Here is an encouraging feel good story for you... This past Monday I showed the photographs of Maria Kallin from Stockholm, do you recall? If not, here is the post. On Monday, she only had her photos on Flickr and today on Friday, she has a beautiful Etsy shop! Can you believe it? Now this is what I call inspiring -- she didn't wait, she got on it and now she sells her photos in a shop. I love this. Maria you're so inspiring.

I was so thrilled when she wrote to me to tell me the news, here is what she said and I'm posting it because I think you all need to know that YOUR comments here and also over on Flickr REALLY encouraged Maria and how you helped her to make a difference in her life - to have the confidence to sell her work. Do you ever think for a moment that your comments do not matter to the artists and designers that are featured on blogs? They matter very much and this is a great example of how what you say on the blogs that you visit can truly make or break a person.

"I just want to thank you so much for writing about my photos at your blog, I got a lot of very nice responses and the views at Flickr have never been higher than that day. :) So you really made my day and I was especially happy since I have been reading your blog for a while and like it alot, it's a very inspiring blog. I just want to tell you I made a shop at Etsy now, I saw some that where asking about that and thought to myself, "alright I'll throw in some photos for sale then" :)

Maria THANK YOU for "throwing" some in - they're great! Congratulations.

(images: maria kallin)