Monday, February 06, 2012

Celebrate Good Times, C'mon! Let's Celebrate!


I finally took the plunge. I purchased my own domain. I must tell you that change isn't something I deal with very well. I am a creature of habit and change actually stresses me out. The thought of saying goodbye to lifeonmanitoulin.blogspot.com also saddened me. That blog saw the beginnings of my life on Manitoulin Island, as a newly married woman (Ha! A city girl turned farmer's wife!), a new mother, and more.  Plus, changing the blog/the domain would mean I'd need to start from the beginning. I was worried I'd lose all the followers I  had from the other two blogs and have to start all over from the beginning. Laziness and not wanting to have to start from scratch were the main reasons I didn't want to give up my blogspot.com blogs.

On the other hand, I grew tired of having to manage a personal blog and a reviews blog and considered putting everything all under one roof. What better timing too. Those of you in the blogosphere are probably already familiar with the fabulous work of  Aeryn from Habitué Toronto. I mentioned my concerns and she told me that we could tie in both blogs together, I'd still be able to keep all my old posts, and that readers/followers would follow me to my new "home".

Not only is she a fabulous friend, but the woman is a tech guru. She's the master of all things html and graphics related. The woman understands code like no one's business. She is my hero...and the creator of my fancy new look! Yes, ladies and gentleman! You need to consult Aeryn for your blog facelift!

She's so easy and fun to work with. I can honestly tell you that it was a great experience. She's very intuitive. I gave her a rough idea of the vision I had for my blog, and so translated that all into a fantastic, unique, and personalized template.  She seemed to just know what I wanted and she knew how to get everything that I wanted done!

Over the course of a few days and a few Skype video meetings, we (as in me telling Aeryn what my vision for the blog was and Aeryn working her magic) came up with this new look and layout that I absolutely love!

Look! Aeryn even made me not one, but two blog buttons! Aren't they adorable? Is it wrong for me to be in luuuuv with my new blog buttons?





Life on Manitoulin: Just a bunch of ramblings from a city girl gone country!







Life on Manitoulin: Just a bunch of ramblings from a city girl gone country!


Why two? Well, we couldn't choose! They were both so cute! You get to pick which one you want to put on your blog (copy and paste the code on the right sidebar). Pick one or collect them all! ;)

When my three year old saw the blog buttons, she squealed with delight. She immediately said, "That's ME! I'm the little calf with the pink ribbon!"

Thank you Aeryn! Thanks for all your suggestions, tips, ideas, and...template/code/image magic!

Friends, Family, & Blog Readers:
I'd like to thank you all for following our journey (known as our crazy life on the farm!) and supporting us in more ways than you can ever imagine.  Since this is a new domain, could you please follow us here www.lifeonmanitoulin.com from now on?
Could you also please follow me on NetworkedBlogs? :)

If you've been reading the blog, you'll know that I am a regular guest blogger on the Canadian Beef Blog. To help celebrate the launch of my new blog, Canada Beef is running a giveaway here! How fun is that? Okay, and how appropriate is it too? I'm married to a beef farmer. I live on a beef farm. We love Canada Beef! Totally fitting!

Canadian Beef is giving away 10 Prize Packs! That's right! TEN of my lucky readers will will a prize pack!
The Canada Beef Prize Packs include: Canadian Beef calendars, basting brushes, and aprons!

To enter the giveaway, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway ends on February 20, 2012.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

54 comments:

Cherry said...

Hey there Chrissy! Congrats on the launch. Just a few weeks ago I was thinking of emailing you to see if you had considered switching to a private domain. Ha. Apparently you have been!

Enjoy your new home!

Mom's Modern Kitchen said...

Yay way to go I am so proud of you for launching the new site.

My favorite beef recipe wow that's a hard one. I would have to say a beef stir-fry because my little loves them so much

Multi-Testing Mommy said...

YAY! Your own domain?! How exciting is this?!!!! You go girl.

Congrats!
I LOVE the look - the cows are adorable!

Danielle said...

Congratulations on the new blog facelift!

My favourite beef recipe is the pot roast I make in my slow cooker at university :)

Whispered Inspirations said...

Congrats!!! Love the new look, you and Aeryn!!!

Country Mouse, City Mouse said...

Looks fantastic, Christine!

My family our Bruce county beef farmers, so we have a well stocked freezer at all times. I would say my MIL makes the best roast beef ever and her gravy is to die for.

marlibu said...

Love beef chili

Mom vs. the boys said...

omg this is fab-u-lous!! Aeryn is a rock star! hmmm...beef, I love speghetti with meat sauce!

Julia Gabriel said...

Love the new look!!! My favorite beef recipe is a traditional roast with potatoes, onions, carrots and celery cooked alongside. Yumm.

Mommy Moment said...

This site looks fabulous! My parents are beef farmers also! I love homemade beef hamburgers!

Sober Julie said...

Love the new look!!!
My fav is slow cooker roast

Unknown said...

My favourite is just Black Angus steak cooked on the bbq! But we use Canadian beef for many yummy dishes

Gingermommy said...

Love the new blog

Katrina Brady said...

Wow!! Totally awesome blog. Congrats. It's gonna be a huge hit for sure :)

Fan R. said...

My fav beef recipe is Texas Goulash

Fan R.(Teddy Out Ready) teddyoutreadyto(at)gmail(dot)com

Stacey said...

My fav recipe is homemade burgers!

And LOVE the new site!!!

--Stacey

Gingermommy said...

we eat a lot of beef in our home. Hamburgers, roasts, stir fires you name it. Anything BBQed would be my fave

jemrah said...

I love Canadian beef - especially ground beef - my favourite recipe is hamburgers grilled on the bbq.

Unknown said...

Cherry:
I deliberated for what seemed like forever! Part laziness, part couldn't be bothered to "change". I dreaded the hassle of starting all over! lol

Miss our chats, lady! Big hugs for you guys and hopefully you, Julie and I can meet up sometime with our girls! That would be so fun!

Aarica:
Thanks so much!!! I'm really excited about it! :) Let's catch up soon, roomie! xo

Multi-Testing Mom:
Thanks!!! I love the cows!!! Ooops. My husband would be upset if heard that. He keeps reminding me that a "cow" is a female and a "bull" is a male...and that not all cattle beasts are cows. LOL!

Unknown said...

Danielle:
Gotta love a good roast in the slow cooker! Slow cookers totally save me when I don't have time to cook! So easy! The meal pretty much cooks itself! :)

Whispered Inspirations:
Thanks so much! Aeryn is my hero!!! I cannot say it enough. The woman is a genius! I LOVE HER!!!

Country Mouse:
Wow! *fist pump* All da farmers in da houuuuuse! lol ;)

Marlibu:
Ooooh! That one of my faves too!!! YUM! Hmmm...maybe I should make some for supper tomorrow!

Unknown said...

Mom vs. the Boys:
Yes! Aeryn is a total rockstar! I was SO stunned, impressed, and blown away!

Ooooh! Who doesn't love spaghetti and meat sauce? Totally one of my comfort foods! LOL!

Julia:
A good roast with all the fixings on a Sunday evening is the best way to end a weekend and begin the week!

Mommy Moment:
WOW! Really??? I had no idea! Yay! No wonder I luv you so much!

Sober Julie:
Thanks :) Oh, and slow cooker roast...def one of my faves!!! Always a hit in this household!

Unknown said...

Shari:
Ooooh! That sounds good! My husband loooooves his steak on the BBQ! He even cooks it on the BBQ in the winter! It doesn't matter how cold it is. He'll stand out in the cold just so he can have his steak and the BBQ! lol

Gingermommy:
Thanks so much, Kim!

Katrina:
Oh my goodness! Thanks!! :) You totally made my day! That is so sweet. I hope you're right! ;)

Fan R:
Oooh! That sounds good! I've never had that before! Do you have a recipe you can share?

Unknown said...

Stacey:
Thank you :) This is the first time I've ever been 100% happy (okay...in love!!!) with my blog! LOL! Love the new look!

I agree! Homemade burgers are fab-u-lous!!!

Gingermommy:
Ooooh! Stir-fry!! Always yummy!

Jemrah:
BBQ and hamburgers always make me think of summertime! LOVE IT!!! Friends, family, eating outdoors, hanging out...Awesome!

caninecologne said...

Congrats with the new blog and consolidating everything there! it looks awesome!

hope u got my long rambly email! can't wait to see you guys again this summer! i am so excited! we all are!

Everything Mom and Baby said...

Love it!
Congrats mama!

Aeryn Lynne said...

You are so sweet Christine!! *hearts you* Us YorkU gals gotta stick together, right?! ;)

I'm so happy that you're happy with your blog look! (And we'll keep working on it until all the kinks are gone!) I was *really* happy when you chose those bovines to represent your brand, 'cause they are too CUTE. XD The little calf makes me smile every time I see her, so I know I will be visiting your blog even more often than before, lol! :D

And I'm gonna enter your contest, heh! My fave comfort food(s) are: spaghetti and meat sauce/balls, nachos with my layered dip that includes a beef-chili mixture, and cheeseburgers.... gosh, it's 8:16 in the morn, and all this talk is making me think, "What's for dinner?" lol

Anonymous said...

Christine I love the new blog!! The cows are soooooo cute!!! Congrats!!

PositivelyPamperedPatty said...

Love the new look! Congrats on the move!

binabug said...

kids love stir fry so we do a ton of ginger beef and broccoli

toucanjones said...

Hey C! Congrats on the new domain!!!!
What is my favourite beef dish... well, I have several: my sister says that my homegrown hamburgers on the BBQ are the best! I also like beef stroganoff over egg noodles.
I still can't figure out how to copy your buttons!

Jenna Em said...

Congratulations on consolidating your two blogs! It looks great and you must be thrilled! Now that you have your own domain, have the worries just washed away?

@SnyMed
http://www.snymed.blogspot.com

Glogirl said...

I like a beef roast with gravy, mashed potatoes and carrots. Nothing beats a simple beef supper!

Belinda M said...

My favorite beef recipe is chili filled with beans, hamburger and very spicy

bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com
belinda mcnabb

tanyab79 said...

Lasagna

Bree said...

I love roast beef, mash potatoes and gravy. Yummy!

Taylor @ Pink Heels Pink Truck said...

I love your new blog design!!! It fits you so well!! PS...I have chosen you for a little bloggy award. You can hop over to my blog to check out the fun! http://taylornorris.blogspot.com/2012/02/7-x-7-link-award.html (PS..it won't hurt my feelings if you don't want to participate, I just wanted to share the love with you.) ;)

Unknown said...

LOVE YOUR NEW BLOG!!!!

I love steak!

Unknown said...

The blog looks great! I like the buttons. And Canadian Beef makes me think BBQ season!

Unknown said...

Fave beef recipe? Hmm...stir fry with beef strips!

notaquiter said...

My favourite is a Big juicy t bone steak cooked on the bbq!
wildcardacehigh@yahoo.ca

Jonnie (JB) said...

The cows are so adorable!

My favorite beef recipe would have to be big, juicy BBQ burgers.

melaney g lyall said...

wow, so cool, I love the avatar buttons!!
I enjoy reading all the facets of life on Manatoulin!

I wanna win one of your contests!!
So I can be famous! xo

Nancy T said...

Congrats on the new site! Looks fantastic!

A beef recipe....my favourite beef will always be a yummy steak! A little bit of steak spice grilled to perfection on the BBQ.

My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Sherry said...

New site looks good. Can't wait to see what you write. Hope I win this.

Berendina Dykema said...

My favorite beef recipes is Roast beef cooked with nugget potatoes and onion in a roasting pan.So yummy, plus cant forget gravy and mashed potatoes with it as well.

bd_657(at)hotmail(dot)com

Rebby said...

I love all kinds of beef recipes, its so versatile! I love steak or Beef curry!

C Wilson said...

I love Teriyaki steak and so do my kids...

Journeys of The Zoo said...

Good ole striploin on the BBQ. Not really a recipe but it's my favourite!

Thanks for the giveaway!

swak50 at hotmail dot com

Unknown said...

slow cooked roast beef!
nathania.a at gmail dot com

Lisa Smith said...

I love a good bbq'd steak!

Reshma said...

Congrats on the facelift...love the new look!

stacey dempsey said...

I love beef stir fry's soo yummy

flowerchild said...

i love meatloaf
thanks
flower_child_23(at)hotmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I like a roast with carrots, peas, onions, celery, turnips and potato's and at the end leave the lid off to brown the potato's

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About the Blog Author


City girl moves to the country, falls in love, and marries a farmer. She tries to incorporate her city ways with her new country lifestyle and blogs to keep in touch with friends, family & students who live far, far away :) Can this city girl go country? Watch as she learns all sorts of exciting things about life on the farm and in a small rural community. *UPDATE* We are now parents! Our baby girl was born on Nov. 11, 2008 (at 28 weeks gestation- 12 weeks premature, but she's quite the trooper)!!!
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