One Day...At SoFabCon...I Learned How to Code My Way Out of a Wet Paper Bag

Taking Over the World with WordPress and HTML

by Jay Thornton and Chris Whittle

Disclosure: I have not been compensated for this post. I am writing this to share my experiences from SoFabCon 2013 in hopes that someone might learn something and so that I don't forget a thing! As always, all opinions are my own so if I get anything wrong, it's all my fault!

It was once said, in a public forum, lovingly of course, by some bunny that I couldn't HTML my way out of a wet paper bag. This might or might not be true. OK, so it's totally true. "Code" to me is like Algrebra. 

A + B = AB. You know, those things I work out every morning in hopes that they will once be as cut as they were pre 4 c-section 8+ pound babies ago? A + B cannot equal 5, or 6, or infinity. Numbers are numbers, letters are letters, words are words. 

I write. It's really all I know how to do. I might not be good at it, but this is what I do and there is no place in my world for "code". I write words. Not <div style="text-align: justify;"> or <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">. None of that belongs in my world. Or does it?

Apparently it does. Apparently I should learn it. Apparently expressing that it's all Greek to me is not acceptable in the blogging world. And so, when I heard that Jay and Whittle, the original monkeys, were going to teach a session on this elusive beast, this HTML monster, I knew I had to sit in. I mean, they said I could take over the world. Now that DOES fit into my world just fine.

So, yea, that's me. Sitting front and center with the half pink hair. I'm a good student like that (besides that put me in optimal heckling position and that's pretty important in my world too). I was ready to learn. Mind clear, pen and paper in hand, let's get this thing started!

Jay Thornton, VP of Technology for Collective Bias opened with the "basics". He explained that HTML, or the building blocks, controlled things on my blog like the headers, footers, and sidebars. And CSS (don't ask me what that stands for, I have no clue) makes it all look right with position, color, font, and size. You know, the pretty stuff.

Common CSS changes include:

• Background colors and images
• Fonts - Use Google Webfonts for 5000+ free fonts
• Content area widths (I can't express enough how important this is to the appearance of your blog. 1" thick blog post widths are not pretty people!).
• Plug ins and widget styling
• Use Global CSS by Joddit (Confession: I have "so confused" next to my notes on this part!) to make changes. We'll have to ask for clarification on this part later.

As they often do, this was a tag team effort between the dynamic duo. Chris Whittle, Director of Technology at Collective Bias, stepped up to the plate next. Don't let him fool you, he is rarely serious although he does know his "stuff". 

Key Points:

• Chrome Webmaster Tools: 
• Use to inspect an element and make a change. Hey, I can do that! 
• The cool part of this is, you can change stuff, but unless you hit save, it won't stick. Meaning, I can experiment all I want without messing up everything I've worked so hard to achieve. 
• Keep WordPress up to date for security. Remember: Plugins are your weak points.

There was much more said that I don't understand. Heck, I don't understand half of what I wrote above but I'm willing to work on it. Hopefully I got my notes right. I'm sure Whittle will correct me if not. 

They opened it up for questions and answers at this point. Guess who the first one to open their mouth was? Yup...ME! You see, I'm on Blogger. I told Whittle this not so long ago on a Google chat about other business and he admitted to losing a little bit of respect for me (he was kidding...kind of). I know that Blogger isn't as stable and I know I need to make the switch to WordPress. Remember at the beginning? They said I could take over the world! I'm on this! So how do I go about that?

• Don't be scared (my biggest hurdle!)
• Back up your current site. 
• Export, import, then move your domain.
• PAY FOR HOSTING! They recommend:
• BlueHost
• WireTree

So, am I ready to take over the world with WordPress and HTML? No, but I'm not nearly as afraid of it as I was before. I learned that I can make changes that won't stick unless I hit the save button. I actually know what some of the acronyms and codes mean now. Things that start with < and end with > don't frighten me nearly as much. And I'm ready to take the WordPress plunge now that I kind of/sort of know how to do it. I at least know where to start and that's further along than I was when I hit the ground in Arkansas!

I probably could have used a 10 hour one-on-one course from these two but this was a great one-hour session and I'm glad I sat in. I'm pretty sure I'm dangerous enough now to code my way out of a wet paper bag anyway!

One Day...At SoFabCon...I Learned I Could Take Amazing Photos Because Rachel Said So!

I've been playing this conference off as all fun and games, but we really did come to learn. And learn we did (said in my best Yoda voice). The first session that really struck my fancy was "Through the Lens of a Photographer: Photography for the Digital Age" taught by none other than the infamous Rachel Rockwell of Bubbly Nature Creations. I say infamous because in the blogging world, that is exactly what she is. We admire her, we adore her, we want to hate her for her enormous talent both in the kitchen and behind the lens, but in the end, admiration wins out and we all absolutely love her. And she's just as nice as she is talented. 

I take decent photos right? Why would I want to listen to this young women? What could she possibly teach me? I know how to use my camera in auto mode just fine. Well, let me show you some of her work before we get started.

Irish Cream Ice Cream Cupcakes: Photo compliments of Rachel with permission.

Double Tomato Bruschetta: Photo compliments of Rachel with permission.

Pop Rocks Mallow Pops: Photo compliments of Rachel with permission.

OK, so yea, that's why! She's the master of photography, staging, lighting, and everything else that I aspire to be. She wanted to talk. I needed to listen. And lucky you...I'm here to share her secrets with you!

But really this lovely young woman has no secrets. She shares daily and I'm like a sponge. Let me explain in advance though, I have not been able to put her advice in to practice since I've been home. I had my notes on paper and all of her vast knowledge in my head, and I came home ready to put it all to use. But alas, American Airlines had other plans for me. 

My camera is literally in pieces so I've been unable to try out what I learned . What I'm putting forth here is just her word. I wanted to add my "ah-ha" moments to it, but at this point, that's not possible. So in a nutshell, and in layman's terms, here's what I learned. 

Watch your shadows and light sources.

• Use simple white foam board behind objects for indirect light.
• Hold white foam board under a person's face for soft light. 
• Set up a tabletop in a window for natural lighting and use it for everything.
• If you have to use a flash, use one that goes up 90% to avoid full-on flash.

Watch your angles when shooting:

• Take straight on photos only when they make sense (cupcakes, plates of food, etc.).
• Use slight above angles for things like soup and beverages so that you can actually see what's in the bowl or cup.
• Overhead angles are nice when you want to get the full picture.
• Avoid taking photos too close or you'll miss the big picture. 
• Avoid taking photos too far away and not filling the frame.
• Experiment. It's the only way you'll ever figure out what works for you.

The Rule of Thirds:

• Imagine a tic tac toe board (my words, not hers). Divide your photo, your lens, into 9 parts like that. 
• Put your focal point in the + signs of the board and the camera will do the rest! If you want to focus on someone's eyes in a photo, make sure the + signs are on their eyes and shoot. 
• Apparently this is a biggie! Don't ever skip this step. You can stage all you want, your lighting can be perfect, but if you don't follow the rule of thirds, your photo will just not be amazing.
  

Find your style and stick with it:

• There are many styles of photography. You need to find yours and own it!
• Make your style match your blog, your lifestyle, and your personality. 
• Are you a minimalist, a light and bright, dark and subtle, dramatic, journalistic, lifestyle? The list goes on and on. 
• I've decided I'm a combination of light and bright meets lifestyle. I need to keep my photos fun but include my kids as much as possible. That's what works for me and Rachel confirmed my suspicions. 

Photo Editing Tools:

• Photo Shop Elements is great for beginners.
• Pixlr.com is free and simple to use.
• PicMonkey.com is another free and simple to use editing tool.
• Watch your whites: When editing and adjusting color, pay close attention to your whites. They will guide you to easy and proper photo editing that doesn't look fake. 
• Yes, add text, but don't let it take over your photo. Good rule of thumb: No more than 10% of your photo should have text on it. 
• Resize photos to the correct size for your blog before saving them, and before loading them to your post to avoid slow site resolution.
• Watermarks are fine, but do not let them take over your photo. Be discreet.

Photos and social sharing:

• Vertical photos get more hits on Pinterest.
• Horizontal photos do much better on Facebook and Google+. 

Technical Stuff I don't understand:

• Aperture: The lower the number, the bigger the diaphragm which helps with lighting. Two or lower is best. 
• There's a whole bunch more on settings, but basically, read your manual and get out of auto mode. You aren't doing your camera or yourself any justice by hiding behind the easy button. 

"Don't be afraid to be wrong!" ~ Stewart Cox

This is where Stewart Cox stepped up to the plate to add some additional words of wisdom. That statement above? That applies in photography, and in  life! You'll never achieve greatness if you're always focusing on what you might do wrong. Take chances! Make mistakes. How will you ever know your own potential if you fail to even try? Stewart feels that lighting is most important. Master that, and the rest will come.

General Food Photography Tips from Rachel:

• Use white plates for food photography for contrast. It's the easiest way to make your food stand out.
• Use craft paper for backgrounds. It's cheap, simple, and an easy way to highlight your food without a lot of fuss. 
• Arrange things in odds for focus. OK, this one is hard for OCD me. Evens are good. You have one thing here...one on the other side. Evens make sense (in my head) but her point is well taken. See her photos above. If you have 3 cupcakes, there will be a peak to focus on and your photography will pop. 

And there's that. I've gotten good at that!

That's pretty much what I learned at band camp SoFabCon that day. I can't wait to get my camera issue resolved so that I have a camera to test all of these theories out with on my own. I'll read my manual this time. Pinky swear. Rachel seems to think that's important and after seeing her photos and listening to her speak, I guess I better put more stock in that!

Be sure to stop back by. I have some SEO words of wisdom and potty jokes coming to you soon. Dan Morris taught me both and I can't wait to share it all with you!

In the meantime, I'd love to see some of your photography and hear your tips and tricks. I could use all the help I can get!

The Party That Almost Didn't Happen and Bubby's Big Disney Makeover Reveal

Disclosure: Compensation and products for review were provided by Glidden via Mom Trends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Glidden. 

As I told you last month, we were excited to be given the opportunity to give Bubby's room an exciting makeover with the help of Disney Glidden Paint. We were off to a great start, and near the end of April everything was panning out well. Disney Glidden Paint was making things easy and their specialty finishes had us all excited. But sometimes life hits, and bumps in the road stand in the way of our best laid plans. 

There was to be an awesome room makeover, a thrilled Bubby, and a Big Reveal Party. MOST of that happened. 

The layer of Definitely Donald (very, very blue paint...just like Bubby likes it) went on without a hitch. We ended up doing a second coat because after drying over the very white paint, I wasn't pleased with some of the spots shining through. But the coverage of this paint was amazing. And did I mention NO odor? Probably so. I meant that. 

Then we started to plan the party. We invited friends. Everyone was getting sick. Seems April/May are heavy flu months here in Texas and I'd never really noticed it before (although in hindsight I should have since that's when it hits every year). Here's where the problems began. We'd invited guests for the 2nd to last weekend in April but they were sick. Then the last weekend in April, but they were sick and it seemed the ick was hitting our house as well, but the room makeover continued. 

I couldn't find any stencils I liked, so I made my own. Turns out, stencils don't have to be perfect with Glidden's Disney Ready, Set, Glow Specialty Finish because it's very easy to apply with a sponge brush and you have time to wipe away goofs. Dry Q-tips come in handy. I kept them by my side and they helped out a lot!

See? Very forgiving. I loved the way the glow in the dark effects turned out against the very blue paint. This specialty finish was so cool. I wish they had this stuff around when I was a little kid! It actually glows brightly in the dark. Bubby loves it!

Then of course, there was Bubby's new blanket that he was stoked about. He already had Woody and now Buzz is here to protect him to "Infinity and Beyond" at night while he sleeps in his glowing galactic room. No need to be "agraib" of the dark anymore!

Then it was time for the big reveal. We hadn't been able to plan a party. No one had been able to come. Then I went out of town on a 3.5 day conference so that weekend was out. I came home and the crazy flu decided to attack. MY HOUSE! Me actually. Seven days of fever, chills, aches, pains, and things I don't want to mention. But Bubby wanted to show off his room. He wanted a party. We couldn't bring other children in to this house full of germs. 

So what's a momma to do? You can't let your baby down! So we did what any good family would do and we banded together and made it a family gathering. No one but Bubby had seen his room completed anyway. No one around here pays that much attention. I'd already told everyone I knew (in person, by email, in Facebook groups, etc.) how fabulous this process was and I plan on having a huge party once this "disease" is gone. Believe me, I have enough plates, cups, party favors, and gift bags for 20+ children. And I have a $50 Walmart Gift Card as a door prize for one lucky attendee! There will be a huge party. But in the meantime?

Bubby was ready to play and my family made it happen!

Bubby heard we were partying anyway and he and Buzz busted out their best dance moves! Let's get this party started!

B cooked frozen pizzas. Of course Buzz joined us for this feast.

Bubby played music on his Nabi while Buzz, Woody, and Bug partied it up!

Bug even dressed for the occasion to make her Bubby feel important.

And then it was time for cup cakes and goody bags.

It's a family party with Buzz and Woody. (And thanks B for running out and buying those cupcakes to make Bubby's party special. He was so disappointed and I felt so so bad. I didn't want to drive. You rock!)

While they were partying it up with cupcakes, I had the light glowing on the Ready, Set, Glow effects! Have to charge them up a bit so they glow at full force!

And it might not have been a HUGE reveal to a whole lot of people like originally planned, but it was perfect to me! The big reveal will happen and the good news there is that Bubby is excited that he gets to have two parties.

Bubby was so ecstatic to talk about the stars, and the planets, and the rocket ships. And Bug was amazed at the way they glowed in the dark. We turned the lights on and off 100 times while Buzz, Woody, and all their friends watched. It was a good day despite our set backs. 

As soon as we're all feeling well, I'll be back with that huge party update. I promised Bubby. What Bubby wants, Bubby gets. And I need to show you better pictures of the makeover (if the airline will ever answer my claim after breaking my poor DSLR into pieces). 

But for now know that if you are at all interested in putting a simple, inexpensive smile on the face of your little prince or princess, Glidden's Disney Paint and Specialty Finishes can help. With so many options, the possibilities are endless. This was so much fun, I see the All That Glitters finish adorning Bug's wall in no time. 

Be sure to check out the other #DisneyPaintMom projects on Pinterest to get inspiration for your child's room makeover. Disney Glidden Paint has so many amazing colors and finishes, you're sure to find something that will make your little prince or princess smile! 

Full Disclosure: Compensation and products for review were provided by Glidden via MomTrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Glidden. In other words, as always, I'm telling it like it is, in my own words, with my own opinions. #DisneyPaintMom #ad

One Night...At SoFabCon...We Got Awkward!

I've gotten behind in my posts as of late. I've been sick. You've heard me whining on Facebook but seriously, I've been really sick. I still have so much to share from SoFabCon, including sessions, events, epiphanies, etc. but this just couldn't wait. 

Awkward Stretching is a Collective Bias "thang". As members of the Social Fabric community, we do this all of the time through Instagram and Facebook posts jokingly and we make each other laugh (or snort if you're me). Once we all got together in real life, awkward stretching became a "normal" event during every photo opp. This just so happens to be one of my favorites. We were dressed for 80's night bowling and who doesn't need a good awkward stretch before bowling? 

I promise, I'll be back with all of the other stuff, but in the meantime, I hope this gave you a little giggle (snort). And for the record, I love my friends!

Happy Thursday! 

One Night...At SoFabCon...We Had a Cocktail Party!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I am writing this post and this series to share my experiences at SoFabCon 2013 and to show my love for Collective Bias. No one has asked me to post any of this content so obviously all opinions, ideas, and photos are my own or are being used by express permission. 

From Left to Right: The Nesticle Princess, The Creator of the Nesticles, The Nesticle Queen

Upon entering the ballroom at Crystal Bridges for the cocktail party to officially  kick off the first inaugural SoFabCon 2013, Amy and I met up with none other than the creator of the Nesticles, Code Ninja Chris Whittle. What's a Nesticle you ask? Don't bother...let your mind wander. It's just so much more fun that way. 

It was a packed house, there was fabulous food, there were sparkles everywhere, and there was much mingling to do. You know, because I was on a mission to meet all 300+ attendees in a few short days. I probably got to 100 this night alone. I move quickly and I talk fast. But I talk a lot so it was always so hard to move along to the next. 

The room hushed as Courtney Velasquez, Community Relations Manager at Collective Bias, took the podium. Her beauty, powerful presence, openness,  and kindness always amazes me. She welcomed us all and all of a sudden, this was REAL to me. We were here. We were about to learn things to take our blogs, our brands, to a new level. This was happening! For the record, yes that was just another emotional moment for me. I'd waited for this for a long time and I was there, in this room, with these amazing people, and I was ready to soak it all in. 

But pause...stop...rewind. We met Bailey Carroll and Hunter Poole (in real life) at this party. These two hot messes (said with the utmost respect and giggles) ended up being our group's Arkansas tour guides after each day's "official" events were over. Oh the fun we had...I'll never tell. Love these two!

But no successful cocktail party would ever be complete without learning how to call the pigs...or hogs...or razorbacks...or something...SUUUEY! Yes, this happened. The whole Collective Bias team gathered up front and taught it's Social Fabric community members how to do the Razorback call. And we did it. I'm sure we all looked snazzy doing this in our cocktail dresses and suits. I'm sure we did. Just give this to me, would ya? We did. 

It was a good night and the beginning of the best blogging conference EVER! I'll get into that next. Promise. We really learned a lot. Up next...Photography by Rachel Rockwell. You won't want to miss this!

One Day...At SoFabCon...I Met My Best Friends #thisisme

Meeting Amy from As The Bunny Hops and Mallery from Horrible Housewife for the first time!

The first day at SoFabCon 2013 held many exciting moments for me. From touchdown in Arkansas to a cocktail party I'll get in to later, and everything in between. THIS was the in between and for me it was magical. 

You see, SoFabCon was an emotional event for me. This wasn't just a conference. This is where I met my best friends in real life. I had an incredibly trying year last year. We were displaced in The Woods and my family was falling apart. I had issues with my oldest daughter, my step (on me) daughter, and my marriage. Through my sparkles, I was a nervous wreck on the verge of a breakdown. Not everyone knew. But these two did!

Through my trials and troubles, the 3 of us bridged a 3 decade age difference and 100's of miles in proximity and we bonded. We had late night chats. They dropped work for me. They talked to me instead of family on more than one occasion. They encouraged me. Amy with her inappropriate humor at all of the worst times (this is actually a good thing) made me snort on a regular basis. And Mallery with her grounded thoughts (seriously, who at the age of 25 could possibly be that rational and grounded?) made me take a look at myself from within and stick it out and do the right things. 

Photos compliments of Organize with Sandy. Thank you oh-so-much for capturing these moments for us!

And so, the moment when we all met. When we hugged for the first time. When our bond became "real". Yes, that moment was the highlight of the conference for me. 

I wonder if they know how ready I was to give up this past year? I wonder if they know how truly depressed I was at times? I wonder if they know how much they meant to me during my hard times and how much they still do? I wonder if they know that they quite possibly saved my marriage, my family, and yes, my life? I think they do. But those are unspoken words. Sometimes things are better left unsaid. It's just best to hug it out. 

I love my beavers and I hope they know they mean the world to me, and I hope they know that this was one of the highlights of my life! I hope that others read this and understand that maybe we spent a lot of time together this past weekend because I owe these women a world of gratitude. 

I hope they know. And now you know the truth behind the smiles. This was a good day! It was an awesome moment in time that I will cherish forever. I await the day that I can see them again. 

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I'm writing this series to share my SoFabCon experience with all of you and putting it in to writing so that I don't forget one single moment. I'll be back with a not so sappy post soon. Stay tuned!

One Day...At SoFabCon....Touchdown

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I'm writing this post and series because I want to share all that I learned at SoFabCon and I want you all to know how amazing Collective Bias really is to its community members!

SoFabCon 2013 - Touchdown in Arkansas - Meeting 2 of my amazing friends I'd never met in real life: Brandi Jeter and Jillian Warner.

I've been a little absent lately. I've been off learning "stuff", and having fun, and meeting my best friends that I've never met. Now, that might sound odd to you and I'm not talking some creepy chat site or anything. My friends in my little black box and I make real life connections every day professionally and personally through our Social Fabric Community, through email, through groups, text messages, phone calls, Google Chats...all kinds of ways. We just click. We know each other's families, problems, hopes, fears, and the things that make one another happy in our lives. 

The blogging community is a close-knit community. Some of us are closer than others of course. That's how life goes. We all click more with some than others. When you're an adult, that's not a clique, that's a "click". But I consider the entire Social Fabric community my friends...family if you will. So when I found out that Collective Bias was hosting its first ever SoFabCon in May, I was all over it (seriously, it was pitiful). I was over the moon excited. 

Fast forward too many months, weeks, days than I care to admit I counted. The day had come. May 2nd. I was nervous about leaving my family. I was excited for all of the knowledge I would take in. And I was going to meet my best friends. 

I had to say all of that to open this post because I'm hoping you can feel my excitement and follow along. There will be quite a few posts in this series and they might even get long (The what you say? Christy, get long winded? NEVER!) but they'll be heartfelt and there will be photo bombs at the end. There will be awesome learnings in the middle. There's just going to be a bunch of stuff so stay tuned. It was an amazing weekend, I met so many awesome people, and I can't wait to share.