A Purple Star-Studded Opportunity

What are you doing this long Memorial Day weekend? I hope you have something fun planned, but I also hope you can fit making a new Squidoo lens into your schedule. Here's why.

Full details and rules are on the Squidoo blog but, bottom line, if you make a really great new lens between now and midnight Monday, May 31st, 2010, you can also nominate it for a purple star. Then, if the lens is deemed worthy, not only will it receive a purple star, but your name will be entered into a drawing to become Purple Star Queen or King for the week of June 7th and you will get to choose all 20 purple-star lenses for that week. What fun!

The exciting part is that this challenge is open to all lensmasters. It's a rare occasion that non-Giant lenses are considered for purple stars, so if you're not a Giant yet this is a golden, well actually a purple, opportunity for you to get your new lens noticed.

Not familiar with the purple star program on Squidoo? Read all about it here (but remember that you don't have to be a Giant for this event) then put your very best work into a new lens and maybe, just maybe, your lens will receive some of that magic purple stardust.

Giant Squids can play too, of course, but it's particularly exciting that this challenge is open to everyone.

Remember, read the rules first, then get started on your next, or maybe your very first, purple star-worthy lens!

Think You Might Want to Be a RocketMom?

You might have heard of RocketMoms, the invitation-only group of the smartest moms on Squidoo. The small-group mentoring atmosphere of RocketMoms has surpassed even the wildest expectations and the first three sessions of RocketMoms have produced hundreds of quality Squidoo lenses.

If you've thought that maybe you'd like to participate, but you weren't sure, here's some good news. RocketMoms will have a Try-It Week October 19-23, which will be an intensive teaching and lensmaking week for those who want to see exactly how the group works. If you like what you see, you'll be welcome to stick around for the next session of RocketMoms, a special six-week holiday lensbuilding session that promises to be superific and fantastical! (Feel free to substitute your favorite made-up super-adjectives.)

You'll need an invitation to participate in the Try-It Week. If you're interested, leave a comment here on this post with your name and email address and I'll see to it that you get the information you need. Comments are moderated and will not be published so your email will be safe and secure, I promise.

Remember, Try-It Week starts October 19 so you'll need to let me know right away. I hope to hear from you today. It's going to be a blast!

Color My World Squidoo

Lots going on at Squidoo this summer. RocketMoms has launched a second semester, the Giants are starting summer school, and today the new Squidoo lens layout is being released. Along with the new layout comes a fabulous new feature for your lensmaking pleasure: themes.

Having been one of the lucky giants to test the new themes on my lenses, I thought I'd share some of my impressions with you. There are seven new themes plus the new color scheme that goes along with the updated lens layout. The layout is the same on all the themes; only the colors and fonts are different. All of your maxed lenses will revert to the new layout first, then you'll be able to edit your lenses to give each one its most suitable look.

The default theme is orange and blue, very recognizable as Squidoo, bold and bright yet tasteful. If you code in a lot of color on your lenses, you might be disappointed that things don't match quite as well anymore, but then again they might. If colors tend to clash with the default design, don't panic; try one of the new themes first. Each has a different color scheme and one might be perfect. I'd recommend trying "Moment of Zen" for a nice, neutral light gray look or try "Easy Street" for a strong, black background that sets off coded-in colors or striking photographs very nicely.

If you think green, then you're going to love the "Gone Camping" theme. Have a passion for purple? Think "Purple People Eater;" you'll love it. Bold yellow bands behind module title fields give the "Highlighter" theme its name. A cool blue and white look dominates "Paintball," making me think of waterfalls and icebergs. Interestingly, "The Professor" theme was a good match for my homeschool planners lens; consider it for instructional lenses.

You'll find the theme choices in the workshop when you edit your lenses; look up and right. Click on the name of the theme to see a preview, then make your choice and apply it to the lens. Publish the lens and take a look. Have your ooh's and ah's ready; you're going to need them.