Blogging Solutions

Blogging 101: Software and Hardware Basics

software-and-hardware-basics

Blogging 101 is a 10 part series where I share my tips and tricks for creating and growing a blog from scratch. This is the fifth installment in the series, and you can find more information on the topics of this series here.

Since I began this Blogging 101 series, I have covered a lot of fun motivational topics to help you get started blogging, and now its time for some utilitarian type posts. This week I am geeking out to talk to you about the software and hardware you are going to need to get started. Good thing is, if you are reading this, you most likely have much of what I am going to suggest. Then next week, I will be going in-depth with a list of some more advanced items you may want to pick up if you are hoping to bump up your blog and produce some major content. But for now, as promised, the basics!

The first thing you will need is {dun, Dun, DUN!) a computer! Yes, I said this was going to start out pretty easy! So, you need a computer, and pretty much any one will do! I use a Macbook Air, before than a Macbook Pro and when I first started I was using the original White Macbook, but those were just the machines I had. You can certainly use a windows machine if that’s what you have, and wait for it, even a tablet if that’s all you have! Since all you’re doing it writing and uploading pictures, there are a variety of options available to you!

The next item you will need is a word processor! Not sure what a word processor is? Think Microsoft Word or Apple’s Pages. A word processor is a piece of software where you can write and edit… anything! I use a program called Scrivener that I have written about before. Check out this post if you would like to use Scrivener on your computer in conjunction with your iPad! Scrivener is a unique program because it was meant for writing books and longer pieces like articles and term papers, but if you write a lot, it’s a wonderful way to organize your work!

Next, you will need a camera, preferably with some sort of video capability as well! You could use a smartphone, I frequently use my iPhone 5 to take photos and video, but I also use a regular point and shoot. My point and shoot is an older Canon Powershot, nothing fancy, but it takes great photos, has lots of options and controls for taking photos, as well as a 720 HD video capture feature! You could use a DSLR if you have one, I will go more in-depth on that in the next installment of this series, but a camera is a camera and as long as it can take a decent shot, it will definitely do!

The final item you will need is some form of image editing software. Most computers do not come with this sort of software installed, but there are plenty of options available to you based on your operating system. On my Mac I use Photoshop CS6, but there are plenty of options available like Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, Apple’s Aperture, Corel Paintshop, and even a great free photo editor that I used to use called GIMP. There are also plenty of iOS and smartphone applications that do this that are relatively cheap and I rely on a few of those for my iPhone photos, but those will be discussed in another post!

For now, that is everything you need to get started in my opinion! If there is anything else you have questions about please feel free to leave a comment about it below. Remember, next week I will be discussing some extra hardware and software items that you may be interested in using if you want to go above and beyond!

lifestyle organization Productivity Solutions

Filofax Organization Tips

Filofax-Organization-Tips

It’s no secret that I have been totally obsessed with Filofax’s for the last few weeks ever since I ordered my Kikki K Planner! In case you haven’t noticed, I call any and all of these 6 ring binder systems “Filofax’s” even though the term Filofax is a specific brand. It just helps me mentally distinguish between these 6 ring binders and other types of bound and spiral planners and agendas available. On top of my large Kikki K binder that is the equivalent to the A5 Filofax size, I also have a personal sized Kate Spade planner as well that has taken on the bulk of my day to day organization. Since I now work out of two Filo’s, I have been amassing different tips and tricks that I have found helpful as a new user. Here are some of the tips I use on a day to day basis to help keep my system organized!

  1. Use old gift cards to easily store lengths of washi tape in the card slots of your Filofax. Simply wrap the tape around the card a few times and you can have a sample of washi with you at all times.
  2. Use A-Z tabs to organize notes by topic for easy access. I do this in my Kate Spade planner and it helps me when filing and referring back to important notes or lists.
  3. Use colored printer paper as scrap paper that will easily stand out against the white and creme of your regular inserts. It’s more affordable than using up Filofax or any other branded note paper.
  4. Use sticky notes or page flags to enter in tentative plans to your calendar before committing to them in ink. This has been a lifesaver for me because my plans change all the time and I hate having to scratch things out.
  5. Mark frequent reoccurring events with color coding dots. I tend to use them in my month on two page view, but you can use them however you see fit!
  6. Tabs and dividers do not have to be arranged down the right side of your binder. Top and even, bottom tabs are also helpful ways to break up your sections and different information.
  7. If you want to keep your work and personal calendars separate, try using more than one calendar style, one for each so everything has a place.
  8. Create your own divided files for any large pockets in your Filofax using notecards or card stock. This will help to keep stickers, coupons, cash and more safety organized and contained.
  9. Using a full sip Filofax as a wallet/planner combo is a great way to minimize the bulk in your bag! My Kate Spade planner is a full zip and sometimes I will run to the store with just my planner and a few cards stashed inside along with any shopping lists or reminders!
  10. Using a multicolor pen can help you color code without having to carry around multiple pens. The Pilot Hi-Tec C Coleto Pens even have pencil inserts.
  11. Use a magnetic paperclip or binder clip to hold together past calendar pages to keep them contained. This also makes it easy to flip to the first clear page.
  12. Wrangle loose or small items in a clear zip lock pocket (usually sold separately).
  13. If you don’t decorate on the go, leave stickers and excess supplies at home. Don’t feel the need to carry around excess stationary just because its pretty.
  14. If you have handwritten notes that you refer back to often, type them up to save space and punch them into your Filofax (you can print smaller than you write).
  15. Archive notes and calendar pages often if you don’t need them with you. You can use a secondary Filofax to store archived pages or even a box.

I hope you have learned something new from some of these tips. Which tips are your favorite and which other tips do you rely on to keep your Filofax planner system organized? Please feel free to share them in the comments below!

lifestyle Solutions

How to Feel Fabulous!

How-to-feel-fabulous

True story– for the past week, I have not been feeling too hot. I’ve been hit with a wave of migraines out of left field and it has me feeling pretty down. So, what’s a girl to do? Well, for me the answer is turn my frown upside down and do whatever I can to make myself feel fabulous! So, I gave it some thought and decided on a few things that I can do to make myself feel like a million bucks. Here is my list, short and sweet!

1. Get dolled up: Sometimes just the act of doing my hair and makeup and putting on a nice outfit makes me feel fabulous because I look fabulous.

2. Wear a fashionable turban: I am completely sure that turban style head wraps are the most fabulous accessory a woman can wear (think Greta Garbo or Elizabeth Taylor). To me it screams old hollywood, full on globetrotting glamour and worldly elegance.

3. Use an obnoxious phone case: Any one of these should do! Look, if you want to feel fabulous, you need to exude fabulousness (is that a word?) and extravagance in every detail!

4. Put on some heels and learn to strut: I take this one from old hollywood starlets as well! Start walking around slow and steady like you own the room. Try it out in front of a mirror and start putting it into practice. Having a distinct walk is completely fabulous!

5. Stand tall, sit up tall, rest with your hands on your hips: Nothing says you mean business like the hands on your hips pose! Actually, this tip is something that’s been scientifically proven to make you feel more confident, and to me, confidence=fabulous! So, stand up tall, sit up tall, like you’re bigger than your actual body, and you will start to notice some fabulous positive vibes soon enough!

So, what do you like to do to make yourself feel fabulous when you need it most? Do you practice these sorts of techniques daily or only when you feel like you need a mood booster? Tell me what you think in the comments!

Solutions tech

How to Extend your iPhone’s Battery Life

How-to-extend-your-iPhone's-battery-life

Nearly as soon as Apple released its recent iOS update, 7.1, complaints began rolling in that the iPhone’s battery life was being depleted to quickly. This is a common theme with iOS updates recently, and while we as the end users cannot control the way the operating system manages battery life, there are a few things we can do to help keep battery drain from usage to a minimum.

1. Keep your iPhone’s brightness at a third or less: Although there are times when we need to up our brightness (like in full sunlight), for the most part we can function pretty well with our iPhone’s screen turned down to the lower third of the spectrum, which will also help to keep our battery full longer.

2. Reduce motion in your system preferences: If you go to system> general> accessibility, you will find an option to “Reduce Motion.” This controls the iPhone’s visual animations and 3D effect of the app icons, known as the parallax effect. If you turn this option “on” the visual effects will be turned down thus saving precious battery life.

3. Turn off Bluetooth if you aren’t using it: Many of us use Bluetooth enabled devices in conjunction with our iPhone’s, but get in the habit of turning your Bluetooth off when you are not. Leaving the Bluetooth function on, even when devices are not connected, can drain the battery.

4. Shut down apps that are running in the background: I know most of us use tons of apps on our iPhones, but its important to shut down apps when they are not in use to cut down on battery drain. If you do not know how to do this, double-click on your home button with the iPhone screen on and you will be able to scroll left and right through your open apps. Swipe the app preview up to turn it off completely so it is not running in the background.

5. Keep a backup charger or portable external battery with you in case of emergency: iOS updates are frequently being released and issues with the iPhone’s battery drain issues are pretty much never-ending. Make sure you keep a charging solution or external battery with you for those emergency situations when your battery is getting dangerously low while you are out and about. I love these backup battery solutions from ban.do!

Do you have issues with the battery life of your iPhone? Do you already use some or all of these battery saving tips, and yet still have problems keeping your battery alive? Let me know in the comments below!

Blogging

Blogging 101: Content is King

Content-is-King

Blogging 101 is a 10 part series where I share my tips and tricks for creating and growing a blog from scratch. This is the third installment in the series, and you can find more information on the topics of this series here.

Although I will be giving you tips and tricks throughout this blogging series, there is one single factor that will determine the success of your blog and that is your content. No matter what your blog looks like, or what the name of your blog is, or what camera you use to take your photos, its your posts that will attract your readers and keep them coming back for more. Now, I know that many of you reading this may not be looking to create the next million dollar blog, but whatever your goals are for blogging, your content is the key to fulfilling them!

When it comes to developing great content consistently, you really need to understand a few things. First, you need to know what great content looks like. Think about it, which sorts of posts do you like to read? You probably like posts that incorporate beautiful pictures with well thought out text. You probably like posts that have been well researched with thorough explanations and relevant information. You know, I read a lot of blogs and different blog posts, even ones with topics that I am not necessarily interested in, and can you guess why? Because when blogs post good content, its hard not to want to read it. Even topics that aren’t exactly up my ally can become interesting when well written and well presented.

The second thing you need to understand about good content is that it doesn’t have to be complicated. There is a difference between well thought out and complicated. Posts don’t need to be thousands of words or filled with tons of pictures or cover topics that require hours and hours of library research in order to be considered good content. As long as your content is well thought out, meaning that all your points or information is presented clearly and your post is written with a clear structure, your readers will find value in it.

The final thing you need to understand about good content is that it is relevant. Now, relevancy is like a grey scale from black to white. On one end you have posts that are about very specific topics and events, and on the other hand you have posts that are “evergreen” meaning that they are relevant at any time. For example, a topical post about the release of a new iPhone should really be published the same day or week as the event itself when many people will be searching for information on it. You wouldn’t want to write about the release of the iPhone 5s now that its March and the phone has been out for nearly half a year. Even if you did write that post in a timely manner, after all the excitement about the new iPhone has died down, that post may not be as popular in the future. As for “evergreen” content, those posts may be things like a recipe for your grandmothers apple pie or a post teaching your favorite hairstyle. Both of those topics are things that could be relevant at any time and people may be searching for either of those on a daily basis! Of course, there are other examples that fill in that grey area between posts that need to be timely and posts that are “evergreen” and great blogs have a nice mix of all of them. Try to think about your content and focus on writing posts that are relevant. When you write about topics that people are interested in and are searching for, you will develop a consistent readership.

What type of content do you find you like to read most often? Thinking about what you read in terms of relevancy, do you find you read more topical and timely posts or “evergreen” content? Understanding relevancy, identifying good content and writing structured posts are three skills that bloggers need to develop into a second nature, so test your skills while you read other posts and blogs and try to exercise and hone your skills!

Blogging Career Solutions

What do my Blog Colors Mean?

what-do-blog-colors-mean

Since this week’s installment of my Blogging 101 series was all about Choosing a Platform and Identity for your blog, I decided that I should probably talk to you today about my blog color scheme and what it means and conveys for my blog and its “brand.” Look, I am by no means a branding expert, but one thing I do know about branding is that you can do all you can to produce a certain image to your audience, but ultimately your brand is decided by them! It’s sort of a funny thing, trying to control other people’s opinions, but that is where consistency comes into play. Having a consistent look and feel to your blog and social media posts really helps to establish the vision of your brand that you want to convey to your audience. As you can tell by looking around, I have a pretty specific color scheme for my blog and the colors I have chosen are significant for a reason.

So, take a look around. What colors do you see as being most prevalent in my blog? If you said teal & grey, than hooray for me, because those are the colors I want to stand out to you on my blog! I have chosen the colors teal & grey for a reason. Not only are they some of my favorite colors, but they also mean specific things that I hope transfer to your minds when you visit or think about my blog. But, how do these colors affect the way you feel about my blog?

It all has to do with, wait for it… Color Theory! Now, don’t be afraid, I am not going to go all Art and Design 101 on you, but basically in society certain colors convey certain meanings and for me, teal & grey convey a specific message to you (hopefully!) whether you realize it or not. Teal or turquoise, as the case may be, supposedly conveys an image of femininity and sophistication. Grey, on the other hand, conveys a sense of security, reliability and intelligence.  Since I write about lifestyle, career advice and issues that are geared towards women, I want my readers to feel a sense of reliability and intelligence in my writing. I also want them (you) to feel like this is a safe place as a sophisticated woman to share opinions with other like-minded women. These colors don’t just convey a message that I want to portray to the internet, but they also help me to attract the right reader to my site. After all, if I am writing for women but attracting only men, my message is lost!

Okay, so I have gone and explained to you what my blog color scheme means, but what good does that do you if your blog is blue and peach? Well, I can’t go into each and every color and what they all mean here, but I have a very handy one pager with the basic meanings behind colors pinned for you to review here. If you are still deciding on your color scheme for your blog, use this resource to help you design a blog that conveys a message that reflects your blog and your ideal reader! If you already have a blog, use this resource to see if your current color scheme is saying what you need it to say and attracting who you need it to attract! You may find that you need to make some adjustments to your color scheme if you aren’t projecting exactly what you desire to the internet!

So, did the colors work? You tell me? Are you a woman, either in college or with an advanced education who considers themselves to be sophisticated, intelligent and career minded? If you don’t fit that demographic specifically, don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you are in the wrong place! Although I write for a specific ideal of a reader, that doesn’t mean that someone outside that sphere wouldn’t also find my blog useful. Remember, none of this is an exact science. So, let me know in the comments below if you fit my mold or if you’re outside the box a little! Either way I’m glad you’re here adding value to this community!

tech

5 of the Craziest iPhone Cases Ever!

5-Craziest-iPhone-cases

Look, if you have been reading this blog for a while, you know I love iPhone cases, and here’s the YouTube video to prove it! But seriously, I love a good iPhone case, but even a crazy iPhone case lady such as myself has some limits. So, I have found you 5 of the craziest iPhone cases I have ever seen, because, well, technology! By the way, if any of you own one of these cases, I am by no way saying you are crazy, just that your iPhone case may be a little over the top and I sorta love you for it! Here goes.

1. Fur laden, jewel encrusted iPhone case fit for an Ice Queen: Holy Smokes! Is it weird that I want to own this case? Okay, I get it, you’re thinking this isn’t real fur… wrong-O! It’s real alright, so just make sure your red paint toting friends from Peta don’t catch you with this one! At least it will keep your hand warm.

2. Little mini toy covered case that a toddler would die over: This is like a flashback to my childhood when I used to turn my toy chest upside down and swim through a pile of toys and dolls to find exactly what I wanted to play with… except it’s a phone case. It’s certainly visually stimulating to look at this, but I have no clue how one actually holds this, you’d think little mini bunny ears may pinch the skin a bit, right? Look, I definitely want it, but it’s a little too pricey to justify!

3. I clearly own a diamond mine but I totally don’t, case: Excessive bling and I have a love-hate relationship. Like most women (and dogs) I love sparkly things! I just don’t love feeling like a faker for having a case covered in diamonds, that if real, only Kim Kardashian and Kayne West have the money to own. Also, I am pretty sure I would constantly have anxiety that I would hold my phone to hard and loose a jewel, but so it goes.

4. Delicious, looks good enough to eat, but don’t because the polymer will slowly poison you, case: Cases like this are such a tease and I have too much of sugar addiction to actually own this one because I would be stopping at the grocery store every 5 minutes to order cookies and donuts and then die of a sugar coma. All because of a case. Seriously. I want to eat it!

5. Hello Kitty or any other oversized character case: Wait a minute! I actually own this one! Okay, so in truth, these cases are a little ridiculously unpractical, but they are also sorta like an adult version of a dolly! I think this case is adorable beyond compare and I have no shame in owning one which is why I make sure to switch it out for a simpler, more appropriate case for when I have to talk to people and stuff. Like, in real life!

So, which of the above cases is the craziest to you? Do you own any of these crazy iPhone cases? Let me know in the comments below. No judgment here! Also, all the images used above were sourced from their corresponding links. I don’t own any of the images, nor was I contacted or compensated by any of the shop owners I have linked to. This post is purely my own opinion and links are available for your reference if you do happen to want to buy any of the cases!

Blogging Career

Blogging 101: Choosing a Platform & Identity

Blogging-101-Platform-and-ID

Blogging 101 is a 10 part series where I share my tips and tricks for creating and growing a blog from scratch. This is the second installment in the series, and you can find more information on the topics of this series here.

Choosing a Platform & Identity

There are many platforms available on the internet for bloggers to choose from when setting up a blog. To be completely honest though, most blogging professionals would tell you that there is really only one solid choice to go with for setting up your site and that is self-hosted WordPress. Self-hosted means that you buy your domain name (for example, my domain is http://www.StrangeCharmed.com) and you purchase a hosting package from a hosting service (Blue Host, Host Gator, etc) and you set your site up via the WordPress.org framework, giving you nearly unlimited control over your site and the way it looks and works. Now, going the self-hosted route is going to cost you money, perhaps about $50-$100 a year depending on the services you choose but it is the only way to have total control over your website. Obviously, for someone starting out, making a decision to spend this sort of money on a site that isn’t making you any money yet may seem a little frivolous but it is the most highly recommended route if you are serious about your blog, growing your audience and earning any sort of income based from your website.

For anyone who is starting a blog in order to supplement an online business, you definitely need to go the self-hosted WordPress route for sure, no questions asked. From a business perspective, a self-hosted WordPress is the ultimate platform and will give your online business that finish and control that you really need!

Now, although I have basically laid out the one single platform that I highly suggest, I know it’s not necessarily the route for everyone.If you are starting your blog purely for fun and just want to test the waters with blogging, there are other free options available. Before I went self-hosted, I used Blogger which gives you the blogspot.com domain you may already be familiar with. I enjoyed my experience with Blogger so I would recommend that platform if you want to go the free route. Also, there is a free platform associated with WordPress, which is WordPress.com where you can set up a free site similar to Blogger. Either of those two platforms will help you get started with your own personal blog and will give you enough choices and customizations to get your blog up and running!

If you are going the self-hosted WordPress route, I highly suggest checking out this book that I have blogged about, which will basically walk you through the process of setting up a site if you don’t feel confident doing it on your own. As for setting up a Blogger or WordPress.com site, both platforms basically walk you through the process so there is no technical know-how that you need to get started!

Okay, now, let’s move on to the second part of this discussion, and that is choosing an identity for your blog. When I say identity, I mean the name, url, and social media account identities you will be using to help support and promote your blog! First and foremost is your blogs title and domain name. Sometimes I think that choosing the right name for a blog is one of the hardest parts to starting one! Your blog’s name needs to be something simple enough for people to understand and clever enough for people to remember. On top of that, it also needs to convey an image about your blog to people so that they understand what your blog is all about, even if they have never read it before. Now, if your blog happens to be about you and your personal style, interests, business or life in general, using your own name for your blog is usually the best way to go! If you are blogging to support an established business, using the business name is the route you should take. However, if your blog isn’t as cut and dry as that, you may need to pull out a dictionary and thesaurus and start playing with words until you come up with something that you feel comfortable with.

There really is no magic formula for coming up with a great blog name, take my site for instance. I wanted my site to be a place where I could share all my quirky lifestyle tips with other women who needed career advice, daily inspiration and a dose of fun! One day, my husband and I were discussing name ideas for my site and we were playing around with the word “quirky” since that was the one word that I always though fit my idea of my perfect blog! Discussions of “quirks” quickly turned into a discussion of “quarks,” (you know those fundamental elements that constitute matter,) and suddenly strange and charm (two of six types of quarks) were a front-runner for my blog name. Strange and Charm, however, seemed to vague and too scientific. So, it was changed to Strange & Charmed, which seemed like a much more logical phrase. For me, it just seemed to work in my mind and in my heart, and so it became the name of my blog. Now, like I said earlier, I wasn’t self-hosted when I started Strange & Charmed so my url of strangeandcharmed.blogspot.com turned into strangecharmed.com out of a lack of options when I moved my blog over to WordPress. StrangeandCharmed.com wasn’t available, so we had to drop the “and” from the name out of necessity.

Luckily for me, I think it works fine without the conjunction, but because of this scenario, I caution others to make sure they secure their domains first before they fall in love with a name for their sites, and that includes Twitter handles, Instagram accounts and all other social media you plan to use for your blog. Secure everything before you start blogging, if you can, so that it makes it easier for you to keep a consistent name and brand everywhere you are online!

 Have you started a blog recently? Which platform did you choose and how did you come up with your blogs name? Feel free to leave a link to your blog in the comments below so we can check it out!

Blogging Career Productivity tech

Ladies Work It!

Ladies-work-it

 

So far this year, I have been ridiculously obsessed with productivity and since I have just started my Blogging 101 Series, I though now would be a great time to give you all a little bit of office eye candy! I love functional and feminine stationary and accessories that keep my desk looking cute and my mind focused on the tasks ahead of me. So here is a glimpse of some of my favorite items I like to keep around during my 9-5 hustle!

What are some of your favorite office supplies and desk must haves? Let us know in the comments below!

Solutions tech

3 Ways to Store iPhone Cases

iPhone-Storage-Box

It’s no secret that I am a little obsessed with iPhone cases and I have quite a few. Since I happen to own a lot of Kate Spade cases, I like to store my cases in a way that helps me to keep them safe, but also displays them in a stylish way! Right now I store my iPhone cases in a Kate Spade gift box that fits my cases two wide in their original boxes.

iPhone-Storage-Bag

Another way that I like to store my cases is in pretty gift bags! I found this lovely bag in the Target Dollar Spot back before Valentine’s Day! This is an inexpensive and cute way to keep all my cases in one place and it looks rather lovely out on my shelf!

iPhone-Case-Box-Storage

This final storage solution also comes from the Target Dollar Spot! I love this bright storage bin because its cheery to look at and is the perfect width to store my cases standing up right! Again, this bin is another great one to keep out on display and it was only $1! Hopefully, these three solutions will give you some ideas on how to store and display your iPhone cases as well! You don’t have to own a collection of designer cases to want to keep them on display. These storage options are protective and attractive, but also incredibly inexpensive. If you have a few extra iPhone cases laying around, wrangle them up using one of these methods and keep ’em safe and sound!

Did this post give you some new storage inspiration? How do you store your iPhone cases? Let us know in the comments below!