Thursday, August 16, 2012

I [heart] Link Parties

I mentioned yesterday that I was wanting to do a feature of some of the lovely and useful projects from the craft rooms and sheds of Mandy's link party. I hesitated, because you can mock your wife and you can mock your readers, but you can't mock your wife's readers. At least, not without her permission. I was reassured that it would be OK as long as proper blog etiquette was followed: link back to the perpetrator author and no hitting in the face. Editor's note: I used the word "permission" here very loosely for comic effect. I did ask her if I could comment on her link party, but how I wrote the selections and content were all my own. I don't get Mandy's permission before I post. 

I planned on starting next week and quickly reviewed this past week's party just to get a visual in my mind of how it would play out. After seeing these jewels, I couldn't help but give them a quick shout out that says "thanks for reminding me of why I'm glad I'm a man."


No. 2 pencils hold a special place in my heart since I spent my Mandy-less night before school sharpening 72 pencils a dozen at a time in between 10 minutes breaks because our electric sharpener kept overheating. Glad to see someone was able to combine it with two of my favorite craft themes: wreaths and pendants.
Speaking of wreaths...I really hope this ends up on our front door.Nothing tells would-be thieves "we have no cool things in this house" like a wreath.



Love the ying-yang of this one. Cabbage Patch Dolls are creepy. Babies are cute. This would be a good way to keep strange guys from asking to hold your kid.


I was a little disappointed when I clicked on the link. I was expecting some sort of desert involving chocolate pudding and tootsie rolls. Mandy about fell out of her chair when I asked her what a diaper cake was.

Ever since Pioneer Woman, a lot of love stories have been blogged, including my own. But I never cried until I read [your pet's love story here].


Disclaimer: If I "featured" you, please consider it a badge of honor and not a personal attack. In no way do I mean to question your value as a person; I just want to question "why?" on behalf of all sane men.



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54 comments:

  1. hahahhaahaha...seriously, we need more men to write blogs like this. Well played!

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  2. You should consider a move to Australia, we only have wreaths out at Christmas, and it's a red light to thieves to say, we most likely have cool crap hidden under the bed in the master bedroom, that won't be missed until Christmas Eve.

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  3. Please make a button, because. If you ever feature me I will proudly put it on my brag wall. Shoot, you might get top billing.

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  4. So this is your best post yet! You rock! :)

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  5. I consider myself a crafty woman (sane is questionable) but I too often look at crafts online and wonder "why?" and occasionally "DEAR GOD, WHY?". The cabbage patch kid joke had me cracking up!

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  6. I'm glad the craft I posted didn't make the list. haha

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  8. Oh my gosh, I am laughing so hard.

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  10. Man...I don't know if I should be offended or laugh...I'm gonna choose to laugh. Thanks for the ahem..."feature". I definitely know which parties I need to be careful to link up to now! :)

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  11. Too funny! As a woman, I could never get offended by a man's opinion of "female" goings ons, our brains are too different! Though, I really can't understand wreaths when it's not Christmas myself, could be that I'm lazy though...

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  12. HAHA!!! Men just don't get it.... ;)

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  13. Very funny! You need to make a button for sure. Also, maybe you should do a your own link party. Looks to me like about 400 or so people would link up and that's an awesome start.

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  14. So I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry or be violently offended by the um..."feature"...what else can I say except...thanks for the traffic? lol

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  15. Oh, this is hilarious! Thanks for the laugh and the good writing. I'm guilty of wreath making on my blog but I'm an English teacher and refuse to make anything crafty out of #2 pencils. lol I'm your newest blog and FB follower. I look forward to reading more of your work! Have a great weekend!

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  16. Yeah, I think this is one of those posts that should have stayed a conversation at your kitchen table. It strikes me as a sort of betrayal to your wive's readers that she thinks this is an okay topic - bashing her followers. Sure, there are a lot of times I look at a craft project and think why, but I seriously wouldn't be rude enough to say that in bloggy land and I definitely wouldn't think it was okay for a family member to do it in relation to a party I'm hosting. I don't know whose role is worse in this.

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  17. I understand that this is meant to be humorous, but I think it's in poor taste. It's one thing if you want to host your own link party and then have fun at the expense of those who willingly link up, knowing they may end up as the butt of a joke. However, poking fun at crafters who put time and effort into something and took the risk of stepping out to share it online at a party where they felt like part of an encouraging and affirming community is just not cool.

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  18. I personally think it is funny.. It is clear that you are being tongue in cheek and I have have seen worse comments left directly on blogs or other large sharing sites (which shall remain nameless.) We all put ourselves out there when we share ourselves on the internet, so a little good natured ribbing doesn't bother me. I for one will ASSUME BENIGN INTENT since I know you weren't out to hurt anyone's feelings. And if you do another link party round up, feel free to choose one of my projects.. but I will be demanding a featured button! ;D

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  19. I am shocked at the response! I thought it was good natured humor, but I agree with Colville's comment. I know what my husband says of my own creations sometimes - so I know that what I think is perfect and cute, he can see as ridiculous. But I can understand how it may have hurt some feelings. I hadn't thought of that. After all, nothing of mine was featured. But if it had been, I don't think I would have been offended.

    I took it from the man's point of view, and chuckled thinking of what my husband says about my own work.

    Perhaps a disclaimer on Mandy's Link Party page is the right move.

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  20. I don't think it's cool at all to single people out like this... they may be strangers on the internet to you, but the craft blogging community is a pretty small place, and these ladies shared posts they were proud of at your wife's party. You can poke fun at crafting all you want, but to call people out specifically is pretty rude - a lot of these ladies are my friends and readers, and I don't like seeing them being made fun of. My husband doesn't understand a lot of what I do either, and I take no offense at the eye-rolling or to talk about what I'VE made... but he knows better than to make fun of my friends in public.

    There are a lot of people who can take good-natured ribbing... maybe host your own anti-party for that.

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  21. LOL ROFLOL!!! You were honest without being hurtful! You are a man and I love that point of view, As one of your original followers I say, Rock on!

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  22. Blogging is a community about finding your voice and telling your story. However, blogging is also a world of mutual support and building each other up. I choose the latter picture of the blogging world. At this point I can say that this is an end to your blogging story, at least in my world. I will not be returning to your blog or your wife's. Very disappointing.

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  23. It seems freedom of speech is only allowed on your posts and not in the comments field - where comments are deleted!

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    1. Note: the deleted comments were deleted by the author of the comments, but by the author of this blog.

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  24. I think it was GREAT!! I love reading your blog! And, people, it's called humor! It's just hilarious to see what men often think of the things we create. I know my husband wants to say more than he does when I bring one of my little creations to him ever so proudly. Especially wreaths...he doesn't get them and told me my last burlap wreath wasn't "festive"...bahahaha. So, I say Rock On, Dude!

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  26. Did you consider getting permission from the people you "featured"?

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  27. Wow - so many things really upsetting about this post. First off, I'm so tired of men getting a pass for saying "manly things" and passing it off as humor. I don't see anything funny about men singling out women from well known blogs and ridiculing them through their crafts - can you imagine if a woman posted this? I have about 37,000 followers on Tumblr (which can be a brutal place to blog - you can't delete comments on posts there) and always think twice before hitting the "create button" because I know my friends and family and lots of bloggers will see what I post. But I really admire people who have the courage to create something in the first place, then take time out of their unbelievably busy days to photograph it, and then put it out there for the world to see. It takes a certain amount of courage to make something personal and is a really a reflection of you and have it judged by everyone. Please do not use the "I'm a man" excuse, it comes off as kind of snarky and a bit cowardly because you really are questioning the value of a person by what they are creating - the two are often tied up together. The blogging world is a small small world and saying being featured above is a "badge of honor" is just ridiculous. And I have a really good sense of humor when I read something clever and funny. Here's hoping you can take it as well as you can dish it out.

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  28. I usually try not to get involved in issues like this...But, sometimes you just have to do the right thing.

    I understand you were trying to be funny with your post. I get that, really! I do.
    But, why not use your wife's crafts as an example? Why did you feel the need to pick on innocent, unsuspecting, people for this post?

    When they linked up to your wife's link party, they did it under the impression that they would be featured on your WIFE'S blog if she liked the project. Linking up didn't give you permission to use their work. Especially not for the intent to get a laugh at their expense.

    I know that maybe you don't understand the "world of crafts", but I would hope that you would understand that people have feelings. Even people behind computer screens.

    Your post was hurtful to many people, not just the ones posted.

    You have no idea what goes on behind those computer screens, and who knows, maybe your bullying just might have set someone over the edge.

    I would hope in the future that instead of trying to get a laugh at other people's expense, you find a way to be funny without bullying.

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  29. A man's take on crafting? Hysterical! Openly mocking your wife's readership by name and link? Seriously uncool.

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  30. Isn't anyone curious what Mandy thinks about all of this? I am surprised by her silence, though maybe I'm not really surprised.

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  31. I realize that you meant this post to be humorous. I do.

    I also realize that men don't always "get" a woman's crafty side. I do.

    My husband refers to some of my projects as "googly eye projects", this means it seems to him to take about as much effort as glueing googly eyes to construction paper. He says this kindly, and in a loving manner, to ME. It is a teasing between a husband and wife. (I can--lovingly--tease him about his extensive Star Wars collection in return.) You do not have that relationship between yourself and your wife's readers.

    By linking up to your wife's party people in no way gave you permission to
    "feature" their projects. I link up with her fairly regularly and would have been rather devastated if I was a "feature" on this post so I am glad that I did not share at her party this week. Others might find it hilarious.

    I think it would be more appropriate for you to have your own "anti-party", that way those with a tougher skin, or more developed sense of humor than mine, could enjoy the laugh and you don't risk alienating your--or your wife's--readers.

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  32. Can I please get a large container of chill pills for the blogging community? Wow.

    I personally found this post hilarious. No, nothing of mine was posted, because I didn't link anything up, but had I had something featured here, I probably would have looked at my husband and said, "You said the same thing! Men really do share one brain." And then said, "Oh well, I like it and its staying where it is until I get tired of it and change it out again." To which my husband would have said, "True fact."

    Have we really gotten to the point where everyone has to play with kid gloves? What if I started a pinterest board named "Crap I'll never make" or "Who the crap thought of this?" Neither of those names is nice, but its my pinterest board. Did you see the key word in the last sentence? MY! This is your blog and I encourage you to keep blogging the way you see fit.

    If everyone keeps changing to appease the populace then who are we really? Not ourselves, because we continually shape ourselves into a version that the population expects and not who we really are. Life is not fair, and you can't do crap about it, but just keep moving forward.

    Sorry for the rant, but seriously, I thought this post was hilarious, and what you put on the internet is public domain. Instead of focusing on Mandy's party, next week I will stand up and applaud you if you hit up 5 different linky parties and then do your features. :)

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    1. I have a Pinterest board called "This Isn't Gonna Work, Dummies" :) I agree with you Heather!

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    2. I have a Pinterest board called "This Isn't Gonna Work, Dummies" :) I agree with you Heather!

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    4. ( ummk- just wanted to edit some mistakes I had in my post before and want everybody to know that the man behind the curtain DID NOT I repeat did not remove my post- I did.) perfect!! while reading all these comments I was trying to hash out my response in my head but yours nailed it! loosen up everybody- this was funny and not harsh. I make alot of crafty crap but don't have the time for a blog. If I did - sooooooo linking up here. Would love to hear the smarta** comments ;)

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    5. I second what she (Heather) said!! And can I add, a HUGE goal of mine when I first started my blog was to get a MY CRAP WAS FEATURED on Crap I've made!!! Even with that, you can coose to be offended or choose to find it funny. I get being hurt/offended/upset, I totally get that and I'm so sorry some people where. BUT life is too short not to laugh! If not at yourself, laugh at eachother!! LOL

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  33. amen to heather keep up the good work trevor. I look forward to ALL of your posts and often read them to my husband. He really loved the frame wall and also finds it creepy. I hope you will keep doing all of the great posts you have been doing.

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  34. I just came over from your wife's blog after reading her apology post. I was expecting to read something totally different than what you have posted. I totally agree with the previous commenter: chill pills needed all around. I didn't see any personal attacks on the people you featured. You didn't even mention their names! I was personally snickering in agreement when I read about the diaper cakes: my husband had the same thought as you. You didn't say the projects were ugly, you didn't say the people were stupid for making them. You said you didn't understand the purpose of them. How many times have I looked at a project and wondered "Why would anyone make that?" I appreciate your candor, and I apologize for the blogging world's easy offend-ability. I will continue to read your wife's blog as always, and may just stop by here every so often as well :)

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  35. A man working in a woman's world, and yes, an engineer at that. I'm totally laughing because I'm a very light hearted person and I know the difference between men and women. My husband would have us living in a 1990's cabin with hunter green and mauve plaid couches for the rest of our lives! Fish and bear carvings galore! So basically, it could be the world's coolest diaper cake ever...I personally liked the letter on it, but most men just wouldn't get it and I know that's what that post was about. If you hosted a linky party about weird crafts....I would try to make something weird enough to participate :) You would need a button for sure!
    --Katie

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  36. The one big shame in all of this, is that it made someone feel bad enough to actually close her blog down. That, I find really sad.

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    1. Oh dear, I did not know that. I'm sure that the author of this blog did not mean to bully anyone- and I'd like to think offered that person an explanation and a good natured conversation instead of a "chill pill." I bet he's handled this well. He seems like a stand-up guy :)

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  37. You are funny! And many of these commenters just need to take a chill-pill and not take theirselves so seriously

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  38. Trevor, honestly have some respect. My wife stays pretty current with the happenings of the blog world. Tonight while we were giving our son a bath she was telling me about this new blogger who wrote about the crafting world from the man's perspective. I thought, wow that sounds kind of cool I should check that out. I can't believe how disrespectful you are not only to your wife but now her readers, not cool. I could not believe what you said in this post. I agree with some of the other readers that commented earlier that said it is just disrespectful to make a mockery of something that someone has put time and effort into and care about enough to post online. You have to ask yourself if you met these women face to face would you have said the same thing? Often the internet can be like a drive-by shooting, it's so anonymous that you feel you can say any disrespectful thing you want without repercussions. You should think about how what you say is going to affect other people. I don't know why you write this blog, maybe it's to make money or maybe you just inherently enjoy being slightly rude but to be honest the idea of the blog is great but the execution is terrible.

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  39. It was funny... he is just one person and he was playing fun. not being mean. He is a guy, who cares if he gets your project. doesn't mean he is being mean to you, I mean he helps with his wifes projects as he pokes fun at them even. AND the link was more exposure to your site, earning you more bloggy moolah and traffic. Sorry if you were hurt but try and see there was no ill will. It is better for all if we CHOOSE not to be offended, Yes it is a choice.
    By the way, love the blog Trevor. And Mandy, don't be too mad, you know he is a nice guy :-)

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  40. AND...you have my permission to "feature" anything I link up to Mandy's party!

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  41. Wow, I'm not sure I can say anything without offending someone. I actually had to read the post several times because it seemed like from the comments that harsher things were said than actually were. To be honest, I'm not sure what the offense was - that current trends were mocked, that there was an example of a mocked trend, that it was an unexpected mocking, that the mocking was taken too personally, or that the mocking was public? Like some people have mentioned, it's the Internet. If you can't handle the heat of all those servers and microprocessors, get off the web. Har har. Go ahead and laugh.

    Granted, since I wasn't featured, I can't definitively say how I would react, but I've seen people pin my projects with a comment on how they don't like an aspect of it or want to change it. I say Fine. Being in this crafting community brings the joys of inspiration and the risks of mockery, in private or in public - you better believe it happens in private. Besides, a critique enables improvement.

    Anyways, keep up the funny. You're like my husband when it comes to making fun of how I spend my time (and my money)...except funnier and more eloquent.

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  42. Loved the commentary on the "diaper cake." I've been baffled for YEARS as to why it's ok to call something that in polite company. It reminds me of "urinal cake."

    So thank you for pointing out the hilarity of things :)

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