#also inspired by some delicious art I saw on Pinterest

[the-lavender-clown]

Cowboy Knuckles

He’s such a little guy 😭

[crazyblondelife]

Not Your Typical Deviled Eggs for Easter

Deviled Eggs are a must at any Southern Celebration, however, this year, I decided to jazz mine up a bit! It’s no secret that I’m not a huge fan of eggs. I’ve tried to like them all my life, but at almost 60 years old, I don’t think it’s going to happen. If I have to eat eggs (other than in cake or pie), a boiled egg with lots of salt and pepper and a dash of hot sauce is my favorite way…until I made these fabulous deviled eggs.

In the South, deviled eggs are taken very seriously…there are even plates made especially for holding these jewels! I’ve always liked the idea of deviled eggs, more than I’ve liked the eggs themselves, so typically, I let someone else make them for family occasions. This year, I decided to make them myself and put my spin on them. I was inspired by a picture I saw on Pinterest several weeks ago and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. These eggs are truly a work of art and they took me forever, but I enjoyed every second and I actually ate two!

I wanted a very colorful plate, so I pickled some of the eggs (recipe below) with beets to give the eggs their beautiful pink color. The longer you let them sit, the darker the pink becomes and in addition to the color, they have a wonderful pickled flavor. I also added curry powder to my filling. There is a debate in my neighborhood (you know who you are), about whether sweet pickle relish should be added to the filling or only mustard. Normally, I would have added the relish…probably just because my mother did. This time, I didn’t use it because I piped the filling into the eggs with a pastry bag and didn’t want it to get clogged and I didn’t want the filling to appear lumpy. The mayonnaise is also important…you can use any brand you like, but I think Duke’s is the best.

I didn’t create a formal recipe card because this recipe is so easy…simply add enough mayonnaise to make a creamy mixture - for 12 eggs, I used about 1/2 cup, really good Dijon mustard to taste (2 - 3 teaspoons), a teaspoon or so of curry powder and salt to taste. I also would normally add a bit of black pepper but didn’t want the flecks in my filling. Mash it all together with a fork and put it into a pastry bag with a big star tip. Pipe the filling into the eggs and garnish as desired.

My garnishes included crumbled bacon, dill, capers, crumbled blue cheese, small pieces of diced celery, thyme leaves, dill, sliced pickled okra (another Southern staple and delicious in Bloody Mary’s), micro greens, and sweet and tangy pepper drops (these are addictive). In the center of the plate, I added a tiny bowl of coarse salt, and small piles of some of the garnishes…just in case someone wants extra. I will say that the curry powder made all the difference for me and the bacon wasn’t bad either!

{"image":"https://i.imgur.com/fr1sSPk.png","name":"Beet Pickled Eggs","prepTime":"PT5M","cookTime":"PT5M","totalTime":"PT20M","description":"These eggs make the most beautiful deviled eggs and they're also delicious on avocado toast!","yield":"6","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Suzanne Smith"},"recipeIngredient":["1 package cooked beets","6 hard boiled eggs, peeled","1 cup water","1 cup apple cider vinegar","1/2 cup cane sugar","1 teaspoon kosher salt"],"recipeInstructions":["Place beets and eggs in a 24-ounce mason jar","In a small saucepan, bring water, vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt.","Pour the mixture over the beets and eggs. Allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before enjoying."],"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Recipe"}

You may not want to go to quite this much trouble when you’re also cooking an entire meal, but this would also be a fun appetizer for a summer picnic…or if you’ve been delegated the task of making the deviled eggs, this would certainly be an impressive addition to Easter lunch or dinner! And…don’t forget the ham biscuits because no Southern celebration is complete without them!

When I photographed these eggs, I placed them on an antique linen that I’ve had for years. I have quite a collection, mostly purchased from Pandora De Balthazar. Pandora has a line of bedding and pillows that are the best I’ve ever found as well as a large collection of antique textiles. I’ve been collecting for years, and quite honestly, didn’t know what in the world I would ever do with all of these beautiful pieces, but now that I’m cooking more and photographing my food, they are very nice to have!

For our Easter celebration, I’m veering from our typical menu, which is usually some type of salmon. This year, I’m making an herb crusted rack of lamb with potatoes, asparagus, homemade rolls and of course, these deviled eggs. I think another Southern tradition, a Brownstone Front Cake will be perfect for dessert!

What will you be making for your spring celebrations this year? Let me know in the comments!

[arplis]

Arplis - News: Pictures Diy Picture Ledge

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Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/pictures-diy-picture-ledge

[courtingstars]

Notes for Storming the Castle, Chapter 4

Hello again, my dear AkaFuri readers! These notes are kind of long since I rambled on and on about Disney movies because I’m me. (And now after this chapter everyone knows why I put Disney movies in the Ao3 tags! //laughs)

So we’ll start with the Disney stuff, then I mention a few things about Akashi’s sexuality in the fic, and then the usual cultural notes. (Plus the real-life inspiration for the last scene!) Also as a reminder, I have a Pinterest board with photos that helped inspire the first half of the story.

(Cut for me being an incurable Disney nerd, plus notes about sexuality, love hotels, Japanese convenience stores, and other things!)

On The Disney Movies

I should probably feel bad about putting so many Disney references in a fic. //laughs (I’ve been Disney obsessed since I was little, and I wish I could pretend I grew out of it, but I really, really didn’t). But it seemed like a fitting way to bring up the lighter side of fairy tales, since that’s a major theme in the story.

It’s also worth mentioning that Disney stuff is a popular obsession in Japan! There’s Tokyo Disneyland, tons of great Disney stores, you get the idea. I’ve also seen a few Japanese dubs of the movies, which are excellent. <3

I didn’t plan to go into so much detail, but I wanted to try to make the movie references as accessible as I could. And if you haven’t seen the films, I do recommend them because I am a sappy dork. I chose them to match the story, and hopefully to create some interesting parallels to both Akashi and Furihata.

So first, The Little Mermaid! Random fact: This was the first movie I ever saw in a theater. (Also one of my first memories! I was three.) The songs are great, and it’s an interesting take on the fairy tale. But mostly I just thought it would be kind of funny that Furihata would like a movie about a redhead who has issues with a super-strict father and a hard time fitting in with normal humans, because of course you would Furi. (I mean Ariel was basically the reason all of us 90’s kids were in love with supernaturally red hair, right...? No? Just me? //shutting up now)

(… I would absolutely read a fic about merman Akashi trying to comb his hair with a fork though, I don’t know how that would even be in character BUT I’D READ IT. XD)

And if you haven’t seen the film before or want a trip down memory lane, here are some YouTube clips of parts I mentioned in the fic! The opening, Fathoms Below, has beautiful atmosphere. Part of Your World is Ariel’s most famous song, and I pretty much ripped off the reprise of the song in Akashi’s dream sequence so let’s all crack up together about that visual, haha. I think Poor Unfortunate Souls is one of the best villain songs ever, and of course Kiss The Girl is famous and adorable (and you can see how it ends if you didn’t already know, or you forgot!).

As for Cinderella, it’s so iconic that I feel like I don’t really have to say much about it... I did briefly mention the scene with Cinderella getting ready in the morning, which is pretty well-known (also I want you all to really imagine Akashi and Furihata watching a movie where the mice all sing in those tiny high voices together), but the main thing I wanted to link is the fairy godmother’s song! It is precious and iconic and absolute NONSENSE and I will now always think of Akashi cracking up when I watch it. //laughs I also quoted the song with Cinderella and her prince, So This Is Love, which has gorgeous scenery.

And last but not least, Beauty and the Beast! For some reason I’ve had in mind for a VERY long time that Akashi only saw this Disney movie when he was a kid. (I wrote a really silly GoM fic about my headcanons for all their favorite Disney movies back in 2015, but never got around to posting it. //laughs). In any case, hopefully I made it obvious enough in the chapter why I think it’s an Akashi sort of story. (Because of course in an AkaFuri fic Akashi’s Disney crush would be a book-loving brunette who’s off in their own little world, right? Pfft.) Also, full warning, this chapter won’t be the last time I include a painfully obvious homage to this movie… I apologize in advance. xD

Anyway, one of my favorite parts is the prologue! That chiming music is so epic, and the art is breathtaking. And of course Belle’s opening song in the village is brilliant. Those two clips show off the scenery well, which ties in closely to why I referenced it in the fic. The song Something There is a great example of the way the romance develops. And I could ramble on and on, but those were the main things I referenced, so that’s probably sufficient. //laughs

… Okay and also can we just agree that all happy-ending kisses should end in a magical firework explosion? Yes? Yes. (I may or may not be planning to write a scene kind of like it for, um, a certain fic that isn’t this one… And now everyone will know my not-so-secret influences. //cough)

And if you happen to be in a Disney mood now, I’ll also link a countdown I found of the top 20 best Disney endings, which includes almost all of my favorite Disney films/some sadly underrated ones! (My personal favorites will always be #13 and #7, but I could not agree more about the top five rankings, because I am a Disney Renaissance kid. <3)

On Akashi’s Sexuality in the Series

I mentioned this a while ago, but now might be a good time to mention it again! In my AkaFuri series, Akashi is on the asexual spectrum, but I haven’t used the specific term for his identity in the fic. Partly because this fic takes place when those terms were even less commonly known (back in 2010, which is only a few years after I first came across AVEN, so the idea would have been even less familiar in Japan), and partly because he hasn’t fully discovered this about himself yet.

One of the reasons I started writing this series was that I wanted to try to capture how it feels when you haven’t completely figured out your sexuality yet. That was pretty normal among my friends and I when we were sixteen, for a lot of different reasons. (Furihata will be having a similar experience in the series too, which I’ll get into later!) Anyway, I’ll be exploring these issues in more detail in the next fic in the series, but since this chapter does mention some of the feelings Akashi has been struggling with, I thought it would be good to clarify.

On College Kids in Japan in Relationships

I had a lot of fun writing the scene where Furihata’s brother sneaks back into the house, and since it loosely references an aspect of modern Japanese culture, I should probably mention that here…

It’s not too uncommon for university students in Japan—and other young people in their twenties—to still live with their families. Which means that for the ones in relationships, it can be hard to find some (ahem) private time, especially since living spaces are often crowded and PDAs are discouraged. So it’s very normal for young people in Japan to go out to places like love hotels with their significant others…

… And that’s basically what I was implying, when it comes to where Furihata’s brother snuck off to. //laughs That’s also the context of Furihata’s mother’s lecture, and I tried to capture some of the Japanese norms about sex there as well. It’s tricky to explain how they differ from Western norms, because they’re not more “conservative” or “liberal” exactly, just different. (And they vary a lot depending on the person and what generation they’re from!)

But basically, to sum up, I was hoping to convey that Furihata’s mother isn’t upset about what Furihata’s brother is doing per se, it’s more that she’s worried about him being responsible and “appropriate” while he’s doing it. My impression is that it’s unusual that a parent would broach the subject like she does--but hopefully it’s clear that this is a part of her character. Similar to how she dealt with events in Chapter Three. (And that’s also why a character like Akashi is very embarrassed to have overheard it, poor kid. xD)

Also! For those of you who are 18+, if you want to learn more about the cultural context of love hotels in Asian countries, and what they’re like (answer: epic) I love this comic that sums it up. (The comic isn’t explicit, BUT it’s hosted on a webcomic site—that I personally love—that features 18+ comics about sex ed and sex toy reviews. So please be aware, the ads and some of the site’s illustrations are explicit! And very inclusive, sex-positive and awesome.)

On Elementary School Uniforms

I also wanted to briefly mention one of the cultural tropes in Furihata’s family photos! Japanese elementary students wear bright yellow hats when they walk to school, as a way to make them more visible to prevent accidents.

On Conbinis

This is basically just a note to say that I love Japanese convenience stores. //laughs They’re everywhere, everyone uses them, and the major chains are extremely competitive. So they’re often open around the clock, their services are amazing, and their food is delicious.

Also, here’s a random fact! Kit Kats are hugely popular in Japan, and they have all kinds of unusual and regional flavors, including green tea and wasabi and sweet potato. (Yes, really.) The trend started because of a pun in Japanese that made them a popular good-luck gift to give to exam students. Now they’re so well loved that they even have fancy chocolatier stores that sell ultra-fancy Kit Kats because… Because Japan, that’s why. XD

(Also when I post this chapter, I’m rewarding myself by ordering some hojicha Kit Kats from Amazon, because roasted tea flavored Kit Kats from Kyoto are you serious of course I want that in my mouth.)

On the Inspiration for the Walk with Furi’s Dad

I also wanted to make sure I mentioned one of my biggest inspirations for this fic! Which is that when my sister studied abroad in Japan, she stayed with an amazing host family near Hiroshima.

I’ll never forget all her stories about what it was like, but my #1 favorite is that she was awake one morning and her host dad invited her to come on a walk with him… At which point he put the family cat in a harness and they went out and walked the cat. (Maybe that’s more common in some countries, but at least in the U.S., I don’t know anyone who walks a cat? XD) She tells the story a million times better than I do, but the gist of it is that they wandered around this ultra-tiny parking lot for a few minutes and he showed her the strawberries in their garden and it was adorable and a little strange and the best thing ever. <3

I didn’t have Furihata’s dad walk a cat in the fic, sadly enough! (I decided it would be kind of distracting… Also, the Furihatas don’t technically have a cat in canon. //laughs) But I did put a cat in at the end. Partly because everything’s a metaphor, the metaphors are out of control, someone save me from myself. But mostly because I wanted to include a nod to my sister’s host dad and his family, and how much they influenced this story, by being so welcoming to her when she was so far from home. <3

[kangacav69]

Herb Garden Ideas Diy

To make this herb garden i used wood from a different project. How to plant, grow, maintain, dry, store and use fresh herbs.

DIY pallet herb garden Herb garden pallet, Herb garden

It is recommended for a new gardener to create a basic first for the durability of the timber.

Herb garden ideas diy. Welcome, and thank you for joining! The best thing about this kind of gardening is that it really doesn’t take a lot of effort to put together. Some of the following diy indoor gardens imply a little woodworking, others use recycled materials.

We have proudly shared here these 70 diy herb garden ideas that will help in the easy growing of your herb even when you are not having enough space for them at low cost! Fun, children/ grand children, projects to involve them. See more ideas about herb garden, garden, diy herb garden.

Various herbal home remedies and the many medicinal benefits of using different herbs! Herbs growing on the wall in recycled containers (via ewainthegarden) 37 of 65. A small hole in the side is the right side for watering.

Thank you for the read. This herb garden design is custom made using various cedar raised herb beds. For those of you that have never grown any herbs at home, you are missing out.

Table top minimalist indoor herb garden. =) transplanting is the easiest way to go, but if you nail seed starting, it can be a great way to start a garden also. They are so easy to grow that even a novice would have no issue successfully growing herbs.

Fresh herbs taken in your indoor garden will make your food more delicious. What a great way to recycle! You don’t even need an outdoor space to do it, simply view the images below for diy herb garden ideas.

Do you want to create your own herb garden?. 10 amazing diy herb garden ideas. Diy mason jar herb garden.

See more ideas about garden projects, herb garden, diy garden. Hanging herb garden ideas always amaze me. Growing edible plants in a vertical garden not only saves a lot of space but also lets you enjoy a fresh harvest even if you live in urban apartments.

I’ve had a bunch of requests to share what we do with our garden, so i wanted to share. 30 amazing diy indoor herbs garden ideas. 40 diy vertical herb garden ideas to have fresh herbs on hand.

See these related diy garden posts: Try these diy herb wall ideas and grow your favorite herbs in small spaces with ease!. Ideas and tips to make your garden a success.

I enjoyed your 10 herb garden ideas, from pinterest i gather. Creative diy herb garden ideas 1. (via vtwonen) 36 of 65.

This indoor herb garden idea is simply a wooden box planted tightly with herbs, then hung on the wall. Using different sizes of galvanized tubs is a clever way to make a tiered herb garden. Whether you are looking for indoor or outdoor herb gardens, there are plenty of diy herb garden ideas to choose from that are cheap and easy to make.

Herb gardens are my favorite types of gardens. I recently remodeled my square foot garden and had a lot of 1×2’s left over. Depending on the space you have available, you can grow your herbs on the window sill, the kitchen counter, or hang the planters on the wall.

Make an up cycled diy indoor herb garden with lotion bottles from ‘lovely indeed‘. It’s a fairly inexpensive project too. Quick, easy, and cheap curb appeal ideas;

I love that you can make it any size you want and how many you want! This leaning ladder with planter boxes is perfect for growing an herb garden. One more awesome example of a space saving vertical herb garden you can diy from a pallet.

Incredible wall art and makes everything taste better! 23 genius diy garden ideas ; Greetings from i creative ideas!

There are a plethora of herb garden ideas you can choose from that will literally spice up your life! The gardener specifically builds a raised bed to grow many types of herbs. When it comes to growing herbs, you will be glad to know that it doesn’t have to be hard!

This idea can be a good start for you to love gardening. Next, here are 10 diy potted herb garden ideas for people with limited space. How amazing is to have little herbs garden in your home, in your kitchen where you make your nicest meals.

Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme delicately hung against the wall. There is any variation of this one out there in the vast world of the internet. Make this indoor herb garden planter from ‘grillo designs‘ in 10 minutes from a baking pan!

12 clever diy indoor herb garden ideas march 21, 2020 by debbie d leave a comment if you live in an apartment and do not own a balcony or garden where you can grow some plants, or you just want to add some greenery to your home, then planting an herb garden is a solution for you. Mason jar herb garden via camillestyles. They just need a little bit of sunlight, some water, and the herbs will be right there waiting for you to use them.

Maintaining a home and garden can be a challenge, but great tips and ideas from green thumbs can help. The healthy benefits of cooking with, and eating garden fresh herbs. Old wine corks can be inscribed with the name of your herb and placed on top of a fork as markers in any herb garden.

20 clever diy garden furniture ideas; 21 brilliant diy indoor herb garden ideas. Great, fancy but yet simple to do ideas.

Having some fresh basil or rosemary to pick during a cooking session is so convenient! Got a desire for fresh herbs but just don’t have the space for a garden? 10+ diy potted herb garden video:

Sprinkle some fresh herbs on all your meals, and you will be pleased with how much flavor they add. Get inspired with our diy herb garden ideas. This awesome minimalist herb garden planter is meant to be indoors, right on your table or countertop.

20 easy diy herb garden ideas. How great is this… 9 herbs that you will use almost every day right at your finger tips. Here is another herb garden with total farmhouse charm!

Many of these garden ideas are perfect for beginners and for small spaces like kitchens, patios, and apartments. Without concerning about the indoor or outdoor, these diy herb garden ideas will provide you all the hacks to install your herb gardens anywhere in Best of luck on your pins!

Follow this amazing step by step tutorial to make your own. If you love food and everything about cooking than you will love these awesome diy herbs garden ideas. Check out our step by step tutorial and make yourself a herb garden with name tags that’ll help you to easily recognize them at one go!

Make sure you save a few of these days and give them a try. Some herb garden ideas can be as simple as throwing a few seeds in a trio of tin pails and setting them on your kitchen window sill. Planning to grow a vertical garden?

Using this wood gave this project a “seasoned” look without having to do anything but condition the wood. I love cooking with fresh herbs and they taste so good. It is satisfying to see my friends and family impressed with my herb collection.

Follow dozen backyard and garden ideas in this post, this compilation is crafted for you by simphome.com. 35+ creative diy herb garden ideas. Here is a list of 21 amazing diy indoor herb garden ideas to inspire you to grow your favorite herbs:

Ideas and tips to make your garden a success; You can buy a lot of varieties of herbs from the stores, but the best way to have the freshest, most delicious and inexpensive herbs is to grow them yourself. Below you will find a selection of the best diy ideas to create an indoor herb garden.

=) as far as the diy’s, i will keep you updated on how they go. 1 comments on top 10 diy creative herb garden ideas. Going through a lot of them this was one of the best ones i saw (one of the.

Herb garden tour + diy garden starting ideas hey!

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[avidreaderblog]

Hello everyone! If you haven’t heard, I have a new weekly blog series called “Level Up” where, every Sunday, I’d touch on a way to take your blog and/or business to the next level. You can check out all the other posts in the series here! Now, today we are talking about branding. How I like to explain it is: branding is a combination of who you are right now and who you want to be. Every business/blog and person uses it, actually, whether you know it or not. For people who are really funny and tell jokes all the time, well, comedy is their brand. Instagrammers who are known for combining food and books to make one delicious post, well, that’s their brand. That’s what they are known for to most people. Essentially, a brand is a way of presenting yourself and your business/blog.

Sometimes, people figure out their brand quickly, while for others it can take a while to find it and refine it. Today, I will be breaking down the elements of a brand (it’s important to know the basics first!), asking some questions to think about while figuring out your brand, misconceptions about branding + offering a case study of what my brand is, using the framework in the post! Let’s gooooo….

Major Elements of a Brand

Element #1: Colour Palette – when figuring out your brand, one of the biggest things to focus on is colour. Colours are another identifier for you. For example, when I think about The Tempest, I automatically think of dark purple, a specific shade of green, and white. When I think of Melyssa Griffin (one of my fav bloggers), I think of bright yellow and light blue. So, when I go on Pinterest and see a graphic with bright yellow and blue, I don’t even have to look at the watermark/tag to know it’s Melyssa Griffin. And, when I scroll through Instagram and see writing on a dark purple background, my first thought is The Tempest. Overall, colours definitely create cohesion within your blog. Some quick tips, though:

don’t choose neon colours – no one will be able to look at the colours long enough to want to click on your blog

don’t automatically choose your favourite colour(s) for your blog – favourite colours can change often and you don’t really want to have to change your brand much, if at all.

look up the meanings of colours – other than being really interesting to read about, the meaning of colours can help you decide what to pick as the psychology behind what someone thinks when they see red vs when they see blue can make all the difference in how you want people to see you.

Element #2: Typography – you ever see a font and immediately associate it with a company? Like the Harry Potter lightning-like font. I couldn’t tell you what the actual font name is off the top of my head, but once I see ANYTHING written in that font, I automatically know it’s related to Harry Potter. Typography can make a huge difference in how people recognize you and, like the colours, it can create cohesion within your blog. A tip: don’t use unreadable fonts that have too much cursive or are too weird/funky. Why?

People need to be able to read in whatever font you pick.

Fonts tend to exude different personality types which can connect readers to what you want to be seen as. For example, more cursive fonts like “allura” tend to mean sweet, innocent vs “times new roman” tends to suggest normalcy or serious.

You want a relatively timeless font so that, again, you don’t constantly switch up your brand and thus confuse and lose readers.

Element #3: Graphics – like I’ve mentioned in one of the earlier Level Up posts, graphics can be really important in catching the attention of readers and drawing them into reading the post. The images should be appropriate to the topic and, typically, follows a consistent style. Typically, the images also use colours and fonts (doesn’t have to be all) from the colour palette and font(s) you identified before for your brand. This consistency allows readers to become familiar with you and your blog in another way so that, if they saw one of your images on social media, they would immediately know “hey this is from X’s blog!” even if they’ve never read the post or seen the pic before.

Three Questions To Ask Yourself

what do I like posting about/doing the most? Is it:

discussion posts about issues in the book community?

how-to posts and tutorials?

reviews of my favourite genre?

lists of things like in Top Ten Tuesday?

makeup tutorials based on the cover of a book or fashion ideas based on the characters?

what are two to three personality traits I want to be known for? do I want people to see me as:

funny?

helpful?

investigative?

imaginative?

who is my target audience? aka, who would primarily read my blog? Is it:

unpublished or published writers?

readers of [insert genre]?

foodies?

people interested in makeup or fashion?

Misconceptions Behind Building A Brand

I have been blogging for over six years now and, for a while, I didn’t know what my brand was. TBH, it didn’t fully click with me until this post what my brand is. I mean, I had some idea of what I liked doing and grand plans of what I wanted to be to people, but, every time I thought I figured it out, I would look to my left or right and find someone else was doing what I was doing even better. I thought branding was a competition; there were only so many seats at the table and very few seats per brand, determined by how good you were at it which was determined by how many people liked/followed/bought from you. So, there were three main Society 6/Red Bubble artists, there were a few big book Instagrammers, there was only one or two funny/relatable twitter people, etc etc etc. It felt like, if I didn’t have a seat at the table, I didn’t have a brand. I constantly asked my friends, “what do you think I’m known for?” and if I didn’t get “#1 artist in the world!”, “best reviewer” (neither of which exist) or something, I felt like I failed.

As you can probably figure out, that mindset was sooooo wrong.

The great thing about the bookish community is it’s supposed to be open for anyone so there are limitless seats at the table for all kinds of people! And, because we are all unique in some way, all our brands will also be unique in some way. So, though you may not be the only artist and/or person who loves writing discussion posts or doing bookish makeup tutorials, your brand will be different than everyone else’s. Because the way you put everything together all the elements of a brand and answer the questions will be different.

Case Study: Breaking Down My Brand

Colours:

turquoise

black

white

Typography:

Lato

Merriweather

Graphics:

white background, strong & simple lettering, black border

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What Do I Like Doing The Most?

discussion/how-to posts helping bloggers/small entrepreneurs

reviews of fantasy or mystery books

art designs primarily focused on typography and placement, or simple drawings, all inspired by books, movies or tv shows

What Do I Want To Be Known For?

someone who helps people, especially bloggers and small entrepreneurs, better themselves, get to the next level in their business plan, and/or get more followers & customers.

Target Audience(s)?

for my discussion posts: bloggers who want to better themselves and their business

for my reviews: readers of fantasy, crime/mystery, contemporary

for my art: people in fandoms, primarily bookish fandoms

—-

Aaaand that’s the basics of building a brand! Like I said before, building a brand can take a while so don’t worry if it takes you a while. One step forward is still better than none! Keeping that in mind, congrats we Leveled Up! Are there any questions you have about building your brand? Let me know in the comments below!

And, if you have any questions now or at any point in the Level Up series or if there’s something you generally or specifically want me to talk about, feel free to comment below, tweet me @AvidReaderBlog, or email me at avidreaderofficial@gmail.com! Thanks, have a great day/night, and tata for now!

Angel

Red Bubble ❙ Society 6

LEVEL UP: Building Your Brand Hello everyone! If you haven't heard, I have a new weekly blog series called "Level Up" where, every Sunday, I'd touch on a way to take your blog and/or business to the next level.

[sunkissis]

  Bonjour,

Liv gets two whole weeks of spring break here, Yay! We took a three day trip to London (my second favorite city). Antz job has an office there so he spent a day at work. We stayed at The Hoxton Shoreditch. It’s almost identical to The Ace Shoreditch. The room was much smaller but it had the same hipster vibe and Shoreditch is such a fun area to stay in. We promised to take Olivia to the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour which was amazing. I advise you to purchase tickets well in advance. I procrastinated and they were sold out a few weeks before our trip so I had to pay a lot more for Golden Tours package but it included tickets and roundtrip coach to Leavesden which was convenient. While Antz was visiting his work office, Liv and I went to The Sanderson hotel for a girls Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea Party. We also had the best cake ever from the pretty Peggy Porschen which is an Instagrammer’s dream. We met up with our friend Melissa for an authentic Indian dinner in White Chapel. She gave us a tour of her neighborhood and showed us two amazing Basquiat-inspired Banksy art! I had no idea he has been putting up new art.

I was concerned about taking the Eurostar train due to France’s SNCF on-going strike but luckily it seemed every train except ours was canceled. We arrived about 40 minutes before our train departure time and it turned out to be the perfect timing. We breezed through the long customs line and we made it to the waiting lounge just as our train began to board.

You guys, I did something I have never done before, traveled in heels! Granted, they are the most comfortable wedges on the planet. I bought these Kork Ease wedges (similar ones here) from my favorite store in Highland Park, Dotter. Of course after weeks with no rain, it drizzled all morning.

This was the emptiest I have ever seen Gare Nord. Oh! Can I say how much I love my Away Carry-on bag. At first I wasn’t sold on the price and how small it is but for weekend trips it’s worth every penny! We arrived at San Pancras station to a lovely day in London.

After a few months of daily Metro commuting in Paris, I was surprised at how different taking the Tube is in London. There are less stairs than Paris, which is a plus, however the stations have escalators that are as steep as Mt. Everest. I totally get vertigo and wearing heels, holding my luggage along with Olivia’s hand was a balancing act because I don’t ever touch the hand rail (I saw a travel show about how much fecal matter is found on them). The Tube trains are also smaller and arrive in the station at the speed of a roller coaster.

Liv spotted our first Invader right away! Our hotel was only a few blocks from the Tube station.

Guess what? I had a harder time understanding people in London than in Paris! Very cool accents but they talk faaaaaast. To be honest, the room we ended up with wasn’t my fave. It was small and there wasn’t a closet for our bags but the bed was very comfy and I had a throne-esque chair to rest my tired feet.

It’s always hard to get out of a comfy hotel bed but we had to explore the town before our dinner plans. You know I can’t resist a photobooth.

The lobby was very cool but it was so packed with people, I couldn’t get any good photos. There was an art show featuring twins that looks rad and a dreamy communal kitchen space with a bright red Smeg!

As much as I love French croissants, I missed good old doughnuts! We passed Doughnut Time on our walk in so we had to get a snack.

I forgot they don’t accept euros in London so off to the ATM for some quid! Liv still wants to know why America is the only nation without women on the currency.

This little piggy had a Notorious P.I.G. doughnut.

We took a double decker bus to Whitechapel to meet our friend for dinner and we passed the old London Hospital. Our friend Melissa who was our tour guide for the evening, told us that Joseph Merrick lived in that hospital. I am a huge fan of the film The Elephant Man. I saw it was a kid and I still remember weeping buckets of tears of the horrific abuse he suffered. I asked her what was the city planning to do with the old building and she said probably tear it down and build condos. Lame!

She took us to an Indian part of Whitechapel for some authentic Indian cuisine. Now, I am fairly new to the Indian food game. It took me years to figure out what I liked and unfortunately, what I don’t. I am good with chicken Tikka Masala, white rice and garlic naan. I couldn’t tell you what I ordered at this place. The food was good, but I didn’t order correctly. You know when you are having such a great time you forget to take any pictures of the evening? That happened. I am infamous for delaying a meal in order to get that perfect dish shot but I only managed to take one picture at the restaurant.

Yup, those are raw white onions (my kryptonite) but I ate all that chicken! Yummy meal and bonus, we brought our own wine. After getting some ice cream for dessert we headed to the Barbican Centre to see the Banksy art.

I am so glad Melissa was our guide because we would have never found them. Thanks for a bloody wicked night m’dear!

The next morning we woke up to cute little breakfast bags on our door and we got all dolled up for our second breakfast of the day Peggy Porchsen’s Cakes! Besides, my motto is Eat Cake for Breakfast.

This pink palace is in Westminster so it took us quite awhile to find it but OMG this place is Disneyland for bloggers and Instagrammers. I was super bummed that I couldn’t get all the people waiting out front out of my photo but what can you do? Funny thing is I did politely ask that group of girls to move over so I could take a photo and they moved one inch. Okay, I see you!

Coincidental it’s on Elizabeth Street wouldn’t you say?

You guys, my iPhone camera do not do these beautiful cakes justice! I am wishing there was a cake shop like this in Paris.

It’s in her genes, what can I say?

She’s getting pretty good at taking our photos. After a stroll through beautiful West London, we headed to Victoria Station to catch our bus to Warner Bros. Studios.

They play Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone during the 35 – 40 minute drive to the studio. It’s lovely because I haven’t seen it in ages and it sets the mood for some Wizardry.

I won’t show everything because I want you to experience it for yourself but there are some really awesome props, costumes and special effects to see.

The best part of the tour is you get a passport book that has a scavenger hunt and riddles to solve as you walkthrough. Every set had a hidden golden snitch and they were not easy to find. When Liv solved the riddles so would stamp her book with an emboss machine.

She bought a quill at the gift shop and now she insists on writing all her correspondences using quill.

This sexy wizard’s pantaloons are notable. You better work those bows and ruffles, boy!

Can I say how betrayed I felt when I saw how small the long corridor set was in real life? I was sure it was an actual hallway connected to Hogwarts Castle.

What a missed opportunity, the tour bus that brought us to the studio should have been the Knight bus!

Of course our tour included a cup of yummy Butterbeer!

My favorite part of the tour is the amazing Hogwarts Castle set. It’s fascinating how much detail is put into this castle.

Can you see the tiny Beauxbâtons flying carriage. I’m gonna drop a little nerd knowledge on ya. Did you know that Beauxbâtons means Beautiful Wands in French? I would totally send Liv to that school!

Our last stop was the magical gift shop and Liv and I ended up with some lame wizard and witch cards we never heard of in our chocolate frogs. That’s some good chocolate though.

We stopped at Kings Cross on our way back to the hotel and stood in the long line of tourists to take the Platform 9 & 3/4 photo. They supply you with a scarf and a $29.99 souvenir photo, if you’re a sucker.

The next day Antz went to work in Camden and Liv and I headed to the West End. Liv had no idea I was taking her for tea. I have never been to a formal tea party either. It felt very posh.

As you can see the food was adorable and very delicious. I had my first scone with clotted cream. We drank buckets of tea!

  After tea, we hung out in the lobby of The Sanderson, which has the most random chairs.

It is now Liv’s life mission to own this hanging chair.

Antz took this adorable selfie in his work lobby.

That evening we went to the movies to see the incredible Isle of Dogs. I was planning to see it in Paris but it was only playing in French. Of course I absolutely loved it. I am an avid Wes Anderson fan.

Our last day in London was chill. We had breakfast at a place called The Breakfast Club. Liv ordered the best salted caramel milkshake ever. I missed good ole’ bacon so much.

We had some time before our train so we walked around Shoreditch to hunt for Invaders. We ended up back on Rivington Road which is the same place we had our photo shoot with Lee back in 2014.

Four years later…

We were walking by and we noticed the Banksy we shot too! There wasn’t anyone to take our picture so I used our camera’s remote.

I got my nose pinched again! We walked to Brick Lane and were blown away by the street art. We also caught like eight Invaders.

It took me forever to see that giant ass bow and arrow sculpture. Liv was like, Mom, it’s right there and I’m all, Where?!

I’ve wanted to try a rainbow bagel but they were only made in New York so Liv was super excited to try on from this bakery. I didn’t have one because this place didn’t toast their “beigels” so I passed.

I am such a Pinterest nerd that I geeked out at this shop that sells cleaning supplies. I didn’t have time to go in but look how pretty that green tile is.

I saw a rad Star Wars Invader when we were on the bus one night and I tried to find it before we left. My only clue was the building was grey and I knew it was on a corner. We walked for ages and finally Liv spotted it. On the walk back to the hotel we realized it was only five minutes away! We were walking right past it everyday and never saw it.

We checked out of our hotel and I had a piece of red velvet cake from the Hoxton Grill which was yummy! Then it was time to head back to Paris.

The Hoxton Hotel 81 Great Eastern St London EC2A 3HU, UK

You can click this link for a discount at any of the Hoxton hotels.

  Au Revoir London!

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Shoreditch, London Bonjour, Liv gets two whole weeks of spring break here, Yay! We took a three day trip to London (

[emilyemcnabb]

Our Trip to New York City {with teens in tow}

Check out Our Trip to New York City and find out how we did it our way, with two teens in tow.

We finally did it – we traveled to New York City for a 5 day trip that wasn’t business related, and I am certifiably hooked on the city life! Here’s what I’ve come to realize about my self: I don’t care much for tropical getaways or theme park destinations, but I love traveling to new cities and diving into the culture.

This trip came about because we were planning to travel to Seattle for a family wedding, but after pricing flights for a family of four it became apparent that we’d get more for our money by staying on the East coast instead. Now that the kids are teenagers, NYC seemed like a great place for all of us to get inspired. My daughter has a very ‘alternative’ style so she was able to see things from a more diverse setting; my son is a chip off the old block and is fascinated by city life; and the hubs and I are suckers for food, culture, nightlife, and people watching.

We traveled in late June and got lucky with the weather. It was perfectly warm, sunny, and lacked humidity for most of the week. We didn’t follow a typical “tourist” agenda; instead we explored things more freely and asked the locals where were the good places to go. Here’s a list of the things we did, and where we went. There were surprises along the way, and so much inspiration around every turn.

Our Trip to New York City

Where we stayed: We booked a flight + hotel package through one of the travel sites, choosing The Lucerne for our stay. We chose it for it’s location, and for it’s good reviews. It’s in the Upper West Side two blocks from Central Park and the Museum of Natural History. After doing our research of the different areas/neighborhoods in Manhattan, we knew we wanted to be in a more residential zone as opposed to a highly-trafficked tourist area. This turned out to be a VERY good decision.

MONDAY

We arrived at the hotel mid-afternoon, dropped our bags, and headed outside to explore our neighborhood. Just three blocks west is a park along the Hudson River, with the Boat Basin Cafe overlooking the marina. We sat outside and enjoyed a snack, cocktails, and the gorgeous weather and view. One of the unexpected highlights of that outing was stumbling across this original Banksy art piece, “Hammer Boy.” We’ve been fans of the artist’s work for a few years but never imagined we’d see one in person…much less on the same block as our hotel!

The rest of the day was spent strolling along (we found the cutest used book store!), relaxing, and having dinner outside at a sidewalk cafe. Afterwards, we got fresh baked cookies from Insomnia Cookies and they were the BEST cookies I’ve ever bought. Crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside…perfection! It’s located right across the street from our hotel so it became a daily stop.

TUESDAY

Tuesday was jam-packed and definitely our most “touristy” day. After sleeping in, we got ready and headed off to the Met…but not before stopping for some street vendor food! When in New York you have to get street food, right! We all got something different and shared. From hot dogs, to meat on a stick, to gyros, it was all delicious!

A lovely stroll through Central Park took us straight to the Metropolitan Museum of Art where we spent hours perusing the halls of ancient Egyptian artifacts, Greek & Roman statues, and art by Monet, Degas, Van Gogh, Picasso, Rockwell, and more. We also saw a specialty exhibit by a Japanese fashion artist, that was so interesting!

After the museum we were rushing to get ready for our night out. We had gotten Broadway tickets the day before, to see….wait for it….Cats! I know, so retro, right. We met with the concierge who just happened to be a former Broadway dancer, and she gave us the scoop on the theaters and seating available at various shows. Sure we would have loved to have seen The Lion King, Wicked, or Dear Evan Hanson, but the tickets available were pricey with bad views. So we went with the next best family-friendly show available, and that was Cats. We actually enjoyed it immensely and the kids REALLY loved it.

A trip to New York City wouldn’t be complete without a walk through Times Square. It made perfect sense to check it out after the show. To see the place lit up like that at night was iconic. We didn’t spend much time there because we were starving! On to a local pub for dinner at 11pm!

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday was our day to chill out and not have a schedule, however we ended up with some of the most memorable experiences. We slept in all week (except the hubs who was up early walking the streets, testing out coffee shops & bagel shops) so didn’t get started each day until close to lunch time. On this particular day we happened upon AG Kitchen for lunch and a cocktail, which inspired my sparkling mojito recipe. The food was terrific with kind of a Cuban-Brazilian mashup.

After lunch we hopped on the subway down to discover Chelsea Piers and hang out at the Waterside Park. Surprising to me, it was the end of June and children were just getting out of school for summer break; there were several end-of-year parties taking place.

Our son was on a mission to visit Midtown Comics Store (he’s a big comic book enthusiast) so we made our way back up to 40th Street to find it. Lucky for us, Jack’s Restaurant & Bar was across the street so the hubs and I went inside for some happy hour cocktails while our son was at the comics shop…for over an hour! Jack’s was small and very quaint inside, and a charming place to catch our breath after all that walking.

As dinner time approached, we ate at what I would describe as the quintessential “hidden gem” of a restaurant, that only the locals know about. Coppola’s Italian restaurant was right across the street from our hotel but we never gave it much thought because the sign was very inconspicuous; it just says “osteria & pizzeria” but it is OH-SO-MUCH-MORE! As you go down some stairs to enter this dark, cozy, restaurant lined with old brick walls, you immediately feel like you’ve just joined a secret club. This is not just a “pizzeria,” it’s classic & authentic Italian cuisine, and the wall to wall crowd inside is a testament to that. One of our favorite finds!

One of the nice things about traveling with teenagers is that we adults can have a night out without worries of a babysitter. As darkness fell, we asked about seeing some live jazz music and were directed to Cleopatra’s Needle, a 13 block walk from the hotel. It was open mic night but as with everything else in NYC, it was next level! Their version of open mic is not your typical version of open mic. These were obvious professionals who seem to get together for jam sessions and to sing/play for each other. WOW, were they good!

THURSDAY

We were back to structure and schedules on Thursday as we set out for the Museum of Natural History for a few hours before meeting up with an old friend for dinner and a night out. I have to say that the history museum was my least favorite part of the trip. Unlike an art museum where you see one of a kind pieces wherever you go, I feel like most history museums are pretty much the same. We’ve been to the Smithsonian before so this was kind of like that on repeat. I wish we had gone to the MoMa instead.

Dinner was at the hotel restaurant, Nice Matin, which serves up delicious French cuisine. We met up with one of my oldest girlfriends (25 years and counting) and her new beau as we had a belated celebration of my birthday.

Afterwards, the kids went back up to the room while we headed out for the night. I was dead set on finding a rooftop bar so once again we asked for a recommendation. We ended up at The Empire Hotel rooftop bar where I finally got a view of the city, from some place other than street level. The bar is set up where the center is indoors and there are two rooftop terraces flanking it. A very beautiful place to be. From there we made our way back down to Midtown and ended the night in a local joint with inexpensive drinks, then a slice of New York style pizza!

FRIDAY

Although we had most of the day in the city, it was travel day so we did a little bit of local shopping before heading to the airport.

After this trip to New York City, I wish we were independently wealthy so we could afford to live there or at least visit often. It IS pricey but it was worth it. My top takeaways, advice, and to-do’s are:

Don’t visit like a tourist, live like a local and experience the best of the city. Ask the residents for places to go instead of going to all the ‘most popular’ places. Duck inside off the wall shops or eateries. You’ll probably find a hidden treasure.

I highly recommend staying in the Upper West Side, and The Lucerne Hotel. It was so nice being in an area that wasn’t wall to wall people like Time’s Square or even Midtown. In the mornings we saw nannies with strollers and people going to the gym instead of tourists or business people.

Take advantage of the night life. Whether you’re 25 or 65, there’s got to be something you’ll love to do after dark. Wine bars, jazz lounges, comedy clubs, or neighborhood pubs – it’s vacation after all!

Don’t schedule every minute of every day. There’s SO much to see and do but I don’t regret one bit that I didn’t go to the Empire State Building or shop at pricey department stores, or see the World Trade Center Memorial. I know those things are iconic but at the end of the day that’s not what feeds my soul. I’m much more inspired by the art I saw, the amazing food I ate, and the moments of relaxation in the park by the river, or at the jazz club.

The things I do wish for next time are: visit the Museum of Modern Art, walk along The High Line, spend more time in Central Park, and of course eat and drink my way through the city.

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[themasterwarrior]

Have to keep that bright sun out somehow.

Heavenly bodies can be such a pain..

Cowboy Knuckles

He’s such a little guy 😭