Post Comment Love and Blogger Showcase 6 - 8 October 2017

Hello there and welcome to another Friday and another #PoCoLo - if you were here last week, it was great to see you and if you're new here this week, welcome!  I'll apologise now (which is becoming the norm, I know) but this week I'm so behind I've almost met myself coming back again. Morgan's still internet-less too, so between us we're a right pair, we are ever so grateful for those of you who link to us, and I hope you know we will catch up with ourselves.

The good news is I have now finally booked everything - like the last hotel and somewhere to park - and bought the euros for our trip this weekend. Not even I am usually quite that last minute, but there's been a lot going on everywhere, and this is how it's shown itself.  I'm looking forward to heading off, but the timing could probably have been better as I'm expecting another long day at work today.  

I still have to pack, but I think the less time I have to do that the better. That means there'll be less deliberating and in all likelihood less clothes (but hopefully enough of the right sort!). The weather is looking warm, about twice the temperature of here, so it's not all bad.

On Wednesday I joined plenty of bloggers for #BlogCampOnboard and after the event I realised some of our regular Post Comment Love linkers were also onboard, so huge apologies for not spotting you, or if I spoke to you for not realising. I really do wish they'd put blog names on our badges, as that would help me immensely.

My photo this week is from the MSC Preziosa, which was the largest ship I've ever been on. I should clarify that, I haven't been on many boats, the largest before Wednesday is more often called a cross Channel ferry!!

We spent a lot of time on the Diamante Deck, which was well named. There was a fabulous Swarovski crystal staircase (head over to my Instagram to take a look) and I was very tempted to include that here, but instead went for another part of the same deck.  These installations were hanging throughout one of the bar areas and certainly brought even more decadence to the area.

Glitz and glamour on the diamante deck on the MSC Preziosa at BlogCamp

Blogger Showcase: Liberty from Liberty's Freedom Blog

1. Who are you?

Hey my names Liberty and I'm 15, I'm from the UK and I love reading. I also love taking photos and listening to music. I love travelling and hopefully I'll be able to include that in my blog - Liberty's Freedom Blog - in the future. 

2. How did you discover blogs/blogging?

I discovered blogging when my mum told me about her friend who blogged about appliances and opportunities she got. So I really have my mum to thank for it. 

3. Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging to help with my writing, I want to be a journalist when I'm older so me and my mum agreed that blogging would really help my writing skills. I also enjoy writing. 

4. What do you find most challenging?

Believing that my writing is good enough. It took me so long to jump into the blogging pool and immerse myself within it as I felt that my writing would never be good enough. My mum knocked some sense into me, she was like Liberty you won't be some world renowned blogger by next week, you need to practice and this will be a good start. 

5. What is your favourite topic to write about?

I love writing about my books as I really enjoy writing about my passions. I also love writing posts about issues in the world, I haven't written much on big issues yet as I'm still new but hopefully in the future I'll get more of diverse topics on my blog. 

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

It is a bit of both. Fun because I enjoy doing it and it doesn't feel like a chore. I do want to get recognition for my work though, I'd love to get picked up by a huge newspaper and get asked to write articles for them, I'd really like to see my work in the national geographic one day writing about all the countries I've been too. 

7. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

I love the freedom of being able to write whatever you want, it's your little mark in the world and you can just be you. I also love to get my thoughts down so that others can see. 

8. Have you ever attended a blogging conference and if so, what did you think?

I haven't and I really would love to one day, that's when I'll know I've really made it. 

9. What are your 3 best posts?

My first would be Milk and Honey, I have my readers an insight on me, they got a little piece of me. I spoke about some sensitive topics and it was really genuine. My second would be Username: Evie as I loved the book and you can tell by the way I speak about the book. My last one would be Girl Loves Girl as it was a great book to review, it was real and so eye opening to me, I also got recognition from the author which was really cool and one of those OMG! Moments. 

10. Describe yourself in three words!

Bubbly, ambitious and adventurous 

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

I'm both it really depends on my mood. Although I drink coffee and eat a bit of cake more as I love coffee a lot, especially Starbucks's coffee. 

12. What's your idea of a perfect night out?

The beach at night would be awesome! I love the sea so I'd love to go to California and just watch the sunset whilst running around in the sea or the sand with a couple of my friends. Then afterwards we could sit by a fire and share stories and roast marshmallows.

13. Your perfect night in?

A book (Milk and Honey), a drink, lots of pillows, Halsey playing or Jorja Smith, watching the sunset, I guess you could say I'm obsessed with sunsets. Or watching a movie on my own or cuddling up to someone whilst watching Letters to Juliet, my all time favourite romance film. 

14. What would your mum say is your best quality?

I think my mum would say I'm really kind, I always try to put others first even if I end up getting hurt in the process. My mum just thinks I'm good, that I don't have cruel intentions and that I'm a one in a million kinda girl. The girl that wants to change the world and will end up doing it, that's what my mum thinks about 

Thanks Liberty, it's been lovely to feature a new young blogger, and I'm sure you'll do well with such great advice from your mum.  Please do grab your "I've been featured on PoCoLo" badge.  

Before you link up, please do take some time to look at Liberty's blog and connect with her on Twitter.

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.