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Friday 13 June 2014

Pansy Card for magazine...

Here's a retirement card made for Papercraft Inspirations magazine, it's one of four I have on a retirement theme in this month's issue - on sale now

The pansies were made with Sissix dies, I cut the aperture in a 5 x 7 card with a nestability die 





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Quite happy with the way that turned out....

I get a lot of emails about blogging. Lots of folk would like to start a blog but are afraid to because they think that advanced computer skills are needed. Not so, I am living proof of that. I can only talk about my own experiences, but here are a few of the things I've learned along the way. The type of blog you have depends on what you want out of it - if you want an online diary which outlines your crafting journey/holidays/life, then you can burble away to your hearts content and limit the people who can read your blog to the chosen few, who you can invite as readers. If you want to share your stuff with as many people as possible, then you need to keep your blog updated regularly and put yourself out there - start taking part in some of the many challenges, gradually, and to your delight, people will return your visits and even leave you comments

1. Blogger is easy. I have to use Wordpress for different design team posts, and can't get on with it at all. Probably user incompetence, but if, like me, you aren't that computer savvy, go for blogger. If you choose blogger, open it with Google Chrome, blogger is a Google platform and the two work well together. You can download both for free

2. You can set up a basic blog using standard layout templates, and add a few gadgets and gizmos to it. Just a tip, make your blog as easy to read as possible, and remember that the more gadgets you have, the longer it will take to load, and people aren't going to hang around for ages, they click on to the next blog. This is especially true of music. What may bring back wonderful memories to you of a romantic and blissful honeymoon evening, may remind others of the blazing row they had with their other half when he/she got paralytic at Grandmas birthday party and disappeared for a long walk around the garden with your second cousin.......people would click that little red X faster than you can blink. Safer to do without music, it doesn't always soothe the soul in my experience

3. If you get inspiration from somewhere, put a link to that site, and try to link or name products that you use as well. If you don't, you will get emails and questions about where you bought stuff, it's easier to put it on when you write the post

4. If you want to get fancy, there are loads of people out there who will help you design a blog. Mine was done by Sarah, her link is right at the bottom of this blog, and her prices were very reasonable. Before I used Sarah, I made a blog header myself, I think they were hopping frogs, I can't quite remember now, but it was fun to do

5. Be careful what you call it. What seems quirky and funny, or clever or witty may not be such a good idea when people are saying 'I visited a blog which I loved, but can't remember what the heck it was called. Take my 'Going Buggy'. I chose that off the top of my head because in those days I was very active on the Cricut message board (in its glory days). When you made a certain number of posts, under your name appeared 'Going Buggy' or something else (anyone remember any of the other names?). So as I was 'Going Buggy' on the message board, I pinched it for my blog. However, to register it as a web address I had to put Going-Buggy, and if you miss out that vital little hyphen between the words, up pops a blog called 'For God's Sake'. which is pretty much what I am thinking every time it happens!

6. Don't expect to make any money out of it. Although I work the equivalent of a full time job in crafting/blogging, I don't make any money (I spend quite a lot though!).   I get lots of free products, and I do get paid for magazine commissions If you want to do it, do it for fun, and hobby blogging  is fun. I have made some great friends, and get quite anxious if I don't see a familiar name popping up for a while....I certainly don't regret starting this blog, I occasionally look back, and since I put a lot of little anecdotes in about the children or something that happened on my travels, I remember things that I would otherwise have forgotten. So it's like my diary, which I am happy to share

I hope this helps anyone thinking of taking the plunge, jump in and enjoy, and let me know so that I can link to your new blog here, and come and see you, bringing some of my friends with me. Put the kettle on!

23 comments:

  1. Great advice Enfys!!
    I need to get back to my blog.
    It is since my Husband has passed away things seem to be not so easy anymore. I have tried a couple of times but I am going to get back to it again. I remember you use to come and read my blog often.

    By the way I love the card.
    Love those pansies.

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  2. Great post, Enfys...and a beautiful card!

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  3. Very nice card! Great write up about blogging. I enjoy it very much and am totally incompetent with computer stuff, so that shows how easy it really is. I enjoy sharing my crafting with others and being on design teams, but like you said, it does take quite a bit of time.

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  4. Hiya Enfys, interesting to read about your blog and ideas for others to do the same. I have a blog (for around 2 years) but only have 8 followers. I didn't know how to make myself known to others to visit and will take your advice about entering challenges. My blog is http://honeybeebeth.blogspot.co.uk/. . . would love you to visit. Sue x

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  5. What a fabulous card this is ... I love pansies, they are such a happy flower. In my mind, I see a pretty face in each flower ... almost like a little garden fairy. Of course my mind also gives them delicate little legs and arms and has them dancing joyfully through the garden ... but that's a whole other story (*wink*).

    What wonderful information to share about blogging. I know many will find it helpful. I think Blogger is pretty easy to use as well. Although I do not blog much these days, I always found it fun, and even a little therapeutic to put your random thoughts down in a journal of this type.

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  6. Great card and what a great summary of blogging too. I would encourage anyone to have a go, yes it seems daunting at first but you soon find your way around it and there are so many bloggers happy to give advice. I often help with queries. 5 years on I love blogging still.

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  7. Beautiful card Enfys - I love your colour choice to match with the super flowers.

    I'm not very "Techy" but on the whole I've managed to find my way around Blogger. I'm still surprised by the fact that I've managed to keep my blog going as it wasn't something I ever intended to do (a friend encouraged me to "have a go").

    Toni xx

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  8. Great card Enfys, the pansies are gorgeous. Interesting reading about setting up a blog but I'm still not sure I have the confidence to do it. I just LOVE reading yours each day though - it's always entertaining. Pat x

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  9. First off, your retirement card is beautiful, thank you for sharing! You have amazing creativity and talent!

    Secondly, thank you for all the information regarding blogging. Very helpful information and once I retire I may look into doing this. Thank you for taking the time to post this!

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  10. Your card is terrific, so clean and elegant at the same time! Thank you for the blogging advice; I'm sure it will be very helpful. Since I still work (in an office) every day, I only have a limited amount of time to craft. I enjoy reading yours, and a couple of other's blogs for inspiration, but sadly, not enough time to make a blog of my own. Maybe, in retirement!! LOL. BethAnn

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  11. Hi, Enfys,

    Don't have a blog. My life is not that interesting and I am sure thry would use that little red button quite often. I do scrapping, cards only these days. I think many of them are noteworthy as far as cuteness goes, And at certain times I lose my mojo for a few weeks. Not happy with that. I am back on line again as I have so many birthdays in August and then there is Halloween, etc. so I will be busy do ng that.My computer know;edge is horrible. I can get around, but some of these things I do not know how to do. I love your site, I read you first and disappointed when you are not there. I wish when you were in Florida that you would have sponsered a crop. I think you lived near me and that would have been wonderful. I live in Trinity, I think near where you lived. Will you be back soon?

    I love the pansies, they look real. Beautiful work.

    Dianne Be;; - Sewpro02@aol.com

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  12. Love the pansies on your card. A helpful post. I found blogger easy,researched & played around a great deal to get it's current look. Just wish I had all the time in the world to craft & blog.

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  13. Lovely cards & brilliant advice. Point 2 about music made me laugh! How very true, though!

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  14. Luv the Pansy card!! and you have fabulous tips for blogging.
    and that is how bloggers find other bloggers by the comments we leave..anyway that's what I do...lol

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  15. So beautiful is your card Enfys the pansies are stunning x

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  16. Very nice card! Great write up about blogging. hugs, Helena

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  17. Gorgeous card and I agree with what you have said about blogging too. Thank you for sharing.
    Hugs
    Linda xxx

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  18. What a gorgeous card. As a fellow blogger I found your little tips really interesting. X

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  19. OK. So, we're never going to see photos of the prize box giveaway and what was in the box, are we? How frustrating.

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  20. Bee-utiful! Funny, well not ha ha funny. My dad's been gone 40 years. And I still miss him terribly. Of course father's day here is today, so everything seems to bring him back. The pansies on your card, did that too. He had small garden lots around the edge of the yard. In front,he grew almost nothing but pansies. He loved them in purples.Thanks for the memories my friend. Hugs Jess

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  21. Brilliant advice. Got to admit had I read this weeks ago it would have saved me and time thinking my pc was broken as all I got every time I tried to blog was ERROR. It was simple in the end and you mentioned it, Chrome. I am very grateful for the help you have given me., I can't thank you enough. xx

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I love reading your comments, thank you for taking the time
Enfys x