Alt Summit Online Class Review - Growing Readership

As I've said before, this blog is a lab and a learning experience for me. The topic of the blog also happens to be, pretty much, my learning experiences. Last night I got to learn, learn, learn during an online class on the Alt Channel from Alt Summit - "Growing Readership", taught by Nicole Balch of Making It Lovely. I wanted to do a little review and a shout-out to the other bloggers who took the class. I've listed their blog links below. (If any of you classmates want what I was able to copy from the chat transcript, get in touch with me by email, comment, or on Twitter @lisabakerheaton to let me know.) I'm sorry this might be bo-ring to those of you who aren't interested in blogging, but maybe you'll find a fun new blog to love!

Background: Ctrl-Alt-AWESOME

First, a little background. Alt Summit, or Altitude Design Summit, is a yearly blogging conference held right in my hometown of Salt Lake City, UT. I've been reading about it for a couple years on quite a few of the bigger, fancier design blogs. It's held at the Grand America, looks swanky, and costs a pretty penny - though everyone says it's totally worth it for the classes, panels, and networking/socializing.

Alt decided to bring some of their magic to the masses by offering hour-long online classes at a reasonable rate of $15 per class. Or better yet FREE, which was the cost of my class due to Alt's partnership with the search engine Bing this month. I tweeted once and Facebooked once about the classes and Bing in order to earn four free classes. Thanks, Alt and Bing! (By the way, is anyone using Bing's "social search"? I'm afraid to admit this, but I'm a little confused by how to use it, what it is, and what it does.)

Signing In: Oopsy Daisy

A reminder email about the class arrived in my email inbox one hour before the appointed start time. However, since I was the only one on duty with the kids I didn't get to sign in on time. When I did get a chance to sign in I had to make several attempts. I don't know what was going on, but the system wouldn't accept my username and password. I was beginning to worry that I couldn't sign in after the start time, but then I got in. I'm going to chalk this up to user error. I only made it to the last half hour of the class! :(

The Format: Raise Your Hand If You're Confused

The format of the class was actually great, but signing in late and having it be my first time, I was kind of thrown off because I didn't receive any instructions or have a chance to orient myself. Right when I got in the class Nicole was asking for a show of hands about something. I was confused but then saw a little person icon in the top bar and clicked it. I think I did it right?? It was neat to see the ways the class could be interactive even though it was a virtual classroom. The classroom screen consists of a premade presentation on the left (like a PowerPoint slideshow), the live instructor presenting in the top middle with a chat window for the class participants below that, and a list of participants and blogroll on the right.

The Meat: Content is Queen

Again, I missed the first half of the class, but the presentation was provided in full as a PDF download, so I got to catch up on what I missed. I don't intend to give away much of the material from the class, but I will say Nicole knew what she was talking about and she gave good been-there-done-that advice about things like blog design and content development. She gave her opinion on a lot of traffic-growth strategies like giveaways, link parties, guest posting/contributing, seeking press mentions, etc. This is where the live chat was really neat, because a lot of participants chimed in with their experiences (for instance several said that the traffic they have gotten during giveaways doesn't stick around), and also shared resources like blog posts they had written about points that were being discussed, or recommendations for designers. I would say one of Nicole's main points was to focus heavily on creating fully original content - your own photos, your own ideas, your own projects.

The class finished with a quick Q & A session. One person asked how many pageviews is "good". Nicole said 10,000 a month is "good", and 100,000 is "there". By "there" I'm assuming she meant you could consider yourself a bigger, decent-sized blog at that point. For comparison, my Lisa Loves Logan blog has had 1500 pageviews in the 3.5 weeks since I started it. Of course, it will never meet a benchmark of anywhere near 100,000 pageviews a month due to the smaller population of possible readers in the valley. But that's not really what I'm going for on that blog. This blog, A Farewell To Can't, has had 2500 pageviews in the 5.5 weeks since I started it. Thank you to any and all of you who are following along and reading!

Bottom Line: Was It Worth It?

It's hard for a class not to be worth FREE. Yes, it was totally worth the price I paid. But was it worth the price I didn't pay? Was it worth $15? I think so. I'm excited to take the rest of my free classes, and I could see myself paying for another class or two down the line. It's not just the instruction from the teacher that makes it worthwhile. It's the opportunity to "meet" and network with many other bloggers at once, who are at various stages of blogging. For me, as a beginner, I'm not sure that's necessary, but for others who are further along I think it can be a really good thing to develop a tribe of sorts.

Speaking of tribes, here's the whole roster of bloggers who took the class with me. Check em out! I will be! It's a big list and may take me some time to get through. I'll report back if I find any new particular faves.


Erin: http://www.slipcoveryourlife.com/

Rachael: http://madefromscratch.co.nz/

Syrah | the Pièce de Résistance http://www.pdrsweets.com

Lia: http://www.modpiecesblog.ca/

kait: http://yuppielove.org

amanda: http://www.awthelittlethings.blogspot.com

Lorraine: http://www.shortcutstofabulous.com

Rachell: www.onepartgypsyblog.com

Mindy: http://www.mindygledhill.blogspot.com

Jenny: www.housefullofpretty.com

Liza: www.everyinbetween.blogspot.com

Jessica: http://www.cityinajar.com

Tiffany: www.tiffanyleighinteriordesign.blogspot.com

Carissa:  http://thefabulousdesignfile.blogspot.ca

Alexandra: http://themarchowl.com

Aja, the gold hat: http://ajalake.blogspot.com

Monica: http://smartcreativewomen.com/

Shoko: http://www.shoandtellblog.com

Chelsea: www.lovelyindeed.com

Kelsey: http://www.kelseynicoleblog.com/

Jordan - Polkadot Prints: www.polkadotprints.com.au

Eva: http://buildhousehome.blogspot.com.au/

Michelle: http://www.sowonderfulsomarvelous.com/

Meredith: www.biscuitsoftoday.com

Lissa: http://afteradornment.blogspot.com

Nicole: probablypolkadots.blogspot.com

Lori: desertgirlsvintage.blogspot.com

Saudia: http://redvelvetandwhiskey.com/

Merrily: http://amorologyweddings.blogspot.com/

Jennifer: www.thewaymanfamilynest.blogspot.com

Dominique: http://comfycozycouture.blogspot.com

Jackie: http://www.sweetiepiepumpkinnoodle.com/

Amanda: http://blog.twentyonetwo.ca/

LIndsay, Shrimp Salad Circus: http://shrimpsaladcircus.blogspot.com

Erin: http://www.studio336.com

laura: www.agirlwhomakes.com

Megan: http://www.crazybananas.com

Elizabeth: http://www.weekitchen.com

Sara: www.projectsoiree.blogspot.com

Molly: www.aforeignland.org

Charlotte: http://charlotteinmotion.blogspot.com

Suzannah: http://www.adventuresindressmaking.com

Uncle Beefy: http://thebedlamofbeefy.blogspot.com/

Jen: http://www.schemaholic.com

April: http://www.aprilrosenthal.com/blog

Jessie: http://www.jessbopeep.com

Jeudi: soon to be launched Home And Yonder blog

Beth: http://www.designpostdaily.com

Anna: http://www.anewfoundtreasure.com

Janssen: http://everydayreading.blogspot.com

Michelle: www.sweetsuite10.com

Jessica: www.ginandjuiceboxes.com

Launi: http://www.graciousrain.com

Rachel: www.notyourrunofthemill.com

Amy: http://www.modeladesigns.com

Lisa: http://joycreationblog.com

Melissa: http://www.servingseconds.com/

Alison: http://acrinteriors.com

ana: http://www.welovecitrus.com

Lianne: http://www.acontenthousewife.com/

Lisa: www.afarewelltocant.com & www.lisaloveslogan.com

Tammy: http://bayparkdream.blogspot.com

Stacie: www.starsforstreetlights.com

Lexy: www.theproperpinheel.com

Kari: www.thehandmadeevent.com

Meghan: megandcole.blogspot.com

Whew, that's quite the list! Bloggers from the class, please leave a comment if you visited and fill me in on something (anything) from the first half hour of the class! :) Also, let me know your Twitter handle if you would like me to follow you.

My Bathtub Is In My Bedroom. The Open Concept Master Suite

For how much I made fun of the heart-shaped bathtub in the bedroom of my 1977 dream home, you might be surprised to learn that I *currently* have a bathtub in my bedroom. Known as an "open concept" or "resort style" master bathroom and bedroom suite, this is something you don't see very often outside of honeymoon hotels with jungle-themed rooms.

In the case of my bedroom, which is very small, I think the bathroom was kept open to the bedroom so a large jetted tub and separate shower could be included. While I appreciate having these amenities, it is kind of weird the way the tub juts out into the room. I really got a laugh when one of the carpet installers who came last fall walked into the room (which didn't have any flooring in it at the time) and said, "Wow! This is the biggest bathroom I've ever seen!" as he looked around confusedly. I didn't really have the heart or patience to explain that this was my bedroom AND my bathroom. This "before" photo from the listing when we bought the house shows the problem to its absolute worst advantage. The picture was taken at an odd angle and with a weird lens, because the space under the window is 9' wide, but in the photo it looks the same as the bathtub, which is less than 6' long. We have our queen bed under that window, with regular sized nightstands on either side, if that explains just how "off" this picture is. In reality the tub juts out about 18" into the space that "should" be the bedroom's.

See, this next photo was taken from the doorway and you can't even see the tub.

But yes, the tub is back there, hanging out in the bedroom. Here's my floor plan again, to orient you.

Again with the making the tub look extra long. But at least you can see that the wall next to the vanity more than halfway on the bedroom side of the tub. (P.S., Stop being so jealous of those curtains.)

All the upgrades you see above (wood floors, tile, painting), we did ourselves, cheapskate DIY style. We really deliberated about what to do with the flooring, because of the ambiguity of the line dividing the bedroom and the bathroom. It used to have carpet all the way through, as seen above. I wanted to do wood all the way through, but we were worried about water damage and we also couldn't get enough of our chosen wood. We decided to do wood and tile, and to keep the dividing line where it would have been if the tub weren't there. I devised a plan for dividing the two rooms, yet to be implemented.

In the meantime I looked for inspiration pics for open concept master suites. Was there a way to make this look luxurious and spa-like rather than tacky and tiny? In a word, NO. Not without a lot more space. One famous open plan master bathroom out there is that of Jenna Lyons of J. Crew. 

Well, at least my toilet isn't visible from my bed, I'll give it that much.

So, tell me honestly...if you were looking at houses, how bad would this weird you out? I'll tell you that  we thought it was weird at first, but we've been completely happy with it. Maybe part of that is just happiness at being able to have the luxuries of an oversize jetted tub and a stand-up shower at the low price point of our condo. What do you think...open concept master bathroom: luxurious or ludicrous?

Yup, I "Designed" This Header in MS Paint

You know, it's really hard to be a copywriter with no graphic design skills. For years I have worked with designers. Some of them were even talented designers! I have developed a fairly decent eye for what looks good and what doesn't. And perhaps somewhat of a snootiness about things that aren't well-designed. That's why it hurts, HURTS, that I can't make things on my blog look the way I want them to because I lack the skills, knowledge, talent, and computer programs to design anything properly. Still, banishing perfectionism and giving things a try is what this blog is all about.

So it has come to this. I "designed" my new blog headers in MS Paint (the one "graphics", haha, program on my computer). I had other options. I could have paid someone to do a better job than I did. I also could have downloaded a cheap or free template from the web. The problem with option one is that I can't spend money on my lab projects right now, and I don't want to wait around with things looking as (bad as) they have been looking until I have the money. The problem with option two is that I want something to be "mine". So I'm left with that old graphic design triangle:

Pick Any Two
(and don't even get me started on free logo "contests")

I picked Fast and Cheap. But again, that triangle above looks like something I would make in Paint. (If I had a LOT more skills in Paint.) A designer might express it like this:

by Colin Harman, available for purchase at www.colinharman.com

Or like this:

by Katrina Wolfe, found on her website here

I'll likely try to redo the Lisa Loves Logan header as soon as I can take a better picture or figure out something different, but I expect you can count on the header on this blog to stay this way for a good long time. Because you know what? I kinda like how it turned out. I'm going to go ahead and consider this an official "CAN'T to CAN". I definitely still hope to take some graphic design classes and/or do some self-teaching someday to move my skills further into the CAN column, but for now I'm going to pat myself on the back and say thank you to trusty Ol' Paint.

P.S.: I freely welcome tips from any of you non-designers out there about how you do design-y stuff like this. Also, if any designers want to throw me a bone and put me in the "only if I like you" category shown in the poster immediately above, it wouldn't break my heart.

P.P.S.: Did you notice I have a real domain now? I'm moving up in the world! Just in case you want to let anyone know about my blog(s), or link to it anywhere, just remember you don't need the "blogspot" anymore.

Do The Wave (The Microwave)

We've been living with a gaping hole where the microwave should be for almost nine months now. Since I'm the Queen of Cheapskates, I've kept my eye out from time to time on KSL Classifieds (our punched-up local version of Craigslist) for a decent over-the-range microwave at a decent price. I just don't want to spend more on the microwave alone than we've spent on the entire rest of the kitchen remodel, ya know? I had pretty much gotten used to this awesome look, though...

But I was looking for a change. You know, something new (used). Something other than a couple of holes in the wall. Something other than a microwave with a digital clock that runs fast. How does that even happen?!? I have no idea, but it does. That microwave sitting on the counter progressively gets more and more ahead of the correct time. I have to reset it constantly.

In the end, though, it was Tyson the KSL addict who found the microwave deal. Local, gently used, and fairly priced. We picked it up on Sunday night and he installed it Monday.

Ahhhh, much better. It's a nice GE Adora microwave, originally installed in 2010. The lady we bought it from had remodeled and gone with the same make and model in stainless steel. It's nice that it's a GE, because the rest of our appliances are, too, so it kind of goes along with them (other than being nicer and newer). To purchase this model and color at Home Depot right now would be $298. We bought the used one for $100.

The kitchen has been pretty torn up since Monday as we have been working on putting up the open shelves next to the sink and under the cabinets. They are currently awaiting further coats of paint before installation. Here's the before photo for the area left of the sink. Hang tight for an after. I know, I know...how could it be improved upon?

And just for good measure, here is the BEFORE before. We've come a long way, but there's still more to do!

I'm curious, are you "pro" or "con" open shelving? Do you have it in your house? Or would you? What about over-the-range microwaves? Some people *hate* them!

Another Beautiful 1970s Dream Home

It seems I have a crush on homes from the decade of my birth. I know they're not everyone's cup of tea, and I hope that works in my favor in my house hunt. Maybe I'll be able to get a good deal because other people think these mid-century modern homes are "ugly".

The home I'm about to show you is ALSO unfortunately listed out of my price range, about the same amount as my other 1970s dream home I've rhapsodizing about all week on here. It has already had a significant price reduction, so I doubt I could get it for a price I could pay. It's fun to dream, though. I'll console myself because the yard is small and unfenced, with most of the lawn in the front yard of the property.

It's MLS #1086993, listed by Tony Kanski of Cornerstone Real Estate Professionals, 435-760-3780. It is bigger than we need, at 4482 sq. ft., with five bedrooms and six bathrooms on a .28 acre lot. Isn't it lovely? Or maybe I just think that because they used all the same paint colors I just used in my remodel. It was built in 1972, and has had lots of updates. Several of the bedrooms and bathrooms aren't shown, though, so I'm not sure what state of remodel they are in. Maybe there's a surprise lurking in the basement here, too?

It's in a nice neighborhood near Lundstrom Park in east Logan. It looks so nice to move into something and worry only about decorating instead of remodeling. (Maybe a little remodeling if there are rooms that haven't been done yet.)

(Not sure why the toiled faces two huge windows)

So what do you think? Is this more your cup of tea? Do you think the outside is hideous? I promise next time I show you a house it will be one in my price range.

How To Update Builder Brass Light Fixtures On The Cheap

A couple weeks ago I took our master bathroom light fixtures from brassy to classy for mere pennies. If you've ever wondered how to update builder brass light fixtures to oil rubbed bronze or another finish without running out and buying new ones, keep reading. But first, witness pretty much the best "before" picture ever. I promise we don't live in a crack den, but yes, this is what our fixtures have looked like for the past several months:

Brass PLUS Chrome!? Not In My Home!

Yes, we lived with bare bulbs in our combination brass/chrome master bathroom vanity light fixtures for the past six months while waiting for the weather here to get warm enough for spray painting. It was really even worse-looking than pictured; the fixture wasn't really attached to the wall. It was just dangling by its wiring (a big no-no, as I'm sure you realize). I didn't have a closeup before photo of the actual light, so I took one of the as-yet-unpainted light from our hall bath so you could see in detail how lovely the shiny chrome-brass combo really was.

Brass vs. Brass

Now don't get me wrong. I have nothing against brass. I have a sweet little collection of vintage miniature brass bells, for instance. I even considered brass hardware for my kitchen cabinets, and would have used it if I didn't think it would scare future buyers away. I bought a huge amount of ornate custom cast brass light switch plates and outlet covers at an estate sale - I'm hoarding them in my garage just waiting for the perfect place to use them. (Say, like, this li'l old house right here?) But those items would all be nice, real, heavy brass with some age and patina. Not these GOLD brass fixtures that were so popular in days gone fairly recently by.

(Note: I'm pretty sure oil-rubbed bronze is going to face the same fate eventually - we'll all be on to the next thing and scorning ORB as sooooooo 2000s. So be it. For now, it is a pleasant update from shiny brass. I also considered re-doing these fixtures in straight black, but I decided I liked the subtle shimmer and metallic look of the ORB.)

There's a genuine before photo of what they looked like in place. This is our master bathroom as it looked when we moved back from Pennsylvania last September. We've since repainted the walls and trim and put in new flooring. And now the vanity lights. You'll notice the lights also used to have the glass shades pointing down like bells, and when we put the fixtures back up we switched their orientation so the glass shades now point up like goblets. That wasn't really on purpose, FYI, but I think I like the change.

How To Update Brass Light Fixtures With Spray Paint: The Details

At first I wasn't sure how to spray paint my light fixrtures or if it would work, but then I remembered my sister had done it to hers years ago and that gave me the confidence to jump on in. With a little Googling I came up with some product recommendations and tutorials.

The standard recommendation was Rust-Oleum Universal Metallic spray paint in Oil Rubbed Bronze.

From the Rust-Oleum website

I simply took the fixture down, removed the bulbs, taped off any parts I didn't want painted, and followed the directions on the can. I put the fixtures down on pieces of cardboard and/or tarps, tucking the wires underneath so they wouldn't get sprayed. The screws I punched through pieces of cardboard  (styrofoam also works if you have any on hand), so I could have all the necessary parts exposed at once for spraying. If you were spraying something that was going to be touched and used a lot, like doorknobs, you would also want to sand first and possibly do a clear coat after, but since these fixtures will never be touched I just went straight to the spray paint.

Three Important Tips For Spray Painting

1- Wear socks or shoes that you don't mind getting overspray on.
2- For the best finish (both in looks and durability) do multiple thin, even coats with dry time between coats as directed on the can. Your first coat will look pretty ratty. Avoid the urge to keep spraying for better coverage. Let it dry and then go again.
3- Spray gently back and forth across your item at an even distance, keeping your hand moving. As Sherry from Young House Love once said, "If you're a-sprayin', your arm better be a'swayin'" Now try to ever, ever get that rhyme out of your head! Sorry, it's stuck there forever. But you should thank me, because it's good advice.

I'll add a bonus one: do multiple thin, even coats. Oh, did I already say that? Good. It's very, very important if you want your spray painted item to have a professional-looking finish.

My spray painting results may have been profesh, but my photography skills are not. Oh well, just keep swimming. I'm pretty pleased with the results, especially for the money ($5 bottle of spray paint that will still spray many more items). Speaking of many more items, the rest of the brass to be painted includes the vanity lights from the other two bathrooms, the hardware from the stair banister, the dining and living room light fixtures (if we decide not to buy new ones), and the door hardware throughout the house (if we decide we are that ambitious).

Next on the list, though, is installing the new microwave we just got for over the range, and finally installing the open shelving in our kitchen. I'll show you some of that later this week.

I'll also be back to show you the photos of another house I love. This one doesn't need any explanation and will all be in one post. Tyson doesn't really like to listen to my house-hunting talk, so I'll just blab to you all, okay?

So, I'm curious, what metal finishes do you have in your house, and how do you like them? Any mixed finishes within one room? Anyone else have a good spray-paint transformation story - light fixture or otherwise? Or perhaps a spray paint blooper? Do tell!

Vintage 1970s Dream Home: The Grounds

Note: This is Part Four of a series where I rhapsodize about a house I'm in love with that is too expensive for me, doesn't have enough bedrooms, and needs a complete remodel - or at least needs a certain heart-shaped bathroom removed from a red-shag-carpeted BEDROOM in the basement. Want to see it? Check out Part One, Part Two, and Part Three.

Last time we finished looking at the inside of this 1970s house. We drove through these gates when we got here.

And now it's time to turn around and drive back through them on our way out.

Looks super fun to shovel/plow in the winter, no? Or to drive on in general in the winter months. Let's not think about it. Quick, find something to distract us. Hey, there's that mysterious modern building in the upper right hand side of the picture. What could it be? Maybe a map will help us figure it out. I'll tell you one thing: once Tyson figured out what it was he was very enthusiastic about the house.

I've used my awesome MS Paint skills here to outline the approximate shape of the lot, and also to note with a yellow star the location of that modern building. Yes, it's the clubhouse of the lovely Birch Creek Golf Course on the hill in Smithfield. I reminded Tyson that if we buy the house he won't actually have any money with which to go golfing, but he says he would just walk up the street and hit a bucket of balls every few days.

As you can see from the map, the lot is rather oddly shaped. Maybe a letter C or a rough, chunky drawing of E.T. holding up his finger? Can you see it? I can, so let's go with that. The head of E.T. is just naturalized landscaping that can be accessed from the road that runs alongside it, or from the finger area of E.T. It is separated by huge retaining walls from the grass parts of the lawn directly behind the house. The chunky finger of E.T. (far right area of the lot) I believe to be the garden area and the fruit trees. This is accessed from the east lawn. I didn't see it in person, though, so I'm not totally sure.

My mind goes wild with the possibilities here, but mainly along the lines of camp-outs in our own little woods (we loved having wooded property at our second house in Pennsylvania), tree houses, homemade applesauce, fresh corn on the cob, dance parties on the driveway, etc. Heck, why not even rock climbing holds on the retaining wall! (I just thought of that this very second...genius, right??!? Don't think about the hazards.) And there's really not that much grass to mow! (Also don't think about the snow-shoveling/plowing aspect.) I won't say much about the rest of the pictures. They just show the back and side lawn areas and the covered patio off the upstairs family room.

Oh, and the bars on all the windows. From left to right I think those windows are master closet, master bathroom, pink bedroom, hall bathroom, laundry room (behind the bushes)

Here's the covered patio off the family room/kitchen, looking south to the carport where that truck is parked. Come on over for a cook out! Don't worry, I won't lock you into my house behind all these iron bars!

Big retaining/privacy wall across the back of the lawn area

An exterior tour isn't complete without admiring this view one more time.

Okay...time to say goodbye.

Well, that's it for the...longest...house...tour...ever. What do you think of the grounds? To those of you who are landholders, is this just too much work? Would you like to come over for a game of croquet on the east lawn? Would you like to come to a dinner dance on my driveway, and see the lights of the "city" by night? Would you like to go camping in my woods? Wow, I am really good at selling this place...to myself!