BE The Best YOU

LOOK at this awesome blog I just discovered through my cousin, HOLLY. I am SO doing this! Come on friends... DO THIS WITH ME!! It's a WELLNESS CHALLENGE to become...

This is exactly what I need. PLEASE join me. It will be so fun to DO this with as many of YOU as possible. I've never even met KIM, the woman behind this; but she is from my town. And you do NOT have to live in my town to do this... You can live ANYWHERE, and you can be ANYONE who wants to be the best YOU. Hurry over to START on MonDaY with the rest of us!!

Pin It

DIY Fun Features For Blog Tutorial!

Heather came across a darling blog and shared it with me a couple weeks ago. Her name is "Cocoa" and she has a big, beautiful, chocolatey family. How creative is THAT? I book-marked her site right away and was SO excited that she has some awesome tutes (tutorials) and inspiration on there!!

In particular, I have already used and enjoyed some of Cocoa's blog-design tutes!! Can you tell?? (Looky-looky up at the cute little heart "Favicon" next to our blog address and tab!! Also our new menu bar under the header!! And looky here at my personalized signature!!) I'm GIDDY!!! I just had to share! Thanks for the tutes, cute Cocoa! XO Pin It

A New Widget!

I am SO excited and proud to be part of the Chic Chick Media, along with nearly 100 other bloggers!! {Giddy} Go see Laurie to learn more about it on TipJunkie. What a great network of women! Way to go girls! So if you want to promote your blog, this is the way to do it, and the best part? It's totally affordable! Here is the cute widget...
Pin It

Like My New Background?

I changed things up a little because I get tired of the same ol' thing for too long. I am still working on my header. My last blog design was done by Leelou. She is great to work with and does a great job in my opinion. But I am trying to do it myself this time. I may or may not keep this background,depending on what my header is going to look like. I got this digi paper from the Shabby Princess. It was one of her free downloads. Thanks SP!! Pin It

Friday Faves- The Best Blogs

I just set up my side bar links in categories. I put my fave blogs (and websites) on that list. If you have a really great homemaker-type blog and think I should add you, please email me at TheCreativeHomemaker@gmail.com!! I don't want to leave anyone out. I don't get a lot of time to sit down and "blog-jog" very often, so I know I'm missing out on some great talent and inspiration! Please share yours with me, and I will place you on my link list!

I have several of your personal/family blogs bookmarked in my faves on my computer, and I do visit you once in a while. So if you've got some talent and inspiration to share, I want to know about it!! If you do something creative and don't mind me lurking and linking please let me know! If you are one of my readers, you are probably creative (or aspire to be). So it's time to show and tell. I want to see!!

Please email or comment with your link! XOXO

Pin It

Tuesday Tutorial- Blogging Tips

Just a year ago this summer, I didn't even know what a blog was. I'd heard the word, but never paid too much attention. My sis-in-laws were talking about their recently created blogs at a family event, so I thought I'd listen up and find out what was so cool about blogs. They encouraged me to try it, but I was very skeptical. They seemed to enjoy it so much that I finally "dove in" and created my own blog on August 29, 2007. I have loved every minute of blogging and also "blog-jogging". I have learned so much from it, and have met so many neat women all across the country and beyond.

I've had many girlfriends get interested in blogging and ask for tips on how to start one, how to make it cute, add things, etc. I've enjoyed helping them get started and watching their blogs look more and more awesome as they get the hang of it.

I love getting tips and info from other bloggers, and enjoy their creativity! There are several places to go to get blogging tips. Some of my faves are Blogger Buster, Blogging Basics 101, and always my favorite- TipJunkie.

Do you have a favorite place you've gone for help with blogging? Please share!! Pin It

My New Look!!

As you can see, the Creative Homemaker got a face-lift! As we all know, about a month ago I tried to do my own blog makeover. I liked it fine, but there were some things that I couldn't stand. The words in my post box and sidebars were touching and crouded. Also, the Homemaker girl on my header had a sleevelss dress on- not something I'd wear, personally. And I needed a linky to share and some sidebar titles. Who did this, you might wonder??





That would be Leelou! Go check out her blog and look at all her fab blog layouts. Then if you see one you love, it's yours! For FREE!!! She also takes orders for custom headers and complete blog makeovers for a very resonable price! She is actually so popular now, that you have to wait to get on her waiting list. (But it's worth the wait.) You can subscribe for updates on that. For now, you can enjoy her free layouts!





And check out my LINKY!

You can copy/paste it from the top right corner of this blog. :)

If you love my new look, leave me a quick comment!! In fact... I CHALLENGE you to leave a comment this time. I NEED MORE COMMENTS because I LOVE them! I know you visit me becasue my counter (on the left sidebar) proves it. SO what are you waiting for?? I want to hear from you!. It will only take a second, and I don't even make you type in a funky letter security code. If you leave a comment on this post, I will come visit YOU and leave YOU and comment of appreciation within the next 24 hours. I want to see all of your cute blogs! Remember, your comment does not have to be long- even one or two words. Just DO IT! I want to see how many comments I can get today. Oh, and don't forget to take a LINKY!! Have a great day!!

Pin It

Blogging Basics 101

Laurie at TipJunkie posted her Talk to Me Tuesday feature today and interviewed a really neat woman/mom-prenuer named Melanie who's the fab author of THREE blogs! She has a blog called Blogging Basics 101 with all the info you can imagine for blogging. She has a linking category, so you might check that out too! Pin It

Tuesday Tutorial

How To Link to Other Blogs or Sites in Your Posts
I've been asked by a few others how to link to other blogs in a post, so here goes:

-First, go to the other blog or site, select and copy the address above. If you are linking to a specific post, click on the title of that post, then select/copy the address above.
-Come back to your blog and click on New Post.
-Type up your post, then highlight (select) the word, title or phrase that you will be linking from.
-There is a little green spot on the tool bar with a paperclip on it (in both the Html and Compose boxes). After highlighting the word in your post, click on that green dot. (If you are in the Edit Html box you will hear a little sound and will have to go to the top and click on temporarily okay to whatever... then click on the green dot again and paste the web address where it say's http://). And make sure you don't have http on there twice.
-If you are in "Compose" you can just click on the green dot and it will let you paste it with no problem. Wallah! You've got links!!





Recipes are tutorials in a sense, and I found an awesome recipe on an awesome blog that I want to take you to!! Ann has shared a recipe she got from her friend for Homemade Granola Bars. Yum! I can't wait to try these out. Thank you for sharing this, Ann!! Click here for the recipe. Pin It

Another Cool Blog

One of my new blogging friends recently created a blog called Because I Was Taught to Share. She posts about sales, cool blogs or websites she finds, giveaways, etc.

She hit a sale jackpot today at The Children's Place! Way to go! I better get over there ASAP! That store is the best, and they do have some incredible sales! Thanks Jaime for the heads up! Pin It