Happy July, ladies!  We hope you are enjoying posts from Miss July, Amanda Brown!

As for the Arkansas Women Bloggers leadership team… we are getting REALLY excited to see you all in just a few short weeks for the Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged (fondly known as #AWBU) conference and retreat!

We’ve told you before that we’re NOT a big, typical blogger conference… we’re better!  We’re more affordable, closer to home and the connections are deeper.  Every single one of the nearly fifty women who attended last year’s conference found that it was more than they expected, and very different!  Think of it as going away to “grown-up camp” for the weekend, but with the added benefit of expert bloggers, workshops, speakers and all kind of fun activities.

Without further ado, HERE’S THE SCHEDULE!  We’ve included very basic descriptions of the workshops and only a few of the speakers and panelists because, frankly, we are still chasing down the most fantastic people we can find to make the weekend perfect.  We listened carefully to your feedback from last year and we’ve made a number of tweaks to our sessions.  A few little updates and reminders for you:

1.  HURRY!  The early bird registration fee for the conference is $135 until the end of this month, and then it goes to $150!

2.  Lodging?  The Ozark Folk Center cabins have offered us a special#AWBU rate that is very affordable.  The cabins are walking distance to all activities and an excellent value.  They aren’t rustic and they have indoor plumbing, so don’t fret.  The nightly rate is $77.70 ($7o for cabin plus taxes), which you can split with a roommate, yes, $38.85 a night, not bad, not bad at all.  There are two queen beds so you can cram as many as four people in to economize if you’d like! For more than 2 people, add $10 per person. Since they gave us this super cool blogger chic rate, you must call to register and tell them you are with #AWBU conference. 1-800-264-3655

3.  Need a roomie?  Don’t know anyone?  Don’t worry!  This is a super friendly group of people.  They’ll welcome you and you’ll feel like part of the gang right away.  If you need a roommate for your cabin, Julie Kohl can set you right up!  Just send her a note at julie@arkansaswomenbloggers.com.

4.  Extras: We have some FUN additional options!  Our Foodie Friday is a special conference add-on beginning at noon and lasting until 5pm on Friday prior to the full conference.  Here is the working #FF agenda.  We’ll have panelists, food photography & styling and… of course… a chance for you to do some food prep.  You can also elect to do a special craft or Loco Ropes course excursion on Sunday.  Each add-on is $25 and requires pre-registration.

5.  Support: One of the best parts about the #AWBU conference is growing yourself and your blog.  We will have several options for you to be matched with a Blog Mentor or to sign up for a Blog Review with a group of panelists – both of these options are intended to give you some constructive (and friendly, non-intimidating) feedback on your blog.  Interested?  Email beth@arkansaswomenbloggers.com to learn more.

Ok, that’s all for today – GO REGISTER!