2013 Blogging Lessons

2013 has been a GREAT year!

I started this blog as a way to share my creations, 

and connect with others that like to craft.

As I look back, I can see small gains in improving 

my blogging abilities, and thought I might share them.

Along the way, I have admired others blogs,

and eventually began to scrutinize and compare, 

identifying key elements to improve my blogging.

 Photography: I love pretty pictures...they help illustrate an idea, and set the mood...really inspire me to create. But my photography skills are pretty poor. I have identified several important issues:    

• Taking the time to get it right...I only own a point and shoot camera...aaaannnd sometimes I'm a little shaky, or in a hurry {as in Icreatedthisreallycoolproject and haven'tpostedinforever} I created some really cute Halloween projects, but the photos are so bad, the items didn't even get repinned once.
• Edit the Photos ...Picmonkey and I are becoming acquainted {he is a cheeky little monkey}. I haven't sprung to become a royal member, so far the free editing is challenging enough. One day, I hope to learn to use Photoshop {and maybe afford it} but my skill doesn't warrant that purchase.
• Create a captioned photo for sharing ...I love the pretty captioned pictures and collages I see on linky parties and Pinterest, but only recently did it dawn on me that I could create something similar with Picmonkey or my IPhone app by Rhonna Designs.

Focus: I started my blog, as I said above, to share my crafty goodies and connect...but somehow I was just sharing random items, like my lasagna recipe...{well it is a good recipe} but that's not what I am all about. I can't do that sort of blogging...it's just not me, and when I go back and re-read those posts I cringe. I love to follow and read blogs that have a little of everything in them, but I don't have that time or knowledge to do it well.

• Stick to what I know: I know paper crafting...it is what I do...on my day off, for holidays, it's what I like to window shop...paper, ink, glue, and glitter...and vintage items to incorporate.  
• One project at a time: When I first started blogging, I was so excited to be putting something out there, I would put everything out there...in one post. I would start with one project and then tack on 24 others....recently I realized one post gets repinned quite often, it is a tutorial with pictures for each step...and nothing else bootlegging along. So, now I am trying to stick to that basic formula...share one project, with an un-wordy tutorial.
• Connect with others: I am still working on this one...linky parties, reading and commenting are time consuming, so I have been expanding my following list, linking up, and most importantly...Visiting others and commenting meaningfully with an invite to visit my blog. 

Learn new skills: Although, I have used a computer at work for many years, it was usually working within a special program...I have learned much about computers, blogging, and social media. I still have a long way to go, but here are a few things I have accomplished...

• Made my own Blog Header: yep! I tried out several color schemes, and premade blog headers...but they just didn't really look right. I created the header with Rhonna Designs on my IPhone, and resized after I sent it to my computer. My blog background is by ShabbyBlogs, and I will probably keep it for a while, its neutral and polka dots {which I love}.
• Side bar art: Using the Rhonna app, I made several side bar items...Follow, Popular posts, Well Hello there...etc...
• Add Pinterest board widgets: took me forever! But I got it!  I am still working on getting my FB blog page to show up on my side bar.

I know I have a long way to go, and I never expect to have a professional blog...just a creative outlet with a sense of crafty community.

Happy Blogging in 2014!

xoxo

PK