The joy of blogging

You're looking at one of those people who knows that occasionally blogging is a lot of work. An obligation that can feel stressful and sometimes, whisper this one, unrewarding.

Rescuing the commitment though is a kind comment from a reader or a chance to share an opinion that needed venting or, in the best times, the happy discovery that our small world truly is just that: A small world after all.

Those of us who blog about art, crafts or the stuff we found in the couch and glued to a cigar box (you know you've done it, too) see a lot of similar things.

We eventually find on nearly every creative blog familiar rubber stamp images, embellishments sold anywhere you can buy string (string!), and easy, years-old techniques.

Some days though a real treasure pops up and that's what keeps us going: The knowledge that one day we'll find an amazing new technique, discover a budding blogger artist or click on the photo of a Vintage-style tag, then lean in close to the monitor and exclaim "That's the same earring I have!"

My moment came in January while I was checking out this post by Mrs. A at It's an Alien Life.

She made a gorgeous tag, didn't she? And can you see that amazing, glitzy embellishment on the upper left hand corner? The one that used to be an earring (and technically still is since the clip is still attached).

Yeah, when I saw that I zoomed in, ran for my box of homemade necklace charms and tada! I had the same earring! But I'd re-purposed mine as a charm on a chain in my jewelry box!

Surprised at this odd coincidence that is even stranger since our Mrs. A lives in the UK and I'm up here in Northern Nevada, USA, I commented on her tag, exclaiming my discovery.

And because she's one of those super special bloggers who entice you to keep going even on the days that it feels like a lot of work: She sent the tag to me!

Mrs. A, or Valery as she's also known, has an interesting addition to this story, too!

Drop by her blog and ask how the earring arrived in her artistic hands.

Then take a soothing breath and forge on with your blog, the time and dedication pays off in fun and friendship: The best compensation in the world.