Life, Musing & Anecdotes

Happiness & Fun Facts on Blogging – #PatronusBuddies Week 2

by tinabasu
written by tinabasu

fun-facts-on-blogging

I have been a blogger for some time now. I started blogging when I was doing my post grads. But I wasn’t quite serious about it. I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do in my blog. Then again restarted my blog in 2011 where I wanted to share what I write – fiction, books – it was more or less substituting my journaling or diary writing. Today in 2016, I am pretty clear what I want from my blog. Currently both my blogs Tina Basu and Twinkling Tina Cooks are my identities and I am almost obsessed with my blogs now.

So today I thought I’ll share some fun facts about Blogging. See if you knew anything like that!

Fun Facts About Blogging

  1. In April 1999, Peter Merholz rearranged the letters in web log and came up with term we blog. This is how the term blog was coined.
  2. About 59 million new posts are published every month on WordPress.com blogs. Total number of comments in one month is about 49 million – that’s a staggering stat.
  3. The highest earning blog is Huffington Post. They earn over $28 million – And I wish to write for them sometime
  4. About 27% bloggers are full time bloggers – I am one of them!
  5. Making money (good amount of money) takes time. About 20% professional bloggers are in the business for at least 6 years. Now since I have started entering the league I can tell you – blogging isn’t – star-a-blog-get-rich-fast kind of thing. It takes time to build your ground.
  6. There are more women bloggers compared to men

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Happiness in Blogging

I am just happy currently that I am blogging. I don’t think my blogs as an online diary now. It is much more than that. Knowledge sharing is extremely important in growing yourself. I learn every day and I learn from my fellow bloggers. Blogging has made me realize I have so many different interests and I am in the process of revisiting most of them. I have taken up pencils again and am sketching and doodling often.

As an extension of this knowledge sharing and community love I have started the following sections on my blog. So it’s all about spreading knowledge and happiness around.

#ThankfulThursdays – Weekly Link Up on gratitude prompts. Join me and Amrita in spreading some gratitude

#FridayFotoFiction – Weekly Link up on fiction prompt. If you are wondering if you can write fiction or not, don’t think any more, write a 100 word fiction on the photo prompt and link with me and Mayuri.

#SaturdayTutorials – I am going to share my know-hows on blogging, designing, writing and everything I do. Follow the instructions and step by step tutorials and make your blog beautiful!

Do you enjoy blogging? Tell me why did you start blogging and what gives you happiness?

Linking this post to #HappySundays by Menaka & Mayuri. Also Linking this post to #MondayMusing at Everyday Gyan. Joining Mel Ford’s Microblog Mondays and Mac Glanville’s  linky #mg

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#PatronusBuddies calling everyone out to add your post links here.

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Blogging Tips & TutorialsSaturday Tutorials

How to make a Blog Badge using free tools – #SaturdayTutorials

by tinabasu
written by tinabasu

Blog Badge is a vital element for promoting your blog or special sections of your blog. Here is a step by step tutorial for creating your own blog badge using free tools.

So have you been waiting to host a link party? Or do you want to make a section of your blog popular? Do you want people to easily find you or link up on your site? You will definitely need a Blog Badge. Almost all bloggers you visit will already have their own badge. But how on earth are you going to get one for your blog? No you don’t need a designer for it, you don’t even need to shell out a single penny.

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I am starting the Saturday Tutorial section in my blog where every Saturday I’ll be posting some tutorial and ‘how to’ posts. So you can expect tutorials on blogging, designing and many more. I am hoping to see here every Saturday and spread some love.

In this ‘how to’ post I am going to show you how to make a badge for your blog using Canva. There are many free sites available and you can easily make this using any of those sites too.

Get a Stock Photo

Get a good stock photo. There are tons of sites where you can get free stock photos like Pixabay.

I am creating a badge for Sunday Journaling – which could be a Link Party or a section in my blog some time in future.

Pro Tip – Look for images that has plenty of blank space so that you can write on it.

Create the Badge

  1. On your Canva dashboard click on USE CUSTOM DIMENSION

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2. Enter dimension 200px 200 px and click on DESIGN. It will take you to a new page.

3. Click on UPLOADS and then UPLOAD YOUR OWN IMAGES

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4. Upload your stock image

5. Resize and crop the image in the 200 x 200 px box using the transform handlers

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6. Add Text, Hashtag and website details.

Pro Tip – Add only necessary text, too much text will kill the aesthetics.

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7. Once your desired badge is ready click on DOWNLOAD and save the image in your system as a jpg file.

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Upload the Image

1. If you are on Word Press upload the badge on your Media Library and copy the image URL in a notepad

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2. If you are on Blogger go to any photo sharing site like PhotoBucket. Upload you image

3. Go to your photo “Library” and select your picture, you’ll need to copy the direct link

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Coding the Badge

Now that your image has been uploaded your badge is more or less ready. But how are you going to use it? Simply as an image? NO. You need to make it sharable to your audience so that they can place your badge in their blogs as well. So here comes the important stage of coding the image to make it a function badge! Okay now don’t get scared if you don’t know the ABC of HTML and coding. We are going to do it without writing any code.

I use a code generator called Grab My Button. And it is fairly simple to code an image using this.

1. Fill up the form with the url details that you have collected in the notepad like the Image URL, your Blog URL

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2. Scroll down the page and click on PREVIEW. You will be able to preview the badge at this point. But don’t copy this code

3. Click on the green GET CODE button

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4. Copy the code from this window or click SELECT.

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Now your badge is ready with the code. Paste this code in your post in the HTML / TEXT view. Your audience can now copy the code and place it on their blogs too!

Tina Basu

So now your DIY Blog Badge is ready and you have already become a badass coder!

Guys tell me did you enjoy this #SaturdayTutorial ? If you did let me know what all you would want me to do for #SaturdayTutorials. If you have any queries about the tutorials do let me know in the comments below.

Until next time,

Cheers!

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100 Word Fiction#FridayFotoFiction

Why writing Fiction is good for you? #FridayFotoFiction

by tinabasu
written by tinabasu

I have not written fiction for some time now – like real serious fiction. But I want to get back to writing fiction – all kinds of fiction – tiny fiction, micro fiction, flash fiction, short story and whatever kind is possible.

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Do you know what the psychologists say? They say – Creative writing is good for the brain.

I like writing Fiction because

  1. I have control – I can do whatever I want with the characters, plots, situations – whatever
  2. This is the only form of communication that I can keep editing till I get right!
  3. I find a great sense of freedom in writing fiction

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So I have decided to make it a practice that I write flash fiction regularly and thus Starting #FridayFotoFiction. I am going to co-host this link party with Mayuri every Friday starting today.

How to participate in #FridayFotoFiction

  1. Every Friday we’ll give you a photo prompt
  2. Follow @twinklingtina & @Mayuri6 on twitter and wait for the prompt
  3. Write a 100 Word story on the photo prompt
  4. Use the badge at the end of your posts
  5. Link up with Tina or Mayuri
  6. Read, comment, share on host and co-hosts posts and at least two more posts linked in the party Pro Tip – Networking and commenting is good for your blog’s health and ranks.
  7. Use #FridayFotoFiction in your post and share in social media using the same hashtag.
  8. Every week we will have one featured blogger who is the best reflection of this community spirit

Prompt for this week

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Thanks to Heritage Snapper and Imageafter.com for the photo

Grab the Badge

 

Tina Basu

#FridayFotoFiction – Summer Romance

I never met my dad, he didn’t want me or my mom.

Yet she thinks he’s the finest man she’d ever met.

It baffles me why she never wanted another man. I’ve seen her struggle alone yet she has nothing but love for him.

She says ‘his memories are etched in my heart, it doesn’t matter it’s a summer romance’.

This is where she worked as a teen and this is where he spent days sitting and watching her.

Today as I stand by the tranquil waters I know even if her romance was short, it must have been magical.

 

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So people wait no more. Write a 100 word fiction on the photo prompt and link up here. Happy Writing!

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Thankful Thursdays

What are you Thankful For Today? #ThankfulThursdays

by tinabasu
written by tinabasu

Someone has rightly said – “it is not happy people who are thankful, it is thankful people who are happy”. Lately, I have been trying to make my life simpler. I am trying to take out unnecessary ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ from mind and live in gratitude. I realized most of the things that I label ‘needs’ are just ‘wants’. And most of the ‘wants’ are unnecessary and I can’t even find a logic between why I ‘want’ one more red lipstick in spite of owning some great red shades!

gratitude quote

source – Pinterest

Maybe, I am getting a little wiser with age. But I have decided I am going to live with gratitude and practice gratitude more in every way in life. Life itself is great and I should be thankful for good healthy life.

gratitude quote

source – Pinterest

What am I thankful for?

What are you thankful for today? Have you ever tried to sit down, not do anything and be thankful for all that you have in life? Two years back I decided to have a baby, finally. I knew I wanted to be at a better and wiser place in life before having a baby. I needed a lot of growing up to do before taking up this important responsibility.

Today I am thankful to life and god that I have Bluey in my life. We named him Armaan because we desired for a cute little bundle of joy. And believe me motherhood is an enriching experience. Sometimes when I sit down and introspect (mostly when Bluey is sleeping) what has motherhood given me. Is it only the responsibility of a child’s care? Is it only the responsibility of bringing him up? No it’s much more than that. It has given me unconditional love. BOTHWAYS. He looks for me in sleep, he likes to look at me when he wakes up, even when I scold him (sometimes) he wants to get close to me. It has taught me love at a different level. I guess that is the case with most moms.

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I will live in gratitude for life because I am a mom today. It has been a big event in my life. I had experiences with rogue doctors in Bangalore to whom I went for a stomach ache (which probably was a muscle pain) and they made me do several tests and then went on to tell me I will have great difficulty in having a child because I had PCOS! PCOS is nothing new, these days almost everyone has it. One more general physician was lame enough to tell me “you must get treated for infertility” because I said I am married for five years and didn’t have a child. Isn’t it someone’s choice when to have a baby? Why are people so eager to come to conclusion when a married woman says she doesn’t have a child. May be they have not planned yet, may be they don’t even want a child! I give a silent grin to these kind of people and doctors.

It is you who knows when you are ready. There’s no need to rush for anyone for that matter. I decided to take out all those negativity from life and time when I wanted motherhood. And I live in gratitude that I have a healthy normal (super energetic) baby who loves me unconditionally.

I am extending this gratitude to everyone and starting a new section in the blog today. Thankful Thursdays is going to be a link party where we share a prompt related to gratitude. I am going to host this link party with my co-host Amrita.

How to Participate in #ThankfulThursdays?

  1. Follow @twinklingtina and @misra_amrita on Twitter
  2. Prompts will be announced every Wed 20:00 hrs IST
  3. Write the post and Link Up with Tina or Amrita
  4. Read, comment, share on host and co-hosts posts and at least two more posts linked in the party Pro Tip – Networking and commenting is good for your blog’s health and ranks.
  5. Use #ThankfulThursdays in your post and share in social media using the same hashtag.
  6. Every week we will have one featured blogger who is the best reflection of this community spirit

Grab the Badge

Tina Basu

 

Today’s Prompt

What are you thankful for this Thursday?

So wait no more. Be Thankful, Write a Post, Link Up Here. We’ll visit everyone.

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Expecto Patronum

Happy Wednesday – #PatronusBuddies Week 1

by tinabasu
written by tinabasu

Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Diwali, Bhai Phonta – in a nutshell all the festivals are over already but I still have a festive hangover. This is mid week already – how is the week treating you?

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If you are already going crazy with work load then the best part is its’ only one more day to FRIDAY. By the time Friday crawls in I am in a better mood. I used to be happy every Friday Morning when I was working (I have quit recently). Relaxed dressing, Lunch Out, Happy Hours at restaurants – all things nice about Friday.

#PatronusBuddies Week 1

Anyway enjoy your week and see whats happening with my Expecto Patronum team. The #PatronusBuddies are going to link up all their posts and you can read everyone from here.

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Life, Musing & Anecdotes

I have been Tagged | #MondayMusing

by tinabasu
written by tinabasu

i-have-been-tagged

A few days back Mackenzie from Reflections from Me tagged me into a fun Q & A Blogger Tag. I love doing these tag posts because they are easy to do, and you get a good reflection of me. So thank you Mac for tagging me. And without any further ado I will get into the Q & A.

What is your biggest food weakness?

I have a major MAJOR sweet tooth and can almost never say no to anything sweet, read DESSERT. My biggest food weaknesses definitely are ice-creams, cakes, panna cottas, entremets. I also remember as a kid sometimes I used to sneak out spoonful of condensed milk from the refrigerator!

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Source – Pinterest

If you were to be a cartoon character which one would you be and why?

Right now, I can only wish to be Doraemon. I need all these unique gadgets for myself first. I will take out ‘make the baby eat gadget’, ‘automatic writing gadget’, ‘read their mind gadget’ and bring some sanity in my life currently! *Ohh please someone get me such gadgets, even if I can’t be Doraemon!*

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source: sticker social

What would your best friend say is your most annoying habit? Do you agree?

STOP SHOPPING. My closest friends know how crazy I get when I go shopping. I find most of the things cute and my line is always “this is so cute, I want this”. I have wasted a lot of money behind these ‘cute’ things. Today, however, this has changed a little bit because my preference of shopping has changed. I will do a separate post on that I guess.

Do you have any tattoos? If so how many?

No I don’t have any tattoo yet, but I want to get one done sometime in future.

All time fav song from the last 20 years.

Though not for the last 20 years, but I have been swayed, mesmerized, in love with I’ll be Your Hero by Enrique Iglesias since it was released in 2001. I was in school that time – the much celebrated teen years and was in love with this song. I secretly wished guys singing this song (like Enrique) to me. [*super-secret* – some did sing but very bad singing]

 

Which bloggers would you have around for dinner? Name 5 and then add me as guest 6….. please!

Oh yes you are most welcome. I will invite over Deepa, Amrita, Mayuri, Jai, Jini, Maneka and have loads of gossip over great food. I am hoping they’ll be all happy with the dinner!

Do you sing in the car?

I am Lady Gaga completely when I am driving. Driving to work used to be such fun with my playlist including latest ones by Lady Gaga, Keisha, Beyonce, Enrique. I have had situation when people from other cars gave me cold stares because they found me singing into some imaginary microphone over the steering wheel!

Current favourite TV show?

I am almost off TV right now. I don’t find time for a regular TV viewing. Last I watched was Masterchef Australia Season 8. I sometimes watch some cartoon even – I find that better than daily soaps or reality shows.

Tea or coffee?

Absolutely COFFEE. I am a coffee fan and love everything from Cappuccino to Macchiato to Irish to even a simple Black Coffee! I don’t like Tea at all – I find it extremely tasteless.

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source – askideas

Describe yourself in 5 words!

Friend to a friend, indifferent to a foe, I am pretty happy being myself.

Okay now time for me to tag five bloggers and throw some questions to them.

I am tagging

Shalini

Shinjini

Stephen

Nabanita

Corinne

Linking this post to #MondayMusing at Everyday Gyan. Joining Mel Ford’s Microblog Mondays and Mac Glanville’s  linky #mg

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