Arkansas Women Bloggers Meetup



Me & Gina

 This weekend, Arkansas Women Bloggers hosted a meetup in Little Rock, and we had a great time!

When I first started blogging, I thought I was 'The Lone Arkansas Blogger.' Maybe because everywhere else, especially Atlanta, bloggers were having meetups, events, and doing other fun stuff.

In July, at an Arkansas CheeseburgHer event I met a few others. Saturday, even more women attended the Arkansas Women Bloggers Meetup, hosted by the Arkansas Museum of Discovery (That place is awesome).
We participated in a speed dating-like exercise, as a meet and greet. That was really fun! I met Kyra Stolliker of My Looneyverse, and Elizabeth of Methodical Madness for the very first time. I was so excited to meet in real life, Becca of Cooking Up A Mess, Elaine of CupCake Crazy Arkansas, and Stephanie, The Park Wife, and the force behind Arkansas Women Bloggers. I also finally met Ramona Collins in real life.

Other Bloggers I met:
Gina - I So Gina
Fawn - Instead Of The Dishes
Julie - Willow Tree Creek Farm
Bev - Hillcrest Cottage Life
Kat - Tie Dye Travels
Pris - Arkansas Ties
Ramona - Suture For A Living
Jessica - Books in the Bathroom (coming soon)

And there were many more blogger!

Lunch was provided by Petit Jean Meats, and a few other local stores. Elaine of Cup Cake Crazy, made delicious cupcakes. Her Red Velvet cupcakes were my favorite! The cream cheese icing is heavenly *insert angels singing.* Seriously, it was the BEST I've ever had, and I consider myself a connoisseur of cream cheese icing.

After lunch, were speakers, Kyran Pittman, Katie McManners, and myself.

There were fabulous door prizes! I won a gift bag from Eco Fab, which included a Cynergreen reusable water bottle, Paddy Wax soy candle, a Rume bag, and a handmade bar of soap, not pictured because my daughter confiscated it. All of Eco Fab's products are made from sustainable, recycled or reusable materials.

To read more post on the meetup, or to link your meetup post click on over to Arkansas Women Bloggers.

Blogger meetups, events and activities are great ways to connect with others outside of your inner circle. I am looking forward to connecting with more Arkansas women and thankful for meeting Stephanie, The Park Wife, my newest bloggy buddy.

Black Girls Rock

Sunday night I watched the much anticipated 'Black Girls Rock,' on BET hosted by Nia Long. I can't remember being more proud to be a black girl.

I smiled, and fought back tears the whole show. Instead of showing us as rump shakers, and baby mama's. 'Black Girls Rock,' empowered, and uplifted us! And for that, I am grateful. I felt a sense of pride for my four daughters, as well as my son. 

The Mission: BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Inc. is 501(c)3 non-profit youth empowerment and mentoring organization established to promote the arts for young women of color, as well as to encourage dialogue and analysis of the ways women of color are portrayed in the media. (cont.)

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I thought about a few rocking Black Girls in social media, who inspire me on a daily basis! They are wives, mothers, bloggers, social media entrepreneurs, influencers and so much more. In no particular order, I'd like to share them with you.

The Broke Socialite - @brokesocialite

Jennifer James - @mombloggersclub

Krystal Grant - @krystalgrant

Hanging With Mrs. Cooper - @hangingwitmrsc

Ask Wifey - @askwifey

The Chatterbox - @chatterboxcgc

Justice Fergie - @justicefergie

Justice Ny - @justiceny

Justice Jonesie - @justicejonsie

Talking With Tami - @talkingwithtami

Renee Ross - @reneejross

At a conference in 2001, Zane said "Success leaves clues." These ladies are kicking butt in the world of social media, carving out niches, building empires. and setting the bar high. They're also leaving clues like Hansel and Gretel dropped bread crumbs.

Thanks ladies, YOU ROCK!

Bloggers For The Cure - Virtual Rally

In observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and leading up to our local Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Oct. 16, I'm hosting a virtual rally, Bloggers For The Cure.

This year makes my 5th Race For the Cure, and the 3rd year my friend and I have will walk with our daughters. I wanted to do something extra this time. I considered having a blogger meetup, or rally, and came up with something even better.

What is it?
Bloggers For The Cure, is a rally, only a virtual one, blog hop style. And what better way to help support a very important cause, by using our voices as a bloggers for the awareness of breast cancer, while influencing others.

It's time to spread the message of awareness throughout our virtual community.

How to participate?
You can blog for the cure by writing a post about: Why you race; Saving 2nd Base; Being a survivor; Personal experiences with breast cancer, or what ever moves you.

Not only is this rally about strengthening the awareness of breast cancer, but strengthening our online communities. Your rally post will be linked to this Bloggers For The Cure post, and all those who participate have the opportunity to read your stories.

What Else?
*Each Blogger For The Cure post should include the above badge, with a link back to this post.

* In the Mr. Linky, paste your post's URL/permalink to that post only, not your main page.

* If you chose, encourage others to participate in their area's 'Race For The Cure,' or make donations to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

* And don't forget to comment, and follow each others blogs.


Let's get this rally started!

Little Rock CheeseburgerHer

Katie McManners of (Not) Coming to a Uterus near you

I have been so jealous of the blogger community in Atlanta. They always have something going on, and it has made me want to move to Atlanta just to be a part of it. If it's not The Blog Rollers, or The Broke Socialite, it's Talking With Tami, and there are others. You.know.who.you.are!

Saturday night, I attended a women's blogger gathering in Little Rock. Yes, Arkansas!

At the 2007 Blogher conference in Chicago, a tradition was started. McDonald's cheeseburgers were eaten, and the paper bags... were worn on heads. Now, the CheesburgHer is an official event sponsored by McDonald's.

On Saturday night, coinciding with ChesseburgHer in NYC, about 25 ladies gathered in Little Rock, for a CheeseburgHer of our own, hosted by Kyran Pittman.

I had a great time. We talked, laughed, ate McDonald's cheeseburgers, and talked some more. As you can see there was wearing of the bags. Of course there was swag, what's a blog event without swag?! 

Cynthia Moody & Vicki Brain of
Stick Horse Cowgirls

I was so excited to meet other women bloggers in Arkansas! Hopefully, this will be the first of many.

(Picture inset are left- Michelle Shellabarger, and Alison Chino Right - Lindsay Irvin, Natalie Ghidotti and Kelcie Huffstickler)

Thanks to Middle Sister Wines, Clutter diet, Bath Junkie, and McDonald's for making this a great event!