Like I’ve mentioned before, I feel like I’m pretty bad at blogging. I used to be a regular Livejournaller (and even met my husband there!), but I’ve been unable to make the transition to Web 2.0 very well. So I’m grateful for projects like this, that serve as a blogging prompt:
It feels like a good way to let bloggers know how much I appreciate their writing, in a new way from the gushy fan email that I sometimes feel like a total weirdo for sending. So if I tag you here, know that I totally wanted to send one of those, but I thought this would be more appropriate 🙂
1) Starting with Daisy Yellow, of course! I love this blog/community in general, but the Art Journaling 101 page is a resource of astonishing proportions when it comes to getting started learning about art journaling.
2) I’ve been reading about & practicing bookbinding lately, and I just love the travel journals Laura makes using recycled materials, although all of her handbound books are lovely (and for sale!). I loved looking at Laura’s work, and ended up reading about 2 years of her blog. Is it weird to admit that? I hope not! I also learned about an amazing community resource they have in her part of the world (Manitoba), called ArtJunktion. They’re a nonprofit that coordinates with local businesses/corporations to take their useable waste materials, then gives it out FREE to local artists. !!!!!! I must admit, I have never wished I lived in Manitoba before, but now I kind of do. Really, I wish there was an ArtJunktion near me.
3) When I first started learning about art journaling a couple months ago, or maybe about stamp/printmaking, or maybe bookbinding, I somehow stumbled on Traci Bunkers’ blog. I got her very inspiring book, Print Stamp Lab, from the library, and read through quite a large chunk of her blog archives. But the best thing that discovering her blog has helped me with is another little bit of self-acceptance. See, aesthetically, I find myself very drawn to minimalism, to neat, precise lines, to careful execution of ideas. But you know what? Try as I might, that’s just not me. I am forever making a mess. And instead of making an accidental mess, disappointing myself because I’m not pulling off the clean, minimal look I want, why not just OWN IT, and make my joyful mess on purpose?! And looking at Traci Bunkers’ work, which totally embraces a “grungy” (a word she uses a lot that makes me smile), free-spirited, unpolished, chaotic but aesthetically pleasing mess. Awesome. I’ve been really inspired by her, and I keep checking her shop to see if she has any handbound books for sale.
4) I’ve been getting a bit of mailbox love this past week due to participating for the first time in iHanna’s Postcard Swap. So far, I’ve gotten 3 lovely pieces of art, and I’m looking forward to more. I sent out all 10 of mine last week, and 3 folks have already let me know they got their postcards and liked them. A nice pick-me-up project at the end of a lonnnnng winter.
5) I hope this counts…I’m not sure she considers it a blog, but the YouTube user Sea Lemon DIY has a channel of wonderful tutorials, my favorite of which are the bookbinding tutorials. You can check out the rest of her work at her Etsy shop.
What have you been looking at on the internet, friends? Feel free to participate in the original challenge, and let Tammy know over at Daisy Yellow.
three decades later 
Ami, Thank you so very much for joining the mission to share the link love across the blogosphere. Happy that this prompted you to get back into the groove! I shall visit your links today.
Great links! Thanks for sharing.
Love your links. Thank you for sharing. I am eagerly waiting for postcards too! 🙂