Hello Bloglovin' and Good-bye Google Reader

Hi everyone:

I'm sure you've heard that Google Reader will be riding into the sunset as of July 1. This may leave some of you wondering how you're going to follow your favourite blogs without having to view each of them individually. Not to worry, I have a solution. 

I'm not the most techie person in the world - I think that would be either of my kids - but I was able to load up my favourite blogs onto Bloglovin', a free app that you can use on your computer or iPad (you can download their app from the App store). If I can do it, so can you, so let me show you how.

First, you need to set up an account on Bloglovin', a fairly easy procedure. 

Just click the "Join Bloglovin" button and follow the instructions. 

Note that you can either create your account by using your Facebook account, if you have one, or

you can sign up with your email address by entering your name, setting up a username and password (that's how I did it). You'll get an email with a link from Bloglovin'. Just click on the link to set up your account. 

You'll notice that when you click on the link, it takes you to Bloglovin's website and there you will see the most important message of all. "Import your favorite blogs from Google Reader" with a blue button that you'll definitely want to click. Once you've clicked "Import from Google Reader", the blogs that you used to read through Google Reader will now be imported to Bloglovin' for your viewing pleasure. Sweet!

Now let's start importing other blogs that you want to read. There is a search area on the top right side of the Bloglovin' main page. Enter the name of the blog that you are looking for here, press enter and the blog should pop up here. 

More than one blog with a similar name may be found, so make sure you have the correct one before you choose it.

For example, I searched for Kay Mackenzie's All About Applique blog and came up with several results. These are all Kay's blog, just various previously published posts. I can click "Follow" and this blog will be added to my blog list on Bloglovin'. Easy, right?

There's one feature of Bloglovin' that I especially like: it sends me an email with new blogs posts directly to my inbox. I don't have to chase Bloglovin' down to see the latest blogposts. It also has a simple and streamlined look which I appreciate. 

Now after telling you all about how to set up an account and import your blogs, there is a simple way to add my blog to your list of blogs that you're following on Bloglovin' (you are going to set up an account, aren't you?) You may notice that there is a Bloglovin' button on the right sidebar of my blog (follow this blog with Bloglovin'). Just click on it and you can sign up to follow Chatterbox Quilts Chitchat right now. 

If you're looking for a replacement for Google Reader, I hope you'll take a look at Bloglovin'. 

If you have any questions about this process, just ask me about it in the comments and I'll try to help you - or I'll ask one of my kids about it :)