Nice Round Numbers

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My celebratory gluten-free chocolate cupcake.

My celebratory gluten-free chocolate cupcake.

Something kind of important happened this weekend and I totally forgot until last night: ScrapsOfLife.com turned 10 years old! Can you believe it?

On February 23, 2003, I registered my first domain. I still have my original sketches of what the site was going to be but never was, and I still remember how many ideas I had back then that, if I’d actually done them and stayed focused and all? Yeah, I’d totally be Internet Famous by now.

Instead, though, I was more or less content to just rattle around on my little MoveableType site (oh, yes, it was way back in the day) for the first couple of years before I heard about this new thing (I don’t even know that I knew it was called a platform back then) called WordPress that was supposed to be so much simpler to use, so I switched over in 2005 and I’ve never looked back.

ScrapsOfLife.com has always been self-hosted, and always been on DreamHost. We’ve had a few wobbles over the years (the weekend blackout of 2012 still gives me pangs) but all in all I’m happy I’ve stayed with them and still recommend them every chance I get.

According to my post counter I’ve got 1,093 posts logged on this platform (the MT stuff might be on an old harddrive, but I doubt it’s worth looking up), but 368 of them are Twitter logs, so the real number of posts is slightly less impressive: 725. I wasn’t really using this site much when my webcomic was updating regularly–it felt a little redundant–hence the use of the blog to log my microblogging. Once the comic backed off a bit and I got the idea to start blogging my way through the 64 Arts, though, then I was happy I still had my blog, here, to make use of.

Since starting the 64 Arts project I’ve blogged 160 posts on that subject since January, 2010, and we’re still just barely halfway through the list! (Don’t worry, I’ve got it worked out so we’ll get through #50 by the end of the year!).

I was curious as to how much I’ve posted across all my sites over the last 10 years (well, 8 in recorded history):

  • Scraps of Life 725
  • Sips & Shots 199
  • Nibbles ‘n Bites 230
  • Cocktail Hour 397
  • What to Feed Your Raiding Party 188
  • Random Acts Radio 11
  • Where the Geeks Are 167

Total = 1918 active updates!

Not bad for a decade, huh? (and I know I’ve left a few sites out–yes, there’s more… all in good time)

jwalker_hearttinphotobeforeandafter

Most people consider round numbers to be those that end in 0, but I count the halves (those that end in 5s) as round, too. And just after Valentine’s Day I completed a project that put together the last 5 years of Todd and I into one custom-made album. You can check out the full tutorial of how I made a scrapbook to fit inside a chocolate tin over at my Gauche Alchemy Tutorial.

Have you looked back at your last 5 years lately? What about 10?

Satin Hands Giveaway!

64 Arts, Site News

I promised a giveaway and here it is!

Satin hands sample-size set

I talked about my love of Mary Kay’s Satin Hands set and now you have an opportunity to win a sample-size set to try it out for yourself. This sample size isn’t generally available for purchase, I received it as a gift when I bought the full-size set some time back. It includes all 3 steps in a small, take-along size, that should give you a handful (pun totally intended) of uses–not just one or two.

Now, you know I like to keep my giveaways simple, so here’s the deal.

  • One entry for commenting on any of the 3 manicure posts from the last few weeks.
  • An additional entry for commenting on ALL 3 manicure posts in the series.

See, easy peasy! You can get up to 2 entries for this giveaway and if you’ve already commented on one of the posts, then you’re halfway there!

Just to refresh your memory, the applicable posts for this giveaway are:

Entries are open until Monday, October 10, 2011, 5:00pm EDT. I’ll post the winner with next week’s first post of the Cooking art.

Congratulations to the Blond Duck!

Site News

Attached to a ribbon, ready for gifting or storingA frequent commenter on the 64 Arts, Blond Duck from a Duck in Her Pond is the winner of the final It’s My Birthday and I’ll Gift if I Want To giveaway!

Blond Duck Said,

I MUST try this!!!!

If you enjoy light-hearted stories full of food and whimsy, her piece of the web is definitely worth checking out!

I had a fabulous weekend away with Todd–spending my birthday at the Jacksonville Zoo could possibly be the best request I ever made! But that’ll have to wait for another post: it’s back to the usual routine and I’ve got some catching up to do!

Win: Flowers for Your Hair

Site News

Attached to a ribbon, ready for gifting or storingThe kind that never wilt, fade or loose their luster!

It’s the final week of the It’s My Birthday and I’ll Gift If I Want To giveaways and, if you’ve been following along, it’ll come as no surprise that the set of 5 floral bobby pins featured last week is this week’s giveaway.

As always, all that’s needed to win is a comment on the Flowers in Your Hair post by (oh, here’s a change) 8pm EDT, Monday, May 2. We’re shifting the schedule slightly as I’ll be out of town next weekend (for my actual birthday, on Saturday, we’re going to the Jacksonville Zoo!) and don’t want to be late announcing the next winner.

(And, of course, because of the upcoming trip and this past weekend being very full of Easter fun–to the detriment of the rest of my to-do list–the promised make-your-own tiara tutorial is being nudged by a week or so but I will still being writing it up and snapping lots of pictures to help you make your princess set complete!)

So go leave your comment to enter to win the floral bobbies and I’ll be back next week with the winner!

Congratulations Elissa!

Site News

Ribbon and bead cuff with daisiesThe winner of Week 3 of It’s My Birthday and I’ll Gift if I Want To is Elissa of Strategy 42!

Elissa Said,

Super beautiful!
Ribbon has to be the prettiest thing ever invented.

That bracelet is perfect for Spring. And I get all the DIY happiness of knowing how it’s made from your great pics even without time to do it myself.

Well, Elissa, sounds like a lack of time isn’t an issue anymore because you’ll have the be-ribboned bracelet for your very own!