Amazon Facelift

While browsing through lenses yesterday, I was thrilled to see that the regular Amazon module has been touched up. Now the pictures of products actually lines up with the text, instead of being slightly askew. Finally! This small detail was one of the reasons that I always used the thumbnail view in Amazon modules. I found that the abundance of empty space made not having prices and other details available worthwhile. As I touch up lenses, I've been switching all of my Amazon modules, and I couldn't be happier with how it's improved the over all look of my lenses.

Now that it's November, there are so many little bits of catching up to do. I've been examining the Christmas lenses that I've already made, looking for ways to improve them, as well as turning my Hallowe'en lenses into regular year-round lenses as well as I can without deleting too much. Just a few tweaks here and there, and they still have some non-seasonal appeal.

This month the charity drive theme is "Family Stories". I'm glad that I was able to contribute a ready-made lens this time around. I just couldn't come up with a computer themed lens in time for last month's contest. I chose Oxfam, and added my lens to a quickly growing list of great family lenses.

Well, only 50 days left until Christmas. It's time to get to work!

Playing Catch Up

Because Hallowe'en is just around the corner, I've recently elected to put a hold on all new lenses, and focus on keeping my Hallowe'en content fresh and relevant. For the month of October, I've been preening and polishing many of my current lenses, as well as visiting some of the lensmasters in my fan club. I think it's important to keep in touch with the people who have taken the time to review your work. Not only does it help them - every view, star rating, favorite or comment helps! - but it also keeps your own face fresh, too!

I'm so happy that the Halloween Lens Tree on SquidU was a success. Not only did plenty of people post, but many of them left lenses by other lensmasters, and visited every lens in the tree, not just the two before them! It just proves that there are some excellent, community-minded lensmasters out there! We need more people like that on Squidoo, and in real life! Thanks again to everyone who participated!

Horror Movies Galore

Lately I've been writing about horror movies, in a way to compliment my Hallowe'en Marathon lens. After spotlighting one of my favorites - A Nightmare on Elm Street - I decided to do my top ten list of the best vampire characters in movies. It came out of WIP late last night, so I started browsing through some of the groups I had joined recently, on the hunt for some good lensroll content. Again and again, I kept coming across great movies lenses by Orthia.

She has some really fantastic top ten lists, where she features movies that you wouldn't normally think of, but that really do deserve to be on somebody's best list. My favorite was the "Apocalyptic Top Ten", but I of course had to add "Horrific Top Ten" to my lensrolls.

I liked her top ten vampire movie list so much, that I featured it right on Top Ten Movie Vampires. While I stuck mostly to new titles, she's got all the classic favorites. I really enjoyed reading all of this Giant Squid's top tens. If you like movies, or lists, I highly recommend them.

Meanwhile, I've been doing a lot of lens polishing. A good habit I suppose, but it's really my way of putting off writing the text portions of my next lens to be. In school friends and teachers always told me that I should go to college to be a writer. It wasn't until I was ready leave high school that I realized how much I actually hate writing. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you enjoy it, I guess. Too bad nobody told me to go to culinary school. I love to cook. I could have been running a restaurant by now. I should sue my guidance councillor. Maybe I'll just add more recipes to the Mommy Menu.

Parodies are Fun!

So awhile ago I decided to write an entire lens about A Nightmare on Elm Street, as a complimentary page to my Hallowe'en Marathon. I had originally intended on making it a Squidflix lens, but I couldn't figure out how to get into the workshop, so I gave up and just started a regular old lens.

After writing and picking images and action figures and links, I poked around looking for good content to add to my Discovery Tool. When I searched keyword Freddy Krueger, I found the most hilarious lens! Freddy Krueger & Jason Voorhees: Best Friends Forever is a clever back story about horror films' greatest villains. It's a bit silly in places, but all around it's a good laugh and a nice tribute. I particularly like the chapter about the Crystal Lake high school prom - it's priceless. I was a little surprised to discover that the author was a self proclaimed QueenOfTheGeeks. I would have guessed a guy for sure! Not that I believe in gender stereotypes. After all, who just wrote a guide to Freddy Krueger films?