Thanks for the Opportunity.

This year has been quite an interesting one for me. After 'officially' declaring myself a blogger last year, I've been tweaking how this whole blogging caper sits comfortably with me and my life. Just like anything good worth doing, blogging is a journey, not a destination.
This year I made the conscious decision to blog less, but blog smarter, happier, more focused, more productively and I feel better for it.
Does it show?
On the surface it may seem less personal, less about me and my life and my thoughts, but for me, it's much more natural and comfortable and generous. I've actually never felt so connected. I love to make and do, and sharing that with you is one of my favourite of things. When you read and share and make my projects, it's just the best feeling ever! So for that I say 'Thank you!'

More and more of you are reading - Thank you!
People are noticing you are reading, noticed I'm more focused, more creative, driven, and some exciting opportunities have presented themselves.

This weekend I am speaking on a panel at the Problogger Training Day, fancy that! I've been collaborating on some awesome projects with people I really admire, and the most exciting this so far... I'm now part of the Nuffnang Talent Program.
 
Nuffnang will be handling the behind the scenes business stuff for me, which means I will have even more time to create the best content for you. I'm very excited about it all. There is also a mentoring component, where bloggers in the talent program get master classes from experts and international bloggers. So much to learn!

So I say thank you to YOU! Readers make thing happen for us bloggers, you make it all worthwhile.

I don't know where this journey will take me, but it's certainly going to be exciting.

I suggest you watch this space!

x Cinti

Image overlay by Pugly Pixel

We Wish you a Merry Christmas...

Wow, it's been a crazy year! Two overseas trips, 244 blog posts, 34 tutorials, a sassy 2 year old...and I'm spent.
I've pushed myself really hard this year, blog wise, mainly to challenge myself and see what can happen if I really put my back into something. I've tried lots of new approaches and have learnt so much, hopefully you have enjoyed the journey as well. Now I need a rest.

I'd like to thank you all for reading, liking, following, commenting, especially those of you that have been with us from the start, I hope I'm still relevant. Those of you that have joined us this year, welcome. It's great to be part of your day.

A really special thanks to all my sponsors and shop customers this year, nothing says 'I believe in you' more than handing over your hard earned cash. I don't really do any of this for the money (or I'd starve), but it's funny how validating just a little financial reward can be. I hope your My Poppet experiences this year have been amazing, I know you've all been really great.

Next year is going to be an interesting one. There are changes afoot! Lots of upheaval here at home (no, I'm not pregnant), so I'm taking all of January off to recharge and re-inspire. I'm excited to see how it all pans out.

So now it's time for me to sign off.

Have a Safe and Happy Christmas and holiday period. Laugh, eat and enjoy your loved ones.
See you in the new year
xx Cinti

Two weeks in pictures...

I've felt a little absent from the blog of late, I was getting a little overwhelmed and needed a break. I know I have been blogging, but I haven't felt like really talking. Sometimes its hard to keep sharing when your real life is sapping all the energy you have, and the truth is, a little time to 'just be' is good for all involved. Emma went/has been going through a super challenging defiant stage a the moment, which had me pulling out my hair. But I think I can see a glimpse of light at the end of the dark tunnel, which is giving me hope that she may not need to be sent to boarding school after all, phew! We have actually been having lots of fun in the last few days...
So here is a recap of what you may have missed:
-giant strawberry season, from the shop, not my garden
-new viking softies for Little Sparrow
-Emma and her love of markers, a tiger apparently
-New shoes from here
-Oh dear, broken nail!
-Quilting classes at Little Sparrow
-just having fun
-cute vintage spec frames from the op-shop
-Yay! new nails
-Street art outside Modern Times
-Architect's model of our upcoming build. Yes there will be demolition here soon, no walls, no kitchen...I'm in for a world of pain.

So add all that to shop orders and other boring stuff, and you can see why I needed to crawl under a virtual digital rock.

x Cinti

Nice Nails!

I get a lot of comments on my nails, probably because they are always colourful and look reasonably well kept. Turns out, it's my 'thing'.
For some it may be all about their hair or lippy, I like to have nice nails.
It was never started as a conscious thing, I blame my sister for starting me on the nail vanity journey. You see, she made me get mine done for her wedding (I was in the bridal party), and then I was hooked.

Oh, and did I mention they are faux? Yes gels to be exact. My real nails are so thin and brittle, I could literately peel layers off them, ick! So you can understand why I was enamored almost immediately.

But how do you find the time to maintain them, I hear you ask. Well yes, I do have to get them refilled about every 3 weeks (an hour sans toddler, bliss!). It's my 'me' time. I don't wear make-up or hair product, so I figure I can lash out on the nails every once in a while. My favorite thing is choosing a new colour every time, although I have been quite partial to blue of late. I've just started a Pinterest Board for nail inspiration, it's pretty.

It's amazing how well manicured nails can give you that extra bit of confidence when you just don't feel that great. One can't always guarantee a good hair day, or even managing to pull a good looking outfit together when you are rushing out the door, but my nails I can control, it's worth the investment for me.

Do you have a beauty or fashion 'thing'?

I don't know how she does it?

You know, I get asked all the time..."I don't know how you do it? You have a toddler and yet you are always so productive and creative, where do you find the time?"

Haha, I respond, you haven't seen the state of my house, kitchen, ironing pile...Something's got to give. The truth is I can't have it all, and I can't do it all. Some days I barely manage to cross a teeny tiny task off the to do list, other days things get done a little more efficiently. Often I prioritize the things I enjoy doing over the things that need doing because it makes me happy. And a happy mummy makes for a happy family.

I will always choose to go to the park with Emma over mopping the floor, writing a blog post over doing the ironing, and I hardly ever make a cake from scratch. Mr Man isn't always cool with that, but hey, a wrinkled t-shirt never hurt anyone.

So that's my secret. I try not to be so hard on myself. I've always got a million creative ideas floating around in my head like a never ending 'to do' list, but I just tackle one little task at a time whenever the opportunity arises and things just seem to happen.

As a mother now, I don't wonder 'How do I do it?', I wonder 'How did I not manage to do it when I was child free and really had all the time in the world?'

A conversation with The Haby Goddess - How Building Creative Relationships can help your Business

This video is an impromptu conversation with Jodie from The Haby Goddess who has been a long time friend of mine. In this video we talk about how we met, our creative business styles and how the relationship we have formed has helped improve our crafty businesses. We also talk about the importance of creative collaboration and how working together can make great things happen. Essentially, How Building Creative relationships can help your business.



I hope you enjoy the video. It's a little bit long, and thanks to Emma's many interruptions we may have repeated ourselves once or twice.

There are lots of take away points that may benefit you in whatever field you are in:
- Get to know people in your industry
- Build relationships based on friendship and trust
- Share your knowledge and talk about your ideas
- Collaborate on projects
- Identify your skills and share workload accordingly
- Motivate and be accountable to keep the project moving along.
- Don't try to film a vlog post with a 2 yo around!

I would like to thank Jodie for taking part in this vlog post with me, she was a really good sport.
You can check out Jodie's blog here and her shop here.

The Haby Goddess is a sponsor of the My Poppet blog but in the interest of full disclosure I need to point out that this was NOT a sponsored post. I just thought it would be fun to share.

Do you have a friend like Jodie that you've worked together with to 'get things done'?

Cinti's Top Travel Tips...

As I'm busily packing today, I thought it would be fun to share some of my travel hints. It is not an exhaustive list and some are quite obvious but here is what I know:
(I've added some Japan specific tips towards the end)

Planning your trip:
- Make sure you know in advance any visa/documentation requirements you need to travel. Don't assume your travel agent will know everything, especially if you are not traveling on an Australian passport. Visa requirements may differ for different nationalities. If you are traveling with kids and without both parents, you may require extra documentation/permissions for some countries.

- Check your passports are in date. They will need to be valid for at least 6 months after your planned return.

-Think about the currency you will take and what you will do for money whilst you are there. Don't assume you will be able to access your bank account in some places. I had a really hard time withdrawing cash in Japan. Australian dollars may not get the best exchange rates in some countries, I like to carry some US dollars and Euros as backups. If I can, I purchase some local currency before I leave so I don't have issues with currency exchange when I arrive. The exception to this rule is where the currency is unstable due to inflation etc...

- Your local post office can order currency for you at quite a good exchange rate.

- Never travel overseas without TRAVEL INSURANCE. If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. (Shop around online to save $$)

- Contact your bank to tell them you will be overseas, you don't want your accounts frozen when you are away.

- Make copies of all your travel documents including your passport and credit cards. Leave a copy with some one you trust and take a copy with you in a safe place away from your original documents.
TOP TIP - scan your documents and e-mail them to an e-mail account you can access whilst you are away.

Keep Handy:
- Know where your passport is at all times. It is the most important piece of paper you will own. Keep your boarding passes in a handy place too, you will need to show these and your passport to lots of people.

- I always like to have a couple of pens in my bag, there are never any on the end of those little chains when you need them.

Packing:
- I love zip lock bags! Due to liquid restrictions on international flights all your gels and liquids will need to fit into a sandwich size zip lock. Liquids include, lip balm, hand cream and toothpaste. I use my zip lock as a mini toiletry bag and use small product samples (like mini toothpaste and hand cream) for the flight.

- Pack your chargers, cables and adapters in zip lock bags to keep them all accessible and dry if your luggage gets wet.

- I also like taking a few spare bags to seal up wet/dirty clothes or shoes. Great for keeping paperwork in order and small items like jewelry and accessories organized.

- I never leave home without my laundry kit. It consists of a small bag of washing powder (equivalent to 2-3 loads, double bagged to prevent spillage), a universal sink plug, and a travel washing line (like a bungee cord with hooks on the end). All of this goes inside a mesh/delicates wash bag.

- First aid kit is really important and will save you from miming out embarrassing conditions at a pharmacy where they may not speak English. I tend to pack: Painkillers (without codeine), anti-diarrhoea tablets, rehydration powder sachets, allergy tablets, cortisone cream for rashes and bites, bandaids, alcohol swabs, adhesive fabric tape (for blisters), and of course any other medication you may be required to take regularly.
Don't forget travel sickness prevention tabs if you are prone to motion sickness.
Depending on your destination you may also want to think about travel vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis.
Also sunscreen, insect repellent and anti-fungal cream.

- You won't really need as much clothing as you think you will need, especially in warmer weather. Lugging around heavy luggage is no fun and there won't be any room for shopping. Minimize the size of toiletries, on shorter trips a few sample sachets of shampoo may just be enough to get you through.

TOP TIP- If you are going away for 2 weeks, before you go make a mark on your shampoo/moisturizer etc.. then measure how much you have used at home in 2 weeks. Now you can decant a similar amount into a smaller container and not worry about running short or taking too much.

- make sure your luggage is labeled on the inside just in case the tags on the outside are lost. And of course ensure you have luggage tags with current contact details including a phone no and email address as well as your name and address.

-If you have a nondescript piece of luggage, invest in a brightly coloured luggage strap. You will spot your bag on the conveyor belt from a distance and it will prevent others picking it up by accident.

Check In:
TOP TIP - Take a photo of your check in bags before you check them in. That way, if they are lost it's much easier to show a photo of your missing bag than trying to describe it from memory.

- Be nice to the check in staff, they don't need your attitude and they can tee you up with some extra leg room if you are lucky (or the holy grail, an upgrade!! It's never happened to me).

- Tell the staff if you prefer an aisle or window early on, it holds up the line if they have to re-do your seating.

On the Plane:
- I like to get myself set up early on. In the pocket in front of me I have my lip balm, ear plugs, eye mask and inflatable pillow. I always travel with a small bag that I keep on me with my passport and valuables.

- Best not to leave money and passports in overhead lockers, you don't know who is accessing bags whilst you may be sleeping.

- Enjoy your flight and catch up on movies you may have missed.

I could go on forever...

Japan specific TIPS

Money was a big issue in Japan. Most ATM machines don't accept foreign issued cards. The post office machines wouldn't accept my Maestro EFTPOS card, luckily I had a Master Card debit card and Visa credit card with me as a back up.
Most shops are cash only.

I took Yen and US dollars with me with the intention of changing my US over there but never came across any exchange offices.

Narita airport is quite a way out of town. Best to catch the Limousine Bus to the general area in Tokyo where you need to go.

We purchased a PASMO card for public transport which one can load up and use on any train and bus service, it saves heaps of time and stops you fumbling around for the right money at ticket machines.

If you have any general or specific questions, please leave a comment and I'll answer them in a comment so everyone can see. I may even write another post if the answer is complex.

Bon Voyage...

One year on...a reflective moment.

Photo overlay: Thanks to Pugly Pixel

It's been a little over a year since I closed the bricks and mortar side of my business, and I've been reflecting on it for a while, thinking about how my life has changed since then.
Looking back, and without realizing it, I was super stressed out, the pressure of trying to make a business succeed in tough economic times was really making me unhappy. I didn't realize that then of course, but I did know that resenting your child for taking up precious work time was not a healthy thing.

With hindsight it's easy to see that this was the right decision to make, but at the time I was really heartbroken. I kept all of my shop fittings because I thought I'd open another store down the track, but now I just laugh at how silly that all sounds.
When I sold off my hangers and used the shelving in Emma's room I felt lighter. I have a few mannequins and a POS/till in the garage that will go soon too, and then it will be final, I am a blogger and internet retailer now.

Yes, blogger first. It's now how I describe myself to people when they ask what I do. Since the b&m shop closed I have been posting about 5 times a week, that's at least 10-12 hours of work weekly, when you factor in photography, editing and actually writing the post, more if it's a tutorial. So it's like my part-time job.
The e-shop takes up all the rest of my spare time.
But why work doesn't feel like work anymore, (most of the time anyway), is because it fits in around my life. I can choose the time of the day I want to sit in front of my computer and upload stock or write a tutorial, I have that choice and it feels good.

Another choice that I feel has really empowered me, is the decision to take sponsors for my blog. What ever your feelings is topic may be, (I know there has been a little controversy out there in blogland of late) I like that I am now "officially" a professional blogger. My blog has always been a part of my business and now that I am spending so much of my energy working on it, it's logical that it should earn me an (extremely modest, haha) income too. Mr Man was 'very impressed' when my first sponsor came on board, it was the first time he'd said that about my blogging ever. It's funny how men think that nothing is worth doing unless you get paid - but that's a whole different blog post.

So who knows how things will be in another year or two down the track. I'm interested to do my taxes and compare this financial year to the last, I have a feeling that I'll be doing better than my (minus) -$890 profit for the previous tax year, hopefully my accountant will be 'adequately impressed' as well.

Bloggers wear stripes...

Holly over at Decor8 is having a super fun stripey meme, and since both Emma and I happened to be wearing stripes yesterday, I thought it would be fun to join in.

It got me to thinking about how people perceive us by our appearance, and how easy it is for people to assume things about us (usually incorrectly) just by how we look.
Often (amusingly) people presume things about me because of where I live, the car I drive, my hair cut and even my youthful good looks. Now none of these presumptions bother me at all, especially when people think I'm in my 20's, but it makes me wonder how much I presume about other people without even realising.
I must say, I have had embarrassing 'foot in mouth' syndrome many a time at the shop, asking ladies when they were expecting. It was sort of an occupational hazard! You think I would have learned after the first few times!!!

Do people assume things about you? Are they spot on, or way off?

Do you wear stripes? Are you a blogger?

Emma and my camera...

Photos today thanks to Emma...I was on my way out yesterday morning to deliver my tripod to a friend, but just couldn't resist taking a moment to sit on my doorstep in the glorious sunshine and enjoy a quiet cup of tea. In the mean time Emma had set up the tripod and was pretending to take photos...

She just loves mimicing anything I do, so I thought I'd set the camera up for her to see what happened. I showed her which button to press to take the photos, and because it was supported by the tripod and set to automatic there was not too much risk of damage. Emma had a great time with cries of "I did it" after every shot.
These are some of the best, there was a lot of the wall, but hey she is only two after all.

Cinti's Travels - Greece

On Wednesday I asked my facebook and twitter followers (you?) what they would like me to blog about today. The answers varied from tutorials and bunnies, to Emma and a little more about me.
Well I don't really know much about bunnies, but I do know about me, and there is more to me than just being a crafty mum...
Whilst looking for some files on an old hard drive I stumbled across some photos of past voyages, so I thought you may enjoy my new occasional feature - Cinti's Travels.

Does it surprise you that before life got so complicated with businesses and babies and mortgages, all I would think about was where in the world would I go next, and how was I going to get there? I would leave a job at the drop of a hat if a travelling opportunity arose, and I'd never commit to more than a casual position for that reason. I think it's what they call Wanderlust...I still have it, although things are more complicated now.

Here are some photos, sketches and memories from a trip to Greece in 2006. I spent 5 weeks travelling with a friend.

Santorini, yes it's truly postcard perfect. There is something about the quality of light there that makes every vista amazing. We didn't stay in the picturesque village of Oia, which is probably one of its most recognised places, but we did catch the bus there most evenings just to watch the incredible sunset which would colour the whitewashed buildings a beautiful shade of coral then slowly change though to violet as the sun finally set.And everything was so intensely white that in the midday sun the glare was almost blinding.
Another memorable place that had been on my wish list since my first trip to Greece 10 years earlier, was the Monastery complex of Meteora in the north of Greece. We spent 2 days walking up in the hills and visiting these 14th century monasteries perched impossibly atop sandstone rock pillars. It was a very special place which had a certain spirituality about it, so it didn't surprise me that hermit monks chose to inhabit caves there as far back as the ninth century.
Originally the only means of access to the monasteries was by precarious rope ladders or cargo nets, but now there are stairs and paths which make visiting them easier but still hard work. I think I was fitter back then. Interestingly I snapped a pair of orthodox priests travelling across a ravine in a very precarious looking cable car (below), it looked just like a little bath suspended in mid-air being kept up only by prayer.
And lastly I'd like to share this photo of a 'china' stall at an Athens flea market. It was so amusing, I can't even imagine what would possess someone to stack up such fragile objects to haphazardly. I wonder what the vendor would have done if I'd asked to see 'that vase' right at the bottom? Imagine the gems hidden amongst that lot?
Looking back at these photos taken with my point and shoot digital, I can't help being impressed at how well it performed. I have dug it out of the cupboard and will be using it on my next trip abroad (will spill the beans soon).

Did you enjoy this mini adventure? Just like traveling without the jet lag or leg cramps. Will share some more 'Cinti's Travels' if I ever have time to dig out some more photos.

Needle felting Workshop - the roundup...

It was lots of fun last night at the secret* needle felting workshop that I taught at Windsor Deli. Running a workshop wasn't anything I'd considered doing until Kat twisted my arm to share my knowledge with some of the Southside Brown Owls Chapter.
Everyone got their own needle and pads, but only after a needle handling safety talk. I didn't want any major injuries, an fortunately the novelty Simpsons band-aids only needed to be used on one unlucky finger! *(Secret only because it was not openly advertised)
So the idea was to teach some basic techniques all whilst each making a macaron. The ladies did a brilliant job as you can see by the beautiful finished pieces above. As a little bonus, and because the students were eager for knowledge, we all had a go at making some tiny toadstools. Aren't they adorable?
I think most of the ladies are hooked. I packed up some wool roving packs for them to get creative at home with their new found skills. Can't wait to see what they make...

Thanks ladies for an entertaining and relatively injury free night
x Cinti

I may consider running another class if their is enough interest. if it's something that you might be interested in, why not sign up to the mailing list so I can keep you up to date with any news on the subject:

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Cheery pins...

I have a cold, it's one of those ones that gradually creeps up on you and you try and push through, with out much luck. It's not a really bad one, just one that makes your brain all mushy and saps your energy and motivation. Team that up with a toddler that decided not to have a nap, and I'm all out of energy to blog.

So instead I thought I'd share some of my colourful pins from my Pinterest boards.
1.2.3.4.5.

Behind the scenes at THE photoshoot...

If you've been following some of my tweets you may have worked out that I had some special guests at my home yesterday, the kind that get you in a panic in the lead up to their visit. Yes a guy with a camera and a super stylish art director!
I thought you might like to see some of behind the scenes action at yesterday's photo shoot. No idea when the story will be published, but will give you a heads up when if I find out.

Left to right: Meisha (graphic designer/director for the day), cute baby belonging to Lou, Chris (Photographer), Louise (writer/journalist)
Emma started the day acting all shy and clinging to my leg but as the shoot progressed she became quite comfortable with the camera.

Chris was very kind and even let her take a few shots of her own.
I really struggled for 3 days to get the place looking decent, trying to clear my accumulated clutter was a big task. Chris, who has been here before was surprised with the transformation "where have all the piles of fabric gone?"
Tidying up involved a big spring clean and a total reorganisation of my sewing room (I'll share the sewing room photos soon).
I must give a big shout out to Pilgrim for helping me with boring task of fabric folding (and dust inhaling) and even a bigger thanks (and big hug) to Estelle for jumping at the chance to style my de-cluttered areas.
Estelle came around on Tuesday with 5 big boxes of cool stuff and an 18mo old who was booked into surgery the next day. I can't believe she didn't tell me to F-off, but she is a top chick and deserves a big fat styling credit. The team was very impressed!Down stairs took 1.5 hours, shots from this angle and that.
Then the upstairs. Poor Chris had tot get in some really awkward positions and that camera is much heavier than it looks.
A lot of discussion about how to shoot what. All up they were here for 2.5 hours, and were really disappointed they didn't have more time because they had to get to another shoot.

I was running so late as Emma had a big sleep in till 9am, she is normally my alarm clock, so you can imagine the chuckles I received when I opened the door in my pyjamas! Chris has shot lots of celebs (we won't drop names), but he likes pyjama clad real people the best :) What a great guy!

The team was even nice enough to tidy up my kitchen whilst I changed and brushed my teeth. Mr Man reckons we should have a camera team round at least once a month, the place has never looked this good. Although, there is lots of stuff just shoved in cupboards and under the stairs because I couldn't find a real home for them! I will try to tackle the cupboard clutter slowly, with the aim of having some order in this house finally.

Chris was very generous with his knowledge and gave me some hints to share with you all when you are taking interior shots:

Use a tripod, and if it's not a particularity stable one, it's best to use the self timer on the camera to avoid camera shake when you press the button.

Always shoot the highest res you can and if you have photoshop shoot in RAW mode (DSLR) as well as Jpeg, this means your shots can be print ready.

If shooting for the web, shoot your subject nice and tight with a shallow depth of field. You need to capture your viewers attention which is a fraction of a second, busy composition just doesn't cut it. Pick a stand out subject and focus on it.

Also don't be afraid to pump up the colour saturation for web destined shots, post production.

And this one is GOLD - if shooting a room with a chair or table, try to include at least one full leg to give a good sense of proportion.

So do you feel like you were right there? I'll take photos of the house whilst its still relatively tidy in the next few days so I can share them with you here.
Hope you enjoyed the behind the scenes action...I need a good lie down.

A little experimental crochet...

Whilst my computer was on 'holidays' I started a little crochet project destined to be a cushion cover for my couch.
It is based on a Log Cabin quilting design. I'm still not convinced if I like it or not.
Conceptually I love the idea of growing a 'block' of crochet as if I was piecing fabrics together, but as it gets bigger i'm not loving the overall look as much.
Maybe its the colours, or combination there of, that I've chosen? I must admit, I did not put much thought in, just grabbed them out of the basket as i went along...
I will finish it, sew it up and reserve my judgement until it's nestled amongst all the other cushions on the sofa.

Would love your thoughts...do you love it, hate it, or somewhere in between?

Animation Good Friday...

I'd Like to wish all of you a very safe and happy Easter break.
How ever you choose to celebrate this time, religious or non, it is a perfect opportunity to slow down and reflect, enjoy the company of family and friends, and eat a little too much chocolate.

I'll be taking a forced vacation from my computer till next week when hopefully it can be repaired after a minor breakdown. Too much blogging? But will be kept busy hunting eggs and celebrating Emma's birthday.

Hope the Easter bunny pays you a visit wherever you choose to spend your 5 day break.

x Cinti

Hush, Hush!

I've finally finished my 'top secret, can't say anything or I'll have to kill you' project. As you can see it's very technical as it involves fancy rulers and such. I don't know why it has taken me so long to actually get it done, I took procrastination to the next level on this one!
Can't say who or what it's for, but you can probably make out what it is...but keep it under your hat *eyes dart around* it's very hush, hush!

Crafting a little blog of your own?

I received this email last week from a Jody, a lovely reader and customer:
"Hi Cinti, I have been following you for a long time now, I love your shop, your blog and all your tutes!
I have found you to be so inspiring I have decided to create my own blog! It is something I have wanted to do for a some time now, but have just never had the time to do it!
I am unfortunately not as creative as you, but endeavour to be. I would like my blog to be about me, my beautiful children, things I make, like and dream of doing. I guess what I am trying to say in a rambling way is, do you have any advice for a newbie?
what software do you use? do you blog from your pc or phone? how did you get your blog to be so pretty? Also what are the rules when it comes to posting things you like from other peoples blogs? can you link them? I'm sure you must get emails and questions like this all the time, it must drive you crazy, I'm sorry, I just don't have any one else to ask."(Of course I asked Jody permission to publish this)

I was more than happy to help Jody out, but thought it would be fun to write a blog post so everyone could benefit...
Firstly I'll preface this with - I'm not a bloggy/techie expert and everything that I know I've learnt from google, asking helpful friends and trial and error. I've been blogging for nearly 4 years but am still learning new things every day. Lots of questions here, lets start at the beginning. What software do you use?
There are a few blogging platforms available, the most common ones are Wordpress, Typepad and Blogger. When i started my blog all that time ago, I chose Blogger because I felt it was the most user friendly at the time. I'm not endorsing blogger over any others, it can be temperamental at times, but it serves it's purpose and its free.
I write my posts directly into the blogger window, but as I found out recently from Leni and Rose you can use Windows Live writer to post to your blog. I'll give it a try one day.

Do you blog from your pc or phone?
I write my blog from my laptop, usually in the evenings when Emma is asleep. I recently learnt how to schedule posts so I can write things like tutorials when i have time and post them at a later date. Here is some info on how to schedule posts on blogger

Blogger does have a free iPhone app BlogPress Lite hat will help you post from your phone. I have probably only used it whilst on holidays. Its handy for quick posts without much text but will only upload small photos. You can see one of my phone posts here.

How did you get your blog to be so pretty?
That took a while...it didn't always look like this.
There are a few options available.
1. Use a ready made template. Blogger has a new design function now that lets you choose your colours, layout and background image. It will also let you preview how it will look without making any permanent changes.
2. There are thousands of free templates you can download and uses as your blog. They will often have the designers link at the bottom
3. You can engage a designer to design your blog template for you. There will be a cost.
4. You can chose the most basic template - Minima and mess about with the code yourself.

At the time of starting my blog option 1 wasn't available, I couldn't find anything pre made that I liked and option 3 was much less accessible, so that left me with the Minima template. It has been the best thing I could have done as lots of HTML coding tutorials are based on the minima template.
I suggest keeping your design simple. In my opinion I'd rather my readers focus on my content than a really busy layout or background.

Start with an nice header image - You can easily create one using Picnik a free online image editor which allows you to overlay text and graphics over photos, make collages and then resize them to your required size.

Background - you can choose a basic colour or image in the blogger design function. If you want to have your own custom one you will have to host it somewhere like photobucket. this option and will take some fiddling with CSS (cascading style sheet) in your HTML template. This is the tutorial I used.
Note: before you start fiddling with HTML code on your template, make a backup!

Pictures - Take and post nice bright pictures. Use some photo-editing software to crop, brighten and make your images more attractive. Blogger will only host and post images upto 400px max. If you want nice big photos you will have to host them on photobucket or Flickr and then upload the url link. I use photobucket which allows me to have 600px wide photos.

Side bar - I created some of my cute buttons using Picnik, uploaded them as photos and then added links.
Add interesting links, like blogs you like to read, where to find you on other social networks (lots of cute free buttons around for these), about you and don't forget to include a way for people to easily follow you like an RSS or google follower widget.

Tinker with your blog until you are happy with it. It should evolve as you do.

Also what are the rules when it comes to posting things you like from other peoples blogs? can you link them?
OK, pay attention people!
It is the height of blogging rudeness and could infringe on copyright if you don't credit other bloggers or websites content. It is always best to get permission to use someone's original images and if you find something through another blog or website, give credit to them as well.
Design sponge has written some excellent posts on blogging etiquette here
Because reposting images can be a complicated minefield, I tend to use my own original photos. I think that's what makes it my blog.
You may have noticed a little disclaimer at the bottom of my side bar --> about how I allow my original content to be used and re-posted. You may want to think about how you would like your content to be used by others (if at all) and clearly state that on your blog.

So I hope that answered some of your questions, and has made you think of so many more! Feel free to ask more questions, or topics you would like me to expand on in the comments and I'll try to answer them in future blog posts. Enjoy your blogging!

BTW: Vintage trims are from L'uccello in Melbourne

More than just a shop...

I've been pondering for a while about this blog, how it has changed my life in a significant way, how it has changed over it's three and a half years and what it will become...
I almost cringe now when I look at some of my first blog posts, they were forced and clunky, and so obviously just to market my business. At the start I never felt very comfortable about sharing my personal story, feelings and thoughts, and I almost wonder now if it was because I thought no one would really care?

I never considered myself a very good writer. The fact is my worst marks at school were for English. A+'s for Chemistry, Biology, Maths etc...English mmm a not so respectable C. But practice makes perfect and writing every day has helped me develop my own writing style, not a very good one maybe, but a style none the less.

Over these years, writing the blog has become part of my daily routine, and especially since Emma's arrival, a defacto journal of how she and I have changed. I lie in bed at night writing the next days post in my head, I take photos where I normally wouldn't have, so I can share little fragments with you and my future self. It feels natural now.

So see that little tag line just under the blog header "A story about a girl and her shop"?
I don't think it applies any more, I think I need a new one.
I will take my time to figure out what my story should be about...more than just a shop...