Hey friends!
It has been quite a while since we’ve tweaked things around this corner of the blogosphere. I’m ready to tackle a little blog rearranging and organizing, making this site work the most it can for you.
There are a few hundred tutorials and redo’s, but sometimes they can be hard to find, or at least, it takes a while to find them. I want to change that and get everything right at your fingertips. I already have an ongoing list like making the blog mobile-friendly (I know, should have done that a long time ago), and bringing back our drop-down navigation tabs to list all of our project categories.
We’re putting together a reader survey soon, and it will ask you all sorts of things so we can find out what you want. But, it will be limited to those questions, and I wanted to give you a chance to say what you want without little buttons to click.
Do you want to see more videos, more crafts, more tutorials, more confessions, more posts on running a creative business? What things would make it easier for you to navigate around the site? I wanted to open up a forum of sorts today to let you tell me whatever you’d like to see on our blog. Just scroll down to the comments at the bottom of this post & spill the beans.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and tell me–know you’re busy with plenty going on that doesn’t involve our blog’s navigation tabs.
But if you can, I’d love to hear your thoughts and know what would help us work better for you. You guys are rock stars.
Have a great one!
MOBILE – FRIENDLY!!! I know that’s on your list, but it needs all-caps. I do 100% of my blog reading on a mobile device now (out of necessity), which means I have had to completely stop reading your blog. Between the truncation I get using my reader, to having to scroll horizontally to read every line if I view the original post, it’s just too unpleasant. And you have good ideas/things to say! Please fix this!
My favorite posts are tutorials and befores and afters. I know they are the most labor intensive ones, but they are my faves!
As for navigating.. I think that is a personal decision. Whatever is easiest for you and what YOU like is what you should do… Since you won’t make everyone happy anyhow!
Love your blog! Even if you never changed anything.
Gee, this is going to sound gluttonous but I would like it all. I so admire you and what you’ve done and I would like to know how you got there, some of your struggles – we all have them. I enjoy hearing about your life. I love your tutorials and your craft ideas, running a creative business and some of the tricks of doing so. You are such an inspiration and since you’ve gone through the trial and error it makes it definitely easier on us to learn from you. I imagine it is a challenge to raise a family and work a business. You are doing two full time jobs and I certainly respect that. But I also have found that you are generous in giving time to your readers and wanting to please them too. I love your blog and I will gladly do the survey. Whatever medium you select to convey your talent is fine with me. Have a blessed day.
Hi Shaunna,
First, thank you for taking our feedback into consideration as you “tweak” things in your blog.
I am a silent follower, but so so so inspired but what you have accomplished, fueled by your passion……(and amazing support team).
To be honest, I don’t click on to your blog as much as I used to because it became too “time intensive”. I understand there is a concern for people who abuse the information you provide and therefore a need to not “put it all out there with one click”…..but in doing so, it takes too many clicks to get to the information we are curious about. For example, when I get on your blog there is only a short lead in sentence to what that days entry is about and it doesn’t really give enough information unless you click again.
Also: for some reason, when I try to open your blog on my Iphone4 it shows mostly the graph background more then the actual information? So to that end, I was frustrated and would just delete the email without reading it. buuuutttt……
I miss you and reading your blog! I wish life didn’t have to be so complicated, but it is right?
Thanks for balancing it all……or making us believe we can too! Continued success on all your creations.
I really miss the tutorials and the projects with the before and after shots. And I really would like to read more of the book you gave us an intro to such a long time ago; you truly have a gift and you need to use it!
Hi Shauna,
Thank you so much for yout beautiful blog and the inspirational content! I am also one of your silent followers. I live in Algeria (North Africa), my husband is on a contract here, but our base is Brussels, Belgium. I would love to see more tutorials and before and after projects. I love your creativity and your journey has been an inspiration and encouragement to me. May God bless you and your family and fulfill His purpose in your lives.
Brigitte
Hi,
I am a new follower so I have read a lot of your blog in a concentrated amount of time. I have thoroughly enjoyed your posts. I do enjoy a variety. I found you from a posting on another blog you were guesting.
I really have enjoyed the before and after posts and the tutorials. I also thought your craft projects were very interesting. I use Pintrest like a future project notebook so I love postings that are super simple to pin. Family stuff gives your reader a frame and personalizes it.
Most of all, follow your heart. This is your blog, and if you tailor it to much to the noisy rabble, you may lose your way. Share your life, love, and passion so that you follow your bliss. In many of your posts, your passion for a project or family matter leap through the screen as if we were sitting around the kitchen table chatting. Ponder your path and plan. Reflection is always important. But be true to you, remembering advice is only a gift. As a gift it can be accepted, followed, put in a dark closet or even regifted.
Have a great day!
I like crafts, tutorials, before and afters, especially furniture pieces you have painted with chalk or milk paint and waxed, as I am trying to learn these techniques.
I too love it all. You are such an inspiration. I will say my favorites are your before and afters and your tutorials. I also really like seeing the shop and how you style rooms or spaces in a room. Keep up the great work. I’m an always and forever follower:-)
Hi Shaunna, I too am silent simply because I’m strictly mobile. Any improvement in that area apparently is worth the effort.
I have never liked blogs, UNTIL I saw yours. Now I an a one blog woman. You and your commitment have made me feel this way! I truly enjoy your passion and enthusiasm for your work!
Sincerely, Hope
I like the tutorials and the crafts. I also just enjoy before and after pictures of your furniture pieces. I am a loyal follower and I look forward to all of your posts!
I love the tutorials and the before & after pictures.
I would love to see more tutorials and more tips on running a creative business. There aren’t a lot of big bloggers giving much new content in those areas anymore and I would love to see your take on it!
I love your blog, my selfish wish would be fore more information about running a creative business and more tutorials.
But then there is the side of your blog that I think touches so many, the side where you speak about things in life. It is these posts that I know help others who face what you are facing, that give people an insite into a world that altough not perfect can be managed.
So I think you should continue to speak from where you are at. It if is in the creative business/tutorial thing or if it is managing life as it comes this is what you need to share.
Best wishes.
Shaunna,
I’ve been a reader for months now, and I really like how things are right now, but if anything… I’d love to see more how to’s. But i know it’s a lot of work to make those.
The before and after pictures always get my attention.
And like the others say, maybe a simplified mobile version too.
Oh and another thing before I forget…how about a tv show too? Haha i’m just kidding!
<3
Sam
I’ve been a “lurker” for a long time and what keeps me coming back are the decorating posts and I love the before and afters. I can’t wait to see more of the beach house. You’ve already got a wonderful start and I have tracked down those posts more than once for inspiration. Your office / playroom is another absolutely lovely space that makes me linger and take in all the eye candy. Thanks for sharing!
It seems like you normally wait until a makeover is completely finished so you can take perfect pictures of the room/furniture, but I would love seeing things mid-project. It definitely doesn’t have to be perfect! It helps spark ideas when I can see the full process rather than just before and after. Of course at the end before/afters are super fun, but mid-process is just so helpful 🙂 Thank you for sharing your creativity with us! I really don’t know how you juggle everything. You are a hard worker — keep taking rest time for you and your fam 🙂
Hey Jenny! Great idea…I’ll tell ya, in the meantime, I do take lots of those for Instagram and Facebook. There’s rarely a day that goes by I’m not sharing some mid-project moment. Thanks for your feedback!!
🙂
shaunna
I have no problem reading you on my ipad. My blog-reading is pretty much for DIY inspiration. I do enjoy the feeling of “knowing” the writers somewhat with personal updates sprinkled in. My favorite bonus while getting DIY inspiration is the spiritual inspiration I get when you share a bit of your faith in our loving Lord. Love reading blogs by someone who knows where all the Goodness comes from! God Bless!