Blog Buddy...Gmail, Answering Comments etc

Hello All! Welcome to another episode of Blog Buddy...the place where I'll show you bits and pieces, tips and tricks for making your blogging experience a little easier. Click the red link above or the button in my side bar for past posts.

Today's feature is about "how do I answer a comment left on my blog?" My blog friend Regan and many others have sent me emails on this, so I thought I would just do a post on how I answer comments and where all my comments go. Well, they go to my blog of course, but they are also all stored in my Gmail and that's what this post is about...Gmail!

First off...I am in no way affiliated with Gmail...even though I will be tooting their horn for this whole post. I just think it's a great way to blog, especially if you have a Blogger account for your blog. As I have said in the past, Google owns Blogger and Gmail is Google's email, so all is connected very well.

The main question I have received about this topic is:

• "how do I answer a comment that's left on my blog? I can go to the comments section on my dashboard or the comment itself...then I bring up the person's profile and then click on their email address. The comment that was left isn't on that email, so it's difficult to write back to that person without the actual comment to refer back to."

In other words, the commenter may not remember what their comment was and now your reply email looks like it's coming from out of the blue!

Here's the solution...well, for me that is!! Gmail

Just a quick over view.

Here is what the Inbox of my Gmail account looks like...click each picture to enlarge. From the top left of the page here are some of the features:

• calendar
• google documents
• you can get to your Google Reader (your favorite blog list) from here
• you can get to the web
• and under "other" are so many other things...one of which is PICTURES. This is where all your pictures are stored with Picasa. When anyone posts a picture on their blog, that picture is stored in your Picasa account. Picasa is also owned by Google/Blogger.

Then going down the left side bar is...

• Mail
• contacts
• inbox etc...

In this picture below, you will see the first three emails are high lighted in black. When it's high lighted, it hasn't been read yet. It shows who it's from, the subject (whether it's a comment on your blog or a separate email, the date and time.

Here is a picture of what it looks like when I click on an individual email. I always use my bestest friend Tina from Seaside Stitches for examples, Thanks Tina!

In the picture, the email tells so much about where it comes from.

• First, is the high lighted title in black
• see where it says "Tina" in red ink (that's just the color I picked, yours may be a different color)...well, you can click that to a link to her Blogger Profile page and then you can click on her blog too.
• Next to that, also in red ink, is The title of the post that she commented on, which was..."Tool Time Tuesday...No Sew Tree Skirt For $2.50". You can click back to the post to see what that was, especially when it's a comment on an older post.
• On the top right where it says, in red ink, "show details"...that is where their email address is located. This is where I also find the dreaded "NO REPLY", which means the commenter doesn't have their email address available for return emails. (see my side for more info on that.)
• then there is the "REPLY" button. This button is the solution to Regan's problem.
  

When I click on the REPLY button, a sub page comes up...see that bottom half of the email? It opens up with what Tina left for a comment and then the cursor is waiting for me to write a reply. You can link things here or attach a picture too.

See my reply to Tina? Easy, Easy!! Just push send and you're done.

One of the many features for Gmail, which I love, is the "CONTACTS" section. Gmail saves every single address or person that you have had an email conversation with. The memory is endless, so you never have to delete anything.

Go to CONTACTS and find who you are looking for alphabetically...Here's Tina high lighted in green!

Up comes a page that you can fill in their person info...picture, home address, birthday etc...

Then on the bottom left corner you can click "View Recent Conversations" and you can literally bring up every email you have received from that person or you have sent to that person. This is great when you are trying to remember something you said to her or when you first "met" that person through blogging, or whether or not you forgot to email them back about something.

I love this feature! You receive a new comment from someone and you are thinking...hmmm, I know that name from some where! Then you can look back to your contacts page and find out she was in one of your fabric swaps and you shared a pumpkin bread recipe with her! LOL

I'm not sure how every one else receives their emails or how they respond back and forth for comments, but for me this is the easiest way to do it. It's quick, easy, well organized (my favorite part) and the best thing is...signing up for Gmail is free.

space

You can match your Gmail account name to your blog too. That way people can connect you and your blog through your Gmail name. My Gmail is... sewmanyways@gmail.com Hopefully your name is available when you sign up. Here is a link if you are interested. Click here. Wait for the full page to load.

space

If you do switch your email address to Gmail, make sure you go into you Blog Edit Profile section and change your email address to the new one...and you also have to go to your Dashboard, go to SETTINGS, then click COMMENTS under settings and then fill in the new address in the COMMENT NOTIFICATION EMAIL section. Click SAVE when done! ( Thanks Peg)

space

Ok...I think I tooted Gmail, Google and Blogger's horn enough. They really should give me something for a give away for all of you!! Wouldn't that be fun. Helloooo...Any one from Google Gmail out there? LOL

The next Blog Buddy feature will be "Click, Click, Click"...what happens when you are just Clicking around!

Have a great weekend,

~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...No Sew Tree Skirt for $2.50

Hello everyone! Welcome back to another edition of Tool Time Tuesday. I knew that title would grab you...no sew and $2.50...can't beat that! The $2.50 is for the fleece blanket that makes a wonderful tree skirt for Christmas and the left over scraps will make a stocking too!




Here is the bargain I found at Walmart for the fleece. This set of 2 fleece throws was only $5.00. I wish it came with 2 solid throws, but cheapskates can't be choosers.

Dig through your trimmings...ric rac, appliques, ribbons, buttons etc. The extras can be sewn on, but hot glue them to keep it in the "No Sew" department.

Here is the "tool" in the Tool Time Tuesday...

String taped to the end of a pen = a poor man's jumbo compass. This is how we are going to make a perfect circle!

First, lay out the blanket in a single layer.

I folded the right side over to the left (fold will be on the right).

Then I folded the bottom edges up to the top (one fold will be on the bottom and two folds on the right). The next step will start in the upper right hand corner of this picture.

The upper right hand corner looks like this.

Take your make shift compass (pen with string tied to it) and place the pen on that upper right hand corner.

I know what you're thinking...why isn't she taking the cap off the pen. Well, it took a few times for my husband and I to get the picture right, so if I had the cap off there would have been an ink spot the size of a quarter!

Next, you are going to place the string end on the Lower Right corner, which looks like this.

Your finger will keep the string at this point and you will only move the pen, pivoting from this lower right corner.

Pinch the string on the lower right and move the pen across the fabric in a semi circle.

Make the motion first before actually using the pen. Hubby recommended taping the string to a piece of chalk if you are nervous about using a marker.

Can you see the dent I made in the fabric with the pen cap...just make sure of your motion before you use the pen.

Now here is the actual marking.

Easy peasy!

Cut through all thicknesses along the line.

Here is a picture of the left over scraps...do you see what I see? Looks like a Christmas stocking to me.

Ok, back to the tree skirt. I was excited over the scraps there for a second. If you think about it...there are 4 layers of fleece in those scraps, which means 2 stockings plus the tree skirt. So $2.50 divided by 3 things is 83 cents each. Woo Hoo!!!

I digress...Now back to the lower right corner, where you pinched the end of the string...place a pin there to mark the center.

Center marked!

Now unfold to a semi circle. Cut on the fold, but only up to the pin in the center.

Here is the section cut open.

Open to a full circle.

This next section is to cut the hole in the middle for the tree trunk. We have artificial trees, so the "trunk" is skinny. I used a cap from a canning jar. Adjust to your tree size.

Trace directly over the center.

Cut out the circle.

I measured the distance across. It's a great size.

The fleece throw that I purchased was 50 inches x 60 inches, which gave me a skirt 48 inches across.

Now time to embellish 'til your hearts content. Jumbo ric rac...sew on or hot glue.

Fleece snow flake appliques that I had and never used. Didn't have enough to go all the way around, so I need to buy more of those. This is the true color of the tree skirt...not sure why the camera is showing 8 million different shades of green throughout this post.

No, I don't have a tree up yet. Just pulled out the bottom section of a pre-lit tree for the picture...all in the name of blogging right?

Not that this post wasn't picture heavy enough, I really wanted to show you how to make a stocking from the scraps. There are tons of patterns on the Internet, but I just traced a stocking I already had.

Cut out and sew around all sides except the top.

I used a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Turn stocking right side out.

Now take another piece of the scraps...I used the edge that had the blanket stitching. All the work is already done for you!

Determine how long you want the cuff to be and cut.

Measure the width of the top of the stocking and add a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

My cuff was folded on one side, so I only needed to sew one side. Adjust to your scraps.

Sew with 1/2 inch seam and turn right side out.

Now, both pieces should be RIGHT side OUT. Take the cuff and put it inside the stocking with the finished edge (blanket stitching) of the cuff on the inside.

Match your seams. If you have it correctly, the RIGHT side of the cuff should be against the WRONG side of the stocking.

Pin and sew with 1/2 inch seam.

Pull out the cuff and fold over the stocking.

Tah Dah another easy one.

If you don't have enough fleece for the cuff you can always use fabric or cotton batting. Warm and Natural Cotton batting looks great for a cuff.

Here are a few ways to decorate your stocking.

Have fun with your tree skirt and stocking...remember to think outside the box. If you can't find a fleece blanket, how about a round table cloth. Most table cloths are 60" - 70" inches around and they're already hemmed. That's another perk with fleece...no hemming because it doesn't fray! Another tip is actually in a hardware store...you knew you'd end up there on a Tuesday right! Go to the paint section and buy a drop cloth. It's a great heavy weight muslin perfect for this project and the smaller size is only about $10.00.

space

Thanks for stopping by and if you didn't see Sunday's post click here. I'm having a recipe linking party that you are all invited to.

space

Have a wonderful Tuesday,

~Karen~

space

linking to The Idea Room, Under The Table and Dreaming Party and Metamorphosis Monday...join the fun