6 June 2011

SHIN SHIN 1 year!


SHIN SHIN is one year today! What a year it has been! Thank you everyone for visiting my blog. Please feel free to join me to celebrate. There will be special presents to all to follow :) 
My first ever blog post was this. I started without knowing anything about the blogging world, but just wanted to try out in order to gain my creative life that has been hidden away for a long time. Now it has become an important part of my life. What does your blog mean to you? How did you start? I took baby steps each time. Learning every time. Not sure if I was doing any good. I was also skeptical about the virtual existence itself. Are you or were you? If so, I would like to say that actually there are lots of positive aspects of blogging that could make you happy. It can even change your life, you never know? To me, there were endless things that made me happy during the first blogging year, things like these...
  • Meeting artists in real through the blog connection. The moment that the skeptical virtual connection has become real. All were fabulous experience and I got so much buzz out of it. Thank you for your time Kat, Adam, Claire, Mizuyo and Moyra. (I also posted here and here)
  • My work was featured by kind bloggers. Thank you Veronika, Flora, Kate and Hitomi
  • My longing dream pottery studio has been completed! Your encouraging comments certainly helped me move forward and make things happen. Thank you!  
  • I did my first ever public show! Again your support helped me through this. 
  • Simply being me! This was the biggie! 
  • Success in my first fundraising project! So so so many people kindly linked my project to spread the words. Honestly, without your support, this project has not been completed like it was. Also I was pleased to know people liked my creation, too. Thank you so so much!  
Your comments have always been the greatest part. I love reading every single comments and they certainly boosted me. Sadly I am not very good at replying to each comments and although I tried as often as possible, it has not been successful. So, as it’s an anniversary, I would like to give you something back. Not just one giveaway to one winner, but ‘thanks back’ to everyone. This is how I go about it. 

thanks back 1: 
I would like to hear what you think of SHIN SHIN. Any questions or suggestions? What you like about my blog? Any post particular? Or absolutely anything you want to write to me, please leave that to the comment space below. I WILL make sure this time to go back to your link and comment back. I will follow each one of you, too. (unless I am already a follower.) I remember how grateful I felt when I first got followers and comments (and I still do!) after worrying about “who cares about my blog???” It is always nice to know there are connections out there, don’t you think? Thought this might be a good return to start with. Please don’t forget to leave your link, too.
thanks back 2: 
I would like to send a special SHIN SHIN postcard with my written message to you, anywhere in the world. Images on the postcard (as you can see above) are all from my blog post and work that I made. If you would like to have one, please email me your name and full address to makikohastings@gmail.com
Of course, you can do both 1 and 2. Feel free to join or not. Totally open to you. Thank you agin for your support on SHIN SHIN. Looking forward to hearing from you. xm

21 comments:

  1. Dear Maki,
    Congratulations on your 1st year in blogspace! Blogging can work miracles - even when your life is totally turned upside down like mine.
    The way you have established yourself as an artist, and in particular the Help Japan Buy Bird project is remarkable! Your birds smile at me every day.. and I can use any smile I can get for sure.
    Simply being you = simply being inspiring!!!
    x
    Roos

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  2. Sweet Maki, it's easy to tell you what I love about your blog - it's you sweet Maki and your beautiful creations. I still have your beautiful gift right here next to me in my art room, I use some of your beautiful birds to rest my chopsticks (we eat a lot of Japanese food so we really do need them and use them :). I've said it before and I'll say it again - you are such an inspiration to me, what you've achieved with your 'Help Japan' initiative was absolutely amazing, I will remain a loyal visitor :)

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  3. I am so pleased I saw the original link to your wonderful fundraising project.I am even more pleased with the birds that flew my way (twice)
    And since you achieved your goal I have also enjoyed your posts on your trip to my part of the world The West Country, so much so I may have to do some sightseeing.
    Thank you Maki
    http://tincantart.blogspot.com/

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  4. I just think you have a beautiful blog. Its clear about what it is, its laid out in a way that really suits your design style and your ceramics, its taking us all on a journey with you. I honestly believe that you have really got something special, not just here in the blog, but in your work and your attitude and your soul. You will go very far and have a fantastic career in ceramics. one day studens and fans will be visiting your studio and writing about it in their blogs. that's what I think! sending lots of love and congratulations on your one year anniversary. xx

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  5. I love that you are you Maki! It comes through in your words and your art and your projects. I love visiting here and seeing you. :)

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  6. Yours is a great blog. I only found you fairly recently but I loved your HELP JAPAN 1000 birds project. So inspirational and moving. I only wish I had been there sooner to buy one. Just keep doing a great job as you are :)

    Joy x

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  7. May this be the first of many blog birthdays for shin shin. You are an inspiration x

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  8. Happy Birthday Shin Shin! I love everything about you, so dont change! ;0)

    Bless your talented mummy too! X

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  9. Congratulations on your first blog-birthday!

    I'm so glad I found out about your wonderful fundraiser (as are the two birdies that now live with me).

    Your blog is a real inspiration. Thank you for writing it.

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  10. Hip hip hooray! Happy Blog Birthday Maki!

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  11. Happy Birthday Shin Shin!
    You are an inspiration, thanks for opening my eyes and showing me that simple act by an individual can make a change in life.
    I feel awed by your determination in helping Japan (T.T)

    Love Shin Shin :)

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  12. I found your blog only recently trough a link on Roos her site.

    I love reading here and being inspired by your words and your work.

    So I completely agree with this:

    "I love that you are you Maki! It comes through in your words and your art and your projects. I love visiting here and seeing you."

    Keep up the blogging!

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  13. Dearest sweet Maki, congratz on your first blog anniversary and i am so happy i was with you all this time. Your blog is really inspiring and your work is gorgeous. Both always bring me smile. Have a lovely merry happy day and love to you!

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  14. hi maki san
    thank YOU for lovely blog. I have been enjoying it so much.
    Being me sounds such a simple thing but is a very difficult actually. Well done to all the things you've achieved! Happy creating you too ;D

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  15. Congratulations on your 1 year blogging. I love reading your blog and looking at your work. What you did to help Japan was amazing and I too look at my birds every day. I would love to hear how the people in Japan are doing as they are no longer mentioned on our news or in the newspapers. I think of them often and wonder how they are doing and hope that they are managing to rebuild their homes and their lives.

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  16. happy, happy birthday shin shin blog. you have an amazing creator!

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  17. Hi Maki!
    Thx for visiting my blog!
    From now on, I'll try to tranlate my posts in English.
    Regards!

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  18. Muchisimas felicidades por este 1º año!
    congrats and greetings from Spain,
    I'm a new follower!

    elena

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  19. Happy birthday Shin Shin!
    Dear Maki, your blog is wonderful, I like to peek here. The world is so small with some computer help and I'm glad thet you are my blog friend.
    Keep up the good work!

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  20. Thank you soooooooooo much everyone. Your encouragements have always been SUPER ACE to me. Lovely to see new faces too! Hope you can enjoy SHIN SHIN with me from now on, too.
    Those who emailed me for a postcard giveaway, they are now on thier way to your home :) xm

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  21. Congratulations on a full year of blogging! I was very happy to find your blog and learn about your 1000 birds project. It's so nice to see your work ~ there is so much to admire. Thank you for sharing so much inspiration. I wish you many more happy years of blogging, creating and being you! :)

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