Tag: #AWBU

Giving Back with the Pack Shack

By Suzy Taylor Oakley

“Blessed are those who help the poor” (Proverbs 14:21, Holy Bible).

PackShackAtAWBU2015

NUTRITIOUS MEAL FOR 10,000

Ingredients:

1 room big enough for about 100 people

1-2 dozen tables

10-12 sets of scales

10-12 small baskets

Several pounds of rice, dried vegetables, vitamin supplement and seasonings

1 bushel of blogger chicks (plus a sprinkling of stray hotel guests)

Enough disposable hairnets, gloves and aprons for a bushel of bloggers

Sound system with loud, fun music you can dance to

People willing to be silly

1 leader

1 gong

Pouches for packaging 10,000+ ready-to-cook meals

Several dozen cardboard boxes for transporting packets

1 local charity

Directions:

Preheat room with upbeat music, enthusiasm and prayer.

Set up tables, scales, baskets and tubs of dry ingredients. Prepare bloggers and guests by placing hairnets, gloves and aprons on them, lining them up along food bins, weigh stations and packing tables, and teaching them Funnelology 101. Introduce representative of local charity that will benefit from donated food packets.

Encourage volunteers to be silly and have fun, but also let them know the seriousness of their mission: helping needy families have nutritious, easy-to-prepare meals.

Crank up dance music, ring gong and set bloggers/funnelers into motion.

Watch rowdy, lip-synching bloggers funnel meal ingredients into pouches, weigh them and box them in assembly-line fashion.

Package for approximately 1 hour, ringing gong and reporting on status every few minutes (1,000 pouches or so). Listen to cheers, and watch arms wave and fannies wiggle in celebration.

Watch for doneness.

When goal is reached, announce final count, and CELEBRATE!

Clean up mess.

Yield: 8 meals per packet.

If you haven’t heard of the Arkansas-based Pack Shack, visit this incredible organization’s website, get educated and inspired and schedule a Feed the Funnel session for your own group (contribution is 25 cents per meal). Don’t worry if you can’t gather 100 volunteers. Co-founder Bret Raymond says 25-30 people (ages 3 and up) will do. Read Funnelology 101 (link above), talk to your church, your workplace or another organization you’re involved with, and see how big your heart will expand when you give back for such a worthy cause. And I promise you’ll have a bushel of fun!

The meals you pack go to local hunger-relief organizations – perhaps to people you already know.

Our Pack Shack session at the recent Arkansas Women Bloggers University at the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs resulted in more than 10,000 meals to a local food pantry. I’ll tell you, friends, we celebrated big time!

Our Pack Shack session at t#AWBU in Hot Springs resulted 10,000 meals. Read abt it here. #ARWB

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THE HUNGRY AMONG US

More than 560,000 people in Arkansas are food insecure. Food insecurity refers to lack of access to enough food to support an active, healthy life. (Source: Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance)

Arkansas is No. 1 in the nation for food insecurity, Pack Shack founder Bret Raymond told us. (Bret’s the guy you see in the video giving us instructions.)

35 percent of single-mother households – more than one-third of them – are affected by food insecurity, Bret said.

If you can’t host a Feed the Funnel party but would like to help The Pack Shack help others, click here to make a donation, and be sure to spread the word by sharing this post with your friends.

PackShackLogo

Where to find The Pack Shack online:

Website: The Pack Shack

Facebook: The Pack Shack

Twitter: @ThePackShackNWA

It’s an #AWBU Instagram Challenge!

 Instagram challenge 2015

 

Let the fun begin! It’s an #AWBU #IGChallenge!  There’s a prize! 

Here are the requirements:

1. Use the hashtags #AWBU and #ICChallenge on all photos you post to the Instagram challenge during #AWBU.

2. Foodie Friday, August 28: IG a #FoodieFriday speaker. Be sure to tag @TasteArkansas and the speaker(s):
#AWBU #IGChallenge

  • @gpellegrini
  • @chefmattbelz @arkansassoybean
  • @janahunterint
  • @meatcountermom
  • @heathersdish @marrs_jenny @whitbitskitchen @sarahdshotts

3. Friday evening, August 28: IG 3 photos from the evening opening session:
#AWBU #IGChallenge

  • Keynote Speaker – @leladavidson
  • @theparkwife in her derby hat or a selfie in your  derby hat
  • or your table, a new friend, your name tag

4. Saturday morning, August 29: IG 3 photos (1 each from any one category):
#AWBU #IGChallenge

  • Breakfast – you pick!
  • Keynote Speaker – Rhea Lana Riner @rhealana
  • Workshop Session 1 (something unique you will try)
  • Workshop Session 2 (a new skill you need/needed)

5.  Saturday luncheon, August 29: 2 photos

  • Any photo promoting @RichlandFoods as our sponsor
  • Any photo of the “fun thing” that’s coming your way during lunch tag @ricelandfoods

6. Saturday afternoon, August 29: IG any 3 photos (1 each from any one category)
#AWBU #IGChallenge

  • Workshop Session 3 Tag the speaker
  • Workshop Session 4 Tag the speaker
  • Workshop Session 5 Tag the speaker
  • Repost an IG from another attendees IG account
  • A photo/selfie of you with another attendee in the Arlington @VisitHotSprings @ArlingtonResort
  • A photo of AWBU peeps from Feed the Funnel

 7. Sunday morning, August 30: 
#AWBU #IGChallenge

  • Any photo from the hospitality room Tag @petitjeanmeats
  • Any photo from the 8 a.m. session Tag @alliancerubber
  • Any funny photo from #AWBU

BONUS: (may replace any one challenge from the list above) For example, if you were not able to attend #FoodieFriday, this is your opportunity to be included in the #IGChallenge.

  • 1 photo that best expresses why you come to #AWBU 

***After meeting the requirements,  add your Instagram account to the #Sunday #LinkUp on the #ARWB web site.***  The linky opens at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, August 30 and IG accounts must be linked by 11 a.m. when the Linky closes.

Winner will be chosen at random and prize awarded after #IGChallenge requirements are confirmed.

 

Are U up for a challenge? We are! #AWBU #IGChallenge #prize @visithotsprings

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Jeanetta Darley: High Okra {Foodie Friday}

A bumper crop of okra

August in Arkansas and it’s hotter than hot.  The past two summers spoiled us with the frequent rains and cooler temperatures.  The lack of water and brutal sunshine can take its toll on farmer’s crops as well as a home garden.  But you can always count on okra to shine in the face of hot dry weather.

Unless you have spent much time down South, you may not be familiar with this green slender pod-like vegetable.  I am an okra lover.  Give it to me anyway I can get it.  Fry it. Pickle it. Slice it up and add it to curry, gumbo or stew.  Roast it on the grill.  My son and I recently took a bite of it raw just to see what it was like.  And it wasn’t bad at all! 

At the moment, I have bags of okra falling out of my refrigerator every time the door is opened.  I’d like to be pickling it but I haven’t found the time.  Right now I am simply washing and freezing the okra.  Because this okra will likely be coated and fried or added to another dish, I slice the pods into 1-2 inch lengths and freeze them in large gallon bags.  

So when you come across a great deal on okra at the farmers market or your own garden is producing a bumper crop remember these easy storage tips.  You can also try this great recipe that highlights some other great farmers market or from the garden finds.

1st there was high cotton.Now we have High Okra! @jeanettadarley #ARWB #FoodieFriday

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Funny looking okra jeanetta

High Okra: Okra, Tomato and Purple Hull Peas
Serves 6
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Prep Time
32 min
Cook Time
2 hr 5 min
Prep Time
32 min
Cook Time
2 hr 5 min
Ingredients
  1. 1/4 pound strip bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  2. 1 cup onion, diced
  3. 1 1/2 tablespoon garlic, chopped
  4. 3 cups fresh okra, cut into rounds
  5. 1 cayenne pepper, sliced
  6. 1 sweet banana pepper, sliced
  7. 2 cups cooked purple hull peas (recipe follows)
  8. 2 cups diced Roma or paste tomatoes
  9. Salt
  10. Pepper
Instructions
  1. In a large sauté pan, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside.
  2. Sauté onion and garlic in bacon drippings until soft.
  3. Add okra and peppers and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add purple hull peas and tomatoes and cook an additional 5 minutes.
  5. Season with salt, pepper and toss in reserved bacon.
Black-Eye Peas
  1. Add peas to a large sauce pan and cover with water.
  2. Add the onion, bacon, bay leaves, and black pepper. Over high heat, allow to come to boil then reduce to simmer and cook for about 45 minutes or until beans are firm but cooked.
  3. Season with salt.
  4. Let the peas stand in liquid for 15 minutes before draining.
Arkansas Women Bloggers https://arkansaswomenbloggers.com/
Headshot-Jeanetta Darley

 Getting to Know Your ARWB Foodies

Jeanetta Darley
So I Was Sayin’

What food reminds you of childhood?
Rice crispie treats

What is your favorite international cuisine?
I love it all; why pick?

What is always in your refrigerator at home?
Beer

What is your most used cookbook?
Better Homes & Gardens red checkered cookbook

What is your favorite kitchen gadget?
My canner.

Do you have a favorite food indulgence?  
 Not really because I don’t deny myself much. Everything in moderation.

What is your go-to ingredient that you use time and time again?
.Onions

What is your favorite food meal to cook at home?
Fried egg sandwich

What is a cooking tip that you would like to share with beginning cooks?
Just try it. If it flops throw it out or feed it the chickens and try again.

When you’re not cooking, what are your favorite pastimes?
Art

What else would you like us to know about you?
I’m honest. I usually only bite my food. I love Jesus but I drink a little.

Jeanetta is a crocheter & coffee addict, chicken keeper & goat wrangler, a farmer girl & maker of drunk jellies. You can find her online at So I Was Sayin’ or on twitter, pinterest  & instagram . You can also follow her on Periscope (Jeanetta) and join with her for #Arkanscopes. Catch her session with Kellee Mayfield  (@DeltaMoxie) on Periscope at #AWBU.

Taking Notes

 Allí Worthington, AWBU, Conference Love

 by Alison Chino

I wrote these words down a year ago at AWBU.

A year later, I’m still listening.

Last year at AWBU, the conference for Arkansas Women Bloggers, I took a lot of notes. I had a lot of conversations. I laughed a lot. I cried a little (or a lot). I hugged a lot of ladies (and a couple of fellas). And I ate a lot of food.

But after the conference.

After I flew back to Scotland from Arkansas.

After the dust settled a few weeks later…

I still had this one thought or idea floating around from keynote speaker Alli Worthington.

Her talk was called Editing Life.

She told the story of how she had to let go of running a very successful blogging conference (BlissDom) in order to start the business that she is doing (and loving) now.

She asked us to think about all the commitments we have.

And then she said,

What can you let go of that feels like a relief?

The first thing that popped into my head was Social Media.

And I breathed a little sigh of relief even at the thought.

Phew.

Yes.

I thought,

If I could stop worrying about Social Media, I would be so relieved.

However, I did not immediately stop using Facebook, Twitter, Vine, Pinterest and Instagram.

I was afraid that my blog + writing would fall into oblivion.

It’s a bit of a Catch-22. The brain space that I need for writing is often taken up by social feeds, but if I leave the streams, will anyone know that I am writing? Will anyone read it?

But I had felt the cool breeze of possibility blow by when Alli asked her question, 

the hope of the relief of letting go of something I no longer wanted to do.

So I decided to do some experimenting.

I got off of Facebook in November for #NaNoWriMo.

Then I went back on in December with limited access, giving myself fifteen minutes a day.

I tried to carry that into January.

By February I was back to checking All The Things All The Time.

So for the spring I tried to scale it back and return to a daily time limit, and I tried to keep myself to the same time every day, using alarms.

I learned some things from all of these experiments.

Here’s what I learned:

  1. I deeply struggle with time limits.

  2. A little bit of social media interaction is still a big distraction.

  3. My blog readership does not vary greatly because of my social media activity or lack thereof.

In May and June, I did some work for a company and part of my agreement was to provide Social Media coverage. I worked hard to keep everything updated and even to create videos from the day. But then in July I was going on vacation with my family and nothing we were doing was sponsored by anyone. (Nor for a lack of trying + asking!)

I realized that I was under no obligation whatsoever to keep up the kind of Social Media coverage I had done in May or June.

I remembered again what it would feel like to give it up. Relief.

Before we left on July 3, I deleted all the social apps off of my phone. I went radio silent for the whole month.

I went on walks with my family without thinking about what would be the most perfect pic for the Instagram frame. I played cards in the evenings. I read six books. I wrote lengthy journal entries instead of my usual fragmented phrases to later jot my memory. I went out in the evenings without even carrying a phone or a camera. One night I felt so free I did cartwheels in a giant field with my daughter. Another night I watched the sunset without taking a single photo. I bought a new set of watercolors and a sketchbook.

On August 1st, I asked myself if I wanted those apps back on my phone.

And I was almost surprised to realize that I did not. It really was a relief.

I’m still not sure I’m done for good with Social Media. I may find I need it again for a project, but for certain I will approach it a new way if I decide to re-engage.

And at the moment, I am enjoying the benefits of silencing that social buzzing in my writing life. Uninterrupted, less distracted time to write my heart out.

Friends, a year ago at AWBU, I walked away with a notebook full of ideas and thoughts.

I later narrowed those down to one idea. I let that idea sit with me and turned it into a goal that took me almost a year to even seriously consider. This journey of blogging (and life) is slow progress for me, y’all.

Listening to and connecting with other bloggers in person has been a huge gift to my growth as a blogger and a writer! I’m grateful for a place to continue to try on new hats and experiment from my tiny corner of the internet!

Can you remember something you learned at AWBU last year? Share it with me in the comments!

What are you hoping to learn this year? Are you going? You can still sign up to attend AWBU this year!

PS If it’s your first time, here’s a little helpful post I wrote this time last year for first time attendees of AWBU.

 

#AWBU 2015 Foodie Friday Presenters Announced

#AWBU Foodie Friday 2015

Presented By

TasteARLogo

@TasteArkansas
The Arlington Hotel ~ Hot Springs, Arkansas
August 28, 2015
Registration and Gathering begin at 11:30

 #AWBU #FoodieFriday15

by Foodie Friday gal Debbie Arnold of DiningWithDebbie

The awesomeness of #AWBU Foodie Friday just keeps getting better and better, and after scanning this year’s distinguished list of presenters and their topics, I just know you are going to agree. These presenters are strong voices for Arkansas, its farmers, its producers and its programs. We are fortunate that our presenting sponsor, Taste Arkansas, has again shown its support of Arkansas Women Bloggers and our efforts to further the story of Arkansas

Registration for Foodie Friday attendees begins at 11:30 at The Arlington and also includes your registration for AWBU so you’re one and done! Our program begins sharply at noon so you’ll want to be sure to be on time.  You won’t want to miss a single minute of the afternoon’s program.

While there will be light snacks available, note that lunch will not be served. Feel free to bring your lunch with you, however. And if you’re so inspired, you can share with me! 

I’m excited to see you and just know you are going to enjoy the best #AWBU Foodie Friday ever!  Feel free to email Debbie with your questions.

georgiacropped

 

Keynote Speaker: Georgia Pellegrini
Chef, Author, Adventure Expert, TV Personality ~ @gpellegrini
Topic: Branding Yourself

#AWBU15 welcomes @gpellegrini as keynote for #FoodieFriday. #excited”@TasteArkansas

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Jana Spencer Hunter 

Jana Hunter
@janahunterint

Topic: 10 Ways to Ruin Your Party

Don’t spoil your own party! @janahunterint shares pointers for #AWBU15 #FoodieFriday” @TasteArkansas

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professional picture (2)

Arkansas Farm Bureau Women in Agriculture Panel

Janeal Yancey, Moderator ~ @meatcountermon ~ ARWB member
Panelists: Beth Moss, farmer and seed salesman for Progeny Ag Products; 
Susan Anglin, dairy & beef cattle farmer in Benton County @anglindairy  ~ ARWB member
Cassie Davis is a dairy farmer and blogger in Washington County

These AR AG ladies have the right stuff. They tell us how they do it! #AWBU15 #FoodieFriday…

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Matt-Bell-3 headshot courtesy of rockcityeats greg henderson

 Chef Matthew Bell ~ @chefmabellz

South on Main, Little Rock
From Our Field. To The Kitchen. For Your Table.

Chef Bell comes to us through the courtesy
of The Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board 

So excited 2 C what @chefmabellz brings 2 #AWBU15 #FoodieFriday @TasteArkansas @arkansassoybean

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Heather Disarro_1_Lowres

Heather Disarro ~ Heather’s Dish

Creative Food Photography: Branding Yourself with Gorgeously Designed Food Photos (Interactive) 

#AWBU #FoodieFriday Gonna’ make beautiful food photos w @heathersdish @TasteArkansas

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BRING YOUR CAMERAS, IPHONES, IPADS, ETC.

Assisting Heather:

Jenny MarrsJenny Marrs ~ Blessings and Raindrops

sarah shotts 400  Sarah Shotts ~ Love Letter to Adventure

Whitney BinzelWhitney Binzel ~ Whit Bits Indian Kitchen 

Hostesses and Social Media Facilitators  

awbu hostesses collage

 Keisha Pittman Big Pitt Stop ~@bigpittstop
Talya Boerner Grace Grits and Gardening ~ @gracegrits
Jodi Coffee The Coffee House Life ~ @thecoffeehousel
Kellee Mayfield Delta Moxie ~ @deltamoxie 

These pretty smiles R waiting 2 greet U @AWBU15 #FoodieFriday @TasteArkansas

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 #AWBU Foodie Friday Details

 

#AWBU #FoodieFriday #Presenters Announced. Amazing lineup! @TasteArkansas

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#AWBU 2014 Recap: Creative Food Photography

By Heather Disarro

(Nate from Debbie: For those of you who missed last year’s AWBU Foodie Friday, here’s a little hint of one of the sessions coming up for 2015.  We’re so excited to have Heather expanding her Food Photography and Food Styling session; she will be assisted by Sarah Shotts, Jenny Marrs and Whitney Binzel, skilled photographers themselves.  Now, isn’t it about time you turned in your registration for AWBU 2015 including Foodie Friday?)

Session Title: Creative Food Photography: Branding Yourself with Gorgeously Designed Food Photos

Hey y’all! My name is Heather and I’m the proud owner of the blog Heather’s Dish, a place where I create recipes and talk to y’all like we’ve been friends forever. It’s simple: I’m a wife, mother, and full-time food blogger. I do all of it imperfectly, but since I believe it’s our imperfections that attract other people to us I’m OK with sharing that. And here’s the thing about food photography: it can be SUPER intimidating (has anyone SEEN Pinterest lately?!) but the thing is that we all have a story to tell. We all have a unique perspective to share, so there’s room at the proverbial table for all of us!

Because we are such a visually-driven society it’s important to take the time to set up our photos to tell our story so that we can set ourselves apart. The first thing to do is find a camera you love and learn how to use it! This means look up videos and tutorials, be an A+ student, and practice. Realize that you’ll likely never get that one photo that you consider absolutely perfect, but then again it’s that search for that one photo that keeps us going. Practice and be willing to make mistakes!

Something to consider when you’re shooting is consistency. If someone ran across your photo on Facebook or Pinterest, would they know it was yours based on the quality and consistency of the photo? Or even just looking for consistent lighting – try shooting at the same time of day with the same kind of light (Northern light is always the most consistent!). And create a consistent editing routine – it will make the whole post-processing thing much simpler!

My husband is super smart and knows all of the things about lighting setups and products to use…but I am a purist at heart and only ever shoot using natural light. It’s the most beautiful to me and always highlights the food best, plus the evenness of the light is perfect for casting the light across the food in a beautiful way. And yes it can be fickle (time changes, weather, etc) but I believe it’s worth it to wait for the good light than to shoot using anything else.

Because I’m a list person I‘m going to give y’all a bullet point list of the highlights of this presentation (and lucky you – no nervous laughter from me!):

  • Styling food requires utilizing texture. That means fresh food might look great with a quick mist of water, cooked food usually works best without too much steam (so let it cool slightly), and a final plating looks great with a few fresh ingredients in the shot as well. Don’t be afraid to change it up!
  • Styling props and accessories are SUPER important! Find things that really portray the kind of food you cook (homestyle? restaurant-quality? simple? colorful?) Keep in mind that you don’t want to overwhelm the actual food with bright colors and too-bold patterns. And just an FYI – red can be very hard to photograph.
  • Play with lighting angles! Shoot the food with the light directly at the subject, from the side, or with the light coming from behind. All of those options can create really great texture.
  • Play with other angles! Shoot the food from the ground level, a 45-degree angle or overhead to create different stories with your shots.
  • Basic editing can be done with Lightroom (highly recommend), Photoshop, or various online resources. I use Lightroom almost exclusively, but will resize things as necessary in Photoshop. All of these options have really great online tutorials and you can Google anything you want to know.
  • A note on sizing: vertical (portrait) photos are usually work best for Pinterest, Google+, StumbleUpon and are easily cropped if you’re reposting to Instagram. Horizontal (landscape) photos are usually best for Facebook and Twitter, but are also responsible for increased viewability if you work with an ad network who has those requirements.

In short, be prepared to make mistakes. Be prepared to get frustrated. But in the end be prepared to fall in love with photography and eventually develop a really keen eye for great photos!

Miss AWBU2014? Here’s a little of what you missed. #foodphotography @heathersdish #foodstyling

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Heather Disarro_1_Lowres2

 

Heather Disarro is a food-centric lifestyle blogger who is passionate about embracing the beauty that surrounds us with in our everyday lives. She is a Texan living the expat life in central Arkansas with her husband, son and two massive dogs. Heather writes her blog, Heather’s Dish, from an office filled with dust, dog fur, toys and plenty of love, grace and music. She specializes in creating delicious and creatively nourishing recipes. Cooking seasonally and with as many local ingredients as possible is an important component to Heather’s style of food, and she revels in the opportunity to bring the love of cooking to the world as a way to love others well! You can find her on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and Instagram.

#AWBU 2014 Recap Google Analytics Part 1

 By Elizabeth Michael

#1

 

Google Analytics is a powerful and easy-to-use tool that tracks your website traffic.  Google Analytics presents aggregated sets of data that can help you make business decisions. 

Bloggers can use Google Analytics and Goals to help measure successful content, important traffic patterns, flaws in the user’s experience, and much more. 

Google Analytics is extremely to use; however, there are a few strategic decisions you must make before jumping right in.

#2

 The Cycle of Success outlines a process that acts as a roadmap to your success as a blogger.  The inner circle represents the process that Google recommends that you follow when setting up their analytics tracking on your site.   You start with defining and setting your business goals.  Your goals should be straightforward and realistic.  What do you wish to accomplish with your website?  Generate revenue?  Page views?  Information downloads?  Defining your business goals will set the foundation for your measurement plan, the second step in the Cycle of Success.

 @3

­­­­

Above is an example measurement plan.  The steps to make a measurement plan do not change.  You can see an example a blogger may write on the right.  Here is a blank plan for you to try:

 #5

The third step is more technical in nature and nine times out of 10 you will have everything you need to implement Google Analytics and Google Goals.  Your technical infrastructure is your computer, software, etc.  Basically, it is all of the physical tools you will need to implement your plan. 

Creating your implementation plan will guide you through the implementation process, prioritizing what needs to get implemented first, and so on.  For a simple blog, you will not have any complicated customization to implement. 

How-to implement Google Analytics:

 First, you will need to set up your account.  Then, you will need to get your code.  Finally, you pick and install a plug-in for you blog.  Yoast seems to be very popular, but there are lots of options out there.

 #5b

 

Once you are logged in to your Google Analytics account, click “Admin” and then “Create New Account.” 

 #6

Click “Website” if you are tracking traffic on a website, or “Mobile App” if you are tracking an app.

 #7

 

Click “Get Tracking ID.”  This gives you the code you will enter into your plug-in.  Now, make sure your plug-in is correctly installed on your blog.  Go to the plug-in settings and copy and paste your tracking ID into the appropriate field.  Depending on which plug-in you choose, the steps may change; however, they should be simple enough to follow along and get your tracking installed correctly.  To test and make sure that you are up and running, access your website from another device.  Go to your Google Analytics dashboard and on the left hand side, click “Real-time.” You will see all of the users currently on your website.

 

#AWBU 2014 Google Analytics Part 2 – Scheduled for Oct. 29, 2014
#AWBU 2014 Google Analytics Part 3 – Scheduled for Nov. 1, 2014

 

 

#ARWB Recap: Coping With the Anxiety of Blogging

By Dr. Margaret Rutherford

How are you dealing with the anxieties of blogging?

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Anxiety

Photo Source:  Google Images

Being a blogger in general is just anxiety provoking. You are doing something that most people would never do in a million years. Reveal things and then be evaluated over the Internet? To just anyone who might be reading?

You have got to be kidding.

There are different levels of anxiety of bloggers have.

1) The BEHAVIORAL Level: Disorganization and Feeling Overwhelmed
2) The SELF-CONCEPTUAL Level: Having Doubt About Yourself and Feeling Isolated
3) The LIFE STRATEGY Level: Indecisiveness and Waffling

All of this was beginning to sound very psychological so we broke it down. Real things you can do to help keep the stress and anxiety of blogging to a minimum. Especially if you are a new blogger. Or a blogger that is kinda stuck in a rut and is getting anxious about it.

Decrease your blogging anxiety by building in these behaviors. #AWBU #Recap

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First we looked at BEHAVIORS TO BUILD IN.

1) Write on a schedule so you don’t procrastinate. A huge source of anxiety.
2) Learn the technicalities of your blog so you can fix problems when they occur.
3) Get an editor! Which can help with the loneliness of blogging. Another big source of anxiety. And get someone who will be honest with you. So you will get better.
4) Network. Support other bloggers.

Above all : Keep you in your plan so it will work.

What I mean by that is – if you are trying to get back on track by doing something that you “hear” works for someone else, but just isn’t you? It’s not going to work. Stick to your plan. Your track. Use your editor to help you with fresh ideas. If you are shy, don’t play to go a conference by yourself. Take a friend. Accept who and where you are. It’s okay!

The second big area we looked at was SELF-CONCEPT.

1) Trust in the power of your voice.

If you are always putting yourself down, or even sometimes doing it, please challenge that. We are all insecure. All of us. But your voice can be strong. You can find it. It is unique.

We all talked about this in the session. How we came or were coming to trust our own voices.

2) Dare to not compare. Just step into the light that is yours.

Comparison with others is just not helpful. We all have to realize that we are all on a spectrum. There is always going to be someone who we can find that we feel has more going for her than us. And And believe it or not. There is someone who is looking at you. And wanting to be you. I promise you that’s true.

Then the third part.

LIFE STRATEGY ANXIETIES.

These are caused more due to not knowing the answers to questions about where you are going with your website or blog. What you want from it. What your goals are for it. You might be indecisive about advertising or whether or not you wanted to be featured on certain websites. Because you are not sure of where your own parameters are. Of who you are. Of what you stand for.

If you are clear about what you are creating, the reader will be clear as well. And seek you out.

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Dr. Margaret Rutherford is a clinical psychologist who has been in private practice for over 20 years in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She began blogging in 2012, coining the term “NestAche” for her empty nest experience. She launched Dr.MargaretRutherford.com in April of 2014 and now can be found on the Huffington Post, MidlifeBoulevard, BetterAfter50, Boomeon, and here at Arkansas Women Bloggers!

#AWBU Recap Still Life Photography, Styling, and Basic Photo Editing

By Mel Lockcuff

Great photos allow the memories of life to live on. Remember sifting through your grandma’s photo albums when you were a kid? Photos of family (both near and far), family pets, farm animals, babies, kids, vacations or trips to distant places, trees, flowers, school days, the family car, trips to town…

Great photos allow the memories of life to live on. #photographytips #AWBU #Recap @mamabuzz

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Photos are a window into the past. Photos allow us to visually share our story with the next generation. It’s important to think about the moments you want to capture, the message you want to convey.

Photos are a window into the past. #AWBU #Recap #photographytips @mamabuzz

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Photos make your content even more visual for your readers. They bring an added measure of beauty to your writing. Good photos draw the eyes in and make readers want to click on that Pin or want to read more. They allow you to more visually promote a brand, but in a relevant way that also connects with your readers.

Photos bring an added measure of beauty to your writing.@mamabuzz #photographytips #stilllife #AWBU

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We had a great time in this session, covering the following points:

– Photography in Everyday Life, Travel, Blogging, and Working with Brands
– Positioning and Lighting
– Handy Tools
– Photo Styling and Props
– Mobile Apps
– Basic Photoshop and PicMonkey Skills

You can read all of the presentation and learn more by visiting the SlideShare for the presentation.

Mel Lockcuff

Mel Lockcuff is a wife and homeschool mom to 2 boys and a cat named Harold. She and her family are transfers to Arkansas and are loving life in Northwest Arkansas. They have 10 chickens and a lovely little garden in their budding back yard homestead.

Mel is a lifestyle and travel blogger at MamaBuzz, where her goal is to inspire life every day with creative inspiration related to food and recipes, travel and local places of interest, home and garden, crafts, DIY projects, back yard homesteading, awareness, and more. Mel is also a freelance writer, the founder of MamaBuzz Media, and has extensive experience as a community manager. Her work has been published on VisitRogersArkansas.com, OnlyinArk.com, and 66TheMotherRoad Magazine. She’s also the author of the eBook, Blog Design Elements of Success: How to Make Your Blog Stand Out.You can find Mel on Twitter @MamaBuzz, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.