One Year Blog Anniversary!

August 16th, 2014 - my very first post "Thank You" was published! It was important for me to start the blog with these two important words, words that I try to say every single day. I am grateful, deeply deeply grateful for everybody and everything that I have in my life. When I catch myself complaining or questioning my life, these words bring me back to the simple truth - I am here. Now. This is my time on this beautiful Earth and I am grateful for each day. The true happiness started for me with this sense of gratitude - to my family, to the nature, to crafting.Since the very first post I felt really comfortable in this place, sharing my projects, love for yarn, inspiring fiber artists and world around me, finding this amazing community that I felt quiet disconnected with before the blog. I didn't even know that much about Ravelry! My only online presence was just my email, which wasn't bad at all, but after I got into the blogosphere , the whole new world opened up! Now you can find me on Ravelry, Instagram and Twitter.I am happy to find so many wonderful, inspiring and engaging blogs by so many talented people during this year. I don't like to play favorites with my blog feed and there is just not enough space to list all my reads here :) There is really hardly a day without reading at least one or two inspiring posts by you! Thank you for doing such a great job!I did some numbers :)The Gift of Knitting. 1 year old. 157 posts. 27 documented FOs. 1012 comments (Thank you so much for taking your time to leave your comments! I read every single one of them and they always make my day! ).Your favorite posts during this year.World Crafters series - Nataly. Kiev, Ukraine.Friday Inspiration series - Knitting in Art.WIP yarn post - Joined The Gang.FO details post - Knit Dress. Pure.FO wearing post - Textured Jacket.Wearing.Here are some random facts about me - just to know a person behind all these knits a little bit better :)

• I love knitwear. I love wearing it, I love making it, I love taking pictures of it, I love touching it...
• My favorite time of the day is the early morning.
• I don't watch TV.
• I've never made a hat or a sock in my entire knitting life. I always end up casting on for a garment.
• I've read Gone With The Wind 14 times.
• I am awful at cooking and housekeeping.
• My biggest hobby after knitting/crochet is sport - pilates, yoga, strength training and dog walking :)
• I call my two Grannies my best girlfriends.
• My close people call me Alinenok, which means "little dear" in Russian.
• My favorite food is my Granny's cottage cheese pancakes.
• I love astronomy and watched all possible documentaries about the universe.
• My biggest dream is to learn how to fully live in the present moment. I am working on it :)

Thank you for visiting and staying with me! It means a lot! Looking forward to the new year of blogging!

Sincerely yours, Alina.