FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send you free stuff in exchange for promotion?
Probably not. I have weird taste. Lest you are in the business of producing Liberace gear or sloth art, I'm probably not your target demographic. If you are interested in sponsoring a post, please contact me directly emailauntpeaches@gmail.com.
 
Can I link to one of your projects?
Hey, thanks! Yes, I would be delighted if you linked to one of my projects or posts. Feel free to use one of my images and a brief excerpt, as long as it is credited to "Aunt Peaches" along with a direct link. Thank you for your interest! If you post a project or product you made based on one of my tutorials, send me a link. I would love to see it.

Can I repost or copy one of your tutorials? I promise to link back and fiddle with the words enough to really "make it my own."
That's fine by me, just be sure to send me your address. Expect an invoice to follow within ten business days.

Where did the name Aunt Peaches come from?
Long story short but not-that-short: My family has called me Peaches for ages and I was proud to become Aunt Peaches when my niece was born in 2009. In fact, I was so proud, I used "Aunt Peaches 2009" as my login name when commenting on blogs and websites, including a couple which asked me to write contributor posts in 2010, which eventually sparked a conversation about "Aunt Peaches' blog", which eventually morphed into calling the blog AuntPeaches.com.  Then I bought the domain and that was that.

Wow, that was long.

What can I do to dye my coffee filters _(insert bridesmaid color here)__?
Easy Answer 1: Click here. Easy Answer 2: Get a stack of 50 filters, run them under water, squish out water, add acrylic paint, squish out more water, add paint, squish out more water, and repeat til they look how you want them. People ask me for specific dye recipes but I have long given up – every coffee filter brand contains a different level of starch or something that changes the rate of absorption. You will just have to try yourself. It's easier than you think, I promise.

Where are you from?
As of October 2011, I live in an Evanston Illinois, which is a college town wedged in-between Chicago and Lake Michigan. It is famous for being the birthplace of Prohibition, the place where the story of The Princess Bride was told, and Northwestern students who like to report missing unicorns. Although I did not grow up in Chicago, I moved here at 18 to attend school and never looked back. I consider myself a native by proxy.

I am new at blogging / My blog is very small / I want my blog to get more traffic. Do you have any advice on how to build my blog?

1. Figure out if you are blogging for yourself or for your audience. After you figure that out, the rest will follow. Tip: If you think you are blogging for yourself but get upset because your numbers are low, you probably have this thing backwards. 
2. Make lists. Make lists of things you like, people you admire, tasks you want to accomplish, places you want to go, etc....then let your blog be your mode of chronicling those lists as they come to fruition.
3. Invest in a DSLR camera and the best lens you can afford. This is important because A) Execution trumps idea, and B) If you learn to use it, that camera will make happy little ripples in every corner of your life, and those ripples will outlive your blog by many, many years.
4. When looking for creative inspiration, stay away from blogs or Pinterest. Take a 24 hour technology break.  Instead, look towards yourself, your history, your environment, your needs. Inspiration is everywhere if you take the time to look for it.
5. Ignore me. I am the last person who should be giving advice on this subject.
6. If you are specifically interested in crafting/creative/lifestyle type blogging, I suggest you visit Crafterminds or IFB, as they have oodles of resources and articles on the business of blogging that are mostly written by people who know a lot more about it than me.

Where did you learn to make stuff?
Too many sources to name here. I try to cite my essential source(s) of inspiration for each project with each post, although sometimes ideas just come as the result of living and working around creative people. I was lucky to have grown up with gobs of creative role models – women in particular. My mother died when I was pretty young, and as the result her friends/family/neighbors were always teaching me to do the things they thought I would miss without a mother around; cooking, crafts, dancing, napkin folding, and various lessons in the "domestic arts" (Ickkk. Isn't that a creepy term?). Each "Aunt" infused me with a different skill. I go into this a bit more in this post about Aunt Dooney.

What sort of cat is Lola?
Not sure. Lola was adopted from The Treehouse in May 2008, fully grown, bustin' out fur and attitude. I'm pretty sure she is related to Tyra Banks.

Why did you use a bad word in that post? Shucks, now I can't share it with my Pastor.
This blog is my personal sandbox. I write things down the same as they would fall out of my mouth, which, occasionally, may include some words that other people find offensive. My opinion of what qualifies as profane might be different than yours. I won't hold it against you if you don't hold it against me.

I spotted a typo. Will you get offended if I let you know?
Goodness no. Please, by all means, let me know. Most of my posts are written ridiculously early in the morning, very often by typing on my phone while on the train to work.  Boo-boos happen. Everyone can benefit from an editor. In situations like this, you are doing me a favor.

Can you write a post on __(this random thing that I am really interested in)___?
Maybe. Why not? If you think this is something that might be up my alley, and a number of people would be interested in it, send me an email. I'm not promising anyone I will write a post, but I will promise to keep it in my brain for a while and see what sticks. You never know.