Blue Soul Designs Giveaway

It’s Friday the 13th. Do superstitious days like this bother you?  I always feel like there is an air of creepy in the air.  I think it’s because I watched too much Dateline as a child.  Anywho, I think we should start this Friday the 13th off right……with a fun giveaway!

Have you seen the rings over at Blue Soul Designs?

Sarah (the lovely lady behind the great designs) contacted me about hosting a giveaway.  Yes, please!  How cute are these rings?

Left to right: Cog ring, Lyme Disease Awareness, Amazonite Wire Wrapped, Natural Pearl Wire Wrapped

Sarah is recovering from a mold illness and Lyme disease. She needed an outlet and a way to help offset some medical costs so she opened her Etsy shop.  Sarah’s designs reflect her love of the beach and nature.  Many of her designs use natural stones.  I was shocked at how affordable her rings are.  Kind of seems like highway robbery! 

Sarah is also offering free shipping for all Décor and the Dog readers.  Just enter FREESHIP when you check out!

Would you like a chance to win one of Sarah’s beautiful creations?

• PRIZE: One ring of your choice from Blue Soul Designs
• TO ENTER (required):  Visit Blue Soul Designs and pick your favorite ring.  If you have some extra time you can also tell me about a New Year’s resolution that you made.  Have you kept it or is it already a distant memory?  Your comments keep me entertained at work.  (Oops.)
• GIVEAWAY CLOSES: January 15, 2011 at 11:59 PM CST
• NUMBER OF WINNERS: One
• OTHER STUFF: The winner will be selected using random.org and announced on January 16th.  Check back to see if you are the lucky winner!

***I was in no way compensated for this post.  I just think Sarah is a pretty talented lady and I thought you all would think so too !  Do you have an Etsy shop you’d like to promote? E-mail me!***

Also, I would like everyone single one of you to click here and vote for Kelly’s Upholstered Platform Bed. Do it.  Now.  Is the peer pressure getting to you?  Actually I just really like Kelly…and her bed…and I think you should vote for her.  If you want to.  Love, the bossy blogger.

DSLR for Dummies

I’m not big on New Year’s Resolutions.  I stink at follow through.

What do you do when you stick with follow through?  You start two blog series in one week.

I REALLY need to learn how to use our DSLR.  Every time I shoot in auto, I can hear the camera laughing at me.  Or is that Nate?  We’ll never be sure.

I know there are a bunch of you out there that are in the same position.  We are going to learn how to use our cameras together in 2012. Deal? Deal.  Every Thursday, Nate will give us a camera lesson.  He isn’t a pro but he has taught himself a lot.  (The photo department at Sam’s wanted a copyright release form when Nate’s mom wanted to print pictures that Nate took of our niece.  True story.)  We encourage you all to chime in with your wisdom as well!  We might even do a little Flickr group for everyone to share what they are learning!

I can’t read the DSLR owner’s manual.  I’ve tried. I fall asleep or I decide I need to clean the bathroom instead.  Or alphabetize the books in the office.  I am going to try to have Nate teach me instead.  This could be a very big test for our marriage.  At least we have 5 1/2 years of commitment to help get us through.

Nate will be represented in blue.  I will be represented in pink.  Oh, the gender stereotypes.

Today we are starting from the beginning and the lesson is boring…but supposedly important.  Wake me up with this is over.  I mean, learning is fun.

What does DSLR even stand for?  DSLR stands for: Digital single-lens reflect

Did you Google that?  No. Maybe.

What kind of teacher are you?  Focus.

What kind of DSLR do we own?  Nikon D5000 body and lenses (we’ll cover lenses later).

via Nikon

Why did you choose Nikon?  I have heard that Canon’s are cooler.  Kind of like the IPhone. Can I get an IPhone?  No, Android is better. Instagram is coming to Android.  You’ll survive until then.  Focus.

The Nikon vs. Canon decision is a big debate.  I choose the Nikon after reading reviews on Steve's Digicams and DP Review.  I could get more features in the Nikon for a few hundred dollars less than the Canon.  This was 2 years ago.  I haven’t looked recently. I also like the Canon brand.  At the time, I could get more for my money with the Nikon.  Both brands are great, just depends on your personal preference.  The Nikon D5000 is a good mid-level consumer grade camera.

When do we get to learn fun stuff?  Next week I’m going to teach you about lenses.

Bleh.  Do you want to learn how to use this thing or not? 

Yes, master. 

Overall, good first lesson?  Weigh in on the Nikon vs. Canon debate!  Who’s thinking auto is just fine?  Would you partake in the Flickr group if I’m not too lazy to set it up?

Blogging Basics

I am still shocked at the response I received from my post about what I've learned blogging.

You all got me thinking.  Maybe I should do a little blogging basics series. 

This series would include things I have learned along the way.  I am nowhere close to being a professional.  I have a tiny little blog (but lots of awesome readers).  I have had some amazing opportunities stem from this little blog and I’d like to share my wisdom.

I know some of the fancy big girl bloggers have recently discussed their blogging tips but I’m thinking more tips for us tiny baby bloggers.  We do things a little differently.  Our blogging mission isn’t too put food on our tables but to entertain one another instead.  I think we can do this while pretending to know what we’re doing as well.

My “blogging series” (if I stick with it) will be more focused on the basics.  The things that I had to dig to find on my own. 

Here’s where I need your input…

What would you like to learn from this series? 

Things I have in mind include but are not limited to:

• Blog layout, Laying out a post, How to make a header, What’s your blog mission/focus?, Turn off that word capture, Make Picnik your best friend, Your “About Me” page, Finding your niche, Google Reader 101, Windows Live Writer 101, Getting your blog out there, Social media, Let’s talk $$$

What did I miss?

This would be a one post a week deal.  I don’t want to get away from my true love…….blabbing about my house and my compulsive shopping habits.  (I’m trying to limit my spending in January, so you get random posts.  Woo hoo!)

I would also love if some of you that have been blogging for awhile would chime in with comments.  Maybe I’ll have some helpers.  E-mail me if you are interested experienced little bloggers (decorandthedog at gmail). This could be fun…