Play dough, kids parties stuff and thoughts on blogging

First, some housekeeping.

(Not actual housekeeping, although I did plenty of that today. I think Magpie is ready to stop napping. I thought I'd be mourning this day, but I can actually get a lot done when I'm not always trying to be so dang quiet.)

Housekeeping, as in, allow me to wrap up some bloggy loose ends.

If you haven't visited my book sling tutorial lately, please check it out. I've cleaned up some of the wording in the instructions and added photos I've found of book slings made by readers. Nothing warms my heart more than seeing someone follow one of my projects and proudly post it on their blog. The latest popped up just today on Ohdeedoh. Take a look at those beauties. 

Second, did anyone else see this article about mommy blogs in the New York Times yesterday? It was great--in a really embarrassing, cringe-inducing way. The graphic that ran with it in the actual newspaper was hilarious and horrifying (drawings of moms pushing strollers, playing with their kids, etc., while obsessively checking their phones and computers for blog stats and new comments). The headline also nicely summarized the story: "Honey, Don't Bother Mommy. I'm Too Busy Building My Brand."

Ouch. 

The hook for the article was a blog boot camp attended by a bunch of women back east (some traveled from as far as Canada and California) to learn how to improve their blogs, draw more comments, make money, etc.

And while most of the article made me feel a little embarrassed about investing as much time into my blog as I do (and, relatively speaking, I don't invest much. Sorry. I would love to and if I had more time, I would. But I don't), the last paragraph makes a good point in defense of bloggers:

"(Blogging is) a way for mothers to flex their dormant professional muscles, make some money and, says Amy Lupold Bair, who runs resourcefulmommy.com and was a speaker at the Boot Camp, still 'take their kids to the bus stop in the morning and be there when they get off in the afternoon.'"

First and foremost, I don't make money off Penny Carnival. Of course it would be nice if I did and of course I have googled the phrase "how many hits on blog before you can sell ads?" But for now, I don't and I don't have ants in my pants to start. I enjoy writing and crafting and writing about crafting, and that's how this blog got started almost two years ago.

So what does that mean for Penny Carnival? Am I being left in the dust by other blogs? (Um, yes.) Should I care? There are so many beautiful blogs out there, that sometimes I wonder why I continue. Mine is so simple compared to others, and I could spend the rest of my life following other people's projects instead of coming up with my own.

But I would miss it. I would miss those stocking feet dancing around the wooden cupcakes up there. I would miss my little record of our family's creative explorations, even if no one was reading.

If I could shiny up Penny Carnival in one way, it would be by somehow inspiring people to leave more comments. I adore comments. I am like the women in the New York Times graphic who get all giddy and distracted when there's a new comment in the inbox. Thank you, thank you, to those of you who write. 

I don't know where I'm going with this. Just thought it was an interesting article and a chance to reflect a bit.

Speaking of keeping things simple, we've been on a homemade play dough kick lately.

Raw ...

Baked ... and painted ...

 

 

(That's an elephant.)

Raw play dough is especially helpful at restaurants. While dinner cooks, the girls have been cooking up their own foodie creations (ice cream cones, hamburgers, pancakes, etc.)

I always use the recipe linked to here.

Let's see ... what else? It's almost time for the annual Farm Chicks show (OK, still a couple months away, but we get excited early). I think I'm going to try to snag some quilts this year so I can create this scene in my backyard all summer:

That's from a wedding featured on Ruffled, a lovely wedding blog that I would have been addicted to had it been in existence eight years ago.  
Also from the same wedding:

Mmm ... mismatched vintage dinnerware. The shabby chic in me surfaces yet again. J and I planned to ask people to give us mismatched china as wedding gifts. I loved the thought of spending the rest of our lives eating off of plates with all that history, but it never panned out. We do have a few pieces from folks we told early on. Maybe it's time to revisit that idea.

Thanks, Emily, for sharing that link.  

Lastly, here are a few of my newest articles on the About.com Kids' Parties site, for your party pleasure:

-What to put in an Easter basket besides candy (my ideas here and a roundup of ideas from other About.com guides here).

-I don't know how many of you have high school age kids, but here's an idea for a graduation party theme. I applied my love of vintage schoolhouse style to a party and threw out some ideas, which you could very much use for a younger kid's party or a spouse. I'll be adding photos to it later.

-And did I say yet that I have a Facebook site now for the Kids' Parties site? A few times a day, I post links to pretty parties I spot on the Web. Become a fan and follow along. 

Nighty night.

Comments

[emily]

I also happened to catch the Times article. I too can't deny that I am a comment junkie. However, I don' think all blogging is the same. We all have our reasons for doing it and I don't think everyone can be lumped into one big blogging mama club.

However, I know how much time even one post takes me so I can't imagine the time heavy posters are committing to their blogs. I hate the idea of my children always seeing me in front of the computer checking on status and comments instead of tuning into them and the moment we share. And believe me, i am guilty at times...more than I care to admit. But that said, tomorrow is another day and another blog post..,or not.

PS- love those wedding shots

[carolina]

I became increasingly disenchanted with momblogs recently with all the contests and product reviews, so I started deleting my RSS feeds to those blogs. I just started feeling that those bloggers' voices were losing their authenticity, which had drawn me in in the first place. So even if you feel like you're being left in the dust, please know that you aren't. I continue to enjoy your posts. Thank you for all the work you do!

[twirling betty]

Well, if it's comments you would like then I, for one, vow to be better at leaving them. It is truly the least that can be done for people like you who do have lovely, genuine and engaging blogs.
I'm feeling a bit scared to read the NY Times article because it sounds like I will recognise myself a little too strongly and that will induce yet more guilt but I also know that it would be a farce to suggest that I will ever stop getting a thrill from comments. I truly think it's a very self-contained and secure person indeed who says they're not fussed about comments on their blog. Frankly, it's also just a relief to know your posts aren't just disappearing off into the ether!

[ashlee]

I cringed at that article too... eek... I don't blog, at least not really, but I spend a lot of time online trying to run an online sewing business. And job hunting... and craft hunting... and on message boards, heck I spend a lot of time online, and I hate the idea of forgetting my daughter or her looking at me and going mommy mommy (which she's too young to say, well, she says it, but not really meaning it yet, since she's only 9 months).

Anyway, since I just rambled a bunch, I'm with Carolina above, I've been getting so frustrated with mom's blogs that seem like they are just after more free stuff, and more money from ads. I've stopped going to them. A contest or a review here and there is great, but goodness, some are turning that into the only thing they'll talk about. I'm starting to feel towards some mom blogs like I do towards Kate Gosling (I know that's not spelled right, but you know, Jon & Kate plus 8 minus Jon)

[Elisa]

Right, I'm leaving you a comment for the first time! I really enjoy your blog because your writing makes me laugh out loud, and very few writers can do that. There may be a lot of beautiful blogs out there, but they don't all have your way with words! I also love the photos and links to various interesting and inspiring sites. Keep up the good work!

[gladys hanning]

Hi Megan, Enjoyed your post today, you do have a way with words...it always puts a smile on our face. A job well done. Thanks for stepping outside your harried (I'm sure with two little ones) daily life and opening your self up and sharing with us. xo Glad & Cel/Junebug

[Angie]

Thanks for sharing what is on your heart! When I started blogging it was so that family and friends in different states could keep up with my kids....then it kinda morphed into a journal for my thoughts. Now, I have fully embraced the fact that I will never finish those photo albums for my kids, never start memory books, and probably not have my sanity when they are older so my memories will be shot as well. My blog is now purely a letter from me to them, something they will have to look back on....and if I "publish" it (blurb or one of those companies) they will actually have a hard copy to fight over when I am gone.
But enough about me....I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your blog! Keep it up! Your party ideas are amazing and I have "borrowed" several of them! Good job!

[Megan]

Goodness! You guys are making me cry. I'm overwhelmed by these kind words. You have reinvigorated my desire to keep writing and to keep things simple. Thank you! Thank you!
And let's stop feeling guilty about it. Our kids get so much of our attention and energy--and that's a wonderful thing. It's OK for us to sneak a peek at our stats in between finger painting and papier mache projects, darn it!
Thanks so much for the boost, guys. I wish I could invite you all over for coffee and fattening food.

[charith]

I've been reading your blog for almost two years now and you've definitely inspired me to sew more. I'm a sewing junkie now. I sent you some pics way-back-when of some of the cakes I've made for my kids and then I felt like I probably shouldn't comment much because I didn't want to come off as a stalker. (especially since my family & I have now moved to wa. I'm not following you, really.) But when I come to visit Spokane next month I'll secretly be looking around the corner to see if I can spot a great blog mom. You! Although I'm not sure that I know what you look like. But I'll recognize your girl's feet.

I don't have a brand but maybe I will someday when my babies are big kids. Big, big kids. Until then I just want to make enough to support my fabric habit. It's tough to kick. Thanks for blogging and inspiring. I will resolve to post more as long as you don't think I'm stalking. :)

[Nis]

I'm glad that you wrote this one, Mimi. As one who has known you personally for, well, more than half our lives now (I'm aging us but since we've known each other since we were 10 and we are now 25...ha) I can guarantee to anyone who reads your lovely blog that you are not ignoring your kids to blog. However, anyone who reads and sees your blog, sees all the photos and reads all the descriptions of the activities you do with Bo and Magpie, would know that. I love Penny Carnival exactly as it is and even though I've turned into a terrible commenter (is that a word?) I still read you all the time. I love the fact that the blog really reconnected us, as well. It's probably my favorite part. And it is, as you know, alllll about me. :) xoxo

[Julie from World of Julie]

Yeah, I read that NYT article too and it just made me feel like I should be spending WAY more time on my blog. But that's the part I don't get -- as a MOM blogger, how on earth are we supposed to have more time to BLOG? Blogging is fun but I have to put dinner and laundry ahead of it on the to-do list.

[Megan]

LOL, Charith. I would never think you were a stalker, mostly because I'm not stalker worthy. And you know, those cakes get a lot of hits on this blog. What brings you to Spokane? I can give you a list of all the good fabric stores and other great shops, if you like. In fact, I should write up a visitor's guide to Spokane here sometime.

I love you, Nis. The feelings are mutual. xoxo

Ha, ha, Julie. You're not alone. Be sure to see the post I wrote after this one.

[Martha]

Your blog has inspired me so much :) keep going, pls!!! dziękuję!! (that's thanks in polish;))