TIP TUESDAY #24: Hey girlfriends - what's your favorite hobby/passion?

I've heard that if you look back to your childhood, before boys had an impact or peer pressure was in it's teen madness, you'll find the things that you genuinely love to do. Maybe it was acting, drawing, talking, cooking or even dressing up. When we were eight to ten years old, we did whatever we loved - and why not?!

My mother is an artist so it is no surprise that I grew up doing crafts, drawing people in church, making sand art (a long-lost talent!) or other creative exercises. I designed the cover of my Jr. High school year book and won an award for a paper mache dragon that I made with a girlfriend. Is it any wonder that several decades later, I ended up in the craft/hobby industry?!

Last week I interviewed CAROL DUVALL for the Girlfriendology podcast. On TV for 56 years, this 'Queen of Crafts' is an amazing woman. She is a living legacy of TV history as well as the inspiration and teacher to millions of us as we learned new crafts and laughed along with her and her guests. I had the honor of being on her show a dozen times so I really enjoyed just catching up with her and having a conversation about our girlfriends on the show. And, Carol just wrote a book with the help of one of the girlfriends from her show, Cherryl Greene - Paper Crafting with Carol Duvall.

Recently I was asked what my favorite craft/hobby is so I thought I put it to you. This week's TIP TUESDAY question is:

What is your favorite hobby? AND who inspires you?

Carol Duvall inspires me. (And she will you, when you hear her podcast that will be posted on Wednesday evening.) My creative girlfriends Katie Hacker, Jill MacKay, Vicki Schreiner and Linda Peterson inspire me, along with dozen of other wonderful, super-creative women I've met in the craft industry.

How about you? Think back to your childhood and what hobbies you could spend hours doing. Remember the pure joy of playing music, baking, playing with clay - whatever made you happy! What hobby do you love with a passion and who inspired you? Share with us. You might just inspire someone else to find a new hobby/passion in their life!

p.s. And Carol's book as well as several others are in the monthly contest so send in your girlfriend story!

TIP TUESDAY #17 - Your Favorite Girlfriend Blog

Have you met any friends on the Internet? Found any bloggers with whom you can relate and share their thoughts? Located an old college girlfriend or 'googled' an childhood friend?

Personally I love how the Internet can build community - especially among women. This week an online event is going on that does just that. The Ultimate Blog Party is an event hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom and gathers postings from over a 1000 women-only blogs. Check it out and you may make a new friend! (or two!)

So, this week's TIP TUESDAY question is:

What is your favorite girlfriend blog?

This can be someone who know personally or a woman that you've just read on the Internet that you admire, are inspired by or that teach you something that you need to learn.

A few of my favorite girlfriend blogs: KATIE HACKER - a great friend and beader who inspires me creatively and challenges me to make time for beading!, LINDA PETERSON - another girlfriend who is creative and has a wonderful outlook on life that she journals on her blog, JILL MACKAY - a dear friend and advisor who also creates amazing jewelry designs and (recent podcast guest) MARGOT POTTER who has a sassy, creative style through her blog on beading and life in general.

Now it's YOUR turn! Take a look through the list of ULTIMATE BLOG PARTY girlfriend blogs and share your favorites! Thanks Girlfriends!

Katie Hacker - a girlfriend who inspires me (and also you!)

Do your girlfriends inspire you? One might be a runner or walker, so you decide to do a half marathon. Another girlfriend may be a wonderful chef, which inspires you to try new recipes. Your knitting girlfriend teaches you and soon you're a knitting girlfriend too! I love that about girlfriends. Together we have more fun, learn more and become more 'ourselves' through our female friends.

My girlfriend KATIE HACKER is inspiring. She has written more than 20 craft books including Hip to Bead, Katie's Basics of Beading and 30-Minute Beading. She also presents Beading Lessons on the PBS show Beads, Baubles & Jewels, is a columnist for Simply Beads magazine and teaches workshops at national conventions like the Bead & Button Show. Although her specialty is beading, she does lots of other crafts as well and she has some great ideas for crafting with and for your girlfriends.

Listen to our NEW podcast with Katie and she'll inspire you - to craft for and with your girlfriends, to make time for your friends, to connect with your girlfriends through the internet and just to be more comfortable with your own creativity!

Check out Katie's blog for updates, creative ideas and her recent Ornament Round Robin (where creative women all made ornaments and share their ideas - the final one will happen this Thursday).

Do you have girlfriends who do inspire you? Please share with Girlfriendology in our December CONTEST - which asks for stories on girlfriends you're thankful for. Please share. Spread the girlfriend gratitude! Honor your girlfriend by telling others how much she inspires you! (and win prizes in the Great Girlfriend Gift Giveaway!)