Celebrating 1000 Blog Posts!
This milestone really took me by surprise. 1000 blog posts? Did I write 1000 blog posts? That feels very unreal to me. I know I read a lot and love to talk about all my interests but this number completely surprised me. I thought I would mark the occasion by doing a little look back, followed by a look toward the future. I hope you enjoy the ride.
I owned earlier, now defunct, blogs under Regina’s Fiber Art and Gina Mitchell Designs. I lost track of both of these when circumstances changed and I lost my hosting and to be honest…my inspiration. I decided if I was going to continue blogging, I needed to write about things that mean the most to me. So Gina Rae Mitchell was created.
I rarely go by Gina Rae, other than when speaking with family. However, Gina Mitchell .com was not available so I went with the next best option. I still wasn’t sure what direction I was going in, so I kept the name simple and not related to any one topic. My greatest loves are my family, cooking, crafting, and reading.
The popular consensus at the time was that you have to drill down to a very specific niche to succeed. I needed to decide if I wanted to attempt to wow the blogging world with just one topic, what would I write about? Did I really care about growing a super successful blog or was this just for me?
I started this rendition of the blog in January of 2018. My first post was a holdover from the fiber art blog, yet combined with the direction I hoped to move in. I’ve changed a lot from the early days. Here’s a look at post number one.
Book Review – Curls by Hunter Hammersen
I was still floating around ideas in my head so didn’t write another thing for over a month. Then I decided to jump in and simply write about whatever inspired me that day. My next few posts were about life on the farm, my new instant pot, a weaving tutorial, and my lasagna recipe. That definitely is eclectic.
My Barn Cats Love Instant Pot Bone Broth
These are still some of my most popular posts!
Next, I began to transition into book reviews. This was before I had any software to help organize my reviews and give them some consistency.
My first attempts were a bit rough.
The Ghosts of Culloden Moor Book Series
My first reading list was published in March of 2018.
I’ve continued to write about whatever intrigues me whether it’s book-related, recipes, or creative endeavors. About this time I discovered book blog tours. This really upped my blog post publishing numbers. What could be better than free books, pre-made graphics, and a group of bloggers to share your reviews? It was a match made in heaven.
I think I’ll close for today since I’ve discovered that I have a lot more to say about book blogging groups, book tours, my weekly Friday Finds newsletters, and review requests. These all feel like they will make great posts on their own. I also have some thoughts about more highlight posts and the direction I hope the blog moves in for the future.
I hope if you are new here, you enjoy my glimpse into the early days, and please take a look around to see if anything grabs your attention.
If you’ve been with me for a while, what are your thoughts on my past journey and where I should focus in the future?
After 1000 blog posts, you would think I would have everything figured out. But just as I’m evolving and changing as a person, so is the blog.
Thanks for joining me today in marking my 1000th Blog Post! I’m also inspired to offer a little giveaway today. Please take a peek at the Rafflecopter giveaway shared below. The more entries the better the prize so please share with any like-minded friends.
Your blog is pretty! Congratulations on your 100th post! You are so successful!
Thank you Renee
Your blog is beautiful! Congratulations on your 1000th post!
Thank you so much, Dee!
What an achievement! Congratulations, Gina!
Thank you so much, Kelly!
What a great evolution of your blog, Gina. Congratulations on 1000 posts. I hope you have at least 1000 more.
You clearly enjoy what you do; nevertheless, you wouldn’t have reached 1000 blogs without a great deal of self-discipline, dedication, and a plethora of interests! Congratulations on reaching this milestone. I am certainly glad that I stumbled onto this blog when I was looking for book reviewers. I look forward to your two thousandth.
Aww. That’s so very kind of you, Gary!
Congratulations on 1000 amazing blog posts. Raising a glass to many many more.
Thanks so much, Missy. I’m happy you are part of the journey.
Congratulation on your 1000 Blog Post, Gina! Hope you have another 1000 great post! Have a spectacular TGIF!
Congrats on the growth of your blog and your 1000th post, that’s amazing!
Thanks so much! I’ve been thrilled by all the congrats from everyone!
[…] It’s been a fun week around here. Reading, blogging, and craft planning have dominated my time. In case you missed the big news…I published my 1,000th blog post this week. You can read more about it here: Celebrating 1000 Blog Posts! Join me for a look at the beginning. […]
Amazing achievement! Congratulations on the 1000th blog post
Thanks, Ann. I’m so happy you & your books were a part of it.
Congrats on 1000 blog posts!
Thanks so much, Sara!
Congratulations on having completed 1000 posts! You are a true success!
Congratulations dear friend!
Thank you, Cheryl for being an inspiration to me and supporting me every step of the way!
Congratulations Gina! That’s a very prolific number of postings. You do a great deal to inspire others, and you’re especially helpful to authors.
Thank you ever so much, Chevron!
Congratulations on your 1000 blog posts, Gina! I went back and enjoyed reading about your easy Lasagna recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Rosie. I appreciate you being along for the ride. Enjoy that lasagna!
Congratulations on your 1000th post! Thank you for sharing your blogging background and the information about the birth of this blog, , I appreciate you sharing your book reviews and recipes as well as posts about crafting and book tours because who doesn’t love a giveaway? I am looking forward to reading about whatever you choose to share next!
Great news!
That’s awesome! Congratulations on all your posts and accomplishment of 1000 posts! I hope your blog continues to grow.
Wow! This is a significant milestone Gina! Huge congrats! 🎉🎉🎉 I’m at 772 …so a ways to go! I started mid 2017 but I only posted once a week that first year. It seems like you’re still enjoying the eclectic approach! Stay true to yourself!
Thanks so much, Carol. I posted very erratically the first year, but I think I’ve found my groove. 772 is nothing to sneeze at. Congrats to you, too.
Congrats 🏆