New Design & Sponsor Love

Hi loves!

One more day until the weekend!! So excited, even if it does mean packing time for M and I.

Today, I'm excited to introduce a new blog design. I've been wanting to change it up for a while and knew I didn't have the time to create one or the money for a custom design.

For now, I searched etsy and was so surprised at the amount of blogger templates they have for sale. I chose this one from Mlekoshi's Playground and am super happy with it. 

What do you think? I fell in love with the feather. What can I say? I'll always be a hippy at heart.

I hope you all have fab thursdays and fridays! 

      ***

I am super excited to introduce Lisa from Butterflies and Hurricanes to you all! Lisa describes herself as a "911 dispatcher by day-wife by night." She loves wine, spending time with her family and friends and has an adorable dog. Aka she is totally awesome, just like her blog! So make sure to visit and show her some love! :)

 Here's some questions Lisa answered:

What is your blog name and why did you choose it? 

My blog is called Butterflies and Hurricanes. It is a song by my favorite band Muse.. I wanted to have one of their songs as my blog title and this one fit me and my personality.  

How long have you been blogging for? Why did you start?

I have been blogging for three years. I started just so I could get my thoughts and feelings out and everyone else was doing it. It is what all the cool kids are doing right?

If you could be any candy bar what would you be and why?

WOW good question... I would have to say.. 3 Musketeers. Once I come out of my shell I am very sweet. 

What is a favorite adventure you've had?

I would have to say going on a cruise of the Hawaiian islands with my husband, his family and my parents in 2005. It was beautiful.  

What sorts of things do you blog about?

Weight Loss, going to sporting events, my dog and my life as a wannabe mom 

What are you really passionate about?

Family and my friends. 

Where can we follow your adventures? (Ie. all of your social media handles)

http://33sprincess.blogspot.com/ 

https://twitter.com/princess3730

http://instagram.com/princess3733

https://www.facebook.com/ltrapani

Anything else you'd love us to know about you?

My husband and I share the same birthday. 

Things I Didn't Know about Dogs/Sponsor Spotlight

Hiiiiii Lovelies!

I hope you are all having fabulous weeks! Today is finally my day off, so I get to catch up on everything blog land which is desperately needed!

As some of you may know, I am spending the summer full time nannying. I seriously wish they were my kids so I could plaster photographs of them shamelessly on this blog everyday. They are super super cute. 

The family also has an adorable dog. 

I have never owned a dog. I grew up in a household where we had princes, I mean cats. (I think my mom may love them more than us--sorry mom. (yes, my mom reads my blog and I think it's baller)).

Anyways, so enter me watching two young ones while taking care of a rambunctious doggy.

Chaos.

These are five things I didn't know about owning a dog:

1. That one time you forget the second poop bag? Your dog will instinctively know and decide to take a number two just to see how creative you can get.

2. Dogs seriously have a secret second bladder that allows them to hold gallons. I mean how else could they literally stop at two dozen trees in ten minutes to relieve themselves?

3. Tennis balls are worth more than gold. 

4. Separation anxiety is a legit thing among the canine family. If we go to the park and I so much as walk ten feet away, poor puppy starts barking his little head off. Ergo-I keep him close.

5. Sometimes dogs act like cats. Puppy loves to wash me-literally, every day he gives my legs a bath. It's pretty funny.

I continually learn something new every day and can't wait to have a dog of my very own one day.

****

Today I am SUPER SUPER SUPER excited to introduce you all (although you probably already know her cause she's that awesome) to Rachel from Postcards from Rachel!!

Photo cred: Rachel

She has been an incredible blogger mentor to me and is the best. Slash, she's moving to BOSTON and I can't wait for blates!! She has an amazing lifestyle blog in which she talks about travel (she has the best stories) and shares pics of her adorable dogs,-I may be a tad obsessed-how could you not be when she shares pictures like this?-among many other awesome things.

Photo cred:Rachel

I could gush about this lady all day but here are some questions and answers so you can get to know her better in her own voice! :)

What is your blog name and why did you choose it?

My blog name is Postcards from Rachel. I always knew that I wanted my blog to be travel-themed, but didn't want to mention a specific city or country since we would be moving around so often. I thought that my blog posts could be "postcards" from me to our family and friends (wherever we may be in this big world), and went with that.

How long have you been blogging for? Why did you start?

I've been blogging since the end of July 2012, but I should have started much earlier! I thought it would be fun to document our life abroad, weekend travels and all of the photos we snapped, and had no idea that blogging would turn into such a support system. I've met many wonderful ladies through blogging and some are even in similar situations. Blogging friendships are wonderful!

If you could be any candy bar what would you be and why?

I'd probably be a good ol' Hershey's milk chocolate bar. I don't have an interesting reason why... I just really like them. :)

What is a favorite adventure you've had?

We took a trip to Marrakech, Morocco last year and the entire experience was incredible. We rode camels in the desert, visited Berber villages in the Atlas mountains, handed out candy and school supplies to underprivileged children, and had a home-cooked meal at an Imam's house.

What sorts of things do you blog about?

I consider myself a lifestyle blogger so I write about a bit of everything. Travel, DIY, a few recipes here and there, and my wonderful dogs. I have a Westie named Malcolm (a good Scottish name since he's from Scotland) and a Dorkie named Ollie. I love pasting their pretty photos all over my website. :)

What are you really passionate about?

I love photography. I bought a DSLR last year and have been trying to teach myself about lighting, photo editing, and everything else. Street photography is my favorite because I enjoy wandering around while looking for things that are beautiful but real.

I'm also passionate about helping shelter dogs. I registered with a local rescue in Arizona and fostered four dogs from the county euthanasia list. I was able to teach them how to trust humans again, my dog Malcolm taught them important doggie skills like walking on a leash, and they found wonderful homes in the end. I cry a lot when they leave me, but its worth it. :)

Where can we follow your adventures?

Blog: http://www.postcardsfromrachel.com

Twitter: @PostcardsRachel

Instagram:http://instagram.com/postcardsfromrachel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Postcards-from-Rachel/316118381813600?ref=hl

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/postcardsrachel/

Bloglovin: http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3836840/postcards-from-rachel

Anything else you'd love us to know about you?

I move around a lot so a lot of my readers get confused. In a nutshell, I started this blog in Scotland, moved to Arizona, moved to Florida, and we'll be moving to Massachusetts at the end of August. And then? Who knows. :)

Make sure to check her blog out and give her some love!

Have an awesome Thursday!!

The Perfect Mojito & A Give Away!

Hi all!

I am so happy it is almost Fridayyyyyy!!! 

For all of you who decided to be awesome and not give up alcohol for a month (why did I decide to do this, again?) here is a recipe for the perfect mojito! It is seriously delicious. Please have one or two for me this weekend :)

 

What You'll Need:

 

Rum (whichever you prefer)

1 Can Frozen Limeade

Sprigs of Mint

Ice

A Mixer

 

Recipe: 

 

Muddle the mint, then put the limeade (I usually use 1/2 a container for two mojitos), rum (a shot or two depending on your mood ;)) mint, and ice cubes into a blender. Pulse and mix into a yummy consistency, then put in a fancy glass and drink up

 

Enjoy!!

 

 

***

Meet Abbey, the adorable blogger of The Makings of a Mess. She loves target, books and meeting new people. Aka she's totally awesome and so is her blog!

What is your blog name and why did you choose it?

My blog name is The Makings of a Mess. When I first started blogging, it was "First Grade Jitter Bugs," to document my first year teaching first grade, but then life got a little crazy, so I changed it to "The Makings of a Mess," which was and is my life now.

How long have you been blogging for? Why did you start?

 

I blogged in high school, but then started this blog up in September 2011. I started, as I said before, to write about my experience as a first year teacher, but my view changed from teaching to life in general as an outlet.

If you could be any candy bar what would you be and why?

 

I'd be a Kit-Kat Bar because everybody needs a break every once in awhile!

What is a favorite adventure you've had?

 

Last summer, I got the opportunity to go to Sarasota, Florida on vacation with my boyfriend, Jason and two of his friends. It was the first time going there and we went in the middle of Tropical Storm Debby. We had to endure the rain and winds, but also go to explore the beautiful city and beach life as well during me and Jason's birthday week!

What sorts of things do you blog about?

 

I blog about life in general. The everyday stuff: my boyfriend, what I do on a daily basis, adventures I've been on, fun pictures, and silly quotes from cute, yet crazy kiddos. It's also a place for me to just go and vent about what's on my mind.

What are you really passionate about?

 

I'm passionate about children and teaching them not only in an educational way, but also everyday values- respecting and being kind to one another. All children should know that they are loved even when they give you an incredibly hard time.

Where can we follow your adventures?

 

Blog

Bloglovin

Twitter

Instagram

Pinterest

 

Anything else you'd love us to know about you? 

 

I love meeting new blog friends, so come check out my blog and say hello!

Make sure to check Abbey's blog out! She is also giving away a 200x300 featured ad space, so make sure to enter! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Double Chin Don't Lie & Sponsor Spotlight

Hi Friends!

Happy Monday! I hope the start to all of your weeks is going swell.

I have officially decided today that I am going to significantly reduce my carb intake and not drink alcohol for a full month.

I know, I'm crazy right? No Pinot?? Seriously, I must have hit my head.

You see, I could be nicknamed "Italy." I am a pasta junkie. Ravioli? Ziti? Garlic Bread? 

Check. Check. Check. On a regular basis. What can I say? I like  love  adore my carbs.

Which has led to this....

You know how Shakria's hips don't lie? Ya, my double chin don't lie.

So, it's time to take the plunge. It's time to say goodbye to my biffle the baguette and hello to veggies.

I am going to need all ya'lls support to successfully do this, so any helpful advice or encouragement would be appreciated!

*****

Now, it's time to introduce one of my amazing sponsors this month-Aprile from The Steady Hand Blog!!

What is your blog name and why did you choose it?

The Steady Hand

I named my blog The Steady Hand because that is the same name as my Etsy Shop. I wanted all my website to have the same name to make it easier for my fans to find me.

How long have you been blogging for? Why did you start?

I started blogging in January of 2011 so that would mean I have been blogging for about 2 1/2 years.

If you could be any candy bar what would you be and why?

I would love to be a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup (hopefully that is considered a candy bar, if not it should be!). Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are different from all the other candy bar's and like me is unique in its own way and very sweet.

What is a favorite adventure you've had?

My husband and I went on vacation to Greece in 2007. We stayed in Athens and while we loved the city we decided to visit the island of Santorini for a little more peace and quiet. It was the best adventure we have ever had. We rented 4-wheelers and explored the island and all of its little nooks and crannies. 

What sorts of things do you blog about?

I share free crochet patterns that I come across, crochet patterns that I design, other Etsy Sellers and Shops, crafts and sewing projects that I have done, Etsy Treasuries and other topics that are relevant to me.

What are you really passionate about?

I am passionate about my family. Everything I do, I do for them and for their well-being.

Where can we follow your adventures? (Ie. all of your social media handles)

Check out my Etsy Shops:
http://TheSteadyHand.etsy.com
http://SteadyMiniatures.etsy.com/

Find me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/armazey

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/amazey/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/thesteadyhand

StumbleUpon: http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/amazey85/

I have an Amazon shop too: http://www.amazon.com/shops/A09728523N5HCPVQHWEWA

Make sure to check out Aprile's blog! She is always sharing great patterns and awesome giveaways!