I have decided that my blog needs to be jazzed up a bit. It’s a bit boring format wise. Eventually I think I’ll need to come up with a more unique template, but for now I’d just like to fix a few things (frugally of course).
The first thing I’d like to fix is my reading list. I’ve seen a lot of blogs that have a nice “What I’m reading now” section with pictures of the books and links to them on amazon. Does anyone know an easy way to do that? The only way I know how is to change the books in my template, which is sort of a pain. That is why my booklist hasn’t changed in months (although I read about 2 books a week!)
What other cool blog tools do you know, use, love?
Also, how do you guys feel about polls and contests? Like ‘em, hate ‘em etc? Comments and suggestions please.
I probably won’t post again this weekend, so it should give you all PLENTY of time to make some useful comments. Thanks in advance.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
All Consuming (http://allconsuming.net/about/view/faq) lets you list books, music, etc. and then put your list on your web site, kind of like Blogrolling. I haven’t set mine up yet, but my husband really likes it.
Getting a template it pretty easy, just look around the web for free templates.
As for the polls and such, go for it, might be fun.
I like it that you post consistently.I don’t think you need a lot of gimmicks. Also, I don’t think you always need to write something “frugal”–just whatever is going on in your life.
I have to agree I don’t think you have to make your blog all fancy. I enjoy reading your posts and know I can count on new things to read here.
I think if you want to change colors, layout etc fine… but I like the simplicity – especially for someone like me who has the equivalent of dial-up if there are too many gimmicky things to load it takes forever and I can’t enjoy the blog.
Hi Jenn,
In response to your question on my blog… here’s my husband’s blog with All Consuming in action: Professional Notes. Just scroll down to “Books and More” in the right-hand column. I think if you click through on the tiny little link to All Consuming it might give you a better idea of what it does than the link I posted earlier.
Of course, now that I think about it, suggesting a site called “All Consuming” for a frugality blog seems kind of silly.
But since almost all of the books I read come from PaperBackSwap these days, I just don’t think of getting books as “consuming” anymore.
I am a plain, simple no frills kinda gal. If you want to jazz up your blog with the things you mentioned I don’t think it would hurt anything. But I love your blog just the way it is.
I agree, I like it just as it is. Unless you get a shot at Martha Stewert Living, I would not change a thing.
Thanks everyone for your input (Hi Bones!!!)
I did find one template that is the same as this one except has 3 columns, I might go to that because I’d like to provide at some point an index linking to old posts with titles like “recipes” “Quick tips” “Works for Me Wednesdays” “Carnival Roundups” “Projects” etc.
I will be adding in a weekly poll (or at least occasional poll) and I’d like to try the reading list feature that Molly recommends. (or else figure out how to do the Amazon.com one that I see on other folks sites) I think that will add to the content without gunking things up or slowing things down.
Again, thanks for all your input.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but the “Yesterday’s Top 5″ gets overlaid on the “about me” section. I use Firefos, screen resolution 1024×768. Past that, I love the schemes, especially the colors and the fonts.
annab-I’ve had several folks say there are alignment problems on the sidebar, and all of them say they are using firefox. I guess that firefox and blogger just don’t play well together. . . one of these days I’ll do a little internet info mining to see if there is a quick-ish fix for it. In the meantime, please keep reading and just ignore the mess in the about box!