Living Our Dreams

All Sparkly New!

I spent my week giving the Venomous Toads a run for their money! YES I CAN, has been the mantra here in my studio, as I worked to create a sparkly new web/blog site! 

Actually I think I got a little carried away with the challenge, but it was SO MUCH fun feeling empowered to figure this out, so I can be free to control my website destiny. 

I have a few things to add like a link to articles, so I can make it easier to find things that pertain to empowering your life ! I will also be learning about shopping carts and Typepad next, so I can reload the Guided Imagery CD-rom and some new empowering and FEISTY products for you.  

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and please click the comment link, and let me know what you think of my new "home."

Getting a handle on it

I didn't take this image, but I hand colored her in PS. I've had it in my morgue for awhile. I REALLY love it! It feels like me these last two days as blast away the "I can't do it myself," Toads and ride off into empowered blogland!

So, I apologize to everyone that you're actually witnessing the transformation as it occurs, from the outside in as it is, but maybe that's a good thing as you can see what is shifting and what's possible in the realm of your blog-as-website!

So yesterday, I learned how to create a horizontal nav bar. From what I understand I can still jazz it up a little with some code, but I am going to hold off on that to get some other things off the list.  

Here is a list of my intentions in creating this new blog-site:

1. BEAUTY-STILLNESS-CLARITY with a bit of FEISTY thrown in through good measure. Reflective of me, my life, nature and my art. Photos of classes and workshops, my art etc....

2. Classes, workshops, events and simple effective class registration

3. MOST IMPORTANT I can manipulate the site almost plug and play

4. Promote the book/press

Today I am all about Paypal buttons with Typepad. Apologies to Lynne who got caught in the crossfire yesterday and lost the link to the Guided Imagery CD rom. I hope to have that fixed by the end of biz today. I have to thank Heather over at Blogs by Heather, for her AMAZING and SIMPLE-YES WE CAN-tutorial. Stop by and congratulate her on her new baby boy Luke. 

Your comments and feedback would be great during this process! Oh yeah, that leads me to the main question...so why doesn't anyone comment?

Much Blog Musing

 

This is one of my favorite photos from last summer. I put it up because I am heading back over to Dava's this Sunday for brunch with my SWIRL girls sisters, writers-eaters group. 

So after months of musing on the topic...or maybe I should say chewing my nails to the quick, I just attended an online Typepad seminar with blog rock star Andy Wibbles.

As you know, I have been attempting to figure out how to create a useable-meaning I can maintain it myself-website that has a solid blend of coherency, professionalism and creativity. I spent a bundle trying out Word Press. Can I tell you how much I dislike it...YUCK! There, I said it! I have been a Typepad user for a long time now, figuring it all out the old fashioned way, through hair pulling and cursing at the computer screen, but for better or worse, so far, it really seems to be the way I need to go for now. 

The seminar was helpful as the focus was e-commerce...the next step to my small but growing biz. Looks like I can integrate what I am already using-Paypal. I am sure there are a million other things that I can do including TP Widgets I don't already know about, but I am determined to figure this out.

My next step is going to be how to figure out how to make changes on the back end and then load the finished product.....if that is possible... I highly recommend the free seminars for you ladies looking to increase your blog presence and yep...I know blogger and wp are free, but I am going to stay loyal for a little while and I am stick with TP professional level for now. 

Stay tuned...I'm off to figure out horizontal nav bars...isn't this web world interesting.

Finding my way

So what does a blog and website really say about you? Well, this appears to be the ETERNAL question for this gal at the moment. 

I am attempting to create a "new look," however, I can't figure out what I want to be. I am fickle. Do I want to be Feisty, bookish, arty, playful, modern, bold, soft, sensual or spiritual. The problem is, I think I am all those things inside and I am having a heck of a time figuring out how to portray that in a design...ask my web designer. I am lucky he's a patient man, and can deal with the roller coaster that is ME.

And so, after it all, I am starting again. What I want is to let the images speak for themselves...at least that's what I think right now....