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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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February 17, 2016

The Other Side of Blogging

“I just want to make the pretty things and write all of the words!”

That was my lament to a group of precious blogging friends a couple of weeks ago when I was up to my eyeballs in issues with what we refer to as the ‘back-end’ of blogging. It’s the side of things that we very rarely talk about in blog posts and for good reason. It’s not pretty. In fact, a lot of the time it’s downright ugly. Kind of like my own back-end. 😉

Years ago, when I began blogging, I had NO idea how much technical jargon would soon be apart of my life. It wasn’t long before words like HTML and SEO and cPanel were apart of my regular vocabulary and when my son asked ME instead of his dad to help him with an online coding class I knew that I had reached a new level. And I may have gloated just a bit.

The fact of the matter is that in order to be successful at anything we do, we have to put effort into learning everything we can about it. I really just want to do projects and write stories but that’s not all there is to this blogging thing. So, begrudgingly, I’ve had to learn more about the technical side. But, most of the time, it’s been a lot of trial and error. Actually, there’s probably been more error than anything else.

When we began blogging, most of our connections were with other newer bloggers and we were all trying to figure out this thing together. What we really needed was someone who understood the technical side AND was a blogger as well.

What we really needed was Lesley Clavijo and her new e-book ‘What the Tech?’.

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Whether you are brand new to blogging or have been at it for years, you know that what you need most is for someone to demystify the technical side and put the power in your hands to manage your blog yourself.

Lesley breaks things down into very easy to understand steps covering everything from blog design to coding. And, as a blogger herself, everything is written in a language that all of us can understand. We cannot say enough about how much she has helped us over the years and how grateful we are for her wisdom and expertise.

There are 3 different packages you can purchase based on your needs; Basic, Advanced and Master. You can read more details about these packages here.

But today you can enter to win a FREE Advanced package worth $75.

The master package includes:
  • 280 pages of blogging basics, advanced blogging technical tutorials, branding, logo design, coding, resources and much much more. Plus lifetime Ebook Updates
  • 150+ technical, social media and blogging terms defined and explained. Written in a tone that is easy to read and understand. Lifetime Glossary Updates.
  • 10 page Blog Essential Workbook which includes: password log, blog design checklists, blog set-up checklists, maintenance guide,  HTML cheatsheet and Adobe Illustrator shortcuts and more. Lifetime Printable Update
  • Access to the Exclusive “What the Tech?” Facebook community where you will have a supportive and moderated environment where you can discuss blogging technical questions. Membership in this group also gives you access to free live trainers offered periodically. These trainings will only be available to Master Level buyers. The Facebook group will be one of your most valuable resources. Lifetime Updates.
  • 15 master level tutorial videos
  • 5 blogging basic tutorial videos
    • Blogging Essentials
    • Buying A Domain
    • Set Up Hosting
    • Install WordPress
    • WordPress Basics

what-the-tech-Advanced-Package-Giveaway!

Enter here to win

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Making the pretty things and writing words from my heart are my favorite parts of blogging. But, oddly enough, I’ve often felt the most successful when I’ve tackled the challenges that are the most intimidating and conquered them.

And we’re so grateful that we’ve had Lesley to help us tackle those challenges! Visit her blog, Chaotically Creative, for more techie tips along with fantastic DIY projects, crafts and recipes.

(This post contains affiliate links but all opinions are 100% my own)

29 Comments Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: review

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Paula@SweetPea says

    February 17, 2016 at 3:37 AM

    My biggest challenge is time. I have ideas but since I work, very little time to execute them.

    Reply
  2. Jane @ Cottage at the Crossroads says

    February 17, 2016 at 3:54 AM

    I sure wish I’d had this book when I started out, but I’ve found it to be a great resource for tending to some of those back end issues now!

    Reply
  3. Hope Williams says

    February 17, 2016 at 4:07 AM

    I knew there were things that go on behind the scenes that were not so pretty or fun! There always is in most anything anyone does. But once you learn how to swing at those curve balls, you are in the game! When you conquer hitting those curve balls, you can win the game! I have tossed around the idea simply because less than $700 a month on disability just does not cut it. The income would help us so much. But…… Kudos for not giving in and thank you for all you give. You both are a class act and I feel blessed for having found y’all! Blessings to you both, Hope

    Reply
  4. heidi @ Decor & More says

    February 17, 2016 at 4:49 AM

    The techie stuff is absolutely my biggest challenge! Thanks for hosting!
    xo Heidi

    Reply
  5. Tracey B says

    February 17, 2016 at 5:42 AM

    My biggest challenge is getting started. I am so overwhelmed by the technical aspect (even though it don’t consider myself technically challenged) that I feel intimidated about taking the plunge. Content is not a problem – I just need to not feel like I’m walking in the dark!

    Reply
  6. Diane | An Extraordinary Day says

    February 17, 2016 at 6:17 AM

    “The unknown.” And seriously… stuff like coding and other technical jargon is pretty much the unknown for me. How I managed to set up a blog and run it all these years pretty much amazes me. God is good. I would love a resource that puts the coding info and details before me so I don’t have to search through “boards” and endless posts for my answers, always wondering if I’ve got it right. My fingers are crossed for a win.

    Have a blessed day!

    Reply
  7. Jann from Newton Custom Interiors says

    February 17, 2016 at 6:42 AM

    The technical part of blogging is definitely my biggest challenge! I am an older blogger (55 years old), and so I didn’t grow up with all of the technology that we have today, including computers. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
  8. Sharon says

    February 17, 2016 at 6:57 AM

    My biggest challenge is photography

    Reply
  9. Heidi @ SimpleeThrifty says

    February 17, 2016 at 6:58 AM

    The tech stuff is mt biggest challenge because it’s so time consuming!

    Reply
  10. Mia says

    February 17, 2016 at 7:12 AM

    I realize there’s a whole ‘nother world out there in the technicalities of blogging that I know precisely zilch about– would love to read and learn. 🙂

    Reply
  11. Emily @ Table & Hearth says

    February 17, 2016 at 7:20 AM

    I’ve been needing this very thing for so long now! So happy someone put it all into a book 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!!

    Reply
  12. Lesley says

    February 17, 2016 at 7:30 AM

    Thanks so much for sharing and hosting! You and your sis are the best! Good luck to everyone entering.

    Reply
  13. Deborah says

    February 17, 2016 at 7:37 AM

    The back end kills me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I entered but it only gave me ne option to leave a comment. I will have to o back and check to see if there are more ways to enter cause momma needs this 🙂

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      February 17, 2016 at 8:12 AM

      Hey friend! I just went in and added another entry option! I’ll be going through and letting all of the entrants know. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Regi says

    February 17, 2016 at 8:49 AM

    Hmmm….this sounds right up my alley. As a newbie to the blogging world, I find that the technical side is what gives me the most grief. I may have to check this out! Thanks for the referral!

    Reply
  15. Jennifer @ Dimples and Tangles says

    February 17, 2016 at 9:05 AM

    I’m debating the switch to WP so this would be a huge help!

    Reply
  16. Jaclyn says

    February 17, 2016 at 10:20 AM

    My biggest challenge right now is organizing my time. With 2 kids – 4 and 1, life is chaotic to say the least! I find it hard to sit down and focus on the back end of blogging, like getting the “perfect” look that I want for my blog. Trying to pick it back up after a long break, and I’m finding SO MUCH has changed in the past few years.

    Reply
  17. Sarah says

    February 17, 2016 at 11:18 AM

    I could really use this so I stop bugging Vanessa with all my questions! 😉 The hardest part is knowing all the tools to get visitors, subscribers, and subsequently advertisers and sponsored posts. Also, what to charge for reviews and ad spots is all confusing, as well as the legal info to put on the website.

    Reply
  18. Diane Mansil says

    February 17, 2016 at 1:39 PM

    New to the blogging thing and it’s all mystifying for now.

    Reply
  19. Beth Ann says

    February 17, 2016 at 2:25 PM

    I think my biggest current struggle is definitely the technical side! I have drop offs galore at my site, so I need to drop my bounce rate and keep them around!

    Reply
  20. Janis Stufflebean says

    February 17, 2016 at 2:56 PM

    I have wanted to blog for years. Just too intimidated by the tech “stuff”!!

    Reply
  21. Tammy says

    February 17, 2016 at 7:01 PM

    Going blog tech broke…I really could use a book like this.

    Reply
  22. Gillian says

    February 18, 2016 at 6:49 PM

    My biggest challenge is setting up my website! It is so much harder than I thought! This book would be such a help!

    Reply
  23. Sandie Luck says

    February 18, 2016 at 7:40 PM

    WOW!! What a resource for those of us wanting to learn the nuts and bolts of blogging!! Thank you for sharing!
    Joyfully…~Sandie

    Reply
  24. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    February 19, 2016 at 6:14 AM

    My biggest challenge is definitely the tech part….I have to hire someone to assist me….hey, I learned to type on a manual typewriter and have never had any computer training…so I am so tech challenged!!
    This book/source sounds amazing!

    Reply
  25. Judy E says

    February 21, 2016 at 7:05 AM

    I have tried, unsuccessfully, to keep a blog going. Frustration has stopped me every time. With this resource, I think I could do it, at least a whole lot better than on my own!

    Reply
  26. Maria says

    February 22, 2016 at 7:11 AM

    I am literally just starting out and my biggest issue is getting it all together.

    Reply
  27. Susan says

    February 22, 2016 at 4:56 PM

    My biggest challenge is just doing it. The technical stuff makes me a little anxious, but not nearly as much as just taking the plunge.

    Reply
  28. Peggy says

    February 22, 2016 at 9:44 PM

    The technical part is very challenging and so little time to try to filter what I really need to know just to get started would be a blessing.

    Reply

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The month of June is coming to a close and it has The month of June is coming to a close and it has been JAM packed! The highlight by far though was my son's graduation from high school. When I started blogging, he was only 6 years old and some of you have been apart of my community here for that entire time. Now, he's 19 and there is a reason parents are told not to blink because the years truly do go faster than I ever could have imagined. He has become such an incredible young man we are so excited to see how God is going to unfold the next chapter of his life. We celebrated with parties galore (SO many open houses to attend!) and made memories we'll forever cherish. My mama heart was filled to bursting with the joy of it all! Now we're taking some time to just enjoy these warm, summer days making even more memories because, when you’re at this stage of parenting, you know all too well how much you need to grasp every opportunity to spend time together.

I hope your summer is off to a great start too dear friends! 🪴
“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts o “And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Happy first day of summer dear friends!! I can’t believe it’s been so long since I posted something new here but life has been crazy. I’ll have some new photos of house projects and life events to share with you soon but, got now, I’m just going to enjoy this gorgeous first day of summer after our ridiculously long, wet spring. ☀️
“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. Th “It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.” (Maud Hart Lovelace) 

Welcome June!
“No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom “No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.”
General Douglas MacArthur

Grateful today and every day for those who were vigilant to the point of death in the preservation of our freedom. May we honor their sacrifice by being vigilant too. #memorialday
“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10
This is one of my most favorite projects from my b This is one of my most favorite projects from my book Life in Season! 

Because, if heaven has a fragrance, I’m fairly certain it smells like lilacs.

I think that somewhere along the way the verse in the Bible that said, ‘heaven will smell like lilacs’ just got lost in translation. But it HAD to have been in there at some point, right?

When I bury my head in the blossoms (which I absolutely MUST do every single time I walk past them), I immediately feel a stirring in my soul.

It seems like I wait forever for my lilac tree to bloom. Every year I anxiously watch as the buds begin to form on the branches and then when the blossoms finally burst forth I begin that agonizing process of deciding the absolute perfect moment to snip them and bring them inside.

And then, after all of that waiting and watching it’s just over…done. Because, unlike heaven, lilacs don’t last for an eternity. So, making my own lilac room spray seemed like the perfect way to enjoy their fragrance long after the blossoms have faded.

Here’s how to make it! Ingredients: Water, Vodka, Lilac fragrance oil. Directions: Fill spray bottle with 50/50 ratio of water to vodka. Add 12 drops of lilac oil. Give it a shake, spray and if the scent isn’t strong enough, simply add a few more drops of lilac oil.

Once you’ve made this lilac scented room spray you will be very tempted to spray it in every room in your house. And someone may want to use it in the bathroom to cover up other less…ummmm….pleasing aromas.

But, do not, I repeat do NOT, let them.

You’ve captured the fragrance of heaven in a bottle and you wouldn’t want to go and tarnish it now would you? 😉
We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most we’ve had in a LONG time) and now we are back to pouring rain. This has officially confirmed what I’ve know to be true for awhile now.

I’m a MUCH better version of myself when the sun is shining! 🤪 So I’ll just be over here today plotting and planning how my husband and I can be snowbirds someday when the kids are out of the house.

If you could spend your winters (and apparently most of spring too!) in any part of the country, where would it be?
Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of rain lately (which is saying something when you live in Oregon) and I’ll admit that it’s affecting my moods a bit. I feel like I’m dragging and struggling to find the energy to get stuff done. So don’t mind me if I’m over here looking at photos of my garden in the summertime and finding that it keeps me hopeful about those days to come. They will come, right?! 🤪. 

What are your favorite plants that you look forward to seeing in the summer?
We’re going to be giving our laundry room a make We’re going to be giving our laundry room a makeover soon. It’s LONG overdue! In fact, the folks from the counter company were just here taking measurements. While we have made some simple, inexpensive updates over the years, it still has many of the original elements from when the house was built in 1992.

Two of our bathrooms are also in need of major makeovers. And we’ve saved up enough money over the years to tackle those projects. But, for the most part, we made the decision to use the bulk of that money in another way. While we knew that it was financially wise to invest in our house, we also knew that the greatest investment we could make was in our children. 

I’ll admit, there are times where I see other people doing massive overhauls of their entire home in a matter of months and I feel a prick of envy. But, we decided that if our choice was between waiting a bit longer to enjoy a renovated bathroom or going on adventures as a family, we would choose adventures every time. And we don’t regret that decision for a single second. It’s not that we haven’t tackled home projects (we’ve done a lot!). It’s just that it’s been a slow and steady process. 

Most recently, we let our son pick where we would travel for spring break since this is his senior year of high school and we are trying to make up for lost time. With so much of life ‘paused’ for two years, we have appreciated these moments more than ever. And, since he’ll be heading to college in the fall, we are very aware of how important it is to spend this time together while we still have a modicum of control over everyone’s schedules.

We have many years left to remodel our home but only so much time left to make memories with our children.

And, while I’m always happy to look around my home and see rooms that are updated and more reflecting of our style, it doesn’t compare to the joy I feel when I look around my home and see the people I love the most who have been shaped by the many adventures we’ve experienced together.
Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and h Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and hail and snow) we are finally getting some sunshine and warmer temperatures. I’ll be honest, it’s really affected my spirits having one gloomy day after the next. So this is a much needed reprieve. Our cherry trees are showing off outside my kitchen window and we plan to get outside and make the most of these days while we have them.

What’s the weather like where you are?
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