Tag: blogging

Putting the “Spring” in Small Talk with Design Changes

Putting the “Spring” in Small Talk with Design Changes

Posted on by Mama

I just keep waiting for Spring to do its thing, but each time I think this quirky little season has arrived Winter fights back with some pretty harsh ammo. Such is life in the Midwest, I guess. I am so itching to get outdoors with my family and get my hands dirty in the yard, but at least I’m using the cooler days to get a few things done indoors.

As you may have noticed, I’ve been doing a bit of redesigning here at Small Talk Mama and I apologize if you tried to visit while things were a bit wonky. I still have a few more tweaks here and there, but I think it should be running smoothly (for the most part).

I changed the logo a bit to include the “Three-Acre Wood” and add a bit of whimsy. After all, the blog is called “Small Talk Mama;” just how serious do you think we’re going to get? I also plan to change the header with the seasons, so you just never know what you’ll see when you click on over here. Other than the few obvious design upgrades not much else is changing, so I hope you will continue to visit Small Talk Mama and let me know what you think. Audience participation is always welcomed here and (nice) comments really do make my day!

 
 
 
 photo credit: frederic.gombert Really Spring via photopin (license)

Going Home Again

Going Home Again

Posted on by Mama

smalltalkmamalogoThey say you can’t go home again, but I’ve never put much merit in that old adage. After all, I go home. . . all the time. Of course, it’s not quite the same — I’m older, family members are absent and most things don’t look as they did way back when (except my bedroom, which is a completely different topic), but it’s still home and it’s a good place to be.

That being said, I gotta tell ya, I’ve been seriously missing my bloggy home at Small Talk Mama. After the complete crash last fall, throwing in the white towel and dabbling in a new blogging venture for a few months, I just kept thinking of my home [page] and have decided to return.

No, it won’t quite be the same — posts have been lost, comments obliterated, my focus has shifted a bit and I’m rebuilding from almost scratch — but with all these changes there is still enough of Small Talk Mama, with it’s bright yellow sunflower, warm orange colors and a focus on family, to keep calling it home. I’m doing a bit of spring cleaning and rearranging to the old girl but her essence is still the same, so I hope you agree that Small Talk Mama is still a good place to be.

Small Talk Continues the Liebster Love

Small Talk Continues the Liebster Love

Posted on by Mama
LiebsterAwardThis weekend I was nominated for the Liebster Award by Meredith at A TIPical Day. I was very flattered she thought of me and was very excited when I found out exactly what I had won — nothing. Okay, well actually it’s very much something, because the Liebster is a fun little award passed around from blogger to blogger. . . and it is very much appreciated to be noticed by your fellow moms, writers and DIYers.The word “Liebster” is German and means dearest or lovely. The award is given to newer blogs with fewer than 200 followers and provides a nice way for fellow bloggers to meet and publicize their site to the general public.  If you want to know more, just give it a Google. While this isn’t an actual award, it is still nice to be recognized and I wholeheartedly accept (thank you, Meredith).Okay, so there are a few rules that apply when accepting this award, and here it goes.

Create a post containing the following information:

  • Link back to the blog that nominated you
  • Nominate 5 – 11 new blogs who have 200 or fewer followers (This is harder than it sounds and can sometimes be difficult to determine, but give it your best shot)
  • Answer the questions posted for you by your nominator
  • Share 11 random facts about yourself
  • Create 11 questions for your nominees to answer
  • Contact your nominees and let them know that you have nominated them.

My Nominees:

Congratulations!  You are under no obligation to accept, but I hope you do.

Questions for Me to Answer:

    1. Why do you blog? — I blog as a creative outlet, and it might be nice to eventually make a little extra money doing something that I enjoy
    2. In what Country do you live? — The good old U.S. of A
    3. What is your favorite book of all time? — The Grounding of Group Six, but please don’t take this as a recommendation. It’s a cheesy novel about a group of teenagers trying to be offed and their fight to survive. I was enthralled with it as a teenager, but I haven’t read it in years
    4. Do you have a pet? — Yes, two cats (Dixie and Denny) and one nine-year-old goldfish named Spike
    5. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be, and with whom would you go? — I would love to go to Ireland with anyone and everyone that wants to come along
    6. If you could pick a different point in history to live when would it be? — The Medieval period has always interested me with all the knights, jousting and castles. Although I probably would have been a peasant and died of the plague, but this is my daydream so let’s just say I’m not
    7. Do you scream when you see a spider? — Yes. I usually scream, “Honey, come kill this spider.
    8. Do you dye your hair?  — Yes, but only with a non-permanent color. Here’s a secret: my husband does it for me
    9. Are you a city mouse or a country mouse? — I’m definitely a country mouse, but this country mouse likes to visit the big city quite frequently
    10. What is your favorite board game? — I like all kinds of board games, but one of my favorites is Scrabble
    11. What is your favorite season? — I love fall!

Random Facts About Me:

    1. I am training for my first 5k
    2. I enjoy waterfowl hunting with my husband
    3. I want to write a childrens book some day (sooner rather than later)
    4. I have a master’s degree in education that I don’t use
    5. I love being a graphic designer, even though I have taken a hiatus while being a stay-at-home mom
    6. Gone With the Wind is my favorite movie of all time
    7. I think chickens are the perfect pets
    8. Apparently buying and selling houses is a hobby of mine. My husband and I have lived in four homes in the ten years we have been married
    9. I’m an Arkansas Razorback. Go Hogs
    10. I’ve been to France three times
    11. I love to travel, but the best thing about going is coming home.

Questions for My Nominees to Answer:

    1. Where is your favorite place to curl up with a book
    2. If you could go to lunch with three famous people, who would they be
    3. What is your favorite restaurant
    4. What is your favorite vacation destination
    5. What is one thing you would change about your home
    6. Do you ever wish you had more children
    7. Do you secretly enjoy house cleaning
    8. What is the best zoo you have ever visited
    9. What is the first thing you would do if you won the lottery
    10. What is the strangest pet you have ever owned
    11. What is the best thing about your spouse/significant other?

Whew, I think that’s it. I hope you’ve learned a few new things about me and if you aren’t already following Small Talk Mama, you might want to check it out. I also hope you will visit all the blogs I’ve mentioned here and give them a read.

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