Follow Friday #BlogElevated Edition

Last weekend, I attended Blog Elevated 2014.  Thanks to Lisa and Bobbie for giving me the opportunity to volunteer with a great group of bloggers.  This conference for me was so different than any I have attended before.  Last year I attended and mingled.  I met several bloggers and the conference was awesome.  I obviously wanted to come back.  But what was different about this year was the connections I made.  Thanks to me working the registration desk I was able to greet so many attendees.  It was awesome, no need for an ice breaker or anything.  I asked them their name and I introduced myself.  Later on and during the conference I knew so many people, it was ridiculous.  It felt great to be at a place where I was not in the corner waiting for someone to talk to me.  I was talking to people.  I was asking if they were ok, if they had any questions, and even offering help.  I normally am shy, even if you do not believe me.  So my mission was to meet, mingle, break out of my shell, and guess what?  I did.  Check out some of the great people I met:

@KaraDriver
@foster2forever
@3hines
@dianamtz08
@BigKidsSmallCity
@nickiwooguru
@sweetercpa
@blossomsnPosies
@soundmindspirit
@oldworldnewgirl
@sharonrose
@simplycintia
@carrascoblog
@BajanTexan


On the last day, last minute-I decided to run around and take pictures of all the people I had met.  This is only some of the people I met.  I had new and old friends that made this experience, an awesome one.  The reason for the pictures was so I could have name/face recognition.  My take from all of this is-step out of your shell.

BE open.
BE social.
BE yourself.
BE there.
BE friendly.
BE ELEVATED!

Great friendships start with a HELLO!  Some of us hide behind our computer screens.  I won't be hiding anymore.  I hope to meet more new people, and can't wait to stay connect with the people I have met.  I no longer sit in a room full of people in the corner.

And you should not either.
 

Travel Tuesday-La King's Confectionery

Have you ever traveled to Galveston, Texas?  It is beautiful.  Hurricanes come and go but this place keeps surviving it all.  This weekend I, along with 200+ people, traveled to Galveston for Blog Elevated 2014 conference.  I live in Houston and visit Galveston often.  Galveston is beautiful.  But there was a side of Galveston I had not visited before The Strand.  A big group of Blog Elevated attendees decided, since we were on our own for dinner, to head to the Strand.  But before dinner we found a very neat place we just had to go into, La King's Confectionery.

This place takes you back to a time where you went to the confectionery to go get candy and ice cream.  I love these times.  I was amazed by this place and loved the feel of it. 

(On weekends and through the summer, people gather around to see taffy being 'pulled', 'spun out', and packaged, right before their eyes. A special treat is in store as the candy maker tosses out samples for EVERYONE! Nothing beats fresh, warm, taffy.  You can even get one of the girls to dip a pound or two right out of the catch basket.)
Check out the candy cases and all they have to offer, I was a big kid in a candy store:

 

 

 

There is candy everywhere.  You can find something for everyone.  You just want to buy it all.  But the candy is not all there is to see, the ice cream parlour is awesome:

 

This is a great place for old and new friends to gather.  This was so much fun to see, tasted, and grab some goodies to go.

I brought treats for my family to enjoy.  And thanks to the nice candy guy who helped me, my daughter got the entire alphabet in gummies.  She loved them.  I brought my teen taffy.  For the hubs and I, I brought the chocolate covered sunflower seeds.

So if you are in town, Meet Me at La King's.

#BlogElevated 2014 Conference Recap - Day 1

Just in case you missed Day 1 of Blog Elevated, here is my recap from today!  Hello, my name is ....

First things first, make sure you stop by the REGISTRATION table to get your name tag, lanyard, conference folder, and swag bag.

This year I am volunteering.  I said hi to about 75 conference attendees at the registration table when they checked, and will be at the registration table again tomorrow.  I had a lot of fun working the registration table today meeting and greeting everyone as they came in.  This was a great way to meet bloggers, sponsors, speakers, and of course friends I already know.

The welcome party got started and thanks to Imperial Sugar I was able to make some scrubs to take home:

If you would like to learn how to make these or check out more recipes, go to www.imperialsugar.com.  These sugar scrubs are a great DIY idea to make for the upcoming holidays.  You can even personalize and print labels.

 Day 1 was a lot of fun, we even had 'Smores !  Not to mention the perfect night breeze, glow lights, and great company all around.

I cannot wait for the break out sessions.  If you are not at the conference, follow the conference

hashtag, #blogelevated.  Day 2 is sure to BE an awesome day!

Motivational Monday-Jim McIngvale's Gallery Furniture

Last year I attended Blog Elevated 2013, I had so much fun with all the attendees here in Houston.  One of the fun things we got to do was enter raffles to win different prizes.  One of those raffles was a gift certificate to Gallery Furniture, and I was a lucky winner.

So we headed to Gallery Furniture to see what we could find.  We did not know an adventure awaited us inside.

-An indoor playground for the kiddos
-monkeys
-Exotic birds greet you outside and inside the store in a cages
-Sports Memorabilia and many interesting items on display-like the biggest chair
-Fresh baked cookies
-fresh pop corn
-ice cream
-water
-food

It is a wonderful shopping experience.  You can get lost and spend the day in there.  We did not know exactly what we were looking for and of course I fell in love with so much.  The deals were all great but I was looking for something to pop right out at me.  I had no worries about the kids being unhappy with a trip to the furniture store since we had all of the above, even we the adults were content.  After walking around several times, I finally found what I did know I wanted to buy.  It was off in a room I had totally missed, this place is huge.  It was marked down and in our budget.  Sold!  But my story does not end there, the real story is the man behind the crazy commercial.  Mattress Mac, Jim McIngvale is the guy who made all this happen.  I met him for the first time when I was in 5th grade and I will never forget it.  He told us a monkey story that I did forget but since then he has inspired me and continues to inspire me.  See this guy does so much for our community.

He is a philanthropist, donating money for scholarships, needy families, disaster relief, and supports our military.  I personally remember going to his store as a single parent.  He hosted a giveaway at Christmas time for families, and each kid got a toy.  The kids in line were so happy and grateful.  And so was I.  I had nothing to give my son at the time but Jim gave him something.  This guy is great.  Even after a 4 alarm fire destroyed his store, he rebuilt.  This past February, he gave away furniture after several customers picked the winning team.  There are always great deals in his store and of course great furniture.  But the man behind the story is what is the real story!

Reasons Why you Should Have Attended Blog Elevated

Yesterday, I recapped my Thursday and Friday experience at Blog Elevated.  If you still are not convinced on why you should attend next year, here is my Day 2 recap and reasons why you should have attended:

1)  Lisa, Bobbie, and Kristi (picture courtesy of Blog Elevated community)

These ladies did an awesome job from the vision to the finished product.  This conference was a great success because of them.  If you don't know follow them, you should.  They are a wealth of knowledge.

2)  Agenda and Speakers with Real, Useful Content

I learned so much in each of the sessions.  Information I had never heard of before.  Useful tools that are there for bloggers to use but are not using.  At least I know I was not using.

Eric T Tung (@EricTTung) - Social Media Tools
-IFTTT
-commun.it
-paper.li
Have you heard of any of this?  Are you using them?  Do you track your blog?  Do you use twitter list?

Jeff Sauer (@jeffalytics) - Goggle Analytics 101
-bounce rate
-avg time on page
-webmaster tools
Do you use goggle analytics?  Did you set it up and forget all about it?  Do you measure your social traffic?

Holly Homer (@TexasHolly) - Goggle +

Goggle what?  Circles?  What do I need circles for?

Each speaker brought it!!  I can honestly say, this was not redundant information being heard.  I know, you are wondering what is all of this, yeah you should have been there to learn.  Like I did.

3)  Personal Connections with over 200 people.  Bloggers, and speakers.  You get to pick at their brains.  This conference had study hall built into the schedule.  This time was to be used for catching up on blogging, putting to use what you learned, mingling/meeting new bloggers, stalking speakers, in prompt to mini classes/sessions, or mixing with the brands/sponsors.

This is one of the sponsors, Lemi Shine. (West Texas company)

Thanks to all the Blog Elevated 2013 sponsors.  Kroger, Macy's, The Woodland's Resort & Conference Center, Imperial Sugar, Pressgram, Tillamook, GoPicnic, AllYou, Moo.com, Zevia, Bluehost, Erin Condren, and Dr Pepper Snapple group.

To learn more on Blog Elevated Conference 2014, follow the conversation online @BlogElevated on Thursday's twitter party or www.blogelevated.com.

Blog Elevated Conference Day 1 Recap

I attended Blog Elevated last week.  I had so much fun and I learned a lot too.  I got to network with many bloggers from all over, and catch up with old blogger friends as well.  Some people I knew online but not offline and some had only heard of.  Here are just some of the cards I got:

Welcome Reception - (sponsored by Kroger)

These are some of the pictures taken at the reception.  You had to be there to know what we were all laughing or goofing around about.  I had so much fun with these ladies and gentleman!

Day 1-

Opening Keynote:John Saddington ( @saddington / @PressGram )

He was mind blowing.   Seriously you had to be there.  He is a twin who got adopted who has all this knowledge and is so innovative.  One of his many projects is Pressgram where you can publish pictures and share to multiple sites but you own the rights.

Lunch was a fun concept.  Each attendee was given a gift card for one of 5 restaurants in City Centre.  Either Fuddrucker's, Ruggles Green, Houston Texans Grille, Smashburger, and I am not sure of the other restaurant???  Anyways it was like a scavenger hunt for your restaurant.  I was given a gift card for the Houston Texans Grille.  Each location had at least 20 attendees.  We had a good time, good food, and great networking.  Check out the Houston Texans Grille:

 We received $20 gift cards for our lunch.  I ordered bacon wrapped jalapenos which is an appetizer and lettuce wraps from the little plate menu but both plates came out to be a lot of food for little ole me.  No one dared to eat a jalapenos other than me, too bad because they were so yummy.  I heard no complaints from anyone on their food.  The size of the portions were huge for the price of the dish.  I will have to come back with my husband.  There were televisions everywhere and plenty of tables.  Our food came out really fast and we were part of the lunch crowd.

Even though we got wet on the way, some more than others, we were able to enjoy the company and fun concept for lunch.

There was so much learning going on.  I learned so much in one day.  From the Brands and Bloggers Panel, tips from Kami Huyse to the breakout sessions of Jenny Ingram who I was dying to attend and learn from.  The fun did not stop there.  

Ever been to a fashion show?  A blogger fashion show-for bloggers by bloggers.  Thanks to from Style to Envy, Valerie Greene Anderson and Nikki Washington for working with myself and the rest of the blogger models on our different styles for the fashion show.  

 Make up first-

 Thanks to Marcella from @WrkITGirl for doing my make up.

And this is my outfit. Day time to Night time which includes a maxi dress, blazer, belt, jewelry, and of course, I am a blogger, leopard print Ipad case for a purse.

Thanks to Macy's the official sponsor of the fashion show.  Also to Rebecca Spera from Mirror Mirror who was the emcee. 

If you would like to see more pictures, join the Blog Elevated Community for information on this year's conference.  Also to get the scoop on Blog Elevated 2014 and early bird tickets.

Inspired to be Blog Elevated

I started blogging in 2008 after I met a great group of ladies on an out of town trip.  My life has never been the same since then.  I have not only learned a lot, made so many new friends, and traveled across USA.  My friends in my immediate circle would say I am an outspoken person but I really think that I am shy.  I recently attended a seminar that had me thinking back to why I started blogging.  Let me take you back to 2008.

I started blogging to have a voice.  I was a single mother and even with my village surrounding me, I felt so alone.  I did not think I could talk to anyone about my problems but I have always felt that way.  I am the problem solver not the person with problems.  Blogging allowed me to have a voice.  Someone was at the other end talking back.  I like most girl's always kept a diary.  My post became like an online diary but it was open to for others to read.  In my diary I would ask questions that never got answer but here people answered and commented back.  I was no longer alone.  I was not the only one.  There were others out there.  I am sure you have heard this before but until you have this ah-ha moment you don't really understand how it feels.  It felt great to be able to just let it all out.  So I learned that no matter what I was facing I have people who related to me and we together were no longer alone.  I have made wonderful friends that I greatly appreciate their long distance friendship.

Blogging not only helped me make friends but help me have several opportunities.  Imagine your inner circle just getting bigger and bigger.  The more friends you have, the more you know.  Bloggers are not all cut the same.  There is not a guideline or a mold.  We are all different.  We come from different places.  We are mothers, working, stay at home, travelling, multitasking, professional, blue collar, white collar, etc...  Several have careers, great ones.  Some have found their calling.  My first job straight out of high school when I was 18 was working at a department store.  A PR lady would come to restock, organize, and help the sales associate with the product.  She told us stories of traveling, and all this opportunities she had through her job.  My eyes only got bigger as she told us her story and journeys every time.  But real life happen and I did not become a PR person and all the travel I got was anywhere in the Houston surrounding area.  Houston is big, that was travelling in my world.  When I became a blogger I got the opportunity to step out of my little world and enter the big world out there.  Small town girl hits the big city kinda thing.  Thanks to blogging I have had the opportunity to travel from coast to coast.  Places only I had dreamed of going.  But it isn't about traveling it was about the opportunities I have gained and lessons I have learned.  Blogging taught me it was ok to step out of my world.  I learned to see the bigger picture.  If you don't understand why put it this way, I have lived a very sheltered life blame my parents.

But the most important thing I have learned is that I have a voice, a voice that counts.  I have been able to be the voice and help charities and people who didn't have a voice.  I have many blogger friends who have been in DC, walked those halls, and even met the president.  Blogging opened those doors for them.  I am not saying I am an advocate or will be running for president but now I know that I can make a difference.  Influence.  That is the word we toss around in the blog-o-sphere.  How much influence do you have?  Have you asked yourself how much influence you are making?  When I started blogging as a single mother I shared my stories for others to either learn from my mistakes or for me to get their take.  We influenced each other.  We have a give take relationship as we hear each others voices.  I am learning to use my voice.

I want to continue to use my voice.  I want to continue to be inspired.  My eyes were opened up and the light bulb went off.  I want to help others do the same.  I want to help others see the world and help them step out into the world.  One blog post at a time.  My journey has not ended here but continues.  I want my fire to continue to burn as it did before.  I am not a writer.  I am a mother.  I am not a publisher.  I am a wife.  I am not a PR person.  I am a blogger.  I am me.  I am you.

I wanted to attend Blog Elevated this September, here in Houston.  I believe I have only gotten my toes wet and I want to jump off the diving board into the pool.  There is so much to learn, more to see, and that is where I want to BE.  I want to be BLOG ELEVATED!