Sunday, January 27, 2013

Fluttering Butterflies turns *7*





Seven years ago today, I had this crazy idea of starting my own blog.  Seven years ago. In some ways it feels incredibly long ago and in other ways I felt as though I've blinked and have sped through so much.  I want to take this opportunity now to say a big THANK YOU  for taking this journey with me.

Fluttering Butterflies is a very different blog now than it was seven years ago today and I couldn't be happier with what it has become. Through this blog, I have met some amazing people - authors, publicists, other book bloggers, and I have loved sharing myself and my opinions on books and life with you.  Thank you for your support and encouragement. Thank you for taking the time to read my words and for commenting, emailing, or chatting with me on Twitter. I assure you that this blog would not have lasted as long as it did without the amazing people who read my blog.  Without you - so thank you.

I think my favourite part of being involved with the blogging community has been the people that I have met.  Over the last few years I've met some of my favourite authors: Sarra Manning, Keris Stainton, Luisa Plaja, Susie Day, Meg Rosoff, David Almond, John Green and so many more.  I've met some amazing bloggers who have become my friends.  I'm not even going to begin listing the bloggers I've met. You know who you are!

It's been difficult thinking of the blogging highlights from the last seven years and I'm sure that I will forget something major that has happened. But briefly, here are some of my favourite posts.



One of my highlights of my blogging career was my (now ended) feature highlighting Awesome Women.  I still really love this idea and actually, reading through some of these old posts has made me a little excited about the topic again ... Some of my favourite posts for this theme are below.

Favourite authors from my childhood

Buffy, Faith and Willow 

Hermione, Ginny and Luna



My favourite feature on the blog, that is thankfully still ongoing, is that of Celebrating British Authors in which I've highlighted or written about books with British authors. I've done two events on British authors and I hope in 2013 that I continue to do so.

My favourite posts of the series?

Peter Pan

Reading Roald Dahl


Other features that I've written over the years include 'Books That Make Me Want to Travel...' 'Musical Memories' 'WWYD?' and 'Not-Quite Blockbuster Books' I've enjoyed them all, and I hope to continue these features in the upcoming years!

I've also had quite a lot of fun writing discussion-type posts about books! These usually happen on a Friday but could appear at any time during the week...

I've got all my (literary) sisters with me

Birthdays in books

My favourite talking animals in books

Books I can't stop thinking about


And here at Fluttering Butterflies, I haven't been shy about talking about things more personal to me.  Here are a few blog posts that I feel quite proud of:

My battle with mental illness

My life in board games

Sarah McLachlan (Musical Memories)

What I was like as a teenager

My wishlist of American sweets

To celebrate getting to 7 years of blogging, I'm offering two giveaways. The first will be UK only for a large jiffy bag of some of my favourite books. The other is for a book from The Book Depository up to the value of £10. This is an international giveaway, as long as TBD shops to your country. You can enter

I will choose winners in one week's time and will notify the two winners by email. One entry per household please. You don't need to be a follower of this blog, but I would of course appreciate it!

Here's to many more blogiversaries happening here at Fluttering Butterflies. I really couldn't do this all without you, so again, many thanks! And good luck.


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30 comments:

  1. HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY!!! 7 years is a long time and you should be so proud of yourself and the blog. I know some people who would give up after 6 months so you've done really well! 7 years worth of posts is a lot! I don't know how you can choose your favourites!
    Wishing you another amazing 7 years! :)

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    1. Thank you so much Lucy! I've been close to giving up so many times but I'm really glad that I've stuck with it. I love my blog and I don't know quite what I'd do without it :)

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  2. Wow, Clover, seven!I love your blog because you're always so sincere and generous in your thoughts. Best wishes for many more years.

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  3. Congratulations! Not 1 or 3 but *7* years is an incredibly AMAZING achievement and I hope you'll have many more good blogging years to come!! xx

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  4. Wow! 7 years is amazing! HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY! I hope today you are feeling very proud of yourself and thank you for the giveaway :)

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    1. Thank you, Jess :) Today has been more than a little emotional, mostly because of the wonderful response that my blogoversary has gotten! I have such lovely blog readers!

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  5. Yay! Happy seven years my lovely, lovely chum!xxx

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  6. Happy blogoversary! Congratulations on 7 wonderful years :)

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    1. Thank you, Luisa! You know I wouldn't do it without the huge amount of support and encouragement from lovely people like yourself! x

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  8. Congratulations! Here's to another seven years :)

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    1. Thank you, Sophie! Another 7 years, I'm finding it hard to imagine :)

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  9. Wow, congratulations, Clover! Even though I haven't been with you for the whole seven years I am so happy to have discovered your blog. Your posts are unique and heart-warming and you're such a lovely blogger! :) Thank you for the generous giveaway too!

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    1. Aww, you're lovely! Thank you for the very nice things you said. I'm not sure anyone has stuck with me the entire 7 years, but I'm very glad to have become friends with you and having discovered your blog as well :)

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  10. Go you! Here's to the next seven x

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  11. Wow seven years is amazing Michelle! I'm looking forward to another 7 of blogging right alongside you :o) xx

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    1. Thank you Sarah :) I'm looking forward to that happening as well! x

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  12. Oh my, Fluttering Butterflies is 7 years-old?!
    That is quite an achievement! Well Done for keeping it up so long and happy blogoversary of course!
    I love this blog, especially the variety of reviews and features, look forward to the future years of the blog :)

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    1. Oh thank you, Rebecca :) I'll have to keep changing things about to make things interesting..

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  13. Wow - 7 years is amazing! I don't know if any other blogs that have lasted that long. Kudos to you for experimenting with your feature and keeping up with your reviews over the last few years! Hopefully there will be many more years to go :-)

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  14. Seven years is just incredible! You've had some really incredible posts and features during that time too. Congrats!!!

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