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Blog, Banner and Newsletter Services

Blogs by Heather is a service designed to help Stampin’ Up! demonstrators and other stamping business owners

  • promote their business,
  • showcase their beautiful artwork,
  • inform their customers of upcoming events and specials,
  • provide quick links to current catalogs
  • and more!

Today, owning a blog is an essential tool and asset to your stamping business. However, creating and maintaining a quality blog, whether it is used simply to showcase your artwork or one that is used to generate sales, takes a lot of time.  Blogs by Heather can do all the work for you, saving you valuable time and allowing you continue concentrating on and growing your stamping business.

The following services are available:

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding these services: heather@blogsbyheather.com.

Thanks for visiting!

Heathersignature_2

July 01, 2009

Blogger: Automatically Include Your Signature On New Posts

This question's been asked a few times and it is part of the service I provide when doing someone's blog setup.  If you have an image, some call it a "siggy", that you would like included at the bottom of all your posts (new posts going forward), you can!  This is something Typepad does NOT have (well, unless you convert to and use Advanced Templates). 

First, you need to store your signature online

Either upload it to your Picasa Web Album, Google Sites (sites.google.com), or get the source from an existing post (by right-clicking on the image, choose Properties, and select and copy the "URL" path).  For example, one of my signatures is located at http://heatherporto.typepad.com/heathersignature.gif.

Then, do the following in Blogger

  1. Login and from the Dashboard, choose Settings.
  2. Then go to Formatting.
  3. Then scroll to the bottom - Post Template.
  4. Enter HTML code.

    <BR><BR>
    <img src=" enter your path here ">

    For example, for me this is:

    <BR><BR>
    <img src="http://heatherporto.typepad.com/heathersignature.gif">
  5. Save Changes.
  6. Click on Posting tab to the test it and you should see a picture of your image in your new blank post.
  7. You're done.

Happy Blogging!

Moving From Blogger to Typepad - It Works!

Holy Cow! It worked!  My posts and images inside the posts transferred beautiful, as did the Archives.  The categories didn't transfer (but maybe they could have if I changed the template), but still it looks great and now may be an option for Blogger users to move over to Typepad without fear of losing everything they've worked so hard to create. 

NOTE: The Blogger blog stays the same. Do NOT delete the old blog even if you move to Typepad, this way you can make sure the images will not be deleted and your posts moved here to Typepad will stay untouched, unaffected as well.  This shouldn't be a problem for Blogger is free.

So.....take a look!

Here is my real Blogger Blog:


Here is the Blogger Blog modified as per Typepad's export instructions:


Here is the new Typepad blog I tested:


Here are the instructions you must follow in order to make it work!

Be sure to follow this important step:

If you are using Blogger Beta, you need to first change your template to use this import code. In your Blogger account, go to the Template tab and click on the Edit HTML link. At the bottom of the page, click the "Revert to Classic Template" link. Then, paste in the code from above into the Edit Template field.

Only after you revert to classic template, will you be able to modify the template as they tell you to.


I still have to test the reverse (about moving from Typepad to Blogger).

This is great news I think, so I had to share it!

Whooo hooooo!!!!!! 

For SU Demos: Deal of the Week Promo Button

During the month of July, Stampin' Up! is offering a special "Deal of the Week" every Monday. Here is a button you can use on your blog's sidebar:

DealoftheWeek

Here is the HTML code to use for the button.

United States:

<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/us/enu/15172.asp" target=_blank>
<img src="
http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr300/blogsbyheather/DealoftheWeek.jpg">
</a>

Canada:

<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ca/enc/14391.asp" target=_blank>
<img src="
http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr300/blogsbyheather/DealoftheWeek.jpg">
</a>

Remember, you can find many other Stampin' Up! promotional buttons and new catalog buttons on Michelle Laycock's site: www.laycockdesigns.com.

 

Happy Blogging!

 

June 25, 2009

What Size Should My Banner Be?

When setting your blog, many of you have someone like Michelle Laycock create your banners, however, many have created their own and asked "what size should my banner be?"

In general, many banners have a max width of 900 pixels (px).  And the height could vary some from 200-250 px depending on if you have navigation buttons/bar added to your banner and so on.
 
For typepad users, 870 (pixels) fits perfectly in the middle if you use a 3 column format, 200 each sidebar and 500 for the main column. 
 
For Blogger
, the width depends depending on if you customize the html code and such. but it's always best to start with 900 and then resize it smaller if necessary --- that way you don't loose image quality.  If you start too small and resize it bigger...the image quality is reduced/poor and becomes what is called "pixelated" (where you can see the squares, pixels, that make up the image).  If you have a 2 column blogger format, then 700 px is a good width to start with.

For Constant Contact, create a banner with a width of 600 px.
 
Again, this is just general information about banner sizes and may not apply to everyone --- but I wanted to share since the question had been asked.

Happy blogging!

June 24, 2009

Blogs By Heather is on the Typepad Experts Page!

I am proud to be part of the new Typepad Experts Launch! 

Click here view the all-star team! How cool is this? I'm very excited.

And Typepad is offering many FREE webinars! Check them out here:
http://www.typepad.com/pro/small-business-blogs.html

Thanks for visiting!

June 13, 2009

Archiving Your Constant Contact Newsletters Using MS Word

There is a way to do this without having to pay an extra $5 a month to use Constant Contact's Archive feature! 
 
Here are some basic instructions using MS Word.
 

  • Open the email newsletter (from within your email system).
  • Select everything/all (CTRL + A).
  • Copy (CTRL + C)
  • Then open MS Word.
  • Then do a Paste (CTRL + V).
  • Then manually delete some of the header and footer information from the email and newsletter that you don't need.
  • Adjust margins if you have to.
  • Then SAVE the Word document.



If you have Typepad....

  • Upload the Word file to your file manager (Control Panel, Files...click the Browse button to find the Word document and then Upload).
  • Then when you see the file listed on the left, right-click on it and select Copy Shortcut from the menu that appears. 
  • Create a Links Typelist (a new Typelist with the title Newsletters for example).
  • Then you will see where you can Paste in the URL path.  And then give the link a name/label such as June 2009.
  • Save and Publish the Typelist.


 
If you are using Blogger.....

  • Create a Google Docs account (it's free and uses the same Blogger acct info, www.docs.google.com).
  • Upload the file.
  • Publish the file and select/copy the LINK provided when you publish it.
  • Go to Layout, Page Elements, and Add a Gadget.
  • Create a Links list called Newsletters or Newsletter Archives.
  • For Title/Name of the link maybe April 2009, and then paste the LINK you copied from Google Docs.
  • Save the gadget.
  • Drag and drop where you want it on the sidebar.

Have fun!

June 09, 2009

Linking To an Online Calendar (Sidebar Item)

A fellow demonstrator has asked about linking to a calendar.  Many demonstrators have an online website or DBWS (Demonstrator Business Website) they can use and link to.  Others (demonstrators and NON-demonstrators) use Google Calendar.

 

If wanting to use the DBWS

If you have a Stampin’ Up! website (DBWS) then you can “link” to your Calendar of Events.  For example, my stampin’ up website is http://heatherporto.stampinup.net. If I wanted to link to my SU calendar, then it would be http://heatherporto.stampinup.net/events.  You can create a text link from your sidebar or you can create or download a cute calendar image (from like google images for example, images.google.com) and use that in the sidebar as an image/link to your calendar.

Here are some tutorials on how to use image/links and text links:

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/html_help/

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/11/get-new-images-for-you-sidebars.html

Typepad: http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/typepad-addin-1.html

Blogger:  http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/blogger-adding.html

http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/08/blogger-alterna.html

WordPress: http://www.blogsbyheather.com/2008/10/wordpress-adding-imagelink-to-sidebar.html

Instructions for using Google Calendar and adding it to your sidebar:

If you do NOT have a DBWS and even some demonstrator who do have a DBWS still use Google Calendar (calendar.google.com) or a program called 30-boxes.  Instructions below are for Google Calendar since I have not yet used 30-boxes.  It is a free online calendar program.  You just have to be sure to make it public and then you would go to settings to get the HTML Code to put on your blog’s sidebar:

a.      Create a Google account if you don't have one. Go to http://calendar.google.com.

b.      Then start adding events to your calendar.

c.       On the left sidebar, under My Calendar, click the word/hyperlink called Settings.  This will bring you to a screen that has many tabs: General, Calendar, Mobile Settings. 

d.      Click on the Calendar tab.

e.      Click on Share This Calendar (text link). It will then bring you to another screen with 3 tabs: Calendar Details, Share This Calendar, Notifications.

f.        In the Share This Calendar, make sure to click “Make This Calendar Public”.

g.      Click Save. Click Yes.

h.      Then it brings you back to the other screen.  Click on Share This Calendar again.

i.        Then click on the tab called “Calendar Details”.

j.        Then scroll down to Calendar Address. NOTE: You can only use this area hear if you’ve made your calendar public.

k.       Click on the little HTML button (very small blue button/white text).

l.        Then a window will pop-up where you can copy and paste the text link it provides, or you can click on Configuration Tool to create a sidebar widget.

m.    Click on Configuration Tool.

n.      Here is where you can customize how the widget will look in your sidebar – such as giving a Title, including or excluding Navigation buttons. But more importantly, for it to fit in your sidebar, you need to adjust the WIDTH to 200 or lower.  I normally use 160 or 180 to be safe. Other typepad templates may require even smaller like 120 or 130.

o.      Then when you’ve made your changes, click the UPDATE HTML button.

p.      Then COPY and PASTE all that code into your sidebar gadget/widget. Login to your blog and do the following….. 

 

  • In Typepad create a new NOTES Typelist.
  • In Blogger Add a Gadget.
  • In WordPress, add a Text Widget.

q.      You’re done You can exit out of Google Calendar or continue adding new events, modifying settings, etc.

 

 

Happy Blogging!

 

June 06, 2009

For SU Demos: Links Have Changed AGAIN (Last Chance Lists)!

Hello again,

Okay, as of this morning and maybe even as of last night, the original links work again and the new links from yesterday do NOT.  UUUGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

So, here is the original HTML code and links for the Last Chance/Retiring Lists for US and Canada.  Just copy and paste the HTML code into your Typelist (Typepad), HTML/JavaScript Gadget (Blogger) or Text Widget (WordPress).

UNITED STATES

 

<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/CategoryPage.aspx?categoryID=310" target=_blank><img src="http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq5/jeeveser/SU%20Promo%20Buttons/lastchance.gif"></a>

<BR><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/Retired_Lists_0609_US_alph.pdf" target=_blank>Click here for Retiring Stamps (Alphabetical) list.

<br><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/Retired_Lists_0609_US_num.pdf" target=_blank >Click here for Retiring Stamps (Numerical) list.</a> <br><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/Decor_elements_Retired_List_0609_US.pdf" target=_blank >Click here for Retiring Décor Elements.</a>

 

CANADIAN

 

<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/CategoryPage.aspx?categoryID=311" target=_blank><img src="http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq5/jeeveser/SU%20Promo%20Buttons/lastchance.gif"></a>

<BR><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ca/documents/Retired_Lists_0609_CA-alph.pdf" target=_blank>Click here for Retiring Stamps (Alphabetical) list.

<br><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ca/documents/Retired_Lists_0609_CA_num.pdf" target=_blank >Click here for Retiring Stamps (Numerical) list.</a> <br><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ca/documents/Decor_elements_Retired_List_0609_CA(1).pdf" target=_blank >Click here for Retiring Décor Elements.</a>

 

Have a good day,

June 05, 2009

For SU Demos: Last Chance Lists PDF Links Have CHANGED
You Need To Update Your Blogs!

I'm not sure when it happened, but a customer today let me know that the PDF links were not working.  So I tested it and of course, she was right.  So I looked into it and found that Stampin' Up! has renamed all the PDFs,  switching "Retiring_Lists_......" to "Last_Chance_Lists......" which is now causing all the previous links on your blog not to work!!!!!

 

Below is the new code that can be copied and pasted, replacing your existing promotional code.

 

OR, if you want to give your customers a heads up or post a message on your blog with the new, corrected links, you can use the code below (copy and paste the message in EDIT HTML mode while composing your post message).

 

If you are creating the promotional image/link for the first time in:

  • Typepad use a NOTES Typelist.

  • Blogger use the HTML/JavaScript Gadget.

  • WordPress use a Text Widget.

 

 

UNITED STATES

 

<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/CategoryPage.aspx?categoryID=310" target=_blank><img src="http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq5/jeeveser/SU%20Promo%20Buttons/lastchance.gif"></a>

<BR><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/Last_Chance_Lists_0609_US_alph.pdf" target=_blank>Click here for Retiring Stamps (Alphabetical) list.

<br><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/Last_Chance_Lists_0609_US_num.pdf" target=_blank >Click here for Retiring Stamps (Numerical) list.</a> <br><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/Decor_elements_Last_Chance_List_0609_US.pdf" target=_blank >Click here for Retiring Décor Elements.</a>

 

CANADIAN CODE

 

<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/CategoryPage.aspx?categoryID=311" target=_blank><img src="http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq5/jeeveser/SU%20Promo%20Buttons/lastchance.gif"></a>

<BR><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ca/documents/Last_Chance_Lists_0609_CA_alph.pdf" target=_blank>Click here for Retiring Stamps (Alphabetical) list.

<br><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ca/documents/Last_Chance_Lists_0609_CA_num.pdf" target=_blank >Click here for Retiring Stamps (Numerical) list.</a> <br><a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ca/documents/Decor_elements_Last_Chance_List_0609_CA.pdf" target=_blank >Click here for Retiring Décor Elements.</a>

 

 

 

 

Sorry to give you the bad news,

June 01, 2009

For SU Demos: Image and Link for Upcoming Country Living Summer Cookout Kit

CookoutKit

Although this special does not start until JUNE 15th, 2009, Stampin' Up! is beginning to promote it on its customer website (www.stampinup.com), so I created this button and the following HTML code for you to use on your blog's sidebar.

 

For Blogger add a new HTML/JavaScript Gadget.

For Typepad add a new NOTES Typelist.
For WordPress add a new TEXT Widget.

 

US CODE

<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/us/enu/14888.asp" target=_blank>

<img src="http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr300/blogsbyheather/CookoutKit.jpg"></a>

 

CANADIAN CODE

<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ca/enc/14149.asp" target=_blank>

<img src="http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr300/blogsbyheather/CookoutKit.jpg"></a>

 

 

For other JUNE 2009 promotional buttons, visit www.laycockdesigns.com and http://websbyamy.com/blog.

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