BLOGGING VAMPS FINDS FANATICS & RUBY DOOS


WoW!! What a week last week! Turning a day trip into a week long excursion. I'm glad I had this blog as a means of sharing all the photos and finds with you (Thanks for stopping by to read!!). Learning more about living where I'm at has also helped to peak my interest to learn even more. Who knew, just posting some pics on Rate My Space a few years ago, I'd have met such wonderful and encouraging people... who through their comments on RMS, encouraged me to start a blog...

weeee!

One of those people, I actually got to one meet in person - Valorie Hart - the editor & author of the blogs Visual Vamp and Perch. She too use to post on Rate My Space (which many have said has turned into hate My Space because of all the rude comments). Bloggers like Val and readers like Jill really gave me the push into the blogsphere - Jill with sharing her daily reads and Val sharing tips on how to get started... along with blogging's possibilities of where it could lead to...

Me with Blogger Valorie Hart of Visual Vamp and Perch

Over the past six months, because of the encouragement from people like Valorie and Jill, I started this blog... not really having a CLUE as to what I was doing, where it was going to or what to FOCUS on. But through reading comments, reading OPB (other peoples blogs) as well as reading books like Create Your Own Blog, I'm learning (still) and I feel I'm growing as a blogger...



Livin' in New Orleans, Valorie Hart (aka Visual Vamp)
also writes for the Home Decor Shop called PERCH.


 Home Decor Shop blog - Perch.

Through blogging, I've also increased people connections (like here to furniture designer & blogger Robert Pertil of the blog DESIGN ON THE EDGE), friend new people and liking pages on facebook and connecting to even more people through the wonderful world of Twitter. (Talk about keeping the FOCUS - use only 140 characters to say what you want to say AND leave space within those characters for a possible Retweet!!)


On Twitter, I've met the FABULOUS author of THE FIND and the blog The Elegant Thrifter... and through facebook, I've met some kind souls like designer Vicki Lee-Flynn and Stephanie Ruby Feldman (who also recently took the leap into the blogsphere with her blog - Ruby's Musings).


Livin' in New York City, blogger, tweeter & author Stan Williams
blogs about his fabulous & frugal finds on his blog

Although blogging is a journal, I've also learned through  the book Create Your Own Blog, a blog can be set up as a portfolio. But this portfolio blog can demonstrate a little more personality and really show off your style - which has been my point of FOCUS on FOCAL POINT... as well as sharing tips & finds of my travels here on the web or out and about where I'm at in South Florida...

Book or Kindle version available at Amazon.com

It's all good... and after taking some time to reflect on my past six months blogging experience (and a peak at the stats) I am a curious cat wondering -who the FOCAL POINT readers actually are? Are you home stagers? Are you designers or home make-over enthusiasts? Are you thrifters? or DIYer’s? Are you retailers or visual merchandisers? Are you photography enthusiast? What are your expectations of this blog? Is there something you would like to learn from me? or is this just another place to come look at pictures?


Pam "hopes you will be encouraged and inspired"
by her journey to transform her home
 into a more beautiful place on her blog Design Fanatic

I'm a firm believer that you can't keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. So I'd like some feedback to see if something is missing? Is there a style of post you'd like to see more of? Do you need more links? Are you interested in my personal projects (like found on Design Fanatic or DebbieDoos blogs)  or are you more interested in finding new information about trends? Or do you like the posts learning more about where something came from and how it came to be?

Debbie loves "Livin' in the Carolina's"...
She shares her DIY projects and wonderful life
at her blog - DebbieDoos

And probably the most curious questions I have for you are - do you like the tone of the blog? Many blogs I have read are written in a tone like how people speak... but being that I'm primarily using this more as a portfolio, I've tried to keep my tone here more professional (and probably down right too "corporate" boring when I first started!!) So how did you find FOCAL POINT? Was it listed on another blog? Or did you find it through a site like Blogcatalog, facebook, or from a link on Rate My Space?? or did you find it through a tweet, like I think Chris Spencer & Michelle Stinson of Key West Sunshine did just two weeks ago...


Key West Sunshine blog by Michelle Stinson Ross

Tweeter Chris Spencer of Key West Sunshine Rentals

I'm not saying I'll run out and change everything... but I do listen. People had requested larger pictures, larger font, and considering the change from my original BLACK blog that I first started with... and over time - they have been implemented... and even set up a fanpage on facebook for FOCAL POINT...




So have at it today...
Who are you and what do you think of FOCAL POINT so far?



Thank you for the follows (even the fickle followers)
for taking the time to read the posts...
and Thank You also for your feedback...



I never would have thought I'd enJOY blogging so much...
but it is, after all, another means of being creative
 along with making connections...


all while staying true to yourself...



 

10 comments:

  1. Lynda what a pleasant surprise....that is so awesome of you to acknowledge all these lovely ladies and include me:) Ok now to your questions....I think your blog is very reflective of you, no doubt about it. You share your love of design and your passion for creating a loving warm environment. I think you do well on a budget as well, and people I find more so today than ever really love that. Personally speaking what I would love for you to do, is be involved more with the linking of your posts and creativity to other parties out there. Lynda you would increase your traffic flow for one thing, and second for pete sakes you have a lot to share, so why not spread it out there!~ For example you table scapes, every Thursday Susan from Between Naps on a porch has her tablescape party, also on Monday she has her Metamorphorsis party (spelled that wrong) there are so many out there that I know you would love. Put yourself out there, and feel the reward of your time and blogging. I have been wanting to tell you this for some time. But then I thought, well maybe she is not interested in that aspect. However, there are so many women who would be so inspired by you, and that I know you LOVE!~ So there is my input.:) And thank you again!~:) P.S. get rid of word verification...you can still monitor your comments before they go through...it is a real pain for people and I have learned most people hate it!

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  2. Lynda, thank you for the mention, and I'm honored to be connected to you. Thank you for doing what you do, and sharing it with us!

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  3. WOW!! Thanks for the comments and reading the post... I very my appreciate it! But special thanks to Debbie for your FABULOUS feedback!! Sorry - I didn't realize word verification was still 'on' - It's OFF now... lol

    The link-backs to my posts have so far been through facebook, twitter, my articles on Exmainer.com, and some relevant postings through groups I belong to on LinkedIn... mainly in the hopes of a recruiter 'stumbling upon' them...

    I've seen posts about link parties, I just haven't (yet) stepped out into that arena (although I have participated in twitter parties). Thanks to your input, I will definitely have to check out blog parties like Thursday's at Susan's from Between Naps on a Porch (for her tablescape party), Transforming Home's blog parties and I see you too have link parties... I don't quite know what they are or what they involve, but I am willing to learn...

    THANK YOU so much for your valuable input... and for also noticing the reflection of me and creativety in my blog...

    :D Lynda

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  4. Thanks for the shout out chica! Love where your blog is going. I like that you keep it more professional (all the successful bloggers do). I am just a house porn junkie. :) addicted, I tell you!

    Keep up the great work,
    Jill

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  5. oh yeah, forgot to mention you look so cute on the swing!!

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  6. Lynda,
    I found the link to your blog from your RMS post; I had you in my “favs” from way back when you did your Glam Christmas post. I went back to that this past Christmas to get inspired and saw that you now have a blog and have been following every since. We very much have the same decorating style and I like to see the changes you make in your home and to validate the fact that I re-do all the time too, and knowing that I’m not the only one out there is comforting
    I like the direction your blog is going and I hope you have much success with it and your desire to turn your talent into a career… Like they say, do what you love and the money will follow!
    Keep up the good work, and know that there are a lot of people like me who know good design and style when they see it and enjoy your blog for ideas and inspiration.
    Lisa

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  7. Lynda, thanks for mentioning my blog. I found yours through RMS (Hate My Space definitely describes it better!). Originally I thought that I would blog on more aspects of design - things that that intrigue me such as photography, graphic design, clothing design - anything that has an interesting design-could be cakes or flowers or a store- but I noticed that most people are more interested in a specific area such as diy home projects, crafts, sewing, parties, or a personal experiences of their life. I have always been a DIYer, so as time goes on I tend focus more on how I do my projects. I think most people out in blogland want to be encouraged that they can do it themselves instead of hiring someone to do a project, which sometimes seems unreachable because of the cost of the project & the cost of raising a family.
    I love your blog because it inspires me as a designer. It is a great resource for what trends are coming up... what is going on in the world. I do think that your blog is great for someone interested in design or for professionals. I am probably not one to ask what kind of posts I would like you to write more of because I like them all - the personal projects like your home or your mom's patio and your more professional blog posts.

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  8. I came back to see what kind of feedback you where given. I still stand by my first response...I personally would love to see you get more activity and I know the way is through the parties...it will also get you more of a following, and you never know what kind of connections you can make from there. You have an awesome style and talent, that should be spread and reached any way you can:)

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  9. THANKS FOR ALL THE FEEDBACK!! And I have been applying some of the suggestions - especially checking out link parties! (Thanks for suggestion Debbie!)

    Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment...

    Lot's of blog-land-love...
    :D Lynda

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