Come on over...

Today I'm guest posting over at So Wonderful, So Marvelous about why bloggers make the best friends.   Michelle was one of my very first bloggy friends and I am just thrilled to be filling in for a bit while she's bonding with her as yet unnamed baby girl.  If you haven't found Michelle yet, she is a must read.  She literally makes me laugh out loud with every post. 

For those of you popping by from Michelle's blog: WELCOME!  I'm so happy to have you!

Guest Post: Advice for Bloggers

Meet Leslie from Fresh out of Lemons.  I love her blog and know you will too!



I was honored when Melissa asked me to be a guest blogger on her site.  I immediately thought, ‘What could I share with her bloggers?’  I began to reflect on all that I’ve learned since I began my site, Fresh Out of Lemons, last August.  I set-up my little space on the world wide web as a creative outlet; a place to share my life, projects, tips, and adventures.  I quickly discovered that the process is much more than simply writing and posting pretty pictures.  Blogging is a lot of work!

Marketing is the behind-the-scenes part of having a blog that you don't think about when you post your first piece.  Writing is a reward, but knowing that people are actually reading makes the process way more fun!  Numbers become almost as important as the words; how many visitors, how many Facebook fans, how many Google Friend Connect members, etc.  Each statistic represents who you’re reaching and how your blog is growing.  I’ve found that the easiest way to increase exposure is also the simplest— be an active fan and follower of other sites.  Bloggers support bloggers.  There’s a reciprocal rule; if I visit your site and leave a comment, the common courtesy is to drop by mine and do the same.  Our worldwide community is such a close knit network, which was another surprise to me….

Fellow bloggers begin to feel like friends.  When I hear something about Texas, I think about Haley over at Cardigan Junkie.  When I come across a gorgeous and ruffled frock, I usually send the image to Laura, who has expressed her love of such things on You Stir Me.  I’m enjoying following Julie’s wedding planning on Love, Julie.  My blogroll represents a list of super talented and creative people who share the fun, relatable, delicious, inspiring, etc. parts of life.  I often feel privileged to be allowed the access.

And I'm fascinated by the idea that my stories can be captured in this unique way for whoever comes across my little url.  However, the flipside is that anyone can come across it.  If you haven’t had your first mean comment, just wait; they’re unfortunate rites of passage.  You will be stung.  If you’re like me, you’ll feel nauseous and begin to question whether “exposure” is such a good thing.  I just don’t accept the idea that I should develop a thick skin.  What I do believe is that people have a choice— read if you like or forget my address if you don't.  Zero tolerance for bullies.  Who’s with me?!

The other part of blogging that makes me want to throw the laptop across the room— technical issues.  Beautiful blogs impress the heck out of me because I know the work that goes into them.  Coding feels like (dark arts) magic.  Luckily I have a pretty great host company, Squarespace, that makes the work a lot easier.  They also have super responsive customer service representatives who talk me through heart-attack inducing moments, like accidentally deleting my entire blogroll. 

My final bit of advice that envelops all of the above— have a supportive partner in your life.  My husband, Joey, was my first fan.  He reads everything that I post, and he puts up with all the hours that I spend on my site and others.  He also accommodates a camera in his face when he’s part of a project that I want to share, or the dinner delays when I’m trying to capture visual steps of a recipe.  He listens to my stories about my web friends as if they’re people with whom we might go out to dinner.  He keeps me creative and, despite all the extra work, that’s the most important part of blogging!

Guest Post: Wine Slushies!

Hello everyone! My name is Lauren and I blog over at The Elephant's Trunk and I also have an Etsy shop of the same name. 

Today I'm here to tell you about my love for wine slushies! Recently I was in Arizona at a Craft Fair and some guy at a booth asked me if I'd like a sample of a wine slushie. Was he serious? Of course! I loved it! It was so refreshing and delicious. I then purchased the mixture so that I could make my own win slushies at home.

Frappe Vino is the name of the company that makes this genius drink! You can purchase Frappe Vino yourself via Amazon. (I'm not receiving compensation from Frappe Vino I just happen to love their product. If they are interested in compensating me for singing their praises that's fine with me though).

It is so simple to make this delicious concoction. All you need to do is buy a bottle of red wine and buy a cheaper bottle (you're not having a fine lobster dinner you are pairing it with, you're making a slushie here people). I used a Barefoot Merlot and this can be found at most super markets or liquor stores for a fair price. You dump your whole bottle of wine in a gallon size freezer bag, then fill your wine bottle up with water, add the water to the freezer bag and then mix in the Frappe Vino mixture. After all of this has been done give your gallon size bag a good shake (with the zipper sealed tight of course) and place the bag in the freezer for 24 hours.

After the 24 hours is up, remove your bag and scoop out the frozen slushie. Place in a glass and enjoy!

This is an amazing way to get your red wine fix in on a hot summer day. It would also be great to have a big pitcher of these slushies available at a party. What are you waiting for? Make your own slushie! 

Homemade Doggie Treats: Tutorial

I love my pup, Louie.  He's pretty much like a kid for Sean and I, and he's one of the most spoiled pups I know.  So when Kami over at Searching For Serendipity needed guest posters while she's home with her new little bug, Louie was my inspiration!  Furbabies need love and attention too!

So head on over and check out my tutorial for Homemade Frozen Dog Treats!

Head over to..

Searching for Serendipity to read my guest post on Goals!  I'm thrilled to be posting for Kami.  Her blog is just fantastic and she's expecting her first little one.  I hope you'll head over and show her some love!

Those of you popping over from Kami's blog, WELCOME!  Please make yourself at home!gue