Blogging Events

No Budget to Hire a Nerd? Try Smore.com! {Updated and Upgraded} #Blogathon2

I’m participating this weekend in the Biannual Blogathon Bash, a semiannual blogging marathon. This summer’s blogathon will take place from June 22 to June 25. If you are signed up for the blogathon, completing mini-challenges {like the challenge I put together, called Anyone can Monetize their Blog: 5 Simple Steps} – give you chances to win prizes, in addition to improving your blogging. Fun, right? This post is for mini-challenge #3: Improve Your Writing. Join us – It’s not too late to get some blog-boosting work in this weekend!

Blogathon Bash: Mini-Challenge #3

After reading the tips on how to Improve Your Writing, for mini-challenge #3, I needed to choose a recent post that I’d written, go back and re-read it, and make corrections. I was a bit embarrassed to see that when I gave this post a second look, that I had quite a few spots where I wanted to change the way that things were written. My usual writing process is to sit down and quickly get my ideas out… I’m so uber duber busy that I don’t always have time to proof read every post. But clearly, I should get more consistent with it! So, drumroll please….. Here’s my updated and revised version of my post. You can see the original post here – No Budget to Hire a Nerd? Try Smore.com! The main things that I noticed is that I tend to use the same descriptive words too often in the same paragraph, and that sometimes I don’t describe things as clearly as they seem in my head as I write, lol. Let me know what you think of the changes…

No Budget to Hire a Nerd? Try Smore.com! {Updated and Upgraded}

In the age of Facebook and Twitter, is the good ol’ paper flyer a thing of the past?… If you need to get the word out about an event, you may feel inclined to type up something in Helvetica and head to the photocopier, but we have a better idea…

MEET YOUR NEW EVENT COORDINATOR— SMORE

Imagine… You (yes, you!) can create a beautiful web page with no coding experience and no design chops. Whether you’re spreading the word about a book club event, a small business, a networking event or a bake sale fundraiser for your local theatre, Smore is a great way to create a compelling online flyer! You can fill it with all the information needed to promote your event, easily share it through social media and email, and even see how many people it’s reaching. Creating a flyer is fun, fast and it looks so professional everyone will think you have a design nerd on staff.

Smore makes pretty web pages… no coding required

I am seriously in love with this site. I’ve been playing around with it all morning, and it is so simple to use – very intuitive. {And if you know me well, you know I’m NOT a techy type. Yes, I run a blog, but what I’m good at is taking pretty pictures, writing stories, and telling jokes. The tech side is much more challenging to me. Which is why I LOVE that my girls at Digitwirl teach me these great tips each week. Subscribe to them – Seriously, they’re so smart.} Anyway – back to talking about this sweet new site: If I can use it, anyone can. And it truly does make it quick and oh-so-easy to create incredibly professional looking pages – no coding needed at all. Learn more:

Get Options: Choose Event Invitation, Product to Sell, Personal Flyer for a Person, Flyer for a Business or Shop, Informational Newsletter Style, or just use “other” if nothing really fits. {Coupon or Ad Promotion, and an App are coming soon too.}
Get Inspired: Check out the sweet online gallery of cool examples of what you can create with their online templates, to help you think of new ways to create buzz for your event or promotion. All of the templates to share a similar style of template – but they all still have custom feel, using different photos, fonts, colors, and styles. Love it.

I’m definitely going to be using this a lot – and I am SO super grateful to the ladies at Digitwirl for sharing this tool with me. Their video made it SO easy to jump right in and get started. {For more tech made simple tips, services, and products – browse my board on Pinterest.}

What Ideas do You Have for Fun Ways to Use this Free Service?

Digitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 24, 2012 Filed Under: Blogging Events | 2 Comments

Build a Better Blog During the Blogathon Bash! #Blogathon2

The Blogathon Bash is ON!! I’m super excited to devote some time this weekend to improving my blog – learning new skills, connecting with new people, and pushing myself to complete some challenges that will make my blog a little better and brighter. If you’ve never heard of the Blogathon Bash before, here’s a quick rundown of what it’s all about…

The Biannual Blogathon Bash is a twice yearly event designed for bloggers to get much needed work done on their blog. All bloggers are welcome. The event is 72 hours, do as much blogging as you can during this time. Aim for 24 hours total but we are flexible! We will have mini challenges (fun, easy projects that will better your blog) and prizes to be won. In between blogathons, watch for posts about blogging.

Sounds pretty cool, right?

Many of you know that Abby was in the hospital with a series of seizures last week – which means I’ve once again, been knocked off of my schedule. The past few months seem to have just been one thing after another… The hard drive crashed on my computer, taking with it my mostly-completed ebook, every picture I had of Abby as a baby, and tons of programs and info. Then my site got hacked, and I lost an entire week of access to my blog. {What I learned getting hacked.} But that’s the glamorous life of a rockstar super mom blogger, right? :) Since I’ve been so off schedule the past few months, I know that there are a few upgrades I need to make, so the mini-challenges are perfect for me. Challenges like “Boost Your Blog Design with No Budget,” and “Tools to Make Twitter Work for Your Blog” are totally going to help me, and are worth cutting into my weekend time to accomplish.

Will You Join Me?

I hope to see some of you ladies {and gentlemen, if you’re reading too!} at the Twitter party tomorrow morning. And if you’d like to get a jump-start on the mini-challenges, you can check out mine here – How to Monetize Your Blog: 5 Simple Steps #Blogathon2. Make sure to click through that one to the Blogathon site, so you can sign up and be entered to win some pretty sweet prizes.

Let’s get bloggin’!!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 22, 2012 Filed Under: Blogging Resources, Blogging Events | No Comments

Learn about my great new cash-back sponsor – zuuzs.com!

“Friends don’t let friends pay full price.” – Smart shopper… You guys have heard me talk a lot about zuuzs over the last year. I explained to you how you can earn a steady stream of income by using zuuzs to find and share sweet deals with your friends and family {you don’t have to be a blogger to earn big bucks with this – everyone can join!}. You probably remember the sweet Black Friday and Cyber Monday toy deals I found using awesome coupon codes from zuuzs.com. And I’ve heard from tons of you ladies who are using it and loving it too. So if you aren’t zuuzs-ing yet, you’re missing out!

Do you zuuzs?

You know I do! I’ve been a fan of zuuzs for about a year now – the people who run the site are so great, totally helpful and super smart shoppers. The deals and coupon codes they collect for us each day are super cool, and target the stores, products, and sites that I really want to shop at. I totally recommend giving them a look – you can learn more here – at zuuzs.com.

And…. Big announcement!

You know I’m headed to BlogHer ’12 this year, right? I am incredibly excited about it – even though this is a huge, cross-country trip to a city that makes me feel just a wee bit overwhelmed just to think about. {It’s in NYC, and I’ve never even been to that part of the country!} But I’m pretty darn excited to be a part of the fun and craziness that is BlogHer – plus I get to see my girls Mickey from A Helicopter Mom, and Staci from November Sunflower. We’ll be sharing a room, and hitting a lot of the parties and events together during the weekend. And – great big thank you’s to zuuzs for partnering with us to help get us all to this awesome conference!! It’s a first time for us all, and I’m definitely super grateful to zuuzs for helping us make this a success!

To learn more about zuuzs, and stay connected to learn about new deals, updates on cool features and online tools, or to be the first to know about their HUGE giveaway events – find them on Twitter at @zuuzs, “Like” zuuzs and zuuzStyle on Facebook, link up with them on Google+, or – my favorite – follow zuuzStyle on Pinterest!

Big thanks to zuuzs for helping me make my first trip to BlogHer ’12 this year!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 13, 2012 Filed Under: Blogging Events | No Comments

Toddler-Proof Solutions for Everyday Living: Nini Baby! #Mompact

Making life a little easier for parents, and fun for kids – Jenn Namazi knows what it’s like to have toddlers. Her family’s two youngest children, a girl and boy, are just 15 months apart. In early 2009, while toting around her then 1 and 2 year olds, she grew frustrated with the throwing game that brought such delight to her children’s faces. She had invested in quite a few straps and other devices to try and keep cups and toys ‘attached’ to the stroller. Her kids had grown to the age where they outsmarted them, undoing or opening the Velcro or snaps that secured the toys and cups in place. “Somebody needs to make a toddler proof strap” she said. And luckily for us – that somebody was her!

Smart Toddler Solutions

Abby is just now reaching that stage where she thinks throwing her cup on the floor, then crying frantically that she wants it back RIGHT NOW, only to toss it to the ground again and laugh, is a good time. And I am realizing that I was crazy to think that caring for a baby was “hard” – Toddlers are exhausting! At least a baby stays in one place most of the time, lol. I haven’t had a chance to try out any of the Nini Baby products yet – but they are definitely on my “must-have” list now that Abby’s getting bigger. These are such smart solutions!

See the Toy Bungee in action

Instead of velcro straps like pacifier clips for babies, the Nini Baby products use a cool non-toxic set of straps to keep things more secure. As you can see above, they’re simple to use, and seriously smart – your back will thank you when you get to avoid that nightly “bending down a hundred times to pick things up that baby threw down again” routine you’ve been used to! And, if you’d like to hear more stories from real life moms using the products in their own homes, check out some great reviews online. Or read the Amazon reviews on her great line-up of smart solutions:

NiNi Paci Bungee: BPA and lead free, fits all size pacifiers, easy to clean.
NiNi Toy Bungee: Toddler proof button closure. Can leave the base attached to carseat or stroller, and easily swap out items to attach.
NiNi Crayon Bungee: Holds 3 crayons at a time, giving little ones enough options to have fun.

If you’d like to learn more about Nini Baby products, visit them on their website, and be sure to connect with them on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on new products and promotions.

CONNECT WITH Nini Baby AT REVIEWER’S RETREAT

And speaking of connecting – You can learn more about the Nini Baby products from me, and Nicole, the mom-inventor behind the Buti-Bag – if you’ll be attending Reviewer’s Retreat this weekend! They are just one of the brands I’ll be helping to represent during the Sponsor Speedway portion of the events. I hope to see some of you there!

If you’re interested in learning more about how to partner with smart mom-invented brands like this, and working with some great bloggers on fun campaigns, you can learn more about how Mompact supports moms in business, and sign up to be part of the team at Question Moms.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 1, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution, Blogging Events | No Comments

ViveVita: Creating Solutions for Everyday Living #Mompact

Vive Vita arose from the need of one woman to tackle problems she encountered in everyday living. Robyn is the mother of nine children who became frustrated when she could not find a simple solution to issues such as handtowels and bathroom towels constantly on the floor, confusion between multiple drink cups for children, and organization and security for the children while in public places. With no readily available products that fit her needs, Robyn decided to create her own solutions.

People began noticing the ingenuity of her solutions…

Like most mom-invented products, the solutions that Robyn created to solve her own busy mom challenges were quickly embraced by other moms in her life. As she improved upon her early inventions, she decided on the name ViveVita, which means “Living Life” – because that’s what her products help you do! ViveVita’s products are all invented to help you simplify your life, to help make it just a little easier, and a little more fun. {Which is SO similar to my mission here at Sunshine and Sippy Cups – we’re all about Smart Solutions for Busy Moms!} It should be clear by now, the clever ideas created at ViveVita are a big hit in my house!

“We’re making life easier and prettier, one product at a time.” – ViveVita

One of my favorite ViveVita products, the ViveVita Gripsterz, is featured in this video as a “Must-Have” product for moms, and I totally agree! If you don’t understand why any parent would ever put their child in one of those little backpacks with the leash on it – well, I’m very happy for you, lol. My brother had to wear one of those when we were little, he had incredibly bad ADHD, and was really hard to keep an eye on when my mom had 3 other kids under the age of 6. He loved it, and it was a lifesaver, but… I don’t really like the idea of having to use one of those for Abby – but she LOVES the Gripsterz! She says, “Hand? Hold hand?” – and will grab a hold of her monkey’s hand and stay nearby every time. Works amazingly – and like all ViveVita products, it’s smart and adorable.

When Flair & function come together – now that’s savvy living!

You know that I love ViveVita products, but you don’t have to take my word for it! Check out some great reviews from other busy moms just like you, who share how helpful the products have been in their homes too –

Darcy shares some great tips on how she uses the Gripsterz to keep her kids safe when shopping.
April shows off the products in action, so you can get a “real life” glimpse at how they work.
Mallery has some of the most ADORABLE pics of her little man with the products – seriously, so cute.
Nicole shares her story of how the Gripsterz helped her little dancer stay close by while out shopping, instead of being so distracted. Worked great for her too!

You can learn more about the full line of smart solutions at ViveVita on their website, and be sure to connect with them on Facebook and Twitter too, for updates on some really cool new products that they have coming out soon!

CONNECT WITH ViveVita AT REVIEWER’S RETREAT

And speaking of connecting – You can learn more about the ViveVita products from me, and Nicole, the mom-inventor behind the Buti-Bag – if you’ll be attending Reviewer’s Retreat this weekend! They are just one of the brands I’ll be helping to represent during the Sponsor Speedway portion of the events. I hope to see some of you there!

If you’re interested in learning more about how to partner with smart mom-invented brands like this, and working with some great bloggers on fun campaigns, you can learn more about how Mompact supports moms in business, and sign up to be part of the team at Question Moms.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 31, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution, Blogging Events | 1 Comment

Connecting Brands & Bloggers at Reviewer’s Retreat #RevRet12

Most of you guys know by now that I’m going to be attending Reviewer’s Retreat in just a couple more weeks. Well, not just attending – I’ll also be speaking at the event! I’m going to be presenting with a couple of other amazing social media gals, teaching our best tips on growing your audience using social media, email newsletters, giveaway events, and more. I’m pretty excited to meet some new people, share some helpful info, and get to see some of my favorite blogging friends again too!

“Position yourself as a center of influence – the one who knows the movers and shakers. People will respond to that, and you’ll soon become what you project.” – Bob Burg

If you’re going to be at Reviewer’s Retreat too, I’d LOVE to love to connect with you there. I’ll be speaking on Monday, June 4th, at 10:30, presenting the Undergraduate session titled Growing Your Audience. {If you haven’t signed up for that session yet, you can visit the site to build your schedule.} And, I’m also going to be helping out during the Sponsor Speedway portion of the event, meeting with bloggers at the Mompact table. The first speedway is during my presentation, but I’ll be at the table during the second one, later in the afternoon.

What is the Sponsor Speedway?

This is a bit of time set aside for bloggers and brands to connect with each other. Bloggers will get to take a seat, about 5-6 at a time, with each brand. You’ll get a little less than 10 minutes to quickly introduce yourself to the brand, exchange business cards, and hopefully make a totally charming first impression. Then your group will move on to the next table, until everyone has had a chance to connect. There will be some really great brands – from big names like Kia and Pampers, to fun brands like Mompact and Uncommon Goods. At Mompact, I’ll be looking for some really passionate and talented new reviewer’s to join our team this year – so don’t forget to stop by and get me one of your card. {Need a card with a totally memorable design to catch all of these great brand’s attention? Check out my very favorite blogging business card company to find some awesome inspiration.} I’ll also have some actual products on hand, if you’re interested in taking something home with you to review on your site later.

“Networking is simply the cultivating of mutually beneficial, give and take, win-win relationships. It works best, however, when emphasizing the ‘give’ part.” – Bob Burg

About Mompact… “It’s time for moms to support other moms in business the way we do in motherhood. The compassion we feel when we meet a mom in need of encouraging words at the check out line, or struggling to quiet a fussy toddler at a restaurant, is the same kind of compassion and connection moms have in business. We get what the other mom is going through: how she has to juggle work and family, sacrifice financially, and learn along the way. We’re here to provide a platform for that support.”

“Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” – Jane Howard

I’m really excited to be representing Mompact, and some of our amazing partner businesses, at this event. And I know that the mom inventors who work with Mompact are definitely very excited to get their products introduced to some of the most influential review bloggers in the blogosphere – meaning YOU. If you’d like to learn a little more about the brands I’ll be bringing to share at Reviewer’s Retreat, read on…

Twooth Timer: This is a great gadget that has completely changed bedtimes around my house! Kids love it, and it encourages them to brush their teeth much longer, with no nagging. Learn more about the Twooth Timer, and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.
Parking Pal Magnet: This is such a genius product for moms of bigger kids – it keeps them safe when getting in and out of the car, especially in busy parking lots. So simple, but really works. Everyone that sees always stops to comment on it. See the selection of Parking Pal Magnets online, then connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.
Tidy Tots: This is a new way of looking at potty training – a stage I’m JUST getting started with. These are a potty chair liner that makes clean up quick and easy – just grab the bag and toss the mess. I can definitely see the appeal to this great solution! You can learn more about Tidy Tots online, read their blog for some great tips, and connect with them on Facebook too.
ViveVita: The inventor behind these smart solutions for everyday living is the mother to nine – yes NINE – children. So she knows about challenges! Her products are all meant to make your life a little easier, and all are very clever ideas. See the selection of ViveVita products, and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.
Nini Baby: Tired of having to pick up the toy/sippy cups/crayon/pacifier/you name it! – that your child just threw onto the floor? Then you will totally appreciate the great problem solvers at Nini Baby! Learn more about their great selection, and connect on Facebook and Twitter.
Liv and Lily Boutique: Love accessories? Then you will just adore Liv and Lily! These are luxury pieces designed by moms with a love of great fashion. From beautiful headbands and hair clips for girls, to adorable fedoras and suspenders for boys – these luxe accessories complete any little fashionista’s wardrobe! See the Liv and Lily designs for yourself, and connect on Twitter and Facebook too.
Buti-Bag: Ohmyheck – while we’re talking about cute fashions, you have GOT to check out the adorable designs from Buti-Bag! She carries a fun line of Belle Bottoms that totally glam up a pair of little girl jeans, and totally gorgeous bags and accessories. See her great goodies at Buti-Bag.com, and connect on Twitter and Facebook today too!
CuddleCloth: I had wished for something like this when Abby was a baby – and it would still be so helpful now – the CuddleCloth is a towel that you wear, making it simple to grab a slippery bath-time baby and wrap her up quickly – without getting yourself wet too! Check out the CuddleCloth in action, and visit them on Facebook and Twitter too.
Babee Covee: This is so smart – it’s a 6-in-1 Blanket and Cover for babies and kids – it’s patented design ensures that it won’t fall off, whether used for a cover in the stroller, over a car seat, or on playdates – this blanket is super versatile, durable, and super cute. Watch the Babee Covee video to see why it’s so cool, then check them out on Facebook and Twitter.
Boogie Wipes: I’m a Boogie Wipes Ambassador, and let me tell ya – I’ve given out hundreds of samples of these great kids wipes, and there is not ONE person who doesn’t totally love them! They’re for more than just colds and allergies – they work as an all purpose kiddo wipe too! Learn more about why Boogie Wipes are a must-have addition to any moms purse or diaper bag, then visit them on Facebook and Twitter too.

If you’re interested in learning more about these awesome brands, and working with them in the future – I’d love for you to take a minute to stop by their social media pages today, and let them know that you’re excited to learn more about them at Reviewer’s Retreat! They’ll love getting to “Meet” you – and I look forward to meeting you soon too. You’ll also get to connect with the Owner of Buti-Bags at the Sponsor Speedway, and learn more about the awesome designs she creates. See you soon!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 25, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution, Blogging Events | 12 Comments

Celebrating One Year of Blogging – It’s Almost Here!

Time to Celebrate!!

It’s almost here – at the end of March, it will have been one fantastic full year since I started this site. It seems like it wasn’t that long ago – but it also seems like it’s been forever! {Funny how time works when you get old…. } I had set some pretty ambitious goals for myself when I started – and said that if I could make my 6 month goals, then I could continue to stay home with my new baby, and keep working at this project. I blew them out of the water! So I set even bigger goals for my one-year mark, and decided that if I could make most of those, then this was going to be my new career path – freelance writing, running this site, my Examiner.com Frugal Living column, and the rest of my million projects. I would really start taking things seriously, invest a bit more money, and ROCK this.

Almost there…

One of my goals was to reach 10,000 fans on Facebook this first year. Well sistahs – I’m currently at 9,000! So close, right? It will be tough to ramp things up enough to grow as much as I’ll need to, but I’m always up for a challenge! And to celebrate the one year mark of my blog – I’ll be joining a TON of super cool giveaway events, so that I can shower my readers with loads of fun prizes!

Want to Join the Fun?

Here is the info for a super cool event that I am especially excited about – Sign ups are now open for the Leap into Spring LeapPad Giveaway hosted by Karma Media to boost your social media links! Sign up fee for two links is $5. You can receive a free link for advertising on your blog or you can buy extra links at $2.50 each or $2.50 for a daily entry!