When did you start your blog Danimezza.com?

April 2006, I just celebrated it’s 7th birthday!

Why did you start blogging?

To keep in touch with all my family and friends when my husband and I moved interstate for work and knew no one… it was my own version of facebook.

Describe your blog in 20 words or less

It’s a constantly evolving space that is a reflection of my personal interests usually covering photography, plus size fashion, beauty, travel and family… be surprised!

What are your 5 must have tools for blogging?

My iPhone5 – My ultimate content creator and communication tool.
Macbook Pro Retina – Slim, highly functional and perfect for editing photos on the go.
Nikon D700 – Using 24-70mm 2.8 and 70-200mm 2.8 lenses
Events – I’ve found networking in person is very important ,not only for your blog to grow but for your own personal growth.
Self Confidence – Be brave and share what you have to offer the world.

What is your favourite part of being a blogger?

The community, the friendships and the opportunities. It’s been seven years I and I don’t see myself stopping any time soon.

What would be the biggest thing you have learnt since starting your blog?

That it’s ok to be me. A unique person that has views and a place in this world that’s all mine and I don’t have to apologise for it, it’s celebrated.

If you could start again, what would you do differently?

Nothing. If I’d done it differently I may not be doing what I’m doing right now and I’m really happy where I am.

What has been your blog’s biggest achievement?

It’s been an ongoing voice for my opinions and a visual diary of my life, what’s better than looking back on old diaries?

What do you find is the best way to help promote your blog?

Networking in person, it’s crucial. People are tactile creatures and as much as you can bond with someone over the internet, it becomes ten fold when done in person. Make the time and the investment to meet the people you love online. The memories are worth it and give your online life a stronger foundation.

What advice would you have for new chick bloggers?

Outsource. Don’t feel that you have to take everything on yourself. I’m crap at coding, plug-ins and graphic design so those facets are handed over to Jarod & Liz Productions. By outsourcing I’m able to concentrate on what I’m good at, content creation and engagement. The same goes for negotiating, I can be a bit of a push over but now I’m with Creative Jack Management who takes care of that part behind the scenes.

Do you (or do you plan to) make any income from your blog?

I do, I blog fulltime and when I’m not blogging I’m negotiating deals months or weeks in advance. It’s all about the hustle baby. If you want to make your blog a viable business the money wont just fall in your lap. That said I could make more money working in retail but I wouldn’t feel as fulfilled as I do today. I’m an “all in” kind of person.

What future goals do you have for your blog?

To keep creating relatable content and allow a facet of my blog to be a resource for plus size consumers to navigate their way through online shopping which can be tricky at times.

What is your all time favourite post that you would love people to read?

I’ve written over 3,000 posts and each important in their own way. I couldn’t pick just one and have it relatable for everyone. Just start at the end and work your way back.

What is your most popular post (in number of comments, or traffic received)?

When I wrote about being naked in Cosmopolitan Health Magazine. People loved the message I made and google loved the use of the word “naked”.

Who are your 5 favourite chick bloggers and why?

Woogsworld – she makes me laugh, hard.
Beautiful You – a safe place for your mind and soul.
Hummingbird’s Song – makes me put my running shoes on.
The Curvy Fashionista – plus size fashion mecca
Post Secret – Weekly dose of harsh reality and general humility.

We had another great meet this past weekend in Parramatta. It was a beautiful afternoon, chatting away all things blogging for hours. Thank you to everyone that came along.

We were too busy chatting away to get some great pictures. Though I do love the picture Danimezza took of Liz, Laura and I.

We are hoping to host a meet once a month. Your best bet is to keep an eye on facebook for details of up and coming events. We’d love to see you at a meet soon!

May Meet – Saturday 11th May, Woolwich Pier Hotel.
June Meet - Set for Sunday 16th June. We are looking to host it in the North Sydney area. So if you have any suggestions, let us know

April Attendees
Laura aka Rah –  w: Smarter Admins   t: smarter_au
w: Rainbowtatt   t: rahest 
Leigh –  w: Blog Chicks   t: blogchicksau
w: absoluteleigh   t: absolute_leigh 
Liz – w: Liz Pulo  t: lizosaurus
Elise –  w: Mummy Hearts Money   t: Mummyhearts 
Sal –  w: Salz’s Dummy Spit   t:_salz_
Psychbabbler  –  w: Over a cuppa coffee t: psychbabbler
Denyse – w: Ready Set School   t: Readyset2school
Cybele -  w: Blah Blah Magazine   t: blahblahzine
Claire - w: Owls Teapots Shoes Oh My  t: msclaire76
Robyn - w: Mrs D Plus 3  t: mrsdplus3
Dani - w: Danimezza  t: danimezza

Thanks to everyone who made it along to my (first ever) webinar last night. Many of you mentioned you had learned something, which is wonderful to hear.

Unfortunately due to tech issues my recording of the event didn’t actually work — dammit! However, you can download the slides below by right-clicking on the image and choosing ‘Save As…’

Even if you attended there are a couple of “bonus” slides in there that I managed to skip while switching between my live preview and the slides. You can find a list of plugins I recommend and a few other bits and pieces.

And my big secret for picking a theme?   Highlight this section —–>>> Just pick one! You can change it later if you want to! <<<——-

If you need any WordPress help, you can check out my personal page or Jarod and Liz Productions. Or  you can meet me next weekend at the BlogChicks Sydney meetup! More info over this way

Did you enjoy the webinar? Are there any other topics you’d like us to cover? Let us know in the comments below!

When did you start your blog?

I started blogging my recipes and menu planning at the beginning of 2011. It was only until 2012 that I gre my blog into something more and connected with other bloggers and made Salz Dummy Spit.

Why did you start blogging?

I was a bored Sahm. I started off with the recipes because I have the worse memory and couldn’t remember even the easiest of recipes. I then started meal planning on the blog to help me know what I am cooking during the week so that I am not thinking every day “What am I going to cook?”. I then wanted to expand the blog into something more parenting so that I can bag out my kids on the net. OK so that I could brag about my kids on the net.

Describe your blog in 20 words or less

I tend to go on little spats of having a dummy spit on issues that annoy me. I share my experience as a mother. That’s more than 20 but can you blame me? Ok maybe you can.

What are your 5 must have tools for blogging?

My 5 must have tools are A smart phone, A laptop, Internet of course, a sense of humor and a heart of steel.

What is your favourite part of being a blogger?

Getting to meet all the different people who share the same thing as you. Only bloggers know what you are going through when you are having a rough blogging time. The people are all nice and willing to help.

What would be the biggest thing you have learnt since starting your blog?

It doesn’t matter that this company or that company hasn’t pitch you something that this other blog got. Just as long as you love blogging and are doing it for you then who cares what other bloggers get. I find blogging very therapeutic when I want to express what I am feeling and show my views. Its my part on the Internet and I can do what I would like with it.

If you could start again, what would you do differently?

Maybe lots. I would have looked into a wordpress blog, I would have done my design differently. I would have tried to hide my identity maybe. But I’m happy with where my blog is going now.

What has been your blog’s biggest achievement?

I haven’t really had any big achievements in blogging. I’m still waiting on my big chance for something awesome to happen. I am always happy when I meet bloggers so that can be an achievement in its self.

What do you find is the best way to help promote your blog?

Lots of facebook and twitter interactions with the readers. Guest posting helps a lot as well. And having a place like Blog chicks so that people and companies can easily search through and click.

What advice would you have for new chick bloggers?

Just do it. Keep up with your posts. You wont get famous in a year. You probably wont get famous in two or three years. Just blog about real things that happen to you or things that you are passionate about and are good at. Follow bloggers who share the same passion and connect with them.

Do you (or do you plan to) make any income from your blog?

I have always thought about this. I’m not to sure how much money one can make from a blog. I wouldn’t think its something that would put food on the table unless you have made a little business out of it. But a little money here are there wont hurt the bank. I’m even happy to just get products to review. If money comes with all of that will anybody say no to that?

What future goals do you have for your blog?

Just keep doing what I am doing. I need to stop thinking to my self that I am a bad writer and just write. Maybe one day have a better design and make it look more professional. I have an idea of what I would like to do to but not to sure how I should do it. Its got to do with reviewing products and my readers helping me review them.

What is your all time favourite post that you would love people to read?

I loved creating the posts named “A day in the life of Squeek“. Where my (at the time) 14mth old wrote about her typical day and the things she does.

What is your most popular post (in number of comments, or traffic received)?

In number of traffic my blog post about “How to schedule a facebook status” got the most attention. There isn’t a way for me to see the most commented post but i remember this post “32 things that annoy me” got a lot of comments.

Who are your 5 favourite chick bloggers and why?

The first one has to be Angela at School of mum. I talk to her on a regular basis and we bounce ideas from each other and I have helped her and she has helped me.
Next is Elise at Mummy Hearts Money because she is my sister-in-law and would kill me if I didn’t add her to the list.
I would have to say Jess at Essentially Jess. Because I really enjoy reading her posts and I can relate to it so much.
Glow at Where’s my glow will be the next one. Love her humour. She cracks me up all the time and is a lovely person in person.
And Catherine at Cup of tea and a blog cause I love her blog posts and her accent is just all kinds of awesome.

When did you start your blog?
This one, readysetschool.com.au was started in late 2012 as a response to a need I perceived I could address. However, it is around blog #4 for me! Before then I had memoriesbydenyse.com.au and educationbydenyse.com.au and caringbydenyse.com.au and denysewhelan.com.au ….

Why did you start blogging?
It was to connect with other people. I had retired after 40 years full-time in the world of schools and education and I missed socialising. I liked being a commenter firstly on Mamamia.com.au (early days I mean, not now!) and got some lovely comments back. It aroused my curiosity about blogging in late 2010 and so I thought “I want to connect too” and I started.

Describe your blog in 20 words or less
Easy to navigate and source information about K-6 schooling for parents and educators written by an experienced and knowledgable K-6 school principal.

What are your 5 must have tools for blogging?’
1. A reason to write and connect.
2. The motivation to do so professionally and in keeping with subject matter as a consistent writer
3. Reading Others’ Blogs and commenting with interest and enthusiasm – not so they will comment on yours!
4. My Technical know-how. This has taken much time and I have been guided by a very kind paid professional mentor who set my blogs up. It’s best when you can manage ‘behind the blog’ for yourself.
5. Ipad, Iphone, MacBookPro, Camera, Observation skills, Punctuation and Writing skills (I know I am a teacher but it does detract from my reading of others’ blogs if there are obvious mistakes.)

What is your favourite part of being a blogger?
the community of bloggers I have met and those I have yet to meet. As long as we are friends, it is an awesome community!

What would be the biggest thing you have learnt since starting your blog?
That I needed to learn from others. I might have been at the ‘top’ of the ladder as far as teaching was concerned but I was a very new blogger who needed to read, and accept advice.

If you could start again, what would you do differently?
Not much other in a physical sense. However I would judge myself less harshly and stop comparing myself and the blog to others. It is a very big temptation for all bloggers to do this when they start and I did. It is not healthy and it can put people right off blogging. I was helped with advice from others who said “D, do what you do and know best, no-one else does education and schooling from the perspective of a school principal”.

What has been your blog’s biggest achievement?
In the first blog it was getting sponsorship. That is a golden ticket for bloggers when they start out. Wow! I had a sponsor. It was for Blogopolis 2011 and the Sticker Family sponsored my attendance….BUT now my blog’s biggest achievement is that I am using the blog as the stepping stone CV to work as a K-6 Schooling and Education Specialist. This means I am ad-free and no longer want or need to get sponsorship.

What do you find is the best way to help promote your blog?
Facebook Page for the blog is amazing me. I hadn’t really done much about that until this year. Really glad I added that and I post there now with topics that FB people see and comment on who dont comment on the blog.

What advice would you have for new chick bloggers?
Be kind to yourself…find a blogging mentor (someone from blogchicks I am sure would be helpful!) and be prepared to have someone else look your blog over and say some things you may or may not like. I did this at least 3 times before I realised I was writing the ‘wrong blog’!

Do you (or do you plan to) make any income from your blog?
It was through my endeavours and keeping a friendly and professional blog that I got the offer of a work (which has continued into the second year) with Kindalin – 8 Early Childhood Learning centres in Sydney where I am their on-line and in-person K-6 schooling specialist for families and educators

What future goals do you have for your blog?
Steady as she goes! I now blog once or twice a week to keep up the presence and I do add Facebook updates more often. I love where I am at now, but it’s taken nearly 3 years.

What is your all time favourite post that you would love people to read?
Interestingly it was not about education, it was about me! This was before I began writing about Education and Schooling. Whilst I cannot access that post now I am proud I wrote of my personal journey through my life till now. It took around 3 posts overall and resulted in interviews from other bloggers. I prefer the professional approach now. Less over-sharing .

What is your most popular post (in number of comments, or traffic received)?
I would love to be able to quote that…and I cannot. I do have stat counter and clicky but I don’t rely on these measures anymore as they can ‘make’ or ‘break’ you if taken too seriously ..and I did for a bit. I am happy to know I have one or more readers and commenters!

Who are your 5 favourite chick bloggers and why?
Funnily enough… ummm do I have to only have 5…

1. Melissa from SugerCoatit – such a heart on her sleeve blogger at times, and then the most sensible person ever. I love this person’s blog. It’s the real deal.
2. A Little Space Like Home written by Mandy Ferry. Mandy is a mum of 3 who is also a talented photographer. I love Mandy’s down to earth honesty.
3. Naomi from Under The Yardarm. Naomi and I connect from the mama and teacher perspective and I LOVE her insights into life, kids and nature.
4. ThatSpaceInBetween by SarahWayland. Sarah and I connected intellectually..because I had a doorstop sized Uni book and she loved the offer of it as a freebie! No, that’s not the only reason. Sarah is the most caring and sensitive soul who helps others all she can.
5. Allconsuming by Kim Palmer Berry. This blog has such a range of subject material I cannot explain it..but Kim is a gifted writer, mum of 4, and so much more. Read & Learn!

Sunday saw our first Blog Chicks meet in a looong time.

We had a great turn out, 15 of us in total. A big thank you to all those that came along, it was so lovely to meet you all.  A gold star goes to Whoa Molly  for travelling all the way from the central coast!

It was so great to see such a diverse group of bloggers from a wide range of niches. So much chatting, I only wish I got a chance to have a good chat with everyone.

We are looking to make these a regular thing. So be sure to keep an eye out on Facebook and Twitter for the announcement for April’s event. We look forward to seeing you there!

Rah was clever to collect a list of everyones details, so here is the attendees list.

Laura aka Rah –  w: Smarter Admins   t: smarter_au   f: smarteradmins   i: smarter_au
w: Rainbowtatt   t: rahest   f: rainbowtatt  i: rahest
Leigh –  w: Blog Chicks   t: blogchicksau   f: bloghicks
w: absoluteleigh   t: absolute_leigh   f: yayabsoluteleigh   i: absolute_leigh
Sarah –  w: That Space In Between   t: Thatspaceinbtwn   f: That Space In Between   i: Thatspaceinbtwn
Caroline –  w: Domestically Usless   t: Caro_martin1
Elise –  w: Mummy Hearts Money   t: Mummyhearts   f: Mummy hearts money
Sal –  w: Salz’s Dummy Spit   t:_salz_   f: Salz’s Dummy Spit   i: _Salz_
Robyn –  w: Make every bit count   t: Everybitcount   i: robscon
Amanda –  w: Tea at Tamsin’s
Nicole –  w: See U In Sydney   t: Seeuinsydney   f: Seeuinsydney   i: Seeuinsydney
Sara –  w: Kid Magazine   f: Kidmagazine
Emma –  w: Reality Ravings   t: Reality Raver   f: Reality Ravings
Eva –  w: Build House Home   t: Buildeva
Molly – w: Whoa Molly   t: whoa molly   i: woah_molly
Kate –  w: Run With Kate   t: Runwithkate   f: Run with Kate   i: Runwithkate
Denyse – w: Ready Set School   t: Readyset2school   f: Denysejwhelan   i: Readyset2school

When did you start your blog?

Pretty Fluffy launched back in November 2010.

Why did you start blogging?

For me, Pretty Fluffy combines two of my greatest loves – dogs and writing!

However it wasn’t until 2008 when I began planning my wedding that I discovered blogs and what they had to offer. I became hooked on Style Me Pretty and soon enough all sorts of wedding, lifestyle, food and interior design blogs started filling up my reader. As I discovered this whole new world of inspiration I knew blogging was something that I wanted to do.

As a TV producer, I’ve always had a creative element to my day job, but starting my own blog allowed me to dig a lot deeper and reach people on a much more personal level.

As for the subject content, I saw a gap in the market where people looking for fashionable pet products, DIY projects, tips and articles were not represented. Pets are such a big parts of our lives and I wanted to show that stylish, inspired living and pet ownership weren’t mutually exclusive.

Describe your blog in 20 words or less

Pretty Fluffy is the go to guide for the modern pet owner. We’re about life, style and fluffy dogs! (and also the not so fluffy ones too!)

What are your 5 must have tools for blogging?

Adobe Photoshop, InDesign & Illustrator Suite – For crisper, brighter photos, unique layouts and graphics.

WordPress Editorial Calendar – To schedule ahead with ease.

iPhone – For social media and photos on the go.

Facebook – A great place to create a community for your blog, and share content.

Soda – My 12 year old Border Collie is my inspiration and resident blog model (she’s compensated in treats and hugs!)

What is your favourite part of being a blogger?

I know EVERYONE says this, but I have to say the relationships I’ve formed with other bloggers and industry professionals has been amazing. Not only because I’ve met all of these wonderful people, but by finding others who you can relate to on such a personal level helps you discover the real you under all the layers and social labels you’ve had for so long.

By finding kindred spirits and dedicating so much time to a personal project, I’ve really gotten to know myself a lot better and feel I’m more authentic in my day to day actions.

What would be the biggest thing you have learnt since starting your blog?

Ditching the word ‘niche’! A few months after I started my blog I found myself posting on anything and everything to do with dogs rather than what I was inspired by. I’d let myself become defined by a category and lost authenticity in the process. By all means you need to know who your readers are and how you connect to them, but don’t let a niche define you. Be unique!

I’d also have to say letting go. I think there are lots of bloggers (myself included) that are perfectionists and you always wish you’d written that last sentence a bit better or taken that photo in better light. But by posting on a daily basis there’s always something new to focus on, so you learn from your mistakes, keep having fun and just do the best you can.

If you could start again, what would you do differently?

Ha ha – can I say everything? When I started blogging I was clueless. Clueless!!

To be honest I think I would start with a Pinterest account to develop my aesthetic for a blog, while behind the scenes I would develop a healthy schedule for writing content. It takes a while to find your groove, so by having an online presence BEFORE you actually launch could only be a help in my eyes.

What has been your blog¹s biggest achievement?

Can I have two? Most recently it was the release of our first ever eBook ’52 Weeks of Treats’. It was a labour of love that is now been downloaded by dog lovers across the globe!

Secondly it was my animal welfare initiative ‘The 13 Project’. It was all about the small ways we can help animals in our day-to-day lives. Not only did it get a great response on Pretty Fluffy, it was shared thousands of times on social media and countless bloggers joined the project worldwide. Even if it helped just one dog find a loving home, that meant everything to me.

What do you find is the best way to help promote your blog?

I think Guest Posting on other blogs is a great way to reach others. However, my latest favourite is Pinterest. One day I noticed a huge spike in traffic to Pretty Fluffy and it all came back to someone pinning a photo from a recent post.

What advice would you have for new chick bloggers?

Focus on creating content rather than content curation. By all means, share products, content or images you find inspiring; but by focusing on what you have to share and create, you’ll stand out from the crowd.

Whether it’s great writing, creative projects, styling your own shoots, personal photography – whatever you have to share, just give people something they haven’t seen before. Your readers will get something new and you’ll enjoy the process.

Also for those starting out I would definitely recommend Holly Becker’s Blogging Your Way online course. I did it last year and my blog grew in leaps and bounds following the class.

Do you (or do you plan to) make any income from your blog?

Last year I started offering advertising spots on Pretty Fluffy. The majority of this goes straight back into the site paying for hosting costs, DIY materials and blogging/design tools. However we are expanding and I’d love it to become a full time business in the not too distant future.

What future goals do you have for your blog?

I’ve got a lot of exciting new features coming to Pretty Fluffy in the coming months – I can’t wait to share them!

It’s also been a dream working with our new features writer, Sarah Dickerson of Chic Sprinkles. She’ll be contributing more and sharing all of her wonderful projects. She’s so talented – I feel very lucky to work alongside her.

Overall, I would love to continue to grow our audience to allow me to justify spending more and more time creating content – it makes me happy and I feel like I’m contributing something joyful to the world.

What is your all time favourite post that you would love people to read?

Apart from the posts mentioned above, this post would be closest to my heart: Happy Messy Love

It’s what Pretty Fluffy is all about. Loving your life and everything that’s in it.

What is your most popular post (in comments, or traffic received)?

My DIY post for No Bake Healthy Treats for You and Your Pooch. My guess is there are a lot of people out there like me who like eating, without having to spend hours in the kitchen!

Who are your 5 favourite chick bloggers and why?

Chic Sprinkles – Sarah is such a creative talent in so many ways and her site always makes me happy when I visit. It’s beautiful in every way – just like her.

IHeart Organizing – Jen is just the sweetest blogger in the world. For someone who has an amazing site with millions of readers, she remains the most down-to-earth and genuine person. I’m so grateful to be a regular contributor to her site and to call her a blogging friend.

The Blog Stylist – I first discovered The Blog Stylist when I was launching Pretty Fluffy. Her tips are easy to follow and I can’t even explain how much they helped me when I was starting out. I’ve since met Bree and can also say she’s an absolute sweetheart as well!

Little Bits of Lovely – Rachel was one of the first bloggers that reached out to me when I started. Her amazingly popular blog is a testament to her fabulous style and beautiful character.

Puppy Tales & Life With Addison – I’m doing a 2-in-1 for my final pick! Each of these fabulous ladies are just as dog crazy as me in their own individual way and I love them for it.

It has been too long since the last Blog Chicks meet (3yrs in fact!) So we thought it was time to get them cracking again.

We have lots of exciting things planned for Blog Chicks this year. And hopefully this gathering will be the first of many.

When: Sunday 3rd March 12pm
Where: The Coffee Club Norwest Blvd

Checkout the event and RSVP on Facebook

Who is this for?
This is for any female who blogs or is thinking about blogging.

What time?
Arrive at noon and we’ll start ordering our noms about 12.30. We’ll stay as long as the venue will keep us!

How much?
This is an unsponsored event, so we ask everyone to pay their own way for lunch and drinks. Unfortunately, Coffee Club doesn’t split bills, so it would be great if you could bring small denominations to assist with paying the bill.

What should I bring?
Bring your business cards (if you have any), notepad and pen. Your phone for instagramming too, of course

Can I bring my kid/s?
Of course! Please let us know by leaving a comment below so that we know to ask Coffee Club to make arrangements.

Who is is the sponsor of this event?
This is an UNSPONSORED event. We want this to be about bloggers sharing with and learning from fellow bloggers, without affiliation to any brands.

We’d love to see you there!

Meet MsCurlyPops and her blog CurlyPops

When did you start your blog?

It seems like an entire lifetime ago now, but I started blogging on January 15th 2008.

Why did you start blogging?

I’ve always loved making stuff and I had a habit of bringing things into work for show and tell. So when I had to give up working full time in mid 2007 due to my lung disease, one of my work colleagues gave me a newspaper article about craft blogs. I was completely amazed and intrigued about this entire blogging world that I’d never heard of (it was still quite new in 2007).

It didn’t take long before I was completely addicted to craft blogs, and decided to take the plunge and start my own.

Since then, my blog has gone from strength to strength, but my lung disease has deteriorated further, so I’m now on the waiting list for a double lung transplant.

Describe your blog in 20 words or less

It’s really just about the craft, with a smidgen of my life thrown in for good measure!

What are your 5 must have tools for blogging?

Craft blogs are very visual so it’s more about the image than the words (luckily for me).

1. A decent camera
2. An iPhone for good photos when out and about
3. Adobe Photoshop (there are lots of different photo editing programs but I like photoshop)
4. A sense of humour
5. A large monthly upload/download limit

What is your favourite part of being a blogger?

My favourite thing is most definitely the friendships that I’ve made with other bloggers, and the opportunities to get out and about and learn something new.

It’s also increased my general confidence.

What would be the biggest thing you have learnt since starting your blog?

The biggest thing that I’ve learned is to just put yourself out there and take a chance.

My life now is so completely different (and so much better and more fulfilling) when compared to what it was before I started blogging.

If you could start again, what would you do differently?

I wouldn’t do anything differently. I’ve loved the entire journey so far.

What has been your blog’s biggest achievement?

Even though CurlyPops is a craft blog, I include some personal stuff as well. I think that my blogs biggest achievement so far has been to educate people about organ donation, and to assist in raising money for the Margaret Pratt Foundation Heart and Lung Transplant Trust via The Hottie Challenge. There’s a connection with an audience through blogging. The people who read my blog may have never thought about organ donation before. Maybe they’ve never ‘known’ anyone who has been waiting for that amazing gift of a second chance at life.

If I can get people to have that discussion with their families, and sign up to the national registry, then I feel that it’s the best achievement I could ever have from blogging.

For more information on organ donation – www.donatelife.gov.au
To sign up to the national registry via Medicare 
Margarett Pratt Foundation – www.mprattfoundation.com.au
The Hottie Challenge 

Another quite lovely thing that happened this year was that I was nominated by Cosmopolitan Magazine as one of their top ten Fun Fearless Female Bloggers. I didn’t make it through to the final, but it was exciting to be nominated!

What do you find is the best way to help promote your blog?

I mainly just use other forms of social media for promotion – I’m also on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Flickr etc… just search for CurlyPops. I’m sure you’ll find me!

What advice would you have for new chick bloggers?

Be yourself and have fun. Don’t have too many expectations. Don’t follow the pack. Use your own voice.

If my blog wasn’t fun for me, then I most certainly wouldn’t still be here after four years.

Do you (or do you plan to) make any income from your blog?

I don’t make any income directly from blogging (and I never intended to), although I do have an online shop where I sell my crafty wares. So indirectly, I do make some income by pimping them on the blog.

Blogging has also led to some freelance writing work.

What future goals do you have for your blog?

The only future goal that I have at the moment is to get some new lungs!

Being on the waiting list means that I can’t really plan anything too far in advance for the blog or for my crafty business. I could get a phone call at any time of the day or night and have to be at the hospital within two hours.

I might be away from the blogosphere for a little while when that happens…. but it won’t be for too long I hope.

I’ve also started a separate blog to write about the entire transplant process, from the pre-assessment testing and right through the recovery process. That blog may take precedence over CurlyPops for a little while.

As far as crafting goes, I’ve started designing and selling my own fabrics. I’m really looking forward to seeing where that takes me. Blogging is great for feedback, but also for documenting the entire design process.

What is your all time favourite post that you would love people to read?

That’s a really hard one to answer.

As I’m answering this, I’ve written and published 1661 posts over the last 4 years of blogging.

This one from June 2008 is the first time that I publicly acknowledged my illness on the blog. It was extremely hard to do at the time.

The day that I officially joined the waiting list - August 31st 2011

For pure and utter silliness (and to further embarrass myself publicly), I also love any posts that include my alter-ego Ms SuperPops. Thank goodness my photo editing skills have really improved since this post in 2009!

What is you most popular post (in comments, or traffic received)?

My most popular post of all time comes from my tutorials page

It’s the tutorial for ‘How to Make a Chef’s Hat for your budding Masterchef’

There’s lots of googling going on by people who want to make a Chef’s Hat, and they come from all over the world. I suspect that it has something to do with the worldwide Masterchef phenomenon.

Who are your 5 favourite chick bloggers and why?

This is one of the hardest questions that I ever get asked…. I have about 500 craft blog subscriptions in my google reader (and yes, I do actually read them all). Thank goodness they don’t all post every day.

I can’t decide so I have to choose 6.

Tinniegirl

Cathy and I both connected via a blog art swap that she organised when we were both just starting out, and we’ve been fabulous friends ever since. I’m so glad we found each other.

Shiny Happy Art

Anna’s blog is both shiny and happy (just as the name suggests). I love her work and I know that I’ll get a little dose of sunshine every time I visit.

Punky & Me

Vic is crafty and hilarious. I know not to take a mouthful of coffee before reading her blog…. lest I might spit it out on the screen in laughter!

Buttontree Lane

Michelle makes gorgeous clothes for herself, and she has completely inspired me to start doing the same.

Melbourne Epicure

Cathie and I first met at a pre-market meeting a few years ago. Just take one look at her blog and you’ll see why I can’t resist. It’s lucky I don’t live around the corner from her, because I’d be on the doorstep looking for cake every day.

Teddy Bears Wednesday

Jess makes the cutest little critters that you could ever find. Take a look and see if you can resist!