See you in the New Year!

Source

Dear CGS readers,

It's been an interesting year...if you'd like to catch up what's been happening these last 12 months, here are a few highlights:

-Celebrated 1 year of marriage...for which Farmboy made this video (I love this man to bits!)

-Returned to South Korea to teach English

-Spent our summer holidays traveling around Malaysia

-Photographed some gorgeous people, namely Caitlyn and Laura and I did a traditional Korean wedding shoot for Minhee & James

-Had some stressful situations involving a laptop

-Took part in a Creative Business Series aimed at inspiring other creatives to follow their dream and launch their own businesses

-Started a new series interviewing married women on their lives after their Wedding Days...for some matrimonial inspiration have a squizz at my Life After the Dress series

-Featured in 2 online magazines for photography (Photographers in Korea & Consol Glass Ebook Christmas Chapter) and 2 real print magazines (Wedding Inspirations and Grazia)

Last but not least I built, designed and launched this newly branded website and my online stationery store selling hand picked, boutique stationery in the form of pretty packages. Click here to start shopping <3

2013 you were good to me, but I am very much looking forward to the adventures that lie await in the new year.

Thank you to each and everyone of your lovely comments here on the blog, and on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

I'm looking forward to bringing you lots more pretty-ness next year.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and a wonderful festive season with your family and loved ones.

As of tomorrow, Farmboy and I will be soaking up some sun in Vietnam, and so the blog will be back to normal by the middle of January. I will continue to post bits and pieces on Instagram if you'd like to follow along.

Happy holidays everyone!

With Love,

Roxy

x

CGS Pretty Stationery {Flash Sale}

Dear readers!

Today is the last day of my three day flash sale on pretty stationery in my store.

To place your order simply email me with your colour palette choice (mint, peach, or blush) and I will send you an invoice to make payment.

Each pretty package includes:

-a 2014 calendar

-roll of washi tape

-a notebook

-a pen or pencil

-lace paper doilies

All for $11 (excl. shipping of $4.50).

I am working on a $1 to R10 exchange rate for my South African customers, so in total the package, including shipping will be R155.

Hurry while stocks last <3

I look forward to creating your pretty package.

x

Who is St Nicholas anyway?

At this very special time of the year it's easy to get caught up in all the present giving and tree decorating that Christmas time brings, that we can lose sight of the real meaning of Christmas. For Christians, we are celebrating the birth of baby Jesus, bringing love and hope to all mankind. So then where does the big bearded, reindeer driving, present giving man come from then? Farmboy and I have been chatting about Christmas and God lately, and I have been wondering about how God must feel to have the birth of his son so misplaced by stories and songs and an immense amount of money spent on the very worldly idea of Christmas and Santa Claus.

I learnt something new today from a family in America on a great Christian website, On Faith. As with a lot of Christian websites, there are a few things I don't wholly agree with, but this blog post, written by Mark Driscoll, father of five, made me think.

I wanted to share it with you today. 

Even with keeping the below in mind, Farmboy and I still have a Christmas Tree up, and we also get caught up in the gift giving and receiving that is Christmas. We don't claim to be perfect Christians living a perfect Christian life. But it's important to stop and think about what the real message is behind Christmas. It's not just a day to get a whole bunch of new and expensive toys from a wish list; it's a time for family and friends to come together and to share in the joy and love of Christmas.

"The larger-than-life myths surrounding Santa Claus actually emanate from the very real person of Saint Nicholas. It is difficult to know the exact details of his life with certainty, as the ancient records are sparse, but the various pieces can be put together as a mosaic of his life.

Nicholas was born in the third century in Patara, a village in what is now Turkey. He was born into an affluent family, but his parents died tragically when he was quite young. His parents had raised him to be a devout Christian, which led him to spend his great inheritance on helping the poor, especially children. He was known to frequently give gifts to children, sometimes even hanging socks filled with treats and presents.

Perhaps his most famous act of kindness was helping three sisters. Because their family was too poor to pay for their wedding dowry, three young Christian women were facing a life of prostitution until Nicholas paid their dowry, thereby saving them from a horrible life of sexual slavery.

Nicholas grew to be a well-loved Christian leader and was eventually voted the Bishop of Myra, a port city that the apostle Paul had previously visited (Acts 27:5-6). Nicholas reportedly also traveled to the legendary Council of Nicaea, where he helped defend the deity of Jesus Christ in A.D. 325.

Following his death on December 6, 343, he was canonized as a saint. The anniversary of his death became the St. Nicholas holiday when gifts were given in his memory. He remained a very popular saint among Catholic and Orthodox Christians, with some two thousand churches named after him. The holiday in his honor eventually merged with Christmas, since they were celebrated within weeks of one another.

During the Reformation, however, Nicholas fell out of favor with Protestants, who did not approve of canonizing certain people as saints and venerating them with holidays. His holiday was not celebrated in any Protestant country except Holland, where his legend as Sinterklass lived on. In Germany, Martin Luther replaced him with the Christ child as the object of holiday celebration, or, in German, Christkindl. Over time, the celebration of the Christ child was simply pronounced Kris Kringle and oddly became just another name for Santa Claus.

The legends about Santa Claus are most likely a compilation of other folklore. For example, there was a myth in Nicholas’ day that a demon was entering people’s homes to terrorize children and that Nicholas cast it out of a home. This myth may explain why it was eventually believed that he came down people’s chimneys.

Also, there was a Siberian myth (near the North Pole) that a holy man, or shaman, entered people’s homes through their chimneys to leave them mushrooms as gifts. According to the legend, he would hang them in front of the fire to dry. Reindeer would reportedly eat them and become intoxicated. This may have started the myth that the reindeer could fly, as it was believed that the shaman could also fly. This myth may have merged with the Santa Claus myth, and if so, explains him traveling from the North Pole to slide down chimneys and leave presents on fireplace mantles before flying away with reindeer.

These stories of Santa Claus were first brought to America by Dutch immigrants. In the early twentieth century, stores began having Santa Claus present for children during the Christmas season. Children also began sending letters to the North Pole as the legends surrounding an otherwise simple Christian man grew.

In sum, Saint Nick was a wonderful man who loved and served Jesus faithfully. So, we gladly include him in our Christmas traditions to remind us of what it looks like for someone to live a life of devotion to Jesus as God. Our kids thank us for being both honest and fun, which we think is what Jesus wants." Mark Driscoll

Wishing all of my readers a very happy and love filled Christmas. May it be jam packed with family and friends, laughter and good memories. 

x

Homemade Natural Facial Cleansers

I recently stumbled upon the beautiful Free People blog which is filled with beautiful photography, beauty tutorials, fashion inspiration and so much more.

The blog is run by four creative young women who aim to inspire their readers to 'embark on creative, fun, enlightened and fashionable adventures each day'.

This post if all about their natural homemade facial cleansers. Dump the chemicals and raid your pantry and fridge your skin will thank you for it.

{Each of the photographs and graphics in this post are credited to Free People

First up is a cleanser for DRY SKIN.

This is the first one I am going to try as the hard water and cold weather has wreaked havoc on my skin. If only honey didn't cost an arm and a leg in Korea...

'The base for this cleanser is plain yogurt, which, apart from its natural cleansing properties, is full of protein to soften your skin. It’s also a bit acidic, so it acts as an exfoliator, removing unwanted dead cells from the surface of your skin. Honey acts as a humectant, drawing moisture into your skin and keeping it there, as olive oil adds further moisture. Apples give your skin vitamins A, B, and C, as well as a dose of antioxidants to keep you looking fresh'.

Next up is a cleaner for NORMAL SKIN:

Oh I wish my skin was back to its normal-ness. I have't had norma,l or combination skin as it's sometimes referred to, since I've been here in South Korea.

My skin fluctuates between oil slick and parched, depending on the snow or the humidity.

'For those whose skin tends to be somewhere in between dry and oily, this cleanser is for you. The yogurt and cucumber nourish and clear your skin without drying it, while the mint adds a pleasant soothing experience'.
 

Last of all we have a cleanser designed for OILY SKIN.

I have been told on numerous occasions that oily skin ages a lot slower, and as such will lead to fewer wrinkles with age. I'll get back to you on that in 15 years time.

'For those whose skin tends to be on the oily side, let lemon and oatmeal be your new friends. Lemon acts as an astringent as well as a disinfectant, killing any bacteria that may otherwise cause breakouts, while oatmeal exfoliates the skin, absorbing excess oils in the process. Honey will restore moisture into your skin, balancing out any dryness that could have been caused by the lemon'.

Have you ever tried to make your own cleansers or masks? A fellow South African bloggers, Luzanne of Pink Peonies, blogs about wonderful homemade face masks she creates for different skin types. Pop on over to her blog for more DIY beauty recipes.

Happy Weekend!

We're in for more snow this weekend...here's a little glimpse into the snow we've had over the past couple of weeks. Some of these were taken on my walk home from school last week, and the last one was taken by Farmboy out and about in Jinan one weekend.

This weekend I plan on getting crafty with some last minute Christmas decorations, and I am off in search of a pan to bake my granny's special Apple Crumble...here's to hoping I can find something suitable in my little town.

Have a lovely weekend! 

x

Do you have any exciting plans on this the last weekend before Christmas?

x

How to create beautiful collages in minutes

Creating collages used to be something I dreaded doing. It takes hours of painstaking research to find the exact photograph of a number of different items, source them properly and then to find them all with a white or even better yet, a transparent background is just horrid work. In the blogging world there are collages, and then there are collages. You know the ones I'm talking about, those beautiful, seamless compilations you find on the top fashion and beauty blogs, and then you get the first few I ever made. Chalk and cheese really.

Well I am going to let you in on my secret to creating beautiful collages like this one, using a free site called Polyvore...

Creating collages using Polyvore

The above collage was created using the very easy to follow (and did I mention free) website Polyvore.

Polyvore works a little like Pinterest in that you are able to create your own online pinboard of images. There are a number of different categories, and from these you can make stunning and professional collages for your blog. Why not make your own gift guides for Christmas? Or how about creating your own wish list to help your friends and family in picking out the perfect gift for you? 

The site is designed to share clickable links to the prices of the items in your creations on the usual social media platforms, so you know the price and where the closest stockist is to you. But as I only want to use the image as a graphic, I simply screenshot the collage and go about inserting it that way.

Here are a few more collages I've created using Polyvore.

I'd love to see yours creations too. Simply upload them to my Facebook Page so I can have a look!

Good luck and happy creating!

x

Easy DIY Christmas Tree

With just over a week to go till Christmas, you might still be in search of the perfect tree. Or perhaps, like us, you live in South Korea with little to no room, in which case this DIY in perfect for you. It's quick and easy, uses only a few items and will add a little more festive cheer to your home.

Super essential is a handsome man to do your measuring when you get distracted by needing to document the whole process to blog about later...

New in the Store!

I've been putting together my first few orders, and wanted to share with you a few new goodies which will be going into the pretty packages. I only stock one or two of each item, so you know what you purchase is truly unique.

The idea behind my store is that each and every package put together is exclusive and special, and never the same as the one before. You won't know exactly what you're going to get, and that's what makes it so much fun. We all love receiving parcels in the mail, and this time, although you may not be 100% certain of the contents, you know it will be full of pretty-ness. Simply choose your colour scheme; Mint, Peach or Blush (currently these are the 3 palettes, but I will be adding to these in the near future!).

Or better yet, get in contact with me to customize your own pretty package.

Happy shopping!

My shop is live!

And we are a go!

Welcome to me new website and most importantly, welcome to my new online store!

I hope you find the site easy to use. If you have any questions about anything, please drop me an email using the contact form above, or directly here.

As a little thank you, the first 5 customers to my store will each receive a beautiful 2014 Calendar in their package as a little extra gift. 

Currently I am only accepting payment via Electronic Transfer into a South African bank account, but soon will be offering payment through PayPal for your convenience.

Happy shopping everyone!

Have a lovely weekend!

Blogging Tips...Keeping your Blog Post layout consistent

Have you ever thought about the actual design (layout, image sizes, fonts, graphics) of your blog posts? 

Think about the blogs that your enjoy reading. What do you like about them? I'm sure they make it easy for you to find content, to scroll, the actual blog post content is easy to read (the font isn't so small that you have to squint at the screen to read the title) and the general layout of each post is visually appealing. This makes the whole experience of reading a blog enjoyable. There is nothing worse than finding a blog with great content, but it's hard work just to sift through it and read the actual message of their posts.

So today I am going to be sharing with you some tips for your own blog post design, as well as some resources to help you if you don't happen to have a graphic designer friend who makes you free elements for your blog...

1. Use a Mixture of Images and Text

This helps to break up the monotony of the black and white visual elements of a written piece. If I come across a blog post, no matter how interesting it may be, if it is just line after line of black writing I immediately switch off and head to the next blog. I am a very visual person, and am attracted to pretty pictures. That's not to say that you can't have long posts with only text in them. Take a little time to use spacing properly (the term used here is 'white space') which makes text easier to read. If you do use images that aren't your own, always make sure to reference properly.Look what happened to this blogger when she incorrectly sourced someone else work. 

Here is a useful tool for finding the source of an image called src-image bookmarklet (just copy the url of the image, which you can find by right clicking and selecting the 'copy image url' option) and pasting into the search bar.

Plain text can be thought provoking and look great when done right (look here at my friend Kerry from Midlands Musings who writes beautifully and makes me actually want to read through more than 3 sentences at a time).

The most important thing here is to plan your post before hand and decide whether you will be using pictures or text, or both, and think about how to make them look more appealing in a blog post.

2. Choose your fonts and stick to them

If you are using Blogger for your blog, you will have found the template editor to be your best friend when it comes to the customizing your blog. From there you have complete control over the colours of your text, the fonts, the font sizes and the layout of every element. The lovely Katrina over at PuglyPixel recommends limiting the number of fonts you use to no more than three (one for post titles, one for the sidebar titles, and another for the post body). Too many fonts tend to make a page look really busy. Additionally, when choosing fonts for your text, aim for legible fonts in a readable size. Whatever font you choose, keep legibility in mind. The most readable font under 14px is Verdana and larger than that, Arial is the most readable." PuglyPixel.

When I first stared blogging I changed fonts like the weather, and still do from time to time. But now that I am designing my new website, it's important for me to establish my branding and to keep it consistent, so readers are able to place my blog design with my brand. It will make your blog look more professional and cohesive.

Blogger has a whole range of different fonts built into it, so you can really get your hands dirty and get creative to ensure your blog stands out from everyone else's.

3. Set a standard width for your blog post images

When something sticks out, you tend to notice it, and think that it must be a mistake. Keeping your image size in blog posts consistent helps with providing an overall professional and clean impression. You can use a free program like PicMonkey to change the size of your images. When I create graphics and edit my photographs for my blog, I always resize them to be 650px, that is the default size of my blog post. Doing this keeps everything neat and tidy. By also resizing your pictures you ensure that they download quickly when people open up your blog. You can also use a site like PhotoBucket to store your images and resize them before uploading to your blog.

To create collages like I do here on the blog you can either use a fabulous paid for program like Blogstomp (I use Blogstomp to resize all my images, create collages and add my watermark to all my photographs) or a free online editing program like PicMonkey.

These are a just a few tips to help you on your way. Pop on over to these lovely blogs to learn more:

Elembee "Creating a Graphics Style Guide"

Glossary "Blog Design...A Couple of Tips"

InResidence "Amateur Blogging Tips"

AshleyEllaDesign "Creative Blogging Resources"

If you have any questions about blogging, or anything that you aren't clear about from the above tips, please pop me a comment below and I'll get back to you soon. Please also leave a comment if you have any other tips for making your blog posts pop!

Happy blogging everyone!

x

The FaceShop - Mango Seed Collection {review}

Following on the success of my last purchase of TheFaceShop skin care products (the Chia Seed Collection), I went ahead and bought two items in the Mango Seed collection. Well, to be fair on my purse, there was a fabulous promotion whereby upon spending an extra W2000 (about $2) for the cream, the store included a full size Mango Seed Essence. So I thought what the heck, I've never tried an essence before (it didn't matter that I had no idea what an essence was) into my little shopping basket it went.

Mango Seed Heart Volume Butter

This particular cream is the 'Heart Volume Butter' and apparently, when massaged into your skin while following a particular set of massage techniques (notice the picture above with those very specific moves lol) leaves your face plump and full of volume. Sounds amazing. But can it really be true? Most of the skin care products I have seen in stores here in Korea are sold alongside images of facial massage techniques and exercises, and patting and rubbing of the face. In essence, the more you massage the products into your skin, the more you are increasing the circulation, and, in a very small way, 'plumping' up your face and I guess, decreasing wrinkles. But, it's all a bit much for me. I already use a wide range of products on my face, I simply do not have time to make sure each one is applied with just the right amount of plumping and patting and massaging...but that's up to you :)

What the box promises:

Promise of mango seeds for Good Moisturization
1. Contains extracts of mango from Sudan (really?)
2. Contains ingredients obtained through fair trade
3. Moisturization and long lasting radiance
4. Say Goodbye to dry skin - 5 Solutions : puffiness, itchiness, poor absorption of makeup, poor elasticity, redness
5. Formulated without 7 additives (but what are these additives??)
6. Dermatologicallyt Tested

I was rather disappointed with the moisture content of this cream. It goes on beautifully, and smells amazing (this may or may not be a good thing for you, and you may not want to be smelling like a freshly picked piece of fruit all day). I say fruit as the fragrance was definitely not mango, but rather a light and fresh summery smell. I also had to use quite a lot of product to cover my whole face. As the jar only contains 50ml of product and goes for on average, a price of W22 000 a pop, you don't want to be having to restock after only a few weeks worth of use.

I found that my skin was better moisturized after the Chia Seed lotion (and lotions are technically a lot lighter than creams). I have read that for more moisture, you can apply cream after using lotion to combat extra dryness. I have combination skin, but winter has set in here in Korea and I always find the skin around my nose area gets dry very easily during this time of the year. Which is why I had such high hopes for the Mango Seed range (which is also more pricey than the Chia Seed range).

I now use this cream at night, in place of a night cream, and I do always wake up with very radiant looking skin (but that's probably more to do with the amount of water I drink and the number of hours of sleep I try to get).

I think this Volume Butter would be best suited to normal skin types, and for those people who are in the warmer seasons. It hasn't given me any extra moisture that I was hoping for, but does leave my skin feeling silky soft and smelling wonderful.

Mango Seed Spray Heart Volume Essence

I'm not entirely sure what this spray is supposed to do. There are no English instructions on the box it came in. I use it as a spray on toner to revitalize and add moisture to my skin. Alone I find it's not enough no that's it winter here. I spray it on my face straight after cleansing, and then apply a toner after, and then follow up with my SkinFood Black Sugar Skin Perfecting Serum (review to follow soon). It smells great, and definitely gets lapped up by my skin after cleansing. I haven't noticed any brightening or extra volume in my skin after the past few weeks of use. But, as it only cost me an additional $2 it was worth a try.

Are there any other Korean skincare brands that you enjoy using?

 I'd love to hear from you x

November through Instagram

So December is here, and has been for a week already. Goodness me. Christmas is now right around the corner. Have you got your Christmas gifts sorted yet? I'll be posting some online shopping ideas in the next few weeks, as well as some fun DIY ideas to get you in the festive mood. Have you been opening an advent calendar to count down the days? Have a look at this fun DIY I got up to a few weeks ago.

AND it's nearly all systems go for my new website and store! Feels like I have been talking about it for months (well, I really have) but not the day is nearly here...I am so excited to share with you a whole new level of pretty-ness. 

Watch this space!

x

Here is a little look back at some Instagram snaps from November...our trip to see the Autumn leaves, I wrote all about blogging and where to begin in our {Creative Business} series started by my fellow blogger friend Caitlyn, and of course stationery, stationery and more pretty stationery...

{Snail Mail} Gratitude

Last month I took part in such a fun mail swop (the term being used to describe the recent revival of postal mail is snail mail) called The Snail Mail Collective. This particular snail mail package swop was organized by the lovely Melyssa of The Nectar Collective and Chelsea of Lost in Travels. The idea behind the Snail Mail Collective is this:

"It’s an easy, international package exchange. Aka, send a package, get a package. The goal is to provide an avenue to connect and get to know people from all over the world by exchanging packages and encouraging postcards each month. This is a great way to not only meet people around the world, but to also learn about new cultures and make new friends!" Melyssa

I signed up last month and was paired up with Rima who is from Indonesia but currently lives in California, USA. Rima runs the lovely blog Bulu by Rima which documents her and her man (she calls him PillowMan) adventures around  South East Asia. Rima is a Full-time Registered Nurse in Interventional Radiology/Emergency Medicine and a part-time Amateur Baker. She is just lovely! And we both LOVE stationery, so we were a match made in heaven (as you can see from all my wonderful goodies below).

Each month there is a theme that goes along with your package, and we have to try and keep the contents of our parcel under $5. Last months theme was gratitude. I am grateful for all the pretty things that I can find here in Korea, click here to see what I packaged up and sent to Rima!

This month will be the last month that the Snail Mail Collective will be run, there are still 2 days left to sign up so pop on over here if you still want to take part!

Thank you for everything Rima, I have loved getting to know you over the past month and I look forward to reading more about your adventures on your blog.

x

Photography Styling Challenge {Order}

Today is the third month that I have been contributing to the wonderful Photography Styling Challenge that Redesigned By M started back in June this year. 

My first submission was Morning {click here} and then Bedroom {click here}. Each theme or concept is open to interpretation by the photographer, and it has been awesome seeing how each of us has handled the theme in a different way.

This week's theme is Order (organization) and there are elements in this theme that we have to use for the next theme, which is Chaos.

So that sure made things a bit tricky.

The photographs cannot be edited in anyway (this was so hard for me and the horrid green tables and artificial light in the classroom just wan't doing my images any favours) but I was able to resist. Also, only five images can be posted, this is always difficult for me as I am tend to take so many photographs and I struggle to choose the best ones. Each one appeals to me in a different way. So yes, this series has been challenging, but I've learnt so much about myself as a photographer and about my equipment too. 

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will know that I love all things pretty, and dainty, and full of pastel and pretty pink bows. But, as this is a photography challenge, I really wanted to challenge myself to take some photographs that are different from my usual subject matter. I decided to shoot one of my classrooms here in South Korea. At the start of the school day all the students have all their things in order, and wait patiently for the school bell to announce the start of the day. By late afternoon, the classroom is in complete disarray. Papers flying all over the show, girls screaming, hair curlers lying on desks and milk cartons scattered about. It's quite a sight. You can check back next month for photographs of the chaos of a Girls Middle School.

For now, here are a few shots of order and calm at the start of a school day.

Make sure to pop on over to the other members of our team, to see their interpretation of Order:

Redesigned By M

redlovinpixie

At The Corner Of Happy And Harried

My Food Tapestry

Inge Kathleen Photography

Pies And Puggles

A Woven Life

City Girl Searching

The Delicious World Of Chefette Spicy

A Tree Grows in the Bayou

I Live Under A Rock

Hooked On Homes

{Creative Business} Series wrap up

Friday last week was the last day of our 2 week series featuring tips and advice from nine South African ladies on starting your own Creative Business. I learned so much from the other ladies, and really enjoyed being a part of the series. To find out what the series was all about, click here.

Here is a wrap up of all the posts. How did you enjoy the series? Did you find the tips useful? I'd love to hear your comments below <3

What's the most important question to ask yourself before starting your own business? on Caitlyn de Beer Life Coaching. 

“Recently I was asked what I feel the most important thing to consider is, before starting your own business. Fortunately being relatively new to the ‘owning’ your own business scene, I knew just the answer….It’s a simple why. The why should come before..” click here to read more

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Should you combine many passions or just choose one? on Megan Galloway Growth Coach.

“So, you want to start something. Something unique. Something creative. Something that gets you bouncing out of bed in the morning ready to inspire and to be inspired. Wonderful! Problem is you have so many ideas, so many passions … how can you possibly know where to focus your energy? As Barbara Sher has titled her book: What do I do when I want to do everything? Sound familiar?..” click here to read more

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The importance of Professionalism – website & photo’s on Ilze Louw Photography. 

“When I started my business I was all over the place, in every aspect, and then I came across this…DEFINE YOUR STYLE AND BUSINESS IN 3 WORDS. So I did, I wrote down 3 words that I wanted to describe my business and stuck it somewhere where I could see it every day. It’s a funny thing, but once I wrote down those 3 words, and seeing it every day, people started telling me (without knowing about my words), how they see my work and business, exactly pin pointing those 3 words. Defining your style and business will not only help you, but will show the outside world that you are serious about what you do, that you have a clear vision and plan.” click here to read more

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Blogging – Where to begin on CityGirlSearching. 

“Blogging. Everyone seems to be doing it and as a newbie blogger it can all seem very intimidating. But that's where I come in. I will be sharing with you tips for starting your blog as well as some advice for growing your blog and getting it to where you want to be.” click here to read more

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How to use Social Media to promote your businesson Sunflowersandspears. 

"It gets really tricky to try to understand how a hashtag(#) can help you get more recognition and an @ symbol is no longer just the middle of an email address but a way of finding people. I have become extremely passionate about Social Media and it's incredible way of turning a business that was once a name on a business card into a name on people's lips. If that is what you are craving for your new business then read on as I try to explain to you how it all helps." click here to read more

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Creating an Online Store on Happiness Is. 

“Ever wanted to sell your products on an online store, but didn’t because it seems scary? I’m going to give you some insight into what’s out there, best practices and what to watch out for.” click here to read more

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Networking on Coffey and cake. 

“We’ve all heard it before... “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” and this has become so true in my journey as a young creative. Networking isn’t easy, it requires courage to step out and make that call, or organise that coffee meeting even if you aren’t sure you will have anything to talk about with the other person. However, networking is one of the most powerful first steps you can take when starting out on your own.” click here to read more

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Bridge jobs (the secret to financing your creative business)on Ruby&Swallow. 

Today we're talking about starting your company while you're still working. How do you juggle both, how do you make sure you don't burn out and more importantly, how you can work towards turning your business into something you can do full time? We've got some tips for you from our very own experiences in growing Ruby+Swallow.” click here to read more

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Creative or Critic: Who’s driving your business venture? on Loving Mondays. 

“So you’ve started your new business venture. Well done – it’s taken lots of courage! But who’s in the driving seat when decisions are made? And who is getting the most airtime when it comes to moving forward? The Creative or the Critic?” click here to read more

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So there you go! A whole load of free resources to help you make get your creative business up and running, and of course, to help you in the road to success. If you have any questions, please feel free to pop a comment below and I'll get back to you.
Good luck!

x

Happy Friday & Happy Thanksgiving!

Farmboy and I aren't American, and as such we don't celebrate Thanksgiving Day. But, we know it's a very special day for America, and it's always a good thing to give thanks for what you have and to be thankful of just how much you do have in life.

So, here is a little list of what I'm thankful for. I'd love to know what you are thankful for today, pop me a comment below <3

And I also had to share these beautiful photographs of a Thanksgiving table, found via The Glitter Guide.

I'm thankful for the following big (and small) things:

*our feather duvet for the very cold nights we have been having lately

*my hot water body (aka my hubby, Farmboy)

*that we are able to keep warm while the temperatures plummet, and many people around the world, especially at home in South Africa, barely have a pile of sticks to make a fire with during the winter times

*for each and every comment here on my blog

*for my family, ALL of them, from my step parents and step sisters, to my baby brother (who actually isn't a baby at all!) and to having all 8 sets of grandparents alive and well

*my sweet students who surprise with me little handwritten notes and chocolates when I least expect

*Whatsapp and Skype (and Facebook!) for being able to keep in touch with family and friends while we are here in Kimchi land

*for our jobs here in Korea. It's far to easy to get used to the stability, comfort and the disposable income that comes from ESL teaching in Korea. I am so grateful to have a job like this right now, when so many of our friends are back home in South Africa are either hating their jobs, or desperately trying to find one

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

x

Resources for Bloggers

Since I published this post on Blogging (a guide to blogging for beginners) I have had such a wonderful response from readers, and so I wanted to carry on with the theme of blogging tips and tricks (and as is the case with this post...resources) for all of you.

Here are some of my favourite blogging resources (and a few new ones that I have recently started using) that help save time as well as those that I use on a daily basis. I hope you find this list helpful, and if you have any others you would recommend, please do comment below <3

Blog Lovin'

A way to stay up to date with all your favourite blogs, and what most people are using when they say they are 'following a blog'. It's a free service, and although I was a bit skeptical at first, the layout of the site is super easy to use and navigate around, and you are able to 'like' posts in an easy way, as well as being able to share posts that you like on all the various social media platforms.

Feedly

Another super great way to stay connected with your favourite blogs. I have just found stumbled onto this site, and I'm looking forward to learning more about it.

ABeautifulMess iPhone & Android app

This is by far one of my favourite apps for my phone, I use it all the time to beautify my photographs for Facebook and for my blog. It is similar to Picmonkey in that you are editing photographs and adding text, but it's just so much better. The founder, Elsie & Emma run the wonderful blog A Beautiful Mess Blog and have just launched an update for the app as well as launching it for Android phones...its amazing! I use it to create my photographs and graphics for Instagram too. {CLICK HERE to see what else you can do with the app}. Download it from Itunes for 99c here.

MailChimp

I haven't officially started using this email campaign site yet, but it is very powerful and I can see just how awesome is is going to be to communicate with my readers once I have it set up and running. The founder of our current blog series, Caitlyn de Beer, where nine of us South African ladies have been contributing over the past two weeks on Starting your own {Creative Business} *CLICK HERE to read more* has been using MailChimp to communicate with all of us. The site allows you to schedule emails ahead of time, so you can write them all up and get the ready (there is so much that can be done with customizing them too!) and then you can set up a date and time for the emails to go out. You can also create beautiful newsletters to send to readers (and family too!). I am looking forward to sinking my teeth into this site more soon.

PicMonkey

A free online photo editor, that allows you to edit photographs and add text, create collages and generally 'prettyify' your photographs for your blog.

HootSuite

HootSuite is a social media management system for businesses and organizations. You are able to see all of your social media platforms on one dashboard, and post onto each one from one place. Its saves me time, and with their new auto scheduling option, HootSuite will publish your Twitter & Facebook posts at the optimum times for increased exposure based on a whole lot of numbers and other fancy maths things they have done. Super cool!

Happy blogging everyone!

x

Fun Wedding Cake Ideas

From our wedding last year {CLICK HERE to see more wedding posts}, I am still signed up to rather a large amount of wedding inspiration websites and newsletters. For the most part I tend to delete each one that I get, but this one in particular caught my eye as each of the cakes below could be used at any celebration, not just for a wedding.

And aren't these idea's lovely! 

And I had to throw in some photographs of our yummy wedding cake too, as well as our cupcakes and candy bar...just for fun <3

{Found on GreenWeddingShoes, original content by BHLDN}

A story for all Teachers

                                                            {source}

Here in South Korea its wet, cold and very gloomy. Last week was a very busy one for me, prepping for lessons for my middle schools girls. Armed with a bag full of cups, I cycled to school in the rain, ready and excited to teach "The Cup Song" to my girls (if you're not sure what Cup Song is, click here). Sitting at my desk, going through my lessons for the day in my only free for the day, and I get a tap on my shoulder. "Roxy Teacher, this week you have to teach lesson 12 to the third graders. I'm sorry, I was confused last week". So no fun cup song this week, no tap tapping along to a catchy song and singing along to cheesy lyrics, instead my girls will be doing what could quite possibly be the most boring lesson of the year. Oh, and I have 30 minutes to plan the lesson for them. 

So on that note, how is your monday going?

Then I read the story below, and I smiled, and I realised the world is not going to end, my girls might not have the most fun lesson this week, but I get to spend 45 minutes with them today, and I have 45 minutes to make them smile at least once. 

Happy Monday everyone!

x

"On the 6th day, God created men and women. On the 7th day, he rested. Not so much to recuperate, but rather to prepare himself for the work he was going to do on the next day. For it was on that day - the 8th day - that God created the FIRST TEACHER.

This TEACHER, though taken from among men and women, had several significant modifications. In general, God made the TEACHER more durable than other men and women. The TEACHER was made to arise at a very early hour and to go to bed no earlier than 11:30 PM with no rest in between.

The TEACHER had to be able to withstand being locked up in an air-tight classroom for six hours with thirty-five "monsters" on a rainy Monday. And the TEACHER had to be fit to correct 103 papers over Easter vacation. Yes, God made the TEACHER tough... but gentle, too. The TEACHER was equipped with soft hands to wipe away the tears of the neglected and lonely student... those of the sixteen-year old girl who was not asked to the prom.

And into the TEACHER God poured a generous amount of patience. Patience when a student asks to repeat the directions the TEACHER has just repeated for someone else. Patience when the kids forget their lunch money for the fourth day in a row. Patience when one-third of the class fails the test. Patience when the text books haven't arrived yet, and the semester starts tomorrow.

And God gave the TEACHER a heart slightly bigger than the average human heart. For the Teacher's heart had to be big enough to love the kid who screams, "I hate this class - it's boring!" and to love the kid who runs out of the classroom at the end of the period without so much as a "goodbye," let alone a "thank you."

And lastly, God gave the TEACHER an abundant supply of HOPE. For God knew that the TEACHER would always be hoping. Hoping that the kids would someday learn how to spell... hoping not to have lunchroom duty... hoping that Friday would come... hoping for a free day... hoping for deliverance.

When God finished creating the TEACHER, he stepped back and admired the work of His hands. And God saw that the TEACHER was good. Very Good! And God smiled, for when he looked at the TEACHER, he saw into the future.

He knew that the future is in the hands of the TEACHERS. And because God loves TEACHERS so much... on the 9th day God created... SNOW DAYS!"

From Inspire21

{for my South African readers, snow days are days when its too cold to go to school, or when there is too much snow blocking the roads and no one can get to school...I'm looking forward to a few this winter here in Korea!}

DIY Christmas Advent Calendars

Today my lovely friend and fellow blogger Caitlyn (who is also a qualified Life Coach here in Korea, in case your looking for someone to help you find some direction in your life CLICK HERE!) organized a wonderful morning of Christmas DIYing. It just so happened to be four of us South African ladies who were able to make it, and over some delicious milk tart, we cut and stuck, and giggled and laughed the hours away.

It was a wonderful way to start sharing the Christmas spirit. We each brought enough little prezzies to fill 24 bags, and after we had decorated and filled each bag, we chose one bag for each day leading up to Christmas, knowing that some of the bags would contain surprises from each of us. 

Such a fun morning.

This was such an easy DIY, and there are still 6 days left till December for you to get your advent calendars ready...click here for some more inspiration.

Thank you for organizing everything Kit! It was a wonderful morning.

x