Non-bloggers beware, your eyes might glaze over during this post (or if you are totally not interested come back tomorrow, I am sharing a few cool thrifting finds from the weekend!). For bloggers who are caught in the turmoil of blogging with Windows Live Writer or using a Mac, you will want to kiss me on the mouth. Its ok, I will just be prepared next time we see each other.

Windows Live Writer is HANDS DOWN the best blogging tool that this technology filled world has to offer. Seriously,  if you are a blogger and have never tried it, it will change your life.

If you are unfamiliar with the capabilities of WLW, how does auto sizing and watermarking your images sound? (pssst detailed tutorial for that here!)  Maybe auto linking URLs to specific text? Writing posts offline and being able to save drafts to your computer hard drive? Those are just a few of my favorite features.

3 years ago the dinosaur desktop that I was using died. RIP old friend.  I had just discovered the wonderful world of Windows Live Writer (WLW from this point forward)  and had a very small budget for a replacement. I ended up with an HP that lasted a year and 1/2. When it died after such a short time, it was December of 2012 & I needed a new computer stat. I KNEW that the blog was quick becoming more than just a hobby, but all of the research that I had done online indicated that there was nothing created for a Mac that was as wonderful as WLW. I bit the bullet for a few weeks and researched the crap out of using WLW on a Mac. The info that I found said that theoretically it could be done using Parallels and Windows but no one that I could find had actually tested it. The unknown was just too much for my feeble heart. I ultimately decided that WLW was more important. I bought a Lenovo and spent just over $1,000 on it,  hoping to make it at least to the 2 year mark.

Guess what? It died. After a year and 1/2. Apparently that is the lifespan of a PC in my world. It was time. I needed a Mac but WLW is literally the most important thing to Vintage Revivals (after a camera, and soap to wash away the thrift store grime). Luckily for me in the year and 1/2 that I was swearing my guts out about stupid ugly Windows 8, a few of my blogging friends who were equally as addicted to WLW as I was, decided to test the Parallels/Windows theory. Guess what? It works!!

So for all of you bloggers who feel like they are having to choose between the program that makes their blogging lives easier, or the computer that will make their ENTIRE life easier I have great news. You can have both!!

All you need to do is install Parallels and Windows (I went with Windows 7 because I HATED Windows 8) and had the guys at the Apple store install them for me.

Once they are installed open Windows –> Internet Explorer –> Search Windows Live Writer (or click this link) and download it.

So the question “Can you use Windows Live Writer on a Mac?” is answered with a resounding YES!! And now you know just how to do it!

No inner turmoil, no buying a new computer every time the wind changes.

The post Using Windows Live Writer on a Mac appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

I know, I know that this isn’t a post about a DIY project (next week is PACKED with them, so hang tight!) But I really wanted to have an open convo with you guys about the truncation question that so many of you took the time to answer. HUGE FAT THANK YOU by the way.

And since there are no pretty pictures to go along with this subject, here is a very awkward one from my photo shoot for the summer reading nook that is going up on Monday…leave it to Dylan.

Ok so back to the subject of truncation. Roughly 95.5% of you hate it. The other 4.5% are bloggers. (not an actual statistic, but totally what it felt like when I was reading through the comments.)

I loved The Ballard Family’s comment.

According to what many bloggers have admitted on their site, most of them do not spend the amount of time reading other blogs like the rest of us non-bloggers do, because they are busy working on projects or preparing their post for the day. That is probably why many of them that are going to the truncated posts (which I hate)for organization purposes or whatever reason do not find it as annoying because they aren’t on the different sites as much as the rest of us.

I will admit that I don’t have time to actively read blogs the way that I used to,  if I have a few extra minutes a day I am more apt to  respond to some comments (or play a few rounds of Candy Crush). I also understand that while there are A LOT of bloggers that read my site, the vast majority of you are not bloggers. You are who I try and write for. I know that a lot of you come daily or every few days specifically to see the latest post, and your opinion takes precedence over any other type of reader. So thank you for sticking around while I try and get this figured out!

There were comments about truncating the posts on a homepage and comments about truncating a feed. I didn’t realize that my feed was truncated when I shortened a post (SO FREAKING SORRY ABOUT THIS!!)  I am still trying to figure out how to fix it, so hang in there with me.

Ok so that being said and while I don’t speak for anyone but myself, this is what I think is happening. It came up more than once about extra pageviews and money. That absolutely may be somebody’s reason for truncating (other reasons may include,  page load time, site organization and overall appearance, etc.)  but it is not mine. In fact if you notice, the only posts that I truncate currently are my big projects, usually a room reveal or a long tutorial,  you know, something really great. The reason I truncate those posts is so that when they are pinned, they are pinned to the direct URL, not just to vintagerevivals.com. (This is also why I asked how you pin from blogs). The reason that I do it is purely selfish,  I would rather take the time to respond to one of your design dilemmas, than to send links to complete strangers that stumbled over here from Pinterest and cant find a specific post.

I totally get the extra time it takes to click over,  I am beyond grateful that you choose to spend a few minutes of your day with me (really, it makes me grin like an idiot).

So how do you think we can come up with a solution? If I post the full post on my homepage, do you want me to throw up a reminder at the end of it to click the link for those that decide to pin it? Would you be more willing to use the pin it button or the hover button to pin it because those pin to the permalink? Am I way to worried about this because you guys are responsible pinners?

A few of you mentioned having the latest post in full context and then posting excerpts from a few of the other ones,  do you have a yay or a nay about this?

As far as the pin it hover button goes, I know mine has issues…but I have NO CLUE how to fix it. Its one of those things about being self taught on Blogger that gets a little hairy. I am not an HTML ninja unfortunately. But once everything is migrated over that will be fixed too! (for now you can usually click on the left side of an image and it will pull up the correct link.)

Thoughts? Comments? Critiques? Lay ‘em on me. For reals, I don’t write just to hear er…read myself talk. I write for YOU, and I want your feedback to help make this one of your favorite spot on the interwebs. If you feel like something has gone awry I want to know, feel free to email me any time. Do you have a great idea for a series? Send it over!

In other news, as most of you know Google Reader is being laid to rest on 7/1. If that is your preferred reader you may want to get your feeds transferred elsewhere before they are gone forevs. Everyone has different plans, I am switching over to Bloglovin. You can follow Vintage Revivals here if you so choose.

I think you guys are fab. That is all.

The post Lets Talk Truncation appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

A few weeks ago I basically ripped my heart out of my chest (Once Upon A Time style) and showed it to you all in my Blog Puberty post. I am SO glad that I did. Apparently the way that I was feeling is the way that A LOT of us feel from time to time. Whether you have a blog or are just in a slump, here are a few things that helped slap me, shake me, and wake me up again. This was my process.

1. Go back and read your blog from the beginning. Yes, it is PAINFULLY obvious that your pictures were horrible,  you were still trying to find your voice, and you have zero comments. BUT you were passionate. THAT is what you need to remember. The passion that made  you start your blog in the first place. The excitement that you had when you couldn’t get your fingers to type fast enough because you had opened the floodgates and your creativity was taking out everything in its path. THAT is what you need to feel again, and you can! And just for fun here is the after picture from the first project I ever posted…

2. Figure out why you are in a slump. Is it stuff going on at home? Have you gained weight from sitting on your computer for hours at a time? Are you comparing yourself to other bloggers? Did you run out of mulah? (These are some of my slumpish reasons, they may or may not be yours.)  Make a list of why you are feeling so awkward. We as women (at least most of the women that I know) want to talk about things over and over and over and don’t necessarily want a solution, we just want validation, we want someone to understand us. Well knock it off. Face it like a man. Figure out why you are comparing yourself, and then STOP IT. Figure out why you have no money (daily thrift store trip much?) and come up with a better solution. And then do it.

3. Get outside your comfort zone. I know,  you are feeling blah. Put on some proverbial pink lipstick and go make new friends! I just got back from ALT and let me tell you,  these people are TALENTED. Now come closer….Let me tell you something else. They are people too. And they just might be feeling the same way that you are.

4. Go find some new blogs and leave wonderful and sincere comments. There are some people that are of the opinion that there is not enough internet to go around. That is complete crap.  Virtually raise your hand if you only read one blog. Now keep your hand up if once you find a great new blog that you connect with, you stop reading the one blog that you previously were obsessed with. I mean, really folks? That DOES NOT happen. Ever.

5. Shut off that DANG computer and make something!!! Like with your hands folks. Set a $10.00 limit and use your creativity to make it amazing!! Want to know what I did with my $10? I bought a cookie and drew on my walls with a Sharpie. And I feel SO much better!!

So these steps are literally the way that I worked through my dark cloud. I finally feel like I am back, and let me tell you how fun it was for a freaky picture loving girl to share these with you.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to vote for VR on the Homies!! They are still going full force and if you love my guts as much as I love yours, I would love it if you clicked over and voted (if you haven’t already!)

The post 5 Tips To Survive Blog Puberty Like A Champion AKA How To Work Through A Creative Slump. appeared first on Vintage Revivals.

This is a slightly rambling post with HORRIBLE grammar. In all actuality if I could write it as one big long run on sentence I would because in my brain it is one gigantor thought. But I broke it up for you with a lot of periods and Ands. Please enjoy.

There are some blogging things that aren’t regularly discussed. Things like making money, or how to deal with Jerkhole commenters. I have mentioned here and there that I seem to be in a slump, and while I truly love everything that goes along with Vintage Revivals sometimes I have to put a smile on my face and dig to remember the things that I love. So here is a post about where I am.

I am currently in blog puberty.

Just reminisce from your pubescent days and go with me on this one. So you start this blog. And you are the new girl on the block, and you have all of these fun new ideas, and do things that are unfathomable to some. And it is SUPER exciting. And you are feeling like “Yea man, this is AWESOME!! If I continue to grow at this rate I will have 56 million followers in like 48 years!!” (not actual math facts)

And then you realize a few things.

1. You realize what an IDIOT you are for not having a .com from the beginning (insert yourawesomeblog.blogspot.com here) so then you are like DUDE. I hate having blogspot in my name. Its not legit. I am changing it. And $20 and a godaddy account later you are OFFICIAL. And then you expect greater things to happen. And then your traffic evens out. And you are like UM. WHAT is going on!?! I am a .com now! And my projects are great! I am FINALLY LEGIT. And then you realize that google now looks at your established site as gone and in its place is a brand new baby site. So that sucky sucks.

2. You look back on the projects that you have done over the last 2 years and there is a DISTINCT change in your style. And you wonder (out loud many a time to your BFF Brooke) if people don’t “get” what you are doing. And then you remember that it doesn’t matter because you feel like you have finally found your TRUE style…you know the kinds that makes your guts grin! (But you still wonder if you have lost people along the way…)

3. You are lucky enough to realize from the beginning that ALL you have as a blogger is integrity. So you stand up for what you believe. Your personal truths are woven into every pixel of your site. You only share the things like brands that you really do love in real actual life…sometimes to a fault. You believe in what you are doing. AND THEN there you are, looking at your future and the future of your site, and life, and career, that this little hobby blog started, and it is scary. You wonder if people can see the integrity as strongly as you stand by it. And you don’t know if you can actually have enough faith in yourself to believe that you are different enough to make a difference and have your voice heard.

And then you get in this place where you are analyzing WHY this blog or that blog have 150399043904850 pageviews and you have 6. And you get mad that Pinterest gets all of the credit when it is actually real life people doing the awesome crap. And you wonder WHY you are even doing this.

And then you get an email or a comment or run into someone at Homegoods and they tell you that your blog has blessed their life. And you see that your favorite part of your site, the part where you share your heart has been read 80,000 times and you remember THAT is why you do it.

So you are trying to figure out your place, and its kind of awkward. Actually, its really awkward. And you have ALL of these things going on that you never thought of when you started this little hobby blog and you realize that it really is growing up.

Its not a cute new baby blog on the block that everyone is smitten with. And by all means its not a blog that has matured to its full potential. But there is the entire world in front of you and the only thing that is holding you back is yourself and your over analyzing stupid brain that compares and minimizes and gets in your way.

And you look at blogs that have matured, they have found a way to make it through blog puberty a victor.

And you know that in time you will too. Blog puberty doesn’t end because you want it to, it ends because you have grown and changed (awkward much?) through it.

So please hang in there with me while I am trying to figure all of this awkwardness out.

And until then does anyone have a retainer I can borrow?

AND because I love you guys SO MUCH I thought you might enjoy the pictures I took that didnt make the cut…

The post Blog Puberty. Its A Thing. appeared first on Vintage Revivals.