With a Little Help From My Friends...

As effortless and stunning as this blog looks....(pause for effect)...I really had no idea where to begin.

So I just jumped in. I started looking around at knitting blogs and when I found one I liked, I tried to learn some of their cool techniques. Unfortunately, a lot of those techniques involve html...which is basically a crazy foreign language of letters, numbers and symbols that I just don't get. What I do get is books. So I decided to venture into the craft section at Barnes & Noble. Along with finding a bunch of knitting books, I found this AMAZING book that really helped me learn the basics of blogging and Etsy. The book is The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and Online by Kari Chapin.

This book is available here. It is so amazing! It covers everything from creative packaging ideas, a checklist for craft fairs, and the importance of having an Internet presence. This book was so helpful and I really recommend it to everyone!

So, like I said, when I started to get interested in blogging, I checked out other blogs for inspiration. That's when I found the blog, A Common Thread.

I just completely loved the look and feel of Stefanie's blog. She makes both knit and crochet jewelry. So, I decided to send her an email and basically ask how she got her blog to look so awesome! I didn't expect a reply at all, but Stefanie surprised me with an immediate and extremely helpful response! I picked up a few tricks about my blog header and sidebar gadgets and finally felt prepared to blog! Thanks so much Stefanie!

So my advice to new bloggers is to find blogs you admire and contact them with your questions! It is the best way to learn from the blogging pros! I hope this helped!