Post Comment Love: 29 September - 1 October 2017

Hello there, one thing before I welcome you properly. October.

October! 

How is that happening this weekend, I love autumn, but I don't feel ready just yet.

Right I'm glad I've got that out of the way, welcome. If you were here last week it was great to see you and I'm pleased with myself for making it round to all of your posts, now there's just the small matter of catching up to deal with. If you're new here this week, it's also great to see you and I hope you'll find some great posts, and potentially new to you blogs to read.

This week started off with a relaxing weekend in Norfolk and then a night out on Monday, which is enough to throw my week. And true to form I've been double checking what day it is ever since. I was out at a blog event Monday night with Mira Showers and had the best night. There were cocktails, a neck massage - which was very welcome as I seem to have slept "funny" on mine - and an attempt to make some beauty products. I'm looking forward to trying the new showerhead and my beauty products too.  I also bumped into a couple of journalists there who'd been on the Stihl trip back in January, and as well as meeting some new-to-me-bloggers, that all made for a lovely evening.

I've successfully managed to dodge the rain so far and I think I'm close to deciding on my next "a year in" subject, so if you're interested pop back at the start of the month. Oh there I go again, I've just reminded myself it's October soon...

autumn in greenwich park

My picture this week is of Greenwich Park and of a vista I don't see all that often. Walking home a different route, on my way to the hairdressers I was blown away by the prettiness - and autumn-ness - of it all, so even though I was running late (no surprise there!) I couldn't not take a picture now could I?

Blogger Showcase: Lorna from Lorna Cole

Lorna who blogs over at Lorna Cole terms herself a beginner blogger who's blogging for fun right now, although admits it's her dream to earn some money from her blog. She's finding her feet with her blog but loves interior design and is hoping to share some of her ideas in the upcoming months. She's opted 100% for tea, but at the start of the summer was obsessed with iced coffee. To find out more about Lorna and read her full answers, head over to Morgan's blog to say hi!

Connect with Lorna here: Instagram  -  Pinterest  -  Twitter  

Post Comment Love and Blogger Showcase 22-24 September 2017

Hello there and welcome to another Friday and another #PoCoLo!  Despite best intentions I seem even more behind than before but as ever I've a master plan to correct that, and if all else fails please know I will get to your post soon. If you were here last week, it was great to see you and I know there's some great posts in my reading list, and if you're new here this week then welcome, it's great to have you along.

In the past week I fell back in love with my plot (well, maybe not the weeds) and with the garden and took a day off to head to Doncaster for a whole day of crafting. It involved colouring, cutting out and a laminator and you may have already spotted the results on instagram. It was great, and a little bit indulgent, to take a day off work for this but it was good to see the Fellowes set up first hand to and to meet up with other bloggers too - look out for more on the day soon.

There were some fantastic brownies there - actually the food and hospitality were brilliant all day - but looking through my photos from the week, this blondie from Miss Friday Bakery had to be the one to share. At the time of writing this post, it was still in the wrapper - but I think you know me well enough by now, to not ask if it's still intact!

Blondies by Miss Friday

Blogger Showcase: Penny from Pebble Pen

 1. Who are you?

Penny from Pebble Pen

I'm Penny Dawinter, 19 year old student, born in Hertfordshire, raised in Kent, flirted about with Hampshire & Wiltshire before settling in Yorkshire with my gamer boyfriend, Joel. Surrey is the next great adventure! An ex-bookseller at Waterstones and avid book-blogger. Lover of life, flowers, books, tea, coffee, cats, dogs and all sorts! Too many passions and too little time! My profile picture was drawn for me at London Comic-con (and yes I actually wore the ears!), and my blog is Pebble Pen.

2. How did you discover blogs/blogging?

I read other blogs like girlxoxo and the Waterstones blog. I read a friend’s art blogs and had a tumblr account for a short while as well. I did a creative writing AS course and was encouraged from there to post on a blog regularly, but my fiction pieces were rarely ever blog post length!

3. Why did you start blogging?

I started working at a book store and from there it just flowed. I love meeting people that share my passion, and outside of work, that didn’t really happen, so I formed my book blog. It’s still got a way to go but I’m proud to call it mine.

4. What do you find most challenging?

Finding an audience of genuine people that will enjoy my blog posts. I am active on social media, replying to other bloggers posts and following them, but sometimes it just seems like I’m collecting statistics and not real people that enjoy reading and can give constructive advice to improving the blog. 

5. What is your favourite topic to write about?

Books!

6. Are you blogging for fun or do you have goals?

I blog for fun, as I think everyone should, but I have goals also. I want to make a bit of pocket money from it, but have no great ambition as far as worldwide blog stardom is concerned! My goals are a few posts a month and to make the blog a little bit better every so often.

7. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

The reading part! But second best the writing part! Third best is the fantastic people I’ve met! And fourth is making the blog all pretty and stuff!

8. Have you ever attended a blogging conference?

Nope, sadly enough.

9. What are your three best posts?

1st: January 2017 Monthly Motif Challenge - Pantomime Laura Lam

2nd: Borne - Jeff Vandermeer

3rd: Romana's Freedom - M.P.A. Hanson

10. Describe yourself in three words:

Please God no.

11. Are you a tea and biscuits or coffee and cake person?

Coffee and cake!!!

12. What is your idea of the perfect night out?

A meal and a few drinks with a close circle of friends that I can get excited about and dress up. Chatting and catching up with people I haven’t seen in a while. Joking, laughing and enjoying good pub food. 

13. Your perfect night in?

Me and Joel, a flawless Indian takeaway (delivered early of course and with tons of free poppadums) watching a Studio Ghibli film with the duvet around us on the sofa and the dog snuggled in somewhere too. Hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows. I also get hand-fed chocolate in this scenario too.

14. What would your best friend/OH/mum or kids say was your best quality?

Best friend: optimism and sense of humour

OH: honesty

Mum: generosity

Kids: WOW hold the phone I’m only 19 gimme a chance!

Thanks Penny for sharing your answers it's great to find out more about you and your blog, and I hope you'll find some new blogs and connections through this feature, don't forget to grab your "I was featured on PoCoLo badge" for your blog!

If you'd like to be featured in a future Bloggers Showcase then please do get in touch, our waiting list has just inched into 2018 (I know, that's scary!) but Morgan and I would love to add you to this list.

Post Comment Love 15 - 17 September 2017

Hello there and hello Friday - I've been looking forward to it this week, I don't mind saying!  If you were here last week it was great to see you, and if you're new here this week you're very welcome and it's great to have you along. As usual there were great posts last week, I'm still making my way around them as my newly found love of crocheting still has its hold. I'm certain there'll be equally great posts this week, because that's what you do!

It's been a week of dodging rain though hasn't it? I've seen many posts on Facebook about how it always seems to rain for the school run, it also seems to be timing it to coincide with my walk home.  Somehow the skies darken almost at a flick of a switch and you know the rain is coming but there's little you can do about it. Of course the times I've had my umbrella and/or waterproof with me the weather has improved and the times I've left the office without them, I've been caught out.

Our heating has also snuck itself on a couple of mornings this week and I can't say I'm sorry at all. The underfloor heating in the bathroom is one of the best things we've ever done. I love autumn - the colours, the food but not the damp so much. It's hard to believe that this time last year we were experiencing temperatures of thirty four degrees. I remember melting but it seems unbelievable now.

I'm resisting the move into tights. I had a brief foray into that world on Monday but quickly retreated. They are the most awful things and will be avoided for as long as possible. I'm hoping to hold out until we come back from Portugal in mid-October, which I'm counting as my 'summer' holiday!

My photo this week is from my walk home Thursday evening. It had just finished raining and there was a rainbow ahead of me. Walking over the approach road to the Blackwall tunnel I spotted the yellowing leaves of the rowan tree against the moody sky, and couldn't help but be reminded of a country hedgerow.  It's far from that but momentarily it could have been!

autumnal rowan leaves against a moody sky

Bloggers Showcase: Jess from The Queen is in Town

Firstly what a great name for a blog!  I'd love to know how that came about - perhaps it's a question we should add!  Jess says she's always been blogging for fun and to find people who think the same. She's from Luxembourg and loves make up and books and a good night should include plenty of laughter. I think all the best nights do.  Thanks Jess, it's great to showcase your blog as part of #PoCoLo.

Connect with Jess on Instagram and Twitter before you pop over to Morgan's blog to find out more about Jess and her blog.

If you'd like to be featured in a future bloggers showcase we'd love to feature you.  Our waiting list has just dipped into the new year (eek!) but get in touch with your answers now to secure your spot.