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on 8 years of blogging

8 Years

It's hard to believe, but yesterday was this blog's 8th anniversary. 8 years!

In those 8 years, much has happened and things have changed on the blog a lot. You can still go back through the archives (I've kept it all...even though the further back you go, the worse the posts get!) and see how things have shifted. You'll also see some gaps in time when I wasn't blogging much. It's a journey, and I like that.

The biggest things for me have been getting to know so many wonderful readers and through that, getting to do things I never expected. Having a shop that actually sells things? Contributing to books? Teaching online classes? Seriously. Thank you, friends! I love blogging, and you make it extra lovely!

Now, I have a little favor to ask. Would you leave a comment and tell me when or how you started reading Wild Olive? Think of it as signing the guest book at an event!

100 comments:

  1. That's awesome Mollie! Congratulations and thank you!

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  2. thanx for the patterns...very sweet! i started reading wild olive about 6 months ago. you had
    a cupcake embroidery pattern up on craftgawker, and i liked it so much that i visited your blog and i've been here ever since! congrats on 8 years! hopefully, there'll be many more!
    take care!
    debra

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  3. Aaw, yay Mollie! :) I always love popping by here to see what you've been stitching...I can't remember how I found you, but I know it's been a few years of reading, now...yay!

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  4. I believe I somehow found those cute christmas ornaments on tumblr (someone must have posted them as a cute diy) and I thought the faces were the most ridiculously freaking adorable thing I had ever seen.
    follower ever since. true story.

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  5. Congrats on the anniversary! I believe I started reading your blog about six months ago. I love your embroidery inspiration!

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  6. I just started found it some mysterious way during a Google search several weeks ago, and then lo and behold the very next day I started taking the Handstitched Class at the Stitched in Color blog and she had a link to your thread bobbins! It seems like fate was determined to bring us together one way or another :|
    I really just started embroidery very recently so I'm not surprised I didn't hear of you sooner, but your blog is so awesome I wish I'd started 8 years ago!

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  7. Congratulations on eight years! I think I joined your party about two years ago during your series on embroidery basics. Google wanted us to be friends, your awesome style solidified this (one-sided) friendship. :)

    p.s. Hope you and your family fared well with yesterday's storm!

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  8. Happy bloggiversary! I'm not sure how I found your blog, probably from a link from another blog...I think I've been following about a year? Time flies, so could be longer :) Thanks for the super cute pattern!

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  9. Congratulation! Happy birthday!
    I really like your blog, and hope it will stay for long on the net.
    Istarted read Wild Olive during this school year!
    I don't rememer when exactly!
    At first sight I thought: " whaow, a great blog with simple and sweet thing to create"
    I still always want to try one the tutorial, but time is lacking!

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  10. I started reading your blog 6 weeks ago, I fell and broke my right wrist and played on my laptop to pass the time away. I stumbled into sewing blogs, I love to patchwork and quilt, and found you by chance. I have not embroidered for many years but you have inspired me. My cast is off and when I have full mobility I will be shopping for needles and silks, I have hoops. Many thanks, Pam

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  11. Congrats!! And thanks for the patterns!! They are soooooo cute.
    http://www.mycutebride.blogspot.com.es/

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  12. Congratulations, Mollie! You must have been one of the first craft bloggers! it seems like I've been blogging for ages, but it has only been 4 years.
    Thank you for the cute download!!

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  13. Hey Mollie. I have only been reading your blog for a few weeks. Only recently discovered my long lost creative side and the world of blogging. Thanks for the freebie and inspiring, it's soo cute!

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  14. I can't remember exactly how/when I found your blog but it's now on my list of favorites.

    Thanks for the pattern!

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  15. I have started reading your blog when you were celebrating your tea party (the link I got from whip up).
    And from your blog I got the tipp to Katies Green Bean Blog and from hers to another one I love...

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  16. Michelle7:20 AM

    I can't quite remember how I first found your blog, but its brightened up my day on many an occasion since then - thanks for the patterns, and for organising the hoop swap earlier this year (it was great fun) - and happy blogging birthday!

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  17. I've been a follower for a little over a year when I was introduced to your embroidery basics from another blog...I believe it was Little Miss Shabby and her Birdie Stitches project that led me to you. Thanks for all your great content, I have enjoyed the year so! Congrats on your 8, and hope to see many more from you!

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  18. I think I found your blog early 2010, and I've kept up with it ever since! Happy Blogiversary!

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  19. I found your blog just a few months ago, when I was searching for embroidery how-tos. I stayed because I love your patterns and sense of color. Congrats on your blogiversary!

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  20. Thanks so much for the adorable pattern! :)

    I stumbled across your blog back when I first started embroidering...I think I followed a link from Feeling Stitchy to your embroidery basics series. After that, I somehow lost track of your blog for a while. Then I stumbled across it again and made sure to follow you so that wouldn't happen again! :) I've probably been reading your blog for about a year now.

    ~Kristin

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  21. merci and congrats! I found your blog through the Mollie Makes magazine and have found it entirely inspiring :)

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  22. Congrats on 8 years! I am pretty sure I found you through a link on another blog about 2 years ago! Thanks for all the fun, inspiration, and projects!

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  23. Colette8:35 AM

    it has been so long I really can't remember. i was getting back into embroidery and was probably googling for patterns and found some of yours. Now I have to check in everyday!

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  24. congrats! is it lame that i don't remember at all how i found your blog? it's been in my head for a long time... much longer than i've been actually embroidering ;)

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  25. i started reading this past year - saw your designs embroidered at sewmamasew and LOVED them! love all your cute little designs!

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  26. Thank you! I just found you via Imagine gnats on facebook. Embroidery is high up on my to-do list and will give it a go this summer. So his is perfect for me.
    María

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  27. Thank you, and congrats on 8 years. You've done so much! And spread a lot of joy with your cute designs.

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  28. Thank you and Congratulations! I don't know when I started reading your blog, but it has to pre-date the most memorable bacon bookmarks :) (I don't really eat bacon, but my husband does!) I have followed in fits and spurts over time but now regularly come for a daily dose of cuteness, inspiration and a smile - thank you!!

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  29. Congrats on 8 years! My girls and I love all your wonderful stitching inspiration...thank you for sharing another! :) Here's to 8 more!

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  30. I started reading Wild Olive about a year ago, you are so inspirational and your patterns are just darling! Long may you keep up the good work, you brighten my day with such sweetness and inspiration. Fizz xxx

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  31. I only started reading recently, and then decided to sponsor. It quickly became a great thing and we traded goodies! So excited to see your future unfold!

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  32. Wow! Congrats on 8 years. I've been following your blog for since last year. That's when I started stitching again. I found your blog thru blog hopping from Shimelle.com. I stitched your doily and heart. I love your patterns and thank you for your amazing designs and your super enjoyable blog. love Annette

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  33. First - congratulations on 8 years, along with all your fabulous accomplishments. Second - thanks for the awesome patterns, they are so very cute, I can't wait to stitch them up. Third - I'm sorry, I have no idea how long ago or how I cam across your site, it's been a white, but I'm so very glad I did.

    Thanks again - for everything.

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  34. Happy Blogiversary! I found your blog 5 years ago when searching for cute desktop backgrounds! You introduced me to the world of creative bloggers with links on your sidebar and all of your projects! Thanks!

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  35. Congratulations!!! 8 years in blog world is an INCREDIBLE milestone! I just recently started reading your blog. My mom bought me a crewel kit for Christmas, and I started working on it about a month ago. I'm hooked! In my search to find some embroidery inspiration online, I found your wonderful blog! And I'm oh so happy. Thank you for all the inspiration!

    ~Whitney

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  36. thanks for the patterns! those are some of my absolute favorites. i don't remember how i found your blog, but i've been happily following for about two years. congrats on eight adorable years!

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  37. Congrats, Mollie!

    Wow, I actually had to go through my own blog archives to figure out when I began reading your blog...it's been that long! I stitched my first Wild Olive pattern (Tree Trimmers) in late 20008, so it must have been right around that time that I started reading. I don't recall how I found you, but I sure am glad I did! ♥

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  38. Anonymous11:19 AM

    I actually hadn't realized that I've been reading since almost the beginning of your shop! I came across your shop during the days of the recycled products and buttons.

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/wildolive/sold?page=129

    I loved those buttons :) Your designs are cute in all forms :)

    HAPPY 8TH Blogiversary :) I hope you made cupcakes :)

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  39. This is an adorable pattern! My brain is filling with possibilities :)

    I started reading in Dec. 2011. I was getting back into Embroidery, and I found your shop! I bought the "Snowglobes of the World" pattern so I could create the golden gate bridge to commemorate a road trip my husband and I had taken. After that, I started reading the blog to get some reminders for making my project look great, and since then I've picked up two more patterns from your shop! The only one I have completed was my "Otters in Love" pattern, but the others are floating around the house in various states of completion ;)

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  40. Thank you! Pinterest I do believe! I saw a few of your patterns and fell in love then went to your site!

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  41. Wow Mollie, I didn't realise you'd been blogging for that long!
    Yours was one of the first blogs I started regularly reading, and i think that was maybe 2008, about a year before i decided to start my own blog.
    Happy blogiversary!

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  42. I'm not entirely sure when I began visiting your blog - sometime in 2010. I looked back in my Reader archive folders and the earliest post I have saved is mid 2010 - a woodlanders pattern. I absolutely loved the desktop wallpaper calendars from Oct, Nov & Dec of that year.

    Happy Blogiversary! Thanks for the present - love these cute little guys!

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  43. Thanks so much Mollie. I teach one period a day, a fiber arts class in a small school ( health the rest of the day). I plan to include embroidery. These are perfect.

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  44. Wow, eight years! Congrats. I just started reading about two weeks ago. I've got lots of catching up to do. :) I recently decided to take up embroidery as a way to release stress from graduate school and was so happy to stumble across your embroidery basics series - not to mention your sweet designs.

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  45. Anonymous1:23 PM

    I think I started reading your blog about four years ago. I stumbled upon it doing a search for embroidery patterns. I appreciate all of the free patterns and projects. I recently have bought several of your patterns and signed up for a class. I love your embroidery basic series and your post about finishing hoops. Congratulations on 8 years! I've shared this blog with several of my friends and family. I am sure they'll love it as much as I do.

    Heidi W.

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  46. Anonymous1:30 PM

    Congratulations from Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain!
    I love the stuff that you make!
    Meri

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  47. Congrats on 8 years! I came across your blog about 6 months ago, and it was cause I was blog hopping and hitting next next next, and yours popped up and I fell in love.
    Hugs,
    Vicki R
    sunraesban@yahoo.com

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  48. Congratulations on 8 years!

    I think I started reading you in early 2009!

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  49. Congratulations! I can't remember how I discovered your blog, but it was some months ago. Since then I've been keeping an eye on it :)
    I love your blog and your work is amazing :D

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  50. Congratulations on 8 years!

    I think I've been reading your blog for about 8 months. (Maybe more.)
    I'm having to guess though.

    I saw your blog button somewhere and hopped on over. I've been reading ever since! It's so inspiring to see how your blog has grown and even given you incredible new opportunities! I hope to continue growing and improving my blog too.

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  51. Congrats on 8 years! I have been reading your blog about two years.
    Found you by searching embroidery sites. Thank you so much for the
    great little patterns. I already have a project in mind for them!
    Looking forward to the next 8 years!

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  52. Flávia2:27 PM

    I found your blog earlier this year - just before the stitch swap, which was great by the way! - by jumping from link to link.... I also _love_ cute things and although I haven't tried "free hand" embroidery (I'm a cross stitch kinda gal) I love to read your blog. I'm also a Christian and I find very encouraging to read other people with the same interests and the same beliefs that I have.
    Keep going, Mollie! You do a great job! ;-)

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  53. Here's to 8 more years. Cheers!

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  54. Oh, how cute!!! Thank you so much! So generous!! I think these itty bitties will be good for me to start with. :)

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  55. Forgot, oops!
    Well, I was looking for mug rugs and came across the adorable one from a blog hop with Sara from The Slipped Stith featuring the cutest embroidered tea bag evah!

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  56. Congratulations! And thank you very much. I can't remember how I discovered your blog, maybe searching for embroidery patterns...

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  57. Congratulations on your 8th Blogaversary :-)!
    I started by only lurking for awhile in 2009 with the Make.Do.Create series -loved April & August- then added you to my reader, subscribed to your newsletter and became a customer :-).
    Thank so much for treating us today with the Teenie Tiny Blog Buddies!

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  58. Happy Anniversary. Thank you for re-introducing me to embroidery and Starbucks. (((HUGS)))

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  59. Congratulations Mollie! Wow 8 years!! That is absolutely amazing! I've been following for about 8 or 9 months now...i think so. And I have really enjoyed your bolg! It's totally cute and fun! :) I'm very glad your life has changed through blogging, you inspire me a lot! Blessings to you and all your projects! Greetings from Mexico

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  60. Thank you for the wonderful gift! I love it! Hmmm, I started getting on your blog about 9 months ago, I think. I looked up embroidery and there you were. I love your cute designs. Here's to 8 more years!

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  61. You've been so dedicated to your blog, that's what makes it so great and keeps us coming back for more. I think I discovered your patterns through Flickr and Etsy a few years back and then came over here and got to know you better. Thanks for all that you do and share.

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  62. Wow, 8 years! Congrats!

    I found your blog through Etsy, I think... I randomly picked up embroidery as a hobby, found your adorable patterns & followed your blog.

    Thanks so much for the pattern download; I love the cute little things to stitch!

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  63. Thanks a lot for the freebie! And Congratulations to 8 years of blogging of course. I'm just so excited about the free patterns right now, so that had to come first :D haha!

    I'm trying to remember where I found you... hmmm I think a friend of mine sent me the link to a tutorial of yours because she thought it would be something for me. Yes, I think that's what it was!

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  64. This is amazing Mollie! 8 years! Wow. Talk about dedication. Congratulations my dear friend. You are doing an awesome job :) I'm so honored to be your friend!

    xoxo
    Janee

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  65. Anonymous7:48 PM

    WOW! Thank you so much for the free patterns. Love them! I have been reading your blog for a couple months, after having found patterns of yours on Pinterest. I really enjoy your blog.

    Nate's Mom

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  66. Congratulations for your 8th birthday, Wild Olive! =D
    I got to know your site when Craftzine blog featured one of your works and I was unconsciously swayed by your colorful photos and extremely cute works here.

    Thank you for your hard work and keep it up, Mollie! =)

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  67. Congrats on 8 years!! I'm not exactly sure when I started reading Wild Olive but I'm so glad that I found your blog, your patterns are so cute and I feel inspired to embroider something everytime I come here!

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  68. Anonymous9:32 PM

    I found your blog near the beginning of this past school year, when I was browsing the internet for cute, not-too-hard-because-I'm-a-beginner embroidery patterns. I decided that I wanted to embroider bookmarks for the kids in my after school program group. Your site was really inspirational! As a matter of fact, while I ended up just sketching and back-stitching variations on just a couple of figures, they all ended up with little smiley faces on them, because I thought that all of your designs had such charm and personality.

    I have more knitting projects going right now than I can handle, but next time I get the itch to embroider, you can bet I'll be back here. I *need* some adorable little coffee cups stitched onto something to brighten up my mornings!

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  69. Oh, thank you for the adorable teeny tiny patterns! I found your blog through pinterest (of course) when I saw a pin for your Embroidery basics series? I love stopping by to visit every few days and seeing what lovely things you are up to. I admire your talent so much, and love your patterns - thanks for the inspiration and confidence-boosting easy projects. Congratulations on the bloggiversary!

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  70. Pinterest, Molly, Pinterest!

    Your teeny, tiny little embroidery patterns make me "awwwww" every time!

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  71. Anonymous10:49 PM

    Oh Mollie, thank you so much! Love these little bitties... everything you do makes me smile. I think I found you from a place called oneprettything.com. She features embroidery links every so often, and I think it was when she featured your cute little floss bobbins that I clicked over here... I've been following you ever since! Love your blog, congrats on 8 years on the web!!

    Monica Fullerton

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  72. Anonymous10:59 PM

    Congratulations and thank you for your lovely stitching!
    Tamar x

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  73. Happy 8 years and thank you so much for the pattern! XD I first found you on etsy and loved the patterns and printables so much!! It led me to your blog and I've been a loyal follower for the past year. Congrats Mollie! I love everything you do!!

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  74. Congratulations for your 8 years! I only just stumbled across your blog today but I like what I see and might just stick around ;)

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  75. Congrats! I ran into your blog through some other craft blogs. You actually really inspired me to embroider. I love your designs and graphics. Thank you for helping this newbie.

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  76. Well done on 8 years! That's awesome! I just started following your blog about three months ago when I got into embroidery. I think I found your blog through google.

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  77. Congratulations! Time flyies!
    I start to follow you after reading DMC´s blog in 2011
    Thank you to share all this great things with us!

    Beijinhos

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  78. Anonymous8:56 AM

    I just started reading your blog last month. I think I found you from Craft Gossip. I'm signed up for email notifications and sorry that I missed the free designs. It looked cute, just like all your designs! Congratulations! 8 years is a lot of backlog I have to catch up on. Here's to 8 more.
    marilyn2222 @ hotmail.com

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  79. 8 years is a long time. Congrats.

    Vintagehoneybee.blogspot.com

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  80. Anonymous10:43 AM

    I don't remember....but maybe from One Pretty Thing! Thanks for all the crafty inspiration over the years!

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  81. I started reading Wild Olive a few months ago, but can't remember how I came across you. I think it was from another blog that had a list down the side of blogs and their current posts. You must have used a good post title to make me come across to visit you, and you have been interesting enough for me to come back too!

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  82. Congratulations on 8 years! Your blog is so wonderful and I've been a faithful reader since I found it 3 years ago on the ReadyMade website. It's been interesting seeing your blog grow and all the changes...

    Happy bloggiversary! Wishing you many, many more :)
    ~ Nat

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  83. Anonymous2:54 PM

    I think I found you via this blog http://www.aalerusen.blogspot.dk/ perhaps a year ago
    I like that you write almost every day and that we are sisters in the Lord
    :-)

    Anne
    Danmark

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  84. I have been reading for a long time and I cant remember when I first found you in blog land! But, I am glad I did! happy day and congrats!

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  85. I don't remember how or when I found your blog, but it was probably when I asked the internet to teach me about embroidery. I love the vibe of your blog and the variety of topics. Happy Blogiversary!

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  86. Gosh, I think I first found you on Etsy. I think you were a suggested seller based on something else I bought. Then I bought some of your patterns and was hooked. Happy anniversary. &:)

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  87. I think it was on one of those days where one blog links you to another then another and so on.

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  88. I don't remember but I know it was from another link. Maybe was when I did my advent calendar and I suppose there was a link for your Christmas ornaments but I'm not sure. Well, the important is I read every post you publish because I put you un my reader so don't miss anything. And really love it and enjoy your blog.

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  89. I really don't remember. I'm sure that I came to you from another blog, felt that I'd found a kindred spirit, and signed up to follow you via bloglovin'. Congratulations on eight years, and thanks for the dedication.

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  90. Happy Anniversary, Mollie! I believe I found you through a guest post you did on another blog, but I love your stitchy-ness and your openness to sharing of yourself and your faith. Keep enjoying what you do - we love to read about it here, chickie!

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  91. hello, happy 8 year anniversary! i'm pretty sure i found your blog from kristy (aka stitchy stitcherson on flickr). at one point i think she was stitching up samples of your patterns and that's how i found you ;) this was probably a few years ago ;)

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  92. Hello, I have been reading your lovely blog for about six months and am always inspired by your posts! I have just started blogging myself and am excited to begin my journey! I will be adding Wild Olive to my blog reading list! Keep doing what you so well :-)

    Bee x

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  93. Is it rude to say I don't know when I started reading your blog. I do know I was drawn here by your gorgeous patterns and the joy with which you shared them. I have loved your blog since I first read it and I am thrilled that you have reached 8 years.
    Congratulations and I hope that you are still around in 8 more years. Keep up the amazing work, I really appreciate everything you have added to my crafty life.

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  94. Hola! I believe I happened upon your blog just sometime in 2011. I adore your little patterns and your blog. Thank you for inviting us along on this journey of yours. I look forward to following you much longer.

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  95. Congrats Mollie!!! Such an awesome achievement!
    I started reading when I was pondering getting creative and my hubby told me about RSS readers and blogs. Don't remember the exact way I found you but you were one of the first blogs I subscribed to and a HUGE inspiration (you still are!)

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  96. Congratulations! I just started my blog about a year ago and that's when I started discovering wonderful blogs like yours. I think I found yours when I saw some really beautiful pieces of embroidery and decided to try it out...so much inspiration and knowledge here (:

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  97. I'm late to the game as I just found it through Craft Gossip about 6 weeks and got tempted by the Re-Sized Embroidery Class so signed up for that and been enjoying your blog since. Congratulations! What a milestone!!

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  98. Sandy W.8:42 PM

    I'm always playing catch-up in reading blogs I've marked as "Favorites". I got to you through a link on another site (could have been sublimestitching or welovefrenchknots.com). I love your whimsical style and was looking for ideas that were less traditional. Your site especially appealed to me. I don't know how you manage to keep going after eight years, but I'm glad you are. Congrats on your popularity.

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  99. Christa Beukes9:00 AM

    I am Christa Beukes from South Africa. I saw on Kate's "The last homely house"s the template for The Plus Quilt and I wondered if you can share it with me. My email address is: christabeukes73@mail.com
    Many thanks, Christa

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous7:30 PM

      Thanks Christa! I tried to reply via email but it bounced back. You can download the templates here:
      http://molliejohanson.com/wildolive/PlusEPP.pdf

      Delete

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