My Tchotchke Could Be Your Tchotchke

Not only am I tickled to be in The Circle of Bliss, I am even more tickled to know the creative author of the blog Beauty In The Attempt.  This is the second insanely unique bloghop she has created. 


The purpose of this bloghop?  It's easy:  Put something in your house that you don't feel fits your style anymore into the hands of another blogger who just MUST HAVE IT TO MAKE HER LIFE COMPLETE!!!


Here is what I am offering:

Here is the low down in the item.  It is a basket that Rusty and I bought on a vacation in the market in Charleston, South Carolina.  We were told it is covered in large grape leaves.  It has a knotty vine wrapped around it to serve as handles.  I have stored many things in this basket over the ears.  In fact, it is still my style, probably.  I just happen to have bought two of them, and my house is not large enough for you to see it in one room of the house and forget you saw it later on in another room, lol!


Are you coveting this basket?  It is TOO easy to make it yours:
{1} Become a follower of {twenty}something 
{2}  Leave a comment about how you MUST have it
{3} On Tuesday, March 29th, I will give it to the one commenter or use a random generator to fairly give it away


It is not necessary for you to link up with an item you are giving away, but it sure would be more fun!  You can cater your entry to meet any requirements you want.  Customize it!  


You keel hopping while I start shopping!


Oh yeah, the shipping is on me for my item!

What Is My Style?

After participating in the blog hop over at Beauty in the Attempt, I received an abundance of feedback from all of the wonderful bloggers who participated.  In the blog hop, I was invited to check out many other blogs and leave feedback.  In doing that, I realized many things.  I realized that I am starting to move past (slightly past) being a newborn blogger into being a can-hold-my-own-head-up blogger.  This means that I am familiar enough with the basic Blogger tools and need to venture out into the html code world and snag my blog a new look.  To do this, I have invited my friend, and ultimate expert of all things under the sun, Reginia from The Not So Modern Family to come over on Friday for a blog overhaul.  We are talking a big overhaul.  Think "What Not To Wear", "Extreme Home Makeover" and "Clean House".


I am so excited!


Ok - it wasn't just seeing what else is out there on others' blogs.  It was also the comments I received.  I heard that my background could be distracting with the bleed-through background.  I was told my blog didn't feel like my "home" and needed to be more personal.  I need a picture of me.  An about me blurb up top.  My side bars were a little too text heavy and could use some more pictures.


However, I also learned that some think I have a great voice as a writer (gasp!  my students would be so proud!).  I have a good eye for photography and angles (swooning!).  My projects are lovely (cheeks are blushing).  And, for those who were rooting for the peacocks, my background shows so much of my personality.


Until I read this: "I'm trying to figure out your style because the decor on your mantel is so different from your blog background."

This played in my mind day after day.  I called Reginia.  I said, "My blog doesn't represent my style."  She agreed!  I embraced it.  I put no thought into that background.  I was the first one I came across that wasn't a preloaded Blogger font that I thought was pretty.


Great.  So I will make my blog match my style.


...


What is my style? 
How often can I change my background?
Do the aesthetics of my blog have to be deep and meaningful?
Am I normal?


So......I have a to do list for the weekend that sounds a little like this:

• Design a new background
• Design a new banner (maybe with some photos from my home/projects)
• Make a post "cloud" (my tagging is ridiculous)
• Add some images in my sidebar (maybe a photo of each of my rooms in my home)
• Play around with new fonts (Blogger's are b.o.r.i.n.g.)
• Start making my posts open in a new window
• Have a blog with a wider width that will allow for the extra large setting for pictures

My final thoughts:  I love my new followers.  I love the new blogs I am following.  Feedback and comments are so precious to me.  I can't wait for my makeover.  


In other news...my free Craigslist table is hanging out in the garage for another day to dry.  It is a beautiful, fresh white.  I can't wait to stain the top and get it in the breakfast nook under my new PB knock off light fixture!


What did you get out of the blog hop?  Any changes coming to your blog?