Blogging Archives - Page 2 of 3

15 Helpful Tips for Bloggers

January 15, 2016 by Kelly Dedeaux

Today I’m over at Texas Women Bloggers sharing 15 Helpful Tips for Bloggers to help make this hectic and busy life just a little bit easier. Head over to check them out!

We ALL struggle to fit in about 60 hours of work into a 24 hour day, right? I wish I had a perfect idea, or time in a bottle, to fix that – but sadly, no luck! We DO, however, have some excellent tips that will help you better manage the time you get – and maybe cut out some things that really aren’t crucial enough to add to your pile of To-Do’s!

What are YOUR best time management tips for bloggers? Share them here, or head over to see OUR tips and share yours, too!

Cincinnati, Ohio & Swiffer Ambassador Event

January 15, 2016 by Kelly Dedeaux

As part of the Swiffer Ambassador Program, this trip was provided at no cost to me. All opinions are my own. #SwifferFanatic #RealCleanRealFast

I had no idea what to expect this past week on this trip to Cincinnati, Ohio & Swiffer Ambassador Event! Was it going to be full of classes and note-taking? Just networking with the other ambassadors? I was thrilled that it was a great mix of everything, plus plenty of happy surprises!

I’ll admit, I was nervous when I learned we were going to visit Cincinnati – what in the world could be awesome about that city? I really loved it, though, especially as we got a private tour all around to learn more about it and see some truly beautiful sites! I really enjoyed the combination of old and new – from monuments and parks, performance centers (music is HUGE here) and museums, to a vast variety of down-right amazing food options.

I especially loved Fountain Park – here’s a ‘by day’ and ‘by night’ picture. At night it changes colors and is really beautiful. On Tuesday night me and fellow bloggers Our Three Peas and The Ugly Duckling House enjoyed the patio of a pub in the square and listened to the music they had playing. The weather was even perfect!

The Ohio river runs right through and had amazing views – lots of greenery and bright blue skies to offset the huge buildings of the city.

They roomed us at the 21C Museum Hotel in Cincinnati, and at first I thought the idea of having a museum mixed with hotel was awkward – but ended up really loving it. The staff was AMAZING – and that’s no exaggeration! So helpful, knowledgeable about the area, and really wanted to just be happy and make your day better. The rooms were impressive – with a GINORMOUS bed all to myself. I could lay ‘starfish’ on it and not quite touch any edges. Plenty of desk space for working, and artistic touches throughout – like the random tiles with things like a nose, ear, or mouth in the bathroom. I told hubby I’d love to bring him here.

Wondering about the large yellow penguins? The hotel has TONS of them all over, and people have fun moving them around. Some days I was greeted by one outside my hotel room, another day I enjoyed an elevator ride with the fun companion. The art museum, open 24 hours, was fun – my favorite was the ‘healing tiles’, shown in this photo near the bottom. The ’tiles’ spread as you walk across, then heal back to how they were.

Y’all know I love good food – like a LOT! The Swiffer team didn’t disappoint, treating us to beautiful views and tasty offerings at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse the first night – with a beautiful view with a RAINBOW after a slight downpour.

For dinner our last night, they really spoiled us by going to the highest ranking steakhouse in Ohio – Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse! Even if I didn’t already want to return for more site-seeing and such of Cincinnati, this restaurant was enough to bring me back. Such a beautiful, elegant atmosphere with top-knotch, attentive staff and AMAZING food – seriously, I can’t praise the deliciousness enough! Their prices are higher than I’d normally spend – but if you can, maybe for a special occasion or something – it’s totally worth it. My mouth is watering just remembering the filet mignon I enjoyed.

During the ambassador event, we got a personal tour of the P&G (Proctor & Gamble, if you weren’t sure) archives – I had no idea the history of this great company, or the neat ways one little change or discovering led to many other products we use today. Starting as a small candle and soap company and growing into this HUGE empire just blows me away! And yes, those heads of Proctor and Gamble are made of wax 🙂 And did you know they invented soap operas – it was a way to advertise their soaps!

At P&G headquarters, we learned a lot of the science behind the Swiffer products – what makes them work so well, changes they’ve made over the years to really make them the best on the market, and even did a couple ‘science experiments’ testing them out! At home my hubby was trying out the Swiffer Sweeper against our dogs’ hair problem – it definitely works to attract it well, as you can see!

I’m so glad I was selected to be a Swiffer Ambassador and attend this fun trip – and look forward to sharing my love of Swiffer and many more fun things with y’all over the coming year!

More fun with Swiffer!

Disney Social Media Moms Conference

September 13, 2018 by Kelly Dedeaux

I was thrilled to get the invitation for the Disney Social Media Moms Conference in Austin, and it was an absolute BLAST! I got network with some fabulous bloggers, learn lots of content and video, plus plenty of Disney news, of course!

You all know how my family’s REALLY into everything Disney, so of course this was a big deal to me! I’ll be honest, though – I had no idea what to expect. I got to travel down to Austin Wednesday afternoon with some of my great blogging buddies Momma on the Rocks, The Frugal Mom and Three Different Directions. We had a blast that evening chatting for hours at the hotel (review to come soon), plus the 4 hour car ride! I hate this picture of me, but it’s the only one we nabbed of the 4 of us!

At the #DisneySMMC Thursday morning I was THRILLED that they were fully stocked with Dr Pepper – they must love me or something! After a great breakfast, plus delish snacks throughout the morning to keep us going, we were fully ready for some learning!

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Disney always has amazing things going on, and since it’s their 60th Diamond Celebration this year, it’s definitely no exception! With a new parade, fabulous merchandise and other events, you don’t want to miss out! We’re heading there in October – (affiliate link) book YOUR trip now to join in all the Disney fun! Use promo code: BusyMomsHelper for $10 off! They’ve even got newly designed places at Walt Disney World, such as this ‘Old Florida’ themed diner where you can drive old-fashioned cars INTO the water!

We learned some great thoughts for our blogging, such as these fabulous tips:

Ever wonder what blogging/content creation is like? This pretty much sums it all up!

Oh, and we couldn’t miss out on some PIN TRADING while we were there! I started with a Donald Duck, ended with Mr. Smee!

Of course they had wonderful prizes during the event, and at the end gave us ALL Disney gift cards, thanks to Alamo!!! I’m so excited to use it for some goodies at Disneyland in a couple months!!!

What would a Disney event be without the man himself, Mickey Mouse?! It was neat seeing all us grown women (and men) getting all giddy like little kids to give him a big hug!

I was already so excited for our Disney vacation coming up, now I’m totally ecstatic!!! (affiliate link) Go book your trip now and join in my impatience as you count down to the magic! Don’t forget to save $10 by using Promo Code: BMH15 – have a Dole Whip with it!

Other Fabulous Disney Fun:

Free Printable 2015-2016 Planner

August 3, 2016 by Kelly Dedeaux

For those of you who’ve been patiently waiting for our newest planner, thank you! We worked really hard on getting this one just right, and love the fabulous design, clean layout and many useful pages. Get your life in order with our Free Printable 2015-2016 Planner today!

Check out our newest planner HERE for 2016-2017, or just 2017!

We tried to incorporate the best feedback from our last year’s planner into this new version, and kept the design fun and colorful, yet simple and clean. The cover has a nice, white space for you to add your name, a title, business name or whatever you want – heck, leave it blank if that’s what you prefer!

Inside the cover page (so starting on the left page) is a left-and-right spread of the 2015 and 2016 Years at a Glance. I like to highlight holidays and birthdays, just so as I’m really quick skimming that page I can see important things.

After those pages we begin our months – a left-and-right spread of the monthly calendar, then each week in that month fits on it’s own 2-page spread for the next four or five pages. On the Monthly Spreads we even included a different quote for each – giving some inspiration as you handle your planning! Of course, on the monthly planner pages we kept a section for notes, as well as the previous and following months ‘at a glance’.

The weekly was fun – and due to your wonderfully helpful feedback, we made sure to have plenty of white space for writing, and for doodles! On the left page is the month/year along the edge, then the week going down the page in rows with the date on the right side of the rows – complete with a place for Notes at the bottom. The right page is for the Weekly Menu, shopping list, and even more space for notes.

After the month/week spreads that take us from August 2015 through December 2016, there’s a 2-page spread for Contacts. Spots for name, address, phone and email on a clean and easy-to-read page!

The very last page is for Birthday & Important Dates. I don’t know about you, but I definitely can’t remember all that throughout the year! This will help keep dates organized!

The total page count for this is 188 single pages – printing them double-sided helps bring that down to 94 😀 The size is currently 8.5×11 – we also have a smaller version HERE for those that want to carry it around in your purse! Now go print this off, bind it as you wish, and start getting your life planned – perhaps adding a Disney vacation on the calendar while you’re at it (affiliate link – use Promo Code: BMH15 for $10 off your vacation package)!

Download our Free Printable 2015-2016 Planner Here

Go HERE for our smaller version!

Blogger Spotlight: No Biggie

March 29, 2021 by Kelly Dedeaux

Ready to hear about another amazingly talented blogger this week? Delicious foods, fun party ideas, and great round-ups are to be found with this week’s Blogger Spotlight: No Biggie!

One thing you can count on from Kami’s blog is FABULOUS content, whether it’s her tasty recipes or cool printables. Here’s a little bit about Kami:

Hi there! I’m Kami. I’m the girl who runs NoBiggie. NoBiggie is here to help you celebrate the everyday, where you’ll find the best recipes, easy holiday ideas and fun party ideas. I’m all about the practical and the pretty.

A little about me: I love tabletop photography, paper crafts, decorating and experiencing the thrill of the thrift find. I graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Public Relations and love to spend my non-blogging hours with my family: my husband Kyle, our children: Avery (11), Aiden (5), Afton (our baby girl who’s now in Heaven) and our little dog Rukkus of 12+ years who still looks like a puppy after all these years.

My Favorites from No Biggie

Apple Pie Caramel Apples

DIY Halloween Punch Bowl

12 Free Printable LDS Quotes

Chocolate Eclair Mummies

Poor Boy Steak Recipe

Greek Salad on a Stick

Christmas Rosette Cookies

Check out her new book: Washi Tape Christmas

If you love crafts and washi tape (who doesn’t?), you’ll LOVE Kami’s new book: Washi Tape Christmas! So many adorable crafts to make, from a Washi Tape Wreath to decorated gift boxes.

Look how fun these washi tape pinwheel gift boxes are….I love them!

So head on over to see Kami at No Biggie now, and enjoy all her fabulous posts!

Blogger Spotlight: Just a Girl and Her Blog

May 3, 2016 by Kelly Dedeaux

You know those blogs that you love going to regularly because you know you’ll love just about anything they post? One from my list is today’s Blogger Spotlight: Just a Girl and Her Blog!

Abby shares such fabulous things, from neat crafts, lots of home and life organization tips, and plenty of projects as they’re remodeling their home. She’s so down-to-earth and real, just one of those people you can’t help but feel like you’re friends, even if you’ve never really met. She’s even got 2 sweet boys around my boys’ ages, so that’s kind of fun hearing the similarities. As per ‘blogger spotlight’ tradition, here’s a bit about Abby in her own words:

“I’m Abby, the “girl” behind Just a Girl and Her Blog where I write about home decor, organization, creative ideas, and random happy thoughts. I live in Pittsburgh, PA with my husband and two young sons, who I usually refer to as The Cs. 🙂 A former English teacher, I recently published my first eBook, Building a Framework: Everything I Learned My First Year of Blogging, a comprehensive for bloggers.”

Most Popular Posts on Just a Girl and Her Blog

How to Make Pretty Labels in Microsoft Word

How to Save More Money This Year

How I Organized My Whole Life

How to Create a Monogram in Word

Our Home Binder

Abby’s Favorite Posts from Her Blog

Fabulously Feminine Home Office Reveal

Dresser to TV Stand Makeover

IKEA Big Boy Room Makeover

My Own Favorite Posts from Just a Girl and Her Blog

How to Live on One Income

Fireman & Policeman Birthday Party

10 Simple Habits that will Help You Stay Organized

25 Amazing Room Revamps

How to Install Board & Batten in a Small Space

There’s so many more amazingness over at Just a Girl and Her Blog, so head on over to check out the fun, and be sure to tell Abby ‘hi’!

Blogger Spotlight: Making it in the Mountains

May 3, 2016 by Kelly Dedeaux

For all you who missed the announcement last week, our weekly blogger feature will now be every Tuesday, not Monday! Which means today is…yup….another fun Blogger Spotlight: Making it in the Mountains!

One thing I like about Kristi’s blog is that it’s so varied….she shares everything from fun furniture remodels, to beautiful home decor, plenty of giveaways, and even some delish recipes! You never know what you’re going to find, so it’s like a fun and creative surprise with each post. Here’s a little about Kristi:

”Kristi Mercer is the voice behind making it in the mountains, where she writes about her journey to make her builder basic home a rustic, mountain retreat. Together with her newly handy husband, she tackles all sorts of DIY home decor projects transforming their house one budget friendly project at a time. She currently resides in the Kootenay Mountains in beautiful British Columbia sharing all sorts of crazy adventures with her husband Brady and their young son Carson!”

Kristi just wrapped up a fabulous All Things Fall series, where she shared beautiful and fun fall inspirations over two weeks! Here’s her recap for it, so be sure to check it out!

Making it in the Mountain’s Most Popular Posts

DIY Ladder Shelf

How to Whitewash Wood

DIY Fireplace Mantel

Dining Chair Makeover

Rustic DIY Clock

Kristi’s Favorite Posts from her Blog

Mountain Top Wedding

11 DIY Faux Pumpkin Ideas

My Own Favorites from Kristi’s Blog

All Things Fall Decorating

Felted Acorn Garland

Fall Scrappy Burlap Wreath

Chalk Painted Mason Jars

Fall Entryway & Porch

For more beautiful and fabulous ideas from Kristi, head on over to Making it in the Mountains to see what she amazes us with next!

Blogger Spotlight: What’s Up Fagans?

May 3, 2016 by Kelly Dedeaux

Big News: I’ve decided to move our Blogger Spotlight Series to every Tuesday afternoon, so be sure to keep checking back each week for fabulous bloggers and posts!

You know those people who are a bit full of themselves and talk down to people? Katelyn from What’s Up Fagans? is definitely NOT like that! She’s totally down-to-earth, funny and just one of those people that feels like a good friend…even if you’ve only met through her awesome blog! She describes her blog the best…so read on to learn about our Blogger Spotlight: What’s Up Fagans?

“Hey there! What’s up? I’m Katelyn Fagan. And I write the blog “What’s up Fagans?” My blog is about me and my family. But, not so much in that annoying “Oh, my kids are the bestest of all the bestest best kids in the whole wide world” obnoxious sort of way. While my in-laws might think my kids are pretty stellar and my husband and I do too of course, our blog is about our journey through this awesome, totally hard, thing called life, and how we are doing our darndest to make the most of it.

Because, although this life is full of change, disappointment, trials, and heartache, it is also full of beauty, hope, joy, and love. I like to remind myself and others who stumble their way to my site of the good.

At What’s up Fagans? you will find posts that are honest, practical, and helpful to your soul, your home, your health, your children, and your spouse. I hope you’ll always appreciate my humble, down-to-earth, non-judgmental, goofy, all too practical, frugal, Mormon-self, who has a hard time holding grudges and smiles a huge toothy smile very easily. May God bless you and your family on your journey in life.”

Most Popular Posts on What’s Up Fagans?

50+ Spring Cleaning Tips and Tricks for Deep Cleaning Every Room of Your House

Beginning Running Tips from a Beginner Runner

How to Make a Year of Dates Gift

20+ DIY Queen Elsa Dress Costumes

7 Things Lactation Consultants Should Be Teaching But Aren’t

Katelyn’s Favorite Posts

The 21st Century Stay at Home Mom

Why I Believe in Cleaning the house with awake kids

How do you make money blogging?

Top 10 Backyard Activities for 4 Year Olds

When I Feel Like I’m an Awesome Mom

My Own Favorite Posts from What’s Up Fagans?

Preschool Lesson: I is for Igloo

Dirty & Clean Dishwasher Printable

How to stop Drowning in Laundry

Holiday Shopping Guide

How to Create a Successful Monthly Budget that Works

5 Ways Smart Moms Save Time

8 Ways to Save Money at the Pump

Personalized Love Coupon Book for HIM

Be sure to head over to see Katelyn at What’s Up Fagans? to see what other fabulous ideas and activities she shares!

Win an Amazon Gift Card with Cupcake Diaries

December 29, 2020 by Kelly Dedeaux

Y’all ready for our 3rd and final giveaway to celebrate Alli from Cupcake Diaries turning 30? I sure am! To end this fabulous giveaway-filled week on a high note, we’ve teamed up with her and some of my other blogger friends to give away a $300 Amazon gift card! ‘Cause who doesn’t love Amazon, right?!

I’m so excited about this giveaway!! Amazon is such a great way to do so much shopping. This gift card will be perfect for the holidays!

Check out the amazing group of bloggers participating in this giveaway! I’m so excited to be collaborating with such a fun group of ladies. You will love their blogs!

Cupcake Diaries – Crafting in the Rain – FrugElegance – Pretty Providence – Our Thrifty Ideas – Live to Be Inspired – Table and Hearth – Heart to Heart, Hand in Hand – My Mommy Style – Busy Mom’s Helper – Utah Sweet Savings – Glued to My Crafts – Like Mother, Like Daughter – Over the Big Moon – inkhappi – A Girl and a Glue Gun – Rae Gun Ramblings – Frenchie – Housewife Eclectic – Summer Scraps – A Dash of Sanity – Dessert Now, Dinner Later

To win, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below. The more entries you complete, the better the chances of winning. Good luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway begins 10/17 and will end 10/24 at 10pm MST. Open to U.S. residents only. Must be 18 years and older to win. Winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and winning entry verified. If winning entry is not complete, prize will be voided and another winner will be chosen. Winner will be notified via email and have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize before a new winner is chosen.

Win PayPal Cash with Cupcake Diaries

December 29, 2020 by Kelly Dedeaux

And we’re back with our 2nd giveaway during the fun-filled week celebrating Alli from Cupcake Diaries turning 30! Today we’re going crazy (crazy awesome, baby!) to give away $300 PayPal cash!

I’m so excited about this giveaway!! There’s nothing quite like getting free cash. And just in time for holiday shopping!

Check out the amazing group of bloggers participating in this giveaway! I’m so excited to be collaborating with such a fun group of ladies. You will love their blogs!

Cupcake Diaries – Homemade Ginger – FrugElegance – Albion Gould – Persia Lou – Our Thrifty Ideas – Live to Be Inspired – The Happy Scraps – Fabulous Farm Girl – My Mommy Style – Busy Mom’s Helper – Blooming Homestead – Like Mother, Like Daughter – Over the Big Moon – inkhappi – Tiny Sidekick – Rae Gun Ramblings – Frenchie – Housewife Eclectic – My Daylights – Bombshell Bling – Dessert Now, Dinner Later

To win, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below. The more entries you complete, the better the chances of winning. Good luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway begins 10/15 and will end 10/22 at 10pm MST. Open to U.S. residents only. Must be 18 years and older to win. Winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and winning entry verified. If winning entry is not complete, prize will be voided and another winner will be chosen. Winner will be notified via email and have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize before a new winner is chosen.

Win a KitchenAid Stand Mixer with Cupcake Diaries

May 3, 2016 by Kelly Dedeaux

Did y’all check out Alli from Cupcake Diaries in our blogger spotlight this morning? If not, you HAVE to go check her out…she’s fabulous! Not only that, but she’s celebrating her big 3-0 birthday this week! To celebrate, I’m teaming up with her and some of my other blogger friends to bring you a fun-filled week with THREE huge giveaways! So be sure to check back to see what other amazing things you could win. We’re kickin’ it off today with your chance to Win a KitchenAid Stand Mixer!

I’m so excited about this giveaway!! And the winner gets to choose the color of their new mixer. Just in time for holiday baking!

Check out the amazing group of bloggers participating in this giveaway! I’m so excited to be collaborating with such a fun group of ladies. You will love their blogs!

Cupcake Diaries – Cutesy Crafts – FrugElegance – The Bitter Side of Sweet – Keep Moving Forward with Me – The Cards We Drew – Our Thrifty Ideas – Live Like You Are Rich – Fabulous Farm Girl – My Mommy Style – Busy Mom’s Helper – Blooming Homestead – Like Mother, Like Daughter – Over the Big Moon – inkhappi – Pink Cake Plate – One Artsy Mama – Frenchie – Housewife Eclectic – My Daylights – No Diets Allowed – Dessert Now, Dinner Later – Two Thirty-Five Designs

To win, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below. The more entries you complete, the better the chances of winning. Good luck!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway begins 10/13 and will end 10/20 at 10pm MST. Open to U.S. residents only. Must be 18 years and older to win. Winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and winning entry verified. If winning entry is not complete, prize will be voided and another winner will be chosen. Winner will be notified via email and have 48 hours to respond and claim their prize before a new winner is chosen.

Blogger Spotlight: Cupcake Diaries

May 3, 2016 by Kelly Dedeaux

Wow, have we got quite aweek for you! We’re joining up with Cupcake Diaries and other amazing bloggers to bring you THREE fabulous giveaways this week! More on that later (so be sure to check back regularly this week!), but to kick it off I thought it would appropriate that the person behind these celebration giveaways be today’s Blogger Spotlight: Cupcake Diaries!

That’s right, Allison over at Cupcake Diaries is turning the big 3-0, and we all get to join in the fun with giveaways all week long! I love following along with her blog, where she shares delicious foods, fun parties and much more! Here’s a bit about Allison…from Allison!

“Hi! I’m Alli and I’m a food-aholic. I like to cook, bake, throw parties, and tell all about it on my blog, Cupcake Diaries! I’m all about easy recipes that the whole family will love. Even the kiddos! From cupcakes to crock pots and everything in between. I’m a mom of two boys (and another boy on the way) from Utah, where I reside with my taste-tester husband and a fully stocked pantry. I love singing and playing the piano, photography, holidays, and spending time with my family. I also love my TV shows!”

Cupcake Diaries Most Popular Posts

Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls

Asian Chicken Wraps

Dr. Suess 1st Birthday Party

Allison’s Favorite Post

Pumpkin Waffles with Cinnamon Syrup

My Own Favorite Posts from Cupcake Diaries

20 Spook-tacular Halloween Treats

Jake & The Neverland Pirates Cupcake Toppers

Egg-cellent Easter Idea

Toy Story 3 Birthday Party

Cookies ‘n Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

30+ Best Brownie Recipes

S’more Cupcakes

Don’t forget to check back on the blog this week for THREE super-amazing giveaways and tons of fun posts! Be sure to head over to Cupcake Diaries to wish Allison a Happy 30th Birthday!!!

What are YOUR best time management tips for bloggers? Share them here, or head over to see OUR tips and share yours, too!

More fun with Swiffer!

Other Fabulous Disney Fun:

Check out our newest planner HERE for 2016-2017, or just 2017!

Popular Posts from No Biggie

My Favorites from No Biggie

Check out her new book: Washi Tape Christmas

Most Popular Posts on Just a Girl and Her Blog

Abby’s Favorite Posts from Her Blog

My Own Favorite Posts from Just a Girl and Her Blog

Making it in the Mountain’s Most Popular Posts

Kristi’s Favorite Posts from her Blog

My Own Favorites from Kristi’s Blog

Most Popular Posts on What’s Up Fagans?

Katelyn’s Favorite Posts

My Own Favorite Posts from What’s Up Fagans?

Cupcake Diaries Most Popular Posts

Allison’s Favorite Post

My Own Favorite Posts from Cupcake Diaries