Starting a blog

DonnaP

Hi

I am thinking about starting a blog about frugal cooking for a family, growing your own fruit and veg/keeping chickens and organic living generally.

Does anyone have any tips or advice for me?

Many thanks

Donna

Essex-girl_2

Dont have any setting up blog tips as I am a technophob at times. However what I would say is I love blogs with lots of photo's. I also like one's that show peoples normal day to day lives. I cant remember which blog it was but it used to have a 'day in the life' day once a month in which they literally posted their days itinerary.

Do you have a list of blogs you read regularly? If so I would take tips from them.

Good Luck & give us a link when you do set it up

LoopyLinz

Donna

I too have been thinking of starting a blog..........mine is more on the Domesticated Disaster league mind you! Problem is Im not too sure where to start. Do I just sign up to a site and start to write?! Are there any sites you would reccommend?

Sorry enough of me hogging your thread!!

I too seem to find the blogs that most attract my attention are those that are general day to day things. You know the kinda thing, people talking about how their seedlings are growing, what they are planting........all the general everyday life things

Hope this helps
Linz

DonnaP

Thanks Linz and Essex Girl.

I want mine to be about everyday things (I don't do anything out of the ordinary!!!). I am a SAHM who (years back) trained as a Home Economist, then had a successful HR career before giving up to raise my children. Apart from the odd bit of self employed consultancy work, I am a 'housewife' (hate that word, don't know why).

I cook from scratch (so could take photos and give recipes), I grow veg (again can detail things that go right and wrong, as I am still learning) and in a few months will be taking on my first allotment which is opposite my house and in a real mess. I want to have chickens there as well. We are also renovating our house (spending as little as poss using freecycle and OH's labour!) and trying to bring up our twin DD's who are 6 year old with 'traditional values' (by modern standards at least). I am also trying to move towards more organic living but find the availability limited where we live.

I suppose it would be more my online diary and if no-one looks at it, it's there for me to refer back to it at least. :rotfl:

I agree about the photos. I read Shirley Goode's blog and my only criticism of hers is that there are no photos.

I am really sad and like blogs where people take photos of their dinner and weekly shop etc. I just thought it might be a bit boring for others.

Donna

domestic_goddess

Hi

I have a blog about frugal living, well my attempt at it anyway and it was really easy to set up.

I registered with blogger and got a free blog account, a lot of people use wordpress but I am not sure about that. I enjoy writing my blog and have had quite a lot of visits but i wouldn't say it was successful or anything as there are very few comments and I don't have any followers so I guess it is still a work in progress

Its quite good for me though as it keeps me focussed... Kind of like the daily thread on here does for some people.

I haven't done much on it lately as the kids are off and I have been spending as much time as possible with them when I am not at work but I am just about to put on a post about home made books that we are making at the moment and as I am off work for the next couple of weeks we will be doing loads of crafty stuff so I should get some stuff together to blog about then.

I would definately start one, especially on Blogger seeing as its free anyway.... Maybe we could have an old style bloggers club on here.

I dont think we can post links but its on my profile page if you want to have a look at my attempt.....

LeeSouthEast

Do start one. They're good fun !

You can start one for free in lots of places, but I recommend WordPress. You can start by going to their hosting site here: www.wordpress.com

You can also find mine in my profile

thriftlady_2

There's a blog which was discussed on this board a while back because the writer copied and pasted chunks of MSE member's posts giving the impression they were her words:( She also used a lot of misleading photos taken from other sites

I'm sure you wouldn't dream of doing that Donna;):)

I too like blogs with lots of pics and it is surprisingly easy to take really professional looking pics.

It is something I've thought about on and off but I'm worried I'd lose interest and give up:o

I'll be reading yours when it's up and running. I'm off to look at Domestic Goddess' blog now;)

DonnaP

Hi thriftlady

I remember the thread about the woman who had 'stolen' stuff from these boards. Tbh I couldn't have been bothered to do that - it would be easier and quicker to write your own stuff.

Suddenly I feel very nervous when people say they are going to read my blog. _pale_ LOL

Donna

LoopyLinz

Lol Donna, I bet it will be brilliant! :j:j

Tell you what, drop me a pm, or even on here to let me know where you are starting your blog, and a linky too and I will join you! I will be your first (of many I bet) followers!

Linz xox

maman

I think it's a great idea. I think you are allowed to post links (often happens on shabby chic). I,too, love the ones with photos especially before and after houses. You could be just like Kirstie Allsopp without the hand-blown glasses (hope I haven't offended you if you meant to have handblown glasses )

ceridwen

Hi

I use Blogger - its rather easier than Wordpress for a technophobe like me I find.

https://www.blogger.com/start

will take you to the page to start up your blog

Any questions - do come back. It will take you just 5 minutes to get the basic blog up-and-running on Blogger - its just the case that you might have questions re layout subsequently.

'Fraid I dont know about the photos angle - as I dont use them myself.

Good luck.