HomeAlaskaPhotographyMixed MediaDaily Life

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Grow Your Blog 2015 and Giveaway

     Welcome! My name is Karen and I am so happy that you have stopped by Alaska Blue Moose today whether you just happened in or came along via Vicki's 2015 Grow Your Blog. This is always exciting and I have loved the last two years, joining in the festivities.

     During 2014 my "blog" didn't grow as much as I would have liked due to recuperation from traumatized muscle tissue (sitting and moving were difficult) - however, all is on the mend with physical therapy and I am totally looking forward to adding energy and love to this area with new photography, projects, and information about Alaska. The sidebar has a little intro on "who I am" and a photo - not too scary - with my Email (kareninkenai@gmail.com - in case it is too small to read). I love hearing from you and hope you enjoy my continuing artistic endeavors. 

     Last year I was in Canada for a month when the GYB launched and was very fortunate to meet the winner of my giveaway on my return trip home. It is always such a thrill to meet new friends this way. I have knitted newborn snuggle sacks, taken jewelry and art classes, exchanged ideas, and initiated or accepted heartwarming friendships by corresponding with those who follow me or those I follow. It is truly a rewarding and inspirational journey. I am thankful for each of you.  

     The link below will take you to Vicki's GYB with over 400 more blogs to visit. Vicki is such a beautiful woman, compassionate and enthusiastic in all that she does. Seeing the gorgeous photos of her and her "gardener's" travels, sharing in her charitable projects, and seeing her own beautiful signature nests and knitting is a feast to our senses. 

     Before you venture away, read about my "GIVEAWAY."



MY GIVEAWAY.......  tada!

     Bookarts, beading and photography have been my longtime passions; adding a renewed interest in fiber arts with lacebooks and knitting the last couple of years. This year I am giving away a journal.

     I would love to have you follow my blog if you are interested, but you do not have to do so to enter the giveaway; you don't have to live in the United States - all you must do is leave a comment on this post to sign up. (An email to me directly will not enter you for the gift.) I will do a random drawing on February 15, post the winner here and contact you to mail the journal. In order to contact you, please be sure to at least have a means of reaching you via your comment. 

     Please read some of my posts and follow the Grow Your Blog link. 
Enjoy.





MY GIVEAWAY IS:
a little 1/4 page journal with 8 signatures and 144 pages,
room for notes and photos.
lovely for your purse or by your computer or to regift.

Thank you sincerely for visiting and GOOD LUCK!

88 comments:

Maggie said...

Visiting via Vicki's GYB party, such a fab way of getting to visit bloggers we've not met before. Glad to hear that you are feeling more like blogging this year, too.
Enjoy the party and do try and visit me in Normandy, France soon.
BTW would love to enter the giveaway, and have a chance to win your beautiful Journal.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

I am visiting via the grow your blog party. I am so glad you are feeling better. I was down with bi-lateral pneumonia from Halloween through Christmas so I know how you feel about everything else being on the back burner. Your journal is beautiful. I searched for one recently and one that is as pretty as yours is not easy to find. I would love a chance to be the winner. Also, I am following your blog come visit and follow if you would like.

Paula Lemos said...

Your journal is beautiful; thank you for the chance!
ap_lemos at yahoo dot com

gpc said...

I love this Blog Hop, so many creative people to meet! Your journal is lovely, and I am having fun exploring your blog. :)

Sue Kosec said...

It's so nice to meet you, Karen. Isn't Vicki THE BOMB to host this wonderful extravaganza again this year? My first time, but now that I have the hang of it, I'm all excited. I'd love for you to visit my blog, too ... SuZeQ Creations (section 14 on Vicki's listing.)

I'm so intrigued with bookmaking and will be back to see more of what you do.

Happy Day!
SuZeQ

FarStarr said...

What a beautiful journal! I landed here because I follow you on Bloglovin'. Now I need to check out some of those other people...Thanks for the chance to win!

Anonymous said...

Hi Karen, Welcome to the Grow Your blog party. Great to see you are into bookart and beading.. something which I'm not familiar with. So hope to read more and learn from you
Hope you'll have many new friends and followers this coming week. Huge hugs from Singapore

Karin G said...

Hi Karen, I'm so happy I to get to know your blog, I love all the crafts you are into and your projects are so happy and colorful, I will read you with delight!

Marilyn said...

Hello from Canada. Nice to meet you and I really like your bookbinding technique.

Anonymous said...

This blog hop is wonderful so we can get to know some new artists!! I absolutely adore your work and would love to win your beautiful book. I'm a quilter and don't do anything remotely like your gorgeous work!

Synthia

Sandra Cox said...

What a beautiful journal.
Hope you're having a great weekend.

Kathy said...

Nice to meet you Karen. Looking forward to seeing your projects ☺

Colleen Froats said...

Oh I love your journal! It is splendid. I'm kind of a journal collector. I am new today the world of blogs and am so happy to have found yours, this little ( blog party) is a real treat for me, your blog is my first stop. Thank you for doing what you do and sharing! :)

Havplenty said...

I love journals and do write in them at times. :) I have plans to visit Alaska some day. My friends who have been to Alaska for work tell me I need to go there to see the beauty for myself. I have made it to 35 of our 50 states and DC so far. 15 more to go.

Thanks for the opportunity to visit your blog.

tushay3 (at) yahoo (dot) com

Shauna said...

Wow the journal is lovely. I would be so excited to win it. I wish I could knit, but I just could never get the hang of it.

Anonymous said...

What a fun little book! Sorry to hear about your injury, hope you are feeling better now😊

Sandi said...

Hi,
thanks for your visit as Vicki's rep. What a lot of work you all put into this. Thank you so much. The journal is lovely.
Sandi
www.thevictoriangypsy.blogspot.com

Sarah Huizenga said...

Love the name of your blog. Our family was in Alaksa in July of 2011 celebrating our 25th Anniversary and our daughter's graduation from high school. It was so beautiful there and certainly hope to get back one day. Visiting from the Grow Your Blog Party.

Fil said...

Hello Karen,
Lovely to meet you here:) I've always wanted to visit Alaska .... there's something intriguing about the place ... So I'll be following along to see a bit of it from your point of view.. I'm glad you're starting to get better.

I've loved today - travelling around the world meeting new bloggers - such a fabulous thing that Vicki has done. And I'd love to be in with a chance to win your lovely hand made book.
Best wishes from Ireland
Fil @ Fil’s Place - Old songs and Memories

allthingzsewn said...

A really lovely journal, you have already been very busy this year. I've been following you on email, but I've joined the google friend connect group. I have found I like to see all my blogging friends in one place without the disturbance of miscellaneous emails in between. I tend to get side tracked.
I hope this help me stay on track. Good luck with meeting and making new friends.
Blessings

Threadpainter said...

Hello Karen, Thank you so much for joining my blog ! It is so exciting meeting new bloggers/artists and I am really looking forward to getting to know you.
Thank goodness I found Vicki Boster's 'Grow Your Blog Party' ... this is fun ! Your post is lovely !

Judy Cooper Textile Artist said...

Visiting via Grow Your Blog. I'm also a participant. Your journal is lovely. I was looking at a few journals earlier this week that my friend made and can appreciate the work that goes into making them.

Jeanne said...

Such a lovely giveaway Karen! Sorry to hear t hat you had an injury this past year, but glad that you are improved. As we get a bit older, it does take more time to heal. hope that your new year is going well and will be filled with creativity!

Kathy L said...

Beautiful work. Would love to win. Thanks for the chance.

Unknown said...

Great giveaway and an interesting blog, please pop by and take a look at my blog, I missed out on taking part but am visiting all those who are participating.
https://wisewomancrafts.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Beautiful Karen!!!!
I still want to get together with you so you can teach me your bookbinding techniques. Maybe this summer if you have time!!!!

Deborah Weber said...

What a delight to find you and your blog via the GYB party! I share your love of bookarts and beading and look forward to following your posts. And what a fabulous journal giveaway!

Linda H said...

Hi Karen, nice to "meet" you. I've never been to Alaska, but would love to visit someday. Your work is lovely, as is the Journal! This Blog Hop is such fun.So many blogs- so little time! :)

Judy Reynolds said...

Another beautiful journal! You are one talented lady who I am blessed to count as a dear friend! Hugs to you!

Dixie@dcrelief said...

Hi Karen - think you for visiting me, and "Joining my journey."
Such a lovely and informative place, here! And I am not required to do crafts... thank you. I can be satisfied reading about your adventures, great links, and pretty photos.

That journal is something else. Well made... love the material choice. Someone is going to be very lucky to win it - count me in!

have a great week (smile).

Dreaming of Vintage said...

Hi Karen! My name is Kelly and it's so nice to meet you! I've enjoyed reading through your blog!

Shirlee Fassell said...

Enjoyed looking through your blog. Thanks for helping ou at the party!

Veronica Roth said...

Hello there Karen, I'm so pleased to meet you by via the GYB hop. How wonderful that you helped Vicki this year. It's such a wonderful hop. I'm off now to read a few more of your posts and figure out how to follow so I can come back and get to know you. :D

Judy Goddard said...

Hi Karen.
I used to dream of moving to Alaska and homesteading. LOL! Now I just love living on my little farm in NJ. We're going to get 24-36 inches of snow over the next few days. That's HUGE for us and I love it!

Your journal is gorgeous!

God bless!

Unknown said...

The journal is wonderful - but I don't need to win! I am already a winner - I have you as my friend!
Barbara

Laurie Marta said...

Hi Karen,
Love the journal. Your work, in whatever medium you choose, is always so beautiful. I hope we will have the opportunity of working together on mutual art projects. It's been awhile for me, and I'll have the time after retirement in the spring. You are always an inspiration. It's good to hear you are feeling better.

suziqu's thread works said...

Hi Karen
Such a great GYB post here! So great chatting face to face in cyberspace.
Looks like you have had so many visitors already.
I've seen some lovely new blogs already!
That journal is just gorgeous and cute with soooo many pages and it is all your very own work.
Warm hugs and love,
Suzy

Thearica said...

I didn't blog very much last year but hope to be more on top of it this year as well. I love to meet blogging and online friends in person. It makes the friendships more personal that way.

Thank you for the chance to win the journal!

Sarah said...

Lovely to meet you! I visited my brothers in Alaska this summer, out near Homer! sarah@forrussia.org

CatieAn said...

Hi Karen i started following you last year and am happy to see you once again. glad to hear your are feeling much better now and am looking forward to seeing more of you this new year.

Heather said...

Hi Karen! What a beautiful blog you have, full of such a lovely mix of art! Really fun to read through!

Sam Newton said...

Hi Karen,
Warm greetings from Florida. I'm new to blogging. So glad I found you. Have enjoyed looking at your journal, knitting, recipe, etc, but especially the bowl hot pad protector. The highlight was when you gave the link for the directions! What an angel you are... Now I can "pay it forward" to my quilting group and tell them where I got it!!!
How very gracious it was for you to do that... looking forward to seeing you on Ravelry too.
Blessings and hugs,
Sam

nicolesender said...

Lovely journal! New gfc follower!

chasing the sun said...

Glad to meet you..My parents lived in Alaska for a short while, to follow my dad's job..
Your blog is beautiful! http://lisacomperry.blogspot.com

Magpie's Mumblings said...

So nice to meet you and to see your lovely knitting projects. I do a little knitting, but anything I do has to be pretty plain. I have the attention span of a knat so I'm always losing my place in the pattern and then have no idea how to fix it. Have fun on the party!

Vicki Boster said...

My sweet friend--
What a wonderful response you are already having to your beautiful blog!! (And the journal is simply beautiful!)

Thank you for being a part of this special blog event-- and for your valuable help given to me as an assistant. I pray that this year will bring you better health and more time to devote to your beautiful creations.,

I send you my love--
Vicki

Debbie said...

Hi Karen,
Your journal is beautiful.

I always enjoy your blog.

Quirky Homemaker said...

I wish you continued healing! It's nice to meet you during the GYB hop. Following via email now. Have a great week!

Threads of Inspiration said...

Karen,
I really enjoyed scrolling through your blog. I especially love the entrelac scarf - one of my favorite knitting stitches. I love, love, love the journal you are offering. Thanks for the opportunity to win it! Have a wonderful day and enjoy the blog hop.

Debby said...

I'm here for the party. I love hearing about Alaska and would love to go there some day.
You have many talents.
Love the little book.

Unknown said...

Hi Karen, so nice to meet you. I'm a jewelry maker who dabbles in polymer clay. I enjoy reading your blog and really like the journal you've made.
Happy partying!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

You are very popular. Looks like everyone wants to be entered for that gorgeous book. I can see why, since attention to detail makes it worthwhile, indeed.

Sorry to read that you have had a genuine disability. Hope the PT works well.

I really enjoyed visiting your blog today. It was a genuine breath of fresh air.
http://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/2015/01/grow-your-blog-blog-hop-event.html

DMS said...

What a wonderful journal! Thank you so much for a chance to win it.:)

I am glad the physical therapy helped, but sorry to hear about the health difficulties you have been having. I hope you are doing well!

You have a great blog.
~Jess

Sheryl said...

Hello Karen, pleased to meet you via the GYB hop. Interesting work and beautiful generous giveaway.

Mokki said...

Ive heard alaska is a very beautiful place to live. Your little book is lovely and a useful size for ideas on the go too. Im off to have a snoop around your blog. :)

Anonymous said...

Its nice to meet you. I would love to visit Alaska some day.

FeltByRae said...

What a beautiful notebook!

Visiting from GYB and loving the chance to find such a lovely blog

Rae

tktl said...

Glad to find your blog!

alexis at cobcottagecraft.com

Linda aka Crafty Gardener said...

Hello, I'm visiting from the Grow your blog event ... so many wonderful sites to see and new friends to meet. I'd love to be entered for your give away and if I'm the lucky winner I can be reached at crafty.gardener at yahoo dot ca

Sylvia Anderson said...

Hi Karen...just stopped by to visit via the GYB hop, and when I discovered you were in Alaska, it brought back memories of 10 years ago when we were there for 2 weeks celebrating our 50th. wedding anniversary. It was the most beautiful and memorable vacation we have even taken. We did a land, Cruise combination and are so happy we did...the best of both worlds. Thank you for the opportunity to win your beautiful journal in this giveaway. lv2bquilting2@comcast.net

DeborahRead.com said...

Lovely blog - finding so many interesting things

Deb said...

I love handmade journals and would love to be included. debgirotti at gmail dot com

Gill said...

Your journal is fabulous - If I'm not lucky enough to win I would love to try and make one for myself!
Best wishes from the UK

Unknown said...

As always Karen, it is so beautiful. Put me on the list.
Keep on creating.

Unknown said...

Karen, I am anonymous from above.
Darla

janet said...

Hi Karen: I just love those fingerless mittens - do you have a pattern reference for them?
Please enter me for the lovely giveaway you will be drawing for. Thanks!

deborah lyn said...

Hi Karen, Love your blog and your book arts! I really love and enjoy making books with torn watercolor paper for sketching and painting. I am a new follower! Take care - you can find me at: http://deborahstanleyinspirations.blogspot.com/ best, deborah

Anonymous said...

Hello Karen, best wishes from Germany. Just poked around a little bit... your journals are wonderful. And I like this hotpad-protector. I am (beside other crafts) a knitter too! All the best for you.
Annett

Diana said...

Hi Karen, thanks for coming over for a visit and your comments.
I think your journal is a great idea for a giveaway, such a practical size. Sending good wishes from New Zealand.

Diana
http://adifferentlenslens365.blogspot.co.nz/

Chantal said...

Hi! Found your blog via GYB which I too participate for the first time. Love your Raven books and the red/purplish knitted hat for Chris as Xmas gift is just lovely. ♥ it.

Lija Broka said...

Nice to read your post. Hope you are enjoying the party and will meet lots of new people!

Di@Cottage-Wishes said...

Visiting and loving your work. That book is awesome. I would live to be entered. Di @ cottage-wishes

Carole @ From My Carolina Home said...

Visiting from GYB, beautiful journal! Alaska sure looks wonderful, someday I'd like to do a cruise there.

Cheri the Quilting Nanny said...

I have just gotten knowledge of these wonderful journals both in paper and fabric and I am making one! I love them! They are just so "me"!!! I will be following you for inspiration! Thanks for the giveaway!
Cheri
quiltingnanny(at)yahoo(dot)com

Patty Antle said...

Wishing you a great year to come! So glad you are on the mend. Your journal is lovely!

Sanderella said...

Hello!! Well I joined your blog! Good to hear your on the mend and on board for this year.

My adventure with this blog hop...Grow your blog 2015 started off right, then...I transferred my domain and entire blog to another host and everything was a mess for about two weeks!! Everything is perfectly fine now!

If you like you can stop by to see what I am about, I see you love knitting as do I! I also crochet and sew.

sanderellascrochet.com

I look forward to meeting you at my place!
Sandy

Angela Perez said...

Hello, Its a pleasure meeting you and learning more about you and what you do.

Angela Perez said...

Hello, Its a pleasure meeting you and learning more about you and what you do.

Christina :) said...

Hi karen! I made the Sheila Fae hat !
Took one evening.
But I wonder. Did you block or form yours somehow. ??
Mine looks a bit different.
And had jussst enough yarn :)
Cheers from Boston. :)

afistfuloflemons said...

What a gorgeous journal! I bought plywood and carriage screws (the works!) to make my own book press but I've been too shy to build it. But seeing your work is giving me that extra kick to make it happen!
- afistfuloflemons @ gmail.

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Visiting via Vicki’s GYBP and enjoying my visit. So very sorry to hear of your troubles...and pray you're soon on the road to full recovery! Your giveaway is lovely.

Rose Santuci-Sofranko said...

Wow...that journal is gorgeous! I am gladly following you on GFC as Rose Santuci-Sofranko . God bless!

ILuvTheEucharist @ aol.com

Dixie@dcrelief said...

Hi Karen. Just wanted to stopped by and make sure you're doing okay. I'm in North Carolina, and it's been a bit cold. I can't imagine how it fairs your way, right now! Take care :)

Nonna Rose said...

Your work is beautiful. The journal you are gifting is a work of art! Glad to have found you via GYB party.

Quinn said...

I'm so glad you are feeling better!
And thank you for lovely giveaway opp. I am also doing another giveaway for the GYB Party, over at http://comptonia.blogspot.com
in case you are interested :)

Monique (A Half-Baked Notion) said...

Hi Karen! I am very belatedly visiting from GYB... unfortunately, the flu caught me a couple of days after he event and has wreaked havoc with my so-called "plans" for marathon visiting :( Your journal is a lovely piece of art and sure!

Yvonne P. said...

Hi Karen,
I just saw your journal on Facebook and it is absolutely gorgeous and whoever wins it will be very lucky! What really struck me, though is your photo and how much you and Nadine look alike! Two extremely talented sisters.....!

Yvonne P. said...

Hi Karen,
I just saw your journal on Facebook and it is absolutely gorgeous and whoever wins it will be very lucky! What really struck me, though is your photo and how much you and Nadine look alike! Two extremely talented sisters.....!