Don’t get all excited, because this has nothing to do with working out! But, in the interest of always improving my blog, I realized that my Category list was becoming extremely long and out of control.
Every time I wrote a post, I was adding another category, if necessary, and I realized it was time to make things short and sweet. So I re-categorized everything into seven simple sections, and I think they are pretty self-explanatory. All of my former categories were transformed into tags, with a little magic thanks to WordPress, so they can still be easily located by searching for phrases like Photography and Beauty. Hopefully, this will be easier on your eyes and mine, and will force me to focus specifically on the main subject of each post as I choose its appropriate category.
I’m also sick of my picture staring at me on the front page, so I’m itching to remove it. That didn’t last long, but I still post pictures of myself from time to time and there’s always the one on the About page, too. I’m pretty proud of that picture because I took it myself with our old digital camera, and I think it looks kind of artsy. Sort of. But what do you think? Do you like seeing a blogger’s picture on the front page, or is it okay to have it somewhere else?
Even though I’ve been blogging for several years, I still feel like a beginner as I continue to work out little kinks and figure out what looks best on this site. I appreciate your patience and your readership immensely. During a recent Twitter blog chat, Stacy Morrison said, “Truly, I think if any blogger has two world-class commenters, you’re amply rewarded and your gifts are proven.” That has really stuck with me, because I’m blessed with more than two awesome readers who leave great comments all the time, and I am so grateful for you! You keep me writing every day and give me a place to share my thoughts.
And on that note, if you are a regular reader but don’t comment often or at all, I hope you’ll feel comfortable enough to do so. Comments are like candy for bloggers, or in my case, makeup, and we get a thrill each time someone leaves a nice remark. Thanksgiving seems like an appropriate time for me to express my gratitude to you, my dear readers, and I encourage you to share your feelings and ideas here, too. Please know that they are always welcome and treasured.
I confess that I wish blogs were more conversational, and I will sometimes leave more than one comment on someone’s post, in an attempt to start a conversation or keep one going. I can’t tell if this is helpful or not, but I think part of being a successful blogger means engaging with your readers, and I hope you feel safe doing that here.
So take a moment to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on the front page picture. I really do want to hear what you think. Otherwise, it’s off with my head!
I am missing a pair of shoes. In the mail. It’s a long story, currently without an ending, and if you follow me on Twitter, then you may have seen my little panic-filled rants. I apologize for that and I will fill you in on the entire thing as soon as it is resolved. Which can’t happen soon enough, if you ask me. But nobody has, and that is the problem. Oh well.
But my missing shoes have led me to check the mail obsessively, and my footwear-induced blues were momentarily lifted this past weekend when I received two unexpected boxes in my mailbox. Sadly, neither contained the elusive package over which I’m pining, but I did get a little swag from Minted, a sponsor of Alt Summit. I didn’t know this was coming, and the labels on the boxes thoroughly confused me, so it was a complete thrill to open them and find this.
(Minted’s pamphlets were enclosed within these cute bags, along with some pretty paper cut-outs.)
Just in time for the holidays, Minted supplied all Alt attendees with some precious Christmas decor, and since we’re celebrating Thanksgiving this week, I didn’t waste any time hanging it up. It’s never too early to get a head start on the season.
(A reminder to be joyful, hung from our mantle.)
(And one in our dining room, just for good measure.)
I’m not used to getting free stuff in the mail, and a girl could really get used to this. These pretty banners mark my first swag EVER, in the history of my blogging career, so I feel it’s okay to say that.
They came at the most appropriate time, but I’m still really missing my shoes.
While I haven’t embraced the oxblood trend with clothing yet, I do love the look of darker lips and nails for Fall. I’m trying to wear more daring colors on my nails, and I’ve started giving myself frequent manicures, so I was excited to find Orly’s Smolder, a rich, merlot-colored polish with a bit of subtle shimmer. I layer two to three coats for a dramatic effect, and with a clear top coat, my manicure can last up to a week. It’s a fun way to try the current color trend with the really disgusting name, and there’s minimal commitment.
(My oxblood manicure with Orly’s Smolder.)
And while I don’t think I can really pull off oxblood-colored lips, I did find a dark-stained stick gloss in Black Orchid, by Laura Mercier. It just sounds so much more appealing than the awful oxblood (Who thought of that term to describe a color, anyway?), and leaves a dark, but still iridescent sheen. I can layer it with lipliner and pink gloss for a more dramatic effect, and the look is flattering and on-trend, without washing me out completely. I also use a bit more blush than normal when wearing a darker lip color, and it’s a nice way to brighten my face for Fall.
(My tools for embracing the oxblood trend.)
Have you tried any Fall trends? How do you feel about oxblood?
