Tips?

another example of my not-too-fresh attempts at things I see other people do on the internet!

So, this is an informal, in between blogge posts blogge post. I'm still fairly new to this game and don't have loads of time to sit and fiddle with things until I figure them out. I use a Mac computer and there are some things I would love to do on my blogge, but just don't know how. This is a cry for help concerning the following:

1) A lovely blog Lenox Knits gave me a lovely blog award. When I feebly attempt to get the award to show up on my page, I just get the actual html script as opposed to the nice little image. I do it on the add a gadget feature and copy link. That is not working. Tips?

2) Am I missing something big by only being able to see if people have commented on my posts by scrolling through them to see the little hypertext at the bottom? This lovely blog award was discovered late because of this, and I would think there would be a way to be notified if someone comments on a post. Is this the case and I'm just missing out?

3)I did the google alert thing, but find the emails cryptic and/or telling me that I've just posted something new, which I already know, so is, therefore, superfluous; leading me to ignore most google alert emails. What am I doing wrong?

4) I would really like to post links with pictures to other people's blogs and/or etsy pages etc. I get that there are some pics that aren't able to be used, but know there's a way. I found Lenox Knits because she was gracious enough to post a pic of one of my shoppe items along with a link to my store. When I try this (in my ineptitude) nothing happens. I am reduced to simple text links, which are not nearly as enticing.

I'm totally open to help/critiques from anyone out there. I recently changed my background in an effort to make my blogge easier to look at. Did it work? Or do you like the old format better? I'm not wild about the advert in the corner, but I like the background and it was a nice user-friendly and free site, so...

I feel like there are many tricks out there that I will never master, but these are some that I feel should be pretty basic, if only I weren't such a feeb. If you know of anything else that is uber-useful that I am not using, it's because I don't know about it. If you have the time, I would love to know of any tricks or jibbets or whathaveyou that have been useful to you other bloggers!

Thanks Thanks in advance and much love from my little corner!

Selah

ASHRO!

For those of you who don't know me well enough, I have a bit of an Auntie Mame complex. I yearn for the dramatic silhouettes and fancy accessories of yesteryear. Hence, my recent craftings:

There are those among us who do an admirable job of putting flair back into current ensembles. My lovely friend katinkapinka is a soldier of fanciness. In person, she is her own best advertisement, making everyone around her wonder: "Why don't I wear feathers regularly?".

I have stumbled across fellow fancians on Etsy of course. A few of my most recent faves are: jenniferloiselle for her wonderful headbands, threehorses' fantastic fringe neckpieces, and terrygraziano for her versatile and stylish hats!

Now you will appreciate even more what I am about to tell you.

The other day, I walked into my living room (as if it were any other day) when, much to my surprise, a special catalogue the likes of which I've never seen, was laid upon my couch; as if waiting there just for me. I speak to you of ASHRO. This is a clothing/accessories catalog/website that is marketed to an ethnic or african-american demographic. These silhouettes I've been mourning the loss of were not ever actually lost, at least not completely. ASHRO has shown me that even though my personal demographic has seemingly forgotten how wonderful fashion can be, not everyone has!

This is just a sampling of notable looks:

Irina

Jazmine

Fur Capelet

Jennifer

Ericka

Liona

Francesca

Jacintha

They also have pretty shoes in larger sizes! Most of their styles go up to size 12! Usually, by the time you get to 11, you're reduced to choosing between sneakers or house shoes! The Lacy T-Straps are my fave, but I give an honorable mention to the Rose Kitten Heels for whimsy.

This catalogue of wonders also carries lovely wigs. I adore wigs. I used to be the wig mistress for my high school drama dept. These are a nice quality and have the bonus of particularly fetching names, such as: Fabulous Stacey, Marvelous Justine, Lady Paulette, Spikey Agnes, Queen Heena, Funky Constance, Blissful Crystal and, my favorite, Tender Lois.

Kudos to this publication and the women who shoppe it!

Studio Renovation Update:

Blogs I Follow: Grosgrain Fabulous

ok, so I would love to win a free bag, but also wanted all my readers to know about this fun blogger's page, she's always got something interesting, especially for kids and/or moms! I was sent a link to her page about revamping old tee shirts into new outfits for kids by a friend and really liked some of her ideas! Check out her page!

Grosgrain: Sew Cute Shop Amy Butler Birdie Sling GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

GERD

So, I think I might have GERD, or Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease. I'm attempting to drastically change my diet to see if I can control the symptoms (basically daily heartburn) before I go to a doctor so that HE can tell me I have GERD and I should change my diet.

I had no idea so many yummy things could be triggers for acid reflux! Sigh! Oh well, I've already lost a few pounds, which has always been a good thing for me, so there may be a silver lining in the end. My mother had to have some kind of procedure for this kind of thing because of damage to her esophagus (I'm blurry on the details, she's a pretty cagey individual), so I was on the alert when I realized I was having acid reflux so frequently.

I had it a lot while I was pregnant, that made sense, but 7.5 mos. later; that's something else entirely.

So, low fat, low spice, low sugar. We'll see what my "trigger foods" end up being over the next few weeks, and hopefully I'll be able to reclaim a few faves. Chocolate?! You've got to be kidding me!

In other news, I think I'm going to have to have Fridays be a second cleaning day in my weekly routine. Dicey has gotten way better at thwarting our efforts at getting fluff out of her mouth and I'm just going to have to keep this place way cleaner. Sigh.

I sometimes get time to work on crafts. I have been feeling very inspired and full of new fall ideas for the shoppe. I think I will call this post quits and go work on stuff!

It's nice to be nice.

A little tiff between my husband and I has reminded me that, despite the fact that I am usually right :D*, it never hurts to be nice. I sometimes lose sight of this fact and end up coming off a little harsher or less appreciative than I intend to. It's easy for me to take things for granted and let off a little steam without thinking. It's also easy for me to forget to give that gratitude and positive reinforcement that keeps us all going.

So, I'm remembering to be nice...until the time comes to not be nice. (Not really, but I couldn't resist quoting Road House, who can really?)

I've found many of the online venues I frequent to be "zones of niceness". It's really uplifting to see how much support and affirmation is being given online for individuals, businesses, what have you. Flickr, Facebook, Blogspot and Etsy are major "zones of niceness". There are always exceptions, of course, but I find it really life affirming how much niceness gets passed around on the internet, all things considered.

(It's much easier to be nice online though. You can delete and revise and people are usually much more thoughtful if something's being put into writing. Plus, my husband's not on any of these websites for me to interact with. He's in my house or on the phone. It would be good if I could be as nice in person as I am online.)

I was just put into another treasury by That70sShoppe; which makes the third time in as many weeks! That's quite nice.

My father and brother-in-law came and did a second installment on the renovation in my garage to make it a studio. Exciting! and very nice!

My sister, her husband, myself and my husband all helped each other out last night by exchanging babysitting so that Celena could go get a much deserved massage and Jack could pick her up without having to load up Max-o; and Bryan and I could go out to see a movie. It's very nice to know your baby is with people that literally treat them as though they were their own and are like a second set of parents.

I am really enjoying plugging away at my embroidered balls, being inspired by all kinds of things, even mail catalogs that would normally just get tossed. That's pretty nice.

Awhile ago, while I was still working a regular job, I realized that most casual, daily conversations amongst co-workers were just exchanges of complaints. I think it's really easy to fall into this pattern for most people. I'm trying to keep myself out of this habit though. There are so many things to be glad about, and the things that you do have to complain about are very rarely helped by said complaints, nor is the person hearing you complain helped in any way.

I know that venting has its place and, believe me, it is something I frequently do and consider healthy. Nonetheless, accentuating the positive seems, at times, to have become a bit of a lost art. So, I leave you with this: Oh, Bing!