I haven’t made one of these posts in quite a while, but in browsing pretty things to possibly put on the wall of my new study / wardrobe overflow room I uncovered some delights I felt the need to share:

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I haven’t made one of these posts in quite a while, but in browsing pretty things to possibly put on the wall of my new study / wardrobe overflow room I uncovered some delights I felt the need to share:

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Image by Lyubov

Once again it’s far too glorious a weekend to be stuck indoors on the Internet, so before reading these, please consider going out into the sunshine and saving them for later!

If it’s not as fabulous where you are and you haven’t filled it [...]]]>

Image by Lyubov

Once again it’s far too glorious a weekend to be stuck indoors on the Internet, so before reading these, please consider going out into the sunshine and saving them for later!

If it’s not as fabulous where you are and you haven’t filled it in already, please take a moment to take the Sparkle and Glitter Survey by clicking here.  Sorry about that, onwards with the posts!

* First of all, if you haven’t downloaded it already, I suggest you take a few moments do download Chris Guillebeau‘s free e-book “279 Days to Overnight Success“. I’ve only read part of it, but so far it has some really useful information for getting the most out of the blogging platform and reaching a wider audience. I didn’t start this blog with the intention of going “pro” but all the fabulous tips on engaging with your audience etc. have been exceedingly insightful and useful to me so far, and I’m sure most bloggers will be able to get something out of this.

* The brilliant Mademoiselle Robot has been receiving some negative comments recently, and in response has made a video post on “Dealing With Negative Comments” in which she demonstrates a really clear and well-thought out point of view in a totally cute way!

* “Embracing Your Age” is a marvellous post about accepting the person you are right now, by the fabulous Lace and Stars.

* Attraction Mind Map features a very insightful post entitled “The Masquerade Play of Life“, regarding the masks we wear as we go about our everyday lives and when and how to removed those masks.

Image by josef.stuefer

* Most of you will have probably already read Nubby‘s excellent post entitled “What is Your Definite Major Purpose?” but a good thing is always worth promoting just in case. Definitely well worth a read if you haven’t already.

* Bakery is a great site for bloggers and business-owners. “Do You Know Your Stats?” stresses the importance of analysing your blog statistics if you’re seeking the growth of your blog.

* Another awesome travel post comes in the form of “Avoiding Jet Lag and Other Long Haul Tips” by Amber. These tips are really great, and given me a few books to add to the “to read” list as well!

* “25 Ways to Live a Fairytale Life” is a really sweet list of ideas to make your life a bit more magical, from The Princess Portal.

* CMYKaboom! (I love the name) has a regular feature entitled “Inspiration Machine” and this week’s contains some great ideas!

* I loved parts one and two of Aimee Marie‘s Photo Coach series so I was really happy when “Part 3: Composition” was posted this week!

I hope the rest of the weekend is wonderful!

A belated Happy Easter and a belated Sparkle Roundup! I hope you’re all having a good break from work, school, or just the stresses of everyday life in general and are enjoying being able to indulge in whatever you gave up for Lent (if you did)!

Just [...]]]> Image by mawel

A belated Happy Easter and a belated Sparkle Roundup! I hope you’re all having a good break from work, school, or just the stresses of everyday life in general and are enjoying being able to indulge in whatever you gave up for Lent (if you did)!

Just a quick Sparkle Roundup this week, but be assured that there will be more new and better content soon! In the meantime, enjoy these fabulous posts from this week in the blogosphere!

* There’s an excellent article by The Princess Portal on “Authenticity” this week. This is something I feel really strongly about – that there is no point in being the person you think people want you to be, as you can’t be truly happy unless you’re being yourself.

* “Establish Sustainable Positivity through Perspective and Appreciation” is the lengthly title of a really amazing post by one of my favourite and most-featured bloggers, the wonderful Tres Lola. I think this post is capable of giving anyone something to think about!

* Nubby‘s fabulously detailled reply to a reader’s question, “Digital vs. Print Design & Magazine Submissions” is essential reading for anyone hoping to make a career in graphic design (or those who just find it interesting, like me!)

* La Couturier give some brilliant advice on “what to wear: at the airport“, something I always seem to get wrong no matter what! Usually I end up freezing on the plane then boiling when I get to my destination – wearing steel-heeled boots through the metal detectors is also something I’ve managed to do on several different occasions!

* The lovely Tash challenges us with the question “Are you niche enough?” For once however, this is not applied to blogs, but rather to our careers, and is a very interesting read. Definitely one to think about if, like me, you’re job-hunting right now.

* Expand Yourself is another great personal development blog I’ve recently discovered. “Craving for energy?” is a great post that highlights four different types of energy that may be lacking in our lives, and what to do to boost that energy and use it.

* Nicole Ioma‘s advice on how to “Break a Creative Block” is really great, and includes a couple of ideas I really wouldn’t have thought of if she hadn’t pointed out the benefits. Well worth a read.

I hope you enjoy reading these and that you’re still enjoying a relaxing Easter break! If you’re back at work already, I hope you’re well-rested!

xx

The above image makes me want to eat nothing but delicious fresh fruit today whilst enjoying the sunshine! If you’re in the UK with beautiful weather and you’re not on a laptop outside (or at least by a window) get off the Internet and go and enjoy the [...]]]> Image by Project 404

The above image makes me want to eat nothing but delicious fresh fruit today whilst enjoying the sunshine! If you’re in the UK with beautiful weather and you’re not on a laptop outside (or at least by a window) get off the Internet and go and enjoy the weather! You can read these at work on Monday morning!

* Code For Something features “Going Postal” a list of resources to inspire some snail mail love in your life!

* Ashe presents part two of her corset series, “How To Buy a Corset” full of helpful advice to stop you wasting your money on something horribly uncomfortable you never wear!

* Personal Branding is a big thing in the blogosphere these days. Skelliewag has written a really useful post entitled “How to Start (or Start-over) Building Your Personal Brand” that’s really easy to follow and extremely informative.

* Sarah Von‘s “Your New Plan for Tomorrow” suggests a really great outlook I’m definitely going to try!

* Harriet has written a great post about underwear! “The Importance of Underpinnings” is a great post, and you can read part two here!

* With all the sensationalism in the media about the London G20 protests, “Dispelling the Sensationalism” by Tres Lola is a remarkable post explaining things in a really brilliant and interesting manner.

* The Coveted features a fabulous post on my national beverage – Tea! “The Beauty in a Cup of Tea” contains some really useful information on the health and beauty benefits of a delicious cuppa!

* The Glamorous Grad Student has written a lovely piece on “Living Magically” a really sweet post that gave me a great boost on an otherwise work-filled and entirely un-magical day!

* Similarly, “Simple Pleasures” by new blog Lace and Stars is a lovely post that helps us to remember the little things that make life beautiful!

I’m about to get ready for my first barbecue of the year, Spring is really here now! I hope you all have a magical Sunday!

xx

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I feel thrilled and privileged to have had so many wonderful and talented bloggers answer my little questionnaire and share a glimpse into their fabulous lives with myself and all of you! Cupcakes and Mace is a fabulous blog with a shop that sells some gorgeous jewellery as [...]]]>

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I feel thrilled and privileged to have had so many wonderful and talented bloggers answer my little questionnaire and share a glimpse into their fabulous lives with myself and all of you! Cupcakes and Mace is a fabulous blog with a shop that sells some gorgeous jewellery as featured in my previous Sparkle Shopping post. This lady is marvellous, her posts always make me smile and she manages to find all manner of wonderful links that keep me occupied every Monday!

What led you to start your blog?

I didn’t know much about blogs until recently but I had been posting little bits about what I did on the weekend, or some random who talked to me on the street on my MySpace page. After discovering Gala Darlings blog (which led me to discovering so many other blogs), I wanted to do it myself. I read as much as I could and found I could make one for free, so I did.

How did you choose your topic?

The tag-line of Cupcakes and Mace is “Life With Attitude”; it’s more of a lifestyle blog than a blog with a particular topic. I write for people like me, so I write about things I feel passionate about.

What do you love most about blogging?

Connections. When someone leaves a comment thanking you for a post it’s the best feeling!

What makes you happy?

Love, cupcakes, Charlie the Unicorn, blogging, the Internet, reading, movies, food, sparkles, pink, family, friends, glitter, sneakers, the prospect of being my own boss one day.

What do you do to make yourself happy?

Daydream about quitting my job while perusing my Google Reader and making jewellery.

What one thing, above all else, makes you happy to be you?

My fierceness I try not to let anyone give me any shit and I’m proud of myself for it. Too many people over my short career have told me not to stir the pot, but I’m from Generation Y and wont let anyone talk down to me whether they are the CEO of the company or not.

What’s important to you?

Freedom of expression, human rights, love, my family and friends, Internet access.

What do you want your impact on the world to be?

If I can convince people to pursue their dreams, take calculated risks, and question things always I’ll be happy.

How are you going to achieve this?

Hopefully by becoming a voice for ass kicking women on my blog.

Tell me about a valuable lesson you’ve learned in your life.

“There’s probably no god now stop worrying and enjoy your life .”

What led you to make this discovery and how did it make you feel?

I realised I believed in science and evolution, not god, after reading ‘A short history of nearly everything’ by Bill Bryson. I then read ‘The God delusion’ by Richard Dawkins. I had always struggled with the idea of god but these two books made me realise there was nothing to struggle with. That I can continue being a happy good person without having something to fear or look forward to when I die.

If you could give Sparkle and Glitter readers one piece of advice, what would it be?

Don’t let anyone give you shit. Ever.

Visit Cupcakes and Mace now, it’s awesome!

Image by tomswift46

Usually, when people get to the end of a chapter, they close the book and go to sleep. I deliberately write my books so when the reader gets to the end of a chapter, he or she must turn one more page. When people tell me I’ve kept [...]]]>

Image by tomswift46

Usually, when people get to the end of a chapter, they close the book and go to sleep. I deliberately write my books so when the reader gets to the end of a chapter, he or she must turn one more page. When people tell me I’ve kept them up all night, I feel like I’ve succeeded!
Sidney Sheldon

If you can’t annoy somebody, there is little point in writing.
Kingsley Amis

Forget all the rules. Forget about being published. Write for yourself and celebrate writing.
Melinda Haynes

At night, when the objective world has slunk back into its cavern and left dreamers to their own, there come inspirations and capabilities impossible at any less magical and quiet hour. No one knows whether or not he is a writer unless he has tried writing at night.
H. P. Lovecraft

Scribblesis another one of my favourite bloggers. She’s a great writer and her book reviews always give me great inspiration for what to read next! If she’s not already on your list of daily reads, she really should be!

What led you to start your blog?   I love to write [...]]]>

Image by _Dano

Scribblesis another one of my favourite bloggers. She’s a great writer and her book reviews always give me great inspiration for what to read next! If she’s not already on your list of daily reads, she really should be!

What led you to start your blog?
 
I love to write and I wanted a creative outlet in which do so. In some of my secret dreams, I see myself as a teacher and a magazine columnist.

How did you choose your topic?

My blog focuses on love, life and literature… I am a romantic wee soul that still believes in the gallant and chivalrous knight dream and my life so far has failed to live up that fantasy. I believe that there are a lot of topics that consume our 20-something minds that we’d all feel far more comfortable with if we knew we weren’t alone – the disasters of life happen to EVERYONE. And the literature? I just love books and as I’ve continued with the blog the content has seemed to take a more literary bent.

What do you love most about blogging?
 
The freedom to express myself in whatever way I want. I’m a lot more honest with my readers than I am with a lot of my friends and that’s made me question my honesty and transparency with my IRL people. I’ve started being a lot more open with some of my newer friends and I think the relationship that we have is more close and real because of it.

What makes you happy  and what do you do to make yourself happy?
 
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens… in all seriousness though, its often little random things that will bring me joy. I’ll be sitting in a moment and just feel aglow with an internal fire of joy. If I’m in a really funky mood, I literally have to keep telling myself to snap out of it and there’s no use in trying to cheer me up before I’m ready.

What one thing, above all else, makes you happy to be you?
 
Despite certain boys not loving who I am in the past, I know that the combination of unique traits I have makes me an incredible catch and that one day I WILL have the whole package – a job I love, a fantastic hubby who appreciates the entire package of me, gorgeous kids who I’ll be able to raise in the same loving environment that I had growing up… and hey, if I managed to lose the last fifteen extra kilos, a pretty rockin’ bod too.

What’s important to you?
 
Family is hugely important – both immediate and extended. I’m very close to two of my female cousins and have two male cousins of a similar age that I’m fairly close to as well. My friends are important too – one of the things that makes me sad about my mum being ill is that my friends tell me less of their problems, they don’t want to burden me. Living as the best possible me I can is probably the umbrella goal and everything else just rains down from that in glittery little sparkles.

What do you want your impact on the world to be?
 
I want to make a difference – I don’t necessarily want the fame and the glory but I want the world to be a better place because I existed.

How are you going to achieve this?
 
I take opportunities to serve others – I’m lucky to have plenty of opportunities through my faith but the world has many many charitable programmes that people can contribute time and money to. I’ve also had friends who are struggling financially and I’ve bought them grocery and petrol vouchers… the saying that charity begins at home is very true.

Tell me about a valuable lesson you’ve learned in your life.
What led you to make this discovery and how did it make you feel?

When I’d split up with my partner at the end of ’07 and it felt like my world was falling apart, I seriously contemplated not giving up my stable full-time job to pursue the career that I desperately wanted in teaching. I had all these ‘what ifs’ running through my head. Maybe Ex-S wouldn’t have left me if he didn’t feel like he was so responsible for our financial security… A very wise friend of mine said this to me as I cried down the phone to her – “[Scribs], there’s a million reasons always why we shouldn’t chase these complex but incredible dreams and often only one reason why we should – because it’s what we’re meant to do”. That’s stuck with me through all the uphill slogs in ’08 and gives me motivation to achieve all my dreams.

If you could give Sparkle and Glitter readers one piece of advice, what would it be?
 
Follow your heart. I know that it sounds cliche, but your heart generally knows what your deepest desires are even if your brain seems to disagrees and doing anything less than what your heart truly dreams of will make you unhappy. 

http://www.scribblesnz.blogspot.com/.

I’m in the need of a little inspiration this week, so I am sharing some more of my inspiring findings:

Late again, sorry! This has not been a good week for me as far as writing is concerned, my brain has been in a very weird place and I’ve found it very hard to sit down and concentrate. After allowing myself a weekend almost completely away from the computer however, [...]]]>

Image by dvs

Late again, sorry! This has not been a good week for me as far as writing is concerned, my brain has been in a very weird place and I’ve found it very hard to sit down and concentrate. After allowing myself a weekend almost completely away from the computer however, I’m hoping that I can get back on track this week!

Here’s a short but sweet Sparkle Roundup to start the ball rolling!

* Gem writes about “Getting Into Shape the Healthy Way” with some really great do’s and don’ts for our spring diets and fitness regimes!

* Tres Lola has some more great tips: “Fun Fitness Alternatives, Gym Membership Not Necessary“.

* “How To Ground Yourself In 7 Ways” by Attraction Mind Map has really helped me regain my focus for the week ahead.

* Gala teaches us “How To Be The Best House Guest Ever” and Princess Poochie tells us “How To Be A Good Host“, awesome!

* Charade always inspires me greatly and this week was no different. “Making Your Dreams Come True: A Sure-Fire Strategy” is a fantastic post!

* Doe Deere always has great ideas and “11 Ways to Go Green & Save Money” is no exception.

* Globe-trotter Bridey certainly knows her stuff when it comes to travel! “Living Out of A Suitcase” makes me want to follow her very sage advice and to run off and see the world!

A short one this week, but I’m planning to make up for it!

xx

A little late, but here’s the third installment of the “Behind the Blog” series, featuring Freya of the brilliant blog Fish Nor Fowl. I really enjoy Freya’s blog and it’s a regular feature on my Sparkle Roundup posts!

What led you to start your blog?

I’ve been [...]]]> Image by BdwayDiva1

A little late, but here’s the third installment of the “Behind the Blog” series, featuring Freya of the brilliant blog Fish Nor Fowl. I really enjoy Freya’s blog and it’s a regular feature on my Sparkle Roundup posts!

What led you to start your blog?

I’ve been involved in writing online for a couple years, but always wrote for someone else, so I decided to start my own project, build my own readership, and see what happened. So far it’s been great. I love the community more than any other I’ve written for.

How did you choose your topic?

Basically I was mourning the loss of Jane magazine. The sort of snarky but witty articles about lifestyle choices, advice, and minimal fashion input. While FnF has taken a much more “inspirational” turn, I think it was heavily influenced by print publications like Jane and Real Simple.

What do you love most about blogging?

The flexibility is wonderful. I can write when I feel like it and it usually pushes me to write even when I don’t. It’s a great way to keep me writing every day. The people I’ve “met” online have also been a huge boon to me. I’m finally in a community where I feel like I have peers doing the same things and encountering the same struggles, which is encouraging.

What makes you happy?

Passionate people. People doing something different, trying to change something, or just loving their life.

What do you do to make yourself happy?

Writing, hooping, burlesque, yoga. Things that empty your brain space so you can start filling it up again with new ideas and inventions.

What one thing, above all else, makes you happy to be you?

My enthusiasm. Sometimes I feel like a manic depressive but without the depressive side haha. I just really get into things and love learning everything about them

What’s important to you?

Family, whether blood or created. They’re the most precious thing you have, and to protect that relationship is, in my opinion, paramount to your success in life.

What do you want your impact on the world to be? I don’t know if I’ve figured that out yet, but hopefully they’ll say I opened up their eyes to a new perspective they hadn’t thought of, or a different way of thinking.

How are you going to achieve this?

Living my life in a way that represents constant learning and writing about those experiences.

Tell me about a valuable lesson you’ve learned in your life.

It’s going to sound cliche, but never take anything in your life for granted. Everything is there because you or someone else worked for it, so enjoy the benefits you have now and if you’re unhappy with something, roll up your sleeves and change it. Appreciate the friends, lovers, and support you have, because it could be gone in an instant. Celebrate the little moments and the big, don’t let them pass you by.

What led you to make this discovery and how did it make you feel?

I had always been a good worker, and never got fired from a job. And then while I was working a job in college, that paid for my housing and my food, I made a really stupid mistake and ended up paying for it. I found myself with nowhere to live, no income, and nowhere to go. Luckily, I had some wonderful people to help me pick myself up again, but it really opened my eyes to tread more carefully, and always have a way out that doesn’t involve relying on the kindness of strangers.

Visit Freya’s fabulous blog at http://fishnorfowl.net.