Frightening how speedily time passes us by, on Saturday we had our 2nd #BWB get together which means it’s been 6 weeks since the last one already (holy purple socks on a rooster!) and it was lovely seeing all the faces behind the blogs and tweets again as well as some new ones that have joined to make up the 15 that is the Cape Town “branch”.


The deli was gorgeous and despite the food not being my lifestyle edible it looked really good and the ladies seemed to enjoy it so I’ll take their word on that but I will also not be putting strange foods into my mouth after receiving a safety go ahead from Femme Lifestyle hahahaha < I pointed out something and she said it was just spiced rice wrapped up in a leaf… a bit revealed it was pesto and that odd yogurt cheese (a napkin and plate was passed my way really quickly)

The goodie bags are always an added bonus and there aren’t always any because that’s not what it’s always about but the one that was put together for Saturday was just lovely, so many goodies in it! And as with last time momma got to pick out what she wanted as a thank you for watching master Fysh while I had a bit of kid free time with the ladies.

In our bag: Rain Africa, Hey gorgeous, Nimue, dermatologica, Ritzis chilli, bath oils, oh so heavenly cream and spray, original iced cocktails, and a heap of other goodies that I’ll be reviewing for you as I test them out.

Highlight of the day for me was something rather small… Heather and Fi gave each of us 3 strips of paper and we were to write our names on the back and then pick out three ladies there to each write a small motivational something to. Then they were handed back, sorted out and slipped into our goodie bags while we were all chatting. I’d actually forgotten about them until the lipglossed ninja tagged me on instagram with a photo of one she’d written to me (it was accidentally given back to her) letting me know what she’d written.

Words are such powerful things and we should start realising that before it’s too late. So take a leaf out of the #BWB book and go tell someone something nice – let a stranger know they look good, smile at the carguard, tell your momma you love her, let your kids know how brilliant they are or compliment your sister on her beauty and intelligence. Just go out there today with the intent of saying at least one nice thing to someone you meet…

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A while ago I was asked for some blogging tips and I sent an email back to the inquirer – an aspiring blogger – bullet-pointing the do’s and don’ts of blogging. In the spirit of Bloggers Who Bless, I thought I’d start blessing my fellow bloggers with some tips that I’ve picked up on my 10 month journey called “bloggerhood”. 

The Do’s	The Don’ts
Join Twitter! It’s such a great marketing tool. It also helps you to connect with likeminded people.	Don’t blog for fame and fortune – many blogs start for this reason, but fail abysmally.
Support your fellow bloggers – comment on their posts. People love comments – knowing that other people read your blog is the best feeling.	Don’t blog to hurt. If you don’t like a product you’ve tried, don’t blast it with horrible criticism. Rather state the facts and your feelings (sensored of course) and let the reader decide for themselves.
Blog about things that you feel passionate about……. But…….                                               à	Don’t limit yourself to one subject. We’re not one dimensional beings so treat your blog the same.
Refer to other blog posts in your posts. Remember that what you sow, you shall reap. So always be kind.	Don’t ignore the importance of GRAMMAR!
Always re-read your posts and make sure that you’ve added your “and’s”, “but’s” and “if’s”.	Don’t forget to credit photos that you’re using from other blogs.
Give stuff for free. Are you a graphic designer? Design some cutesie gift tag templates and put it on your blog to be downloaded for free. Good at something? Do a tutorial on it.	Don’t forget to use those nifty widgets. They are almost like accessories and they tell a lot about the blogger.
Try to be as positive as possible when writing. My manager at work always smiles when she’s typing out emails. I asked her why, and she said, “If you smile, your words are soft”. She’s one of the best people I know and I always try to follow her advice. Trust me…. This works.	Don’t become one of those “what can I get out of this” bloggers. You’re blogging for the love of it, remember! If you MUST ask, “what can I get out of this”, know that if you’re an honest, helpful and friendly person, you’ll get loads of friends!

Most bloggers have niches. Some don’t like to be boxed. There is no right or wrong here. Your blog is your blog. The point is…. ALWAYS be true to yourself.

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