STARTING A BLOG: MANAGING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA

 

Image via Amilight Creative

I have a love/hate relationship with social media, and I think this is also a huge weakness of mine. I love browsing through Pinterest and Instagram for amazing inspiration, but for me, it also creates a bit of envy and insecurity. I tend to browse and follow much more than I lead and post. However, in order to enjoy the benefits of the amazing blogging community out there (and staying optimized in the process), you have to participate! But participating in social media is seriously a job in itself. Unless you have a lot of time to kill or an extra pair of hands, instead of spreading yourself too thin across every manner of media you can find, try focusing on a handful that you truly enjoy because you will be doing it a lot! For example, I’m obsessed with Pinterest, I love Instagram, and I’m able to tolerate Facebook, so these are the mediums that I will focus on (“will” being the key word. I’m working in real time here folks, so it’s all still a work in progress! You’re learning as I’m learning). I’m on Google+ and I do have a Twitter account so I will occasionally throw out a post or a tweet, but these are mediums that will take the back burner.

You can also take advantage of sites like Co-Schedule and Hootsuite to schedule posts on your media of choice at times that are the most conducive to repins and shares. Yes folks, WHEN you post has as much importance and what you post. Crazy, right?

In the past, when I published a blog post, I automated WordPress to also publish a link to the post onto Facebook, Google+, and Twitter. Turns out, this is most definitely NOT the right move (it’s basically equivalent to spam)! Your plan here is to reach as wide of an audience as possible and posting everything all at once isn’t going to do that for you. Plus, for those that may follow you on multiple platforms, it’s just kind of annoying! So take time out of your day to schedule your social media posts and pins separately.

There are also times throughout the day in which users are more active. When are you most likely to check social media? Perhaps in the morning over breakfast, during your lunch break, during that 3pm brain fry, and sometime before hitting the hay. So consider the audience you want to reach and post during those times.

Luckily, instead of putting way too much time and effort into posting to each site separately, there are sites out there that will help you schedule these posts/pins to be published at designated times. Phew! For example:

• Hootsuite – I just signed up for this site myself. It’s a little primitive to me, but it will get the job done. And it’s free! Unfortunately, in order to get the most out of this site, such as analytics, you need to upgrade to Pro.
• Co-Schedule – Unfortunately, this doesn’t work for the WordPress.com platform, but if you blog on a different platform and are willing to pay the $9-$10/month then it’s totally worthwhile.
• Tailwind – This is another site that I recently signed up for. It allows me to schedule pins at times that I can set (or they can set for you). Again, to get the most of out of the site you will need to upgrade. With the free subscription, you can’t see your analytics and you can only schedule a certain number of pins.
• Iconosquare – this is one I just learned about, but it’s something that I will use consistently going forward! This is for Instagram only, but it allows you to break down analytics by category. One of these categories called “Optimization” is where you can figure out the best time to post based on your audience. And going back to SEO, this site can also help you determine what is trending by showing you your most liked and most commented on posts.

I think the biggest thing I am learning through all of this is don’t be afraid to promote yourself, but promote wisely.

Of course, even if you’re breaking your back promoting yourself, the results will be minimal if you don’t actively communicate with your audience. If someone takes the time to comment on your post, whether on Instagram, Facebook, or your blog, have the courtesy to comment back. And don’t just leave it at that – seek out like-minded (and like-sized) blogs and feeds and write your own comments. Be authentic and build yourself a sense of community (because really, isn’t that why most of us amateur bloggers blog to begin with?). Again, sites such as Hootsuite can help you manage this, but you may also want to consider building in time throughout the day specifically for this purpose. Schedule in 30 minutes – 1 hour to schedule your posts (promote) and another 20 – 30 multiple times a day to actively engage.

Which is the perfect segway to my next post in this series! Up next: Creating your Editorial Calendar.

What social media platforms do you like to use?  Are there certain sites/apps that you prefer to manage these accounts?

STARTING A BLOG: SEO TIPS + TRICKS

I’ve been thinking about getting a little more serious with my blog. Not a money-making, leave my day job kind of serious, but I’d like to have more consistency and actually treat this blog as if it were my job instead of just a sporadic hobby. Because when you get down to the nitty gritty, I actually do put a lot of work into my posts, but posting so sporadically kind of undermines all of that.

So, I’ve been doing a little research about things like what makes a blog successful, how to increase traffic, how to keep up with an editorial calendar, etc., etc. and I’m actually learning quite a lot! I’m also learning that keeping up with it all really IS a full time job and if your blog hits any amount of success, you really do need a team of people to stay on top of it all.

My biggest weakness is my want to do it all on my own. Not that I have any amount of success at this point, but I have ZERO tech skills and I’ve been attempting to manage my website and design on my own, which takes away from the time I need to edit photos and actually write a quality post, and that basically makes me feel unenthused about the whole thing in general. So I’ve decided to go back to WordPress.com for a bit – it requires so much less maintenance and knowledge of CSS. That way, I can stay motivated and focused on the things that matter most to me. It also has a great community of people that I really missed during my stint with WordPress.org! There are a couple of pitfalls in going back to the .com version though, mainly: it doesn’t allow Google Analytics and a few other plug-ins that I like, and it doesn’t allow sponsored ads (which I’ve been leaning away from anyhow).

My first tip: be patient! Have big ideas, but start small and don’t get ahead of yourself.

(Although, if you do choose to go with WordPress.org from the start, there are some great Etsy sellers that have premade WordPress templates that you can tweak to make it a little more unique to you.)

Okay, so back to my research. When I started blogging, I had absolutely NO IDEA what I was doing. I still don’t, really, but I’m learning, ever so slowly (but surely!). I’ve come across so many blog posts that offer tips and tricks, but many of these are either common sense (write a post, hit publish) or complete bull (how to make six figures in six months!), or catered to people that already have a good grasp on what they are doing and blogs that already have a following. So, as I make my mistakes, learn from said mistakes, and piece together information that is actually relevant to me and this blog, I figure there are other amateur bloggers out there that could find this information pretty darn useful.

With all that said, welcome to my new weekly “Starting a Blog” series in which I will share my thoughts about starting a blog and the tips and tricks I have learned/am learning in the process. First up…

There are two big factors that I keep coming across:

1. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO), and
2. SOCIAL MEDIA

You may be thinking Woah! What? I thought SEO was for the tech gurus and big time blogs. Yeah, me too. But I am quickly learning that it’s important for any online presence to have some manner of optimization because if you don’t, you pretty much don’t exist. The lower down on that Google list you are, the less likely you are to be found. Fortunately, you don’t need to hire said tech guru to give your blog an overhaul. Here are a few tricks you can use to give your site a little SEO boost:

• The #1 thing you can do is create killer content and photos that users will want to read. I know, so cliché (and kind of common sense)! But the better the quality (and originality), the more likely users are to pin, link to, and otherwise share.
• On that same note, do your research. Write about current events, find out what topics are trending within your industry, and use them as inspiration. Head over to Google Keyword Planner, Twubs or Google Trends to discover in-demand keywords and if they have relevance to your topic, include 1 in your header, include that same keyword in your post, as well as another 1 – 2 relevant keywords (don’t go crazy with this one! Otherwise, your post will be considered as spam by search engines and you will have quite the opposite effect than intended.) You can also go to Pinterest.com/source/yourblogname to find out what and how often a pin has been pinned from your blog or do a case study of other blogs to see what is trending.
• Use Alt Text. This one totally surprised me. I see the option all the time as I’m uploading an image into WordPress and always disregard it. Never again! Apparently, search engines don’t “read” images like they do text, so it is your/my job to create that text for better optimization. First, when saving an image, use a logical file name – name the image according to what is actually in the image, and try to insert one of your keywords if relevant to the image. And instead of inserting spaces between words, use dashes (search engines tend to read spaces as %20). When you upload this image into your blog, you have the option of inserting ALT Text (alternate text) – this is where you use a short phrase or 5-6 keywords to describe your image in order for search engines to better understand it. ALT Text also becomes the default caption when pinning an image to Pinterest so use it and use it wisely!
• Install a SEO plug-in such as Yoast (for WordPress.org) to help you enter your SEO information.
• Use your keyword(s) in your permalink. I didn’t entirely realize that your permalink title could be different than your post title, but yes! So you can still have a creative and interesting post title to draw in your audience, but have a strategic permalink for better optimization.
• Stay actively engaged. It’s kind of a no-brainer, but you need to stay active in order to stay optimized. The more buzz you can create, the more links you will get, and the more optimized you will be. Plugins like Engageya and LinkWithin can help you create relevant links within your own posts and pages to help readers stick and stay engaged (unfortunately, these widgets don’t work for WordPress.com, but you can use the widget “recent posts” on your sidebar to help you create more internal links to your posts). And then there is the matter of social media…

But alas! This post is already getting far too long, so I’ll save that for the next post in the series: Starting a Blog: Managing Your Social Media.

What plug-ins and/or widgets do you use to boost your SEO? Do you have any other tricks for optimization?

GOODBYE & HELLO!

Well hello my dear friends – it has been far, FAR too long! I took a much longer “break” than anticipated in my attempt to get into the swing of this whole motherhood thing. Some people fall right into a routine and get that system down from the start, and some people…don’t. I fell into the latter category and 15 months later, sometimes still find myself struggling with the daily routine. I’m not the only one out there feeling this way, right? RIGHT?!

Anyhow, while I’ve been quiet on this site, I’ve been not so quiet behind the scenes, trying to get myself back into working order. In this oh-so brief time I’ve been away (ehem…), I’ve managed to nail down a studio space and created a new site (someone managed to pull The Modage Cottage domain name out from under my feet, so I am officially at http://www.modagecottage.com – feel free to bookmark the new page!). I’m still in the fledgling stages with both the studio and the new website, but with a little encouragement and a lot of work, I hope to hit the ground running very soon!

YES! (pulled from one of my favorite sources of inspiration: Knack)

Please feel free to subscribe/like/bookmark, etc. the new site and any feedback, suggestion, and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU (really, I can’t thank you enough) to all those that have stuck with me through thick and thin…and long radio silences. You are the reason I keep plugging away at this.

I will have this site up for a few more weeks, and then I will be transferring it over to the new site. Cheers to new beginnings (no matter how slowly…) and I hope you will join me on this new and exciting journey.

xoxo.

Chasing Grey

I took a bit of a hiatus from The Modage Cottage to dedicate time to the new and wonderful addition to my family. And what a joy it has been! There have been a few pitfalls and tears along the way – you DO NOT want to mess with a girl going on multiple months of sleepless nights! – but my God, to watch my little guy discover the world in all his innocence…it is something magical.

This blog, however, has become my lifeline. It is my little piece of heaven, where I somehow find the briefest of moments away from my little to carve out time for myself. But I am never truly away from him, am I? Yes, the little devil is in my every thought and you will see a lot of him on this here blog. Greyson, Little Man, Mister, Dude, and the occasional Curmudgeon, we call him a lot of things, but I’m certain he will want to go by Grey once he has his say.

I am constantly amazed how quickly time passes with a babe to entertain you. In fact, I’m convinced babies are a black hole for time! Which is exactly why I find myself chasing Grey, because I don’t want to miss a second of this beautiful life we are building together or forget how quickly he will grow.

But I also don’t want to overlook myself and how I am growing with him. His innocence, his helplessness, and his ingenuous frustrations make me want to be a better person. A more selfless person. A happier and more carefree person.

So this is my story with a fresh perspective. One that embraces motherhood: the joys, the strains, the desperations, and the desires. But most of all, this is a story about love and family and all the little, wonderful things Life has to offer.

Welcome to the new chapter in my life. Welcome to the new and improved Modage Cottage!

Finding Myself in Motherhood…

We lose ourselves in the things we love. We find ourselves there too.               – Kristin Martz

I’ve been thinking about this quote a lot lately, and I’ve struggled with putting into words my feelings as of late. You see, I have lost myself in this thing called motherhood; it brings me the greatest joy, but there also runs an undercurrent of apprehension and frustration. Life will forever be altered and I am no longer who I once was. But who have I become?

This is the question that keeps me up at night. I am a mother and a wife; these are roles that are so incredibly fulfilling in so many ways. But there is a part of me that still craves…something more. I just don’t yet know what that something is.

What I do know is that while I have lost myself in motherhood, I am also in the process of finding myself there too. No, I am not who I once was – I am something better. I created a person and that is something magical. But my priorities have changed and my focus is shifting.

What does all this mean for my blog? Well, it means that my inspirations have also shifted and I’m not yet sure in what direction I want them to go.

I do have a few grandiose ideas, just not the time to execute them. And rather than split my time between blogging and baby with neither getting the full attention necessary, I’d rather delight in my little one and give him my all. Motherhood has most definitely become an all-encompassing priority (and finding any semblance of a routine has been quite the arduous path. If anyone has any advice on getting a 3 month old to nap for longer than 35 minutes at a time, please let me know!). So, until I have the time and the proper mindset, my blog will have to take the back seat.

When I do recommence (and I have every intention to!), I hope to have a better focus, a style that is entirely my own, a few more DIY’s under my belt, and a voice that truly embraces all of the realities of motherhood: the joys, the strains, the desperate need for a shower, and the desire to instill a little bit of fashion into the new mom wardrobe.

Mainly, I hope to rediscover what I initially set out to achieve with this blog: to feel inspired. And lately, that’s exactly what has been lacking.

So for all of my readers, thank you so very much for following me. I’m sure I will lose a few of you as time lags and my focus shifts, but it was a fun ride while it lasted and I thank you for giving me the chance. And for those of you that do choose to stick it out, you are my greatest inspiration and I hope that I don’t disappoint.

I’ll be back, it’ll just take a little time to find myself again through the things I love.

ps…I will still be posting on Instagram and Facebook so feel free to follow me there in the meantime!

Quick Thought of the Day.

While I am still in my “overhaul” process, I quickly wanted to reach out and welcome my recent new readers – thank you for following and I hope that I don’t disappoint!

Running a blog can be such a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it gives you the opportunity to reach out to a community that would otherwise be completely unknown to you and share yourself. You’re able to put your thoughts, your passions and desires, your soapbox opinions, and every ounce of feeling out into the world the moment your are thinking or feeling them. And it provides such an amazing sense of freedom, accomplishment, and joy that there are people out there actually listening.

But on the same hand, it also produces a sense of terror…holy crap, there are people out there actually LISTENING! That thought can stop you in your tracks. It’s truly terrifying to realize that you are sending a part of yourself into this unknown world, a part of yourself that you can never really get back. Once it’s out there, it’s out there. The moment you hit “PUBLISH,” there’s this overwhelming feeling of Oh. My. God. What have I done. And that is a feeling that never really goes away.

But you quickly realize, as much as this blog gives you the opportunity to share yourself – some of which you may regret down the road – it also gives others the chance to share themselves. If my blog can offer the slightest bit of inspiration, or provide even the smallest sounding board, or simply gives others a chance to learn from my mistakes, then that is inspiration enough for me.

So thank you, dear readers, for following, for listening, and for inspiring me in return! You are all a Godsend and a blessing.

Indeed!

Oh yes, and please, feel free to comment at any time. Don’t be shy! I get sick of my own thoughts sometimes so I would love to hear your own. If there is something you would like to see more of, or less of, or if you have any specific opinions and/or suggestions – do share! Your comments (even negative ones as long as they are constructive) are the fuel to my fire.

Xoxo.

YOU ARE A BADASS! (or so I keep telling myself…)

As you may have noticed, I’m a bit of a blog browsing fiend. I love reading about what’s trending on the West coast, discovering new perspectives, styles, and taking in all the glorious eye-candy the web has to offer. It’s addictive. It gets the blood boiling and the creative juices flowing. But it also awakens that little green monster called envy.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m fairly comfortable with myself – I have a sense of style that fits me and my lifestyle pretty well. It’s lived in. It’s 1 part put together, 1 part messy, with a dash of fabulous and a pinch of crazy for good measure. All in all, it works for me. But sometimes I feel like it’s just a little too cautious; a little too comfortable. Sometimes I wish I was a tad more fabulous or had that extra dose of crazy (although I’m sure there are many out there that think I have more than enough crazy on my plate!). And that’s where the green monster comes in.

I touched on this subject many moons ago when I first began writing this blog…

…I actually begin to lose my point of view, and “my voice” begins to sound like someone else’s. I begin writing differently, to fit the mold of what I think other people want to hear or see, just to gain more followers. And so the competition begins…

I’ve stopped writing posts for weeks, even months at a time because I’ve felt that downward spiral of losing myself. I actually become disappointed with how I choose to live my life because heck, there are so many people out there that are doing so many bigger and better things! I’m a pretty competitive person but when I begin feeling overwhelmed by all the greatness surrounding me, I just kind of…quit. No, it’s definitely not my best quality.

Indeed!

So I then fall into a bit of a despair and think to myself, “I just can’t do it.” Or “I’ll never be good enough. Or simply, “who do I think I am?!” Whaa, whaa, whaa. And then at some point along this journey of despair, I suddenly decide to take the high road. With tail between my legs, I will myself to find some semblance of composure, tell that whiny voice in my head to shut the hell up, find the motivation to start over, and then move on with my day. Just like that.

I recently picked up a book called You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero and it’s actually been a huge motivation in my most recent journey back to the high road.

It’s quirky, humorous, sometimes a little self-deprecating, and most importantly, real. Basically, it’s a book that slaps you right in the face, shakes you around a little, and tells you to suck it up. Because we all need that confidence boost every now again, right?!

It’s not always an easy process; trusting your inner-voice, convincing yourself that the future holds that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow while still keeping your feet and happiness in the present (dammit, I want that pot of gold NOW!). Particularly when the present isn’t always that techni-colored rainbow.

But, not to sound too sappy or cliché, you can’t enjoy a rainbow without bouts of rain and yes, that’s a metaphor for Life.

You’ve got to appreciate the good with the bad. Remember, it’s all about perspective – you make your own reality and build your own truths. So, you can simply create a positive reality and choose to be happy. It’s that easy!

I have this quote hanging by my bedside – the first thing I see in the morning. A reminder that yes, it really is that easy! (although not always easy to remember when your dog eats your couch, or after your computer crashes and you lose a huge chunk of data, or when you’re so bloated that you have to resort to wearing leggings for a week…)

Oh, and here’s another little reminder:

I’m just going to cross out “Beautiful” here and replace it with – excuse my language – “fucking awesome!”

Hope that gives you a little confidence and motivational push on this Tuesday morning. You ARE a badass!

PAY IT FORWARD! ACTS OF KINDNESS, ENCOURGEMENT, & RESOLUTIONS: A LINK UP

Can you believe Christmas is only 6 days away?! December seems to have flown by and Christmas will be here and over before you know it.

This is also about the time I realize that the New Year is right around the corner – 2013! – and resolutions are already piling high in my head…

I think for many of us, 2012 has been a year of heartache and tragedy; personally for some, and nationally for most. Indeed, this is a time for reflection. And while I’m sure many of you have found yourselves asking why? how? and perhaps even questioning the virtue of humanity, it is also a time to ask yourself what? What can you do to make life just a little sweeter, for yourself and for those around you? What can you do to seize each and every day? What can you do to live life to the very fullest?

For me, 2013 is The Year to Pay it Forward, and I think it should be for all of us. If we each took a moment out of our very busy and oh-so-important lives to acknowledge and appreciate those around us; a simple smile, a helping hand, or a friendly nod of the head…it’s truly amazing how far camaraderie can carry us, and perhaps save a life in the process.

Because camaraderie is so much more than a simple gesture. It is a feeling of solidarity, of being present and recognizing yourself in those around you. It is about having patience, providing encouragement, and holding your head high and your back straight for those in need of a strong foundation.

So Pay it Forward my friends, by being true to yourself and those around you…

My 13 Resolutions for 2013:

1. Wake up every morning appreciating the new day, no matter what that day may hold.
2. Take a deep breath and have a little more patience.
3. No wallowing! Life is too short to waste on misery.
4. DO what you SAY.
5. Stop feeling guilty. Stop making excuses. Stop doubting yourself. Just DO it.
6. And if you fail, dust yourself off, and try again.
7. Smile. Even when you don’t want to.
8. Be there. For friends, for family, for yourself. Never forget to reach out to those you love.
9. If you need help, ask for it.
10. Look people in the eye when speaking to them. It’s amazing what you will learn!
11. Don’t be afraid to express yourself. Remember, “those who throw dirt only lose ground.”
12. Never take for granted what you have NOW because it very well may not be there later.
13. There is no day like today. Make the best of it.

What are your resolutions and how do you plan on paying it forward?

I think one of the greatest joys of blogging is the community and camaraderie it provides. And this is the perfect time to join forces, offer support, and give encouragement to those that may need a little extra sustenance. This is the time to pay it forward, my friends!

If you have written an encouraging, heartfelt, or motivational post, please link up below! And if you have resolutions you would like to share, or ideas to “pay it forward,” feel free to link away. But PLEASE, be considerate and only link to uplifting posts. I think we are all in need of a little joy and inspiration.

These are the rules:

• DO link to inspirational, positive posts.
• DO NOT link to political or negative posts.
• DO link to a relevant post. Now is not the time for a marketing ploy.
• DO pay it forward: leave positive and encouraging comments for others.
• Please link back.

I will include a couple of new links in my Sharing the Love post each Friday for the next few weeks. And yes, I will be monitoring links closely for inappropriate content!

Now let’s begin the camaraderie! (click on the frog below to add your link and view others)

LINKED TO:

HAPPY HUMP DAY! THERE. I SAID IT.

“There. I said it.” As many of you may have recognized, I completely stole this title from a Miss Mustard Seed post written back in early October, but it struck such a cord with me that I’d like to ruminate on it just a bit more.

I think for so many of us, putting ourselves out there in any form can be an enormously daunting prospect. The possibility of embarrassment, of failure, and the ensuing disappointment and heartache…it’s just too much. So instead, we keep our feet solidly on the ground, silent in our pie-in-the-sky dreams, but secretly hoping – if we dare – that one day, perhaps that pie will drop right out of the sky and fall directly into our very ready laps.

Unfortunately for most of us, that’s simply not how life works. To transform dream into reality takes effort, a tremendous amount of trial and error and, I think most importantly, the ability to fall and land softly. What determines success is what you do after the fall – do you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move on with timid grin? Or do you loll about, dejected and spent from something you’ve really only just begun?

For me, starting this blog was a huge step forward. But every. single. day. the thought of putting myself out there makes my heart lurch. I’ve spent sleepless nights wondering what people are thinking about me. Are they laughing? Do they think I’m nothing more than a joke? A failure? Or perhaps they’re not thinking anything at all because no one is even reading this itty bitty blog in this big, bad Blogdom.

I need to consistently remind myself that it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that I have taken that step forward, I have put myself out there, and I have found the courage to dream out loud…

…but with all this said, even I have fallen, and I don’t always land softly. In fact, I’m only just beginning to pick myself back up after a recent hard fall, which is exactly why I felt so inspired to write this post.

I love decorating, I love styling my home and offering inspiration to others; I love antiquing and “picking” and realizing the potential in dilapidated furniture pieces; I love transforming these pieces into something unique and beautiful, and I love having the opportunity to find them a new home.

I have a dream to one day own a studio and showroom space, a little piece of creative heaven, but in the meantime, I have very little storage and work space to build on this endeavor. So while I wait (and wait and wait…) on an appropriately priced opportunity, I find myself losing a little bit of faith. Frankly, my work has stalled and my drive is failing me.

I need to remember to believe in myself; “pushing through the self-doubt, the fears and anxieties, and the nay-sayers” (per Miss Mustard Seed). And, as she also so wisely advised, I need to put it out there in writing.

So, as much for myself as for all those silent dreamers out there, this is my dream:

I want to find a healthy balance between my love for home styling, furniture refinishing, and events planning, and have a conglomerate of these things within my small business. I want to have my own studio space in which I can showcase my services: provide styling ideas, tablescapes, and vintage and refinished products all available for purchase. I want to be able to articulate my dreams fully, because so often they become lost amidst so many other ideas and aspirations, and I want to create a clear and concise business plan that I can pursue without hesitation

I have no doubt that it will take time, a huge amount of work, and I’m certain that I will fall more than a few times, but I have every intention of getting back up each and every time. All I ask of myself is a little patience and a lot of strength, and all I can ask you, my dear readers, is for an encouraging and supportive community!

There. I said it. And I hope you have the courage to say it too. So tell me, what’s your dream?

PRETTY PLEASE (with a cherry on top)?

PS….

I do see that I have a few readers out there…. don’t be afraid to leave a comment! As a new member of the blogosphere, I could use the constructive criticism and encouragement. So please, comment away! You can say something like this…

Or even this…

Perhaps this?

Or this? (pretty, pretty please?!)

For all you stalkers out there, I could even be content with this….

Or this…

Creepy – and the answer to both would be NO – but much appreciated.

Just do me a favor and try to stay away from comments like this….

Cheerio!

xoxo, KK