Giveaway with Lisa Boyd :-) (Also Known as The Tech Dudette)
MONDAY MORNING NOTE:I am going to need to ask for patience and grace from you all. I am still reading and praying through the She Speaks scholarship finalist’s entries that my panel of judges has chosen. I’m headed to Detroit for the day where part of the time I’ll be at a coffee shop finishing up this difficult task and then announcing the selection. Look for it between 1:00-2:00 pm EST. :-)
In the mean time, make sure if you’d like to win a free website set-up package or cool laptop bag that you read the post below. I am extending that giveaway until Wednesday.
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Could I ask you to pray for me this weekend? I’m headed to speak in Georgia alongside my fabulous and talented friend Cheri Keaggy.
I also, along with some of my P31 speaker team buddies, am still reading (and crying) through the entries for the Cecil Murphy speaker scholarship to She Speaks. You aren’t making this easy girls!!! Winner will be announced Monday.
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Have we got a FABULOUS giveaway this weekend!!!! (Especially if you’ve ever dreamed of writing a blog and have simply no clue where to begin!)
Around Proverbs 31, we have many women who use their God-given talents to further His kingdom.
Some speak.
Some write.
Some work use their administrative gifts in the office.
Some pray with women on the phone or answer emails from those who are lonely, hurting and in need.
And some lend their expertise at all things techy.
Today the P31 Queen of techy is joining us with a seriously INCREDIBLE giveaway for one of you. Read on:
Lisa Boyd started her love affair with computers in the early 80s. Upon receiving a Commodore 64, she proceeded to sit down and read the manual cover to cover.
No longer reading printed manuals, she devours digital manuals instead. Clients rely on Lisa for all their technical needs including training them on software (computer-based or web-based) and recommending and implementing technical solutions tailored to their needs.
Since 2003, she’s been setting up and customizing sites using WordPress. Her business site is http://lisaboyd.com
She is a child of God who hates titles and all the preconceptions that come with those titles; a stay-at-home mom who takes her only daughter to public school; the tuneless wife of a man who sings boldly for God; a tech geek who has been accused of having an affair with her laptop; a home executive who doesn’t have a cooking or decorating bone in her body.
Her hospitality includes a big “hey ya’ll” at the door, lots of hugs, and a cold can of Coke. Most days you can find her in old softball t-shirts, hair scrunchies and no makeup or she might be out riding her Harley. Occasionally she blogs at simply His [http://simplyhis.org]
Lisa, how did you first become interested in techy-things like websites and such?
My Dad brought a Commodore 64 home one day in the early 80s. I was so fascinated with the machine, I sat down and read the manual cover to cover.
I wrote my first script that made a message repeat down the screen and then quit. There was no hard drive saving the script. No pretty graphics and such. My love affair with computers began.
I can’t remember exactly when I first got into websites and all things Internet related. I think it’s just become so integrated in my life, it’s hard to remember a time when I wasn’t on the internet.
In 2000, I got started with blogs learning Greymatter software. In 2003, I switched to WordPress and haven’t looked back. Of course I tend to get caught up in the code and how things are setup. Most of the time I forget to just sit and write!
Let’s say a woman out there is interested is beginning a blog but has no clue where to start. What advice would you give her?
If you are not sure you are going to stick with this blogging thing or want to test it out before you put a little money behind it, I recommend setting up a free blog at WordPress.com. You’ll get a url that looks like yourname.wordpress.com and it’s a good place to start.
You can get used to using the WordPress software and when you are ready for more, you can get a hosting package.WordPress can do much more than just blogging – it can control your whole website.
You can change text around without having to know html (html is the code that makes a website display in your browser all pretty). It gives you a great foundation to build your website should you want to add things later, like a contact form or a forum.
When you are ready for more customization and ready to grow, you can get a hosting account for about $5/month, free WordPress.org software, and a custom domain name for about $10/year.
Here around Proverbs 31, you are known as the Tech Dudette. What are the main ways you help people with their cyber needs?
I do all my work based on WordPress. I help people transfer all their posts and comments from Blogger into WordPress. I also develop custom themes.
Themes are the files that make WordPress display your site the way you want it – 1 sidebar over here, content there, custom header graphic at the top, special header graphics in the sidebar, etc.
There are several things that you may want to tie into your WordPress site as well. I help set those things up as well from setting up a subscription box for people to subscribe to your updates, to adding a Facebook updates box in the sidebar. I also help setup forums, directories, and shopping carts so you can sell things through your site.
You are offering two wonderful giveaways to our cyber sisters out there. Tell us about them!
For first place, I’m giving away a hosting package. :-)
I’ll register a domain name for you (if available) or use one you have now. I’ll host your web site for 1 year and get you setup with a basic WordPress install so you can play around with the awesomeness that is WordPress.
I’ll also provide you with a copy of Genesis + Prose. Don’t worry if you don’t know what that means right now. It’s a really cool premium theme package that will allow you to change colors, fonts and sizes as well as other customizations.
The value of all this is about $250.
As a second prize, I’m giving away a laptop bag [http://www.shopgussy.com/category/laptop-work-bags] from one of my clients[http://www.gussysews.com/].
Last year I virtually met Gussy as we were going to be roommates at a blogging conference for women. I didn’t make it to the conference, but we kept in touch and Gussy is now one of my clients!
Wow Lisa!!! Thanks so much for the generous prizes!!!
Okay gals, if you’d like to have your name thrown into the hat for either one of these prizes, leave a comment on this post. Let us know why you’d like the hosting package or the laptop bag. If time is tight, simply say I’m in. (But please let us know which prize you are interested in.)
Oh, and if you have never blogged and want to get started, tell us, what would your blog be about?
Have a great weekend. See you back here on Monday when I’ll have lots of winners to announce!
Blessings,
Fun prize!! Please put me in although it scares me to have to switch to WordPress!! ;D
I would like to win the hosting package. I am interested in writing on topics that would be helpful to keep people thinking on the goodness of the Lord. It would be like a daily devotional. I have written about a few things on my facebook notes page, but nothing on a blog site. I have actually been looking at wordpress for our singing ministry too as my husband and I write and record our own music.
Winning the blog hosting package would be the jumpstart I need! I’ve been working on putting a blog site together on blogger and feel like a fish out of water with the technical stuff. The theme would be based on Matthew 5:16 “Let Your Light Shine.” With our children, our neighbors, our husbands and at work, how can we reflect Jesus’ light? My mother prayed daily until she took her last breath that others would see Jesus in her and that she would shine for Him. That, too, is my prayer. Living that out is the challenge when daily annoyances and huge diffculties try to reach up and snatch my focus. I have photographed lighthouses, many sunsets, fewer sunrises that I would love to incorporate to go with the theme, but how to do it WELL? That is my question!!! Lysa, the Tech Dudette, to the rescue!! Help!
How awesome is this giveaway!!!! I blog over at http://www.myloveletter2god.blogspot.com, and have been working on developing a blog in wordpress (which has been driving me CRAZY)! I want my URL to be http://www.seedsandsheaves.com, based off of the verse Psalm 126:6 which says “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.”. My blog at journey of healing was kind of my “jumping off point”, and now I want to narrow my focus a bit and offer some theme based online studies. The audience I feel called to minister to is women breaking free from their past bondage, whatever that bondage may be. As a survivor of sexual assault, who lived many years in the dark, making lots of destructive decisions, but looking perfect on the outside…I want women to know that God offers a better way. He offers light in the darkness. Trades weeping for joy, seeds for sheaves.
I am most likely too late but couldn’t find a cut off date/time on your post. Winning the hosting pkg would be so exciting! I timidly stepped into blogging this summer but am currently using blogger and based on what I’ve read previously on a blog from Lisa, I am concerned about losing my work. However, like most, the move to word press scares me a little… What I blog about? Inspired in our commonplaces – recognizing Gods truths in our everyday. Thanks for doing this!
Winning a blog package could be the next step up for me! I have been blogging since August (2010), and God has blown my socks off through this one (big step) of obedience w/nearly 2000 views from nearly 40 countries in this short amount of time! All I have done is write faithfully once a week (on average), seeking Him each week for the topic and content, pouring prayer, study, and a big dose of listening (to Him!) into whatever He leads. Though w/God I know it doesn’t require all the extras, I really don’t know how to do anything else but just write–I barely got the design up w/the basic things to choose from. Through an email from blogger, I learned I could add tabs, and did a little w/that. I want to learn more to make blogging easier and more effective for HIM, reaching as many as possible with the message of hope and healing/restoration.
I would love a lap top bag. I just checked out the website. How cute!
Rebecca Ann
I would love to win the blog package! I have thought many times about starting a blog, but it seems so scary to this 80’s girl whose first computer was a Apple IIe. Kind of like learning a new language. You see, I am busy teaching my two little blessings, so I don’t see how I could actually learn anything new myself. Except history, which I am so amazed I didn’t really learn when I was in school, but I am getting an excellent education in as a homeschool Mom. Yep, that is what my blog would be about. I have read so many great blogs written by homeschool moms. The only thing is, they don’t seem REAL like I feel I am. I never read about not getting school done for the day because… (fill in the blank). I only see their beautiful school rooms, the home cooked meals (what are those anyhow?), and the perfectly mannered children. I know there are others like I, who struggle, and I want them to know they are not alone! It is OK. I guess it has to be or we wouldn’t keep doing this crazy homeschool thing. My first blog post could possibly be about homeschooling a child diagnosed with mono. My 8 year old son was diagnosed on Thursday and boy I don’t know what the next few weeks (months?) will bring. Anyhow, thanks for hosting this awesome give away Karen. I hope I win, as you can see, I think I have much to say! Blessings! Brenda
The bloggy package! I’d love to be able to make things look more professional.
I love the idea of wordpress – I’ve started with Blogger, but my blog is so basic I know I need to do something different. I’m up for this challenge!
I would love to win the blogging Word Press package. I have a blogger account but haven’t kept up with blogging. After following many blogs over the last few years and seeing the quality of people’s themes, I am intimidated to blog about any one thing. Thank you for sharing your expertise and knowledge!
For some time now I have been curious about blogging as God has been prompting my heart for some time now to just simply write. The only concern I have is that I honestly am not sure where to start. The idea of the blogging host package really appeals to me because it is all greek to me at this stage of opening up my heart to write what God has impressed upon my heart. Whether I am selected or not, I found that what I read in Lisa’s blog sounded like some of the thoughts I have while riding on the back of our (my husband and I) Harley. It amazes me what thoughts God has given me and how I would love to organize them somehow. I intend to dig deeper over on wordpress to understand all of this language that I do not understand and create a blog. Thank you for this opportunity and for presenting how to get started blogging. God bless you!
I’m in!! I would love the hosting package. I just started blogging a few months ago. I’m using blogger but would love to swap to wordpress. Thanks for the giveaway!
Karen,
I am about to bust! I have loved you ever since I attended your workshop at She Speaks three years ago and this year when you spoke in a main session…….WOW!!!!
When I read about this opportunity to win a hosting package from Lisa, I almost cried! I presently have my blog through Blogspot and have wanted to change to Word Press for over a year but have no clue how to do this without losing all of my content. This prize would be such a blessing!
I am so thankful for people who use their gifts to not only draw people closer to God but also to help others do the same thing!
Thank you for this chance to be blessed in such a powerful way!
Love,
Tammy Nischan
I would love to receive the hosting package gift! I am currently a graduate student at the University of Southern California’s School of Social Work, answering His call on my life to enter full-time ministry to military service members and their families. I am the founding director of a nonprofit organization that seeks to minister to the Christian advocate who struggles with compassion fatigue and depression. My NPO would benefit GREATLY from such a blessing!
I’m in – the hosting package.
Getting expert advice and work done on my blog through the blog package would be fantastic! I’ve been blogging since last year, and absolutely love it. Blogging (and writing) helps to guide my studies, connect and fellowship with other believers, and hopefully help to praise God and encourage others.
Thank you for this opportunity!
Hi, this is wonderful! I just linked back to your site via Ann Voskamps. Followed your blog for a while after seeing you at the Hearts at Home coneference. Thank you for your work, I have learned a lot.
I would love to enter the drawing for the web hosting and design package. I just started blogging March 8th and I am a total newbie but God has called me to do this. My blog’s focus is “A busy family’s guide to healthy living on a budget.” I call myself the “Chef Mom RD” because I am all three, and it’s a play on words from “Chef Boyardee.” My husband threw that out during lunch one day and it was perfect.
Hello Karen, I’d love to win the blogger help. I’ve recently started blogging using Blogger and have a registered domain name. I’ve heard that WordPress is what I need to use if I want to personalize the blog with my own graphics, layout and designs. I have some great ideas for the blog, but don’t know how to go about setting it up on my own. I wouldn’t have much information to transfer from Blogger to WordPress as I haven’t been blogging very long. I’d also like to use my blog as a way for people to contact me with speaking opportunities, etc. so that it will be more professional looking. My blog is an outlet in which I can combine my love of writing, my passion for Jesus, and my call to spread His light into the darkness of all nations. I’ve had people from Iran, China, Malaysia, Denmark, India,South Korea and the Netherlands visit my blog.I know that God is using my blog for His glory. This weekend I had the privilege to pray with a sweet teeage girl who is a cutter. My heartached for her pain and sadness. This experience confirmed even more the urgency to get God’s Word and truths out to the world. This blog, will help me do this, even if in just a small way. Thank you in advance for this opportunity. Blessings, Kristen
I’m in. I would love to win the laptop bag! I have website for my husband and my business, TNT Electric. Just found a host & downloaded the wordpress.org.
Have toyed around with the idea of doing a blog that would cover my life as a Christian, wife, helper to my husband & his business, government employee, owner/designer of a web/graphics/SM/business document design business geared towards other small business owners, horse owner/trainer, lover of dogs, 2nd mommy to two fantastic teenagers, giant pumpkin grower, chicken farmer – I think that covers it.
A bag to protect my computer would really help. I live in an area with no DSL – only dial-up or sattelite. So when I have a lot to get done I need to take my laptop to the closest coffee house.
I’m totally in! I’d LOVE to win the laptop bag, they are adorable! Thanks for the chance!
I have a blog about my bakery that I do on the side but am looking to start in Women’s Ministry. I woul love either gift…I love the thought about somene helping me create a blog…I have so many ideas but need help puttin them together that willgive the right first impression. I just got back from a mission trip to lima, peru so I also appreciate the handmade laptop bag. Love it! Thank you for your generosity!
I’m blessed to be a stay at home mom to 2 great boys but now that my youngest is in first grade, it’s time to get back in touch with my prekid techy side. I was a progammer for over 15 years but being out of the industry for 10 years I’m pretty rusty on web design. I’d love to knock the dust off and get back into in. The hosting package would be a great start.
I am currently running my website through WordPress.com, but using my own domain name. I want to update my site with a personalized theme (better than the one I did myself) and to use WordPress.org for the plug-in capabilities. I would love love love love love to win this package!!!
However, I would overjoyed to receive a Gussy bag! I won some credit to her shop last year and I have found her work to be quality and adorable!
Hi there!
Oh how I would love assistance to set up a spot to share what’s on my heart. I have used Yahoo. and several other blog spots, and have given up due to lack of knowledge of how to share with others with this medium
I love working on the computer and am a hopeful granny techy!
All you young folk simply amaze and inspire me Thank you for all you do for others!