#<- my cool organizational hashtag

[sugah--bee]

okay so this is wildly like, impulse

but I really really really wanna do something with october and I am still posses by the spirit of crafting and not the spirit of art

so instead of trying to draw every day for a kind of inktober, I'm going to work on my wips every day for at least 20 minutes with pics of progress

rules

-have to work for 20 minutes a day and upload pictures with my progress and how much time I spent

-that's it thats all the rules. im not doing anything about finishing a project a day, or even finishing any of them, and if the time ends up being completely me weaving in ends or something that's fine, the goal is make progress not bust out 31 sweaters

literally it's just finish it february, but in October because I usually draw so this seems like the right month to do challenges like that

and I'm making a hashtag so I have some organization, and so people can block it if they don't want to see like, 10 pics of 'the same sweater but it's totally different because there's been an inch added' lol

[tylerprovencher]

Week 11 Blog Post

Part 1:

After reading chapters 4 and 5 in the Social Organization, I learned about some effective principles of building an online community with social media. A community collaboration strategy is an organizational approach that identifies and supports communities, specifying desired behaviors and expected benefits. The strategy involves selecting appropriate collaborations and determining where and when to invest in them, based on a clear purpose that drives all other strategy considerations.

A portfolio approach to community collaboration allows organizations to manage investments and control the rate of change, balancing emergence and investment. Portfolio management is a core competence of social organizations, and the No, Go, Grow decision model helps organizations grow their portfolio intelligently, distinguishing grassroots communities from strategic top-down initiatives that require more focused efforts to proceed.

Part 2:

After completing the Hootsuite/Podium module 4, I learned that building an online community requires consistent engagement with your audience across different social media platforms. It is important to understand the platform-specific features and the reasons why your audience uses each platform to tailor your approach and join relevant conversations. By doing this, you can build relationships, trust, and attract new followers.

I have also learned about the different types of influencers and how they can help you create an online community. Brands can work with four main types of influencers: mega, macro, micro, and nano influencers. Each type of influencer has its own strengths and weaknesses. Partnering with influencers can be extremely efficient for building an online community but brands must consider their goals and target audience when choosing which type of influencer to work with.

The principles I learned in this module can be applied to my client: Hansen's Heating and Cooling. As a small HVAC company, we can use social media to engage with our local community and potential customers. We can start by conducting a social media audit to determine which platforms our audience is using and why. Based on this information, we can create a strategy to engage with our audience on those platforms.

For example, we can create content that addresses common HVAC issues and solutions, and use relevant hashtags and geotags to reach our local audience on Instagram. We can join local groups on Facebook and LinkedIn to share their expertise and provide helpful advice. We can also use Twitter to share industry news and trends.

It is important for Hansen's Heating and Cooling to keep their tone friendly, helpful, and relevant to their audience. We should avoid pushing sales too hard and focus on building relationships and trust with our community. By consistently engaging with our audience and joining relevant conversations, we can grow our online community and attract new customers.

[easyfoodnetwork]

These Pantry Labels Made by a Blogger in Minnesota Are Taking Over TikTok

How simple, streamlined white stickers ended up in pantries across America

Before the pandemic, I never spent much time in my apartment’s tiny galley-style kitchen, preferring to dine out (or take out). Stay-at-home orders changed all of that. My refrigerator has never been more full, and while I’ve actually come to enjoy cooking, I found that recipes were taking twice as long as they should because of my overflowing spice cabinet. I’d sift through jars of turmeric and Everything But the Bagel blends, pushing past pumpkin-pie spice and paprika to search for garlic powder, only to realize I was out.

In the midst of my frustration, TikTok’s For You page, which seems to have an algorithm that knows me better than I do, surfaced an organizational video by Brooklyn-based blogger Teresa Caruso that details how she turned her “hot mess” of a spice cabinet into a pristine display. (Lest you think TikTok is just dancing teens, the #diy hashtag has nearly 40 billion views.) Caruso’s project seemed entirely doable, if a little time consuming. But the real sell for me was the streamlined white stickers she placed on each of her spice jars. Something clearly resonated with other people too: Her how-to has since been viewed over 3.4 million times.

@teresalauracaruso

This transformation is amazing! How to create a “spice wall” #learnontiktok #skillbuilding #homedecor #howto #tiktokpartner

♬ original sound - teresalauracaruso

Caruso first got the idea to revamp her cabinet after seeing a similar project by carpenter and blogger Jen Woodhouse on Pinterest. “My bottles were just multiplying — I’d buy things, forget them in the back of the cabinet, and all of a sudden was left with three huge bottles of crushed red pepper,” Woodhouse told me. She came across custom spice labels by Kim Negaard, a Minnesota graphic designer and blogger who runs Paper & Pear on Etsy. Woodhouse appreciated the stickers’ “clean, modern look,” as did her followers — after she posted about the undertaking on Instagram, she was inundated with requests for where she bought them.

While Etsy offers plenty of similarly spare spice labels by a host of sellers, Negaard’s designs are among the most popular — her minimalist and modern labels have over 2,300 reviews. When I got in touch with Negaard to learn more about her brand, she said the business was inspired by a personal need: A few years ago, in an effort to “reduce packaging waste and the environmental impact” of cooking, she and her husband started buying bulk spices at their local food co-op and storing them in old jars. But the upcycled containers lacked labels, and when she couldn’t find any options she liked, she decided to make her own. An Etsy shop soon followed.

@whatverowears

Quick kitchen update ✨ #homedecor #homedecorideas #minivlog #howtodecorate #kitchenupdate #amazonfinds #etsyfinds

♬ original sound - hawtinjuly

And while TikTok has certainly boosted her fan base, she says she began noticing an uptick in business in February, just before the country went into lockdown. Suddenly, “there was this unique combination of people with extra time on their hands to tackle home projects who also couldn’t eat out,” she explains. Negaard says she and her husband are now operating at ten times the amount of sales compared to the end of 2019; from January to March 2020, sales were 3.5 times what they were during the same period last year.

The labels have experienced notoriety on other social-media platforms. Earlier this year, Domino highlighted organizer Shira Gill’s overhaul of a kitchen belonging to Identité Collective founder Anastasia Casey, and the resulting spice cabinet — featuring Negaard’s signature labels — has been regrammed and pinned hundreds of times. Negaard believes the design is so popular because “it’s something that photographs well and can easily create a visually satisfying before-and-after effect that both TikTok and Instagram thrive on,” she says.

View this post on Instagram

It’s still January (why is January the longest month in the history of the world?!), so I’m still on an organization kick. I typically store my spices in a cool, dark place, but that’s not conducive to a pleasing instagram aesthetic, so I pulled them out just to snap a photo for you. #doitforthegram They’re going back into the dark closet pantry after this. . . . If you’re interested in any of these products, check out my “spice jar” highlights for links! . . . #spicerack #kitchenorganization #organization #organizedhome #homeorganization #organizedlife #mariekondo #sparkjoy #mariekondomethod #organizing #kitchendetails #pantryorganization #pantrygoals #organizedpantry

A post shared by Jen Woodhouse | House of Wood (@jenwoodhouse) on Jan 28, 2020 at 4:39pm PST

Casey told me that, though she loves her kitchen’s Paper & Pear labels, she believes the appeal of pantry overhauls on social media extends beyond some thoughtfully designed spice jars. “Those little moments of organization bring some calm to the storm and are a welcome mental break,” providing people with a small sense of accomplishment and control, Casey says. Adds professional organizer and Pinch of Help founder Brittani Allen, “The uniformity of the bottles and stickers eliminates just about all of the visual clutter of different spice bottles,” she says. “Our brain has less to process without all of the different packaging, which provides a calming effect every time you open your spice cabinet.” And these days, many of us welcome a little bit of calm anywhere we can find it.

Everything you need for your own TikTok-worthy spice cabinet

Paper & Pear Modern Spice Labels

Negaard’s popular design even includes a label for my beloved Everything But the Bagel seasoning. But you can even fully customize the labels to fit your own spice collection.

Container Store 6 oz. Glass Spice Bottle

Gill likes these 6-ounce bottles, which are larger than the average spice container, so they’ll fit an oversize jar of oregano or rosemary without causing you to throw away the extra.

Acrylic Spice Rack Wall Mount Organizer

Caruso loves these acrylic shelves, which she installed onto her pantry wall. Another tip? “If you’re going to switch to uniform bottles, consider adding a small sticker to the bottom of the bottle with the expiration date,” she says.

The Home Edit 9-Inch Lazy Susan

This lazy Susan, which both Allen and Gill recommend, allows you to see everything in your cabinet without sticking your arm all the way into the back corner.

Trim-to-Fit Wooden Spice Drawer Storage Organizer Insert

Allen is a big fan of spice drawers, particularly if you can repurpose a junk drawer into a more functional space.

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2Pgdis4 https://ift.tt/39JRmix

How simple, streamlined white stickers ended up in pantries across America

Before the pandemic, I never spent much time in my apartment’s tiny galley-style kitchen, preferring to dine out (or take out). Stay-at-home orders changed all of that. My refrigerator has never been more full, and while I’ve actually come to enjoy cooking, I found that recipes were taking twice as long as they should because of my overflowing spice cabinet. I’d sift through jars of turmeric and Everything But the Bagel blends, pushing past pumpkin-pie spice and paprika to search for garlic powder, only to realize I was out.

In the midst of my frustration, TikTok’s For You page, which seems to have an algorithm that knows me better than I do, surfaced an organizational video by Brooklyn-based blogger Teresa Caruso that details how she turned her “hot mess” of a spice cabinet into a pristine display. (Lest you think TikTok is just dancing teens, the #diy hashtag has nearly 40 billion views.) Caruso’s project seemed entirely doable, if a little time consuming. But the real sell for me was the streamlined white stickers she placed on each of her spice jars. Something clearly resonated with other people too: Her how-to has since been viewed over 3.4 million times.

@teresalauracaruso

This transformation is amazing! How to create a “spice wall” #learnontiktok #skillbuilding #homedecor #howto #tiktokpartner

♬ original sound - teresalauracaruso

Caruso first got the idea to revamp her cabinet after seeing a similar project by carpenter and blogger Jen Woodhouse on Pinterest. “My bottles were just multiplying — I’d buy things, forget them in the back of the cabinet, and all of a sudden was left with three huge bottles of crushed red pepper,” Woodhouse told me. She came across custom spice labels by Kim Negaard, a Minnesota graphic designer and blogger who runs Paper & Pear on Etsy. Woodhouse appreciated the stickers’ “clean, modern look,” as did her followers — after she posted about the undertaking on Instagram, she was inundated with requests for where she bought them.

While Etsy offers plenty of similarly spare spice labels by a host of sellers, Negaard’s designs are among the most popular — her minimalist and modern labels have over 2,300 reviews. When I got in touch with Negaard to learn more about her brand, she said the business was inspired by a personal need: A few years ago, in an effort to “reduce packaging waste and the environmental impact” of cooking, she and her husband started buying bulk spices at their local food co-op and storing them in old jars. But the upcycled containers lacked labels, and when she couldn’t find any options she liked, she decided to make her own. An Etsy shop soon followed.

@whatverowears

Quick kitchen update ✨ #homedecor #homedecorideas #minivlog #howtodecorate #kitchenupdate #amazonfinds #etsyfinds

♬ original sound - hawtinjuly

And while TikTok has certainly boosted her fan base, she says she began noticing an uptick in business in February, just before the country went into lockdown. Suddenly, “there was this unique combination of people with extra time on their hands to tackle home projects who also couldn’t eat out,” she explains. Negaard says she and her husband are now operating at ten times the amount of sales compared to the end of 2019; from January to March 2020, sales were 3.5 times what they were during the same period last year.

The labels have experienced notoriety on other social-media platforms. Earlier this year, Domino highlighted organizer Shira Gill’s overhaul of a kitchen belonging to Identité Collective founder Anastasia Casey, and the resulting spice cabinet — featuring Negaard’s signature labels — has been regrammed and pinned hundreds of times. Negaard believes the design is so popular because “it’s something that photographs well and can easily create a visually satisfying before-and-after effect that both TikTok and Instagram thrive on,” she says.

View this post on Instagram

It’s still January (why is January the longest month in the history of the world?!), so I’m still on an organization kick. I typically store my spices in a cool, dark place, but that’s not conducive to a pleasing instagram aesthetic, so I pulled them out just to snap a photo for you. #doitforthegram They’re going back into the dark closet pantry after this. . . . If you’re interested in any of these products, check out my “spice jar” highlights for links! . . . #spicerack #kitchenorganization #organization #organizedhome #homeorganization #organizedlife #mariekondo #sparkjoy #mariekondomethod #organizing #kitchendetails #pantryorganization #pantrygoals #organizedpantry

A post shared by Jen Woodhouse | House of Wood (@jenwoodhouse) on Jan 28, 2020 at 4:39pm PST

Casey told me that, though she loves her kitchen’s Paper & Pear labels, she believes the appeal of pantry overhauls on social media extends beyond some thoughtfully designed spice jars. “Those little moments of organization bring some calm to the storm and are a welcome mental break,” providing people with a small sense of accomplishment and control, Casey says. Adds professional organizer and Pinch of Help founder Brittani Allen, “The uniformity of the bottles and stickers eliminates just about all of the visual clutter of different spice bottles,” she says. “Our brain has less to process without all of the different packaging, which provides a calming effect every time you open your spice cabinet.” And these days, many of us welcome a little bit of calm anywhere we can find it.

Everything you need for your own TikTok-worthy spice cabinet

Paper & Pear Modern Spice Labels

Negaard’s popular design even includes a label for my beloved Everything But the Bagel seasoning. But you can even fully customize the labels to fit your own spice collection.

Container Store 6 oz. Glass Spice Bottle

Gill likes these 6-ounce bottles, which are larger than the average spice container, so they’ll fit an oversize jar of oregano or rosemary without causing you to throw away the extra.

Acrylic Spice Rack Wall Mount Organizer

Caruso loves these acrylic shelves, which she installed onto her pantry wall. Another tip? “If you’re going to switch to uniform bottles, consider adding a small sticker to the bottom of the bottle with the expiration date,” she says.

The Home Edit 9-Inch Lazy Susan

This lazy Susan, which both Allen and Gill recommend, allows you to see everything in your cabinet without sticking your arm all the way into the back corner.

Trim-to-Fit Wooden Spice Drawer Storage Organizer Insert

Allen is a big fan of spice drawers, particularly if you can repurpose a junk drawer into a more functional space.

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2Pgdis4 via Blogger https://ift.tt/30gzZmr

[morganhazelwood]

A Starter’s Guide For Fiction Writers Trying To “Establish A Social Media Presence” Part 5

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Part 5: Tumblr and Reddit (The Dark Side?)

Four weeks ago, I shared my descent into social media and my guiding philosophies for interacting on the internet. Three weeks ago, I discussed the generals about creating a website and starting a blog. Two weeks ago, I discussed Facebook, Twitter, and hashtags. Last week was all about the visual social medias, Pinterest and Instagram.

Today? I'll be discussing DARK SIDE OF THE INTERNET: Tumblr and Reddit

Or are they?

Tumblr and Reddit are given a lot of grief about being breeding grounds for social justice mobs, trolls, and dank memes (in which dank means something between dark, cynical, and cool).

For older web denizens: they're where the teens are, and honestly? where 90% of the Facebook content comes from. Look at where all those reshared thought experiments, story inspiration, and other screen-shots come from.

 A LOT of them are screenshots from Tumblr. 

Or made popular on Reddit. 

Or both. 

If you wait for them to come to Facebook, you're gonna miss a lot of content and it's gonna be old before you see it. 

https://youtu.be/a-DSwtzoXJU

Tumblr

So what IS Tumblr? Is it a blog? Is it a quote sharing site? Or is it for reblogging memes? 

The quick answer is... yes. 

For the longest time, I didn't really know what I was doing with it. I reposted stuff from my Instagram since Tumblr seems to like pictures, and I reshared my blog posts from here over there. (Or over here, if you're reading on Tumblr...) 

But, it's just as much for resharing your favorite webcomics or your not-character-count-limited mental contemplations. And GIFs are super popular.

NOTE: It's also very popular for...um... archives of adult imagery. Luckily, safe-search is a thing. I've yet to end up somewhere I didn't intend. A big advantage to its compartmentalized set-up.

It's a social media network, like Facebook, that's not geared towards a specific media (unlike Instagram or Twitter), which can make it more visual, but it supports anonymity--which can make it more attractive to teens (or Russian troll farms). 

There's definitely a part of it that's socially progressive. Tumblr's the sort of place that encourages defining your pronouns and can be very accepting of any sort of identity that doesn't espouse hate.  That said, the admins are struggling with censorship issues around LGBT tags as well as antagonistic alt-right groups gaining a presence on the site. 

Tags are important here if you want people to find you. And if you look around, you can find Tumblrs groups to join (sort of like the 'blog hops' of olde...). The communities are like islands, but they share resources. 

If you like something, heart it. Reblogging stuff is VERY encouraged, and shows support for the original poster -- and also means that the original poster gets credit -- very awesome for the artists and writers and singers on here.

Note: If you add a comment to a reblog, it's now permanently attached to that reblog.

Like most social medias, you can follow people and their posts/reblogs show up on your feed. Don't be intimidated, most people are quite welcoming on Tumblr.

Reddit

Here, everything is a popularity contest. It's like middle school. 

No. Really.

Getting Started

You create an account, you join forums called 'reddits' and 'subreddits' (or 'subs'), named /[whatever] that are organized by areas of interest, and then you either share text or links to content. 

On your feed, you're only shown links to reddits and subreddits that you subscribe to. Then, as people read posts, they 'upvote, 'downvote', or [do nothing]. 

Every upvote and downvote affects your karma. The more upvotes you get, the more likely you'll show up in the feed. 

You can check tabs of 'Hot', 'Rising', and 'New'. And karma means a lot.

What is Karma

You earn karma for:

posting

commenting

getting upvotes

Posting new content or sharing external links are typically seen as more valuable contributions, but it depends on the quality of your comments.

NOTE: When you comment, you can reply to other comments -- otherwise known as nested comments.

You lose more karma for every downvote. It's a way of trying to keep people from being jerk-faces. 

Unless the forum is about being a jerk-face. Then, friendly people get downvoted. 

Although there is an overlying sense of 'Reddiquette', each forum has its own admins, moderators, and set of acceptable behaviors. Overall, someone with higher karma is seen as being more of a contributor and potentially someone to watch for new, quality content. The best of them have been given Reddit Gold.

Reddit Gold

You can literally buy virtual gold that is only intended for rewarding, or 'gilding', OTHER people with posts you find valuable. Being gilded (or buying that status) temporarily unlocks:

comment highlighting

ad-blocking

exclusive subreddits

a personalized Snoo (known as a "snoovatar")

WARNING: Reddit values anonymity, tends to be hands-off, and doesn't censor. There can be really dark reddits, and subreddits with a lot of either off-color or outright offensive content.

The communities are typically well-described though, so you know what you're getting into before you click the links.

Like most social medias, you can follow people and keep an eye on their content. So far, I've shared a little in /writing, /writing-tips, and /nosleep.

/AMA (Ask Me Anything) is one you'll see on the news on occasion, with scheduled visits for politicians or celebrities, as well as normal people with unusual experiences offering to talk about them. 

Feel free to explore. I find it best to wade into a Reddit, watching the expected behavior before trying to contribute. But I'm still learning my way around.

So, that’s the basics of Tumblr and Reddit, it’s not really that intimidating, is it?

A little different, but not completely unfamiliar organizational structures. 

Long form? Images? Links? These are the sites where content is created.

[jesicajparksuk]

25 BlogPaws Conference Blog Post Ideas

BlogPaws is a 3-day conference jam-packed with educational sessions led by top professionals, networking with influencers, a busy exhibit hall, exciting brand events, more influencers, and lots of pets. Pets remain at the heart of everything BlogPaws does. Our pet-friendly conferences invite all pets, everywhere in the event space.

If you are coming to the conference in April, and we hope you are because its our 10th anniversary celebration, here are 25 BlogPaws Conference post ideas before and after the big event:

25. Vlog: Plan now to build a video post around the brands you will meet at the conference. Keep track of the brands by following them on the official BlogPaws Sponsors 2018 Twitter list.

24. Plan Sessions: What sessions do you plan on attending? Check out the BlogPaws Sched, plan ahead, and then decide on a topic or two or more that your followers might appreciate knowing more about. Perhaps you are attending a session at BlogPaws on podcasting. So many pet parents would love to learn how to podcast: So live blog! Or blog later. The choice is yours.

23. Social Media Jam: Get your jam on with a bevvy of social media topics. In fact, why not do an Instagram Stories live from the power panel of 4 speakers on the Instagram session?

22. Health and Wellness: In checking out the brands in attendance, find out which ones have health and wellness related angles. Those types of stories are evergreen and if you can infuse the sponsors and get on their radar, it’s a win-win!

21. Pet Friendly Travel: This is one topic on which all pet bloggers and pet influencers can agree. Since BlogPaws is a pet-friendly conference for well-behaved pets, take the angle of things you can do with your pets, show your readers the Kansas City, Missouri, area, and take the advice of BlogPaws’ 2018 Conference ambassador, Alison Reder, with her Pet Friendly Kansas City blog post.

20. Do a Swag Bag Unveiling: You will get a swag bag full of goodies at the conference and different things throughout the conference. Show your readers, even give some away and have a fun contest around the swag. Here are some more ideas from Maggie Loves Orbit, who is speaking at the conference.

19. Cover the Fun Elements of the Conference: Of course, any pet friendly conference means there is fun involved. Since this is our 10th Anniversary Conference, why not show your followers all the fun you had. In 2017, Beagles and Bargains wrote about her experience, with plenty of fab photos.

18. Red Carpet: On Friday evening, April 20th, the red carpet experience hits BlogPaws for the Nose-to-Nose Pet Blogging and Social Media Awards. You have to see it and experience it to believe it. Lots of pomp and circumstance, surprise, photographers, videographers, and pets! Add an entertainment angle to your blog post.

17. Cover the Cat Lounge: Meowza! You know we always want to give you something special for the feline fanatics at our annual BlogPaws conference and we usually turn to cat style expert Kate Benjamin of Hauspanther for her coordination skills with the Cat Lounge, but this year Kate is taking a bit of a hiatus to deal with some health issues (more details on her new personal blog FelineSoFine.com, because of course she created a blog about it!) Kate is going to work behind the scenes to orchestrate a really cool cat lounge experience for you this year and we’ve got a great team of volunteers to make it happen, so you definitely have something special to look forward.

16. Report About Your Live Cat Psychic Reading: Coryelle Kramer, Seer and Communicator, will be joining us in the Cat Lounge this year. Be sure to stop by to let her do a reading for you!! Then blog about it!

15. Interview Attendees: I love an interview style post and I am not alone. If you do a Facebook Live during the conference and set up some interviews, you can later embed the video into a blog post like we did here.

14. Share Pet Photo Taking Skills:  Kornell Samuels shares all of his behind-the-lens tips and tricks during his BlogPaws session. Learn the basics of your mobile device, as well as how to light and style your shoot. At the end, you’ll see a notable difference in your photography! Impressive photography has the power to take your blog or website to the next level. In this class, Kornell Samuels will show you how to take photos that will make your content stand out. At the end of this class, you will know the essentials of mobile photography, lighting, and composition. Plus, your readers will notice your new photography skills!

13. What’s New on the Brand Radar: Ask brands at their booths what they have out that is new or what they have on their radar. Take notes, take pictures, and take video. Share the hottest trends, products, and pet industry insights with your readers.

12. How to Become a Pet Care Professional: There are endless opportunities in the ever-changing $70B pet industry. Are you thinking about tomorrow? Your current role as pet industry influencer can lead to any number of new entrepreneurial opportunities such as in-home pet care, animal training, behavioral counseling, animal facility management, or animal welfare, just to name a few. Jamie Migdal, Fetch Find founder, will teach you how in her session. Fill your readers in!

11. Good Pet Behavior: Since BlogPaws is welcoming to well-behaved pets, write a blog post about how to socialize your pet. Include interviews with experts, some of whom might be in attendance at the conference. Jamie Migdal is a pro, so look her up in April.

10. Teach Your Readers to Plan: Jodi Chick will lead a table topic aimed at helping planner neophytes and those who have tried using a planner, but never made it stick, attendees will be introduced to a variety of planner styles and help build the foundation on which to develop their blog planner as a time management, branding, and organizational tool, instead of a to-do list. Attendees will also be given access to a downloadable workbook to complete after the conference helping the further develop their planner and how to best use it to improve their blog.

9. Interviews with Winners: Talk to some of the winners of the Nose to Nose awards and let your readers in on their blogs, their insights, and gain some fresh material for a fun blog post.

8. A Day in the Life of a Pet Influencer: Prep this one in advance and then fill in the details post con, or for more fun and hands-on engagement with your followers, do a day in the life at BlogPaws on social media, hype it in advance, and then write a blog post about it afterwards. Re-purpose those IG videos, too!

7. How to Be a Twitter Influencer: Twitter is not dead; in fact, some experts believe its find its second win. Show your readers the magic of Twitter, share tips and insights and hashtags with them, follow the #BlogPaws hashtag throughout the conference, and use our Twitter Influencer tips.

6. How to Make Grow a Pet’s Social Media Account: You will get a ton of tips on this during the BlogPaws Conference, so condense them into a blog post and tell your readers how to do it from the pros!

5. The Pets Behind the People: I love getting to know the pets of the bloggers and influencers. How many times does someone meet you and they know your pet before they remember your name? That happens to me quite often, I am happy to report. Interview the people about their pets and share images and stories on your blog. This would even make for a perfect series of blog posts.

4. Show Your Readers: Do a video and photo post interspersed with just enough text to make the Google Gods happy. The topic? To celebrate our 10th Anniversary there will be special Experiential Areas set up in the Exhibit Hall this year! There will be a patio area, a kitchen, a living room, and an office. Each of these areas will have fun things to check out, Brands to get to know, and maybe even some educational tools for you to take home. Stay tuned as we get closer to the Conference for updates.

3. Honor Flags: Dedicated a day on your blog on ways to honor a pet who has passed on. At the conference, honor flags are back: It is time to bow our heads, show love and remember, and this year’s BlogPaws Conference will play host to the time-honored tradition that is Honor Flags. Honor Flags remember our dear pet companions who are no longer with us and honor all who are dedicated to rescuing animals. Supplies will be available at the BlogPaws Conference and each flag will represent a pet you wish to honor. Whether you are an artist or not, honor flags are designed to remember those we love and have lost. Express yourself, share the love and the bond with your pets, and take some quiet time to create a keepsake that will grace the honor flag and for you to take home as a remembrance.

2. Misconceptions about Pet Bloggers and Pet Influencers: Myth buster posts and those that dispel misconceptions are always a hit if done right. Think of some misconceptions, get quotes at the conference from attendees, and infuse them into a blog post.

1. Experience Review: From start to finish, show and tell your readers what you just did for 3+ days with hundreds of others in attendance.

Learn from the Pros

Go face to face with social media experts this year at the BlogPaws 10th Anniversary Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, April 18-20. We’re a 3-day conference jam-packed with educational sessions led by top professionals, networking with influencers, a busy exhibit hall, exciting brand events, more influencers, and lots of pets. Get your tickets for BlogPaws 2018.

Carol Bryant is the Marketing and Social Media Manager for BlogPaws and runs her own blog, Fidose of Reality and its fundraising arm, Wigglebutt Warriors. When not busy playing with her Cocker Spaniel, Dexter, she stays far away from cooking. Her trademark is her mantra and is tattooed on her arm: My Heart Beats Dog.®

Images:  Carl Kerridge Photography for BlogPaws

The post 25 BlogPaws Conference Blog Post Ideas appeared first on BlogPaws.

from News And Updates About Pets http://blogpaws.com/executive-blog/authors-team/posts-by-carol-bryant/25-blogpaws-conference-blog-post-ideas/

[janicefosse]

Writing Lives: Mica Scotti Kole

I attended the Chicago Writers Conference in 2015. It was my first conference ever, and I was both excited and terrified. Not being a particularly social person, the idea of spending three days mingling with and talking to total strangers with no familiar friends or my husband to hide behind was almost enough to prevent me from attending the conference.  But I was determined to enter the writing world, and so I stepped boldly into an unfamiliar bar in downtown Chicago on Friday night for the first mixer of the conference.

Throwing caution to the wind (and ignoring the gurgles of terror in my stomach), I walked up to the first friendly face I saw and said hello. That face belonged to the fantastic Mica Scotti Kole, and I am so glad that I was able to overcome my fears and meet such a fantastic person.

If you don’t know Mica, you’re missing not only a super cool person and a talented writer, but also an invaluable resource for other writers. She is the face behind Free Writing Events, aka @Writevent on Twitter, the clearinghouse for all free writing events on the Internet. Her website has not only the same calendar of free writing events, but also a plethora of other writing resources, from agent lists to conference recaps, writing advice, and more.

She is also the founder of Beta Frank, the “super-affordable editing service where the author sets the price and duration of the services – not the editor.” I had her go over my manuscript before I began querying and now I have an agent. Her invaluable insights and in-depth notes were instrumental in getting my book into its best possible shape, and I would recommend her to anyone looking for a high quality editor (she should really be charging at least triple what she charges – just saying). I decided to kick off my interview series with a writer, editor, and person that I admire and I’m proud to call friend. So, without any further ado, here is my interview with Mica.

The fabulous Mica Scotti Kole!

JF: Tell us how you got started in writing - what inspired you early on, what inspires you today, etc.

MK: When I was little, I used to play with Duplos - like giant Legos with animals - and write stories about the animals' adventures. I just unearthed one of these "books" recently while unpacking for a new house. The animals in my "Miracle Zoo" made hover-cars out of coconut juice. I'm pretty sure I was doomed to write fantasy from the very beginning.

JF: How did you become the queen of writing events?

MK: Aw, thanks! Well, when I first started Twitter, I discovered hashtag games like #1linewed and events like #PitMad, which were fun writing challenges and incredible networking opportunities that I had never heard of before... meaning that piles of other writers had never heard of them, either. I saw a need, and I started filling it, and the response was so stellar that I just kept going, widening my promotions to any events that were free and useful for writers. I'm highly organizational, so the resulting @writevent turned out to be pretty cool.

JF: Name one book that has influenced you in life, as a writer, etc.

MK: I always say The Golden Compass. I remember walking into a giant library, having no idea what to do, and asking a librarian. She gave me that book of the thousands available, and I was sold on fantasy forever... the accompanying His Dark Materials trilogy has it all: diversity, religious questioning, talking animals, multiple dimensions, death, and irreconcilable heartbreak. The Golden Compass taught me that an imaginary world doesn't need to be contained. It can be as big as you want it to be. I dislike writing contemporary to this day!

JF: What is your daily writing routine like? Do you have any particular rituals, must-haves, etc?

MK: I'm one of those one-track-mind people. I'll kick out 20,000 words in a few days, then veer off into another project and forget to write for a week. But my daily ritual involves cereal, loose-leaf black tea, and consuming some type of media: books, anime, or often the Daily Show with Trevor Noah. It takes me an hour at least to get through this ritual because that's how long it takes me to finish my tea (yes, it gets cold). Then I open my laptop, pull up Word, and dive in.

JF: How much research do you do for a writing project?

MK: None during the first draft, except when naming characters or the occasional "What type of feather is at the tip of the wing?" question. I do most of my research in revisions, with a special eye for the diversity-related research. But I do have an aversion to general research due to a decade of writing all A+ papers in every English class ever. I think some part of me believes I've paid my dues. That is not a good thing, lol.

JF: Are you a planner, a pantser, or a plantster?

MK: Depends on the project, but I think that inevitably we all become plantsters in the end - a hybrid. I'll either outline a book and end up down a rabbit hole, or I'll run down a rabbit hole and end up plotting my way out. I leaned primarily toward plotting early on, though, and I do recommend that. Plotting gives you a feel for pacing and structure that pantsing doesn't. You can learn a great deal about writing from plotting, but pantsing mostly just teaches you how to revise!

JF: You’ve written characters from underrepresented groups - please elaborate on the importance of that and what challenges you’ve faced writing these characters.

MK: I could say SO MUCH about this, but will try to limit myself. To start: writing diverse characters terrifies me. So many authors, either white/cis/nonreligious like myself or themselves diverse, have faced incredible vitriol for trying to write diverse characters. The fear that trying to elevate other voices might actually ruin my career - and even my life - is real. The fact is that mistakes will be made if one writes diversity, and writers will be hated for writing diversity no matter what they do. You can't please everyone, and you can only do your best. That said, one's "best" must involve sensitivity readers, research, and humility. Frankly I have said and done insensitive things without any idea I was doing it - and to learn my own failings and misconceptions, and have to apologize, is both painful and important. In addition, #ownvoices books must be elevated above non-#ownvoices books. I cannot possibly write about a transgender woman the way a transgender woman can write about herself, and I need to recognize that. All that said, despite the hate campaigns and the social justice warriors/bullies and all the other risks, if white/cis writers don't at least try for the most basic of inclusion, then our literature will be whitewashed. And white is the most boring color.

JF: What would you suggest as an essential bit of reading for aspiring writers?

MK: The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho will inspire you to chase what matters. This is my favorite book, and no, it's not a book that tells you how to write. For better or worse, I don't believe those kinds of books have ever helped me personally. Although if you're fresh to the writing scene, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott is a must-read, and absolutely hilarious to boot. She'll warn you about all those things you need warnings for...

JF: What is the most useful writing advice you’ve ever received? The most destructive?

MK: Useful? To structure according to the Hero's Journey (or the 3-Act Structure, whatever works). This is such a game-changer and has helped me write better first drafts and get a keener eye for story... although, as I said, over time plotting may become more instinctive. And the most destructive advice, for me, was specific advice from an agent on how to redo my opening. The advice itself wasn't bad, but taking her word as gospel caused my opening to founder for ages. To that end, I'd advise second opinions if a change doesn't sound like it would work for you... remember, you know your book better than anyone else! But do pay attention if the second opinion matches up!

JF: The publishing world is a strange one right now - what do you see for the future of publishing in your genre?

MK: I see more diversity. They're afraid, now, to take these books on... but those that have succeeded, have done so very well. And as much as people love the same old tropes, a blurb about a police shooting or a Muslim teen catches the eye and sets the book apart more than "oh look, another clumsy female protagonist in a love triangle." Publishers want a hook, and that's the key: do you have a hook? I also see a shift toward YA over adult books in most genres. Virtual Reality storytelling isn't too far off, either.

JF: What do you suck at?

MK: Humor. At least, putting humor into things. I lean toward dark stories, and I need to work on the comic relief. I also struggle with getting the reader to connect to the main character early on. I work much harder on voice than I used to, and it still seems like it isn't working - but I have improved, and will continue to do so. Like Lisa Scottoline said about writing, "You never hit your stride."

Check out Mica on Twitter: @MicaScottiKole

Be sure to follow Free Writing Events: @Writevent

Mica Scotti Kole’s website: Micascottikole.com

Beta Frank Editing Services: Beta Frank

via Blogger http://ift.tt/2AM0i57

[easyfoodnetwork]

How simple, streamlined white stickers ended up in pantries across America Before the pandemic, I never spent much time in my apartment’s tiny galley-style kitchen, preferring to dine out (or take out). Stay-at-home orders changed all of that. My refrigerator has never been more full, and while I’ve actually come to enjoy cooking, I found that recipes were taking twice as long as they should because of my overflowing spice cabinet. I’d sift through jars of turmeric and Everything But the Bagel blends, pushing past pumpkin-pie spice and paprika to search for garlic powder, only to realize I was out. In the midst of my frustration, TikTok’s For You page, which seems to have an algorithm that knows me better than I do, surfaced an organizational video by Brooklyn-based blogger Teresa Caruso that details how she turned her “hot mess” of a spice cabinet into a pristine display. (Lest you think TikTok is just dancing teens, the #diy hashtag has nearly 40 billion views.) Caruso’s project seemed entirely doable, if a little time consuming. But the real sell for me was the streamlined white stickers she placed on each of her spice jars. Something clearly resonated with other people too: Her how-to has since been viewed over 3.4 million times. @teresalauracaruso This transformation is amazing! How to create a “spice wall” #learnontiktok #skillbuilding #homedecor #howto #tiktokpartner ♬ original sound - teresalauracaruso Caruso first got the idea to revamp her cabinet after seeing a similar project by carpenter and blogger Jen Woodhouse on Pinterest. “My bottles were just multiplying — I’d buy things, forget them in the back of the cabinet, and all of a sudden was left with three huge bottles of crushed red pepper,” Woodhouse told me. She came across custom spice labels by Kim Negaard, a Minnesota graphic designer and blogger who runs Paper & Pear on Etsy. Woodhouse appreciated the stickers’ “clean, modern look,” as did her followers — after she posted about the undertaking on Instagram, she was inundated with requests for where she bought them. While Etsy offers plenty of similarly spare spice labels by a host of sellers, Negaard’s designs are among the most popular — her minimalist and modern labels have over 2,300 reviews. When I got in touch with Negaard to learn more about her brand, she said the business was inspired by a personal need: A few years ago, in an effort to “reduce packaging waste and the environmental impact” of cooking, she and her husband started buying bulk spices at their local food co-op and storing them in old jars. But the upcycled containers lacked labels, and when she couldn’t find any options she liked, she decided to make her own. An Etsy shop soon followed. @whatverowears Quick kitchen update ✨ #homedecor #homedecorideas #minivlog #howtodecorate #kitchenupdate #amazonfinds #etsyfinds ♬ original sound - hawtinjuly And while TikTok has certainly boosted her fan base, she says she began noticing an uptick in business in February, just before the country went into lockdown. Suddenly, “there was this unique combination of people with extra time on their hands to tackle home projects who also couldn’t eat out,” she explains. Negaard says she and her husband are now operating at ten times the amount of sales compared to the end of 2019; from January to March 2020, sales were 3.5 times what they were during the same period last year. The labels have experienced notoriety on other social-media platforms. Earlier this year, Domino highlighted organizer Shira Gill’s overhaul of a kitchen belonging to Identité Collective founder Anastasia Casey, and the resulting spice cabinet — featuring Negaard’s signature labels — has been regrammed and pinned hundreds of times. Negaard believes the design is so popular because “it’s something that photographs well and can easily create a visually satisfying before-and-after effect that both TikTok and Instagram thrive on,” she says. View this post on Instagram It’s still January (why is January the longest month in the history of the world?!), so I’m still on an organization kick. I typically store my spices in a cool, dark place, but that’s not conducive to a pleasing instagram aesthetic, so I pulled them out just to snap a photo for you. #doitforthegram They’re going back into the dark closet pantry after this. . . . If you’re interested in any of these products, check out my “spice jar” highlights for links! . . . #spicerack #kitchenorganization #organization #organizedhome #homeorganization #organizedlife #mariekondo #sparkjoy #mariekondomethod #organizing #kitchendetails #pantryorganization #pantrygoals #organizedpantry A post shared by Jen Woodhouse | House of Wood (@jenwoodhouse) on Jan 28, 2020 at 4:39pm PST Casey told me that, though she loves her kitchen’s Paper & Pear labels, she believes the appeal of pantry overhauls on social media extends beyond some thoughtfully designed spice jars. “Those little moments of organization bring some calm to the storm and are a welcome mental break,” providing people with a small sense of accomplishment and control, Casey says. Adds professional organizer and Pinch of Help founder Brittani Allen, “The uniformity of the bottles and stickers eliminates just about all of the visual clutter of different spice bottles,” she says. “Our brain has less to process without all of the different packaging, which provides a calming effect every time you open your spice cabinet.” And these days, many of us welcome a little bit of calm anywhere we can find it. Everything you need for your own TikTok-worthy spice cabinet Paper & Pear Modern Spice Labels Negaard’s popular design even includes a label for my beloved Everything But the Bagel seasoning. But you can even fully customize the labels to fit your own spice collection. Container Store 6 oz. Glass Spice Bottle Gill likes these 6-ounce bottles, which are larger than the average spice container, so they’ll fit an oversize jar of oregano or rosemary without causing you to throw away the extra. Acrylic Spice Rack Wall Mount Organizer Caruso loves these acrylic shelves, which she installed onto her pantry wall. Another tip? “If you’re going to switch to uniform bottles, consider adding a small sticker to the bottom of the bottle with the expiration date,” she says. The Home Edit 9-Inch Lazy Susan This lazy Susan, which both Allen and Gill recommend, allows you to see everything in your cabinet without sticking your arm all the way into the back corner. Trim-to-Fit Wooden Spice Drawer Storage Organizer Insert Allen is a big fan of spice drawers, particularly if you can repurpose a junk drawer into a more functional space. from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2Pgdis4

http://easyfoodnetwork.blogspot.com/2020/07/these-pantry-labels-made-by-blogger-in.html