bright eyes + blue eyes

five thoughts: social media

A note to my sisterr Allison before I publish this post:

I wrote this post last night (Monday night) and then saved it as a draft so I could finish it up today by adding one last photo (the one from the tv show). Thank you for your sweet comment on my 2011 recap post. I though it was so funny that you mentioned the blog name idea...when I had this post sitting as a draft, waiting to be published. Funny coincidence! xoxo -abb

(1) Blogging

Blogs are fun. I love having a blog. I've missed blogging in recent months. Hello, blogosphere.

(2) Facebook

Call me old-fashioned, but I really liked the nice linear quality of the old facebook wall. This new-fangled timeline nonsense is really bothering me. I tried to figure out a way to switch my account back to the "wall" format, but apparently that's not an option. Once a timeline, always a timeline.

(3) Keeping up with family members

To me, the best thing about any social media platform is the ability to keep up with family. And also good friends. I love the photos. Love the updates. Love reading the newsy updates.

(4) Twitter

I tried tweeting for a while. It's fine, I guess. However, twitter seems to be dominated by two main components: number one--comedians and other people who are trying to come up with fun and creative tweets. (which they do! There are a lot of very fun tweets out there, lemme tell ya.) number two--people or organizations who are trying to promote something. Promote a book. Promote a movie. Promote a website. Promote a ministry. Promote a blog. Promote a song. You name it, twitter can promote it.

Since twitter has not proven to be as effective in keeping me updated on my fam & friends (see #3 on this here list), it really isn't my favorite social media platform.

I'm sure there are ways to really utilize twitter to stay more informed (follow local news, local weather, national news, etc.), but I've found that I can stay informed just fine without it.

(How do you feel, dear reader? Have I missed something important in the twitter experience?)

(5) Nicknames on my blog

For whatever reason, I feel more comforable using nicknames for my kids on my blog. Makes me happy to keep their given names in the real flesh-and-blood world of reality.

I need a blog nickname for my baby. In an effort to come up with something, I''ve thought about what nicknames we use with him on a daily basis. The deal is, though, all of his real life nicknames incorporate his real name somehow or another.

SO: I am going to assign him a blog nickname that has nothing to do with what we call him in real life. It just happens to be a name that I like a lot.

Are you ready?

(drumroll)

Manzo.

This nickname comes from my undying love for the Little House on the Prairie book series.

My very favorite Little House book is Farmer Boy.

And who is the main character? Almanzo Wilder.

And what do Almanzo's siblings call him? Manzo.

The first syllable rhymes with Ron. (as in Ronald)

By the way, if you don't recognize one of these chillins, you might like to know that she is my niece. One of her blog nicknames is Ebug.

Someday, when my little baby gets old enough, I'll read Farmer Boy to him. And together, we'll enjoy re-living all of Almanzo's adventures and escapades.

Going to school in the one-room schoolhouse.

Doing chores: milking the cows, feeding the livestock, cleaning the barn.

Making a bobsled with his father.

Growing a milk-fed pumpkin.

Eating the delicious feasts his mother prepares.

Filling the ice house.

Training his pair of oxen.

Wishing for a colt of his very own.

Photo credit: Little House on the Prairie Wiki, Almanzo Wilder

+ + + + +

One last thing which relates to my thoughts on blogging:

Several months ago, I enjoyed reading this post written by my friend Kate. As I was reading this post, I found myself thinking, "Yes! That's what I love about blogs, too."

Behind the Gate : Grateful

 

blue cake

 

 When Superboy was about to turn nine, I asked him what kind of cake he'd like.

"Blue cake."

Okay...is that any particular flavor??

"No particular flavor. Just blue cake."

Okay.

So that's what I did!

I used a recipe from allrecipes.com.

The cake recipe was excellent.

The icing recipe was not-so-great. It was waaaay too rich.

* * * *

I have a few articles/links to share. 

(1) Caring For Your Introvert : I first read this article several years ago. I like it, but I don't think I've ever linked to it. Humorous, yet insightful.

(2) You Cannot Be That Serious About Sports : My dad just sent us this link. What a hilarious article. Hunter and I just laughed and laughed. Our favorite line is: 

"A Serious Guy wants to roll "trips right" even if the huddle consists of you, your aunt and a chocolate lab."

(3) Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin : I posted last week about my efforts to kickstart my own fitness boot camp. This article has been in the back of my mind, so I looked it up online. Basically, it stresses the importance of nutrition/proper caloric intake. Yes, exercise is important, but it can only do so much to improve your fitness level if you're still over-eating.

(4) What Fit Actually Looks Like : I like Kristen Howerton's articles on such a variety of topics. (parenting, adoption, health & nutrition, etc.) This one, on fitness/body image was a good one.

(5) The Measure of Meaning -- A Pilgrimage to Port Royal, Kentucky : Oh, what an incredible experience. Loved reading about these friends and their unforgettable road trip. (Thanks for sending me this link, RWB3)

(6) The Help Continues The Saga Of How Good-Looking White People Ended Racism in America (and Elsewhere) : I read The Help. I really enjoyed it. I've noticed various things written online since the movie release. Some people love it. Some people have some criticisms. I thought this article did a great job of shedding light on one aspect of this discussion.

(7) Where Children Sleep : Wow.

(8) Looking Comes First : This paragraph is beautiful. The author is referring to "old school" painters and their "old school" techniques.

"Their consummate skill in close observation of the human form, of the effects of light, of space and color and the texture of things engenders in us a deeper appreciation of this world of wonders in which we live. If we live inside our heads only, we lose that connection to earth, to the thingness of things and our lives can become insubstantial, gnostic. We risk becoming estranged from the infinite variety, intricacy, and wonder of the created universe."

(9)  The Top-Earning Authors : I love reading about authors. I love reading the interviews they give. I love reading the details of their profession (when do you write? where? what are your methods?) This is an interesting little slideshow.

(10) Move : Watching this video makes me want to buy a plane ticket. I don't care where I go--just somewhere.

* * * *

Thank you, friends, for reading my blog posts and sending me fun feedback. I sure do enjoy reading your comments here on the blog, and I really appreciate the emails I've gotten in the last couple of weeks. Thank you for your kindness and thoughtfulness. Getting feedback makes blogging feel more conversational (and therefore more enjoyable to me.) I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and perspective.

I'm about to embark on a busy month, and I expect to be away from the good ol' blog for several weeks. 

Ellie is under some deadlines with her writing. (No, not blog writing. Real writing. We acutally have no deadlines here in the world of Bright Eyes + Blue Eyes. It's a deadline-free zone.) After she emerges with finished writing project in hand (or on jump drive, as the case may be), she'll be back here with some posts to share as well.

So things might be quiet here for a bit. We'll be back soon.

Have a great weekend! -Abbie

linkedy link link

First of all, have you all seen this already? Such a great little clip:

Everything's Amazing & Nobody's Happy

 Louis C.K. interviewed on Conan O'Brien

A few links:

(1) Shot Through the Heart : Great print. Great song. Flashbacks to CLS junior high school dances.

(2) World of Geekcraft : Nifty projects for craft-lovin' geeks.

(3) Luna's First Year : Sweet little book to recap baby's 1st year.

(4) Thrift Store Picture Frames Tutorial : How to recolor a digital element via Photoshop. Great tutorial.

(5) Hello My Name is Inigo Montoya : Awesome t-shirt. 

(6) Twirly Skirt Tutorial : Love all the detailed instructions in this tutorial. Pumpkin would love a few of these twirly skirts. I need to bust out the sewing machine and get to work.

(7) Pretty Maids Embroidery Patterns : Some of you know how much Pumpkin is enjoying embroidery projects at the moment. Would she not LOVE these Pretty Maids patterns?

(8) Allsorts : Here's the main website of the Pretty Maids artist. Her name is Jenny B. Harris. I love the current color scheme on her website! 

(9) Sunshine Greeting Card Co. : Fabulous Etsy shop.

(10) Hail to the Chief Letterpress Print : I would really like to be able to recite all 44 US presidents in order from Washington to Obama. If I achieve my goal, I should reward myself with this very cool print.

* * * *

And last but not least, my sisterr has a wondeful blog that many of you probably already read. In case you missed it, I want to tell you about one of her super cute posts. It's a recap my niece's 1st birthday party. I loved this post! 

Party for a Bug

 

 

vado

The other day Ellie published this post: Top 5 Tips for Transcription

Ellie, I had so much to say in response to your post that I decided to write my comments here (in a new post) instead of in the comments section.

First of all, I cannot believe what you wrote about how it's "nice to be a part of contributing to that collective knowledgebase in some ways." I feel EXACTLY the same way. You can file that commonality under the category entitled "Ways My Sister and I Think Alike." (subcategory: Technology and Social Media)

Case in point: Amazon reviews. I have read TONS of Amazon reviews over the years. I absolutely love the entire concept of Amazon reviews. It's a pure system (for the most part.) It's the consumers who get to voice their own opinions---not just the product marketing people who have a dog in the fight, and who will only provide positive information. 

You might be inclined to tell me that some of those Amazon reviews are "planted" to either boost or sabotage a particular product's ratings. Here's what I have to say about that: that's bad & I hope it doesn't happen very often.

I read a lot of Amazon reviews right before I purchased this pretty little baby:

This is my Vado. 

It's a Vado VF0624 3G Camcorder. I purchased it prior to our trip to Chicago so that I could record little snippets of our trip. I've SO enjoyed having it in my purse over the last eight months or so.

I researched a lot of handheld video camcorders before making this purchase. Amazon reviews were very helpful throughout that process.

*Gentle Reader, Prepare Thyself for a Rabbit Trail*

Our desktop computer is unplugged right now. The room where the desktop lives is under construction. A couple of weeks ago, I had to unplug the desktop and all her little accessories. 

I usually write blog posts and edit photos on our desktop. When that's not possible, I use Hunter's laptop. I don't have the same photo options here on his computer. (Mainly because I store my photos primarily on the desktop.)

So here I am on his laptop, wanting to use a photo of my Vado. I have no access to my regular photos (grrrr) but then I remember...hey! I can take a picture of the Vado this very minute with Hunter's laptop. Yippee! 

So in a matter of seconds, I've popped a photo up onto my blog post. (the above photo of the Vado)

SO EASY.

I'm inspired! This might be the beginning of a whole new chapter when it comes to the photos I include in my blogging. :-) 

Using photo booth, adding a photo on a whim is quick & easy.

Also, I can just reach my hand out and grab the first thing within my reach.

Instant blog content!

Would you care to read a blog post about hand sanitizer? There's a lot to investigate when it comes to this staple of home life in 2011. As my brother has been known to say, that 0.01% is getting stronger by the day....

Or perhaps I could publish a blog post about the saga of this poor little Webkinz Hamster? We came home one day to find this fuzzy little guy on the floor, all dirty and slobbery. Can you blame the dog? This hamster looks an awful lot like a puppy toy.

{to be continued soon...}

*posted by Abbie*

Catslife Press : Giveaway Winner

The winner of the Catslife Press giveaway is Deirdre. Congrats! Deirdre receives a $10 credit towards any Catslife Press purchase.

Deirdre, I'll email you with more details.

 

Giveaway : Cats Life Press

 

We had 274 children sign up for the Kids' ATC Swap. What a great response! The swap participants will be mailing out their cards on Monday, April 18th.

In celebration, we're having a giveaway.

Cats Life Press has an awesome selection of rubber stamps. SUCH great stamps.

Here's one I used the other day:

 

A Spring Day

This (above) is a little card I jotted a simple note on a few days ago. I intend to include this card in my April Project Life pages.

The giveaway: Cats Life Press is offering a $10 credit towards any purchase.

Please leave a comment on this post to enter the drawing.

We'll accept comments for the rest of the week. Comments will close on Saturday night at midnight.

Here's a question for you. You can leave your answer in your comment:

Tell us about someone who nurtured your creativity. Was it an art teacher? A parent? A music teacher? A grandparent? A sibling?

If no one comes to mind, no worries...just leave your name in your comment. Easy peasy. :-)

For those of you who signed up for the ATC swap, here's an idea for a geography extension, based on our swap:

On Friday 4/15 I'll post the locations here in a blog post so your kids can fill out their own map if they want to. FYI: there are swap participants from 39 US states and 8 countries.

*update* I decided to send the list of locations to swap participants via email. If you didn't get an email with that info, just let me know.

One more thing to mention about the Cats Life Press giveaway: It's open to anyone...it's not restricted to ATC swap participants.

*update* I also want to give a big thanks to Corinne, who generously gave five ATC Kits to our lucky winners. Corinne's lovely Etsy shop is called Goodness Recycled. The winners of the Goodness Recycled giveaway were: Ashley, Angie, Brooke, Sherri, and Danielle. Congratulations, ladies!

 
 

following bright eyes + blue eyes

Hi, friends! Just wanted you to know: there are at least four different ways that you can follow our blog...

(1) Low-Tech: Drop in for a visit when you feel like it. Maybe there will be some new posts.

(2) Google Reader: Subscribe to our blog via your preferred subscription service. (I use Google Reader. What do you use?)

(3) Facebook: Look up Ellie Abbie on facebook. Befriend Ellie Abbie. When we publish a blog post, it will show up on your facebook news feed.

(4) Email: Subscribe via email. Look on the right sidebar of this blog. You'll see the words "enter your email address." Type your email address in the box. You'll receive an email each time there's a new post.

 

plum district : 1yr subscription to family fun for $5

Our Family Fun subscription ran out a while back. I've been meaning to renew it.

This morning, I saw that Plum District is offering a 1yr subscription for a mere $5.

Bingo.

(Plum District is one of those Groupon copycats. "One deal per day" kind of thing.)

The not-so-great thing about Groupon/PlumDistrict is when you end up buying things you don't need just because of the reduced price.

The GREAT thing about Groupon/PlumDistrict is when you have been meaning to buy something anyway, and then you see it offered at a reduced price.

This Family Fun deal would also be a nice (and very budget friendly) gift.

Click on this link if you'd like to sign up for Plum District and view today's Family Fun subscription deal: 

Plum District

If you use that link, I think I get some sort of credit. Alternatively, you can just go to the Plum District website directly and look for the Family Fun deal.

Happy Saturday!

-abbie

 

ohdeedoh

 

The ever fabulous Ohdeedoh featured Pumpkin's butterfly collage yesterday. Yippee! I've loved this website for a LONG time. I love their content! Visual inspiration galore.

Someday when I have a minute, I'll do a post with some of my favorite Ohdeedoh links. I know I've bookmarked a few posts over the last couple of years.

 

photos : out