Defenseload: good

Showing posts with label good. Show all posts

Sunday, March 5, 2017

my blog review the good the bad and the ugly!

Do you read the blog Inspire Me Heather?

If not, you may want to add it to your reading list -

Heather is a creative diy girl, a great writer and truly gracious,

featuring diy projects from around the blogosphere regularly.

At the moment, Heather has a new feature thats designed to improve everyones blog,

called What I Like About Your Blog.

The premise is simple -

by signing up, you agree to review two blogs, and likewise two fellow bloggers review your own.

The results are private, only shown to the bloggers participating.

Well, one of my reviews is in,

and it makes me realize there are some areas of the blog that really need improving.

Want to see the review?

How about I mix in some eye candy?!!

What I liked about their blog: I love all the white.

It makes it look clean, and it makes the images really stand out.

I LOVE the large photos. They are so inspiring and it is nice that they are easy to see.

I like the frame around the buttons -

that that theme carries over throughout the whole blog (including photos).

I like the brevity of words. The author does a great job at describing what she likes without going on and on. It is the perfect combination of great pictures + great words.

**blushing** thank you very much...

I was thinking about making the buttons smaller, and simpler -

but still using the frame.

Perhaps in black and white.... Ill try some better versions out shortly.

And Im wondering if you like the way the text reads - centred.

Is it more difficult to read?

I know Barbaras reviewers covered this one (thats where I first heard about Heathers feature).

I like symmetry, and having it all off to one side just feels so unbalanced,

but Ill change the alignment if you would prefer to read it another way.

LOVE the header - but I wish it were centered over the whole blog instead of over the posts.

me, too!

I made it the right width,

but I think I need to decrease the height (does anyone know?)

because blogger keeps shrinking it like that :)

I love that she has inspirational blogs to read - it would clean up the sidebar if she made that a page instead of links on her side bar. Not a big deal though.

need to share love for the people that inspire me - I can move it down,

but many of these people have become friends, and theres always room for friends, yes?

She does not link back to the original sources (or at least the pinterest pin where she found) of the photos.

That is a huge no no.

Okay, this one surprised me, because I actually work hard to include links in my posts.

But its pretty serious, because I dont want people to think that I dont give credit - I think its really important.

I usually do a source "line" under the last image of the post, where the links are presented as numbers.

I used to link under each image individually,

but it seemed that placing links under each pic is visually distracting, and I usually do photo collages.

Its the second time someone has said this to me, however,

and so Im thinking that what I am doing is TOO subtle -

thoughts?

What about listing links at the bottom of the post under the signature?

Would it be better to skip numbering and present them as words, such as, "pink vase", etc...?

I dont like the shadows around the images. They seem a little much, and sort of distract from the photos.

I have actually been feeling the same way.

Frames will be going....

I dont like that the followers widget + subscribe, etc. are all the way at the bottom of the page.

I was trying to keep down the sidebar noise, and I dont like the number of followers to define a blog -

there are so many great undiscovered reads out there!

That said, maybe I can work these back in - I agree they feel a bit awkward down there.

The font is just a little bit too small. Maybe up the page font size by 1 or 2.

I dont think its the size, but more what a light font it is -

I would like to keep it,

but I could move it up in size a little -is that better?

It feels a little big.

** cant help it - must interrupt just for a moment - I NEED THIS BAG!!!.... okay, back to the review.... **

Move the photo of Anne Marie above the text that begins with "Colour Consultant" - Id like to see her pretty face as soon as the page loads. Would like to see some pages - especially about who she is.

Will add pages. And Id like a new photo, in colour - that one doesnt feel very happy, does it?

There are three buttons - "Crushing on Color" "Palm Beach Week" and "The Great Clean Out" -

you dont really know what theyre for.

When I clicked on them I was kind of surprised they were labels for her content - they didnt seem to fit the rest of the blog.

(I thought they were "Ive been featured" buttons for someone elses blog.).

Available link for download

My Top Five Stephen King Good Guys

I first wrote this list as part of my Friday Top Five series a few years ago, And I thought it was worth revisiting!!!

So its not new information that I am a Stephen King fan. Look to your right.. over there... yep, check out The Illustrated Stephen King Universe Flow Chart if you havent already... its kinda like my 4th child....

Anyhoo, I know I have spoken about my favorite SK books before, but today, I thought I would look at my favourite:

Stephen King GOOD GUYS

1) Jack Sawyer (The Talisman/ Black House)

In the Talisman, Jack is the eternal little boy lost on a big adventure (a character that is seen in many books/ films- parentless kids out trying to save the world eg: Harry Potter) Jack is just so likeable and charismatic and essentially GOOD. Everyone roots for him. Everyone wants him to win. And then to give him a big hug. Then we get to see him as a grown man in Black House. And we still wanna hug him, but now its because hes a big, handsome cop.

2) Eddie Dean (The Dark Tower series)

Yes, Yes, I am finally reading the DT series! I have just finished The Wolves of Calla (my favourite so far). For me, the star of the series is junkie-turned-gunlinger Eddie Dean. Eddies character is reminiscent of some other fast talking, wise-cracking jokers in SK literature- think Richie Tozier in It or Teddy Duchamp in The Body. Eddies smart-assery is awesome, but I am intrigued by his transformation and redemption. I will be very sad if he dies. Dont tell me. I dont wanna know.

3) Frannie Goldsmith (The Stand)

Frannie is awesome. She doesnt take any bullshit from anyone. She shoulda know better than to let creepy Harold Lauder tag along with her when she left Oganquit, but whatevs. SK writes strong women expertly. Frannie, Polly Chalmers (Needful Things) Sussanah Dean (The Dark Tower Series) are all kick ass chicks who arent perfect and handle all the crazy shit going on around them with style and grace.

4) WOLF! (The Talisman)

As I read Talismans sequel Black House, all I wanted was for Jack to go to the Territories and find another Wolf. Man, I loved Wolf. In the same way I love Tom Cullen (The Stand). Stephen King manages to write these mentally challenged characters with dignity, warmth and extreme love. Characters like Wolf and Tom (and Dudders in Dreamcatcher and Sheemie Ruiz in The Tower) often have the answers that the protagonists cant see. They are often more than they seem. I like to think that these characters remind us that people who are often marginalised in our society are so valuable and important.

5) Ray Garraty (The Long Walk)

I remember the first time I read the long walk, I developed a bit of a crush on Ray Garraty. I visualised him as about my age (I was probably 14/15 at the time), sensitive and handsome, willing to do anything for his family. That story is harsh, dude. The Long Walk is a story ahead of its time. Rays world, where teenagers are disposable pawns used for the entertainment of the masses came way before The Hunger Games. King builds the desperation, injustice and violence of this world. It is shocking and so very sad. But Stephen King still manages to create these compelling, developed, intriguing characters. Ray was my hero. Go Go Garraty!

OK, there it is. I would love to think that someone who isnt a big King fan may think, Oh, OK, I might give one of his books a read, I didnt realise there was more to the Stephen King Universe than rabid dogs and creepy clowns.

There is, people. Heaps more. There is time traveling and love stories and humour and gunslinging and a fair amount of bad swears. All the bestest stuff.

Cheers,
Gillian

Available link for download

My Own Advent Just Got Good

Okay so the reason I started the Nunu Advent Calendar of Stuff She Likes to Chew because I was inspired by the advent calendar that we got as a gift.

And when we started opening flaps things were kind of ho-hum boring.

Like a present.

A teddy bear.

Or a bird not unlike the bird just above on the outside of the calendar.

(Theyre not even trying!)

But today things got interesting when we opened this:

Its a cat with no legs that gets around with the aid of skateboard wheels that have been attached to its body.

I cant wait till tomorrow.

Available link for download

Defenseload

Sunday, March 5, 2017

my blog review the good the bad and the ugly!

my blog review the good the bad and the ugly!

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

My Top Five Stephen King Good Guys

My Top Five Stephen King Good Guys

Monday, January 30, 2017

My Own Advent Just Got Good

My Own Advent Just Got Good