Tag: Blog

Introducing: Maggie’s Blog Design Workshop + FREE Monthly Blog Coaching!

Introducing: Maggie’s Blog Design Workshop + FREE Monthly Blog Coaching!

Hi there! Welcome to Maggie’s Workshop! ❤ In this post, I share why I’m celebrating, as well as how YOU can join in on the fun!

Thank You For 2K!

When I first created this blog last winter, I NEVER would have guessed that I would get this far in just over one year! There are few things that have delightfully surprised me more, and I can’t say ‘thank you’ enough!

If I had to choose three main things that got me here, I would pick community, dedication, and experimentation. Nothing could be accomplished anywhere online without the support of others – and my blog is no different! Every comment I’ve ever received has kept me moving forward. ❤ Dedication has also had a lot to do with the growth of my blog, as I’ve kept up with it weekly since January of 2017 (save the two times I took a break!). Lastly, figuring out what you like to write and seeing what others love to read is the balancing act of blog experimentation! Keeping your site a mixture of these two things takes time, work, and passionate writing.

While thinking of a way to rightfully express my gratitude and celebrate this exciting blog milestone, I came up with something! By taking two of my favorite things about blogging – which is blog customization and teaching other bloggers – I have come up with a workshop for my blog!

This is why today, I am happy to introduce to you …

My Blog Design Workshop
+ FREE Blog Coaching!

First of all, you may be wondering, why am I interested in blog design? It’s because I have been designing my own blogs for years, and I used to make Disney edits on Instagram a few years ago! Both of these hobbies have attributed to my love for photography, digital design, and all things blog customization.

Next, you’ll probably ask: what designs do I offer? I’m completely open to whatever you’d like to decorate your blog! If you’d like a blog button with a cool design or a professional header, or you want a pretty signature to end your posts with – I’d be happy to work with you via email if you sign up through one of the easy forms below! (Feel free to ask any questions you have in the comments – I’m here to help!)

You’d probably like to know this, as well: which apps/websites do I get my photos from? The base of most of my designs is beautiful, free stock photos from various websites, such as Pixabay, Pexels, and Unsplash. To customize these pictures, I use the app ‘Rookie Cam’ on my iPhone 5s, as well as ‘Superimpose’! These are the five sources that allow me to use my creative energy for something useful. 🙂

Just in case you’re wondering: how long will they take to make? That depends on how many other people would like blog designs! I will keep up with a queue to make sure that everyone gets their designs in the order that they’ve signed up. ❤ I will be working on the designs as I am able!

The final thing you probably want to know is this: how much does it cost? Because this is a true hobby and favorite pastime of mine (and also because I’m not considering making this a small business – yet!), all you have to do to qualify is REBLOG THIS POST so that others will know about my blog designs! I am completely open to helping anyone achieve the blog design they envision. Even through the thick of all the crazy customization settings on WordPress, it is possible!

NOTE: To be added to the queue, simply
1) Email me your completed form,
2) Comment on this post that you’ve emailed me, and
3) Reblog this post on your blog to share with others!

Blog Art Form
(copy + paste and fill it out
on my Contact page!):

Name/Nickname:
Blog Link:
Email Address: 
Blog Art Requests (choose 1-3 you’re interested in!):
Favorite Colors (1-3):
Font Preference (cursive, classic, bubbly, etc.):
Design Interests (floral, watercolor, retro, etc.):
Vision (how you see these designs turning out!):
Anything Else (include any pic/s you want me to customize): 

Queue:

(Will be updated!)

FREE Monthly Blog Coaching on
Dreaming of Guatemala!

Many of you have probably seen my ‘About The Blog’ page, which is where I shared information on why I began blogging and how that journey has gone for me so far! Even though Dreaming of Guatemala is only just over a year old, I have been blogging for nearly seven years now. I definitely know my way around the dashboard, and more recently, I’ve been learning so much about how it works to blog when you’re part of a community.

Having the chance to share my experiences and tips with you guys would make me so happy! This is why near the end of each month, I’ll be sharing a post asking you to submit any questions you may have about blogging, and I will do my best to answer them! Once everyone has shared their questions, I’ll be writing a post on the first of the following month (the first edition will be on May 1st) to hopefully teach and inspire you with my blogging tips!

Thank you so very much for reading! I can’t tell you what a pleasure it is to know that two thousand people hit the follow button on my blog. The sharing of today’s post is the biggest thanks in return that I can give you!

Happy blogging!

— Maggie

Bloggers Going Self-Hosted | Oxria’s Story

Bloggers Going Self-Hosted | Oxria’s Story

Hi there! I hope you’re doing well. Happy Saturday to you! ❤ For this post, I have decided to feature a lovely blogger I know in a new type of spotlight! My good friend, Oxria, recently went self-hosted (you can find her new site here!), and I can’t tell you how happy I am for her! She has been wanting to do this for a while, and I must say that her new domain is absolutely wonderful. ❤ I know that it would make her so happy if you could check out and subscribe to her new blog! I promise you, it will be worth it to see her posts show up in your Reader! She shares her beautiful art, gorgeous photography, and she’s a budding vlogger, too – there’s no way I could dislike any of what she shares.

The topic of this post is on Oxria’s going self-hosted experience! She was very sweet and answered some of the questions I had about how it worked for her to switch domains, and I’m really excited to share those informative answers with you today. Make sure to let us know in the comments below if her story has encouraged or inspired you, and I’m sure she’d love to answer any questions you have! Let’s get right into this!

Bloggers Going Self-Hosted –
Featuring Oxria

1. Why did you decide to go self-hosted?

The reason why I decided to go self-hosted is because I wanted to have full control of my blog and the thought of my blog just being oxria.com sounded so cool to me! 🙂

2. Which host are you using?

I’m using BlueHost. I read a lot about different hosts before switching my blog to self-hosted and BlueHost seemed like the best option to me (I liked the plans they offer).

3. Was it easy to make the switch? Why or why not?

Hmm, I wouldn’t say it was too hard. A not-so-easy part, for me, was saving enough money. Unfortunately, going self-hosted isn’t free (I’m sure everyone already knows that). But yeah, switching was pretty easy. The hardest thing about it though, is getting used to having full control of my website. Being in charge of everything can get overwhelming. I’m sure I’ll slowly get used to it, though. 😀

4. Which aspects of having your own website
are you most excited about?

As I said, one of the aspects I’m very excited about is having my own domain (oxria.com instead of oxria.wordpress.com)! Another thing that I love about it is the customization. I can now change anything and make it look the way I want. The new blog theme I’ve chosen also makes me very excited (I’ve been wanting to buy that theme for a year! It’s one of my favourite themes out there!).

5. Is there anything you’re still figuring out?

Oh yeah, pretty much everything, haha. I lost access to my website the other day, because I changed the URL and apparently you’re not supposed to do that (there’s a lot of things I have to learn), and I thought, “This is it. I’ve lost my blog.” Thanks to a tutorial on YouTube, I managed to get it back, but oh boy – wasn’t that a stressful experience! I’m still trying to figure out how everything works, how to change the font (I know it’s basic stuff, but I’m a newbie), how to make the photos quality better and a lot of other things.

6. What are some posts coming up
that you’re excited about writing and sharing?

I want to share more of my personality on oxria.com. I don’t have any particular posts in mind just yet, but I’m very excited to continue sharing experiences from my daily life, as well as drawings I make. 😀

7. Would you recommend that other bloggers
go self-hosted, too?

I think it really depends on what you want. If you want to have your own domain and full control of your blog, go self-hosted! If not, sticking to a free blogging platform is completely fine!

“I definitely think everyone should read about the differences between a free blog and a self-hosted blog before deciding whether or not to make the switch.”

I’d like to thank Oxria for collaborating with me on this post, and a huge thanks to you for reading it! I love seeing what bloggers who go self-hosted accomplish on their new websites, because customization and having your own “brand,” so to say, is really exciting.

If you are a blogger who has also gone self-hosted,
email me at dreamingofguatemala@yahoo.com
for a chance to be spotlighted on one of these posts!

Let us know in the comments below:

What are YOUR questions
about going self-hosted?

Happy Easter weekend to you!

— Maggie

The Importance Of Community On Your Blog

The Importance Of Community On Your Blog

Hi guys! I hope you’re having a fantastic weekend. ❤ For this post, I wanted to share some more blogging tips with you! I love writing these posts, because I have so much to share. 🙂 For those who don’t know, I’ve been using WordPress since I was 10 years old haha, so I am quite familiar with how things work around here.

One thing I’ve learned a lot about this past year is how one grows their blog, and my personal favorite way to do this is by building a community. ❤ I hope that these tips may speak to you, and possibly encourage you to reach out to others across the website, too! Without further ado, let’s check out these tips.

The Importance Of Community
On Your Blog

You know your readers are real. There are some bloggers who flourish by simply writing for themselves, which I think is amazing! I’ve been there before myself, and it is extremely therapeutic and relaxing – even fun at times. However, when you are writing for an audience, it’s hard to address the crowd when your only readers are coming from Pinterest, Facebook, or some other online source. (Don’t get me wrong, socializing across platforms is a surefire way to spread the word about your site! But by itself, it won’t get you far.) By having conversations with your commenters, visiting their sites and supporting them back, and by browsing the Reader, as well, you’ll come across some extremely genuine bloggers.

It allows you to connect with your audience. You can interact with others who share similar interests, and you’ll be able to have more conversations in the comments! Knowing what your readers are like, even which types of posts by you they prefer, is one of my favorite ways to build the community.

Related Post: 12 Fun and Easy Ways to Grow Your Blog’s Audience

More bloggers will be able to find out about you! If you’re just a blogger whom others occasionally find in the Reader because you tag your posts, then it will take you a while to build an audience. However, when you comment on others’ blogs, then their readers will see the conversations you’re having with them! I’ve always enjoyed blog-hopping in this way, because if a blogger whose posts I enjoy also talks to this other blogger, chances are I’ll like their site, as well!

It’s a beautiful way to have a support system. There have been a few times over the past year when I truly appreciated having real readers, because when you’re going through something hard, it is good to have people to talk to. Sharing prayer requests and simply having a place to go when I’m sad or stressed helps me feel better. Plus, by sharing what you’re going through and how you’ve overcome those difficulties, it inspires others who are in a similar place!

You’ll know you’re entertaining and inspiring real people, making a difference in the lives of others. This is the number one reason I love the fact that I connect with my readers and reach out to new ones!

Blogging by itself is a beautiful way to get creative and have fun through writing, but it is also about potentially brightening someone else’s life, or even day.

Don’t underestimate the power of a kind and genuine post! It may make all the difference in the life of another 🙂

Thank you sooo much for reading! I hope that I could inspire you today, and I’m praying that you have a beautiful Saturday. ❤

Let me know in the comments below:

Why do YOU love the blog community?

— Maggie