Why I Chose Blogspot

I will not lie. . I am good with technology most of the time.. .give that a 51%.  But mastery begins at 51% , right?

I have looked at many places to blog, but find that I jive with blogspot (Google) the best.  I cannot write or edit html, but I can find a free template for back ground without a virus and connect to it with a cut and paste.  So even if the templates on the blogspot don't thrill and chill me, I can look to reputable free template sites that may give me something I can use.  And, no, I do not work for Google or any of its subsidiaries. . .I am just a klutz who happens to find that this site works flawlessly for me--unless they remove all of my blogs and templates. And all of this has to be free because I would rather spend my money somewhere else. . .  But I digress. . .

Once you have signed up for Google plus and have an account (which you can name after your store--so cool!), you can go to design at the top right of your blog and on the left side will be a place that will say layout. 

Layout is a great place because it shows you the pattern of an unfilled blog.  Think of it like a dress pattern with the various parts laying on a table. The blog for me is a bit off center.  That's because I got to choose how many columns I wanted.  On the right, I have my store logo and when you press it, you go directly to The Rose Sword on Rubylane. Under that, I was able to show a link to B'Sue Design a Line contest.  I copied the HTML she provided and went into add a gadget and picked HTML/java and pasted what I had copied.  Voila!  Magic!  A link to the contest showing the badge. Beautiful AND informative! It was easy. . .I just copied in one place and pasted in another.  And as for those gadgets, if I want to rearrange them, all I have to do it grab one and place it in the position I desire and there it is.

Below this, I am starting my link list for Vintage Costume Jewelry Research sites.  A lot of the time, people bring items that they have that they know little or nothing about.  Even though I expect someone to go out there and research before asking, because that's the way I learned, they may need a place where they can start.  We all come to this process at varying levels.  So, I want to be able to give them a place to look so maybe some of the good stuff which should not be re-purposed can be saved and some of the stuff with smaller value, if broken , can be used in a higher recycle calling. I plan to have sections on little known designers, one on links to jewelry patents which can be great places for design inspiration, and then sites for jewelry hallmarks that have loads of extras on them.  I also want one for vintage ads.  I like looking at the old layouts for inspiration sometimes and as some of them have catalogues which tie into them, they show items that may be unsigned in the year they were sold.  I LOVE to discover this stuff.

So, besides showing off my own artisan stuff, I may be also showing off some of the items in the shop that can be replicated. Some of the things I carry are direct replicas of B'Sue stampings.  I have a sterling of the deer in the square that is the same as she has in brass on the website. I may also show some of the items I have for re-purposing and show various ways I will incorporate them into design.  I may share some of my favorite people AND I want to have a list of artisan blogs from the B'Sue group to which others can link. Especially if we have a blog hop again, which was really cool!

So, come along with me as I design my new space and ask questions or add comments and let me know you are here!  If you have questions about how to set this stuff up and I can answer them, I will! Most of all, I want you to create and experiment and love the things you do. . .even the failures. . .especially the failures as they are SO important for later creativity and process. C'mon. . .let's play!