How do you read your daily blogs?

I don’t know about other bloggers, but let me tell you, I read a lot of blogs, and I love it! Reading blogs of all shapes and sizes was actually the primary reason I started this blog – I realized ‘Hey, I have a voice and creative ideas, too! Let’s do this!’

I used to be able to manage my list of daily reads pretty well, but I’m now at the point where all the space on my bookmarks toolbars in Mozilla, Internet Explorer, AND Chrome, are completely maxed out!  I never cared or understood how to use Google Reader, and I didn’t think to research other reader alternatives, I was pretty satisfied with my morning routine clicking straight to the blogs I wanted to read in the same order, every single day. Talk about a creature of habit!

 I don’t even know how I stumbled on it, it must have been a re-marketing campaign while perusing the internet, but I landed myself on NetVibes reading about their awarded personalized dashboard and thought ‘what the heck, let’s give this whole reader thing a try’.  About two weeks ago I signed up for a free account I can’t tell you how much my life has changed.  Having a real time feed of all the blogs I read in a day makes me feel like I have the entire internet all in one place. It’s more than amazing!

NetVibes has been around for a while, but it’s completely brand new to me.  I’m still learning how to use it, but so far I’ve used 3 different views to read my daily blogs – the classic widget view (below), which is laid out in a tile board similar to Pinterest, and each tile lists the most recent 7 or so posts from each site.

 I also like the current activity view, you can see all the posts that were published today

My new favorite view is the image tile view for all posts most currently published.  I’m totally into this visual method of reading a feed!

 OK, OK, so I’m fully aware that utilizing a reader is a no-brainer for most of you folks, which makes me wonder, how does everyone else read their favorite blogs? What readers do you use? Or do you prefer to click directly to sites? Do you keep a list of your favorite blogs? I’m so interested!

PS: if you’re curious about what blogs I read on a daily basis, I created this page dedicated to them for easy access.  You can find the link to this page is on my right sidebar.

10 tips for a successful move

My man and I have spent the last month 100% focused on moving (and might I mention, into our OWN place), and the last two weeks physically moving into our new place.  I think it's safe to say we are officially done and moved in!  Last night was the first night in our new apartment.  We still have a lot of adjusting to do, new routines for the pups, getting used to new noises, and dealing with all the light from our windows.  Curtains are in store, ASAP.

As I look back on our move, the plans we made and the obstacles we faced, I thought it would be a great idea to put together a list of 10 tips to make your move as successful and painless as possible.  Here we go:

Plan &  Prioritize

My BF and I are both accountants, which means we're both A-type business-oriented budgeters and planners.  We can easily take a situation and translate it into concise bullet points or a cost benefit analysis.  When we first discussed moving out into our own place, back in January, our first step was to make a plan.   Then, we discussed our plans with our roommates to make sure they were on board.  We also set a goal for a move out date, drafted a budget and started saving. 

I am well aware not everyone operates like we do.  I've helped out plenty of family and friends who lack a move-out plan, and end up scrambling at the absolutely last second.

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the thrifting itch

Thrifting is an obsession, it's an unquenchable thirst, or an itch you just can't seem to scratch. There are days when I just need to go out and dig through some junk, and yesterday was one of those days.  I have a few secret spots by my office that I'll sneak off to during lunch, in hopes I'll come across another $6 french chair or some other pot of gold.  There is what appears to be a junk yard a few blocks from my office, it's the same place where I found the set of antique dining chairs I restored.  

Once you walk in, you're greeted with dozen of school chairs.  Cute right?  

Then, to the left, old toilets!

how to shop for beads & gems

Happy Monday! I was a busy busy bee this weekend – took a trip to the airport to send my BF off to India for work (yikes!), celebrated my Dad's 50th birthday party yesterday (happy birthday dad!), and finished up a couple old projects that I had put on the back burner during the holidays.  Somehow I found time to hit up the local gem show to restock my jewelry supplies that have dwindled down to nearly nothing the last few months. 

(I took all photos with an iPhone, so please pardon the quality)

Let's talk jewelry supplies.  There are many ways to stock up on jewelry supplies – you could go to a local bead shop, order supplies from an online retailer, order from auction sites like eBay, or attend a wholesale gem faire. 

Each venue has it's perks and drawbacks.  Local shops generally charge higher prices and have limited inventory, but you're able to "get it now".  With online retailers and eBay, you have to pay for shipping and you're unable to get the tangible experience – touch the item or view the stone or gem in real light.  Also, online retailers & eBay both have a much larger inventory and selection to choose from. 

My preferred method of stocking up on jewelry supplies is to attend a gem faire.  You have a selection of hundreds of vendors to choose from all under one roof.  Some vendors sell similar items, like pearls and crystals, others sell unique and one of a kind items like gold or copper dipped leaves.  You're more than likely to find the best prices at a gem faire, but it definitely takes a few dedicated hours to get through the entire show floor, which can be exhausting.

The Sonoma County Gem Faire is a scaled down version of the Bay Area show.  My aunt and I were in dire need of supplies and we couldn't wait until April for the Bay Area show.  I snapped a few pictures of the various vendors to give you an idea of what you'll find at a gem show…

Resolutions for 2012

 Hello! Happy Saturday! Yes, It took me one week into 2012 to finally say good riddance to 2011, mainly due to work, but I'm here now and ready to shout out my resolutions for the New Year, and for all to hear! Here's to throwing that 2011 calendar away…

source

 …to wiping the slate clean and starting fresh! It fascinates me how the start of a new year can encourage so much change in people's lives.  We all have the habit of sticking to the same-old routine.  But once the new year rolls around, we write down goals, change our diet, and resolve to being better, healthier, and happier selves! Let's cheer to the new-year-new-you, and encourage each other to reach our goals and change our lifestyles for the better.

I've split out my resolutions for 2012 into two sections – blog and personal – and I'd like to share both with the world!  This should solidify my resolutions, no excuses, and will encourage and motivate myself to reach and attain these goals. 

A Blog Hop Series

Happy Wednesday! While I'm choking and drowning in month/quarter/year end, I decided to come up for a little air and share this fantastic series I've been following this week.  This series is hosted by 5 super-star bloggers.  Each of these ladies has taken her blog and turned it into a successful business.  It's so inspiring to see how far these bloggers have come! I love rummaging back in time and reading the super old posts on each of these blogs.  I find a lot of comfort in it, knowing my blog will grow too! My photography will get better! My projects will be more unique and refined! And more readers will come!

Anyway, these gals are super inspiring, and they're so kind to share their tips and experiences and lend some advice on how to grow your blog…

Monday 1/2/12 – Authenticity & Blogging @ nesting place

Tuesday 1/3/12 – Making Money Blogging @ Thrifty Decor Chick

Wednesday 1/4/12 – Building a Community & Social Media @ tatertots & jello

Thursday 1/5/12 – Photography Tips @ Miss Mustard Seed

Friday 1/6/12 – Finding Balance @ Centsational Girl

Catch up on the 3 current posts, and follow the rest of the series tomorrow and Friday!

Countdown to Race Day: T-minus 8 days

Have I mentioned I like to run? Well, I do, I loooove to run, and I have my favorite race coming up next week, the Big Sur Half Marathon in Monterey, CA. I ran the same race last year. The course was so incredible I've decided this race will be my annual race, regardless if I register for other races throughout the year.

I'm an average runner and I run at an average pace, about 8:30/mile, which is not fast by any means.  It's average.  My goal last year was to finish under 2 hours, which I did for the first time in my 5 years of running.  I've set the same goal this year, although I'm not sure if I can beat last year's time of 1:56:19, but we'll see!

Here are some of the inspirational photos from last year's race:

images borrowed from The Big Sur Half Marathon 2010

The entire course is against the Monterey and Pacific Grove coast.  The air is crisp and salty, and the waves are ginormous!

A Mini Photo Shoot

About 3 weeks ago I became an auntie, again! My older sister had a new baby girl on 10/3, she just missed my birthday!  Of course, she's absolutely adorable.  She's teeny tiny, came out at 6 lbs 15 oz, and very, very blond. 

I've been totally into learning how to use my new camera, my BF would say I'm slightly obsessed, but I'm determined to master the thing so I can be that person watching the sunset, yelling out the exact settings I'd use to capture the moment.  To date, I haven't graduated past aperture priority.

My sister let me perform a mini photo shoot on her daughter. I wanted to give her some staged pictures of her new baby, and I also wanted to practice what little skills I had learned since getting the camera.  Please! Before you point and cackle at my ameture skills, I ask you keep in mind my skills are not very developed but I learn more and more each day. 

Last few Days of Summer

Summer always goes by too fast, don't you agree?  Don't get me wrong, for many reasons fall is my favorite season, but the end of summer always bums me out a bit. 

At the beginning of summer I usually have these grand ideas about what I'll be doing and where I'll be traveling, as if time didn't exist.  I imagine my weekends filled with trips to the beach or a near by lake, that I'll have ample time to visit far away friends, go on bike rides, wear shorts and get a sandal tan.  Every year at the start of summer my BF's family takes a trip to Disneyland, we feast on pineapple whips, churros, and cobb salads at the pink restaurant.   Then July rolls around, the month is full of fireworks and bbq's, and I'm content knowing summer is far from over.  All of a sudden it's August and summer begins to quickly pull away. Schools start, morning traffic gets thicker, the evenings cool down quicker, the sun sets earlier, and I realize I didn't get to see the friends I wanted or take half of the trips I had in mind.  It's this moment when I get super bummed out. 

Being an accountant, I'm forced to count the days to the next month close.  Because of this, accountants watch time speed by faster than the average person.  So sucky. Why didn't someone tell me this when I decided to become an accountant?

Last night I got to thinking about summer and how people enjoy and express it through home design. I thought about the places I've lived and traveled, homes I've seen with big backyards, swimming pools, BBQ patios, wiffle ball fields, hammocks, lounge chairs, hot tubs, and killer view roof-tops.  There's nothing better than some images to show you what I'm talking about…

Summer outdoor movie nights! Genius.  I bet any backyard could get away with this, all you need is a movie projector and some speakers, right? I can't wait to have a family and do exactly this.

via Pinterest

My New Camera

Dear SLR experts and advocates,

Please forgive me as I am new to the amazing world of photography.  I may post pictures taken in less than optimal aperture settings, and images that are pixelated or over exposed, yet I am determined to learn the ways.  Most importantly, I vow to never use my camera in auto mode. 

~ Sincerely, brittanyMakes

My BF has been very supportive of my blog obsession.  He already knew that any photos I took from my point and shoot camera would always be sub-par and deprived of light.  To be truly honest, I think he was just tired of me complaining.  Our 2 year anniversary came up just in time, and after a little research (and hinting on my part), he gave me the best present ever: a Nikon D3100! This camera has been quoted the most powerful entry level DSLR, for beginners like me.  This camera is affordable and easy to use, and Costco sells it for a killer deal.  The Costco bundle include an SD card, a 18-55mm lens and a 55-200mm zoom lens, PLUS a stylish camera bag.  Costco is the best.

Here's my camera, sigh.