Facebook friends

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . December 18, 2009 . 9:43AM

I’ve never done well with keeping friends for long periods of time. I think much of this has to do with several integral factors in my life. I grew up on a farm and, most of that time, I played on my own. I’m also highly introverted, by nature, and I often prefer my own thoughts to the thoughts of others. It’s not that I don’t care what you think, it’s just that the noise in my own head is so strong that your noise would be overwhelming. I like quiet and solitude and small groups of people. I like to go out, but infrequently. My profession is one-on-one and that connection is important to me in so many ways. It fits me.

It never occurred to me that the people I’d left along the way weren’t really gone. For the longest time I was such a black and white thinker that I’d written those relationships off as lost to me.

And then I found Facebook. Because I’m an introvert, social networking draws me like flies to honey. I can speak to people quickly and efficiently, which also hits my firstborn tendencies, and feel like I’m connecting without losing the energy that I lose in face-to-face interaction.

And then I started exploring.

And found the little girl from down the farm road that I used to play with often. I road my green bike with the banana seat to her house frequently. And not only did she remember me, but she was delighted to hear from me. We still had the connection that we had even then.

And I found the first friends I had when I finally started elementary school. And then those when I moved to a new town.

I found my first group of friends from middle school. We were so close for those four years. It was like we picked up where we left off. The best friendships are always like that, aren’t they?

I found my high school best friends and my college best friends. I found people who weren’t best friends, but that I like more as adults than I did as children. They have grown into amazing people that I love.

Through other social networking sites I have found people that I love more and more each day.

For me, I think it was just a reminder that, though there are times I feel alone and have certainly felt alone in the past, I never was. They were with me. They missed me. They were there.

And they still are.

My first giveaway! Jewelry by Linda Lee

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . June 16, 2009 . 12:30PM

My wonderful friend, Linda Lee, is a jewelry-making genius. Last year, she went to Italy to learn more about glass-blowing and her skills have just taken off since then. I recently bought a necklace from her, to wear to a wedding this weekend, in fact, and I was blown away by how incredibly beautiful the necklace is and how lovely it is when it hangs on my neck.

When I received the box in the mail, it was gift-wrapped and gorgeous and I couldn’t wait to open it. It was then that it occurred to me that Linda Lee is an unknown treasure and I’d been keeping her to myself, quite selfishly, in fact. Recently, she’d had a sale and I realized that I was being a bad friend to all of you in not sharing her amazing work. What? I’m not always nice. And I like having first dibs.

So, to make it up to you, I’m offering a giveaway! It’s the first one on this website and Linda Lee forgave me for being so selfish and so should you. She’s generously donated a BEAUTIFUL necklace and earring set valued at $65! She custom makes all of her jewelry so there is not a single set just like this anywhere else. Ladies, this matches everything. Men, your woman will love this. Let me give you a little background information on it.

This necklace features four oversized pearls, tiny Swarovski crystals, sterling silver wire, and sterling silver chain. Linda Lee used a classic chainmail technique with twisted sterling silver rings. This necklace is 18 1/2 inches long and can be worn much shorter because of the type of chain used.

If the winner needs the necklace longer, Linda Lee can add an extender to it. 

The earrings are slightly longer than 1 1/2 inches measured from the top of the ear wire.

Here’s the best news of all. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU gets 15% off at Linda Lee’s Etsy store if you find something there that you must have! Just mention this blog when you purchase at her store between now and June 21, 2009 to receive a 15% discount!

Today, one lucky commenter will have the chance to win a beautiful necklace and earring set you can’t find anywhere else (valued at $65)!

Here’s how to enter:

1) Leave a comment before June 21st at 5pm CST telling me your favorite part of summer.
2) You can tweet this giveway and/or link it on facebook for extra chances to win! Make sure you leave individual comments so all of your entries count.

Things to know:
**Linda Lee ships everywhere! That means all of you outside of the U.S. CAN participate AND you can order from her etsy store, too!
**Comments posted after the deadline won’t be included in the drawing.
**If you win, you must email me your address so I can give it to Linda Lee in order to receive your prize.
**I will be using a randomizer to choose the winner of the giveaway. As long as your answer fits the criteria, you are eligible.