I have been thinking about my first experiences with this website. It was long ago that I discovered Cute...(late 2008 I think). I didn't post anything for a very long time. I just read everything I could. After a long while, I hesitantly commented inside another post and then asked a question inside a different post. I was welcomed by some of the kindest Cuties and treated rather briskly, hastily, and even severely by some others.
I hope all Cuties (new comers and old timers) feel welcome and that we all have a better understanding of how to navigate the website. I hope the spammers and advertisers can see we are much like a family -- watching out for Cute members and our website owner.
I have enjoyed the trip down memory lane...I am ever so thankful I stayed!
Cute needs all of us to be the warm and friendly place I love to visit. I feel a vacancy whenever one of our Cuties passes. I am thankful for Cuties like you that are always willing to lend a hand.
Thank you -- for being you!
I hope that I have never made anyone feel unwelcome (with exception of the spammers). We are all different and that's what makes us such a good community. We have tolerance that is tempered with love and the desire to further our craft.<br /><br />
I'm thankful you stayed, too, rescuer. I've made some very near (to my heart) and dear friends here and you are certainly one of them.
This is home and I am so thankful you were here to greet me!
After a couple of weeks, I bought my first membership and tentatively posted some of my projects. Like you, I felt mostly welcomed, but I did get a few rebukes here and there. (I probably deserved them!)
Over the years I have met quite a few members "in the flesh" and made good friendships with some I will never meet.
I too am ever so thankful I stayed!
Whenever my "ship comes in" I will be planning my Cute world tour. :D
Sending hugs to you.
Kathy
Cute is a place filled with kindness, love, and selfless support. You are always there -- supporting Miss Veronika and providing designs for those that "show and tell" in Projects. You have been there to show newer Cuties the best of the web. Your designs always inspire me and so many others too.
You may not remember how you got here -- but I will be forever grateful you came and stayed. You are a dear friend!
I always have a few Cuties (some times many more) that are added to my prayers. You have been there more than once...
I cherish my friends here and count you as one of the best!
I first joined Cute a month after the forum was opened. I have seen many ups and downs, some jaw droppingly bad and others heart breakingly good. I must say it's been a lot better since we have had moderators. Thank you Moderators! ( I am sure there will be ups and downs again but we are real people here and our views will differ - lets hope we can find it within ourselves to accept that we ARE different and use that as a reason for celebration)
P.S. My user name was different when I joined but I had to change it some time ago because of some of the bad. I don't post very often, very little in fact - but I do pop in as often as I can and ALWAYS appreciate my fellow cuties.
Thank you each and everyone
I look back on the "unwelcome" comments and I know I asked the right questions but they were taken the wrong way. It sounded to some as though I only wanted free designs and worse yet -- I asked what happened to a feature of the site. I was not offended but I suppose I could have been. That is one reason I try VERY hard to be kind and welcome new (or new to posting) Cuties.
Thankfully, the jaw dropping days are in the past -- here's hoping they stay there!!
The first website I visited was Cute in September 2007, bought my first membership in December that year. I think welcome messages were not the usual thing at the time. I commented on some projects but did not ask a question till the last day of 2007 - I looked that up otherwise I would not have known. It was: "Can anyone tell me if it's worth upgrading to Husqvarna 4D? I upgraded from System5Pro through VIPpro to 3D Pro. Is it worth updating (again!) to 4D."
The site has changed enormously since then. We now have all the different categories to post in and that must be confusing for newcomers.
What did not change is the sort of problems cuties have - fortunately the number of experienced cuties has grown, so there's always someone who has an answer.
I have made many good friendships here and only met one Cutie so far - would love to see that number grow.
We are all truly blessed!!
Just like rescuer I love seeing your Christmas gifts. Amazing what you come up with every year! I am looking forward to seeing this year's surprises.
I made dear dear friends, laughed with them (over their comments), cried and prayed with them yes and even got a bit mad at them. Like a family. What a great one!!. Rescuer said it very well and I could not say it any better. I hope you all feel the warm and welcoming spirit here.
I am sure my first postings are long since removed...but I really wasn't posting a lot anyway. I just read all I could.
Hugs dear Duchess
I loved meeting Meganne and her hubby a few years ago in Australia. I appreciate the moderators and Veronica who is so generous to provide this site.
I especially enjoyed this site the three years I was living in Mainland China. You were an important life line that kept me grounded and connected to my other life in America. Thanks for letting me lurk. I love embroidery and hope to do me doing a lot more of it in the near future with a new 10 needle. But for the present, I am working on downsizing to a home nearer our children, with a smaller yard. We have someone coming on Tuesday to look at our place, please pray with me that it sells. I love our place and will be sad to move, but we know it is time. I Love you all and wish you the best. Hugs to the moon and back.
So, if you are reading this and feel you need a invitation -- here it is Welcome to Cute! If you feel you have nothing to offer -- say hello anyway. Most of us do not bite. ;)
You are one of the kindest Cuties. Your heart is always in the right place. I will always treasure our friendship as I have learned so much from you about life, family, friends, and a bit of embroidery too. ;-)
I hope all of us learn to give words of encouragement. It is what makes this place home!
I wasn't lurking for very long before I made my first comment as someone needed help and as no one seemed to know the answer, she had mine.
I was nicely surprised at the wonderful welcome that I received from everyone.
THANKS
Most sewing/craft people are lovely people I have found. With the occasional misunderstood bit or two.
But then we are only people and as I know from doing storm rescue work, one person's large tree is a sapling to another. Even when the tree in question is only 4 inches in diameter . :-)
These days, I only download freebies that I know I will use. Gone are the days when I downloaded everything that was free. :-)