Off like a herd of turtles, getting started

I have been playing around with all the bells and whistles of the blogging world and have finally realized if I don’t go ahead and start…well… we will never get there. So, here is our maiden voyage and maybe yours too. Let’s start at the beginning. 

LOOK TO THE LEFT SIDEBAR:

1. You find a welcoming statement about us, and about you.
   
2. Below the welcome, the 2009 Calendar is posted with links to the information pages on the website.
   
3. The Blogroll, under the calendar, is a list of the alums who are blogging, if you roll your mouse over the name you will see their most recent entry, or click and go to their full blog. Virginia Jones shows some spectacular photos, Marsha is blogging about some large commissioned triptychs she is working on, Vicki is experimenting with new oil techniques and Durinda is making us all jealous as she is teaching and painting in Florida for the winter.

LOOK TO THE TOP OF THE SCREEN

1. Now, click on the tabs at the top of your screen, you can click on About Us for little more info, or Links & Resources for links to the web pages of alums, resources, and associations, Buzz, Bees (opportunities for you to contribute.) These pages don’t change from day to day, but will be updated as needed.Most of these topics are covered in the posts that are currently in the middle section.
   
2. Clicking on the Subscribe button you get an explanation of the subscription buttons on the right of the blog. But for now, here is what you need to do to subscribe…..

Look all the way to the right. This is where you can subscribe….one, of two ways. First, you can have an email sent to you by the Google service Feedburner, just enter your email and follow the instructions. When you go to your email to click on the verification link, be sure to check the Spam folder. You will receive an email periodically when news is posted on the blog.

OR…..here is the coolest way…..Click on the second Subscribe button and choose the normal way you get your news feeds. I didn’t even know I had news feeds until I clicked on the My Yahoo button and La Bonne Etoile Blog appeared right there with Reuters and AP. What a surprise! So if you have a custom page with Yahoo, AOL, Google, MSN or any number of other websites, just click and we will automatically be added to your daily webpage. Now, how cool is that!!!!

Now, you should be back from subscribing…let’s continue looking at the front page.

LOOK TO THE RIGHT SIDEBAR

1. Here are the buttons to Register as a Member, giving you additional rights such as posting articles, uploading pictures, etc. When you go to your email to click on the verification link, be sure to check the Spam folder. Once you come back to the site after clicking on the email link, click on the Admin Site and look around.
2. Update your profile – Go here to add information that will show in the Alum directory. You can do this now, or at a later date.
   
3. What’s the Buzz contains an ongoing list of excerpts from comments left on the different posts.
   
4. On the right side, in Previously Seen on the LBE Blog, there will be archives, or list of older posts, to make them easier to find.

Now….that completes maiden voyage. You’re ready and we are, too; to begin a great year of creating and recreating.

The middle section has the current posts….you can click on continue to read the full posts.

• Kippy will be presenting the first of a series of articles and interviews looking into “Experimentation, the Unexpected Spark”
• Jerome will be starting his J-WIKI responses to questions about french customs and ways….Plus, he will be translating the riveting story of Monsieur Pleau and his family and the commune of Fontaine-Fourches during the 10 days of the exodus in June 1940.
• How to submit your picture for the header of La Bonne Etoile Blog, The Wall and The Clothesline Gallery
  
• How to upload and download photos of your experience at La Bonne Etoile

Whew, and that doesn’t even touch the upcoming youtube demos from our alums, plotting all the past and future workshops on Google Earth and anything else that might interests you and us.

Until then, au revoir…