Post Comment Love and Blogger Showcase 2-4 March

Hello there and welcome to another Friday and another Post Comment Love. If you were here last week it was great to see you, if you're new here then you're very welcome in what is a super friendly weekly linkup.  Even though I'm still catching up with myself - I will be popping over - but I've already peeked and you continually link up great posts. Every single week, so thank you.

And it's March. How?!  January seemed to take forever and then February whooshed by without me even realising. And then it was March and snowing. In London, quite a week. If I'm honest I could have done without the snow, it's caused me extra work and I'm perfectly busy enough thank you very much. 

But that's how I got these pictures of the snow on Wednesday. I was expecting to take the afternoon off and so knowing I was busy, I was up early and logged on early, but I couldn't resist taking some pictures first.  These were taken around 6.30am, which is a time of day I don't usually see, and I'm quite happy not seeing most of the time.  But I think these were worth it, and I got some things done too.

This kind of snow was easier to walk in than the remnants we currently have.  I was rushing (as usual) and it gave my legs a workout, which I'm still paying the price for. Oh my thighs... I'm trying to convince myself it's a good thing, but every time I stand up I start to doubt that.

Blogger Showcase: Hannah from Hannah Elizabeth

1. Who are you?

I am Hannah, a 21 year old, former medic who is about to embark on another university course. I love making memories and taking pictures which expanded into blogging and YouTube just over 4 years ago. I love fun, challenging myself and I hate being bored. Clearly. After less than a month off on holiday, I set up my own business.

2. How did you discover blogs/blogging?

I've followed YouTuber's for years and especially Anna Saccone-Joly. When I first started following her channel, I quickly realised she also posted consistently on a blog. I ended up loving the written communication format as it felt more personal. By the end of the year I was following many others...

3. Why did you start blogging?

I wasn't really aware of it at first but I did a lot of research. When I moved to university, I wanted to remember everything that was going on but didn't have a lot of time to make photo albums, scrapbooks or even write in a diary so I thought I would give blogging a try and it stuck.

4. What do you find most challenging?

I find it difficult to get readers to interact. I can see I'm getting readers and I can see by the statistics how long they are staying on my site but getting comments and feedback has been difficult. I think I've tried to overcome it by asking questions at the end of posts to force interaction but still, it's been slow progress.

5. What is your favourite topic to write about?

I love writing about my personal life. I think people that don't have a social media presence find it odd but my blog is, as the caption says: "My little corner of safety in this scary world we call home. A place of happiness, vulnerability and self-love." I love that it's a place I can be myself and others can share their stories in return. At the end of the day, if I can help out one person, why wouldn't I?

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

I would never blog if I didn't find it fun but that doesn't mean I don't have goals. I love blogging and I don't ever see myself stopping but as the same time, of course I want it to go somewhere. I don't ever see it being my full time job, so if I were asked if I wanted to make it a financially capable business, the answer would be no. However, I love when companies reach out and offer products that I'm interested in anyway, in return for a review that I would love to write regardless. I would love to hit 1,000 subscribers which will be soon!

7. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

I think I've already partially answered why I love blogging but simply put, it's a place to be me, myself and I.

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

I attended my very first blogging event in Nottingham, Jingle Mingle, a little while ago now. It was so much fun and I had an absolute blast meeting others and learning more. It was in collaboration with PrezzyBox and Becky Talk so it was really inspirational to see them talk about relevant subjects. Of course, we also got the opportunity to partake in a number of different activities which was so fun. If you get offered the chance, 100% go! 

9. What are your 3 best posts?

In my personal opinion, I couldn't say which were my favourite. There are far too many to choose from but probably the ones with vlogs attached to remember memories. My three best posts in termed of most read and most visited are:

• My Top Photo Services!

• Favourite LipSense Colours (Summer Edition)

• An Open Letter to Bonnie Hoellein

10. Describe yourself in three words

Kind, emotional and clever.

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

I actually hate coffee and tea, so can I be a biscuits and cake person? LOL!

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

I do love dressing up for a girly night out to a nice restaurant followed by a bar with live music. That's probably my favourite.

13. Your perfect night in?

A perfect night in? PJs, movie, book, music, chill. A good old fashioned sleepover.

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

My best friend has described me as thoughtful on multiple occasions. Thanks Sophie!

Connect with Hannah on Twitter  -  YouTube  -  Pinterest  

If you'd like to be a future Blogger Showcase then please answer the questions and get in touch with either Morgan or I - thank you.

An InLinkz Link-up

Hello March!

And from the looks of things, or at least those things influenced by my stationery gift box, March is going to have a tropical, but pastel feel to it. If I'm honest, pastels aren't really my thing, they used to be. In the 80s they were a thing before the fluorescent trend, and I think I had my fill then. 

I loved wearing them at the time, but perhaps it was the scars from the pale pink dress I was wearing and refused entry to a nightclub I was trying to get into on Canvey of all places, that did it for me and pastels.  Nothing to do with the fact that I was way too young to be in the said nightclub, and despite being practice perfect on my fake date of birth I fluffed it when asked, no it was all to do with the pastel dress. Not even my white canvas boots helped, ah well, I'm sure I didn't really miss out...

There is so much detail in this month's Papergang box, the picture above was just the sleeve that it arrived in, sharing its Palm Springs look for anyone that cared to look.  The month card has a more prickly feel to it, the designs I mean, not the actual card as that would be wierd.

I'm learning that these are boxes that I'll just need to start using, I've a couple of weekly jotters/planners now and they are just too pretty not to use. It might seem strange but the hit with me this month was the pencil, with it's gold lettering of "Road trip plans" as that really is on my to do list, as our holiday to the States this autumn won't plan itself will it?

Palm Springs isn't on our list for that trip, but if they have pink polar bears - that is a pink polar bear right? - then maybe it could be an addition...  I've no idea where or how I'm going to use these stickers, perhaps I should be adding them to my blog notebook, which I've diligently and rather obsessively drawn squares on, just to cater to my need to tick things off a list. 

I really do have tick boxes, I just need to work on those ticks...

What do you think of the March Papergang box?  It's the second of the boxes I've shared here, I've already shared the box for February and I'm waiting for the right time to share, the final box in my gift subscription, April. All I'll say is it's a bit pink, it arrived early again and I'm already wondering if I should continue with this for another few months.

I mean, I don't need more stationery, but need doesn't really come into it with pretty stationery does it?

In my garden: February

I told you about the blue skies yesterday and today I'm showing you them. The buds on the pear tree almost look like lights waiting to glow, don't they?  While I let MOH have a go with our new leaf blower, I escaped and snapped a few pictures, and it's good to see the colour starting to reappear in the garden.

As well as the start of some Spring yellows, there's plenty of pink. These hellebores are just about visible from the house, and they've spread over the years. There was a red dot visible from the house that I was keen to investigate, and when I got close I realised it was either a very late or very early flowering geranium.  Clearly trying to steal the show from these hellebores, but its time will come.

At the very end of the garden, the camelia I bought back in 2015 has put on lots and is much bushier than it has been in previous years. There's also quite a few flower buds, so I'm hopeful there'll be a pop of white about as far away from the house as you can get. 

As is becoming tradition, I could resist a photo in my favourite corner, the sleepers have dried out a lot since I was last here, but it's still not the weather to sit down and enjoy the view. To the left, was ironically an ice plant, nestled in among the lavender.  I'm hoping it's feeling right at home, but I'll be happy for it to be slightly less cold right now please!

There was one discovery which you might have already seen, and that's my first daffodil, and there's plenty more to come. There was a suggestion on my Facebook page that I cut it and pop it in a vase before the snow comes. That did cross my mind, but I couldn't quite bring myself to cut it, although daffs in the house should be obligatory.  Once I start buying those bunches that haven't even thought about opening, they become kind of addictive and our dining table, and plenty of other surfaces, are rarely seen unadorned.

As I headed back down the garden the fatsia caught my eye, the flowers looked particularly sputnik-like, and as I got close up (as I do) I spotted the picture I really wanted to get.  I can't decided if they're dancing in the sun, or if the leaf on the left is tickling them, either way I love this photo!

But then again I love the fatsia and am a total convert. Every garden I have from now on will most definitely be having its own fatsia. 

I'm also hoping for some slightly warmer weather, as well as the obvious reasons, I also want to get started sowing some seeds, and I'm hoping that I won't need to head out into a snow-filled garden to clear snow off of the greenhouse roof, which has to be my least favourite gardening job!