it all started with paint

how to make money blogging: take 2

2012-03-08T08:25:00.010-06:00

Who knew?

Who knew my measly $33.00 and change in ad revenue would generate so much interest?

And so many questions?

I’m going to start this post with a major disclaimer: I am not an expert on how to make money blogging and am learning as I go …

… and I’m all about the sharing of the learning as I go.

Because, truly, if you calculated the hours I’ve spent working on the blog versus the money earned ...

... you know, to figure our my hourly wage …

… that would require math.

And math makes my head hurt. But I’m pretty sure my hourly wage would come out to be a very small percentage of a penny …

… and, in fact, I think I may even owe money to somebody somewhere. Just not sure who or where …

So let’s move on to what I’ve done so far to earn that coveted $33 and change …

(... and I hyperlinked most of the screen cap shots so you can easily visit each site by clicking on the image. And all the hyperlinks open in a separate window. Just because I’m considerate like that…)

1. Signed up for Google Analytics.

Advertisers, sponsors & affiliates need the digits …

… and you’ll need the numbers to set ad rates in the future …

So just go to Google and google "Google AdSense" (I tried to link it up but it kept bringing me to my personal account page) ...

And speaking of the numbers, I do have some confusion when it comes to Google Analytics …

… you see, my Blogger stats and my Google Analytics stats do not see eye-to-eye…

My Blogger stats are seriously kicking some Google Analytics butt. But I have no idea why the two numbers do not match up. There is a HUGE discrepancy …

… so any insight would be greatly appreciated. I sent an email to one of the more established Blogger bloggers to see if she could explain (and reassure me that those big Blogger numbers are correct and explain why the Google Analytics are just wrong, wrong, wrong …)

2. Signed up for Google AdSense.

To do this in Blogger, you just need to hit the “Monetize” tab on the Dashboard …

All others will need to go here …

Google AdSense doesn’t make a first payout until you reach $100. And I’m pretty sure their pay-out is 100% linked to click-throughs …

... I know others swear by Google AdSense. Are getting some nice checks from Google AdSense. Me, personally, not so. I know I need to move up their prominence on my sidebar. And I've heard the banner up top is the "big moneymaker" ...

... just not ready to take that banner up top step yet. Soon, though. Very soon ...

3. Created a Lijit Account.

The fabulous “Rooster” of The Rooster and Then Hen pointed me in this direction …

You just need to fill out a few forms, starting here …

… and once you’re approved, they’ll send HTML for sidebar and banner ads. It’s your choice how many to use and where to put them …

So far, Lijit is a keeper. They delivered the best first paycheck.

3. Created a Rivit Account.

Rivit approached me early on …

… I’m pretty sure it was after The DIY Showoff published an amazing feature about my blog …

So, similar to Lijit, I created an account …

... and once approved, placed the HTML tags they sent via email onto my sidebar …

4.5 (NEW) Signed up for Federated Media Consideration.

Now back in the fall, Lijit became a wholly-owned affiliate of Federated Media …

… and at that time, I wasn’t ready to sign up here …

… it’s a bit intimidating, especially when you click on the Lifestyle link and see some of the enormous numbers some bloggers generate monthly (7 million monthly pageviews for Design*Sponge. Really?). But in researching this post I decided it was time to bite the bullet …

…. oh, how I hope and pray those Blogger numbers are the true stats (and trust me, they are light years away from Design*Sponge's 7 million) …

… and just yesterday submitted my blog for consideration by filling out the form here ….

And now I will wait and see and hope and pray I'm approved to wear and bear their coveted HTML tags. Here’s what they sent me via email …

“Thank you for your interest in working with Federated Media Publishing. Unfortunately, because of the high volume of submissions, it is impossible for us to respond to every inquiry. If your site looks like a great fit for us, we'll be in touch as soon as possible.”

Now, I haven’t ventured in this direction – yet -- but there are a number of affiliate programs like Amazon Associates …

… and The Home Depot Affiliate Program …

… and I will be looking into these options soon. Especially after seeing how effectively The Rooster and The Hen display their Amazon affiliate program on their sidebar under “Favorites”…

… check it out here …

… and oh how I love The Rooster and The Hen …

… in equal parts, of course ...

... because their sage advice has been instrumental in my earning anything with this blog ...

And now I’m exhausted. See how hard I had to work for those $33 dollars and change? That doesn’t even include all the posting and projects and photo taking and …

My next step is to develop a plan for those cute little Etsy shop and small business sponsor buttons …

I need to set rates, but first will check out what some of the established blogs charge per visitor and/or pageview …

… and when I do put that “Advertise” tab on my blog, I’ll definitely want to invest in this service …

… to handle the billing and payment logistics …

They charge a one-off fee of $47.00 …

… and there’s a question of “having access to my own web host” that I will need to resolve …

But they take care of the math …

… and you know how the math makes my head hurt.

Sharing the secrets of my success at House of Hepworths ... Beyond the Picket Fence ... No Minimalist Here ... A Bowl Full of Lemons ... Between U and Me ... Somewhat Simple ...

wordless(ish) wednesday: out back

2012-03-07T06:52:00.002-06:00

I'm trying …

… to remain …

… quiet.

Just …

… can’t …

... be …

… wordless.

Hence the “ish.”

You see, I’m all about the words. But I was going to try and say nothing to prove this blogger wrong. She has teased me about my not-so-wordless Wordless Wednesday posts.

Poked some serious fun at me …

… but I know for a fact that she doesn’t do Wordless Wednesday because she could never, ever stay quiet …

Wait a minute. That sounds familiar ...

... sounds a bit like me …

Okay, I admit it.

I’m a talker. Like a "can't stop me once you get me started" talker ...

... like an "I got into trouble at school for it on more than one occasion" talker …

So this self-admitted talker really has no business pretending to be a part of Wordless Wednesday.

Even with my “ish.”

Maybe I should spearhead a “Wordmore’ Wednesday movement …

P.S. All these photos were taken in my backyard this past weekend, "documenting " the millions of outdoor projects I need to tackle this Spring …

P.P.S. I'm shamelessly linking up with the truly Wordless Wednesday ladies ...

Flip Flops & Pearls

Live and Love ... Out Loud

rock. paper. scissors. paint.

2012-03-06T07:48:00.001-06:00

Painting the trim. The dreaded task for me.

The one task I want to ignore. To avoid. To procrastinate (about) …

… to skip.

It’s tedious. Prep intensive. Requires precision and attention to detail …

… painting traits that don’t come naturally to me. Hence the intensive prep.

The worst part of painting the trim? It always, always comes at the end.

When I just want to move on to the install. To be finished …

… to reveal the ‘reveal’ …

You know, the one in your head with the imaginary camera crew following as you showcase all those fabulous diy projects you completed along the way? As you tell your imaginary viewers how you reused and repurposed …

… and, at times, reused and repurposed by selling it on craigslist to someone who could use it again with a new purpose?

But back to the trim. I can’t ignore it. I can’t skip it. You know it … and I know it.

Because it will haunt me and taunt me and bother me to no end …

So I dipped my brush in the paint and tackled the dreaded trim …

… and when it was all done and said, I stopped.

I sat.

I admired.

I patted myself on the back for a job well done.

I’m proud …

It’s far from perfect. But that’s okay. Because it's done ...

... and all is new and fresh and clean again.

And as I sat back and admired my job well done, I wished there was paint brush I could use on real life …

… so that with a few brushstrokes I could paint over the ugly …

… the unkind …

… the diseased …

… and make everything new and fresh and clean …

… and healthy again.

Paint covers rock. And scissors. And paper.

and now a word from our sponsor (my husband mike)

2012-03-05T06:00:00.002-06:00

Okay, I will admit, I have become somewhat addicted to the home improvement shows on the television machine.

I remember when our son was an infant, I’d get up early (note my emphasis; do I get a reward?) and give him his bottle while watching first-generation shows such as “Fix It Up!” and “The House Doctor” as the sun came up.

So quiet, so calm, so pleasant, our time together. He smiled at me and he smelled good, then.

I moved up to “Trading Spaces” as the kids grew, and admitted to Linda that I had a crush on carpenter Amy Wynn Pastor and host Paige Davis. I think you can see the connection to sexy women who work on homes.

Since then, I’ve found shows about crashing and inspecting and flipping. Who knew? But here are my dumb thoughts about the shows:

Mike Holmes is probably great, but he scares me. I worry he will use his crewcut to rub the features right off my face. That said, he actually is great. In case he’s reading this.

Kirsten from “Property Ladder” is probably not a “real estate expert” as advertised. She seems uptight and superior and prone to pulling faces for the camera. Lighten up, Frosty.

The “Backyard Crashers” and “Room Crashers” and “Bathroom Crashers” guys need to tone it down a bit. Obviously they have been told to amp up the ‘personality’ to match the zooming and shaking cameras. Not everything you do and say is funny.

And how about “Are you going to love it? Or are you going to list it?” How many times did you have to preen and film that “spontaneous moment”?

Now I wish I was back in the living room watching Pat Simpson and Jodi Marks with my boy in my lap. Times in the late ‘90s seemed so simple.

~ Mike

link party: what do you want your blog to be when it grows up?

2012-03-02T00:45:00.000-06:00

On Monday, I shared my blog goals …

... and now it’s your turn. I want to invite you to link up to my "What Do You Want Your Blog To Be When It Grows Up?" link party ...

I had planned to make this a 'no rules need apply' link party …

Seriously, I don’t want you to 'friend' or 'like' or 'follow' or 'pin' or '+' or 'stumble upon' ...

... or tumble or fumble or bumble you don’t want to ...

But then I realized I must impose a single rule:

Please only link posts about your blog goals.

And if you’re just itching to link a diy project, then I insist you immediately go here ...

... do not pass go, do not collect $200 ...

... and link up at The Rooster and The Hen's inaugural link party. Because they're awesome. And when you're there, stick around for a while. Explore their posts. Stalk a bit. Trust me, they don't disappoint. The Rooster and The Hen are equal parts wit and wisdom.

Oh, and this link party is a multi-blog link party.

What does that mean?

It means when you link up here, you will automatically be linked up on the blogs of my lovely co-hosts ...

Kari @ Thistlewood Farms

Karah @ the space between

Kelly @ Eclectically Vintage

Andrea @ The Cottage Market

Cassie @ Primitive & Proper

Jessica @ Stay At Home-ista

Miss Bliss @ Bliss Ranch

Laura @ Top This Top That

Sarah @ The Adventures of Our Fami-Ly

So please be sure to visit my co-hosts and check out their blogging hopes and dreams ...

Looking forward to reading your posts and learning about your blog goals ...

Oh, and the link party will be open until Thursday, March 8, 2012 at midnight Eastern time. So feel free to write up a blog goals post between now and then and link it up ...

how to make money blogging (and a spring fantel)

2012-03-01T10:44:00.007-06:00

You read that right.

I’m going to share the secrets to my success …

… and you also read those words in the parenthesis right too. My success secrets will be accompanied by pictures of my make-shift Spring “fantel” (a term I shamelessly ‘borrowed’ from this fabulous blogger).

So, about headline topic #1 …

Making money blogging is one of the most sought after topics in the blog world. The elusive topic. A closely guarded secret. Taboo, even, in some circles.

But as of yesterday, I can confidently say that I’ve made money blogging ...

Yup, those ads on my sidebar have earned me some hard, cold cash …

… and my Pay Pal account no longer sports a zero balance …

… nope, it’s been fattened up a bit.

You see, yesterday as I was blogging and facebooking and emailing …

… I received an email message from Pay Pal telling me Lijit Media has deposited $26.66 into my account.

Uh huh. Double digits. And some change. I’m gonna get rich I tell ya!

But it gets even better …

… or perhaps I should say it gets even richer …

… because a few hours later I hear from Pay Pal again.

This time Rivit Media has deposited a whopping $6.24 into my account …

… and did I just hear a collective gasp of disbelief?

… some squeals of amazement?

… some cheering and whooping?

… and perhaps a few curses and damnations of green-eyed envy?

Update: I posted a part 2 on 'how to make money bloggin'g with specific deets and links here ...

P.S. I shouldn’t have told this blogger about my windfall because now she expects me to buy her dinner at the Haven blogger conference in June …

… have I mentioned that I’m planning on attending? No? Well I’ll be there …

P.P.S. Have you heard about the “What Do You Want Your Blog To Be When It Grows Up?” link party on Friday, March 2? I’ll be hosting here along with some amazing blogger co-hosts …

We’ll keep it open for a week so you still have time to write something up and link it up!

... and now I'm linking up my Fantel here at my new blog friend's Mantel party ...

... and at The DIY Showoff, A Bowl Full of Lemons, The Rooster & The Hen, Tatertots & Jello, Under the Table & Dreaming, Home Stories A to Z, Today's Creative Blog, Between Naps on the Porch, Savvy Southern Style

... and you may also find me at some of these fabulous Blogger's link parties found here ...

wordless(ish) wednesday: cat-dog

2012-02-29T07:27:00.003-06:00

It wasn’t too long after we brought our one-year-old beagle home from the shelter that we realized he couldn’t possibly be all dog …

First off, he’s way too lethargic. You can find him snoozing here all day long …

… which I deem very cat-like behavior …

… and not all beagle-like.

And if he’s not snoozing, he’s grooming himself.

That’s right. Ernie the beagle spends time meticulously licking his paws …

… just like a cat.

Trouble is, I’d love to immortalize him like this …

But that would require some sort of action shot. Well, maybe not full-on action. At the very least a shot of him standing up …

… and all I have are lying down and snoozing shots …

… which would give me a silhouette of a big old blob.

And it doesn’t help matters that he hates it when I point the camera in his direction …

Oops. I woke him.

But see? See that look of contempt on his furry, long-whiskered face?

That’s a very cat-like “get out of my face” look if you ask me …

Now I’ll be sharing my cat-dog with the Wordless Wednesday ladies here …

And have you heard about our impromptu link party that goes live on Friday, March 2? I'll be co-hosting with these lovely ladies ...

You can find out more by clicking on the button ...

We'll stay open for a week ... so get your blog goals in order and link up!

to paint or not to paint ...

2012-02-27T23:30:00.011-06:00

… was never really a question when I decided to refinish my son’s dresser.

… and, yes, there seems to be a Bard theme going on this week …

But Sam’s dresser is a nice piece. A solid maple piece. A piece purchased when I was still employed full-time. Making the big bucks. So, naturally, I spent some big bucks on this Room & Board piece …

Over the years it has started to look tired. With some water stains and tape residue …

… and how did that get there? Looks like when I thought my son was napping all those years ago he was really drawing on his furniture …

These knobs were once really cute soccer balls …

… but now they’re just an ugly mess.

Now, I’m going to preface this refinishing tale by admitting I’m not much of a furniture refinisher person. I just don’t have the patience required. So this is going to more of a lessons learned post …

… a do as I say, not as I did tutorial of sorts …

After sanding first with 60 bit sandpaper in the direction of the grain, followed by 180 grit …

… I came to understand why so many in the blog world choose to paint versus refinish. Just saying.

Then came the decision between Tung oil and wax …

… and being the impatient person I am -- and looking to avoid that whole wax on/wax off labor -- chose Tung oil. My first lesson to impart here is to wear gloves (which I did not during the first application).

This stuff was very messy and doesn’t clean up with soap and water.

The second lesson is don’t use Tung oil. Especially if you’re working in a small bedroom space. In the winter. That’s not well-ventilated.

This stuff smells. And it smells bad. A very strong and bad smell. A very strong and bad smell that lingers. For days … and days … and days …

… and it seems to take forever to dry, so I was a bit panicked when I saw this on day two …

In the end, it turned out okay …

I can live with it as is.

And it actually elicits a smile when I look at those bottle cap drawer pulls …

Even my skeptical husband commented on how well they turned out …

You see, there was a running joke among my son and my husband that I was creating drawer pulls of torture …

You know, hand-shredding drawer pulls …

It’s far from perfect, but that’s okay …

… that’s what accessories are for …

… to camouflage my mistakes.

I'll be linking up at Shabby Creek Interiors, Momnivores's Dilemma, The Rooster & The Hen, Tatertots & Jello, Under the Table & Dreaming, Home Stories A to Z, Today's Creative Blog, Between Naps on the Porch, Savvy Southern Style ...

... and Miss Mustard Seed, Funky Junk Interiors, Primitive & Proper ...

... and have you heard about our impromptu multi-blog linky party? You can find out more here ...

... and we'll be open until March 8 at midnight EST, so you still have time to get your blog goals in order and link up ...

what do i want my blog to be when it grows up?

2012-02-27T05:35:00.007-06:00

To be, or not to be, that is the question …

Initially, my instinct was “to be” …

… and then I read this interpretation of Hamlet's soliloquy on e-notes …

“ …you'll notice that (Hamlet’s) notions of "being" and "not being" are rather complex. He doesn't simply ask whether life or death is preferable. To be, in Hamlet's eyes, is a passive state, to "suffer" outrageous fortune's blows, while not being is the action of opposing those blows. Living is, in effect, a kind of slow death, a submission to fortune's power. On the other hand, death is initiated by a life of action, rushing armed against a sea of troubles …”

… and now I’m reconsidering. Should I choose “not to be” because that means I’m taking action? And that the simple “to be” is a passive stance?

… but then again, who really wants to rush armed against a sea of troubles …

… and now my head is spinning. I never could understand Shakespeare. It was Cliff's Notes all the way.

So I’ll take a stand and choose “to be” …

… and no, silly. Not “to be” an awesome monogrammed drop cloth pillow (if I do say so myself).

No. I choose “to be” a blog with staying power.

A blog that’s not just a blob taking up space on the Internet. But a blog with goals. Real, true – and measurable – goals …

… and with that said, I’ve spelled out those goals …

… and am sharing them now with you all …

Here are the five things I want my blog “to be” in 2012 …

1. To Be Social

As in making better use of Social Media. I’ve been lax on this front. Forgetful even. Moving forward I don’t want to just start tweeting and FB’ing and Pinning like a crazy woman … but instead have a real purpose for how, when, and why I use those mediums.

2. To Be Sponsored

This is pretty self explanatory. And I’m not talking about those silly Google and Ligit and Rivit ads on the sidebar there … I think I may be up to a combined $20 by now … but real sponsors. Etsy shop sponsors. Sponsors that make sense here. And I need a pro-active plan as to how I will make that happen …

3. To Be Well Read

I want to be more than just a pretty face. Don’t get me wrong. I love a pretty picture. And while we aren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover, let’s face it … we do. But the important part comes after you bring that book home. And open up those pages. Now is the true test … will you read that prettily covered book to the end?

I want people who come here to read to the end. And I will measure this by looking at my Google Analytics. Over the past month, the average time spent by visitors on the site is 2:37 and the average pages per visit is 2. So I hope to see upward movement of those numbers in this ... the first year of my blog.

4. To Be A Destination

Now, admittedly, I’m actually taking steps on this front … and will be announcing some exciting news next week. And while I always love new visitors … the more the merrier, I say … I want those new visitors to come back. Again. And again. So that I’m a frequent read. And then a daily read …

And I’ll use my RSS feed stats and Google Analytics to measure this goal. Over the past month, I’ve had 31.49% return visits and 68.51% new. I’d like to shoot for a 50/50 mix by year’s end … I think … ?

5. To Be Purposeful

This wraps it all up. I need a plan. A purposeful plan. An actionable plan for how my blog purposefully moves forward in 2012 and beyond …

And now I want to hear what your top 5 blog goals are in 2012 …

… so write up a post and link up here on Friday, March 2 (starting at 6 AM CST) for our
“What Do You Want Your Blog to Be When It Grows Up”
multi-blog link party …

... we'll keep the party open until 11 PM CST on Thursday, March 8 ...

… and if you link here, you will automatically be linked up on these fabulous blogs too…

... so "be" sure to stop by their blogs and see what they hope to grow up to be in 2012 ...

P.S.

This awesome monogrammed drop cloth pillow is my “to be” goal #6.

6. To Be on Etsy

I need to get moving on stocking and opening that shop …

I'm linking up here and here and here and here ...

for the love of numbers

2012-02-26T10:39:00.003-06:00

She had me at No. 8 ...