A lot of bloggers are moving their blogs from the main blog providers to become self-hosted. Sometimes a self-hosted blog with its own domain can rank higher in the search engines and open up a lot of opportunities for bloggers. I have not made the move yet, I am still deciding which web hosting service can offer me the best deal. It is a decision for the individual blogger, and there are factors to consider such as:
1. Page Rank - you will initially lose your page rank, and it will build up again over time. For many it is worth it. For my PR4 blog, I am hesitant at this stage. For others it will be an easy decision to make.
2. Alexa will need to be recalculated from scratch.
3. When you move the blog to your self-hosted domain, it will be 100% yours. Nobody can delete it for violation of terms of service and you are basically the owner with no drawbacks.
4. You will need to resubmit to Technorati - your authority will begin again. If your blog is relatively new, it is a good idea to make the move early to avoid having to build up these stats again.
5. You will need to forward all your traffic to your new address. Some people will keep their old blog running and direct all traffic to a new blog that begins where the old one left off. This has been an acceptable method of moving for some bloggers.
If you are wanting to move your current blog, continue an older blog on a new hosting service, or start a new blog altogether, you can compare the cheapest web hosting rates and features at webhostinggeeks, which has been running reviews and comparisons of webhosts since 2004.

Many of the current web hosting services are relatively cheap (ie. many are offering webhosting for around $5 or under per month) and some include unlimited lifetime domain names, which is very handy if you have the perfect domain name and don't want to ever give it up or renew after 2 years. For those who do not have a lot of site building experience, many of these companies offer email and phone support to help with set up and site maintenance. The site currently features the 2008 winner for blog hosting - Bluehost - offering $4.95 per month and free setup, domain hosting and unlimited storage. For those who have next to no web programming experience, there is a drag-and-drop site builder and 24/7 support.
The webhosts are rated by a five star system:

You can submit your own ratings of your current web host and share your experiences and information to let people know which are the most reputable and which are the webhosts to avoid. By reading others' reviews you will get a more complete picture of each webhost and the services experienced from the customer's viewpoint.

technorati tags: webhosting domain name blog self-hosting

I have been trying for quite some time to make an 3 column footer so I can tuck my buttons away neatly. Every code I have tried has failed using New Blogger. I realised that there is a much easier way of creating such a display without knowing too much about html and CSS. I created this code (it's not that difficult - just a simple table!) and I have used a variation of this code in my footer.

Here are the steps:

1. Log in to New Blogger

2. Choose "Layout"

3. Insert new widget at footer (choose "html/javascript")

4. Insert this amazing code here (heheh!):

<div align="left">
</p>
<table width="520" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tr>
<td width="154">&nbsp;</td>
<td width="169">&nbsp;</td>
<td width="197">&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>

5. Replace the "&nbsp" parts with whatever text, code, html - just copy your button code and paste it in.

6. Cut and paste the whole code into your footer widget and publish.

You can edit the table widths etc, if you have an html editor such as Frontpage or Dreamweaver it will be easier for you to preview the final result.

Tech Tags: footer blogger hack 3 column display table

My post on Mandee's focussed on the teen and young adult crowd. My fellow blogger and commenter Sandy rightly pointed out that it is difficult to find clothing for the more mature woman - the distinguished woman, as I like to call it. Shopping with younger relatives, being dragged into boutiques blasting incessant dance music. You know, the ones with those flimsy western doors not large enough to cover anything that matters, being served by malnourished, skimpily clad store attendants with nasal voices...it's enough to scare anyone.

As a woman becomes more distinguished, she become wiser and more particular about what works and what doesn't when it comes to fashion. Think elegant, not frumpy.


Chiffon Wrap Blouse from Kaleidoscope

Flowing lines, elegant wraps, tunics and cardigans. Some people grumble about cardigans, some people have an unnatural fear of them (Kath from Blurb from The Burbs - you know who you are!!) - however I think a good cardy has its place in society, you just have to find the right one that flatters your figure and makes you feel comfortable.



Long Cardigan



Jacquard Cardigan

Don't let anybody tell you that you cannot dress in a way that makes you feel special. If you've got it, flaunt it, whatever your age. Sophia Loren, Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep, these women know how to look elegant and alluring at the same time. You will know intuitively if an outfit is right for you. If it is too tight, gaudy or uncomfortable or shows too much skin for your liking, then it is probably worth a miss.



Chiffon Printed Skirt

Note the use of black with the patterned skirt as the focus of the outfit. It can be a good idea to feature a single piece in this way, without allowing things to get busy or clash.



Very Wide Leg Trousers



Evening Trousers

The worst thing is to think that none of the clothes you see in the stores are for you. Start building up your wardrobe from the basics with some pants, tunics and tops and before you know it you will find your own individual style.

Remember, when shopping online, always check the country of origin and make sure you convert the currency and more importantly, sizes before buying.

technorati tags: fashion clothing shopping mature distinguished woman elegant stylish