I just posted an "ooops" post to apologize for a momentary template loss on my blog in case anyone saw it. I've yanked the "ooops" post and replacing with this one. It's my appeal for your feedback fellow bloggers! When I started blogging last year I ended up at blogspot by default...no real thought went into other than, well, its free, I'll try it. Had no idea how much I would fall in love with the process of it and with my readers and fellow bloggers. With love comes demands. Blogspot is disappointing me and I'm finding I need more out of our relationship. I've been committed, faithful and yet I never get emails letting me know about comments anymore or I often have a hard time uploading photos. Which results in wasting time and not getting to respond to comments as often as I wish.
So, do tell. Tell me why you love your particular blog service. I'm not looking to do anything overnight, but its been on the list. I am much better with the tools shown above than the computery stuff, but somehow I manage. Or cry. Which makes Jeff help. Which is the same as managing. So I'll bug you guys this time instead of him. He says thanks.
Thanks kids, xo,AM
I've always liked Typepad - they always send me notifications too, but I don't get anywhere NEAR the amount of comments you do. And to be honest, it's the only blogging service I've ever used - so I have nothing to compare it to. So yeah, not really very helpful.
ReplyDeleteOh and I had to order those zebra-striped shoes from the Gap. Couldn't help it. :)
And I'm looking forward to reading the responses - -I'm on blogspot too and working with photos in the post space is just weird.
ReplyDeleteI had problems with blogger this morning too and was ready to switch - not sure what I was going to switch to, but I was ready. I too am anxious to hear the opinions of others!
ReplyDeleteHeather
Typepad! Seriously, no problems at all there, and great service all around.
ReplyDeletetypepad...great options, utilities and service. would recommend to anyone.
ReplyDeleteI left Blogger for many of the same reasons and went to the free version of Wordpress. I haven't really had any problems. Only once have I not gotten a comment sent in email. But, if I had to pay for a service... it seems like Typepad would be the way to go. I've never used it, but of the blogs I read, the Typepad ones seem to have the nicest options. Just my two cents. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm very very content over at Typepad (for nearly 2 years now), and as for the photo issue, I simply use the code Flickr automatically generates for each of my photos and paste that into my posts, exactly the place where I want it. I know you use flickr too- I think you;ll find that a more user friendly photo insertion option!
ReplyDeleteI left blogger for wordpress. I had a lot of problems with blogger...ohh so much wasted time. Wordpress hasn't given me any problems and I've been there more then a year.
ReplyDeleteI use Wordpress and like it for what I do, but I believe for a blog of your content and quality, Typepad would probably better suit you. I did a trial run with it and it was great, but my blog is minimal and I'm cheap, so Wordpress suits my needs. ;)
ReplyDeleteEven though blogger has it's limitations, I've never had problems with it. I always get my notifications (my comments are about 1/10 of yours though). I think the lack of showing email addresses may be because of a setting in that person's preferences, because some of my comments come with email address and some don't.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I think for major blogs like yours, Typepad would probably be the best.
I use wordpress and I love it. I'm talking about the wordpress.org version that you install on your own server. I just love all of the control I have over every aspect of it. I love that you can find a plugin to do just about any task that's not already built in. And I love that I can make it look like the rest of my website and integrate it seamlessly.
ReplyDeleteI love Typepad. It's very easy to use, forwards comments as email and has a wonderfully thorough knowledge base. Additionally, the very few times I've had a problem, it was addressed quickly and to my complete satisfaction. Going on three years now and wouldn't think of switching!
ReplyDeleteI love typepad! I can upload really large photos with no problem. I also feel like it has a great flexibility with what I can do on my blog. The cost kind of stinks, but if it is something you do as regularly as you do, i think it is worth the investment.
ReplyDeleteI currently use blogger, but host it on my own site... I am not too fond of blogger either though and so am in the process of switching over to wordpress. With wordpress, you can either have them host your blog or host it on your own site. Plus it is free, which is always a plus!
ReplyDeleteI have heard a few people say that wordpress seemed like too much work for them. Apparently it takes more to set up templates & such if you host on your own site (although you can get free templates for it already set up, if you don't mind a generic template). Lucky for me, my husband is a software engineer so he is getting it set up for me. (I think your husband is too? So he could probably help with that...)
IU wish I had the answers, seems like most of the blogging world uses typepad. I have tried blogger AND wordpress (currently have both)and am still trying to figure out which one I like better.......good luck,
ReplyDeleteI'm very happy with Typepad, they have gone above and beyond to help me along the way. My blog pulls a lot of bandwidth so I have the pro account, and it has lots of extra bells and whistles. But to be honest I have nothing to compare it with since its the only service I've used.
ReplyDeleteI am happy with blogger and have only had few problems. The problems are not a big deal to me. This is because I was a Software Support Specialist in my other life and the service is free.
ReplyDeleteI do read your blog and enjoy it very much. I am a lurker and am very bad at leaving comments .
I had issues with not getting email notifications - turns out our fandangled spam filter was catching them.
ReplyDeleteor something.
blame it on the other half ;)
he gave me a new computer, and whoo hoo... comment notifications are back.
I went with blogger because that is where everyone else I knew was blogging. Though I am seriously considering changing. Though after all the time put into designing mine, I have not even switched the template mode... so maybe that will change for me. Dunno.
I hear that wordpress is really great for doing your own stuff... maybe that is an option.
Good luck.
Just found your blog after lusting on some fabric of yours... beautiful stuff!
I know I already gave you my opinion privately LOLOL ;), but I just wanted to echo what some of the other commenters have said. I haven't tried wordpress, but I was at blogger for quite a while, and I found the frustrations about comment notification nearly maddening LOL...and I didn't want to have to 'remind' everyone periodically that they have to check that button so I know they're address...then there's the school of thought (this suprised me actually LOL) that it's moot since you don't really *have* to reply to all comments and that it's not expected. Well...maybe so, BUT, I for one get GIDDY when someone responds to my comments, and it's something important to me to respond to my commenters!!
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, no image insertion issues for me with Typepad, the interface is SO nice, I love how easy it is to organize my sidebar, I can add things without having to get a refresher HTML course LOL, I like the ease of customization, and of course, the comment alerts :D
Looking forward to all the comments :D
Same here about blogger! there is something really nice about receiving an email from the person whose blog you have commented on. I've even set up wordpress and typepad. Didn't like wordpress found it too complicated. Typepad is looking good, but just need to take the next step and move there.
ReplyDeleteI love typepad! I had a really hard time deciding who to go with when I began, but decided on typepad because of their help sections. Yes, I pay for it...but it's really worth it. I've never had any problems in the year I've been with them. Pictures always load, I always get my e-mails. If they have a site update they let you know, and it's always very well planned.
ReplyDeleteTheir editing section for design is nice too, although time consuming to learn and then change. I had tried some free programs here or there in the past, and I was never happy with them.
Good luck choosing!
Typepad gets another vote from this household. Haven't used anything different, but it's never let me down! I think everyone else covered the perks so far.
ReplyDeleteTypepad is probably the easiest solution, but Wordpress (the dot ORG version that you host yourself) gives you the most control, which is what I favor.
ReplyDeleteWordpress. Has the quality of typepad - but it's FREE! and who doesn't love a freebie ;)
ReplyDeleteI agree! Blogger... BLUCK! I just recently switched over to wordpress and I LOVE it. It is much easier to post and put up pictures than blogger. It took me a while to get everything the way I wanted it, but once I did it changed my view on my blog. I even had all by blogger entries uploaded onto my new site so there is no need for anyone to visit my old blog.
ReplyDeleteOnce I switched over I also started using the blog this button on my flickr account. It is very nice to be able to post a quick entry.
Good luck with your decision... I can't wait to see how you change!
I've been very happy with Typepad, but I don't have anything to compare it to either. It's easy to use and only recently have I had a slight problem receiving email notification of comments. But this is the first glitch I've encountered and I've just been too lazy to contact support about it.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes..I must put in my word for typepad. I tried 2 different systems before going over there and love it now. I must be open minded here however and say that it took me some time to figure it all out. But I didn't really have any bloggy friends to help me when I got going-which you have about a zillion of. The best part (for me) is that when someone comments, it comes as an email to you and you can just respond right to them. Very nice. It's nice to hear back sometimes. (shrugging of the shoulders here.)
ReplyDeletePlease let me know if you have any typepad-y questions!
:)
Sandi
don't have anything to add (sorry), but I just wanted to come out of lurkdom & let you know I love your blog. I have five kids too & while I don't pretend to be as creative as you, I sure am inspired by you.
ReplyDeletethanks for all your efforts.
I haven't had many problems with blogger at all but then I'm also a geek, so I can fix most stuff so far!
ReplyDeleteI've been reading you for a few months now, and it's one of my favorite places online to come :) You've inspired two craft projects of mine already, and now my daughter wants hair color like your Julianna - except she's SEVEN :p
ReplyDeleteI use livejournal, but you seem like a Vox kind of person to me. Have you ever been to vox.com? It's where I set up my craft blog because, like blogspot, it has a lot of room for navigation and pics on the side of the text, and a lot of customization options. Just a thought.
-Tina
Hi there (I came to your blog from London - we spoke in email once) and I do love your blog and your amazing photos! That being said I use Typepad - it has never let me down....well it WAS down once. The thing is my husband knows some people working there - he was working with them at one time - so it was an easy choice. I would highly reccomend it and look into it = great service, options, etc!
ReplyDeleteJamie
*whew* I'm all caught up now! Ok...I used to use blogger and I found I didn't like it much. A dear friend of mine offered to do all my html if I would just sign up for wordpress. Since it goes with my webhosting (I use yahoo for my store site) that makes my blog not look like its hosted by anyone (http://flutterbygifts.com/blog/) I like that alot and tech support is really nice so far. Oh and its free too. Plus you can add ads if you'd like, very flexible.
ReplyDeleteI use Wordpress and I enjoy it. My husband is my techie guy and I've only needed his help a few times. I find it very easy to use and I've had no down time so far. Good luck making the switch! Oh, and a word of advice...make sure you own your domain name and setup your blog so it points directly to your domain (I think my husband has it hosted on Fluid Hosting)-- for example, my blog web address is simply www.tiffanyevitt.com -- there is no mention of wordpress or typepad in the web address. That way I won't loose any links or subscribers if I decide to change blog tools to another company. My blog is very new so that's not much of a problem for me now - but it can be quite handy later if/when my blog grows. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI use Wordpress installed on my own domain. It's free and gives you a lot of control. The programme automatically sends out an e-mail each time a comment is left and I have had no problems with uploading images. I think it is worth the effort of setting up. If your host uses Fantastico it is very simple to install.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Blogger too, and I've been at it for 5 years... and I too feel like I am not getting all the bells and whistles... something is missing. So I am going to peek-in and take notes from all the comments and advice you are collecting. And thank you!
ReplyDeleteI made the move from blogger to typepad last year and never looked back.
ReplyDeleteI've only had a blog since May but when I go through my site I can't believe I've posted so much already. I chose Typepad after recommendations from fellow users -and I liked their flexibility. I don't think any of them are perfect, but the ease of Typepad has probably led to me being active on my site. Godd Luck!
ReplyDeleteOops, meant Good Luck!
ReplyDeleteI am a typepad user and I love it. I had problems one time, but they were quick to take care of it and I really like having the comments sent to me via email. That said, I never tried anything else...I made my choice fully based on the fact that the blogs that I was reading at the time were mostly typepad.
ReplyDeleteI also have my domain point directly to my blog. I am glad I did this as it is much easier to say houseonhillroad.com than adding the .typepad part too.
I too switched from blogger to Typepad and never looked back. It is flexible, easy to use and presents a professional look. Photo insertions are easy, layout options, etc...love it.
ReplyDeleteI use Wordpress and I love it. It took a bit of time to get things running, but it's super easy once you do and I've never had any problems with it. I also love how you can design different templates and switch back and forth to them with the click of a button.
ReplyDeleteI've been lovig typepad. when i first signed up for the 30 day trial, i thought that there was no way it could be so fabulous as to justify he expense of subscribing for a year, but i was wrong and happily siged on!
ReplyDeleteWORDPRESS!!!! I am completely computer illiterate which is ironic because my husband is a web designer. He uses WP for all of his websites because it is so easy to manipulate, the spam filters are incredible and when he teaches his clients how to use it they have a very easy time. Even I have mastered it and cut my computer umbilical cord to my husband. You have a lot of freedom with layouts and designs where typepad looks the same on everyone's website. I know it is a crafters favorite, but I think you should stand out Anna, be bold, embrace the WordPress.
ReplyDeletePlease consider Blogher.. I don't personally have a blog (yet) but I read kerflop.com all the time and she uses it, has tried numerous others, and loves this one!
ReplyDeleteYou need to be there, really.
As a user and a reader.. TYPEPAD - 100%, hands down is my favorite. I have been very happy with them.
ReplyDeletexo,
Kim
When I started blogging I used Typepad, because my favorite bloggers used Typepad and I figured that made it good. I've never been disappointed with it. The couple of times it was down was only because of scheduled maintenance. To be notified of comments, though, you need to check a box somewhere - so don't forget about that!
ReplyDeleteAll I know is that anytime I check on a Typepad blog it takes FOREVER to open!! But when I check on a Blogger blog they instantly open. Very frustrating to wait and wait for Typepad.
ReplyDeleteSo of course I hope you stay with Blogger!
Anna, I've been using Serendipity (http://s9y.org/) for the past two years and I LOVE it. It's free and open source. So you will need to buy your own domain to host it on. It's super easy to set up, too.
ReplyDeleteI tried Wordpress, but it did not allow as much artistic freedom (the esthetics were important) as Typepad (Maybe I just never got good enough at it...). I am really loving Typepad now.
ReplyDeleteI use Wordpress installed on my own server (so it is www.mydomain.com vs www.wordpress.com/mydomain) and use either flickr for pictures or upload them to my web space. I love having WP installed that way and it is SO easy to install plus there are great themes out there.
ReplyDeleteI find a lot of crafty people Typepad, but I find that buying a domain name and hosting space is much cheaper a year then paying for typepad.
I also left blogger for a combo of things. Posting problems being one of them. Then ... when I couldn't even see my own banner & almost everyone else could I switched to Typepad. Love it!!
ReplyDeleteI used to be at blogger and I switched to typepad. I am much happier with it.
ReplyDeleteI have only used blogger for about 4 months and I don't post enough to really give an opinion yet. What I do know is that when I try to load typepad it is very slow for me. I will stick with blogger for now! Love your blog and a big fan of your fabrics. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI've had my family blog on Blogger for years but set up my crafty blog at Wordpress. I like the way Wordpress lets me manage things. And I like how it compiles stats and data about my blog and its visitors. I checked into Typepad but opted against it because I already pay for web hosting and didn't want to pay for another monthly service.
ReplyDeleteAnna Maria...I love your blog and I just gave you a "Nice Matters" award over on my blog!
ReplyDeletefor the techno challenged like me -TYPEPAD!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading all these comments, I have to ask a stupid question. I'm with blogger and feel about the same as Anna does...if you move your blog over can you move the entire blog or do you have to start all over? Do you loose the history, favorites etc? I know this sounds dumb, but I'm not great on the computer. Hey maybe we should let blogger read these comments! Yes, I have the same issues as you do Anna!
ReplyDeleteWORDPRESS! - love it! I use the free, non-expanded version. Easy to use, and the customer service is the best. I have asked quite a few questions, this being my first blog, and I have always gotten a personal e-mail respone within an hour or two. It only took 6 hrs once for a response, but that was asked on a Sunday.
ReplyDeleteThey send e-mails reguarding all blog posts, but only you want this. And their home page has a list of all of the current posts and updates Wordpress is offering. I like that these are not e-mails, but just there when I am ready to read and learn.
I failed miserably at Blogger before I started up on Typepad. I love it! It is very easy to write, add pictures and throw stuff up on the side bar. I can do it all by myself- which really makes the Mr happy! He works with computers all day and just doesn't want to have to deal with my crazy questions all night! Typepad has great helpful tutorials that pretty much answer all my questions. I get an email for every comment too- It should be fun! Not a hassle! I can't even comment on some Blogger Blogs- I don't have the right password, apparently! teehee! now, that's cRaZy! Hope that helps! I enjoy your blog very much and love getting a glimpse into your life and art process. It makes it so wonderful to be able to relate to the designers of the fabric that we cherish like this. (Kaffe should start a Blog ;)
ReplyDeleteSame here AM. The hubby is working on a new one for me...on Wordpress. I hear wordpress and typepad (either or..) are the way to go. Good Luck!
ReplyDeleteI've never had any problems with blogger, but working the text around the photos took some getting used to. I was very envious of other people's blogs that were on typepad, but I didn't want to go through the headache of moving house. So instead I learned how to fiddle with the HTML in the pre-made templates and now I'm pretty happy.
ReplyDeleteJust a note, I've noticed that file size/resolution has a lot to do with photo upload time. I always stick mine in my editing program and shrink them down to about 1000 pixels wide and they upload super fast, and still look nice, yes?
^_^ Chase.
Hi Anna,
ReplyDeleteI have been reading your blog quite a bit and I have tagged you to do the 7 P`s! It would mean so much to me that you participate!
Thanks!
Elaine
Hi You,
ReplyDeleteJust a non-techie comment here. If you do change where your blog is hosted, just be sure you understand exactly what that means to your URL (ie: if it will change or not). If it does change, be prepared for a lot of broken links if others have linked to you, which I'm sure they have. Bets of luck!
Betz
Just another 2cents for you - I've got to cast my vote for self-hosted blog using wordpress software. Friendly to non-techies, but great fun to tweak and personalize as you get more comfortable with it.
ReplyDeleteBetz is right, though - you've got to brace yourself for some broken links and lost visitors. But it really doesn't take long to pick back up in the new location.
If you decide to move, just let us know where to find you!
I went from blogger to wordpress and loved it! I pay for hosting and there fore have lots of the bells and whistles that WP offers.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite features that blogger lacked is the ability to reply directly to my commenters through email. Blogger would email me comments but they were from blogger and I couldn't reply to them.
There are so many excellent templates out there, and they are so much easier to work with than the blogger templates. Here is a great tutorial about setting up blogs, pros and cons of all the blog hosts. (scroll down and look for Tutorials)http://kerflop.com/freebies/
I use blogger, but I have trouble with layout too. Well, I only have 12 posts. I also have no comments yet. But, I found out about squarespace (www.squarespace.com) and also found out the the purl bee (www.purlbee.com) uses this for hers and I love her site. I don't know the cost or anything, but just thought I would add this info. Thanks for your blog. It always inspires me.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna, You don't know me but I had to write and say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog. A sweet friend of mine shared it with me today because of some pillows that you made that she loves and that led me to exploring. I am also Greek but have never been to Greece. How envious I was when you wrote about being there. My grandparents have passed away and much of our history has with them for I did not know them very well, but I would love to spend some time in the country itself to see all that I came from. Anyway all that to say keep up the good work. Your creations are beautiful!! I am a stay at home mom that loves to craft and also have a husband named Jeff. Funny huh. So I will enjoy getting on here for a visit every now and then. I also have a blog under Blogger and enjoy it too.
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