Faux Designer Paper

This is a card I created for this month’s issue of the Technique Junkie Newsletter.  The background is a technique called faux designer paper, which was a lot of fun to make.   Turquoise blue and lime green has been a favourite colour combination of mine (my new kitchen is going lime green and the livingroom and hall is going to be turquoise/blue).  If you don’t subscribe to the newsletter, now is the time to do it as February’s issue is all about  techniques on a budget.

The February issue of the Technique Junkie Newsletter will be published in just two short weeks – and it features 15 techniques for the budget-minded. This issue features techniques that use basic supplies to create outstanding, beautiful artwork for your cards, scrapbook pages and other creative work.

You can start your subscription with the February issue – and have issues from February 2009 through December 2009 delivered to your doorstep — for as little as $16.95. You will have access to those issues on the Technique Junkie Newsletter subscriber-only pages, too!  All-told, you will have a minimum of 90 techniques delivered to your doorstep by the end of the year.

Are you already a subscriber, but need to renew? You can renew for a year for $16.95, also.  Hurry, though, this offer will not last long!

For those who don’t have Paypal, not to worry–Pat accepts cheques.

Hope to see you ’round!

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How You Can Increase Traffic to Your Blog

This is the time of year so many of us like to make positive changes.  We promise to eat better, live better, and be more content with what we have. Sometimes things are overlooked.  One thing that often gets overlooked is our blog.

A lot of time and effort goes into blogging.  For many it is a way to share their life story with family and friends, or to share their talent.  For others it consumes much of their spare time, and for a smaller population, it is how their living is made.  Sometimes we start to blog with one purpose in mind, but ends up moving in a different direction.  Whatever the reason, it all comes down to one thing.  Blogging is work!

Why Blog?

Part of the fun in blogging is seeing the blog grow.  There are many ways to help with the growth without too much effort, and on the flip side, there are ways to grow with time and effort.  However you choose to make improvements and grow is a personal decision.  Listed below are some helpful questions to ask yourself on the quest to improving your blog.

1.   What was the purpose of you starting to blog?  Has that changed?

2.   What posts got you the most excited?

3.   What posts were the most popular?

4.   What do other bloggers do that you would like to do?

5.   Has the traffic to your blog increased?

6.   How does the design of your blog look?

7.   Is there clutter on your blog?

8.   Does your blog engage the reader?

If your blog has the ability to gather statistics, you can narrow down the results even further:

1.   Did the growth of your traffic grow steadily.  Has it dropped off?

2.   What posts were the most popular?

3.   What was the biggest source of traffic?  Why was it so big?

4.   Where were your visitors from?  Did outside-of-country visitors increase?

5.   How long do your visitors stay on your blog?

6.   What postings get the most visits?

How To Increase Traffic To Your Blog

1.   Leave a nice comment on someone’s blog.  It is a simple and easy way to increase your traffic.  Not only does it lead to the owner to reciprocate, but it also leads to other people clicking on your name.  Once they visit, they may never leave again.

2.   Take some time to toot your own horn.  If you post a tutorial, let people know.  Are you a member of a message board?  If you are, this is the perfect place to announce your hard work.

3.   Participate in challenges.  Quite often, the originator of the challenge will link you up.   Not only are you having fun creating, but you get your name out to other bloggers.

4.   Offer blog candy.  Everyone likes a chance to win, and many bloggers make announcements about other bloggers who are offering blog candy.

5.   Do you have a business card?  Business cards are not only for the business woman and man.  Today, business cards are colourful and fun.  Create a business card with your blog name and path name for friends and family.

6.   Are you mixing up the style of your cards or projects?   There are always new techniques and card folds, and readers enjoy seeing them.  Two great sources for learning new techniques and folds are available right here on my blog, and the Technique Junkie newsletter. By the way, Pat just expanded her newsletter from six to eight pages–that’s a lot of extra information and card art.

7.   Are you using popular products?  Quite often you will find popular items at the dollar store.  If you find an older product, invent a new way to use that product.  Reinvention draws lots of attention.  If you reinvented, don’t forget to plug it on   the message boards.

8.   What are other bloggers doing well?  Does it fit into your niche?  If it does, don’t be afraid to try something new.

9.   Are you keeping your talent fresh by taking workshops or classes at your college?   Today there are lots of on-line classes to sign up for if leaving the house isn’t for you.

10.  Was a particular post popular?  If it was, revisit the idea and turn your post into a three part series.  Not only will it be fun for your readers, but it will get them coming back.

11,  Are you involved in the blogging community?  There is an abundance of message boards to choose from.  Getting involved and staying involved will draw visitors to your blog.
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12.  How does the design of your blog look?  Are you happy with your host, or is it time to look at another?  There are many new “skins” or “themes” for blogs.  Is it time to update yours?

13.  What features and widgets are you using or not using?  Readers like to see fun new things–and there are a lot around.

14.  Does your blog offer a variety of methods to subscribe?  Readers who subscribe love you, so why not keep them coming back for more.

This list should be enough to get you started.   Maybe you already have ideas swirling around in your head.  Let me know your thoughts.  Next week I will discuss some of these items again, and will have a few new ideas. Watch for your subscription to jump into your mailbox or RSS feed.  Not signed up?  Sign up today–it’s free.

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Apple Pie

I’m back!  My mom and sister said you’d be missing me, and were demanding that I post.  You can see from yesterday’s photos just how snowed under I am.  Well, after receiving a couple of e-mails of concern (thank you ladies), I thought I better get busy and get back into the studio for you.

I have fallen in love with Stampavie.   This is an image designed by Sarah Kay.  Many of us have childhood memories of Sarah Kay, as she is the lady who developed Holly Hobby.  I remember my mom doing two needlepoints of Holly Hobby for my sisters.  Now we can take it all in again with her stamp line.

For those of you who love a challenge, there is a new blog called Magnolia vs Stampavie. You will definately see me participating, and I hope you do too!

My image was watercoloured with Tombow markers and painted with Twinkling H2O’s.  Next I used Basic Grey’s Euphoria paper because it coordinated with the colours I painted.  Prima flowers were added, and for a little suprise I added a button to the center of one of the flowers.  Leaves were punched out with my Martha Stewart punch.

I hope you like the card I made for you.  At the moment, I’m working on another watercolour image for you.

Have a great day, and thanks for hanging in there for me!

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Happy New Year

Happy New Year. Did you stay up to see the ball fall?  After a quick meal of beer and wings, I hit the pillow because I have to work today.

So, another year has come and gone, and still I have not finished the many projects I set out to do in 2009.  Nor did I lose weight.  This year, I vow to become a better person–a little more patient, a little happier and optomistic, a better mother, wife, friend, sister and daughter.   Aside from those goals, I would like to share some of my other goals.

• Take another pottery class at the college, another coloured pencil class and a mixed media class with Bev Fish
• Remember to send out more thank you notes and birthday cards
• Stick to my to-do lists, declutter, organize
• Finish Sarah’s painting I started last September, and have it done for her birthday in October
• Finish watching Teesha Moore’s You Tube amazing videos and work on journals (journaling is good for the soul)

What are your hopes and dreams for 2010?

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