Post Comment Love and Blogger Showcase: 17 - 19 November 2017

Hello there and welcome to another Friday and another #PoCoLo - if you were here last week, it was great to see you. If you're new here this week, then welcome - I'm pretty sure you're going to find some fabulous blog posts, and maybe even new-to-you blogs in our friendly linky.

I've had another of those weeks when my mind and plans work faster than my body and reality can keep up with. I've planned to do so many things and not quite managed it, but there's still some week left, so who knows what I might achieve!

One of the things I have managed is the prototype for one of my Christmas projects. I'd bought a new die cut for my machine, but wasn't quite sure how it would work out. But it's all coming together nicely. There's still some glueing to do, and a lot more cutting too - but you know what, I think I've finally found a use for those miniature pegs I hoarded a while back!

Of course, I'll let you know how I get on.

The prototype box for my homemade advent calendar

Blogger Showcase: Mama Grace from Bards for Babes

1. Who are you?

I’m an actress who’s moving around the world with my humanitarian husband to bring up our family, and my blog is Bards for Babes.

2. How did you discover blogs/blogging?

I wanted to give my poetry an audience, I had written so many and wanted them to be read and enjoyed. I’d decided to join my husband abroad but I couldn’t find any acting work, so I shifted my focus to writing; I’m a creative and love to produce, so each day I would write. I’d heard of Wordpress and started playing about with putting them on and seeing what it looked like. I was pleased and excited with seeing them outside of a word document and hit publish and Bards for Babes was born.

3. Why did you start blogging?

When you act the journey is completed when you perform and because of the audience, well in theatre anyway, TV and film has a different time frame and payback. It can be scary having an audience because you are open to allowing how that person feels about your work coming back to you, good or bad but that’s the journey and I love it. I wanted that for my writing. I wanted the journey to be complete and I wanted them to escape my laptop and be read and enjoyed. I wanted Bards for Babes to be read by other mothers to their children.

4. What do you find most challenging?

I’m predominantly trying to write a play and the ‘blogging’ of the poetry can take up more time than I anticipated, which means I’m finding it hard to fit in both but I’m getting there.

5. What is your favourite topic to write about?

Oh, I don’t know. I guess I’m open to anything as a stimulus. I observe or live this experience and they’ll be an urge to create and have some fun from it. I don’t plan or write by topic, my poetry’s usually reacting to a need or experience she’s shown me.

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

Fun. My goal is to have fun.

7. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

I write more because I have something to write for. I learn from my audience and of course reading my poems to Grace. They’re written for her.

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

No.

9. What are your three best posts?

  • Rainbow Baby - I wanted to acknowledge my unborn child.

  • The Silent Partner - a nod to my OH and all the working parents.

  • Safe Dreams - I love bedtime and ending the day reading something that feels quite magical.

10. Describe yourself in three words!

Creative, passionate and focused

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

Tea and cake, more specifically Rooibos tea and I love a homemade cake.

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

Food, food, food. We don’t really do presents (we have 2 suitcases plus an extra 10kg allowance to move with each time, so it’s best not to accumulate stuff) but we love to treat ourselves to a really nice restaurants and travel. My perfect night would be a well-made G&T, followed by a meal of good food, accompanied by good wine and conversation. I also love live music, comedy and theatre.

13. Your perfect night in?

My husband brought a projector, we don’t have a TV and I love setting it up after she’s gone to bed. It feels like we’re at the cinema, quite magical. I also love listening to music and organically talking and working through what’s on your mind with the OH or he’ll set up the speakers while I get a bath and I’ll drift away to another place, maybe have a little boogie in the bath.

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

My OH says my honesty.

Thanks Mama Grace, it's great to know more about one of our regular linkers, please do grab your "I was featured' badge.  

Please take some time to connect with Mama Grace on social media:  Twitter  -  Facebook  -  Google+  -  Instagram  -  Pinterest  - Tumblr

And before you link up, if you'd like to be featured in a future Bloggers Showcase then please do get in touch with either Morgan or myself.

Post Comment Love 10 - 12 November 2017

Hello there and welcome to another Friday and of course another Post Comment Love. If you were here last week it was great to see you, if you're new here this week you're very welcome. I'm certain you'll find some great posts to read this week as I continue to be proud about the quality and variety of posts, and blogs, that link with Morgan and I each week.

I wasn't wrong when I wrote at the start of the week that it felt as if winter was on its way, as our first frost happened the very next day. Thankfully only a mild one, but it was a reminder that we really should pack up our garden for the winter. We haven't done too bad though have we, it is the middle of November.

I've been getting back into the blogging swing of things after a quiet week. I've been catching up on blog reading too, but as ever there is always more to do isn't there?

I'm looking forward to another quiet weekend. Our garden is the priority this weekend, so I'm hoping the weather will be kind. I'm also hoping to get some baking done and some crafting too.

As a reminder to myself my photo is from our plot - if we get time we should pop over there again as there is still plenty more to do. But in the meantime I'm just going to admire that freshly dug soil. Don't mind me...

On the plot

Bloggers Showcase: Vicky Elizabeth from Fragola Franchise

Vicky Elizabeth has recently moved her blog to wordpress so if you haven't checked it out yet, do pop over and take a look.  She says she blogs to "get it all out there and you'll be pleased to learn she has a love of Disney, coffee and yoga.  She's a native Miamian, raised by Cubans which means she's 100& a coffee and cake kinda girl.  Do head over to Morgan's to find out more about this week's bloggers showcase and her blog, and give her a follow on Twitter.

If you'd like to be featured in a future Bloggers Showcase, then please get in touch with Morgan or I.

 

 

Post Comment Love & Blogger Showcase 3 - 5 November 2017

Hello there and welcome to the first Post Comment Love in November. If you were here last week it was great to see you and if you're new here then you're very welcome. I'm certain you'll find some great reads, as each week that's what you link up.  Both Morgan and I enjoy the posts you link and love the variety, so keep them coming!

It's been a week with a heavy work focus again and if I'm honest I'm shattered, so a few days away from the blog and with my nose in a good book was much needed. Obviously it didn't do much for my to do list and my head is still full of stuff, but I've read a book, started another and enjoyed some time offline. 

I didn't manage to get that extra hour in bed last weekend as MOH was off for a 73 mile cycle ride and needed a lift to Fakenham. And I very generously let him put his bike in my new car. The lighter mornings are good, but I'm missing the walks home in the twilight. It's been colder, but I've still not dug out my coat, instead I've a new mustard coloured cashmere blanket-wrap, which is super versatile and is going to be well used I hope, before the coat comes out.

The heating's been on a couple of mornings and a couple of evenings too and that's been welcome too. As has the clear skies, the photo below is from my walk to work and I can't help but hope that the clear, sunny days continue. I'd much rather have those than the damp kind of autumn days, wouldn't you?

Blue skies in Greenwich

Blogger Showcase: Shannon from Going With Happy

1. Who are you?

I'm Shannon and my blog is Going With Happy. I'm a recent college graduate with a B.S. in psychology, with minors in art and music.  My college path is really reflective of who I am and what I enjoy in life!  I love psych and mental health, I'm an artist and I play piano.

2. How did you discover blogs/blogging?

I've read blogs since my early teens.  I forget how I stumbled upon the concept, but growing up it's simply been something that I've always read.

3. Why did you start blogging?

I've always wanted to blog!  I think it's an awesome idea, having my own little space on the internet to share my thoughts.  I had a couple blogs in my teen years that failed because I didn't really know what I was doing, but now that I'm in my twenties I have a better sense of what I want to blog about and how to do it successfully.

4. What do you find most challenging?

Social media upkeep!  I dislike most social media platforms aside from Twitter and Slack, so it's annoying to learn the ins and outs of something that I'm not a fan of.

5. What is your favorite topic to write about?

I'm a mental health blogger so writing anything to do with that makes me happy.  I really enjoy writing specifically about self improvement and life hacks!

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

Partially for fun, partially because I'd love to make this a side business of some sort.  My blog is monetised so I am making a very small income off that, and I'm hoping to grow that in the future.

7. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

Writing!  I LOVE to write, I'm a writing machine.  It was my greatest strength in college and I enjoyed every minute of it, so I love that blogging gives me a way to fuel my writing addiction.

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

I haven't yet but I want to!

9. What are your three best posts?

These ones!

10. Describe yourself in three words!

Creative, extroverted, and a huuuuge over-thinker.

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

Tea and biscuits!

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

Staying out late dancing, grabbing drinks or attending a concert.

13. Your perfect night in?

If I'm with friends, a couple drinks, good food and a movie.  If I'm alone, a good dinner and getting some blogging or painting done.

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

I've been called insightful by quite a few different people, so probably that.

Connect with Shannon on social media here:  Facebook  -  Twitter  -  Instagram  -  Pinterest  -  Google+

Thanks Shannon, it's great to know more about you and your blog - please do grab your I was featured on PoCoLo badge!

If you'd like to be a future Blogger Showcase then please do get in touch. We do have a bit of a waiting list at the moment, but we'd love to add your name to that list.