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Giveaway #2: A request for feedback

candyI’m a little over 3 months into this blog-writing thing and I’m feeling a little stagnant. New things are coming. EXCITING things are coming. I have a giveaway coming that will have not one, not two, but THREE winners (no, not today’s giveaway!). A designer, somewhere far, far away, is making a template for this blog that will be beautiful and will make blueshelled.com unique format-wise. I’m considering flexing some of my contact skills and bringing in some guest writers in the near future and there are other things that I would like to do in the future that are still up in the air.

For now, though, I want to focus on quality and make sure that I continue to write a post daily, that it is quality work, that my page is working and that I communicate with those of you that take the time to talk to me. Growing this blog is on my mind, but the quality of the blog comes first, always.

The last time we did a giveaway (another huge thank you to Linda Lee) was a great success. I got to read stories about your summers and heard things that took me to a happier place. I met new friends and got nostalgic with old ones. I think that I got more excited than some of you to be giving away free things and it’s encouraged me to find reasons to do so more often.

So, I was looking for a reason and I found one. I don’t want to be stagnant and I need your input. People are more inclined to give input if they have a reason. I have TWO reasons this go around. Let me explain.

A.J. loves to go to the cool, air-conditioned mall in the summertime. His favorite store there is the candy store. It is a small, Wonka-like kiosk, where he can buy 1/2 to 1 pound or numerous pounds of candy for a set price per pound. He loves to pick out different flavors of jelly beans. I love to pick out different flavors of chocolate. They also have balloons and ICEEs and gummy things of all sorts. I want to share the love. Two winners will receive 1 pound of the candy chosen by A.J. Special needs (allergies/likes) will be taken into account (see rules).

Here’s how to enter:

1) Leave a comment before July 3, 2009 at 5pm CST giving me your input on this blog. The input can be favorable (aspects you like about the blog) or constructive criticism (things that are lacking or things you’d like to change). Again, it doesn’t have to be good, just please say it nicely. YOU SUCK isn’t nice.
2) You can tweet this giveway and/or link it on facebook or your own blog for extra chances to win! Make sure you leave individual comments so all of your entries count.

Things to know:
**I only ship in the U.S. for this particular giveaway. This will not always be the case, so don’t despair, my international buddies. There are more giveaways coming soon.
**Comments posted after the deadline won’t be included in the drawing.
**If you win, you must email me your mailing address in order to receive your prize. When you email me your address, please let me know if you have any allergies and/or if you need sugar free delights. I am not responsible for candy that melts in the mail or any issues that may occur if you give me the wrong mailing address.
**I will be using a randomizer to choose the two winners of the giveaway. As long as your answer fits the criteria, you are eligible (unless you are me, Leon or A.J.).

Jillian

20 Comments

  1. Natalie says:

    Hi, sweetie!I hate how successful you are! I’ve been blogging for months and I think I have three followers!

    Seriously, you’re doing fantastic. The only thing that gets me is how busy your sidebar is. That’s the only thing I would clean up.
    .-= Natalie´s last blog ..foto friday: 6 =-.

  2. Ellie W says:

    I like that you post everyday. As a fellow blogger, I know how hard that is! The video links are good, too because they add a bit of variety. I like how it seems very personal! :) I also love how you link to other posts! That helps me follow along (I read several blogs so sometimes I forget what happened to who!) I’m not sure of anything I could give you criticism on… I’ve got you on my “regular blogs” list of bookmarks! :) Keep up the good work!

  3. Arie says:

    Feeeeeedback. Okey-dokey. I like reading your blog, but since I “live” primarily on LJ, I only hear about entries through your twitter (this is awesome by the way, love the tweet updates). I find that I only read the articles that have an interesting title in the tweet. I end up reading about 50% of your posts this way. I know I’m missing other good content, but I never seem to “make it back” to the posts I don’t click on right away, no matter how good my intentions are.

    Overall I like the variety of what I do read. You talk about lots of different things, which keeps it interesting and you think about your readers, not just yourself (the baggie ice cream link was FAB-U-LOUS, as an example). The current layout is a little blah for me, but it’s not bad or anything. The colors are just sort of boring for me as I’m not very fond of tans and browns. It hardly makes it unreadable and that’s definitely a personal preference thing you’ll never make everyone happy over. ;)

    Also, I like candy.

  4. Neil_Stevens says:

    Pick a theme and stick with it :-)

    I also think you should move the twitter links to the *bottom* of the posts. They distract from you and what you’re saying when they’re up top like that. They’re especially distracting being that bright blue against the tan and brown of the current theme.

    Overall though I think the amount of work you put into this site is so much for something that’s not a business. I don’t know why you do it but you do it pretty well.

  5. bs says:

    Your strength is writing, which is good for a blogger :-) Content is king!

    Seriously, great job. And you don’t have to send me any candy…

  6. Mandie P. says:

    I like your layout. Have you considered joining the blogcoach community? (Google it). They have a large community with great tips and regularly critique one another’s blogs. :)
    .-= Mandie P.´s last blog ..Star Spangled Banner =-.

  7. Mandie P. says:

    tweeted you! @justwemoms
    .-= Mandie P.´s last blog ..Star Spangled Banner =-.

  8. brittany says:

    Ok, so I love candy!!! This feedback is easy. You blog is easy to read, because the post area is wide. I hate when I am reading a 3 column blog, and everything is all squished together, it gives me a headache, and it’s overcrowded. However, I LOVE your layout in that it’s easy to read. I am not overwhelmed with junk all over. It’s clean and clear, and I love it.
    .-= brittany´s last blog ..Summer. =-.

  9. Holly Christine says:

    I love that you do these giveaways. It’s helpful to both you and the person donating what’s being given away. And I fully expect to take part in this in the future!

  10. Dee says:

    I like how simple your layout is and how far set the content is. It’s very easy on the eye.

  11. Dee says:

    p.s. If I win, draw again. I need candy like a need a hole in the head.

  12. Dee says:

    oopsie…I wanted to add that I love the hooligans link. Nice personal touch that reminds readers that you are a real person…lol You have a kick ass family. Almost as cool as the Beans…:)

  13. Kelly says:

    You have good writing skills and that is a must for keeping people interested. I think a different theme might bighten the blog up a little. I like the fact that it is not too cluttered up with stuff either. I look forward to reading more :)

    Kelly

  14. Kelly says:

    Just tweeted about the giveaway……

    Kelly

  15. annalene says:

    I love the blog content and the length of the entries. While a lot of blogs seems to be a lot of fluff (just advertising certain products) yours seems much more well thought out! Your entries are somewhat lengthier than the average blog entry so I would maybe suggest using more pictures? I think it also helps if you use personal photos rather than stock ones. But overall, you are doing a really nice job!

  16. Jillian says:

    Ok, so far, these are the changes that I have made thanks to you guys:
    @Natalie – the sidebar has been cleaned up. Thank you! :)
    @Neil- Big blue twitter links are now gone. If you want to retweet, you can do so by the link at the bottom of the post. Prettier and cleaner. And thank you. I love blogging. It’s worth it for me.
    @Holly – Thanks! More are on the way. I’m trying to come up with concepts that are gender neutral, as the next two are pretty well women only. If you have ideas, I’m listening!
    @Annalene- Thank you. I am taking the more pictures to heart. I’ll try to post more personal pictures, but I try to keep pictures of my little one’s actual face out of my blog. It’ll be different when he’s older and can make a better decision if he wants to be in this or not. I could be using my camera more though, and this is a good excuse!

    These are the changes that are coming thanks to you guys:
    @Arie – I’m working on making my titles more creative and keeping them relevant. This is a HUGE challenge for me and one I’ve been avoiding, but know I need to do. Thank you.
    @Neil – This is the one I’m sticking with until the theme redesign is complete – between now and the end of August. Thank you for your patience with me. You’re the man!
    @Mandie P. – I’ll look into it. Thank you!
    @Brittany- Thanks, lady! The new design will be a wide, 2 column thanks to that input. I like it, too. I’m not a fan of a “page o’ crap.” If I ever go the sponsership route, I’m going to have to figure something out, because I like a clean, non-cluttered look.
    @Dee- Thank you! I’m keeping the non-cluttered look with the custom design that’s coming.
    @Kelly- see above. :)

    @ all of you who commented on the background –It’s a mixed bag. You love it or you hate it. I think that’s fair. I have an AMAZING person who I’ve commissioned to create a background for this blog and she’s working on it as we speak. I’m giving her a lot of license with what she does, but have expressed my likes and dislikes. For me, I like an open palette with bright, even tones that don’t grate the eyes. It will be something along those lines. She did the blog design for http://www.mybottlesup.com , so I know it will be brilliant.

    If I haven’t made your changes, or haven’t listed them, please believe that I’m taking them to heart and am still considering them and their possibilities. Running a blog is so much harder than I thought it would be and I’m trying to figure out what I can feasibly do with my time right now. KEEP THE FEEDBACK COMING PLEASE! YOU ARE ALL HELPING ME SO, SO MUCH. My blog looks better already.

    As far as the kindness you are showing me, I am so very humbled. Thank you. You bring joy to my heart.

  17. Jeri says:

    i think it is good.. I dont blog. i should but it would turn more into a rant page.

  18. Jillian says:

    @Jeri If you go back to the first post, this started as a rant blog and blossomed into…not that. ;)

  19. Jeri says:

    so maybe i should start. somebody might find my life as a missed placed southerner in nv amusing..

  20. Jillian says:

    @Jeri Absolutely! Let me know if you do. I’d like to read about it.

  21. [...] I know you all have been waiting on pins and needles! Sorry about the delay. We’ve been away from home and computer all day, for many reasons, and are just now getting in. I have the results from GIVEWAY #2! [...]

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Life is like a game. We all have challenges, thoughts, opinions and beliefs. Often, it feels like something out there, life, karma, catty people, or blue shells (for the Kart lovers), seeks to bring us down. Luckily, we always get up. This is where I wear my heart on my sleeve and my foot in my mouth.
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jillian@blueshelled.com
P.O. Box 252, Franklin, TN 37064

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