Finding My Blogging Niche

This July will mark my third year of blogging.  Yep.  But, instead of being all excited about my upcoming blogoversary I've been musing (lame pun intended) on how I really felt about my blog.  I'll admit, I don't have much time to do a lot of writing or blogging.  But when both kiddos are asleep and the dishes are loaded I may have some time to sit down and write.  So I go to my blog and prepare to write a new post except I don't know what I want to write about.  I seemed to have lost my focus and passion for blogging.  I had gotten to the point where I was lucky to write a post once a week, and even then I'd wonder:
"Who in their right mind will want to read this?"
"What should I be blogging about?"

I was having a blogger identity crisis.  So I talked to the hubster about it.  And he basically told me, 'You're overthinking everything.  Just blog about what you want.  Don't worry about what others think about it or about what other bloggers are doing.'  Ok.  Easier said than done.

Then I read an awesome post by Amanda Medlin that reinforced what hubster said, but which for some reason was much more motivating for me (sorry hubster).  The post "When You Struggle to Find Your Niche" was exactly what I needed to read and get me inspired.

Here's her three main points:
1) Stop overthinking and just write.  (Yeah, exactly what the hubster said).
2) Stop looking to other blogs to define yours. (Sounds like what hubster was saying).
3) Break some rules!

Fine.  I can take a hint.  I'm finding my niche and making my blog reflect it.  Here's what it looked like before:

I'm resolved to boldly blog and post about the things I care about.  And if you happen to care about it too, then awesome.  If not, well, at least I had fun writing the post.  :)

www.bloggiesta.com

Luckily for me, this all coincides with Bloggiesta-an awesome weekend long blogging event where you focus on improving your blog and finally crossing off all those 'to-do' items on your blog goal's list.  The bloggiesta kicks off March 22nd and ends March 24th.


So, here's my goals for the Bloggiesta fiesta:

Continue blog renovations
Create an About page
Brainstorm 5+ blog post ideas
Update social media icons
Write and schedule at least 2 blog posts  One down, one to go!
Learn about/find alternate feed readers  Thanks to everyone's suggestions, I've decided to go with Bloglovin.
Participate in at least 3 Bloggiesta mini-challenges  So far, two done.  Check out Amanda's mini-challenge on making your blog look awesome and easy to navigate Through Your Visitor's Eyes.  Also read another Jenn's mini-challenge on Google Reader Replacement Options.  
Comment on at least 10 blogs

I'm not expecting to accomplish them all this weekend, but they will all get done.  And I'll be sure to have plenty of chips and salsa during the festivities.  Con queso.

Anyone else participating in the blogging festivities? Or have experience with blogging renovations and finding blogging niches and have advice to share?

Bloggiesta Ole!

The blogging fiesta is here!

  

The Bloggiesta is a weekend-long fiesta of improving your blog, bouncing blogging ideas off of others, etc.  There will also be challenges with prizes as the weekend unfolds.  Let the fiesta begin!

Here's a few of the goals I have for this weekend.  I don't know if I'll get to them all (since I have a bridal shower on the 31st to go to, and church + meetings on the 1st, plus a toddler that requires care and attention and all that), but hey, some progress is better than no progress, right?

Bloggiesta Goals for March 30th-April 1st.

1. Determine direction/goals for my blog.
2. Brainstorm and write several blog posts for upcoming months.  So far I've done one, so I can't cross this off yet.  But I must rave about how I wrote it using Windows Live Writer, which is just awesome!  Check out the mini-challenge about how to write posts using WLW at The Reading Housewives.
3. Write a book review policy.  I'd been procrastinating on this for a long time, so it feels so good to finally get 'er done!  It's an informal one, but I think it gets the job done, and is posted at the bottom of my Teen Reads page.  I'll work on it more at another time.  If anyone else needs to do this, check out the mini-challenge at Squeaky Books.  Very helpful stuff there. :)
4. Learn a few tips for making my Teen Reads book reviews better.   Thanks to the mini-challenge at The Bluestocking Society for their great tips, I now have stars on my latest Teen Reads review!  Whoo hoo!
5. Comment on some of my followers' blogs that I haven't talked to in for-ev-er.  And comment on some fellow Bloggiesta's to-do list posts.   Done! :)
6. Participate in Bloggiesta challenges.  Learned some awesome things. :)  If I complete my first two goals, I may go check out last year's mini-challenges....
7. Back up blog.  Complete.  Whew!  Anyone who doesn't know how to do this and wants to, check out the mini-challenge that The Book Vixen posted.

I'll be updating my progress, ideas, questions, etc as the weekend progresses, so feel free to stop by later on and see what I've been up to!

Best of luck to the other bloggiestas!

Let's Talk Blog Design

So yeah, I used to watch Extreme Home Makeover all the time.  Haven't for a while until last night (a good episode by the way).  While I was watching it, I decided to do An Extreme Blog Makeover, since honestly, my blog was beginning to cause eye strain. ;)

I wanted to keep the daisy theme, wanted to keep it blue but less bright.  I know headers are a big deal to a lot of people, but I like mine to be simple.  Just to compare, here was the before pic...

So, whatcha think?  What advice do you have about blog design?  What do you like about your blog or want to change about it?