Post Comment Love and Blogger Showcase 15 - 17 March

Hello there and welcome to this week’s #PoCoLo a friendly linky where you can link any post published in the last week.  If you were here last week, it was great to see you and if you’re new here this week, then you’re very welcome.  Both Morgan and I know you’ll find some great posts to read, and encourage you to pop over to some of the posts linked and take the time to leave a comment or two so that everyone benefits from some extra love.

I’m not quite sure where this week has gone, it’s been one that’s been windy though. So far I’ve managed to avoid the rain, but it’s been blowy wandering around Greenwich, and not even on the river banks. It’s also been one where everyone seems to be watching what’s happening in Parliament, and whatever your stance on Brexit, it’s a complete mess isn’t it?

I know I’m ready for this weekend, we don’t have much planned and that’s the beauty of it. I’m hoping to spend some time crafting and making progress with my next photo book. And I don’t think I even mind what the weather does, although MOH will, he’s off on one of his mad cycles on Sunday.

My photo this week is one from Gardeners’ World Live last June, the colours just called out to me - I think it’s a echium, a plant that grows tall cone like flowers which are much loved by butterflies and bees and remind me of our trip to Jersey a few years ago where we saw them everywhere. Definitely our plant of the holiday, and yes, often there’s one plant that stands out more than most so is adopted as our plant emblem.

Blogger Showcase: Megan from Not Scared

1 Who are you?

My name is Megan. I am a 29 year old Canadian blogger. I own the blog Not Scared.

2 How did you discover blogs/blogging?

I discovered blogging just by reading other blogs on the internet. I started to wonder what it was all about and started to do research.

3 Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging because I wanted to be heard. Also, I wanted something in my life that I could say that I did; that was mine. In addition, I suffer from bipolar disorder and I wanted a way to connect with others who suffer from mental health issues. I also wanted a way to educate and promote mental health. Hopefully, I can also solve some of the symptoms experienced by others.

4 What do you find most challenging?

Right now, my biggest challenges are search engine placement and generating traffic. My blog only launched on January 3, 2019. Thus, I am a very new blog and I am still trying to gain exposure.

5 What is your favourite topic to write about?

So far, essential oils and how they can help with mental health.

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

Both 

7 What is your favourite thing about blogging?

That I can be heard; that I have an outlet.

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

No just launched.

9 What are you 3 best posts?

My three best posts have been:

1.  7 Natural Remedies for Anxiety Attacks

2. What is depression?

3. Anxiety: Everything you need to know

10 Describe yourself in three words!

Kind, motivated, crafty.

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?

 Go out to a little coffee shop and talk with friends.

13 Your perfect night in?

Order pizza and watch Netflix.

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

Friendly.

Thanks Megan, for sharing more about you and your blog. You can connect with Megan on her social channels here: Twitter - Instagram - Pinterest. If you’d like to be featured in a future blogger showcase then please get in touch with either Morgan or I, we still have a waiting list but it’s shorter than it has been for a while!

Post Comment Love & Blogger Showcase 1 - 3 March

Hello there and welcome to this week’s #PoCoLo a friendly linky where you can link any post published in the last week.  If you were here last week, it was great to see you and if you’re new here this week, then you’re very welcome.  Both Morgan and I know you’ll find some great posts to read, and encourage you to pop over to some of the posts linked and take the time to leave a comment or two so that everyone benefits from some extra love.

We’re back with the new style linky, and hopefully the changes we’ve made work - I’m sure they will, if not next week there’ll be some more refining.

Hasn’t the weather been lovely? I was off on Wednesday and spent the day in Islington at the Business Design Centre, and while the event - with the Garden Media Press - was good, it was nice to get outside and just spend some time sitting in the sun. Had it been a day later, I’d have got very wet. And if it was a year ago I’d have been knee deep in snow. Funny how much difference a year, and even a day can make.

I left the event feeling inspired with plenty of new ideas to share here, now I just need to work out how to make them all happen. I’m not quite sure how, but I’m going to be giving it a good old go. So it makes sense that my photo for this week is from the event, and you’ll be seeing more of these on here. They’re not all that they seem, they’re not concrete, or stone and they light up at dusk - so very clever, and incredibly versatile.

NOT ALL THAT IT SEEMS, AT DUSK IT LIGHTS UP

Blogger Showcase: Alex from Persisting Pain

1. Who are you?

My name is Alex and I'm a 19 year old trying to set up a charity and manage life with multiple chronic illnesses. I'm trying to use my content to inspire people to be kind to themselves and others. I would also like to start doing product reviews that may be helpful for others in a similar situation to me.

2. How did you discover blogs/blogging? and 3. Why did you start blogging?

They are something that I have always read and considered starting, but didn't know what I would write about. Then I was watching a video of Claire Wineland - she inspires me and reminds me that my illnesses are not everything that I am. I wanted to be able to inspire others as well but find that I am much better at writing than speaking, and so my blog began!

4. What do you find most challenging?

I find it difficult to admit when I am ill and when I need help, so being brutally honest in my blog about these things can be a struggle for me. It is also difficult for me to keep motivating people to be comfortable with themselves when it is something that I am struggling with myself, but hopefully watching my journey will give others the hope that they need to keep going.

5. What is your favourite topic to write about?

I enjoy writing about things that bring me inspiration and motivation, and things that make me happy on days when my illnesses make that seem impossible. This is because I hope that others will read my posts and it will help them feel the same. 

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

A bit of both. I love writing and don't want to let me illnesses get in the way of that. A lot of my blog is for me to remind myself to be hopeful, but I also love the idea that my stories could go on and do the same for others. If I could go on to inspire others then that would be great.

7. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

I love the community that blogging creates, both from other bloggers and from readers. I have found lots of support and encouragement from others and love to be able to help others in the same way.

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

I haven't had the opportunity to attend a blogging conference yet, but this is something that I would love to do as I am sure that I could learn a lot and connect with a lot of people.

9. What are your 3 best posts?

• Metamorphosis

• Ten year challenge

• Recrudescence

These are my best performing posts so far, but I also agree with this as I feel that they honestly show my struggle with chronic illnesses and how I overcome this.

10. Describe yourself in three words.

Nerdy, determined, hopeful.

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

Can I be a tea and scones person? The question should really be do you put the jam or cream on your scones first (jam first, then clotted cream).

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

I would love going to the cinema with my best friend, boyfriend, and sisters followed by going to a desserts cafe to over eat yet again. 

13. Your perfect night in?

Probably something similar, relaxing watching Netflix and probably ordering in desserts (I know, I need to be more healthy). 

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

They would say that I am persistent. There are times when I am not strong, and there are times when I lose hope, but I always get back up and try again. 

Thanks Alex - and definitely yes to having a scone. I’m a jam first, cream second kind of girl too - it’s the only way right? Before we link up, pop over and say hello to Alex on Twitter. If you’d like to be featured in a future Blogger’s Showcase, then please send the answers to our questions to either Morgan or I.

Post Comment Love and Blogger Showcase 15-17 February

Hello there and welcome to this week’s #PoCoLo a friendly linky where you can link any post published in the last week.  If you were here last week, it was great to see you and if you’re new here this week, then you’re very welcome.  Both Morgan and I know you’ll find some great posts to read, and encourage you to pop over to some of the posts linked and take the time to leave a comment or two so that everyone benefits from some extra love.

As you know as part of every week’s post we feature a blogger in our Blogger Showcase and we’re looking for more bloggers to take part. It doesn’t matter if you’re a regular linker or someone here for the first time. All you need to do is answer the questions, or as many as you want to and send them to us by email. Once we’ve got your responses, and remembered to check the mailbox then we’ll agree a date. At the moment our next free date is the start of April, and let’s be honest it’s a great way to get some back links to your blog.

This week I’m trying out the new style linky, so when you link up below it’ll look a little different. I’m keen to know what you think, I’m not totally convinced yet as it doesn’t yet offer the same functionality in the tool, but I’m assured that the old style version isn’t going anywhere just yet, so if it doesn’t work so well that’s my backup plan (I’m refusing to adopt the new Brexit word to describe this!)

My photo this week is another old one, but pretty. It dates back to our visit to Castle Drogo in Devon in 2016, while the renovations were taking place. As most of the furniture and furnishings were in storage, some of the rooms hosting art exhibitions. And this willow mirror definitely caught my eye, thankfully not literally.

WILLOW MIRROR (2015), DOVETAIL FOUNDRY

Blogger Showcase: Becky from The Bonafide Brunette

1 Who are you?

I am a blogger based in Canada and I've been at it about a year. My name is Becky, I love fall, am a total foodie and believe in karma doing great things for me! I believe kindness is always the best choice. One small act of kindness can totally change a persons day, and I love that! I write out of passion, and blogging has by far become my favourite hobby I have ever had. I would love to turn it into a career one day, if the fates allow it.

2 How did you discover blogs/blogging?

I found a girl on Instagram whom I really admired because she was very real and honest, and I found out she blogs. After that, I tried it out and I was hooked.

3 Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging to be able to clear my mind, ease my anxiety and create! My hopes were that I'd reach a few people and they'd really enjoy what I had to say. But the most important thing to me is that I just really enjoy blogging and writing even if nobody reads it.

4 What do you find most challenging?

The most challenging thing for me is always remembering to take cute photos (haha). I am always so in the moment when Im out with friends doing fun things, I TOTALLY forget to capture my outfit or whatever us bloggers are supposed to do.. I am also way too embarrassed to ask a stranger to take a photo of me in a random coffee shop or something. I am just too shy! Other than that, my outreach is pretty hard too. I feel like I am doing all the right things.. and yet I haven't grown much! But thats okay, I didn’t start blogging to become huge or anything. I just do it out of passion.

5 What is your favourite topic to write about?

My favourite thing to write about is day to day life, inspiration and things like that. Things like why it's okay to like being alone, or whatever similar idea. I like to make people feel like they can relate and that its okay to feel how they feel. 

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

I blog mostly for fun, however I love it so much I'd be lying if i said I didn't want to do this full time.

7 What is your favourite thing about blogging?

I love the ability to create photos and pieces of writing that look like the inside of my brain. I know that’s a weird saying, but it’s so true! It's so hard to find a passion that allows you to really create something that’s a piece of you

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

No, but I would love to go to one.

9 What are your 3 best posts?

• From One Introvert To Another

• A Full Year Of Changes

• “Having It All” In Your 20s

10 Describe yourself in three words!

Introverted Extrovert, hungry (lol)

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

Can I have the coffee, and some toast with almond butter? I am not a cake gal!

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

A perfect night out for me would probably actually be a night in. Cooking dinner, playing board games, doing whatever. If we were to go out I'd like trying a new restaurant and then going for a walk somewhere with twinkly lights with my love!

13 Your perfect night in?

Oops. Well  my perfect night in is still cooking a nice dinner, and spending some time together doing whatever we feel like doing that night. I love card games and board games!

14 What would your best friend/boyfriend say is your best quality?

That's a hard one! My best friend or boyfriend would probably say that I am very thoughtful, strong willed and stubborn. Hard headed at times; but passionate, caring and big hearted too.

Thanks for sharing more about you and your blog Becky - here’s Becky’s social channels so you can pop over and say hello:  Twitter  -  Pinterest