Friday 8 June 2007

The crafting blogosphere

One of the reasons that crafting can take over your life is not just the crafting itself, the photographing of said items and the posting on various sites (UKS, Just Bex etc). Oh no. Well, there's also buying of stash and magazines, joining online communities, and the blogosphere.

By discovering UK Craft Blog Directory, I discovered a whole world of blogs out there. Not that I was oblivious to blogs: I've been running a blog of personal writing, which reviews TV progs (eg the Apprentice, Eurovision), restaurants and takes a swipe at celebrity culture every now and then, for some time. I've learnt how to promote it with all the standard blogging devices: joining blog communities, using tags and so on. I know which topics attract the most interest when people are using Google (Elizabeth Hurley, Eurovision, Paris Hilton, the Apprentice).

But a crafting blog is somewhat different. It's a niche subject: you don't find people on Technorati searching for craft subjects.

So I've been promoting it by leaving comments on other people's blogs and using the URL in my signature on UKS. I try to write daily if possible because that brings people back. I don't kid myself it's ever going to be up there with the big blogs like Kirsty's. The site itself looks a bit basic; my work is wonderful to me but probably only average (have only been crafting for a year or less), and I don't know any crafters so I don't enjoy the repeat visits because people know me. I've never been to a crop. But it's great to have this outlet to show your fledging attempts at creativity, and the comments that get left are always great and very encouraging. And I'm learning so much from other people's sites! It's quite humbling to see what everyone else is up to.

2 comments:

Lori said...

Ah, its an addictive thing is this old blog malarky! I think your work is fab, keep it up! And who cares if we never reach the dizzing heights of celeb scrapdom- we know that we're creating masterpieces and as long as we're not having to live off tins of cold beans because we've spent all our money on stash, long may we scrap!

Lavender said...

Its the same with making glass beads! Im often heard exclaiming that I spend more time taking pictures & promoting than I actually spend making beads ERGH.
Funny isnt it?
Just found you thru bumpzee and am looking forward to browsing your blog with a cuppa.
My sorry blog is the birds & the beads Cheers!