Wordless Wednesday

*I'm linking up at Welcome Wednesday

Becoming a better writer - and welcome Wednesday!

I still consider myself a blogging newbie, in that I haven't found a my writing "niche" yet.  Do I even need one?  I love blogging about random things, which is what I've been doing. I have awesome readers who appreciate my posts and let me know about it on a daily basis (THANK YOU!) 

I want to continue posting about random topics, but I would also like to work on my writing skills and add a little more substance to the blog.  More meaningful posts, to pair with those fun, lighthearted blogs about my Bath and Body Works addiction.  I want to elaborate more on current events... on my life... on everything!  I feel like my blog posts need more "oomph" - so I'm taking my blogging insecurities and hitting the ground running with my own personal writer's training camp! You would think, with a husband who is a "rhetorician" and just a few short months away from being a doctor in Composition in Rhetoric, I would have great resources and already rock at this whole thing.  Umm... not so much. I'm ok, but there's always room for improvement, so off I go!  I've been inspired by the 31 Days to Build a Better Blog Challenge hosted by the girls @Secret is in the Sauce, and I'm also inspired by... myself. Yes, myself.  I'm a constantly evolving person, I used to hate change but now I love it, and I'm always in need of a challenge.  So... becoming a better writer.  How do I start?  First of all, I've done some house cleaning around here - if you've been here before, but notice a change, it's because I removed some gadgets that were kind of sitting and taking up valuable space. I wanted to allow a bigger space for my actual posts, so I had to rearrange.  Now, I have more room to blab, and you have less distraction which will help you focus on the writing!  The writing that... I'm going to improve the quality of.  Gradually.  Stay tuned!

Don't forget about my GIVEAWAY!

You have until Saturday, July 24th,11:59pm to sign up and take a chance at winning this super cute sign that I created especially for my awesome followers:

Details and additional pics can be found here.

Basically, just become a follower and let me know you LOVE the Blogging Queen Sign! 

For an extra entry, visit my etsy shop and let me know what your favorite item is!

Of course, I'm linking up at Take it From Me for the weekly blog hop, "Welcome Wednesday".  Head over, check out the feature bloggers, and link up to find other great blogs!

Bath & Body Works Addicts Anonymous

I have enough Bath & Body Works products stockpiled to last me through the next 4 or 5 decades - maybe even the apocolypse, since I fully intend to survive as long as I have plenty of "I need a Margarita" body wash on hand. 

I. am. an. addict.

The scents are wonderful, and the products are good quality, but that's only a little bit of the reason why I love the stuff so much.  The packaging, the in-store displays, the super attractive and user-friendly online store, the "sales" that often trick buyers into big time overspending, and the cute, sweet, helpful little sales associates all suck me in.  Every single item in the store looks good - good as in I want to eat it, drink it, or sleep with it under my pillow good.  I've tried to cut back on my B&B Works shopping sprees, but when I'm motivated to do so, that freaking "Hello Yellow" semi-annual sale starts - then lasts - for a whole month.  I can't possibly stay away from those great deals!

So, I've fully admitted - I am a "BBWA" - Bath & Body Works Addict.  Are you?

Today, I'm reviewing B&BW's latest Summer signature collection release, Forever Sunshine.

Earlier this week, I walked into the store, where FOrever Sunshine was the feature display.  The scent hit me like a ton of bricks - in a good way.  It smelled familiar. The sales associate squirted a golfball size glob of the Forever Sunshine body lotion into the palm of the my hand, and described the product as "A summer version of Twilight Woods".  Ahhh... that's IT, I thought, Twilight Woods being my favorite B&BW scent.  I grabbed a couple of Forever Sunshine products, along with the 6 for $24 mix & match Wallflower plug ins and fragrance bulbs, used a coupon to get some free stuff, and headed out. I continued to ponder what else was familiar about the new scent all evening, and after processing the fragrance notes for a few more hours, I came to a conclusion.  "Forever Sunshine" is Twilight Woods meets Britney Spears' "Fantasy"! Deeelicious. 

Whenever I decide to put together a giveaway, you can bet that a Forever Sunshine product will be included.  It is now my #1 favorite B&BW scent - sweet, spicy, floral, and fruity - I LOVE it!

Please, feel free to share your B&BW addiction - I need to know that I am not alone! 

    

One of my favorite blog hops, hosted by Take It From Me - Click on the button above to find great new blogs to follow!

 

Thanks for stopping by - have a smelly good, sunshiny Wednesday!

We're headed over the HUMP!

Pound Cake and Welcome Wednesday!

Dear sweet sugary heavenly goodness, have any of you tried a slice of the Starbucks Raspberry Swirl Pound Cake? If you haven't, DO IT NOW.  It's beautiful looking and beautiful tasting, and you will not be disappointed! I've gotta find an imitation recipe for this because it's seasonal (and time is running out - FAST!)


Thanks to all of the awesome blog hop hosts, I'm gathering awesome new followers, and finding more and more great blogs to follow myself! I'm already brainstorming for my first blog "Celebration"... will it be a giveaway? For the 100th post?... or 100 followers?  What will be in the giveaway, if there is one?  Will it be one of my hand painted wooden signs? Maybe a mixed bunch of goodies? I really haven't a solid clue, but I do have ideas.  I'm a brainstorming fanatic - in fact, that's what I do all day, about everything.   


Just a little side note: I'm currently painting some West Virginia-theme signs to sell to folks back at home and in the Addison Visitor's Center in Webster Springs. The most popular design seems to be this: 

"16" wide x 7.5" tall, with a little sanding around the edges and corners to create that country aged look.  I like adding a bit of wire and ribbon for a little extra something special.  I'm sticking to colors like sage green, creamy blues, antique white, and mauvy pinks which fit in with most country decor perfectly.  My WV Gals are loving this design; however, I'm aware that country boys and small town girls fall in love in places other than the state of West Virginia, so if you're interested in something like this for another location, let me know! I truly love creating this piece - I've done it a few times over, and i enjoy it more each time.  It's just... so... cute and romantic!


To wrap up Hump Day, it's time for the blog hop...

It's Welcome Wednesday over @Take it from Me, so head on over and link up! 

Thanks for reading/following, and Happy HUMP Day!

!ECLIPSE!

ECLIPSE is SoooOoooo Soooo GOOD!
I went to the midnight showing and as expected, it was total madness - and for good reason.  What most fans call the "best book" is also the "best movie" - in my opinion - so far!  I hope everyone who goes out to see it enjoys it as much as I did!  Even my husband liked it! (Or... did he like the several close-up shots of Bella's face? ...Who keeps getting prettier and prettier with each movie.) 
It was so great, I wanna run out and watch it again... it will be a lonnnng wait for the DVD to come out (which I'm assuming will be around the holidays.)  It's also going to be a long wait for Breaking Dawn.  I'm just going to try and enjoy Eclipse for now!  Which, by the way, has a super awesome soundtrack - be sure to check it out!

Also, I'm participating in Welcome Wednesday, hosted @Take it From Me - trying to grow my following (which is a little like building a newborn vampire army... bad Eclipse joke, sorry!)
Head on over there to play along! 

Happy Hump (and Eclipse) Day!