Oh Hey, Friday!


Hi Peachies! Happy Fri-YAY! I'm so happy we survived this week. No kidding. It's been one of those weeks. It started with my hubby's truck breaking down on Sunday, then my car decided to follow suit while I was on the way to pick us up some dinner. Luckily my husband is the champion of all things & got both of the vehicles back up and running.

Monday our Willow pup started having pain and kept us up all Tuesday night and again last night. During all this I got crazy and decided to start learning about HTML and coding for my blog which left me with no commenting section yesterday. And oh! I woke up this morning with a swollen eye and no explanation why.

Life is still great though and i've got nothing but blessings in my life.

Since it's Friday it's time for Oh Hey Friday with Karli from September Farm.

my five-what i'm crushing on

1. DIY Farmhouse Decor
We all know about the millions of uses for old palettes. I'm still in love with that decor, too!
But my cousin to be just turned me on to something new (to me).
DIY shutter decor. YES!! Taking old shutters and repurposing them into bookcases, wall organizers, and even kitchen islands!
I'm getting some shutters from her asap to do some home DIYsrustic shutter organizer.


2. Motherhood
I've always loved my role as a Mom. I've never been more sure of this title and as our summer is winding down and my buddy is getting ready to head into 8th grade, I can't help but feel proud. Proud of being a Mom but mostly, i'm proud, of my son. He's an awesome young man. Full of kindness and caring but also full of spunk and not afraid to speak up for himself. I hope he always knows his Dad & I are behind him as hard as it is to let him fly we do because we want him to grow and be the best man he can be.

3. Lazy Summer Days

Lazy summer days. #photosinbetween #abmlifeissweet #sweetsummertime

A photo posted by {Leslie Soto} (@georgiapeachy31) on




4. Social Circles Business Cards
Okay, I confess. I just saw these on Dara from The Southern Thing's loving lately post but I am obsessed. I'm really thinking I need to order myself some once I'm really selling my jewelry, too!
How pretty are these and the best part is that it comes with a super cute tassel key chain/holder.


5. My Hubby.
Cliche, I know but my hubby really is the best. Lately I can't get enough of him.
He's the frosting to my cupcake. Actually, he's the frosting and sprinkles with cherries on top.
And we get to celebrate ONE year of marriage in a a couple months.

Happy Fri-YAY Peachies! Now, go have a margarita and kick this weekend off.


July Target Beauty Box


Hey Peachies! If y'all follow me on any platform of social media then you know I love beauty products. I'm in no way a beauty blogger but I love to share the products I love. That's a lot of love.

I knew when I received my Target Beauty Box I had to share it with my favorite bunch of beautiful ladies.

Target Beauty Box isn't a monthly subscription, which I kind of actually love because you don't have to go through the hassle of discontinuing the subscription if you don't enjoy the products or if money gets tight. The only con to the Beauty Box is that it isn't advertised when it is released and it sells out pretty quick so I feel like it's pure luck if you actually are able to order one. However, a little birdie told me that it is released on the first Wednesday of the month but I can't confirm that. I just check stalk Target's website to see if there's any info on the August box yet. There isn't.

Target Beauty Box's Cost is between $5 and $10 per month and sometimes they have more than one box. This month there were two, Simply Radiant and Fresh & Fabulous I was only able to get the Fresh & Fabulous but it was the one I was absolutely the most excited about and it costed $7.

You can find the Target Beauty Box by going to Target.com and typing Beauty Box in the search bar or you can follow me on Twitter & I'll tweet them out when they're available. I also love that by searching Beauty Box on Target's web site you can also see all the products they put in their boxes and you can buy them right there, too.

Now for the goodies.

Fresh & Fabulous


Garnier Skin Active Clearly Brighter Brightening & Smoothing Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15
It smells great and has a great texture but I don't like putting anything on my face, other than make up, during the day so this is definitely a before bed product for me.



Dove Advanced Hair Series Regenerative Nourishment Shampoo & Conditioner
I'm excited to try this product. I used to use Dove products religiously but have switched to salon brands since i've started getting my hair colored regularly. I can tell you that it smells amazing.



Tom's of Maine Anti-plaque and Whitening Fluoride Free Peppermint Natural Toothpaste
I'm actually very picky about my toothpaste so I haven't tried this yet but I'll give it a go.



Umberto Beverly Hills Lifting Powder
I tried this one day. I just threw it in my hair without really reading about it and I was kinda neutral about it. It gave my hair a little volume so i'm sure if I really use it the right way i'll love it.



NYX Butter Lipstick in Fun Size
This is one of my "go to" lip colors now. I love the NYX products and this lip stick doesn't disappoint. It's definitely something i'll replace when it runs out.


Sweet Spot On The Go Wipes
This was my favorite product in the box. I love the scents of these wipes and with temps in the 90-100s lately these are the perfect refresher wipes. They're something I never would have known existed if it wasn't for this box but now they're one of my beauty staples. You can bet they'll be in my beach/pool bag and purse from now on.

My thoughts on the box:
I love it! I have definitely tried some new products and a couple have made it to my Target shopping list. It's worth $7!
My favorite products are the Sweet Spot On The Go Wipes & NYX Lip Butter in Fun Size.


Have you tried the Target Beauty Box? What are your favorite products?

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July Currently



Hi Beautiful Peachies! Can you believe that July is almost over?!? I think I blinked and missed most of the month. It's been a blur and i'm not even sure why or how. My friends are waiting on me to put together the Sunshine Mail gift exchange, I'm supposed to write a few more blog posts this month, and tackle most of my goals for this month, too. But i'm thinking most of that probably won't happen.

Anyway, while I'm sitting here waiting on my coffee to kick in I thought it was a great time to catch up with my currently post.

So here is July's
Currently

Enjoying...quiet mornings. I love sitting in the quiet with Willow pup, drinking coffee, and blogging.

Wishing For...the beach. This girl just needs the beach!

Loving...having my son home from school. I'm not going to lie, i'm bummed that school is starting back soon.

Looking Forward To...this weekend. My hubby & I have a day filled with fun planned. Going shopping and eating at one of our favorite places.

Smelling...this is strange because I don't have candles lit, my diffuser isn't on and I don't have on lotions of perfumes. All I smell is the coffee from my mug.

Wearing...black Under Armour pants, purple peace tee.

Feeling...relaxed and excited!

Bookmarking... Kristen Bell & Dax Shepard's Wedding pics ( I think Kristen and I could be BFFs), Cheddar Buttermilk Waffle Recipe, How to Curl With A Flat Iron, The Modern Tulip's Headband Hair Wrap Tutorial.

Reading...Amy Poehler's Yes Please.

Watching...Snapchat. I've not been into tv lately.

Listening (to)...the clock ticking and the refrigerator running. (Yes, y'all! It is THAT quiet in my house right now.)

Eating...just got done with a Betty Crocker Sweet Rewards Butterscotch Blondie (HEAVENLY!!)

Cooking...nothing yet but I'm thinking i'll make my love's favorite coconut chicken fingers tonight.

Drinking...Coffee, Coffee, Coffee!

Texting...no one right now, it's still early ;)

Pinning...How to Create A Morning Routine, Make Up Goodness, all the Golden Retriever puppies, How to white wash furniture, Mermaid Parties, and How to make a dog toy rope out of old tee shirts.

Instagramming...Lipsticks, the giraffe filter from Snap, Blog Posts, and Girl's Day!

Snapchatting...the Headband Hair Wrap Style i've been practicing, my serious lack of enthusiasm for NOT wanting to go grocery shopping yesterday.

Tweeting...all my blog posts plus pictures.

Starting...to make and sell jewelry again!

Finishing...This post.

Loving these purchases...Baby Skin Pore Eraser.

Using these essential oils...Breathe Ease.

This Is My Jam...Fergie's M.I.L.F. $





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Monday Morning Coffee Talk




Hello Peachies! Happy Monday Loves! I hope you're all feeling refreshed and relaxed after the weekend. I know I had a pretty awesome one. Friday night my poor hubby worked 20 hours straight & didn't get home until 1:30 Saturday morning. That left a lot of time for me to just do whatever my heart desired. Friday involved taking the dog to the vet and taking my son to Taco Bell for dinner then coming home and enjoying mani/pedis.



Saturday my hubby went into work again for another eight hours so my son, Willow pup and I hung around the house. I got a lot of blogging done then we went to my parent's house for steak dinner. And yesterday two of my girlfriends came over to talk wedding stuff for my cousin to be. It was so nice to enjoy girl time with them. Something I definitely need more of in my life!




So that was my weekend in a nut shell. I'm currently snuggled up on the couch with my Willow girl, watching SnapChat, drinking coffee, blogging, and putting off going grocery shopping.

I've been reading Ashleigh from Trucks and Ruffles blog the last couple days.

*Random fact* When I find a blog I love I like to read the entire blog like a book. I start at the end of the book and read to the front, so to speak. I love to know about the bloggers I connect with and I like to see where they started and how they got where they are now. Maybe that's strange but I think, if it's there they must want you to read it. Right?

Okay, now that you think i'm a complete stalker let's get back to where my train de-railed. I've been reading Ashleigh's blog and getting totally inspired by her. Her make up organization is my dream. Her home decoration ideas are major new home goals. She's a mama to two beautiful kids and a wife, too. And her loves are coffee and make up and she's become someone I talk to through Instagram daily. {We are part of an Instagram group that loves on each other's pics.} Her Saturday Coffee posts have inspired me to share some of the things i've been loving lately.

At only 5' tall, I always believed I couldn't wear a maxi dress until I found one that I fell in love with last summer. My hubby and I had a wedding to go to and I needed a dress like then so I ran to Target and fell in love with a gorgeous blue maxi dress. It was light weight and flowy. Perfect for a June wedding. So I tried it on and fell in love. I wore it to at least, two weddings and my own rehearsal dinner last summer. I loved it that much. Now I have a wedding to go to next month and am kinda over wearing the blue maxi dress. I've found
this beauty. Now to see if she's in the budget because I kinda, sorta, basically need her in my life. Plus, maybe I can wear her for my one year wedding anniversary, too. I mean, I wouldn't be opposed to that.

Speaking of weddings, don't you love these sweet gift ideas from Love Street Boutique? .:Sigh:. I want to get married again.

Jessie James Decker's new video Lights Down Low basically gives me all the feels. I just adore her and this this behind the scenes video is everything.

I'm thinking this Pink Champagne Cake needs to be made like now.
So do these Chocolate Chip Biscuit Smores

I just watched Maegen from The Modern Tulip's Headband Hair Wrap Tutorial and now i'm swooning over all the headbands from Headbands of Hope. Especially this one. And I want to do my hair like Maegen because it's so gorgeous!

Fergie's new song MILF $ is my guilty pleasure. It's definitely not something to listen to {definitely don't watch the video} with kids around. In fact, I paused the video on my laptop when my 13 year old came in the room. It's racy and a little raunchy but sometimes you just need that song that can change your mood and get you out of a funk. This song is that for me. Jessica Hughes from Happily Hughes mentioned it last week so I had to check it out. It's my jam now. As soon as i'm in the car alone i'm blasting this song on repeat.

Speaking of Fergie, I'm loving her new haircut. I'm seriously considering this hair style.

And back to Jessica Hughes from Happily Hughes. She shared this post on the Mommy Fit Challenge the other day. I'm not pregnant nor have I just had a baby but my hubby and I are trying to have another baby soon and this program just sounds exciting and inspiring to me. They actually have other challenges that I would probably join for now, like the 15 Day Body Challenge and with protein powders in flavors like Cake Batter & Cake Batter and Cake Batter & Pina Colada, how fun does it sound?

And since my hubby and I are in the process of planning to build our dream house, I've been in full on dreamin' about decorating this thing mode. This pin my mama sent me pretty much nails what I want my dream home to look like. You can follow my Pinterest board Dream Casa to see my inspiration and goals for my new house.





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Life According to Instagram Pt. 1



Hello Peachies! Can you believe the weekend is right around the corner? Our weekend is going to be jam packed with baby showers and wedding planning with family and friends. None if it is for us. We're just part of it all! Oh, and Willow has a vet appointment tomorrow and it's my brother's birthday, too and somehow I have to get my house clean before friends come over Sunday. I'm stressed. It's been a long time since we've had a jam packed weekend and to be honest, i'm excited about it.

My fun is starting today with lunch with a super sweet friend and then going swimming with another super sweet friend and her babies. I'm so excited, y'all, but while I sit here and sip my coffee and soak in the quietness of the morning I'm going to share with you my life lately through Instagram pictures.

I've been doing a photo challenge the month of July with some awesome, talented, and inspiring bloggers lately.
I thought i'd share my re-cap so far.


Day 1•TGIF #sweetsummersybl #syblbloggers #fridayiminlove #fridayhasmyheart #summerwithsotos

A video posted by {Leslie Soto} (@georgiapeachy31) on









Day 5•Morning Coffee #syblbloggers #sweetsummersybl

A photo posted by {Leslie Soto} (@georgiapeachy31) on







Day 7•Colorful #syblbloggers #sweetsummerSYBL

A photo posted by {Leslie Soto} (@georgiapeachy31) on




Day8•Ice Cream #syblbloggers #sweetsummersybl

A photo posted by {Leslie Soto} (@georgiapeachy31) on




Day 9•What I'm Doing Now #syblbloggers #sweetsummersybl

A photo posted by {Leslie Soto} (@georgiapeachy31) on




Day 11•Mani Monday #syblbloggers #sweetsummersybl

A photo posted by {Leslie Soto} (@georgiapeachy31) on




Day 12•OOTD #sweetsummersybl #syblbloggers

A photo posted by {Leslie Soto} (@georgiapeachy31) on




Day 13•Smile #syblbloggers #sweetsummersybl

A photo posted by {Leslie Soto} (@georgiapeachy31) on




Day 14•Summertime Sippin' #syblbloggers #sweetsummersybl

A photo posted by {Leslie Soto} (@georgiapeachy31) on



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Letting Go of Perfection



Hi Peachies. Today I need to share some things on my heart and soul. I need to clear my mind and be honest with you. I'm a mess of emotions and feelings right now. I'm allowing myself to get in my own head and make a mess of the blessings i've been given. Don't worry, this isn't a Dear Diary post. I've already spent my time doing that this morning and it felt good to get those words out on paper and leave them there but I feel like, as bloggers, we like to share the bright and bubbly side of life and sometimes we aren't great about sharing the real moments. The moments we struggle with. That's why I want to share this with you.

This morning I woke up at 6. It's a whole hour and a half earlier than I have been lately. After I laid in bed for 30 minutes I decided I wanted to grab a cup of coffee and sit out on our front porch and read my daily devotional while the sun came up.

Instagram post this morning


Today's devotional really spoke to me & left me feeling inspired so I grabbed my phone and opened my Calm app and meditated then I grabbed my yoga mat and started to do some yoga. Something changed though. Instead of remembering what I had just read in my devotional, "Everything we have-including our lives-is an expression of God's generosity to us", I looked around my house and all I saw was a mess. Every single room is a mess. I spend my days cleaning this house, making it a place of happiness and comfort for my family but to look at it, you can't tell. Now y'all, I realize I'll never live in a house that looks like a museum, nor do I want to. I want my family and friends to feel comfortable in my house but I do like to be able to tell i've done something. I'm blessed to be able to stay at home and take care of my son, my hubby, and our home but I take my role in this family seriously and sometimes it's hard not to feel overwhelmed.

I've been in such an inspired and #girlboss season in my life lately but today I simply feel over whelmed. It's times like these when I realize that I'm creating my own standard of perfection. I'm expecting myself to live up to something I simply can't because perfection isn't real. It's just an idea I've created in my own head. I know that no one expects anything un-realistic from me so why do I expect them from myself?

In January I picked out a word of the year. (You can read that post here.) My word was perfection because it's a word I want to take out of my mind, my head, my heart, and my life. I allow myself to be controlled by this false sense of perfection instead of seeing the blessings in everything. Most of the time I do okay with letting go of that silly thought but sometimes it still sneaks in and steals my joy.

I'm breaking up with perfection today. I'm going to choose happiness instead. My messy house is a sign of a family that's busy laughing, loving, and creating memories together. I'm blessed by the laundry piling up and the dishwasher that needs to be emptied because it means that we have clothes to protect us from the summer sun. It means we sleep comfortably in our favorite pajamas. It means we have food on our tables each day and night. I'm going to remember what I read in my devotional today and live in the generosity the Lord has given me.

I'm not perfect and that's okay.








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My OCD Habits


Hi Peachies! Are y'all ready to hear some of my deepest secrets. The things I obsess over. Things that drive me crazy and sometimes even make me turn my car around and go home to check on that "thing"?

Are you ready to hear all about
My OCD Habits

I'm more than a little OCD about some things. There are things that flat out drive me insane if they aren't done and then there are some things that I'm ODC about simply because I've been forgetful about them too often in the past.

Let Me Explain

+ My counters have to be wiped down. I wipe them down several times a day with Clorox Wipes and just a wet wash rag.
I can't stand to have dirty/sticky counter tops.

+ My curling iron/flat iron being unplugged. This is one I've forgotten about a few too many times.
I've even turned the car around to check.
Now I'll check it two or three times before I leave just to be sure.

+ My clothes have to be organized in my closet by type and in a particular order. From back to front it's jackets, sweaters, sweatshirts, long sleeve shirts, 3/4 sleeved shirts, tee shirts, tanks, dresses, capris, jeans. And each of those has to be organized by favorites. Favorites are closest to the front.

+ My shoes have to be matched up and lined up in my closet, too.

+ I like balance when it comes to decorating. If I have something on the right side of the shelf, there has to be something similar on the left side, too.

+ When I'm locking up my house I have to check, at least twice, to make sure I really did lock the door. Sometimes I have to run back in and make sure I locked the back door, too.

+ Sometimes I count my steps in my head (Yes, I even have a fit bit).

+ If I can't sleep I add all the numbers of the time together & keep adding them until I come to a single digit.
(You really get to sleep fast this way). Sometimes I even add all the numbers on someone's mail box until I find that one digit.

+ At each store I visit often, I have a certain pattern I walk and shop.


I don't think my OCD habits are too out there, except maybe the one about all my clothes in my closet. That one might be borderline insanity but I love organization to the extreme and that's the only space I truly can control. No one else adds chaos and clutter to my closet so it's my little piece of organized Heaven.

What are some of your OCD Habits? Do we share any of the same ones?



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Oh Hey, Friday! {Beauty Box, #relationship Goals, Sandwiches, Blog Posts, & Love}

Hello Lovely Peachies. Happy Friday! We made it, so let's celebrate by staying in our pajamas, snuggled in bed all day, drinking coffee until it's acceptable to drink wine.

Who's ready for the weekend? I'm raising my hands high over here. This week has been one odd week, for sure. I'm ready for a weekend of being snuggled in at home with my hubby, doing much of nothing.

But first, it's time for Oh, Hey Friday with Karli Bell from September Farms Oh Hey, Friday!.

Here's how the link up goes:
1 | grab this here snazzy summer-themed button and link back to Sept. Farm.
2 | link up your post at the bottom of Karli's post.
3 | tell all your friends + have a fantastic friday.



My Friday Five
Favorites

1. I was finally able to get July's Target Beauty Box. If you don't know, it's a $7 box full of beauty goodies from Target. I'm so excited!!
It's usually sold out before I ever get to oder one. If you want one, run now.
July Beauty Box

2. These are my favorite blog posts from fellow bloggers this week.
+ The Home Loving Wife 7 Things to Do When You Feel Overwhelemed
+ Coming Up Roses 11 Flatlay Photography Tips
+ Simply Lindsay Embracing the Little Moments
+ Coffee With Summer My Quarter Life Crisis

3. Jessie James Decker and her hubby Eric gave us all #relationshipgoals this week with the release of her new video.
Lights Down Low

4. My blog posts for the week
My Favorite Quotes
My Favorite Primers
Blogging Wisdom

5. I'm feeling super mushy today. I can't wait for my hubby to get home so we can spend the weekend snuggling. In the mean time, i'll be here listening to our wedding playlist and swooning over our wedding pictures.
(Only 2 months until our one year anniversary)

And to bring back Foodie Friday

My family is a fan of the Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki sandwich from Subway so I have made a copy cat recipe for it.

We used:
+ 3 packages of the Oscar Mayer Carving Board Chicken Breasts
+1/2 packet of Grill Mates Sweet Onion Seasoning
+1/3-1/2 bottle World Harbors Teriyaki Sauce
I put the chicken in the skillet and let it warm for about 5 minutes then added the dry sweet onion seasoning and teriyaki sauce and let it all simmer for 5-10 minutes on low.
I served them on honey wheat sandwich buns (turns out they were hot dog buns) and topped them with all our favorite veggies & sliced provolone cheese.
Easiest dinner ever and there were plenty of left overs.

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Blogging Wisdom



Hi Peachies! Today's post is something that I'm sharing because I hope it can inspire and help new bloggers or anyone in a blogging rut.
I'm not a professional, myself, so all statements are my own opinions and findings through my own blogging journey.

I started blogging in 2013, actually I think it was around 2010. My son's first grade teacher had a class blog that all the parents could read and interact on. Even the kids left sweet comments. It got me thinking about the moments I wanted to capture and save so I started a blog, two actually, one for me and one for my son. It was never meant to go anywhere. I had no idea how to even make it start going somewhere so I blogged what was on my heart for my blog and shared my son's milestones on his and proudly e-mailed his out to all the family, especially those who live out of state.

I had just started reading blogs like Kevin and Amanda & Maggie Whitley Designs and while I swooned over them daily, I had no idea that a girl like me could start a blog and have it become something. Honestly, i'm not even sure how I figured it out or who showed me the way. I just did it. Because i'm nosey and have Google, y'all!

In 2013, I merged the two blogs into one (and sadly lost all those moments I was saving for my son, because amateur) and I started one blog. When that wasn't going in any direction at all I scratched it and started over with Peachy Keen-A Southern State of Mind, that was in May 2013.
You can see my first post here.

Since then my blog has been through many changes as I've grown. Just recently (this week) my blog has gotten a mini face lift and a new name, Peaches & Willow. I'm like Beyonce over here, y'all, I keep re-inventing myself. Can't stop. Won't stop. Sorry. Not Sorry.
In all my growth as a blogger I've learned some things. And I still have a lot to learn but I want to share some of those things here. Now. Today.

Here's what I've learned in blogging (so far).

+ Don't feel like you have to fit into a niche or fit in anywhere.
It's okay to be a "lifestyle" blogger. That's pretty all encompassing and that's okay.
My life doesn't fit into a niche, so guess what? Neither does my blog!
If you want to blog about recipes one day, heart stuff the next, and recipes the day after-do it!
Don't conform to titles and niches, if you don't want.

+ Be genuine and blog about what your passionate about.
People can read through you if you aren't being true to yourself. Yes! Even on the internet.
Make your blog a true reflection of yourself and if you aren't passionate about it, don't blog about it.

+ Get invovled in Facebook groups.
This was a game changer for me, y'all. When I found out there were blogging groups on Facebook I was excited.
People who understand me and have the same goals as me?!?
It was through my blogging groups that i've found my tribe & grown my blog exponentially.
Join them and share your posts but be engaged and share theirs and comment on theirs, too!

My favorite blogging FB groups are:
Show Your Blog Love
Blog Passion Project
Boost Your Blog
The Peony Project

+ Take as many webinars as you can.
A lot of bloggers like Helene in Between do amazing webinars.
Some even free but you can bet, if she's doing a webinar, i'm all in.

+ Don't blog for free.
I've learned this the hard way. I've had two companies contact me for collaboration posts but there was nothing given in exchange.
I did them because I thought they were a great way to boost my blog, turns out I was being duped.
They were getting free advertisement from me, I was getting nothing.
At least ask if your blog post will be shared so you can get some advertising from it, too.

+ Find a passion project.
A passion project is just that, something you're passionate about. Your blog can be your only passion project & that's okay but remember this quote from Elizabeth Gilbert, “Honor your creativity so much that you don’t demand it to provide for your entire life.”
It's tricky to decipher in terms of blogging because you may want to make money off your blog, trust me, most of us do but this just means that if the joy is sucked out of your passion then you're doing it for the wrong reason. Joy should be just that, joy. Not something dreadful.

+ Get involved on social media.
Share those posts on all platforms of social media you can.

Here are my Social Media profiles.
Facebook
Google+
Twitter
Pinterest
instagram
Snapchat:georgiapeachy82

but the more platforms you share on, the bigger your following can be.
Of course you can't just dump a post and run. You have to spend time recriprocating what you expect in return.
Leave meaningful comments, not just "nice post" or "thanks for sharing." The more time you spend giving love, the more you get in return.

+ Create a blogging tribe.
This takes time but the more you interact, the more people you're going to meet and click with. I have friends in the blogging community from all over the world now. We talk on SnapChat, Facebook, Instagram, and through e-mail regularly. I've even been asking a couple of them advice about starting to collaborate with brands and how to monetize your blog.

+ Pictures matter.
This is something that I haven't really given much though to until recently. I had one of those "ah ha" moments and it struck me that it's all about the pictures! And who can blame anyone for wanting to look at quality pictures? Since I've been taking better pictures, my Instagram game has changed and so has my blog. I feel so happy putting quality images out. Especially since they are a reflection of me.

+ Quality over Quantity
Speaking of quality. I'm a huge believer in providing quality over quantity. Meaning less posts but better content and better pictures.
Your readers can tell if you're half doing it so just don't. If you aren't 100% into a post or a topic then skip it. There are times when I blog 5-6 days a week and there are times when I blog 2-3. It just depends on the content I'm writing about and what inspires me.

+ Join Link Ups.
Some weeks I do 2-3 link ups. Yes, that's a lot of link ups and a lot of content that I can't fully take credit for but link ups are a great way to network and share your posts plus the content is fun and usually easy to write about. This is sometimes where you find your tribe, too.

+ Brain Storm Ideas.
Remember when we were learning the writing process in Elementary school and how the first part was always to brain storm and write ideas down?
I loved that part because it got the creativity flowing. This is one of those skills that you never thought was very useful, until you started a blog.

When I started out blogging I'd just sit down and see what happened. This didn't always work out for the best. Now I have a notepad dedicated to nothing but blogging topic ideas. I'll sit down at the beginning of the month and write down any topics I can think of. Most of the time I come up with too many to cover in a month so I keep the list rolling on. It's good to have an on going list of ideas, because, when you're in a rut you can look to your list and pick out a topic to write about.


+ Give Into the Planner Craze.
When I first figured out that creative planning was a thing I was instantly hooked. I knew I needed a planner and all the cute pens and stickers and washi tape to go in it. I thought it was just a craze that people were going through but it was a craze I was excited about so I gave in. Now my planner is my life and I look forward to sitting down at the beginning of each month and filling it with blog posts and life events.

Here's the planner I have
Sugar Paper
This one is amazing because it's got tons of note taking space in it.
Remember those webinars I told you I like to take?
Yep! The notes are all in here!
So are tons of other notes related to Social Media and ideas I have.

Here's the next planner I'm swooning after
Day Designer

And Lastly, I'm leaving you with this

Blogging is Hard Work
When I started out I'd sit down at my computer for 30 minutes, type something out, press publish and be done with it.
It was easy. But when I decided I wanted to make this blog go somewhere, I saw it in a totally different perspective.
One I obviously love or I wouldn't still be here but it takes me anywhere from 2 hours to days to get a post ready to be published.

You have to type the whole thing out, go back and proof read, and pictures. Don't forget pictures. Taking them can be tedious enough but then you have to edit them and make graphics for your post.

I started this post yesterday. I worked on it for 2 and a 1/2 hours and another two hours this morning. Usually I like to have my posts ready to hit publish on and scheduled to post on all my social media accounts with Buffer the following morning but yesterday was an unusual day around here so things didn't get done the way I had planned. And that's okay because it's also important to be forgiving to yourself when life happens.




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My Favorite Primers


Hello Beautiful Peachies! Happy Tuesday. I don't know about you but there's not much more than a good cup of coffee and a fresh face of make up that makes me feel ready to take on my day. Even the days when i'm staying at home in my favorite work out shorts and tee shirt I love to take the time to do my hair and make up, maybe not to the T like on the days when i'm going out but I still love to do my make up, none the less.

An important part of making make up look flawless is primers and I'm obsessed! I love me some primers so I thought i'd share with you, lovelys, some of my favorites.


+Benefit POREfessional
Ulta $31.00
This primer is amazing because it's not the least bit greasy or oily feeling.
It goes on so smooth and makes applying make up a dream.

+Too Faced Hangover RX
Ulta $32.00
The ingredients in this is what sells it for me, Coconut Water and Probiotics. It makes your skin glow!

+NYX Tea Tree
Ulta $11.99
I originally bought this product because I was trying to save money and ended up loving it so much that it has become a staple in my make-up routine. The smell is so fresh, it smells like green tea.

+BareMinerals Prime Time
Ulta $24.00
My friend who did my make up for my wedding used this on me and it instantly became my "go to". It's my every day primer.
It feels so soft and silky on my face. It's a keeper, for sure.

+Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Ulta $20.00
This one is a product I never knew I needed but can never live without. It's eye shadow primer. It keeps your shadow from creasing and helps it last all day. This stuff is liquid gold, y'all.


These babies are my beauty secret in my make up arsenal.
What are your favorite primers?





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My Favorite Quotes

Hello Beautiful Peachies! Happy Monday. Also known as "We drink coffee until it's acceptable to drink wine" Day.

So do you have your or coffee, or wine?

I know a couple weeks ago Sarah Emily & Ashley announced that they're no longer doing the 52 Week Challenge but we were free to keep participating if we want & guess what? I want! I may not do it every week but it sure makes Mondays a little more fun so i'm going to keep it up. At least in part.

I was on Pinterest the other day I kept pinning tons of #bossbabe quotes that practically made me stand up and cheer and yell "Yes! Me too!" Except my son was playing Xbox in the same room and that would've been weird but in my head I was doing just that. I thought then, I need to put together a quotes blog post so here we are.


My Favorite Quotes























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