Ashley Hackshaw, Author at Ashley Hackshaw / Lil Blue Boo

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June 2, 2012 by Ashley Hackshaw

I finally started something I should have done a long time ago….a Pinterest board to pin projects you’ve done from Lil Blue Boo tutorials! I’ve got a bunch to catch up on! WordPress notifies me of backlinks so that’s really the only way I can find you unless you tag me on Pinterest with @lilblueboo.

I spent the afternoon tracking down a few projects to pin onto my new Sharing the DIY Love board:

So I’m just going to assume everyone knows what Pinterest is……

Want to see what people are pinning from your website onto Pinterest? Type in the following:

Want to see what people are repinning from your pins? Pinreach.com is a good resource!

A few tips for Pinterest:

1. Send some traffic to the original source. One issue I have with Pinterest is that it is one step removed from original source. Something to think about when you create the photos for your posts: If you use a big collage with every step of a tutorial, and the entire tutorial shows up on Pinterest, there is no incentive for pinners and repinners to click through to the original source. I try not to spend a ton of time on Pinterest, but when I find something I like: I click all the way through to the original author…..to send them some traffic….even if it’s just one visitor.

2. Weed out the spammers. Spammers like to take popular photos and repost them with their own spam link. Before repinning photo, take a half a second to make sure you are able to click through to the original source…..and that it is a legit source.

That’s all I’ve got for today….short and sweet!

OPC

June 2, 2012 by Ashley Hackshaw

Yeah, you better give me the insurance. Because I’m gonna beat the hell out of this car.
-Seinfeld

Last night when I was fixing dinner I realized I was out of celery…..so I thought I’d make a quick trip to the store:

Me: I’ll be right back.
Mr. LBB: I’m parked behind you.

All the sudden I had a feeling of dread. Ugh, it was time…..to finally drive the truck. Mr. LBB has owned his truck for over a year now…..and I’ve never been behind the wheel.

I don’t like trucks….or cars. Maybe it’s because I don’t drive as much as I used to….but all the sudden I feel really inept:

:: I have a fear of OPC (other people’s cars)…..especially if they are trucks.
:: I also have a fear of OPIC (other people IN cars)…..I‘m better when I’m by myself.
:: Please, PLEASE, don’t make me parallel park when someone is watching.
:: I’m scared sh#$%tless when I have to drive into one of those Jiffy Lube garage bays, when someone’s UNDERNEATH my car?!
:: I feel uncomfortable when someone is riding “hump” because I accidentally make eye contact in the rearview mirror too often.
:: If I see a police officer, I pretend I’m having a serious conversation with Boo to avoid eye contact…..and I start Driving Miss Daisy.
:: I drove for months without dashboard lights on my Prius because I thought they were broken. The dimmer was just turned all the way down.
:: I worry about static electricity when I’m at the gas pump.
:: I’m an automoron…..meaning I’ll walk up to another car (completely different make and model) thinking it’s mine. To my credit: it’s usually the same color.

Anyways, last night I finally climbed up into the driver’s side of Mr. LBB’s truck:

I have to put a key in the ignition? (I have a keyless Prius)
Do I just turn the key? ( Apparently diesel is not as easy as you think, this “coil” looking thing has to light up first.)
I think I need a helmet.

I got the truck started, backed it out slowly……and then ran over the neighbor’s curb. With hands at 10 and 2, I drove 30 miles an hour (in a 55) to the store. I drove .2 miles an hour through the one turn signal with a long line of impatient cars behind me. I parked at the VERY back of the parking lot and prayed that no one would park next to me. It even took me a few seconds to process how to actually put the truck in PARK.

But I did it. I made it there and back. It wasn’t so bad.

To the woman in the parking lot that saw my assets: sorry…..there’s no way to modestly get out of the truck with a mini skirt on.

Me: Want a cookie?
Mr. LBB: Yes.
I hand him an oatmeal raisin cookie.
Mr. LBB: Oh…..I thought you said nookie.
Me: It’s not YOUR birthday.