I get emails and messages all the time going something like-“Bonnie - trying to find the post you did recently about your Tulip string pieced quilt and can't find it! I want to see the other color ways people were using. How can I find it?”I am happy to show you how YOU can find what you are looking for in less time than it takes to email me about a post I wrote months ago-- instead of -- ME having to search and then send the address of the post back to the person requesting the info.
How many of you have ever noticed at the VERY TOP of this page ((Above the blog header at the top of your browser)) is a tool bar with a little box with a magnifying glass in it at the upper left of the page?
((If your browser does not show this bar, try a different browser! I recommend Google Chrome!))
Did you know that the search box at the top of my blog is specifically for searching JUST MY BLOG?! It won’t send you out in to the World Wide UnderWeb –it’s just my posts only. Nearly 8 years of posts. This post is number 3,186. That's A LOT of posts to remember. And I can't.
This search box tool is your way to search the archives of the blog by using key words about what you are looking for.
In this case our reader would type in her key words “Tulip Fields” into the search box like this:
When she hits enter, she will get THIS down the blog page:
Hi, again, Jill!! 
The posts will be in order of relevance, not always in dated order, but you can click SORT BY DATE if you know it was one that was recent, or further back.
Let’s face it. If someone emails me with a question of “I once saw a Scrappy Trips Quilt in shades of Aqua, Red and Pink on your blog – can you direct me to that post??” There are almost EIGHT YEARS of blog posts on this blog. What I am going to have to do is type key words into the search box at the top of the blog, just like I’m showing you here --- and search to find that post specifically for that person. This is something that you can learn to do yourself, and it would be of great help to me. I often don’t have the time it takes to do personal searches for people.
But then, I could start charging Fat Quarters for my services, couldn’t I??
My goal with this little reminder is to teach you HOW to fish – instead of GIVING you a fish.
Try it! You’ll see!
You can find what you are looking for faster than it takes me to respond to your email ---telling you how to use the search box where you can.
For future reference, this little Search Box Tutorial will be found in the Blog Helps tab at the top of the blog.
For future reference, this little Search Box Tutorial will be found in the Blog Helps tab at the top of the blog.
Happy Searching!
27 comments:
Bonnie, you are a HOOT!!!! We love you!
As I used to say to my kids: "do you want me to chew your food for you too?"
Hi, Bonnie. Don't forget to include a link to this helpful tutorial on your "blog helps" tab so you won't have to do a personal search for it for somebody next week! LOL
Bonnie - you are too good to us! Quilting tips and lessons, and now computer lessons! We get recipes and history lessons and tours and jokes and inspiration...do you do windows, too? Really, sincere thanks for all you do. You could spend your time any way number of ways, including finding additional ways to earn a living with your talents (can you say Craftsy?), but you give freely to your internet fans and friends. You spend your time searching for ways to make our view of QuiltCam easier and more efficient, instead of just saying "Nice try, come back later." Your dedication and enthusiasm is what keeps us all coming back, again and again. "Thanks for all you do" doesn't begin to cover it, but it's all we can do. If you're ever in the Savannah area, please let me at least buy you lunch to show our appreciation. Until then...Thanks!
I just realized that search box is not "locked" to the top of the window, so if you have scrolled down a couple lines as you read this post, you cannot see the search box. It is only visible (for me, at least) when I am scrolled up to the top of the page. As soon as I scroll down a couple lines, I cannot see it any more. Hope this helps someone.
I cannot believe that folks ask YOU to do their searches for THEM? But, as web mistress for my guild, I have seen it all. I guess my parents raised me to be too "$%@# independent" (my mother's words) and to be bound and determined to figure things out for myself. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule for this tutorial. Just underlines what makes you such a wonderful teacher.
And...for some reason, I am having trouble searching even my OWN blog on blogger! LOL! Blog quirks always annoy. Thanks for the added ideas. I'll see if that helps. Helpful post!
Thank you for that information! Now, does anyone know how to search Facebook pages? There's a search option on Facebook groups, like the Vintage Sewing Machine group, but I've not found it on pages. So it's hard to find questions/answers that may have been asked and answered before. Just scrolling makes it easy to miss, especially if something is buried in a posting. I'm trying to use Facebook more, but just find that aspect frustrating.
Thanks for being so helpful. I'm new at all this blog reading and I didn't know that!!
Pretty much the same as Bonnie described....just go to the top of whatever Facebook page you're on--even the newsfeed page--look for the magnifying glass symbol. Delete whatever is in the box and type in what you are looking for.
That's it!
Oh Wow! I didn't know that! What a help that will be. Now I'll search from that rather than just giving up before I even start. Thanks for pointing this out, I'll bet there will be about a million of us searching from this little box.
Terrific!
Guess this old dog can learn some new tricks!! Thanks Bonnie!
I volunteer at my local library. I get asked all the time, "Where are the dieting books?", "Do you have the Wimpy Kid books?", Where is....
I finally started taking each person that asks me to the electronic card catalogue and teaching them how to use it, with the stipulation that they must teach a classmate, friend, or sibling. The each one teach one way is a good way for all of us to learn a new trick.
You crack me up with your public service announcements..you do educate the quilting masses! :) Hope folks stop asking you to look for stuff and just look themselves!
Nope, did not know that that box would only search your blogs.... so I learned something BIG and new today. Thanks.
And now, when you get an email like that you can simply send them the address of this post and be done. I'm actually amazed that you even try to answer emails like that - you are very kind :)
Thanks. I hadn't seen that tiny search box on the wrong side of the screen. Should be in the upper right blogspot.
I'm not seeing it! At the very top left side is the search, but that seems to search for pages on Facebook, not topics within the page. Is there another search bar that I'm missing? Like I said, I've found that on group pages, but I can't find it on pages...
Thanks for any help!
I use that tab all the time. Even though I have only been a Bonnie follower for a year, I have gone back and read all of her blogs. Too much information to miss. So if I know that I have read it before I can use the tab to see it again. Also checked out the Tips tab, the pattern tab, (really all of them) and the calendar because if Bonnie is in my neighbor I want to go see her and learn some new stuff!!
I do quilt some time! lol
Thank you, Bonnie! This is coming from a really computer "stupid" person. I know I am one of those people who have asked you stuff like this in the past and I am excited to know how to find it myself. Thank you for teaching me how to fish!!! lol
Thanks Bonnie! You or another blogger clued me in to this a few months back. Before that I thought the line at the top was for the blog writer not the reader and didn't even consider trying it.
you could try ctrl + f (the find function) and type in your keyword for that search ("tulips" for example).
I don't think facebook has a search for info within a page.
Oh cool! So good to know. I'm on Blogger, too, and I had no idea that box was blog specific. Great information. Have a super day!
I, too, find it amazing at what people will request. I encounter that at work as well, and after the third or fourth time I've been asked the same question, I have a hard time being patient. Koodos to you for being so kind - I don't think I would have been that diplomatic!
Fish? I don't even like fish! Ha Ha. Hey, thanks for the tutorial - I had never even noticed that search box. Happy Thursday night.
Hi Bonnie! It's Jill! I was out of town, but Marylou told me I was in the blog again! I haven't had a chance to work on Tulips since the workshop, but I've looked at it! Does that count?!! LOL! I might make it my 'Quilt Cam' project!
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