world-wide community

The internet is a wonderful community of people who share ideas, inspiration, sympathy, and real assistance when called for... even if you may not have ever met the person in "real" life!

Right now, there is a great example of that on Michelle Ward's blog, How Cool Is That. Michelle runs Green Pepper Press, a rubber stamp company. Michelle has just designed and issued a new half-sheet of stamps to raise money for a fellow blogger in Illinois (Paula) whose family lost their house in a fire. (go here for more details about that.) That's just one example of the fellowship that connects us all here on the world-wide web... it is worldwide, but it's also a pretty close-knit community.

Another example is blog awards... quite out of the blue (a couple weeks ago, now... I'm slow at blogging lately), I was awarded the "Friendly Blogger" award by a very nice British mixed-media artist, Kathryn, of The Kathryn Wheel. She calls herself "The Queen of Messing About" and posts quite wonderful ATCs, journal pages, and other projects. It is quite amazing to think that I can connect regularly with people who live in Australia, South Africa, England, and all parts of the US... thanks, Kathryn!

These are the guidelines that came with the badge: “These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these kind writers.” (I totally just lifted that word for word from Shelly, who copied it from Kathryn)

So, in keeping with the guidelines, I nominate the following bloggers:

Laurie at the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee (she is a true friend to orphaned kittens).

Felicia at Fluffy Flowers (she documents life, and sewing, in Georgia)

Sandy at Sandy' s Spot on the Web (she documents her family and life in Louisiana)

Mare at Moon & Stars Studio (she documents life and art in upstate New York)