Wednesday 9 February 2011

Me-Made-March '11: Blog Widget/Button

Thanks everyone for such an awesome response to the latest handmade challenge! So exciting to see so many new names, but also incredibly lovely to see lots of 'me-made' or 'self-stitched' 'veterans' stepping up to the challenge once again. Something that is particularly cool is that some of the veterans have upped the ante this time round, for example, pledging to try to wear two handmade garments each day rather than the one a day that they previously achieved. If you're a 'veteran' back for more self-stitched challengery, I would love to hear why you chose to sign up again. Please leave a comment if you have a spare sec.

Anyways, on to the goods. If you cast your eyes to the right of my blog to where it says 'Current Projects', you will see a spanking new 'Me-Made-March '11' button/widget which, when clicked on, handily links back to my initial 'Me-Made-March '11: Join Me' post. If you choose to be a participant, and have a blog, the benefits of one of these beauts are numerous! Here are but a few:

  • They act as a statement of intent
  • If, like me, you go through your own blog to check out what's new on the blogs and sites you like to follow, seeing that lil' MMMar'11 (the official abrieviation, BTW!) can act as a reminder to yourself that maybe you could be sewing something pretty for yourself rather than spending all your free time online (this is a reminder I have to give myself frequently)
  • Your readers can click on it to see the full explanation of what you are up to, so you don't have to explain it yourself quite as frequently
  • I spent ages trying to find the exact font that 'spoke' MMMar'11 to me, therefore it's probably charged with good juju so may well act as a lucky talisman for the duration of the challenge
  • When surfing the blogosphere, you can easily spot someone else who is participating in the challenge
  • Curious folk who see your smokin' widget/button/badge might end up as participants themselves! (You will have had a hand in making a new convert, perhaps a little like being a jedi master training a young 'un)

There are probably a squillion more reasons why you should hook yourself up with this badge/button widget which currently escape me....

So, if you would like one, follow these steps:

1# Copy the following HTML code:

<a
href="http://sozowhatdoyouknow.blogspot.com/2011/02/me-made-march-11-join-me.html" target="_blank"> <img border="0" alt="Photobucket" src="http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/ab120/zozowahine/memademarchbanner.jpg" width="200" height="25" /> </a>

2# (This is for blogger, not sure about other blog hosts). Click on 'Customise' on your own blog;

3# click on 'Layout';

4# click on 'Add Gadget';

5# choose HTML/Javascript;

6# paste the code in;

7# click on 'save changes'; ta da!!!!

Let me know if there's any problems! I'm not formerly trained in the art of sharing good juju, my amateur status sometimes shows me up, particularly when good juju involves HTML!

19 comments:

Tilly said...

I'm tempted to take part but March is going to be a strange and busy month for me and I don't want to have any more challenges on my hands! Are you planning to do Me Made May again? I might build up a wardrobe for then. In any case, I love following these challenges - really inspiring.

Salvia said...

I changed my challenge to two items. I fear this will be a hard task, but I do my best. A good oppurtunity to sew some new tops.

Carolyn said...

Thanks for organising this!
I'm signing up for a second time mostly because the last time was fun!! And also partly to see what everyone else has been up to again, and partly because last time I was wearing all my wintry stuff and I have some different summer stuff to share...

Scruffybadger said...

I have upped my game this time to 2 as opposed to 1 handmade & I know it'll cause me some challenges (I still have no me made jackets, woolies & trousers- not a good omen for March!)
I looked back & what SSS helped me discover was being more creative with less choice. I'm pretty lazy really so it's good to get spurred into putting more effort into piecing together the whole outfit, as opposed to chucking some clothes that kind of always go together. Since SSS I have actually worn something I've made most days & that gives me a kind of internal glow...

Scruffybadger said...

Oh, & I should say it was huge fun & I loved seeing others' self stitcheds. It introduced me to so many inspiring & entertaining stitchers who I now think of as blog friends :-)

Cecili said...

I couldn't take part in the SSSeptember due to various professional and personal reasons so I was looking forward to the next MMMay because my living conditions have dramatically improved and I have been able to build myself a real handmade wardrobe :) I've signed for 1 item because I don't want to bite more than I can chew but I have good hopes there will be many complete outfits!

Sølvi said...

I´m so thankful for you organizing these challenges!

I agree with Carolyn, that I´m signing up mostly because it´s so much fun. I also find that the community feeling of these challenges is very inspiring and love that everyone can participate on their own terms.

For more selfish reasons, this helps me focus on making wearable clothing. And I do the same as Scruffybadger, I wear me-made almost stuff everyday - and I feel a bit odd when I´m not! :-)

Minnado said...

I have signed up for two items this time to try and challenge myself a bit more. I also have more me-made clothes now than I did last year! I found taking part in MMMay and Self stitched September good fun, I love seeing what everyone else comes up with and like Scruffybadger I met new friends which was an unexpected bonus. It is also a good challeneg to make me use my existing Me made clothes more instead of just slipping into a jeans-wearing rut! It also challenges my not-so great photo skills. Thank you Zoe for organising this again.

Anonymous said...

I've worked out how to add the widget for Wordpress (just in case anyone is looking through the comments for tips)

In the dashboard, go Appearance > Widgets > drag Text into your Sidebar and cut and paste the HTML code (leave the title field blank)

Anonymous said...

like carolyn and solvi i find the challenges fun, plus i love the sense of community - i have no real life sewing peeps, even though i know there must be others because there are plenty of evening classes in dublin, thats how i learnt! and rambling back onto the point... i haven't changed my ante since SSS because i'll be getting ready for exams but can not wait for MMMAy when i shall hopefully have a self stitched wardrobe that i feel better reflects me :)

Anonymous said...

oh plus the new things i make will be per Stash Busting so i guess thats an upping of ante!!

niddetissus said...

Your advice was wonderful! Good juju! It helped me understand how to deal with adding HTML code and widgets and buttons and whatnot - which was rather a mystery before! Thank you!

Irene Bullock said...

I just wrote a post about MMM, maybe I can convince other Spanish speaking sewers to join us.
I started SSS with lots of enthusiasm, but due to personal issues I had to quit midway. Also, lets face it, I didn't have enough clothes at the time. Now I'm a tad better at planning and sewing, so I hope this time I'm better prepared.

jessica said...

Zoe, I wrote you a whole blog post about MMM'11 and why I'm back for another round! Haha, you know how wordy I get. Anyways, there was no way I was going to fit that all into this comment section, and I figured, oh hey, a blog can absorb pretty much anything, right?

Thanks for putting this together again!

Sigrid said...

I'm in. Doesn't every challenge need a slacker? I'm fine tuning the wording of my pledge--and I'm not going to get all hung up about not posting every outfit.
I love the community spirit of this event, and seriously need to get out of my wardrobe/sewing rut.

Ashlee said...

Blast! I just stumbled upon this while googling "Me Made May", and would love to participate, but I don't think 10 days leaves me with enough time to finish enough pieces. Are you going to run a Me Made May, again this year? Pretty please?? :)

Anonymous said...

Thank for this awesome challenge! I found your blog on another post & I felt I did not have enough clothes to take part in the Self Stitched September & I think I might just get by on this one! I am just finishing my first Vintage Sew Along & I love to see what other bloggers are creating in fashion! It is so inspiring!!

Ingrid said...

What a wonderful idea. I wish I had discovered this challenge earlier. But am now a follower so I hopefully will know if you start another.I am trying to more consistently wear items made by Moi or at least handmade.

Exim Data said...

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