Friday Feature: Reader of the Month – Meet Alys!
I realized something recently.
Well–I have always known it, but sometimes the noise of the blogosphere gets so loud that it’s sometimes easy to forget:
A blog is nothing without the people that take time out of their days to support that blog.
I can count on fingers and toes the number of times I’ve lamented about how I don’t have “X” number of pageviews like “so-and-so” blog…and that I’m not as successful, creative, well-known as “so-and-so” blog. I could go on and on with examples of how I used to beat myself up in comparisons.
But in the past year since losing my day-job, I’ve become much more clear on the fact that none of that crap matters. It really doesn’t.
Because there’s something that makes Thrift Diving special–you readers!
Do Readers Still Care About Bloggers?
Ask any blogging guru and they’ll try to convince you that comments on blogs have gone down… that people aren’t as engaged anymore… that in this age of “sensory overload” people are overwhelmed with the amount of information available at their fingertips, so they just sort of “check out” when it comes to engaging…
I’ve also heard that people have attention spans shorter than a goldfish! HA! (Hmmmm….now that one may be true….).
But that’s not the case with this blog.
Readers here read my posts and leave the most thoughtful, encouraging “Go Serena!” compliments, and more, and I can’t thank you enough for that!
I may not be the biggest blog, or have the fanciest blog design. But dogggonit, that doesn’t matter to you, and I love that. You appreciate the quality of my writing, the creativity of my projects, and the thoughtfulness of my ideas!
And because you support me so much, as thanks, I want to feature one of you each month!
I couldn’t help but kick off this monthly feature with Alys.
The reason why I love Alys (not just because she has left 92 comments on this blog since subscribing!!) is because she leaves the most thoughtful responses! Reading blogs and commenting takes a tremendous amount of time, and Alys never fails to leave a kind word on every blog post I wrote. I appreciate her so much and wanted to send some love her way and showcase her own creative projects!
When I turned 38 last year (click here to read the post), she had some words of wisdom that she’s learned while on this earth, too.
So let’s get to know Alys!
Where do you live?
I live in San Jose, California, the heart of Silicon Valley. San Jose is about fifty miles sound of San Francisco. I’m originally from London, Ontario, Canada, but moved here with my family in 1966.
How long have you been thrift diving and loving junk?
I started in college, unable to afford anything but the bare essentials. Our mom kept herself and her daughters clothed by shopping at thrift stores after our father died. For several years, I avoided thrift stores because they evoked painful memories of our childhood poverty. I’ve moved beyond that and enjoy frequenting them when the mood strikes.
What’s the project you’re most proud of?
I am proud of my vintage stamp table for sentimental reasons. It was really scary building up to the day when I actually started to decoupage dad’s stamps, but I fell in love with the table and enjoy seeing it every day. It’s much nicer having his stamps in a place where I can see them and honor them and the wonderful man that he was.
What’s your most prized possession you’ve ever bought from the thrift store?
Hmmm…that’s a tough one. I challenge myself each year to make a costume from thrifted items. I made under the sea costumes using thrift store fabric, a funky pantsuit for a cape and a dress and jewelry findings for the costume and headpiece.
(Here’s the link and a little video of her dancing in that costume with a skeleton! Get it, Alys!!):
My most recent make is an improvised birdbath using a child’s discarded table and chairs. Here’s the link.
Why do you like reading Thrift Diving, and how long have you been a reader?
I found Thrift Diving via Leilani of Keeping Up with Mrs. Smith. I’m a fool for makeovers and DIY on a dime, so fell in love with your posts. I continue to follow because you have a warm and inviting writing style, great tips, and a sincere and approachable manner. I’ve learned a lot from your posts, and I always have a good time.
What other DIY, thrifting, or crafting blogs do you love to read?
I enjoy Keeping up with Mrs. Smith and Kelly’s Korner and try to never miss a post. I’m also a big fan of Hometalk.
Thanks, Alys!
As a way of saying THANKS, I’m also giving Alys a free Thrift Diving t-shirt!
I hope you all enjoyed getting to know a little bit about Alys! Be sure to check out the links to her blog, Gardening Nirvana.
Next time you see her in the comments section, be sure to tell her “hey!”
Next month we’ll be featuring another awesome Thrift Diving reader!
Thanks again, Alys!
Catch Up on Past Readers of the Month
- Reader of the Month: Meet Gail
- Reader of the Month: Meet Zovesta
- Reader of the Month: Meet Haley
- Reader of the Month: Meet Teckla
- Reader of the Month: Meet Letty
Download the 5 freebies!
Thrift Diving inspires women to decorate, improve, and maintain their home themselves...using paint, power tools, and thrift stores! Use these 5 printables, checklists, and ebooks to get started!
Wonderful post, Serena! And thank you, Alys, for letting us peek into your world. I enjoyed this thoroughly. Every DIY project I do, large or small, takes me on a journey that helps me learn something about myself. My insecurities during a project, my joy when something works well, my thought process and patience when something doesn’t and I have to try something else, and my pride when a project is finished. I think this very personal process experience is something that we have in common. I’m drawn to Thrift Diving because Serena walks me through the very same journey I go through, and often teaches me something new. Very thankful! And I’m totally rambling… 😉 Thanks, Ladies! –Kat
Awww….Kat, well, when you put it that way, it sounds like therapy, doesn’t it?! LOL. All jokes aside, you are so right. We don’t often look at DIY projects so deeply, but maybe we should, especially when it comes to patience and joy. I do know how joyful it feels to complete a project and have it turn out. It’s such an accomplishment!! Thanks for this thoughtful comment and having me look a little differently at things!
Katherine, you’ve summed up my feelings around a new project perfectly. I spend a lot of time in my head thinking about it, then I worry about it, then I finally tackle it. Some projects end up being happy surprises leading me in a completely different direction. Others don’t quite work out as planned. It’s fun trying new things, challenging myself.
It’s nice to “meet” you here.
Alys – your blog is beautiful – the photographs, oh my! And you’ve inspired me to try a fairy garden, it sounds just right for me right now.
And Serena – I only recently discovered your blog and work. I love it! This post is quite timely for me, as I’m starting a business and will be launching my own blog in the next week or so. I look forward to seeing more features!
Kris, thank you for visiting Gardening Nirvana and for your kind words. Can you sense the big smile on my face?
I love fairy gardening and can’t say enough about it. I’m glad you’re inspired to give it a try. How will I find your new blog? Do you have a name or a URL? Perhaps you can pop over to comment when it’s launched.
Best of luck!
It will be soon and yes, I’d love to let you know! thanks!
I love this new feature you have! Thanks Alys for being such a supporter of DIY blogs. You are not too far from me in the Bay Area, I am a major Dumpster Diver, maybe will meet up at the Dumpster one of these days. Love the Under the Sea costume too.
And Serena, you are so right. Blogs would be nowhere without loyal readers. Thanks for recognizing them! Looking forward to see who is next.
Serena is wonderfully inclusive. I’m honored to be featured here and look forward to reading about some of her other readers as well. I can tell by all the comments here that a lot of kindred spirits gather here. It’s that wonderful?
Karen, I’m off to find your blog.
Dear Serena,
I am a busy mother, adjunct professor, and volunteer. I don’t always have time to read your blog; I wish I did. I enjoy your stories, comments about your kids, your makeovers, and the times when you talk about a project gone wrong. You keep things real!
Hi, Brenda!! Awww….I totally understand! Keeping up with blogs is a lot of work (and even *I* Have a hard time keeping up with this blog, too!). I appreciate the time when you CAN stop by! 🙂 Thank you so much for that!
Hey Serena, You made a good choise by picking Alys. She does fabulous work and love Thrifting.
Thank you, Betty. That’s so kind of you.
What a great post! I loved getting to know one of your other readers – we are all kind of a “family” in that we all talk to you and read what each other says – and then you talk back to us. I try to do that on my own blog – I’ve met the most wonderful people from all over the world since I became a blogger…………I think back to how small my world was before and I can not longer imagine not t alking more with my fingers than my mouth. Although my husband would say my mouth still gives my fingers a run for their money! 🙂
Kelli, this blogging world of ours is incredible. I agree with you 100%. Last spring I met up with several bloggers from around the world. We all connected via our blogs, then rendezvoused in Washington, DC. It was extraordinary. I now count those women as some of my closest friends.
It is a family.
Alys, that sounds like so much fun! How many of you got together? I agree with you guys–it’s like a family, one big happy community! I started my online journey back in 2005 when I had a miscarriage with my first pregnancy. I was devastated (I was 6 weeks along, so an early miscarriage, but still hurtful). I found Baby Center and the message boards and made friends with other women who had just miscarried, and it was the help I needed. It go me through those sad times. Three months after I went on to get pregnant with my now 9-year-old! To this day, I am Facebook friends with those couple of ladies and even met one of them once. I later formed a mother’s group online with other Moms due in July 2006 with their first babies and formed bonds with them. We still keep in touch on FB, even after having met up for a similar rendezvous like you and your blogger friends had! Now, our first babies are turning 10 years old and it’s hard to believe we all went through our pregnancies and deliveries and “first”s together–first foods, first teeth….ahhhh…… I absolutely ADORE the internet. 🙂
I’m just pleased to feel as if I know yet another person in the world who is nice, intelligent, friendly, and tuned into the thriftiness of thrift stores, and hey, I live in Maryland too and love it! Maybe I’ll bump into you someday, or vice versa! I’m interested in Serena and lots of nice folks who just happen to blog – one of my favorites to read/comment at is “In My Own Style” with a really cool lady, she just seems to have it going on…Diane Henkler – you may have met each other, she goes to the crafts conventions also.
So, I’ll just be out here, looking forward to your next blog, and all caring about you and stuff <3
Linda, I’m sure you and Serena will meet. This blogging world of ours brings amazing folks together.
Hey, Linda! Yep, I know Diane! I met her at a blogging conference once and when I saw her, I couldn’t help but act like a raving fan :). She was one of the first blogs I read and I loved her. Now, unfortunately, I don’t get much time to read blogs (I can barely keep up with mine sometimes!). But yes, In My Own Style is great! And you probably told me this, but where in Maryland do you live?
Hi, Serena, I’m up in Harford County, near Bel Air. Well, we are close to Bel Air, but out in the sticks… close enough to the ‘city’ to be able to go buy upscale make-up at Hecht’s, but not so close that it’s unpleasant sitting on the deck for all the traffic and noise…Ms. Henkler and I actually found we had a mutual friend here in Md. so I feel we ‘know’ each other now!
Serena, thanks for the intro to Alys. She seems to be my kind of woman, and I’ll check out the blogs she mentioned. All the things she said about why she reads your blog are true. You are fun, down-to-earth, and publish your mistakes, which really helps me.. That’s why I always check out anything you email about. You are clever AND entertaining!
Mad Margaret, I love your moniker. Are you also a blogger?
It is incredibly helpful to read of others mistakes and what they would do differently. The glossy blogs make everything look effortless…and it’s not. I have a lot more fun right here.
Dear Serena,
I am so glad that you introduced me to Alys. Her story is very interesting and she sounds as if she would be a keeper of a friend. Her blog seems very open and friendly. The idea of showcasing a special person each month is really great – it’s so interesting to learn about other bloggers especially those who are a bit older. I’m older than dirt myself and proud of it!
Of course I love the shirt-I already own one in bright blue! You now have made me realize that bloggers can be a very interesting group of people – You are the ONLY blogger I follow because your honesty and caring just touched my heart.
Keep up the great work!
Mintchip, for some reason I’m craving ice cream. 😉
Your kind words made my day. Thank you for that. Bloggers are an amazingly open and sharing group. My world changed in unpredictable and wonderful ways that I never could have imagined prior to blogging. I love it.
So, out of curiosity, how old is dirt? 😉 [tee-hee] I’ll be 57 on my next birthday.
Hi Serena,
Thanks for introducing us to Alys. Your write-up about her made me wish I knew her and was friends with her. I’ve often secretly wished that you were my next door neighbor. Especially when I have this really cool idea that I’m not sure how to implement! 😉 Alys definitely sounds like a wonderful and interesting individual. What I see is that she’s a reflection of you; an approachable, down-to-earth, friend-next-door kind of gal. And, just to chime in with some of the others, I’d LOVE to see the stamp table! 🙂
I enjoy your blog and videos; the way that you reach out and teach what you know. I am the type of person that walks into a house and mentally begins to rearrange the furniture, or (heaven forbid–according to my husband) mentally begins to rebuild the interior so that the house is a little more functional, at least in my head! However, that’s where my creativeness stops. Unfortunately, I don’t have the know-how to implement many of the ideas that I come up (you can imagine how my husband cringes when I say, “honey, I have an idea”)! This is where you step in. When I have an idea, I can usually search through your library, and Wa-la….there’s my instructions. You just don’t know how much a person like me appreciates being able to do that!! I’m such an “I’ll do it myself” individual that it really stinks when I may not know how.
So many people try to hide the how-to’s of how to fix things, make things, transform things, (I have a neighbor like that), so it’s very nice to have an avenue to turn to for advice and instruction. I may not have always commented (maybe never, I can’t recall), but please know that I’m stalking your blog, lookin & learnin all that I can!
PS….I love the t-shirt as well!
Kim, you sound like my kind of person, too. I do the same thing with mental furniture-rearranging and also organizing. I work as a professional organizer, so when I drive by open, chaotic garages, I find myself mentally bringing order to the space.
I think we all share the same feelings about Serena. She has a wonderful following. I’m glad so many commented today, and I know that for all the did comment, hundreds more are reading and enjoying the conversations.
I wish I had Serena’s confidence and skill with power tools. They mostly scare the wits out of me. I’m in love with all ten fingers…and I’m a wimp. That said, I know Serena practices safety first. Maybe one day I’ll find the courage to use something other than a hammer and a screwdriver.
Hi, Kim!!! Big {{HUG}}} to you! 🙂 Thank you so much for those kind words! I was saying in another comment today that creating, inspiring, and teaching are my passions in life, and I’m thankful this blog allows me to do it! Many of times, my teaching is simply me experimenting and being fearless to try something new, and then telling others about what happened so that you do or don’t do what I did! 🙂 (Depending on the outcome! LOL). I’m glad that what I do offers you value!! And hey, if you ever have an idea for something you want to learn but don’t know how to do, let me know, but I will surely figure out how to do it and then report back to you on it! LOL
Oh, and it’s so funny that you mention wishing I lived next door! I have been thinking of starting a DIY coaching group where each week we would be meeting online in a private group video session and talking about our projects and helping each other figure out how to get our projects done. I haven’t put a lot of thought into how that’s actually going to look or work (or how much it would cost), but if that’s something you think would be a good idea, let me know! I’d love any feedback on it. I was planning to ask people about it, because I think it’s something we need!