Our Custom Illy!

Friends, hello! I am so happy to share this amazing custom illy that Che Indie Berries did for me! It's a  pic of Tall One and I with a bewildered goat between us! I was recently scrolling through a bunch of custom illustrations, and thinking, "Ah, I would love one for us!" but I wanted something a bit mad yet personal yet mad! Che knows the tale of Tall One and I as we've had some mental skyping sessions and I've loved her blog for ages…so I was beyond thrilled when she said she'd happily scribble summin'. I gave her a very loose brief (how wrong that sounds) and she replied with the perfect pic! She offered to tweak bits and pieces but I said "NO, I LOVE IT AS IT IS!" I wanted her first imaginative take on us :) My only comment would be that our height ratio is more extreme in real life! I just love the goat's priceless expression…and the little pink cheeks she gave me and Jon's Third Eye Blind top. I also love how my hair looks a bit jagged and crazy 'cuz it always does in real life! Che, thank you so much. This guy is already framed on my desk at home. I LOVE it to bits! I have lots teed up for Gloss this week (including a seriously overdue post for Jennakins) so stay tuned.

To my blog

Dear Blog. I miss you. We used to hang out all the time together. I'm sorry I don't  have time to hang out here much anymore. Hopefully we can get to know each other again. I would really love that. x

What shall I blog about, gang?

Aloha! No pictures from this weekend's shenanigans, I'm afraid. Was a weird mix of hard jolling and serious sleeping! Maybe you guys can help me drum up some ideas for this week's postage. Is there anything you'd like me to scribble about? Here are some old pics in the meanwhile. x

Blog Design - a couple of tips off the top of my head!

Occasionally people email me to ask who designed my blog. When I tell them I designed it, they often ask if I can design their blog or assist in some way - which is mega flattering, thanks guys! I don't often have time to do full-on blog designs so I figured I would scribble up a list of sorts, detailing some of the things I've learnt over the years. It's just a mish-mash of resources and thoughts which I hope you'll find useful. I'm not a designer or a programmer but I've taught myself enough to get by on Gloss. I may actually put together a simple blog template for those who would like to use a three column layout like mine...I'll keep you posted!

Right, so I'm jotting these down off the top of my head...

• Background Colour: Light and bright works best on web. The human eye struggles to read small, white text on dark backgrounds. It's science, baby. Or biology, I'm not sure.
• Grab a new visitor! You only have a couple of seconds to capture the attention of a new visitor so you want your blog to quickly explain what it is they have arrived at. On the top left column of my blog, there's a greeting from me and a brief explanation about Glossary being my digital scrapbook. 

• Keep a new visitor! Make it easy for visitors to return to your blog by ensuring your subscription options are clearly visible. I like to give people a couple of subscription options - email, Google Reader, Blog Lovin' etc. I got rid of Google Friend Connect because I noticed there was this weird competitive vibe building among bloggers over that feature...blogging, ay.
• Easy Navigation: Make it easy for visitors to navigate your blog by keeping all links highly visible. 

• Go for clear, web-safe fonts: The human eye likes an easy-to-read, simple font! And always remember to say "no" to Comic Sans. Ha.
• Screen resolution display - consider your readers: Over the last couple of years, the most common resolution display has been 1024 x 788. That is the resolution of my PC although my laptop's is bigger. I see Statcounter now say that 1366 x 768 has recently become more popular but most of my readers are South African and I believe 1024 x 788 is still the most common here. Correct me if I'm wrong, programmers! Gloss is designed for 1024 x 788. I can view it neatly on my PC and on my laptop. If it were any bigger, I'd have to scroll sideways on my PC to view my entire blog and I hate having to do that! 

• Original content - snap your own pics! My blog readership got a mega boost when I stopped re-blogging stuff already on the web, and started posting my own pics - and let me tell you, those early snaps were shockers! But we can chat more about content another time - I'm hardly the poster-girl for that as I don't have an interesting enough life, the time to update as much as I'd like to...
• Easy-to-view photos: In the beginning, I looked at stacks of blogs. My favourite ones featured photos that were 500 or 540 pixels wide. Mine are 540 pixels wide. Not too small, not too big. You can make yours bigger of course but be careful that visitors don't have to scroll sideways to view your pics. The more effort required of visitors, the less likely they are to stick around. I know that most bloggers have lightening-speed broadband these days but I still save my pics at web-friendly sizes for people like me who don't have unlimited internet! Here's a post on how I make my images fit my post area.

• Clear the clutter: Use a site like Blogger Buster to find out how to remove all the clutter that often comes with Blogger templates - like removing the Nav Bar for example. I customised about 80% of Gloss by following the tutorials on this site. It's epic. 
• Categorise! Label/categorise your posts and make those categories easy to view on your blog. If a reader likes your current recipe post, make it easy for him/her to find your other recipe posts. 

• The web is BURSTING with free resources, tips and tutorials. I managed to panel-beat Gloss into its current shape (it was hideous to begin with) just by googling stuff. So google hard my friends, you will most likely find the droids info you’re looking for.

In case anyone is interested, I use Fireworks (have a good lol, designers!) to create my blog graphics but you could use Freehand or Indesign - hells, you could use Paint to a point! I used to edit my pics in Photoshop but I tend to use Lightroom these days. If you have any queries or specific questions about how I did something - please shout! The blogging community has been so good to me over the years, I'd like to help out in whatever way I can. Blog on, friends! x

Subscribing to Gloss (and lotsa colourful things!)

Hello! Just a little nugget of info for my friends - I don't always post blog links on Facebook as I try not to spam the heck out of the newsfeed. But there are a couple of ways you can follow Gloss and never, ever skip a post - oh, you lucky lot! Lols. 

1. Bookmark Gloss on your browser

2. Subscribe via Google Reader

3. Subscribe via email (just bung your email addy in that box below in the left column).
You'll get a post in your inbox whenever I blog summin. Google does that for me, thanks Google.

You can reply via email and I'm usually pretty swift to reply back:)

4. Subscribe via Bloglovin.

And some of you are subscribed via Google Friend Connect (merci!) although I don't use that feature anymore. Thanks to everyone who subscribes - I didn't actually realise how many of my own friends subscribe until they told me over the holidays - "Oh yeah, we get your posts via email." Cuteness!

I posted these pics on Smitten yesterday - they are some of my fave things:)

From Durban with Love

I posted some pics from a thrifting adventure on the Elle blog if you fancy a peek. x

Back to Pinterest

Owing to the fact that I can never seem to find time to blog or read blogs anymore, I’ve started using my Pinterest account again so I can still get a blast of pretty things every day. You can find me here. My categories are Home Sweet Home, Dream Closet, Pastel Pretties, Cute Collective, Work Spaces (referred to these alot for our new office), Illustrations, Design, Vintage, Packaging, Nice Men (or erm, bordering on "Just James Franco"), Stationery, Travel, Baby Love, Secret Gardens, Magical Nights, Yummy Things, Love, Nature and Teenage Bedroom. See you there. x

Meet my Package Project Partner

I recently received an email from my Package Project partner, Hayley. My oh my, but did Nadia pair us up perfectly! We have soooo much in common. I absolutely adore Hayley's blog, Indie Thrifter. It's such a blast of colourful, thrifty inspiration! Hayley - I cannot wait to exchange parcels you! 

All these awesome pics are from Hayley's blog. x

New in my Blog Shop

A few new bits in my blog shop including this dress, some skirts, two vintage bags and 

an awesome retro curtain which would be perfect for a DIY. x

Disqus Dramz!

Friends, it would appear that my Blog Comments are on the fritz.

I am receiving your comments and if you click on the comment link below each post, you will see them all there but for some reason every single post is displaying ‘0 comments.’ It’s quite comical really! To new readers, it must look like I’ve blogged for over two years with zilch replies! Ah bless, the loneliest blogger on the interwebs. I haven’t changed my HTML or Disqus settings in yonks so I can only imagine something has been updated on the Blogger or Disqus side. Is anyone else having this prob as well? I’ve tried fixing it but no luck. Hopefully Disqus can help me sort it soon.

Cute 'lil pic found here.

Two crafty ladies

I just wanted to introduce you to my new blog sponsor, Roxies and Monies. 

They're two crafty sisters from Jeffreys Bay who make the most adorable goodies. 

I'm in love with their Tote bags! The slogans and designs are 'super me!' Ha, if I do say so myself. 

The girls are all about spreading cheer and helping out their community. Nice one gals.

Find 'em on their blog, Facebook and Twitter. x

Happy Birthday Gloss

It's Glossary's second birthday today. Happy Birthday al bloggo. I'll probably die a death of cringe when I look back at all the awkward posing, ridic ramblings and sketchy photo editing but at least it's been fun! I've never been able to keep up with diaries so I'm chuffed I've kept up blogging for two whole years. To be honest, it's a bit of a strange time for me to be blogging as I'm going through a sad season in my personal life. I won't be chatting about it online but I wanted to mention it by way of explanation if I seem, well, not all myself for a while. I thought about closing Gloss for a bit but I know this blog brings me a lot of joy and I love sharing inspiration and documenting the good times. My Tumblr on the other hand, will probably be fill of emo quotes and pics! I think fellow bloggers may agree that sometimes blogging can also be, well, a nice distraction from the weightyness of real life. And in light of Gloss's birthday, I've given it a little revamp. Thank you to everyone who has commented and tweeted to say you like it - I'm so chuffed to hear it! Owing to what will also be a skint season in my life, I have decided to add a couple of blog sponsorship spots. Please feel free to email me about those. And yeah, thanks to all of you who pop in and reply with comments. I appreciate every one of them. These pics are oldies but here's to future snappin'!