WEEKEND FUN

This weekend flew by but was definitely one of the most fun this summer and I wanted to share just a few pictures from it.  The Washington County Fair started on Wednesday and I tagged along with a bestie her family on Thursday.  We had the best fried pickles ever and sung our hearts out to Michael Ray.

Saturday, I spent the day at the beach... it was relaxing and just what I needed.  Saturday night, T and I headed to the fair with a group of friends.  Jess and I had to get the fried pickles again and we hugged a massive cow.  Seriously massive.  I also was able to convince T to hop on a few carnival rides with me!  Slightly off-balance and rickety rides are not exactly his forte but he was just fine :).

Sunday was a little less relaxing than usual seeing as we had my work's summer party.  Although not relaxing, the view was beautiful!  The owner of the company just bought the most beautiful property and was kind enough to host the event there.  T said the clam chowder was out of this world too (I don't have as much experience to give my opinion on that one)!

INSTAGRAM TIP TUESDAY #6

Long time no talk!  I was busy celebrating a family wedding all weekend so here we are with two Tuesday tips in a row.  

Something that most people don't take advantage of is their caption for each photo.  Yes, sometimes it is easier and more fun to post a witty quote or pun with an emoji but sometimes, it is necessary to say something with meaning.  Captions give you the ability to tell a story about the picture.  You are able to tell your audience how you felt, what you smelled, what happened right before you shot the image.  These small details allow your picture to have a bigger meaning.

Along with the meaning behind your image being explained, you are able to build relationships through the caption.  You can prompt your audience with a question or just tell a story.  Either way, all of this will help build a deeper connection with your followers and create authentic engagement.

If taking the time to think of a caption seems a bit daunting, you can always hire me to help.

INSTAGRAM TIP TUESDAY #5

Posting intentionally is important when it comes to Instagram.  You want to make sure you are thinking of your followers before posting an image.  Why would they want to see this image?  Is there a meaning behind this picture?  Is there a purpose to this caption?

When you post an image, you want to make sure it has a purpose.  Consistent and useful content will show your followers exactly what you do and provide a clear brand message.  When you begin to post without a reason why, that is when your feed begins to look unprofessional and sloppy. If you think it is necessary to post on specific holidays, make sure you listen to tip number two and plan ahead.

Although this tip is pretty simple, it is still important.  If you don't have anything to say, don't say anything at all.  And if you have something to say but don't know how to say, hire me.

FIVE MINDLESS ACTIVITIES TO GET YOUR MIND OFF THINGS

This morning I had the strangest encounter at Dunkin’ Donuts.  Don’t get me wrong, I am aware I made a mistake however, these two creepy men screamed at me for it.  Needless to say, it has been bothering me all day.  I always struggle with things like that.  I let feelings and thoughts fester (ew, just realized I don’t like that word) until they eat me up inside.

I have been trying to not let my mind control my days as I used to.  Trying not to focus on the little things that will not matter by tomorrow or next week has always been difficult for me.  Letting these things get to me has always affects my mood, my work, everything.  Although I am still working on it, I thought I would tell you what helps me distract myself from my own thoughts.

Reading a book always helps me clear my head.  I dive in to another person’s life or story and immerse myself into their narrative.  I find that fiction books work best for this since they describe imaginary events and people.

Painting + photography are two hobbies of mine that I use to clear my head.  If you focus on a task that requires your full concentration, you will slowly start to relax and clear your mind. You don’t have have the same hobbies as I do. You can knit, crochet, write, cook; whatever you enjoy doing, do that.

Working out helps clearing your head and I don’t know about you, but I have never been upset or worrisome after a good sweat.  Get your endorphins going and focus on what you love about yourself.  You will be clear of negative thoughts soon.

Taking a nap is like hitting a reset button for me.  If you have the time, close your eyes for a quick power nap and you will wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of your day.

Netflix is a great way to immerse yourself in something if reading a book is not really your thing.  Sometimes you just need to sit and watch an episode (or 12) of your favorite show to relax and declutter your mind.

What are some ways you clear your mind of negative or overwhelming thoughts?  Let me know!  I am always looking for new ways to get my mind off things that shouldn’t be there.

AUGUST MOOD BOARD

August is here and I plan on taking the time to beach it as much as possible.  Below is my mood board for the month.  I am no graphic designer (yet!) but I like the way my first one came out!

images from top left to bottom right: *image1 *image2 *image3

handbag: topshop | hat: revolve

INSTAGRAM TIP TUESDAY #4

August is the Sunday of months.  Seriously.  We love it because it is still summer (or the weekend) but we know work or school is right around the corner.  It is the best and the worst and it also means we are half way through Instagram Tip Tuesday!

This weeks tip is "don't be a one hit wonder."  I learned these words from the fabulous Jenna Kutcher (I will post more about that rockstar soon).  She has coined something called the "Jenna Kutcher 5."  I guess technically that would make this her tip! 

The JK5 is just around to remind you not to post about the exact same thing everyday.  You want variety and excitement in your posts so your followers won't know what is coming next.  You want to keep your followers on their toes so they keep coming back for more!  I am still working on this.  I am having trouble narrowing down my "five" but I can give you an example of the 5 I use for own of my clients.

1. Interiors
2. Images of delicious meals
3. Beaches
4. Lifestyle Imagery
5. Recipes from our Cookbook

We rotate through these five things (with the occasional interruption) so our grid is interesting, well-rounded, and will keep our followers coming back for more.  If we posted the same food image everyday, you all would know what to expect.  It would not be as exciting and we would blend in with every other food account.  Find what works for you and your feed that will make you stand out.

If you feel like you are having trouble finding your five and standing out, you can always hire me!

SAVE THE DATES

Our Save the Dates finally started hitting mailboxes and I love the reactions we have been getting!  We decided to go with something a bit less traditional for the Save the Dates since we know the invites and the wedding itself will be a bit more formal.  We obviously want our guests to know that they will be having a good time!  I wanted to share with you all what they look like so without further adieu, I give you, our fun Save the Dates!

Fun right?  We think so!

If you want updates as we plan our wedding, let me know!  I would love to share this exciting time with all of you.

INSTAGRAM TIP TUESDAY #3

Time for the third installment of Instagram Tip Tuesday!  I love the messages I have been getting after these posts.  You guys are seriously the best.

Anyways, #3 is engagement is key!  Instagram is all about building relationships with your followers.

I have made some pretty awesome friends because of this little app and I am so thankful that I have those friendships.  Reaching out to someone, whether it is through a comment or a message, might seem scary but you never know, you might meet your soul sista.

Along with making friends, engaging with your followers will help with your own profile.  The more obvious way engagement will help is that your name will be put in front of new eyes and help traffic flow to your profile.  Engagement also increases the amount of times your profile will show up on someone else's feed as they scroll.  Photos that the Instagram Algorithm "thinks" people want to see because others are commenting and liking it show up more often in feeds.  It will rule this as a higher quality post that more people want to see.

One last reason why engaging with your followers is something we all should be doing is to grow your community.  No, I don't mean that new BFF, I mean customers or blog followers or readers.  Your community is the reason you are posting.  Whether you are a blogger, an etsy shop owner, an influencer, your followers are logging on to see what you are up to.  Your followers show up to see what you are up to.  They don't want you to just post and log off, they wanted to know you that you are a real human.  Make them feel seen and heard and your community with thrive.

If you don't have time to make your followers feel seen or heard, you can always hire me!

BLUEBERRIES

I have been dying to pick some sort of berry for years.  My sister and I picked strawberries once in England with our aunt and friend and they were incredible.  They tasted incredible and fresh.  It was such a relief since we pick grapes once in Tuscany, Italy and let me tell you... they were definitely not ripe yet. Thirteen year old Cait ate some on a bet from her sister and a new friend and I'm still not sure if they were worth it haha.

Anyways... T and I went on Saturday and we were surrounded by thousands of blueberries!  I snuck a few on the spot and did not regret it.

It was super hot so T and I did not last long but we picked enough for me to enjoy for the week (he is not really a fan).  I had a mini panic moment when T reminded me of how crazy ticks are this summer up here and immediately regretted the maxi dress.  I inspected myself head to toe when we got in the car.   Needless to say, I obviously survived.

Do you have any favorite berry picking spot that we should check out?  We cannot wait for strawberry picking next spring but what should we do in the meantime?

INSTAGRAM TIP TUESDAY #2

The second tip I have for you all is more of an opinion however, I feel like it is still something worth mentioning.  Never post in real time.  I know what you’re thinking; INSTAgram, it’s supposed to be instant but hear me out…

While you are busy editing, cropping, saturating, writing, you are missing what is going on around you.  If you are exploring an incredible landscape and know that you are going to want to share it with your friends and followers, snap the picture and put your phone or camera down so you can actually see the view without looking through a lens or screen.

If you just got the most Instagram worthy meal or ice cream cone, snap your picture and then let yourself enjoy whatever it is in front of you.  Not only will your ice cream melt and your dinner get cold, you will be on your phone at the table while you are with guests.  Being on your phone at the table will give off the vibes that whatever you are doing is more important than they are.  It is rude and not necessary if you post the image later.

Another reason you shouldn't post in real time is so you do not make any spelling or grammatical errors (which I do on here far too often).  If you are posting for a business, organization, or even just yourself, you want to always put your best foot forward and make sure you didn't make any errors.  

If that sounds a bit too stressful for you or you are not sure when you should post or if you will even have time, you can always hire me. ;)