Finding My Way with Making a Great Blog

It’s hard for me to admit this, but I’ve been having a dry spell lately with Craft Leftovers. It’s not that I’m not enjoying myself or that I don’t like posting, it’s more like I feel like I’ve lost my internal direction, that no matter how hard I try I can’t get ahead in my posts (something I really need to do for when I have a sick day or go on vacation). And then there is the fact that I’ve gotten stuck in a rut. I still have a ton of ideas, but I feel like I’m not getting them out of my head and into patterns as quick as I used to. Stumbling. I think that’s a good word for it. Like I’m walking down a path and sure I’m making progress, but I keep tripping over twigs and getting sidetracked and lost.

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Well, Diane’s new e-book Making a Great Blog: A Guide for Creative People has really put me back on track. It’s a book yes, but also a workbook. In fact it comes with a workbook that you can feel free to print up and mark up all you want – which is exactly what I did.

Reading through this book has helped me to clearly define my goals and subject matter for Craft Leftovers.  I feel like it’s really helped to give me that direction I was missing. I’ve always known why I started Craft Leftovers – to help inspire me and keep me accountable to using what I have on hand instead of running to the store to grab the newest yarn, the newest paint, the newest what-have-you. I think for the most part, after 3 years, it’s ingrained in me to use what I have on hand.  I don’t even notice it that much anymore. My habit is to go to the stash when I start a new project. Craft Leftovers is not just about keeping me accountable anymore.

That was THREE years ago (can you believe that it’s been that long!) and it’s grown: the concept, the projects, and you, the readers. It’s no longer about keeping myself accountable, that has become second nature to me. Now my primary objective is to inspire you! Give you ideas, project, reasons, resources and inspirations to use what YOU have on hand instead of running to the store – to make, create, and do what you love.

I’m really excited. Just making that one realization right there is huge for me. Craft Leftovers has evolved over time, it’s not like the blog is going to all of a sudden change gears now that I realized my current purpose. But now I’m making a conscious decision to embrace that evolution. And it’s all thanks to working my way though this book.

Diane has published a great summary of the book here, which you should read. I don’t think it’s neccessary for me to rewrite what she has already written so well.

I will say though for each chapter I rethought and was reinspired to better the way I blog – keeping in line with my goals in chapter 1, keeping from blogfade in chapter 2 (spark list, camera toting, and journalling post ideas everywhere i go), exploring my camera in chapter 3 – specifically finding some go to props for taking great pictures for EVERY post, Chapter 3 has lead me to rethink the way the site looks…. i might just be due for a redesign after I get back from the Maker’s Faire, Chapter 4 was really insightful into writing styles and blogging do’s a don’ts. It would have been especially helpful when I was first starting out.

I hope that if you are thinking about having or already have a blog based on being creative that you will get this e-book and work through it. I know I’m going to go through the process for thrift kitchen and the kro studio blog too. But that will be another day. Craft Leftovers is my pet project and it alwasy comes first ;)

Have a great day and keep it creative!
Kristin