Hot Dog!

Ooops, I mean Top Blog!

I've been holding out on making a scene about this totally amazing, unexpected, surprising, lovely, shocking, warm-fuzzy-inducing situation. A few weeks ago, I received an email from my friend Carol telling me "congratulations, you're on the list of top blogs in Quilter's Home magazine!" At the time, I was reading it on my iPhone because I was on retreat without my computer. I think I sat on the couch with my mouth open for a few minutes, not really believing what I was reading. Then I clicked through on the link Carol had sent which took me to a web version of the article.

Then I read the paragraph ABOUT ME (and my blog) and couldn't decide whether to (a) pee my pants or (b) cry from joy. Since the couch I was sitting on didn't belong to me, and I couldn't quite contain my excitement any longer, instead I just burst out "Oh My God you guys!" but then I couldn't really say much more for a few minutes. I know it might seem a bit dramatic, but this was so completely unexpected, and truly, I felt like crying from happiness when I read this:

I don't know these people and I had no idea they knew anything about me. They want to kidnap me because they think I have photography secrets? My photos make them want to come to B.C. for a visit? Holy cow! My retreat buddies were amazing. They put up with my childish hyperventilating, they congratulated me over and over (and referred to me as 'top 55 blogger' for the rest of the weekend - even bragging about me on our visit to the LQS!). Example: "What would Top 55 Blogger like in her tea?"

Since the magazines take a little longer to reach Canadian newsstands I only got my hands on this copy last Friday. Quilter's Home really is a fun quilting mag that I've read often. The writing is fresh, tongue firmly in cheek, and I trust the book and notion reviews to be honest. I just love it that so many of the blogs I follow, and so many of my friends are on the list, too. People like Amy, Kaye, Heather, Jacquie, Ginger, Ayumi, Ashley, Malka, Monica, Kasja, Rita, Rashida, and Leah who I follow because their work inspires me and because they are such nice people. It is wonderful to be included with all of them. I've almost checked out all of the other listed blogs - I encourage you to do the same because there are some beauties I didn't know about before.

There you have it: my Big Huge News (that isn't really breaking news, because so many of you have already emailed to say HEY! did you know you're on this list??). Thanks everyone for sharing my excitement. I know you follow along because you like what you see/read here and that makes me feel amazing. I take my blog seriously, and treat it like a job (because other than my retreats, I don't work outside my home). Every single time you leave a comment, I feel like I've received a positive performance appraisal...and the Quilter's Home mention feels like the most wonderful annual review a hard-working blogger could ask for.

Now, about that raise?