The Blue Brick has 500 followers! Watching the stats on this blog grow has been a very neat experience, we also just passed the 300,000 hit mark. I’ve been wondering about whether it was due for a refresher.

When I post about crafts sometimes I worry that the content isn’t interesting to photographers, and vice versa – that my photography posts are of less interest to crafters. I thought about whether it was time to start a separate blog to feature photography related material only.

But then I realized that, variety is what my blog is about, not a specific outlet for one hobby but a celebration of creativity in general. In my day job I’m the Art Director for a design firm in Toronto, and one thing I’ve realized is that cross-pollination is what creativity is about for me. I think my pottery contributes directly to my feel for advertising, and that graphic design influences my knitting. Being creative in general is the journey (though photography will always be my first love)

BUT there is a new first love emerging. I love when someone takes something I’ve done, and takes it a step farther. I love the idea that a photo of Newfoundland is on a wall in Istanbul, that a photograph of the aurora is now a bat of roving, and the idea that my work in the Bay of Fundy has helped educate people about the tides in physics textbooks in Austria, a museum in Northern Quebec, a magazine in California and many others. I love when work travels, and can inspire others. I really love seeing the projects of people who’ve knitted a design of mine!

So, I am going to make one little change. Rather than make jewellery for sale on Etsy any more I’m going to write tutorials so folks can make their own. In particular, I’m embarking on my first book, a comprehensive how-to of using resin to turn flowers into jewellery. I will still accept commission work, but my days of creating large quantities for sale on Etsy are over  (There will be one last update, in late April though, because I just can’t resist making jewellery during tulip season :)). I am looking forward to the creative writing process, to creating my first book and most of all, to seeing what others make!