Hello! Welcome to
Handmade Monday!
I have a dilemma this week and I'm not sure where I'm going with it - except to say I'm going public with it and asking for your opinions! Here we go:
Handmade Monday is popular and I feel I've made some really good blog friends through it (I think some of you feel the same way too). We don't get hundreds of people linking, but we always get a good number, and there's always a good feeling of community, I think. It has developed a bit of a life of its own, I feel.
So, I started the
midweek papercraft party, thinking it might run along the same lines... and of course, hoping that it might help to promote my digital stamps, which is a new start up (many of you know how difficult new websites are to promote and get off the ground). I expected that there would be less interest in the new linky party than in Handmade Monday, but I must admit I was disappointed that
nobody has linked up this week.
It feels like it's doomed! Am I doing something dreadfully wrong?
A few stats: I have promoted the papercraft party in a few places. There are 30,000 page views each month on this blog. There are over 300 followers via Google and more via other blog readers. Many of those won't be papercrafters though, because I blog about other stuff too. Is it a numbers game, or is something else wrong?
I think that perhaps two linky parties a week on one blog may be too much. So, do I combine the linky parties? Do I kick one in touch? Do I carry on regardless?
Some of my thinking is along the lines that I may be trying to do too much on one blog. Am I? Or am I trying to run before I can walk?
I have to think about the Handmade Monday crowd, I know that. I also have to think about my
design team: these are a group of lovely ladies who make the most wonderful cards and other papercraft projects with my designs and blog about them - for no other reward than some free digi stamps each month. I think they deserve a blog post each week linking to their sites - a blog post which I had thought should really introduce a challenge to readers. But does it need to? Or perhaps: does it need to
for now?
I do think some hard thinking is in order for me this week - and I would very much appreciate feedback from anyone who has any insight, ideas, opinions or advice to offer!
I think a few big
thank yous are in order right now too!
- Firstly, thank you to everyone who links up to Handmade Monday because you remind me how fabulous the crafting community is.
- Secondly, thank you to the Handmade Harbour design team - you are all just amazing and I'm so grateful for your wonderful designs and enthusiasm.
- And thirdly, thank you to anyone who can help me sort my muddled thinking out a little!
Thanks also for reading my ramblings! The images are all courtesy of the design team this week!
It's over to you now for this week's Handmade Monday...