Blog Interview #19

Today I am tickled pink to interview a gal whose blog has become an absolute favourite of mine over the past few months. Jane Goble is the creator of Posy.

So Jane, tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am wife to Anthony, and mother to Tom (19), Lucy (16) and Alice (14). We live in a very small, 3 bedroom, end-terraced house in a seaside town in Devon, England along with 2 Persian cats Posy and Alfie.

I love our home passionately or maybe I should say I love being at home, making things and decorating it with things that other people don’t want anymore. Almost every available surface is covered with something flowery. We sleep in flowery sheets, eat from flowery plates, sit on flowery cushions, drink from flowery cups and gaze at flowery wallpaper that hopefully, in the summer months, echoes the view of the garden from our French doors.

My long-suffering family say they just about tolerate it but I know they secretly love it and wouldn’t have it any other way. I like to be a little different and thought I was but in blogging I have discovered that I am not alone and there is an army of like-minded women out there who appreciate the things that make my heart sing.

Why did you decide to start blogging?
I initially thought that it would be a wonderful way to keep in contact with our family – especially my husband’s family in New Zealand; but I also felt that I wanted to share things that I really loved and were important to me. It’s a small space of my own to fill as I chose.

Why did you call your blog Posy? Well, I have always loved the name (it’s also the name of our sweet little cat) and it has a floral theme.

What date did you blog for the first time?
30^th January 2006. A post entitled ‘Hello.’
http://posy.typepad.com/posy/2006/01/hello.html

Do you prefer to blog with words, pictures or both?
Oh definitely both. I would never do a post without a picture unless I had no other option as I’m a very visual person and they say a picture can speak a thousand words. But, I enjoy words and the words of my fellow bloggers have touched me deeply at times.

Have you made friends through blogging? I have connected with many ladies through my blog. I call them my blog ladies and have regular readers who I like to think of as friends even though I have yet to hug them! Anth and I would dearly love to travel from coast to coast in the US [and Canada!] and I dream of meeting up with some on our travels. Well, it’s a dream I like to dream and who knows one day it might become a reality. Until then I love exchanging emails with them.

Did you design your blog or have it professionally done?
I have designed it myself but when I started it took ages to figure out how to do something. I often look at other blogs and would love to be able to do the same but have no idea where to start.

Have you ever featured in Artful Blogging?
Yes, in the very first issue. I still can’t quite believe it and thought it must have been a mistake. I feel very humble as I didn’t have any idea of what a wonderful publication it was going to be. When I received my copy I just couldn’t believe it! Still can’t.

What does your About Me read on your blog?
My current one says the following but I’m in the process of changing it.

Hello & welcome!

My name is Jane and I live in a seaside town in Devon, England. I'm a mother to 3 lovely children and I'm happily married to Anthony. I work part-time as a Teaching Assistant and the rest of the time I can be found sewing, treasure hunting, crocheting, gardening, re-painting the furniture and filling our home with floral goodness. I value and appreciate each comment you leave here but alas, lack of time often prevents me from replying

What's your favourite feature on your blog?
The feature I love best but also gives me the most headaches is my banner picture/s. I have spent years trying to create the banners of my dreams and really it has been just trial and error. I’ve known what I want but find it tricky to achieve it! Two dear blog readers have helped me out in the past and made me some fantastic ones, but I try to change the banner regularly to keep the blog looking fresh. I just wish I had more time just to fiddle.

Do you ever post when you don't feel like it?
The answer is yes I do. If I’m being totally honest some days it can feel like another chore on my ‘to-do’ list. I have always said that when blogging becomes a burden I would stop. But this statement in itself isn’t black or white. I recently made the decision to up my sporadic blogging and post daily if at all possible. This in itself can be a pressure when I am working but it has also made me think of the types of posts I can do and the expectations I place on myself. I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that every post I write must show things I have made; found; or a wonderful story with plenty of photographs to back it up. This is unrealistic and I know that many people would just be happy to see the view from the road in which we live in or the state of my laundry pile. It’s the little things I appreciate on other ladies blogs, especially those from another part of the world. So, I discipline myself to turn off the ‘perfection’ mode, stop comparing myself to the other fabulous blogs out there and try to make Posy a place people can visit daily for a little piece of happiness and see a variety of things.

What themes would best describe Posy? Well I would hope it would be positive, inspiring, real, homely, crafty, warm, funny, creative, and very British. Words that I would inspire to be like myself.

What's your blogger count at the moment?
I would rather not say as I feel that it is very easy to get hung up on your blog’s stats. I try not to look at mine because it can feel a little like a popularity contest.

Do you have any interesting directions you want to take your blog in, in the future?
Oh, I not sure. I would like it to evolve to remain fresh and interesting.

Do you sell your artwork through your blog?
I have sold some things I have made and keep thinking how I must make a concerted effort to make more – but once again, time gets in the way.

Any final comments?
I would like to thank everyone who reads my blog and takes the time to comment and to return regularly. I love the connections, kindness and all round general loveliness of the blogging world and the fact that there is always space for one more.

Check out Posy!