Friday, May 14, 2021

Blog Refresh, Email Subscription Update

I am one who thrives on organization. When Blogger announced it was eliminating Feedburner as its email subscription service in July, I knew I needed to do something before the rush. 
I am a stubborn control-freak, with a bit of obsessive compulsive behavior as seasoning to my personality. I have lots of blogging friends who do this blogging thing for hobby income, full-time income and, to a lesser extent, friends who do it for fun or as a personal journal (like me). I've always plodded along doing my own thing since 2013, learning along the way. I found my way through templates, adding photos, noreply-comment, headers, subheadings, gadgets on the sidebar, privacy policy with GDPR (general data protection regulation), etc. 
I have a wonderful blogging friend in Linda Primmer of the blog, Life and Linda. She is also one of my Traveling Tote tribe. Besides blogging, gardening, and tablescaping, another of her many talents is her tech savvy ability, particularly with blogging design and mechanics. She is also known as My Fairy Blogmother. She offered to spruce up my blog a few years back and I declined, resisting throwing any money into my blog. Until now. 
When this email subscription change within Blogger came up, I knew it would be a pain in the you-know-what to learn and convert to another email service. For those unaware, Feedburner is going into maintenance mode July 2021, which basically means they're ghosting us. Linda wrote a post to help bloggers who prefer self-service like me. I started on it, exporting my email list and even scrubbed it of invalid emails (there were a lot of those!). Linda's post helped immensely, but I had to ask myself the cost/benefit of beating my head against the wall to learn and overcome this newest challenge. I threw in the towel, rolled my change, and asked Linda for help.
So, without further ado, what you now see as my header today is my new blog refresh. It incorporates my inner Flapper girl living in an Art Deco world [building], keeping course with my view of select topics, attempting to live up to the dictionary definition of Panoply - "a wide-ranging and impressive array".
The main change, though, is the email subscription and corresponding gadget on the sidebar. If you were already signed up to receive my new post notifications through Feedburner, nothing else needs to be done - your email signup was imported into Mailchimp. If you are not receiving my post updates through email subscription and would like to (and I would love for you to), you can go that sidebar photo where you see the blanks like the one pictured below. 

See the sidebar gadget on the right that looks like the photo below. Complete the two lines and then hit SUBSCRIBE. 
Next, an image like the one below should appear with your information you typed in. Hit SUBSCRIBE again and you will be signed up for any new posts!
As before, I would never sell your information gathered. Mailchimp gathers your information, and you can read about my privacy policy here which also includes a link to Mailchimp's privacy policy. My privacy policy is also an item on my menu bar just below my header for visibility at all times when visiting my blog.  

I would highly recommend you reaching out to Linda if you want help with your blog. Linda, thank you for taking the bulk of my headache away. It was just a tension headache that lasted the few hours while consulting with you (well, okay, into that night as my mind was racing, too), instead of two or three days that I know it would have been otherwise.😉


25 comments:

  1. A wise investment! Your blog looks amazing, and Linda is my fairy blog Mother as well. Thank God for Linda. 😃

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  2. Rita, I love, love your new header!! It is perfect for you. Have a wonderful Friday!

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  3. Rita, your new header looks fabulous and I agree Linda is a wonderful support. She has also transitioned my blog from Feedburner to Mail Chimp. I could not have done it myself. I recommend her also.

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  4. Isn't the new header a view from your balcony? Love it!

    Since I've been depressed for the last month or so, I haven't even begun the task of getting rid of feedburner and adding mailchimp. But, I will eventually.

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  5. Your blog looks so beautiful. Linda did mine too and love it. I will have to work on Mailchimp too. God I hate when they change things. This old dog does not learn new tricks easily!!! Have a great Friday. xoxo

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  6. Rita, I love the new header! Thanks for reminding me about Linda, dealing with the Feedburner issue is a chore I am dreading. I'll check out her post!

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  7. Very fabulous Rita, love the flapper gal!!

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  8. Rita, the new header is great! Love the flapper girl addition! Linda is my Fairy Godmother too, and I need to address the email issue. Thanks for reminding me.

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  9. Rita.... I LOVE your heading. It looks fab and that flapper girl gives it a wisp of whimsy. You know what else I love? LINDA PRIMMER! Linda has refreshed my blog a few times and she has always surpassed my expectations. Whenever I get myself into a mess on my blog or can't figure out something, I ask Linda and she waves her wand and fixes it. I look forward to many more wonderful posts of yours, dear Rita.

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  10. Rita, I love your new header! I laughed when I saw the rolled coins. That's my mad money too. It was an excellent investment. Glad Linda was able to reduce the headache. Enjoy your weekend. Clara

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  11. Love the new design Rita, it is awesome! Linda did an amazing job, she always does. She refreshed my blog about a year ago and converted from Feedburner to Mailchimp. I'm happy to say Linda is definitely my Fairy Blogmother!

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  12. Rita,
    Your blog looks amazing! I just sent an email for more information from your Fairy Blogmother. Truth be told, I am clueless so I am hoping she can work her magic on my blog as she did for yours. THANK YOU!
    Kathleen

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  13. Love your new look - isnt Linda the best?

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  14. Wow I love the new header. Linda is a great help for blogger. I have heard that from many.

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  15. Love your new look! Good choices and very refreshing! Changing would be way over my head also. Love your blogging!

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  16. It looks fabulous, Rita. In every single way. I took your advice and contacted Linda this morning for the mail chimp switchover. Yes, I could probably figure it out. No, I don't want to! The whole look is really great -- love the new banner and your deco girl! Very fun, every bit of it.

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  17. Love your new header, Rita, 'tis fabulous! Now for a photo of you in one of your beaded flapper dresses sitting among all your Art Deco pretties. I have signed up. Life would not be the same if I couldn't visit your lovely place.

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  18. I'm coming back when I have more time....I might need Linda to help me, too. I love the look of your blog, BTW! I might email you with questions later...

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  19. The new look is so perfect for you, Rita! I’m going to reach out to our good friend, Linda, and ask for help.

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  20. omg! Thank you so much. Ive already reached out to Linda and am sooooo relieved to see an end in sight. I've been so worried about this.

    Thanks!!!!
    Joni

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  21. Rita, I don't use feedburner, right now were still doing new subscribers ourselves. But I've heard from more than a few that things are changing! How nice that you know Linda and were comfortable with her tech talents. She really is amazing!
    The new header is smashing, and perfect for your blog :)
    So glad you shared what's happening at the FWF link party.
    RR

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  22. Congrats on your blog refresh, Rita! I'm working on mine, too... but time is my enemy these days, with so much on my plate! Here's hoping I can get it done by this next month! Thanks for sharing at TTA!

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  23. Rita,
    Lovely, lovely refresh! Linda is such a dear blogger, friend and talented Mailchimp/tech savvy gal.

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