appreciate the hard work you both put in behind the beautiful patchwork curtain of keeping the blog hops going. Thank you for all of that! I'll still be here reading and plodding along with blogging as the creativity strikes. Blessings to you both!
ReplyDeleteSo sad to see you go. It has been fun being a part of the blog hops when I could. Many bloggers have left, and I assume it because of pressures of everyday life and other online avenues. I have noticed a drop in comments in recent years but I hope you will continue to post.
ReplyDeleteOk that was me above. Don't know why it didn't say my name but it is what it is :-(
ReplyDeletei just got back...I've missed the qals.....but i do understand
ReplyDeleteThank you Carol & Joan too for doing the blog hops for all these years. I joined in on a lot of them, but I totally understand your decision to stop them. It's a lot of work too! There are so many other social media places out there now. I still rather blog than do FB or Instagram and I don't do any others. Personally for me blogging is better as I can write more, share more photos and while I don't get many comments or views, I get more than either Facebook or Instagram combined! You have to stop and look or read a blog, but other social media you just scroll by quickly and most people don't stop to look for more than a second or two. So I only use the other media for sharing my test makes to help other designers promote their patterns. I mainly started blogging as a place to document what I make and I will continue doing that until I quit making stuff I suppose? I know you and I started our blogs about the same time, Carol (March 2008). So that's a long time as most people quit blogging years ago. I find blogging more personal than the other media too. When I did it all it was too much, so I knew I had to stop doing something and I chose to stop the other media. I don't always make comments anymore either as that takes time. Why we are all so busy now is crazy! The more gadgets and electronics we have I suppose takes up more and more time today. Back when we had nothing but a television to watch, we had loads more time to do everything and raise our children too! I long for those days without all the time wasters we have today. Where we really connected with people. I sound like my parents talking about the Good old days! Good luck to you Carol and Joan too. I will see you here and there on FB and Instagram when I am there scrolling around. Hugs!!!
ReplyDeleteYou have both been the rock stars of blog hops! Your fun themes and creative talents leave me in awe. You have both given so much to make them successful. I know that participation has declined over time, but I hope you know how much joy you have given us through the years. Like you, I hope we will still see a blog hop here and there. Thank you for all the fun you have provided us over the years.
ReplyDeleteI totally understand. It's a lot of work and you gals have been great at it. Though I haven't been able to participate as much in the past few years, I have certainly enjoyed it when I have participated. It is a lot of work maintaining a website and making a project each month. Enjoy the next season of your life, wherever it may lead. Thanks for all the years of hosting these fun adventures.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to miss our time together on the hops. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of the fun this year. It has gotten me busy finishing projects and making some that were in the hops. Enjoy, and I will be watching for yours and Joan's posts.
ReplyDeleteI am really going to miss the blog hops, I love them so., it has really gotten me through these last three years since my husband passed asway. I still will get your posts if you do them though.
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much for all the years of hosting. Time has gone by and things change. I loved the hops I participated in and the ones I followed along. I hope we all hop together again soon!
ReplyDeleteLJ here. Even though you tell us thank you I wanted you to know that thank you is what I want to say to you. I totally understand how you feel about the blog hops; I, too, have noticed the same thing as far as readership is concerned (and I'm just a reader). I've felt the pressure of reading also; I know that you and the participants have worked hard to get a hop going and to make the projects. I will miss you and Joan and know the hops are what have grouped us together. THANK YOU. You guys are gems! bulltulip69 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteI'm bummed about there being no blog hops next year, but totally understand the reasons why the decision has been made. I do appreciate all you and Joan have done for those of us who have participated. I might just have to do my own self-hop kind of thing because they really did help me to get stuff accomplished for myself while working on so much for commissioned orders.
ReplyDeleteOnce again so sorry to hear you're stopping with the blog hops, but totally understand and thank you for hosting all these years! xx
ReplyDeletevery cute designs great post
ReplyDeleteThank You. Thank You. Thank You both. Y'all have shared so much fun, inspiration and information. It's been a great time. I am guilty of not commenting like I used to. My arthritis limits me now but really wanted y'all to know how much I appreciate everything y'all have done to promote quilting over the years. I am glad you will still have your blog and Cackling Stitches and I will be dropping by both regularly. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteI went back and looked for Creepy Bunny, but no dice. I hope that the bunny is doing something wickedly fun!
ReplyDeleteCarol, I am sad but so grateful to you and Joan for all the years of wonderful hops. You both have inspired so many of us to reach beyond our comfort zones, to push for deadlines and complete things and to bond with one another on our blogs. I am so grateful to each of you and to all the sewers who have participated. I haven't been as available as I would have liked lately. I understand that life is busy and filled with so many things that we value. We can't do it all, even if we think we can! While I've never met you in person, you feel like a friend who's always there. I'll miss the hops and hope to stay in touch through your blog posts. I will also miss the group of bloggers who go back and forth watching one another create and push boundaries. You have been a great source of joy and fun for me, and surely for others. I thank you and wish you all the best.
ReplyDelete