Two years ago, when I started this blog, I was so nervous. Like most people that start out, I was afraid I would host this party and no one would show up. But guess what? People read my posts, and not all of these readers were related to me! Hard to believe that it has been two years but it has.
I am so grateful for the friends I have made so far and all that I have learned. When I was starting out, my son, Andrew, showed me how to track how many views I was getting and where they were coming from. Both of us were so surprised to see that this community of quilters was spread out all over the world. I love that. I have made friends all over the United States, Canada and Europe as well as Israel, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden and Mexico. How exciting is that! Our world is spread so far yet we are all able to share this common interest.
I am also thankful for all that I have learned via this blog and our community. Over the past year, I participated more and grew my blog. I joined the 2015 New Blogger event, wrote a few tutorials, was brave enough to hang my quilts in a local show, entered a challenge for QuiltCon and worked ever so hard to further my FMQ skills. All of this was because of the quilting community I am a part of. This amazing group of people that so generously shares knowledge, ideas and feedback is a huge source of information and friendship.
As thanks to all of you, I would like to host my second annual Charitable Giveaway. I am feeling ever so fortunate but there are many out there that need our support. Like last year, I want to donate to one of your favorite non-profits. It can be any cause that you hold near and dear to your heart. Leave me a comment telling me what charity you would like to be the recipient if you win. I will draw one lucky winner and make a donation of $25 to the charity of their choosing. Because I don’t have to pay crazy shipping fees, this giveaway is open world-wide. I hope all of you will enter. The giveaway will stay open until Thursday, June 9th and the winner announced on Friday the 10th. Here’s to another awesome year!
What a perfect giveaway! If I’m lucky enough to win, please donate to Team Rubicon.
congratulations
Happy Anniversary Bernie,I
I nominate The Friendship Club.!
Hi Vickie,
Friendship Club is a great choice – such a valuable resource for local girls. I’ll let you know if your name is drawn.
Take care!
Congratulations! It can’t really be two years since we “met,” can it? 🙂 I do so enjoy the blog and the lovely person behind it. And, of course, all the pretty quilts!
What a kind and generous giveaway! Please consider the Jesuit Refugee Service, always overburdened and now doubly so. They do amazing work.
Have a wonderful day!
I know, two years have just buzzed by! I have enjoyed our virtual friendship too. Hope you are having a happy Monday! I am, again, hiding inside to escape the heat. Sooo, so hot! Take care Mari.
I am so glad you were brave and joined the online community! I would love for Operation Smile to get your generous donation if you pick me. Thank you!
I am so glad as well Yvonne. I am also grateful for all that I have learned from you over the past year or so.
Great choice of charity, by the way! 🙂
Happy Blogiversary! My two year was last week, but I totally missed it, lol. What a great way to celebrate! If I get picked, I chose Pregnancy Solutions in Venice, FL as the beneficiary.
Well, Happy Blogiversary to you too! Good luck with the giveaway. I will let you know if your name is drawn. 🙂
Happy Anniversary Bernie! I remember this on your first year–HOW can that be a year ago already??!! If I win, I would love for you to donate $25 to the Canadian Heart and Stroke Fund. I donate every year, and just yesterday became a monthly donor. Both heart issues and strokes don’t run in my family; they gallop, so it is a cause very important to me. Lovely idea, and congrats.
Time is buzzing by at a crazy fast speed. I wish I could slow it down sometimes. That sounds like a great choice of charity Sandra. I have a feeling you are very good about watching your health and heart – stay healthy! Enjoy your Monday afternoon!
Happy Anniversary, Bernie! Can it really be 2 years? I remember you just starting this blog and it does not seem like that long ago. I have so enjoyed reading your posts.
If my name gets chosen, please donate to Women of Worth.
Congratulations!
Mary Ann
Hi MaryAnn! I am so grateful for your loyal reading of all my posts. What a sweet friend. Women of Worth is a fantastic choice. Such an important organization around here.
Hope we can get together soon!
Oh my goodness! Here I sit with tears of gratitude in my eyes and feeling like I’ve just gotten a hug from the universe!
As I read your post, my favorite charity popped to mind. I planned to comment, but noticed the link to last year’s charity give away at the bottom of your page and thought I’d just pop there, first. Imagine my joy at learning that your recipient last year was, in fact, my most beloved charity! As you know, my sweet Emily has CF. We have been supporters of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation since she was born, and live in hope that their work will bring about the cure she deserves. They have funded the research behind most of the medicines she takes today that allow her to stay healthy and active, and that let us hope for a future. I am so grateful to you and your sister for your donations, and to Sarah for suggesting it!
Happy blogiversary, Bernie. Sewing along with you has been the highlight of my quilting/sewing year so far. Your thoughtful comments always make my day, and I’ve enjoyed glimpses into your life through your blog. You are a gem, and your generous charity give away just confirms that.
If I happen to be selected as the winner, I invite you to choose again, so a different charity can benefit. Or, check out the Cystic Fibrosis Lifestyle Foundation, which does not fund research, but instead, gives grants to CF patients so that they can pursue health and fitness related activities. Staying active, working the lungs and LIVING LIFE go a long way in helping CFers beat the current life expectancy.
Thanks, Bernie. Be sure to celebrate YOU today.
Oh Tami,
I knew that would get you if you read about last years winner. If your name is picked, I will let you know and you can decide which CF org I should donate to.
Are your girls out of school yet? This is finals week for Julia so kind of a tough week. But after Friday, summer!! Hope all is well. 🙂
We are done on Wednesday! Can’t wait!! Good luck to Julia on those finals!!
Bernie, Happy Anniversary! I nominate NOCC – the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.
That is the perfect choice for you Heather. I know how meaningful it would be to you. I will let you know if your name is drawn. Hope all is well. It’s nice to hear from you – it’s been a while. Take care.
Happy Blogaversary! I hope you enjoy many more! Blogging certainly opens up a whole new world, giving us an opportunity to meet so many lovely people, like you! It keeps me inspired and motivated, and boy, do I learn so many new things, even after 30+ years of sewing/quilting! This is a perfect give away, so thoughtful and giving! XO
Congrats on two years. I always enjoy your stories and up until your yellow bathrobe I thought that you were perfect, lol! XO
What a sweet idea for a giveaway; I’ll pick the Red Cross 🙂
Well, thank goodness you’ve knocked me off that pedestal. Perfect. Ha!! I am glad you like the giveaway idea – Thanks so much for entering. 🙂
Congratulations on your 2nd anniversary ☺I could echo so much of what you’ve expressed about what it is to be part of the worldwide quilty blogging community – my second anniversary is in the autumn. If my comment should be picked I’d love your kind donation to go to Toybox, a charity working with street children.
I thought you started blogging soon after or right before I did. It has been a lot of fun, right? Toybox sounds like a great non-profit! Thanks for entering Allison.
It is no surprise that you have made friends all over the world Bernie, you were one of the first quilters who reached out to me with support and invaluable advice when I started blogging earlier this year. I value your friendship. Happy Blogiversary.
My husband and I have a Just Giving page where we raise money for maternity care in Eastern Tibet where 4 out of 9 pregnancies result in the death of the mother or the child, or both. In the first six months after it opened over 30 lives were saved, not by expensive medical interventions, but by training local women as birth attendants in basic care. Our page has raised over £10,000.
Kate, what a sweet comment. I very much enjoy our give and take about blogging. I think you have done tremendously from the start – I checked out the Just Giving page that you and Gary have. What a wonderful fundraiser. It is impressive that you have raised so much money for these women and children. Pretty awesome!
Happy Blogiversary, Bernie! I think your donation idea is a wonderfully sweet way to celebrate your anniversary. If my name is drawn, I would love for a donation to be made to Soles4Souls, who distributes shoes to those in need. it’s such a basic need and one many of us don’t even give a thought to, but a pair of shoes can mean so much to those who don’t have them.
Congrats on your two years of blogging! I look forward to seeing many, many more posts and wonderful projects!
This is so true Beth. It is just awful to think of how many people in the world aren’t able to meet their most basic needs. Soles4Souls sounds like a great organization. I will let you know if your name is picked. Thanks for entering. 🙂
CONGRATS TO YOU !
THANKS FOR A NEAT GIVEAWAY!
Congratulations! One thing I’ve found with following blogs is how fast the time goes by! I can’t believe it’s been two years already. Amazing! What a sweet giveaway. My favorite quilt charity is Margaret’s Hope Chest. I love donating quilts to their Mother and Baby Program–it’s a therapy program for new mothers dealing with perinatal mood disorders. They get to have their babies with them during treatment and the quilts are for the mothers to feel a hug around their shoulders during sessions.
Thanks for leaving this comment! I had heard you talk about Margaret’s Hope Chest before but I didn’t really know what they were all about. What a sweet program. I will have to look into them further. 🙂
I would love to Nominate Finding Your Feet
Congratulations Bernie! I recently had my 3 year anniversary and completely missed it! I think your idea to donate to a charity is such a great idea. My favorite charity is Give Kids the World (http://www.gktw.org/). I volunteer there when I have time – it’s a resort village in Central Florida that partners with worldwide make-a-wish type organizations for children (and their families) with life threatening illnesses to have fantasy vacations at all the Central Florida attractions (Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, LegoLand, etc.)
Thanks Diana! Congrats to you as well. 🙂
Your charity sounds wonderful and I will let you know if you are picked. Have a wonderful day.