Happy July dear friends! Another Canada Day & OMHG birthday are here, funny how I end up writing these birthday posts late at night after a day of painting, two years running-it’s getting to be a tradition! This time I’m sitting here at the tail end of 730 days of blogging at least five days a week-as editor I’ve pressed publish on 700+ posts and pages, made too many graphics to count, moderated 10,000+ comments (and uncountable amounts of spam), hosted weekly #OMHG parties for 2 years in February, and worked daily to build our community. Last year I was getting ready to publish my first ebook and now I’m the proud mama of our Guide to Businessy Goodness. So much has changed since I pressed publish on that first ever post (after anxiously reading & re-reading the directions that Sara sent me when I bought the site), sent my first OMHG tweet & began to meet the loving community of friends and supporters that have changed my life forever.
It awes and inspires me that many of our brilliant contributors have been adventuring with us since before I became editor, that I have friendships with some of the commenters on my very first post, and that according to our analytics some of you have visited 1000’s of times! It was exciting when StumbleUpon/Pinterest sent over 12,000 people in one day and when we passed 100,000 page views a month, then 200k. All these milestones and numbers! But what gives me happy goosebumps every time is that so many friends have been here for the long haul and built this community together daily. The collaborations and friendships I have seen begin right here are what inspire me to post every day.
I used to think internet relationships were only pixel deep but you all have taught me they are real, beautiful, and life shifting. I thought my creative work was my play job and making the world better my real work, you showed me that they were the same thing (duh!). I was sure my big silly unicorns + cupcakes + ethics heart would always feel sort of lonely, now I know without question there is a place and welcoming for all of my me-ness. For all this and much more I am so overfull with thanks I could only say it properly with a month long theme celebrating the awesomeness that is OMHG and the community + contributors that make this journey so incredible. And 200pt font:
Click here to download the full colour 8×11 print
Click here to download the colour-me-in version
Cheers to another year of community, creativity, and businessy goodness! This is the year I visit with as many of you as possible in your towns and cities, build us a website that will help us all connect in new exciting ways, and support my family in our new town while supporting you. I feel the next year is going to be the best one yet, because you are with me!
Since we can’t party in person together today please come share your stories of OMHG awesome in the comments! Has our community has helped you on your journey? What do you love most about visiting here or at our chats? Do you have favourite posts, contributors, themes? How did you first discover us? Are there things you would love to see more of? If you have never commented before, say hi!!! You make my life awesome every single day, I would love to know if I’ve brought some awesome to yours!
Happy Birthday Month! It’s due to people like you, and the inspiration of the community you’ve created that I have been planning, researching, brainstorming and toiling to start my own blog that I hope to introduce to everyone in the very near future. Thanks for doing all that you do, and for sharing your you-ness with the rest of us!!!
Hooray! Thank you so much for sharing Brooke, made my day!
Happy birthday OMHG! I’ve only discovered you a few weeks ago, but immediately felt so at home in your community as I begin growing my new business. Here’s to many more successful years!
@Ashley-how wonderful! That is exactly what I hope to hear-it is your community too now:)
@Stacey-It has been a privilege to be your friend and have your support here-you’ve been such a fabulous member of our community + I always love reading your thoughtful comments! Thank you!
@Geri-I am thankful for new friends like you who leap into our community with both feet & their whole heart-its all for you:)
Happy birthday! I don’t remember what first brought me to OMHG – it may have been a tweet or a google search – but this place is like my second home 🙂 So many wonderful contributors and posts and subjects… if I have a question, OMHG has become my go-to place for an answer. And more often than not, I’ll find myself re-reading posts that aren’t just informative, but entertaining, too 🙂
Congrats, Jessika & everyone at OMHG. You are an amazing resource and community for the creative world – thank you for sharing your talents with all of us 🙂
Congratulations + Happy Birthday, Jess! Thank you so much for all you do + bring to the wonderful #omhg community… you are a star!
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love that there is this handmade community for folks like me. Thank you! Wishing you many, many more years of success!
Happy blog anniversary Jessika! I recently discovered you, but my non stick brain has already forgotten where. I’m glad I did though; I’ve decided to follow a new path this autumn and you seem like a well of great tips – so I’m reading your posts with awe =) Here’s to another year, and thank you for writing such a great blog!
Trud
Merry birthday to you! I look forward to your posts and hope you continue merrily along!
Ahhhh, congratulations Jessika! Sending big cheers in you. You’re an amazing community wrangler…so blessed to know you. xx.
Jess – I am continually amazed by your blooming vision for OMHG + uplifted by the authentic voice + spirit you share. I know we’ve never met (but hopefully we will someday SOON!), but I certainly feel a kinship with you. Thank you for creating this circle of virtual ‘businessy goodness’ – Happy Creating, Happy Birthday, Happy to have found YOU! ❤ Nanako
Congratulations Jessika! I think I came to OMHG because all my crafty friends kept tweeting about the fab biz info here….
and thanks for giving me the opportunity to post my very first guest spot on a BIG blog!
Looking forward to the next year of awesome goodness 😀 x
Congratulations Jess 🙂 I’ve been a OMHG visitor for as long as I have been scouring blogosphere ! You ‘ve done a massive overhaul with the community here and kudos to you ! Here’s to many more birthdays !
It takes a lot of passionate energy to steer a ship like this one Jess. We are all so grateful! You really make it awesome!!
Happy 2nd Anniversary!
It’s been awesome watching OMHG grow, flourish and evolve over the last year and a half since we first connected! It’s wonderful (and well-deserved) that you and OMHG have been receiving such great opportunities and attention. Thank YOU for cultivating, connecting, inspiring and informing!
Oh my, oh my.
Sending virtual hugs & real life burnt cupcakes for the party. Jessika + OMHG have played (statue worthy) roles in the evolution of my business as well as lending a hand to help out of those boxes I’d been caught in.
I have connected and collaborated with amazing woman- watched fellow OMHG-ers reach for the stars, walk away from ‘real jobs’, peek inside messy our studios, set small goals and the really big ones too, wipe away tears and I’ve even helped a few pop their collars.
Everyone, creative or not- deserves a community where they can both BE and BECOME themselves. I am honored to share your journey. Cheers to many more birthdays!