starting a blog?. . .

[rainydays]

I want to start a blog, so ladies where do I start???? Where do I go? Any help or suggestions would be GREAT!!! And if I use kits and such on the site, do I credit this or. . .I don't know. .HELP!!! LOL:p

[Alinalitas]

the most common one is blogger. Just go to blogger and start an account.

[Teresa]

I love WordPress....they have some great templates and it's fairly easy to learn to edit the code yourself to make it "all pretty" and customized to you.

Another is Typepad- not free, but very easy to use, lots of support and always looks great even without editing the code. :)

As for the kits- I'd make sure to ask the designer if it's okay to use their designs for your blog and then somewhere add a little credit on the blog itself. I think most designers are okay with this for personal blogs, but doesn't hurt to double-check and most would probably love to see it!

[rainydays]

ok, I just created an account. . . to customize my stuff, I actually have to make the LO first then load them ??? ANy suggestions on what to include in a blog?

[scrapmonkey]

I think it depends on what you want to express in your blog. Some people want to use it to show off their digi creations or kits. Some use it as a way to communicate the daily goings on to their family and/or friends. Some want to do more and need more capabilities (those are the ones that go to typepad usually)
Mine's pretty simple, as I just use it as a place to put thoughts and to answer the "From Our Blog 2 Yours" here, so I used Blogger. I used a blog header template I got from I forget which digi scrap store and replaced the normal header format with that, but gave credits in the footer on what products and designers I used.

[ColleenSwerb]

I did pretty much the same as Leslie. I used one of their templates, and customized it to the colors I wanted. I made my own header and added it as a picture (I have no idea how to do it otherwise) at the top. I have a footer at the bottom that says "Header created using blah blah blah".

In the beginning I would post LO's and the credits, but now I post layouts and link it to a gallery and say that the credits are there.

Speaking of which, I really need to make a new header, and post. It's been like 3 weeks, lol.

[my4boys]

I am with Blogger too, pretty easy to use. I created my own header (there are tut's out there if you need help with size, etc.... Also if you look really hard you can find some freebies too!!) I mainly started my blog just for random thoughts and stuff but now I use it for my lo's and for the From my blog 2 yours and posting pics of my kids too!!! Oh, and I really want to make a new header too...maybe today :blink: good luck with it all and if you need some inspiration, just go through and check out all the cool blogs from the people here.

[meems]

I started with blogger and then got my own webspace and set up a Wordpress blog. I like Wordpress. It's easy to change themes. When I switched to Wordpress I used a plugin to import my Blogger blog and it worked great.

my blog (http://meems.whimsicaldigital.com/)

[Stacey42]

I'm with blogger. I think I am the only person in the universe that does not think wordpress is easier to customize. I find blogger very easy to tweek. I created a header & used some paper from a kit I liked as the background and then used the blogger controls to set up the rest of the colors to match. I credit the kit designer in one of my sidebars. I need to change it up for spring but haven't found the right papers yet.

My blog focuses on my various crafty hobbies. Right now there is a lot of crochet on there, but before that it was my layouts for Journal Your Christmas. Sometimes it is cross stitch or cooking.

[MikkelPaige]

Some people do write credits for the header on the right-hand side (or left) of their blog.

This reminds me...must update my blog header!

[ditzyscrap]

This reminds me...must update my blog header!
What? I love your blog header with the cute little sheepies... :D

[MikkelPaige]

What? I love your blog header with the cute little sheepies... :D

No way! I'm so flattered! That's the first time anyone's ever said they love the sheep. I was going to give that little guy away as a blog freebie once. I will have to do so!

[my4boys]

Oh Mikkel, I love the sheep too!!!!!

[scrapmonkey]

By the way, I just got an e-mail this afternoon from Two Peas In A Bucket, and you can create a blog there now too....
http://twopeasinabucket.kaboose.com/userblog.asp?user_id=0

[Joan]

I don't think it's that WordPress is necessarily easier to customize and use. That will really probably depend on the individual. The thing with WordPress is that it is incredibly powerful and versatile blogging software, so you are so much less limited than going with something like Blogger. Plus, you can put it on your own webspace and be in complete control, something you don't have with the hosted services.