People often say that blogging is dead, that Instagram is enough and nobody reads or comments on blogs anymore.
Blogging is very much alive for me.
This month While She Naps turns 10 and I feel devoted to blogging just as strongly as I ever did. It’s here, on my blog, that I’ve carved out a space for myself in an industry that I knew nothing about, that I’ve replaced the income I made when I worked for the public school system, that I figured out a way to be a mother and have a career at the same time. The blog has been and remains at the center.
Roxanne when I started my blog and Roxanne now. Through our kids we can see time passing so clearly.
My first post was on May 3, 2005. Roxanne had just turned one. I’d read about blogs in the New York Times and started looking online for craft blogs. I found craftgrrl on LiveJournal first (were any of you on there?) and started posting pictures of what I was sewing. Crafster was next, and then I stumbled on personal blogs – Loobylu and Wee Wonderfuls – and thought maybe I could be a blogger, too.
On a rainy night in late April I sat across from Charlie at a Starbucks and told him I was going to name the blog While She’s Napping. I wrote it on a napkin and it looked like While She Snapping, so I decided to go with While She Naps. That was it. There was no notion that I was creating a “personal brand” or concern that perhaps I’d outgrow this name at some point. No worry that it sounded like a mommy blog or that the oft confused whileshesleeping is a porn site.
A few months later I was driving our Wellesley College babysitter home one evening and I mentioned to her that I had a blog. She was 19. Smart and savvy and at an elite college and she didn’t know what I was talking about. Nobody knew what I was talking about.
In May of 2005 I was about to turn 30. I’d recently left a job I really enjoyed, and a career I’d been training for throughout my 20’s. I was home constantly nursing a baby who seemed to cry all the time and although I’d always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, I was terribly stir crazy. I felt so stuck.
The blog became my path.
From that day in May 2005 when I signed up for Typepad and spent many frustrated hours learning how it worked, to this day in May 2015 when my blog is my job and I have a calendar and a spreadsheet and a crazy workload, a single truth about blogging remains for me. It’s here that I explore what’s most interesting to me with no boundaries, no deadlines and no boss. Despite the constricting name of my site, this space for me means total freedom. 1,399 posts in and that is still my approach.
Like any good relationship, my blog has grown and changed with me. The early years were show-and-tell posts of my craft projects and my babies. Then there were years of making toys to sell in retail stores, on Etsy, at craft fairs, and in funky little galleries. There were, of course, “the bird years” when every single post was a soft sculpture bird I’d sewn. That was the first half.
Writing The Artful Bird and then Stuffed Animals started a new chapter. At first it was, “I think I could make this my job at some point,” and then it became, “Yep, I’m back in the workforce. This is my job.” How amazing!
Very soon something big and new is going to become part of my work life. It’s something I’ve been planning, with a business partner, for many months and I hope to spend the next decade (at least) working on it. While She Naps, of course, will still be with me as we go forward into this next phase. More to come on that soon.
In the meantime, cheers to 10 years of While She Naps and cheers to you and to all of the friends I’ve met along the way! Happy anniversary.
emily says
congratulations on ten years, abby! i do remember your blog from back in the early days of my own blogging, but somehow i lost track of you and only re-discovered you in the last year. i’ve been loving your podcasts and your newsletter and i so appreciate what you’re doing and sharing. here’s to many many more years to come!
Abby says
I remember you, too!
Wendy says
Congratulations on 10 years of blogging! That is a huge accomplishment.
Can’t wait to see what your new project will be. Happy anniversary!
Abby says
Thanks, Wendy!
Andrea says
Happy anniversary! What an achievement! Now I’m really excited to find about about the next chapter 🙂
Abby says
I’m excited to tell you about it!
Susan says
I started blogging for the same reasons you did! While I don’t have a wide readership and blogging is still very much a hobby for me (and about my hobbies), it still serves a similar purpose of fulfilling a need I have for sharing my creative endeavors with the internet.
I’m excited to see what is next for you. Best of luck!
Abby says
Thanks, Susan.
Karen @ littlebirdiequilting says
Congratulations on your 10th anniversary! I certainly hope that blogging doesn’t ‘die’. I love reading yours because it actually has things to read!
Nadia says
Congratulations Abby, you are so inspiring! I can’t wait to find out about your new endeavour 🙂
Arianne Foulks says
Congratulations and cheers to your longevity, Abby! Looking back on ten years of making it up as you go is just crazy, isn’t it? I look forward to hearing more about your new venture.
Monika says
Happy Anniversary! I love love love this blog :).
Marzy says
I have been following you now for some time so I am excited to hear about your new endeavor. Good luck!……M
Nancy says
Congrats on your 10 year anniversary!
Andrea says
Happy Anniversary! Here’s to 10 more.
Nadia says
Tech issue.- I came back to check the new comments but I can’t see any comments.
Monica says
Happy Ten Year Anniversary!!! Simply amazing and inspirational. Much love.
Bernie says
Happy anniversary. I love reading blogs as well as working on my own. There is depth, which is lacking in IG.
Keep up the great work!
Bonnie C says
Happy Anniversary!!
You and WSN have been, I think it’s safe to say, the main inspiration for me to take the leap, run with my half cocked New Year’s resolution, and get myself into blogging and business. Here’s to 10 more years! 🙂
Carol Y says
Congratulations on such a tremendous milestone. I love your newsletters! I wish you all the best for the next 10 years and beyond!!!
rachel swartley says
Congrats on ten years, Abby! Can’t wait to hear what your next big project is!
Sara says
Most of the blogs I used to read have all gone. Blogging has certainly reduced, in frequency of posting or in number. Many think that instagram replaces it but for me it doesn’t come close. The idea’s, thoughts, and inclusion all come from blogging. A picture doesn’t paid a thousand words at all. Who ever said that, lied! The heart is in the blogging, the making connections is in the blogging. Sometimes it is words that paint a picture in our hearts and minds, and there is no other. A bunch of pretty pictures is often just that. What is that? What does it mean? It is also not inclusive.
It is so disappointing that so many have stopped blogging. A few still limp along, posting rarely now. It seems to me that the ones who stay are the people who had no ulterior motives about what it was going to do for them, it just happened they enjoy it and so it continues to happen. The first blog I read is still there – the one that inspired me to crochet my ripple blanket. That’s Posie gets cozy. I hope that you will continue to be a tenacious blogger and will enjoy posting for a long time to come. I hope others are inspired by you too. Thanks for your wonderful ever readable blog. Congratulations on your special anniversary.
trixi says
Congratulations on 10 years, Abby what an incredble achievment . its always interesting to read stories of how starting a blog has chaged the direction of so many peoples lives in ways they never expected! looking forward to hearing about your new adventure and thanks for enjoyable, informative and inspiring posts and podcasts!!
Nina says
Congratulations, Abby! You are an inspiration to me, merging parenthood with a creative career, and doing it in a way that is generous and inviting to your followers. Keep up the good work! I’m excited to see how the next decade unfolds for you!
Michele Timms says
Wow! How time flies!!! I think that I started discovering blogs close to 10 years ago too… it is funny how that learning curve developed and was refined because in the beginning I had a list written on a piece of paper to return to blogs that I loved!! It was mind blowing when I realized that I could “follow”!! Anyway, I truly enjoy your blog and all the inspiration you have piqued in me over all these years!! Thanks!! Looking forward to many more!
Cheryl says
Happy Anniversary!!
Sandi says
Congratulations Abby! I too love your blog. Good luck with your new endeavor!!!
Tami says
Congratulations on your ten year blogiversary! I remember your earlier days and loved all the little creations, especially the birds. It’s nice to see how you’ve morphed over the years into a go-to resource for creative online business people. Plus the softies! It’ll be interesting to see what comes next.
Wendy says
Congrats on 10 years–so glad you’re still here and still thriving, enjoying the experience, and sharing with all of us! Looking forward to hearing about your next project!
Michelle Mach says
Congratulations! I remember the first time I saw your blog name. At the time, I was working at Interweave doing their website updates. I think you were in Fiberarts magazine? Or maybe it was something online for The Artful Bird? I remember that I thought it was a clever name and went and checked out your blog right away. Looking forward to hearing about your new adventures!
PennyDog says
Happy anniversary Abby, I think IG has its place but it can’t replace the thoughtful and insightful posts people like you write, nor can it give you the depth and multiple aspects that a blog post can explore. Plus the posts are buried in the blink of an eye. For me it is a great tool to direct people to my blog!
Catherine Hawkes says
Congratulations on your anniversary ! I have followed you through to your Artful Bird years, and started blogging inspired by your work. After a break of a year, moving home and country it feels like a lot has changed in the world of blogging – like th person above I have discovered that many of my favourite places have completely disappeared! not just not posted to anymore, but completely removed.
I am so pleased that you continue, and what is more your blog grows and develops as you and the world around you moves on. You have inpsired me to kick start my blog again, and to keep it relevant to me and my work. Thank you !
ginny says
Abby congratulations on 10 years of blogging. I for one am so glad that you still blog as I read your blog all the time and am subscribed to your newsletter. You bring something wonderful to read every time. Can’t wait to see your next adventure. Keep up the good work.
Sabine says
Congratulations! I only know your blog since last year, but it’s been providing interesting insights. I’m curious what you’re planning. And I couldn’t agree more with that seeing your kids grow up makes you realize how quickly time flies by.
heather moore says
Congratulations, and here’s to the next decade! So pleased to have found you online, and can’t believe it took me so long! Xx
Shelly Stokes says
Congrats on your 10 years, Abby! I’m curious to see what’s coming down the pipe for you.
Lisa Firke says
Congrats on a momentous milestone! I only recently discovered your blog, which I adore. I started blogging in 2003, but I kept starting and stopping and changing platforms so much that my efforts lack the rich consistency of yours. I am trying to come to terms with my natural rhythm, which alternates between bursts of volubility and protracted silences–the very worst rhythm for a blog to have!
Jennie says
How beautiful she was then and is now. Congratulations on ten years of success! I know I look forward to the blogs I subscribe too. Blogging is definitely alive and well. I was blessed to be an at home mom and get to see my children grow into women. You both will have memories for life that will chronical both the good and bad times.
Mary ann says
Congratulations! I haven’t been with you all 10 yrs but often go back and read older posts. I started reading blogs with Wee Wonderful and Posie Gets Cozie . I never wanted to start one my self but now that I am retired I wish I had a more organized history of my projects. Then the random photos on Flickr and Instagram. Something to thing about! As for podcasts…love them so will be following you there too.
Linda Gillian says
I am so glad that you didn’t give up on this blogging thing! I love your blog and look forward to it always. You have a gift. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Keep up the good work!
Caroline says
Congrats on such an amazing achievement. I’ve only recently discovered your blog — it’s such a font of information! Every post leads me to loads of new things — artists, ideas, inspiration. I’m so glad you stuck with it.
Wendy Ward says
Congratulations Abby, what an achievement!
I love blogs (and yours is one of my favourites ;o) ) and I really love writing my own, they’re a fantastic record of achievements and milestones past while being personal enough to get to know the writer a little bit. They also create a sense of community.
Instagram is great and I’m currently a little unhealthily obsessed with it, but it’s so fleeting. With a blog it’s about the writing and sometimes working on a post for months and often creating something that sticks around and is referred to long after it was written.
Here’s to another 10 years!!
Wendyx
Cucicucicoo: Ecological Living says
That’s really wonderful, Abby! You’ve been so focused over this time and have created such a wonderful activity and job for yourself! You are a source of great inspiration to me and I’m sure many, many others! Happy 10th birthday! 🙂 Lisa
Martha Rideout says
Thank you so much for the thoughtful writing you do! It’s a joy to read well written pose – such a very rare thing these days. I really look forward to your newsletters and enjoy your commentaries as well as suggestions for other interesting things to check out – have not been disappointed in the directions you’ve provided. Also, I have started some toy sewing thanks to the great patterns and support you provide – your creative and fun-filled designs surely delight children of all ages!
May you have, at the very least, another decade of writing – obviously from the above comments, many do appreciate the hard work you put into everything you do!
Abby says
Thank you so much, Martha! I really appreciate these nice words.
Martha Rideout says
The word “prose” in my comment would have been so much better – so much for proof reading!
Verena says
Congratulations! I only found you sometime last year, but I really enjoy reading your blog! Wish you a lot of success for the coming ten years!
Nienke says
Congratulations Abby! Thank you for making that SAHM comment, it’s good to know others feel (felt) like that too. And thank you for writing this blog/newsletter, you’re the only one I read faithfully, even when there doesn’t seem time at all in this busy SAHM life, and even when I need to search my inbox for it, as it’s been days since you sent it out. I’ll read it and love it. Thx!
Abby says
Thank you so much!
Silvia says
Congratulations!! I’m following your blog for a long time now and I have seen your evolution… and I love it! I wish you lots of success!
Doris says
I agree with you, for me, blogging is not dead. I still prefer to read the “rest of the story” on the projects I see on Instagram, etc, prefer to read about the process, etc. And, my blog is as much a journal for me as anything. I started it for me, to journal my creative projects. I have developed a business along the way that I write about on my blog, but maintain a second blog for (primarily because I have a business partner and it would be odd for her business to be on my personal blog…)
I’m grateful for those that still blog. Congratulations on 10 years and finding your place in the world!
Amanda Jane Ogden says
Dear Abby
Congratulations on your tenth anniversary. I haven’t yet completed my very first year, so your achievement over such a long period is inspiring. I love your blog and read it with great interest.
Thank you.
Amanda
Fiona says
Huge congratulations on such an epic milestone Abby, 10 years is such a huge amount of time to devote to something. I haven’t read your earlier posts but I love what you are writing now 🙂