Three Top Tips

You know how you can tell which bloggers are "just starting out", and which have been around for quite a while? Well I was thinking, what if there was a way for the more established bloggers to help out the newbies? I know we all want to build a better blog, whether it's attracting more followers or subscribers, figuring out when (and what) to blog about, knowing all the ins and outs of designing, or even just knowing how to do a bit of html. I'm not saying I'm a professional or anything, but there are some tips I've found about blogging that I'd like to be able to share with other bloggers. I'm sure you've found some as well.
So - introducing:

Three Top Tips is just like what it sounds like: an event for you to post the three most beneficial tips you have come across in your blogging journey. A way for you to give a little something, and hopefully pick up a little something too.

Here's how it will work. The event will be held on July 1st through the 4th. On the 1st, I will post my three top tips, with a linky list for you to link to. Any time from July 1st to July 4th you can create a post of your own three top tips, and then add it to the list. On Monday (July 5th), I will put up a poll on my sidebar for people to vote for the Twelve "Tip-Top" Tips out of all the tips entered. (Don't you just love that tongue twister?)


Here are the Official Rules:

1. Anyone can participate. :) As long as you can come up with three things that have benefited you in your blogging journey, you are welcome to join in! Please don't feel intimidated by the long-time bloggers or bloggers who have several hundred followers or whatever else may intimidate you. It doesn't matter how long you have been blogging or how many followers you have - you have tips to share! And besides, who knows how many bloggers might benefit from what you've learned?

2. Make sure that your tips are not just preferences. For example, a good tip would be: "Don't have the background of your posts be a similar or conflicting color with the color of your words." A preference would be more like "A three-column blog looks nicer than a two-column blog." 

3. If your tips are specific for a certain kind of blog, that is great as well! Just please make sure to state that next to the tip. (i.e. Tip #1 [for photography blog] )

4. Please only post three tips! I know it's hard to narrow things down, but I did pick the number three for a reason (and no - the reason wasn't just for alliteration). This way you have to think carefully and only post your very best tips. Some ideas for you are to pick the three things that were the most helpful to you when starting, or maybe the three things you learned that radically changed the way you blog or the amount of followers you received.


I would love to have a lot of participation in this so we can get a wide range of tips and tricks. So please, spread the word! Take my button and put it on your sidebar, post about it, tell all your friends, tell all your neighbors.... well, maybe not that radical, but you catch my drift. ;) And be sure to tell all the newbie bloggers you know (online or in real life). I really want this event to be an encouragement and help to them.

I hope you all enjoy this event, and I look forward to seeing all of your insights on July 1st!

You Asked For It!

Here are the videos of me playing my compositions like you asked for! I've uploaded two for your enjoyment. It's been pretty amazing how each day this week I will just sit down at the piano and compose a new song. It is so much fun. :)
Please make sure to turn off the music player on the sidebar before you watch them. 

This first one is called "Frustration", and is based off of a very simple (but effective) chord progression. I imagine someone sitting down at the piano and starting a song, but quickly getting frustrated that it just repeats over and over again:




This song is tentatively titled "Press On". I envision a person on a journey, exhausted and weary beyond belief, yet always finding new strength in God. I'd like to know how it speaks to you!
The song is not quite "finished" - i.e. there are probably parts I will take out or polish a little more. And the ending is rather drawn out because I wasn't really solid on how I was going to end it. But here it is, for your enjoyment:

Happy is the Word

Yes, happy is definitely the word for my mood today. Here's the reasons why:


1. I changed/modified my blog! I decided (after much deliberation) to go along with the "clean and fresh" look and got rid of my background (and changed a few other things). What do you think?

2. I finally got a haircut. (I kind of have a love-hate relationship with my hair: I love it when it's long because it looks nice, but I also hate it because it makes me hot and uncomfortable.) My friend cut it for me, and she did a great job. :) I think it was about two inches off, which is so much nicer and cooler for summer.

3. I'm still working on 30,000 words in 30 Days (and about 12,000 words behind!).  I've taken to doing early morning writing sessions with a very good friend who is also a writer. We wake up at 6:00 am, get on our computers and write (and chat) together for a couple of hours. It really is enjoyable. :) And even though I am so behind, I'm still happy that I can write consistently each day.

4. I've composed a total of at least four songs this week. :) They're all still swirling around in my brain, and I don't want to lose them (or mix them up!), so I video'd myself playing them. If y'all ask nicely, I may post one or two.... ;)

5. God has really been blessing my life recently, in so many more ways than I can express or count. If I didn't have Him, my happiness would be fleeting and empty. But in Him, I have boundless delight.

Modest Fashion Day 5

Well, it's the last day of Modest Fashion week!

I couldn't resist wearing pink again. ;) The shirt I got as a gift from a friend. Capri's are from Kohl's (I believe they were $15). Flip-flops were also from Kohl's (like $10 or so).

I just wore my hair down today, as we went to the lake and swam. And the flowers are embroidered all over my shirt. :)

Well, this modest fashion week has been fun! I hope you all have enjoyed seeing my outfits. :) I'm so thankful that it really is possible to dress modestly and fashionably. :D