waking up is more challenging as the days grow shorter.
discovering that Halloween costumes have arrived in stores.
waiting for season three of Homeland.
making it to Jazzercise twice a week after a back injury.
calling my granddaughter more often to check up on her.
trying to figure out whether to use ghosts or skeletons for decorations this year. restoring beauty to some of my older dolls with a bath and shampoo.
writing on my blog more frequently. wearing closed toe shoes to work even though it's still near 90 outside. planning some improvements to the front yard landscape. dreaming about attending the Integrity Toy convention in Los Angeles at the end of October. drinking red wine with dinner. re-readingCatching Fire before the movie arrives in November. finding that balance is easier some days than others.
I have 2,059 followers on Pinterest today. I don't obsess about it like I did here, so, when I reached the 2,000 benchmark sometime last week, it was a surprise. I know it doesn't matter in the overall scheme of things, but it matters to me because it reflects my connection to the rest of the world. And, I like that about Pinterest. Sharing ...
Around the time my counter crossed that 2,000 mark, I received a message via e-mail from Pinterest addressing the "testing" of what they're calling "promoted pins." In the back of my mind, I knew it was just a matter of time before PAID advertising came to Pinterest. And, that message explained how the test would go.
Then, while catching up on my e-mail this morning, I was lead to this article about Pinterest. The article came from AD AGE. Pinterest Will Test Promoted Pins -- but Won't Charge for Them (Yet)
By Cotton Delo, Published September 19, 2013
Part of Social-Bookmarking Company's Inevitable March Toward an Ad Business
So, now I have questions. How will that affect the overall appearance of Pinterest? Will the "advertisements" appear as pins? Don't a lot of advertisers already do that? Don't a lot of pinners already do that for a lot of companies?
For example, I have a pin board for Soft Surroundings. It's a catalog of fashions for women and the home and seems targeted to middle aged folks and I receive e-mails from them as well as printed catalogs via USPS at home. By pinning the items I like to my pin board, aren't I already "advertising" for them? If someone "repins" from my board, then goes on to purchase that item, shouldn't I get a percentage of that sale for promoting the item that lead to the sale?
C'mon now! Aren't those "pins" advertisements?
You bet they are!
I have pinned things to my personal style board and actually purchased an item after pinning it. And, I've done this more than once! My most recent "Pinterest Purchase" was this sweater from Garnet Hill. I love polka dots, so as soon as I saw it, I pinned it. Then, it just wouldn't do but I had to have it. Click. Click. Click. And, that adorable garment is at home, waiting for cooler weather so I can wear it!
A valid pin leads to the web site where the item is/was available, and it's merely a click or two or three and it's on its way to your address! Aren't advertisers already benefitting from Pinterest this way?
You bet they are!
It will be interesting to see how this goes. It is, after all, "social networking." We gravitate to those pins, pinners and pinboards of others who SHARE our style, interests and ideas. Marketers are itching to figure out how to make money from that. Me? I'm happy to have so many followers!
Holy shit! Tomorrow is the first day of autumn, also known as "fall." (And, who changed the name of autumn to fall anyway?)
I have been way too busy to blog this summer. (Nice alliteration, don't you think?) There just haven't been enough hours in the days. And, as always, being busy is a good thing. Isn't it?
Well, let's see... what did I do this summer.
Lots and lots of yard work. It's been an extraordinarily wet summer here in sunny south Florida and I am not exaggerating when I say you can watch the grass grow. As for the weeds ... well ... that's a full-time job all by itself!
My darling husband and I visited Whitehall, the winter home of Henry Morrison Flagler, way up there in Palm Beach over the Fourth of July weekend. I wrote about it here, and there's lots of pictures to see if you like photos. Here's one of my favorites ...
The little art gallery our neighborhood association started is coming along. We had painting classes this summer. The "Island City Painters" became a regular Saturday fixture in the gallery. And, we got the 2013-2014 season planned. These folks are so talented! I love their work and I love their spirit! Creatives are the best people! (Here's an acrylic painting by the lovely Nia Nakis who taught our painting classes in July and August ...)
What else? Dolls! Dolls! Dolls! I never tire of my doll room. I've been infatuated with Integrity Toys' Poppy Parker doll and between her and Barbie, they lure me into the doll room and distract me from the important things in life, like vacuuming and laundry. Such is life, right? Who is Poppy Parker? Here's a picture by poppybelle from Flickr. Clearly she has more time than me. I must make more time for doll photo shoots!
AND! I made a baby afghan for one of the young guys at my job this summer, so I've been crafty! His wife gave birth to a little boy in August and he just glows whenever you ask him about his son. I love that!
So, there your are! Consider this my "catch up" blog entry! I promise I'll try to do better! ("Try" being the operative word here!) Happy Autumn!
