Fellow Madeit Sellers who blog - Wombat Picnic

Today, I have a pleasure to introduce you to one of my first blog followers and just a lovely fellow felt crafter! I love the idea of felt play food and these felt Weat-Bix and biscuits look so real and very cute.

Meet Cynthia from Wombat Picnic!

Why did you decide to start a blog?

When we moved to Australia in 2007, I started a personal blog to help keep family and friends who live on the other side of the world up to date with our activities, a kind of public and visual diary. A couple of years later when I started to think about opening an online shop I thought a blog would be a nice compliment, so I decided to convert my personal blog to encompass my crafting/business as well.

Is there a story behind the name of your blog?

I decided to use my business name as the name for my blog. The name comes from the focus of my business, handmade items that feature Australiana.  I wanted something that was unique to Australia, and a wombat certainly fits that criteria.

Have your blogging style changed since you've started?

Good question! I think I have definitely become more aware and clear about how I want to share the personal side of my life via my blog. For example I never refer to my children by name, just oldest, middle and littlest.  I have also become more aware (and hopefully more adept) at my use of photos. The reality is that with any venture, you are always learning, so in my opinion always adapting and evolving.

Do you think blogs are moving to the second place now since Facebook business/social pages are becoming more popular?

There has been a lot of discussion about the role of blogs as other forms of social media (e.g. Facebook, twitter, pinterest, instagram) evolve. I don’t think it’s moving to second place, I think its purpose is becoming more defined. Each kind of social media has a different focus and those who use them are using those they feel most comfortable with and to meet specific goals. I am on twitter, Facebook and instagram daily, pinterest more randomly, but I think of them as complimenting rather than replacing what I do on my blog. My blog is where I have the chance to share more in depth what I am thinking and doing.

Do you have a blogging routine or any themes that you join?

My goal is to do two blog entries a week. Early on in my blogging I found the meme My Creative Space and I generally try to participate in it every week. The theme is quite broad so pretty much anything you are doing fits and I love visiting the blogs of others who participate. Over time I have also developed some of my own themes that I consistently post about: A Little Moment (usually more personal stuff) and Op Shop Finds (items I find op shopping/thrifting/flea marketing/garage saling).

What are your 5 most favourite blogs to visit and why?

This is a hard question! One of the first blogs I started following was actually yours (Plushka)! You didn’t even have 100 followers then, but I appreciated your crafting style and blogging style. Some of the other blogs I visit regularly include:

Feeling Stitchy – great inspiration if you like embroidery

Curly Pops – Cam is such a wonderful person and was one of the first bloggers to really connect with me. I like the variety of what she does and how she blogs, including her quest to educate and inform people about organ donation based on her own personal experience.

My Creative Space – Each week , I enjoy visiting some favourites as well as some new faces. The variety is fabulous, and it’s fun to see what others are doing, or to even find new people to follow.

Poppytalk – this blog features writers/posts from all over the world and features a little bit of everything so it often gets me thinking or exposes me to things I might not otherwise come across.

Squiggly Rainbow – I love how honest and forthright Rach is about what is happening in her life and how she combines this with sharing about her crafting/making.

Any tips for the bloggers who just started?

Spend time reading other blogs before you start; identify what you like and don’t like.

When you start, just start – don’t be afraid to jump in.

Be clear about why you are blogging and what you can commit to doing.

Be yourself.

Don’t be afraid to evolve your blog, both in look and voice.

Visit and comment on other blogs; it’s a great way to meet people.


Thank you Cynthia for "coming over" for a chat!
xxx