Thursday 16 April 2009

Guess what?

Yep, this is post 500! Quite a milestone I think. When I first started this blog it was for friends and family to see what we were up to, the progress with the house (we were building at the time) and Ebi-kun's adventures. I never imagined the direction it would take me, the friends I have made, all over the world, the things I have learned and the confidence you gave me to go ahead and open the Etsy shop. In some respects it has been a life changer, I thought that the only way I would ever be able to make an income in Japan would be by teaching E.S.L. and as much as I enjoyed it at the time, it isn't really my idea of a career choice. Discovering the blogging world introduced me to some fabulous people and I realised that with a bit of hard work and the power of the internet, I did have more than one career choice.

Over the last couple of years I have gratefully received some awards and I must thank MiniMondas, rhymesandmore and Clemencia for giving me this award.

I get stressed trying to decide who to pass these things on to, I am not the best decision maker at the best of times so instead of passing on the award (is all my hair going to fall out and I will grow hairy warts for not keeping it going?) I am asking every one who reads thins to promise to post a comment on the next blog post you read and enjoy, just a quick hello and tell the blogger how much you enjoyed the post, that includes those who lurk! I know you are out there :o). If you are feeling really inspired you can always take the pledge.

Well, 500 posts is definitely worth a cake and a giveaway. I actually haven't organised anything yet because I only realised it was post 500 yesterday, so I will carve a rubber stamp for the winner, something special and include some other goodies - it will be like a birthday surprise, you will have no idea what you are getting. I will wait until I know who the winner is so that I can fit the prize to the winner.

So, to get your hands on the loot, pop over to my little shop and tell me what your favourite item is, either fabric or something I have made and come back and tell me in the comments section.

For extra entries you can tweet about it, then leave another comment to say you tweeted.

And/Or blog about it again leave another comment and a link to the post.

I will close the entries the evening of the 22nd and pick a random winner the next morning (Japan time)

Right, I am off to eat cake, sadly not as cute as this one...
image belongs to cakejournal via Flickr

27 comments:

  1. Congratulations!! I started reading your blog because of montessori but I also love your crafts!! In the shop I love the little woodland creature fabric. all those japanese fabrics are so cute.

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  2. JO - I love all YOUR stuff. You are one crafty chick. I peek at your etsy shop every now and again, but seems like I'm spending all my extra cash these days in the kitchen. :) The children of the world post cards are absolutely adorable. I can't believe you're so talented to MAKE THE STAMP!! Amazing. I also heart the zipper bags in all the super fun fabric you find. Congrats on the 500th post.

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  3. *Sprinkles confetti*

    Congrats on your blog milestone, Jo! It's so wonderful having you in my crafty world! Your blog is truly an inspiration.

    All your shop items are cute especially your handcarved stamps!

    Happy 500th post, once again!

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  4. Wow! Congratulations!!! I knew you deserved the award! Keep the good work! :-)

    Ps. Just a little thing...Mini Monadas is the Spanish version of Mini Cuties (I don't know if that makes a difference and if you want to change it! :-)

    Thanks!

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  5. Congrats on 500! Way to go...

    I love your stuff - the zipped pouches are cute, especially the turtle one...

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  6. CONGRATULATIONS on your 500th post! Wow! That is quite the accomplishment! I have really enjoyed reading your blog and getting to "know" you--thank you so much for the ideas you share.

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  7. I love that butterfly fabric you have and also the turtles...actually there are just way too many cute ones to choose, but my LO loves butterflies.

    I love your blog btw.

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  8. Congrats!! I am been an avid reader eversince i come across your post, the fun activities you planned for your child, and your cuties fabric make me drool (i am about to make purchase for them already :) i have also been to Tokyo Toy Muesuem as from your blog suggestion. It was way cool for me and my child.

    Greetings from Singapore :)

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  9. Jo, Congratulations for your 500th post! I can't imagine the day I get that far, I bet you feel great. I've loved reading your blog and checking out the activities you do with Ebi-kun. My favourite from your Etsy shop has got to be that cutest little Dinos fabric. They're adorable!! I'm looking forward to see what your next 500 posts will be about :) Enjoy your cake!

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  10. Congratulations Jo: 500 is a massive milestone, which reminds me I've been a reader here for over a year now.
    Yours was one of the first mommy blogs I'd started reading and though you gave me quite a complex with all your multi-tasking, it was one particular post of yours about how stressful mommyhood is and how everyone who reads you thinks you have it all under control and you don't.... well, that clicked it for me. I'd been a lurker till then, but I'm a caring follower now.
    Here's wishing you lots more!
    Apologies for the rambling comment!

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  11. Congratulations! I love reading your blog, and I am always drooling over the Japanese fabric in your store. My favorite is "Going on Safari."

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  12. Congrats! OK, your shop - hard one. I'm going with fabric since I've been trying to get myself sewing again. So many cute fabrics to choose from. I think I'll go with the Kawaii Japanese Dolls. I can totally see that made up as a little dress for my daughter.

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  13. Blogged about it:

    http://desertspor.blogspot.com/2009/04/another-jojo-giveaway.html

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  14. Congratulations on 500! I started reading from the Crafty Crow. I love seeing what clever crafts you come up with. I also love seeing your bento meals and muffin tin dinners.

    My favorite shop item is the geisha fabric.
    Carolyn

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  15. Congrats! I like your sweet Japanese owls fabric.

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  16. Congrats - I am new to your blog and absolutely love it. I discovered your little chick pattern - so cute. I love all the fabric in your shop especially the printed felt (shamrock in particular). a.haun@sbcglobal.net

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  17. OH! Congrats on 500! I am one of those lurkers you mentioned. I love reading about how families do things. So inspiring!

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  18. Congrats on 500 posts! I just hit my 100 post mark!

    I've been reading your blog for a few months now.

    I love all the cute fabric you have!

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  19. congratulations on your 500th post. I am always interested in what you are up to. I do like the zippered pouches you have in your shop.

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  20. Congratulations on 500! The best things in your shop are your stamps, they really are cute. I would comment more on your blog, but you don't have Name/URL enabled, and I can't get the wordpress OpenID thing to work right with my blog. Stupid technology.
    -OneInchWorld

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  21. just found your blog- please enter me in your giveaway- sounds fun!

    i love your felt food and the postcard snack idea!

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  22. I love your hand carved stamps and I LOVE your snowballs.... I wanted to get some, but time eluded me. I also love the children of the world cards...

    JO, you are such a fun inspiration to me. You and Ebi-kun do the most fun activities and I love gleaning ideas from you. Thanks for sharing them all!!!

    Congrats on 500!

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  23. congrats Jo- I love the kawai hedgehog and jungle fabrics....

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  24. Congratulations Jo!!! I love the hedgegogs on linen fabric!!! So cute!! I still haven't used all the wonderful fabric you gave/sold me yet!! You should do a tutorial on stamp carving, or atleast share some secrets! I carved my first out of an eraser the other day... and boy was it difficult! You are very talented and inspiring!!

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  25. Congratulations!

    I come to your blog for the Montessori bits but enjoy lusting over your shop, too. My favourite is the butterfly fabric- so cute!

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  26. Jo, you have such great fabrics! But, what I loved the most in your shop was the Children of the World Cards - what gorgeous work.

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  27. Giveaway Entries Now Closed

    Thank you everyone for your lovely comments, I love you all xxx

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