Using Social Media/Pinterest to Grow Your Blog & Brand

As difficult and stressful as life can be sometimes, I am so thankful for this thing called blogging and the blogging community of wonderful people that I have been blessed to have met through it.  One of the main reasons I was looking forward to speaking at the Haven blog conference was to be able to get to spend some face to face time with people I mainly keep up with through their blogs.



Although I wasn't able to go, I followed along on Instagram (@honeywerehome) and today, you can read recaps of the conference at A Thoughtful Place, Hi Sugarplum, and Our Fifth House.  We are also sharing the highlights from our panel discussion: Using Social Media to Grow Your Blog and Brand.

My original goal for blogging was to share my passion for creating an inviting, comfortable, pretty, well-organized home and to get inspiration from other bloggers since I was a new SAHM to a then 4-month old baby.  This blog has grown steadily and organically in three years by being featured by other bloggers (thank you!), having original content, and through social media.  My second biggest blog referrer is Pinterest- I think because images from my blog are pinned and repinned (thank you!)and because I'm highly active on Pinterest (I genuinely love it)! Let your blog readers know you are on Pinterest too!



Below are my top 7 tips for growing your blog with Pinterest:  

1. Make it easy for people to pin images directly from your blog by adding a “Pin It” button to your blog posts. I used a great, easy tutorial by Code It Pretty to create a simple button, but she has more advanced tutorials for a more customized button.  I like the button that I have that allows people to see how many times an image has been pinned. 


2. Post high-quality content with pin-worthy images.  This is super important since Pinterest is a visual social media. Create a pinnable image in PicMonkey (or other photo-editing site) by adding text to describe or label the project, but don't do on every photo- people prefer clean images. Not all of your readers are looking to pin, so don't clutter up your post.


3. Make sure your pins link back to your blog (test them out).  It’s annoying/frustrating to click on a pin that leads nowhere or not to the post the pin generated from (i.e. the home page).


4. Tall, long images pin best (twice as tall as it is wide) and the best time to pin for repins is between 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. EST and 8:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. EST.


5. Schedule your pins with Pingraphy or Ahalogy. You install a bookmarklet in your web browser’s bookmarks bar (just like the “Pin it” button). When you find an image you want to pin, you just click on the button to post to Pinterest or schedule. Pingraphy features a stats program that shows repins, likes, and follows.  It's free for 30 days, then subscription based.


6. If you've been blogging for awhile (pre-Pinterest) go back and create pinnable images for your old content.  Or repackage your old content  - maybe you've done a lot of projects with a particular product i.e. rub 'n buff, spray paint, mod podge, etc. - create a new post rounding up those projects with a pinnable image to gain traffic from your old content. 


7. Be nice and genuine.  Repin other bloggers' good content and thank bloggers for pinning your good content. 

You can read Carmel, Cassie and Courtney's tips for growing your blog too:

Twitter: Carmel {Our Fifth House}

Facebook: Cassie {Hi Sugarplum}

Instagram: Courtney {A Thoughtful Place}

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Dining Room Decor Updates // World Market Everett Foyer Table

First things first, wishing my parents a very happy anniversary today!  Thank you for your prayers for my dad, we have had some encouraging news lately and it has felt so good.  This illness has really brought us closer together and for that, I'm thankful.  It has been a very difficult time, but I believe in the power of prayer, and from the bottom of my heart thank you for lifting my dad and family up.

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You might remember my dining room pillow dilemma awhile back when I bought a yellow pair and a brown pair and couldn't decide which I liked better for the room.  Y'all weighed in and helped me opt to use the yellow for summer and the brown come fall.  I'm hanging onto every little last bit of summer here and incorporated those yellow pillows into an updated, cheerful dining room this weekend. 

Having never had a console table that was meant for this room, this World Market one (Everett Foyer Table) couldn't be beat for the price and size.  ($254 on sale with free shipping, 70.9"W x 15.7"D x 31.9"H). Since our dining room is pretty long, I could have went with an even longer table, but I figured I can put the chairs on either side to fill in some space.  I'm also considering pulls for the two draws- an easy way to personalize the table.  

Another thing that made a big impact in the room was lowering the mirror a good 11 inches.  Thanks for the advice Cassie and Grandma.  My Grandma reads my blog daily and when I first hung this mirror, she told me on the phone, "You know, I think you've got that mirror hung too high." :) Y'all were right! It looks so much better lower and it reflects the chandelier now.

I used items from the house collected over time to decorate the table, with the exception of new melamine plates from Big Lots.  Y'all may have seen these bright aqua lamps at Home Goods and they are such a gorgeous color.  I adore the shape too.  

As much as I love and try to use real flowers and greenery often, this faux branch worked perfectly here for some added height and I like how it branches out wildly.  Mercury glass candleholders are used year round, and are so nice at Christmas.  I had yellow candles up at first but it felt like too much yellow- the pillows and tray are enough.  I much prefer these ombre aqua candles- more soothing.  

These melamine plates are so fun for this color palette and they were only about $1 each at Big Lots.

I'm happy this console had a bottom shelf for layering more decor.  Don't neglect those opportunities to add more visual interest to your space. 

These Pellegrino bottles are as pretty as they are tasty-  I moved them from my bar.  You can find paper straws everywhere these days, I got these at Home Goods.

I made these pillows with Dwell Studio fabric.  Even though I chose the yellow pair of pillows, I snuck this brown one in there to tone down the space.  You might recognize this Home Goods basket that previously held our giant collection of bread.  Things get moved around here a lot. 

I've often thought that perhaps the "formal" dining room may soon be a thing of the past as families seem to eat mainly in their more casual spaces, like a breakfast nook or the area just off of the kitchen.  And when I seen dining rooms turned into gorgeous home offices that probably get more use, I think that this square footage is precious real estate that might not be getting much use in many homes.

Since I'm fortunate enough to have this pretty space to enjoy, I remind myself to make the most of it and eat here pretty often.  I cover James' chair with a towel so I'm not worried about the furniture.  I especially like to eat my weekend breakfast here while reading a magazine or just looking out the front window, which has a nice view.  I've considered painting the walls a darker color, but I like the light and bright feeling in the room. 

Below is a recap of where everything is from.  Are we shopping at the same places? 

World Market // Everett Foyer Table

Home Goods // Lamps, Vase, Basket, Paper Straws

Kirklands // Candles

Pottery Barn // Large White Plates (gifted), Faux Branch (gifted)

Hobby Lobby // Mercury Glass Candleholders

Z Gallerie // Mirror

West Elm // Yellow Lacquered Tray

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This World Market table is pretty popular- I love how Kate (Centsational Girl) styled it for her friends' dining room makeover.  Go here to see the full post. 

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If you'd like to enter to win a trip for 4 to Universal Studios Hollywood or Universal Orlando Resort, click HERE or the picture below.  You can also win a year's supply of Nestlé® Pure Life® Purified Water.

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Hannah Green interviews Josh Oppenheim Asia Times Online :: Skeletons in Indonesia's closet

Asia Times Online :: Skeletons in Indonesia's closet

INTERVIEW
Skeletons in Indonesia's closet
By Hannah Green 

LOS ANGELES - Joshua Oppenheimer's The Act of Killing is a transformative film. It presents a glimpse into one of the 20th century's lesser-known political mass killings: the extermination of suspected communists in Indonesia from 1965 to 1966. Unlike many other documentaries, however, The Act of Killing tells history through the eyes of the perpetrators. 

Oppenheimer said that when he first started working in Indonesia, he was shocked to hear former executioners boasting about their many killings. The paramilitary groups that helped perpetrate the genocide still had power, and society continued to uphold them as heroes. In order to understand their boasting, Oppenheimer and his crew asked Anwar Congo, a retired executioner, and other members of the paramilitary group Pancasila Youth, to tell their story by reenacting their killings on film. 

The result is as haunting as it is absurd. Anwar, the film's central figure, jumps from genre to genre as he struggles to capture his past. He casts himself first as a tough guy in a riff on American gangster films, then later as a bloodied corpse in a nightmare scenario where one of his victims seeks post-mortem revenge, and later as a victim of the same violence he perpetrated against others.... 

Painted Dark Grey Doors

Ever since painting the half-bath door glossy dark gray, I've been wanting to paint the doors in the upstairs hallway the same way.  Painting doors isn't as daunting as you might think, and the impact adds some nice drama to a space.  Here's how the doors looked originally:

And below is how they look after two coats of paint- Sherwin Williams Brown Fox in semi-gloss for extra shine.  

The paint color is a warm dark gray with a hint of brown in it.

I painted these doors off the hinges, but in retrospect, I don't think that's completely necessary as long as you keep the door propped open or tape and cover the moldings/wall above the door.  

I used a 1.5 inch angled brush for the door moldings and a large roller for the rest.  

The roller was something like this:

I also added about 8 oz. of Floetrol to the gallon of paint to help reduce roller and brush marks and I think it worked really well.  

I removed the hardware and taped off the hinges before getting started with the paintbrush. 

My little helper rolled some too.

This paint looks really muddy brown after the first coat, but after the second coat, it's a nice deep grey.

I only painted the front of the doors, but ended up going back and painting the inside edge of the media room doors because you could still see the white when the doors were shut.  The picture above shows the doors before I painted that inner edge.  

For comparison, here are some before and after shots:

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I'm really liking the contrast, but now I need to do the hall linen closet double doors on the wall opposite that mirror! 

What do you think of the change?  Is this something you would do in your home?  If so, what color would you use?

Blog Friends

My friend Cassie (Hi Sugarplum) is the first "blog friend" I made, and when I was on my way to meet her in person for the first time, it felt like I was driving to an internet blind date.  But, we hit it off right away -- it's impossible not to immediately like her -- she is genuine and smart and too cute for words.  Even though she is really funny and witty, she is also someone you can be completely honest and real with.  I've come to truly appreciate our friendship and her point of view/support when I need it.  Nearly three years later, we've managed to get together a few more times, although we live in different cities. Cassie stopped by this weekend on her way to Galveston, which is where James and I will be hanging out with her and her sweet kiddos today!

Also, I get to play Cassie's 20 Questions on her blog today, where you can find out some random things about me like my height, high school jam, and totally inane talent (hint: it involves my feet:)



P.S. Did I mention Cassie's kitchen is in BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS right now?!  It's the Kitchen and Bath special issue publication on sale through winter.  I couldn't help but tell the cashier, "My friend is in this magazine!"  She got all excited too and had me show her! :)

I hope you enjoy your Monday! I'll be back soon to show you how my dark grey hallway doors and striped foyer turned out.  I've been on a painting kick lately - if you follow me on Instagram (@honeywerehome), you can see some sneak peeks!

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Art via Etsy and Lara Casey Shop

Etsy and online sources are a great find for affordable art and I finally had the chance to order a few pieces when thinking about a gallery wall for my office.  I bought a collection of typography, abstract art, watercolor, and illustrations.   I don't have that much wall space in my office though since the Ikea Expedit takes up a big chunk of the largest wall, I have a large window, and three doors.  So, only two of my prints are actually hanging on the wall!



This "Love Never Fails" print is from online retailer Lara Casey Shop in gold foil lettering (8x10) hung inside a matted Target frame.  It's just leaning against a mirror on my sideboard.

The frame holding the picture of James is also from Target and the orb is from Home Goods (spray painted gold).

Laura Casey also designs these gold foil prints:

My 6x6 abstract print is from Prima Creative Studio and she has some awesome work in her Etsy shop.  My little piece isn't framed, just sitting in an acrylic stand (that came with a desk calendar) in my bookshelf next to a jack I spray painted black. 

But I also like it propped up with a candle sitting on a few books.  

A few of my other faves from her shop are: 

I found "Be Still" on Etsy at Morgan Smith Designs for just $6 in an 8x10 print that I cut out and pinned to my inspiration board.  

The gold lips are from Gilded Mint and the woman is from Yulia Puchko.

Gilded Mint makes a pretty cute flamingo print and the coral is cool.

The illustrated tiger is from Ella Cute and sits in a Crate and Barrel mirrored frame in our living room bookshelf.

I'm also a fan of her Cheetah, Fox, and Bird drawings.

And for the kitchen I found this fun "Without Ice Cream there would be darkness and chaos" on Etsy via Old English Company.  This is so true for me! :)  Sadly, this frame had been hanging on the wall empty since December!! 

They also make these: 

What sources do you like for art?  Are there any Etsy shops I need to check out?

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Painted Media Cabinet & Bookshelf Styling

Painting the back of our media cabinet was one of the first projects I tackled when we moved into this house over three years ago.  I chose Jamestown Blue and painted the cabinets mostly while my then 4 month-old slept.  It's a pretty calming blue that worked well for a long time, but I was ready for a change- to dark gray.  I considered having the whole cabinet painted, but the quote was too high and I'm not confident enough in my painting skills to tackle such a big focal piece in our home by myself.  But, I can handle painting the back cabinet walls alone.  It only took one Sunday afternoon.

I used Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze (matte), the same color I painted our back kitchen cabinets to create a cohesive look.  The two photos were taken at different times of day, and the white part of the cabinet (Sherwin Williams Divine White) is more like the top photo- it looks a little warm in the bottom picture.  The Urbane Brown is a dark gray, with a slight hint of brown in it.  

I did not prime or paint white over the blue, just applied two coats of the Urbane Bronze.  

The best part of painting is removing the painters tape and admiring your work! I'm not good enough for cutting in by hand, but maybe someday.  

As soon as the paint was dry, I got to work restyling the shelves.  I changed some objects and books around since they looked different against the dark gray.  I love how white pops against the dark background, so I added more white accessories.  A few books with dreary covers were recovered in a silver snakeskin or plain white wrapping paper.     

The faux boxwood came in a brown ceramic pot that I spray painted white.  I found the tiger print on Etsy.  I have a couple more prints I'd like to sprinkle in, but this is good for now. 

On the left side, a funky pair of candlesticks flanks a picture of James when he first started walking-sweet memories! Varying the height and color of the books with pops of lime green and pink keeps the bookshelves from looking too serious. 

That lime green book on the far left is covered in scrapbook paper too, to bring in more of that cheerful color.

On top, I spray painted a larger black frame white and covered one of the books with blue and white quatrefoil paper.  For almost all of the books on the shelves, the jackets were removed.

Most of you know that this media cabinet was built-in when the house was built, so it wasn't purchased from a store.  A few industrious people have asked about measurements and so forth, so I measured for you in case you are building something similar.  I hope this helps!  When we had a small townhouse, we used the Pottery Barn Logan as our media center and it was very well built.

Do you like the new dark gray color or prefer the old blue better? 

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