SWITCH FROM GOOGLE READER TO BLOGLOVIN' TODAY

SWITCH FROM GOOGLE READER TO BLOGLOVIN' TODAY

As you probably already know, Google Reader will be no more come July 1st. That's less than three weeks away! There's still time to transfer the blogs you read over to Bloglovin'. Here's how:

1. Set up a Bloglovin' account: If you don't have a Bloglovin' account, you can get one here. During the process it will ask if you want to import the blogs you read on Google Reader to Bloglovin'. Click on the button to import and that's it!

If you already have a Bloglovin' account, then here's what to do:

1. Log in to Bloglovin' and click on your profile picture.

2. On your profile page, click Edit your profile. This will take you to your account settings, notifications, etc.

3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Import blogs. Doing this will take you to a page that gives you 2 options. Click on Google Reader and follow the prompts.

4. The import takes a few seconds to work. Once the import is complete, it will take you back to your Bloglovin' homepage where you can view all the recent posts from your favorite bloggers.

It's possible with the close of Google Reader that Google Friend Connect may also end soon. To avoid any headaches in the future, I've been following blogs directly on Bloglovin' by clicking on the follow link when I'm reading new posts. The follow link usually looks like a + or a heart. You can follow me by my + link on the top right of my blog.

Let me know if you need any help and I hope to see you all on Bloglovin'!

Looking for a fundraiser that is actually FUN to sell?

I'm excited to get to share with you guys today about a really neat company called Teespring. Teespring is a company that allows groups, causes, and individuals to design and sell custom t-shirts. Anyone can go to this fun site and design a shirt which they can then sell via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or their blog. The best part? The seller keeps all of the profit the shirt earns. Want to learn more? Watch this one minute video. 

You can use Teespring as a fundraising tool or just as a way to earn some extra moolah. Another cool feature is the shirts don't print and ship until a set date which is determined by you, the seller. This means there is no risk because you don't have to pay anything upfront and even better you don't have to guess on sizes. This also means you don't have to worry about figuring out what number of shirts to order and you don't end up with a bunch of extra shirts if they don't all sell. You can watch this short video to get a better idea on how to design a shirt.

The testimonials on the website are really amazing. People have earned thousands of dollars through selling these shirts. I really think this is a great fundraising idea as it would be a lot of fun to design a shirt and shirts are something that people actually enjoy purchasing. 

You might remember I recently purchased a fundraising shirt for an adoption fundraiser and was super excited to show it off a few weeks ago on my blog. 

Some cool examples I found of what people have done with this site in the past are below:

1. A couple sold this "love makes a family" shirt to raise money to adopt:

2. An 11 year old raised money to sing in a children's choir in Hungary by selling this shirt:

3. Someone sold this shirt and was able to raise over 85,000 for Boston relief:

I really think this would be a fabulous fundraiser for any event...as you can see I have participated in one before. So please check out the website and consider using Teespring for your next money raising event. 

Thanks to Teespring for sponsoring this post. I was paid to review this website and write a post. However, all opinions are my own honest thoughts. 

Welcome to Hollywood! (and haunted hotels)

As promised here is my second post on my recent trip to California. If you missed the first one you can check it out here.

I started out my visit to Hollywood with a tour of Warner Brother Studios. I would highly recommend this tour! It costs $55 but it lasts a little over two hours and you get to see some really cool things! If you are really lucky you will even get to see an actress/actor as this is not a theme park but their actual studio where they film many, many movies and TV shows. While I was there they were filming Pretty Little Liars, Two and Half Men, Big Bang, Ellen, and a few movies. 
Below are some of the highlights of things I saw while on the tour:

This alley has been the background for many scenes in movies but the one I remembered was Batman.

Do I have any Friend fans in the audience? ;) As you can see this is the stage that Friends was filmed on for all those years and after it's great success the stage has now been forever named as the Friends Stage. If you are a Friends fan you are going to like this next pic because it is ON THE SET OF FRIENDS. It is forever a permanent set that keep up due to the success of the show. I even got to sit on the notorious couch:

Another really cool part of the studio tour was getting to see all the props for sets. They literally have warehouses full of anything and everything you can rent for a set for a movie or TV show. The set warehouses are set up a like a big shop (I wold LOVE to do some picking in them) and the prop manger literally walks around and tags the items he/she wants to rent. There is everything from mega buck antiques from over seas to new modern furniture and accessories to the candies pictured below to every lighting fixture you could ever image:

Fun fact about these candies? Yes, they are real but they are sprayed with some kind of deadly adhesive to make them "pop" in movie sets. My tour guide was telling me that he was in this warehouse a few weeks ago when he saw a prop manager open the jar and pop a hand full of jelly beans into her mouth before he could say anything. Not good.
After the tour of course I HAD to go see and get a quick picture of the Hollywood sign. 

I then spent some time enjoying walking up and down Hollywood Blvd. Man, wasn't exactly what I was expecting to be totally honest. Of course seeing the "stars" was fun but I was giggling at the amount of spidermans, star wars characters, and fake mickey mouses all up and down the street. Don't believe me?  Check out this picture of one of the Spidermans scaling a light pole. Fun right?

Of course I had to see the Kodak theater while I was there...it was so fun to imagine I was walking where all the stars have walked. And of course I had to take a picture next to the star of my childhood fav!

Another highlight of the trip was the spur of the moment decision to watch a live tapping of Jimmy Kimmel. Which ended up being so. much. fun. It was so interesting to see a show recorded. It was not was I expected but I loved it and really enjoyed going back and watching the show on TV. The guest stars were Mark Ruffalo and the two child Scramble winners. Unfortunately you have to check your camera at the door so people like me can't take pictures inside the studio but I was able to snap this photo outside the entrance. 

The last highlight I will share with you is that my co-worker I was traveling with was smart enough to suggest we stay at the Roosevelt Hotel. What a great idea. This hotel is full of Hollywood history. Here's a few fun facts about the hotel where I stayed:
1. The elevator in the hotel is the elevator they modeled Tower of Terror after at Disney World 2. This hotel was the original location of the Academy Awards 3.  Marilyn Monroe was a resident at the Hollywood Roosevelt for two years when her modeling career took off. Her first magazine shoot was taken on the diving board on the pool behind the hotel. 4. There have been many rumors of hauntings at this hotel. Some involve celebrities, such as Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift, who lived at the hotel in the past. Others involve a little girl in a blue dress. There have also been reports of cold spots, photographic "orbs", and mysterious phone calls to the hotel operator. 5. My other childhood fav, Shirley Temple, filmed her famous tap dancing on the stairs scene on the staircase in the lobby. 
I'm telling you...this hotel is full of cool Hollywood history!

All in all I had an AWESOME time in Hollywood and wish I would have had more than a day to spend there. I will most def have to go back! What's your favorite thing you've ever done in CA?

Guest Blog Post: At Home with Kelsey + Giveaway

I am thrilled to introduce my friend, Kelsey, to you. Kelsey and her husband, Micah, have recently become friends of my hubby and I and we so blessed by this new found friendship. We actually are in small group with this sweet couple and meet at their beautiful home every week....which is partly why I was so excited when Kelsey asked me about sponsoring a guest post on my blog (I get to see her amazing work in her home every week). Kelsey is a fellow blogger but her background is in design. She has recently opened an etsy shop and also has a home decor store online. She is offering my readers a wonderful giveaway from her store...so please go check out her lovely goods and read more about Kelsey below. :)

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Guest Blog Post for Chelsea

I am so excited to be guest posting for Chelsea today! I have gotten to know her really well over the past few months, and consider myself grateful to call her a good friend. Thanks to her, I’m getting to share my business with all of you today! Plus, I’m offering a giveaway at the end. Who doesn’t love free stuff ??

This is me (and my amazing husband). My name is Kelsey, and I own my own Interior Design business with an online storefront. Plus, I love blogging, crafts, and spending time with my 2 puppies. But anyway, back to my business…

At Home with Kelsey ‘s online storefront offers quality furniture (made by the same manufacturers that sell for Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel).  It also features lamps, home décor, accessories, kitchen, garden, rugs, and so much more. Being a designer, I LOVE this kind of stuff, and I would not recommend anything that I didn’t think was amazing quality or a decent price. Also, I’m a bargain hunter, and not afraid to admit it…which is why I have to mention the sales that are offered. Two sales are offered every week, one running from Tuesday-Monday and another running from Friday-Sunday. Seriously, these sales are awesome (especially the weekend sale).  You can shop now with the link at the bottom of the post.

Did I mention that I loved crafting? Because I do! It’s mostly just a hobby, but I do have an Etsy Shop that I enjoy selling from. Products range from candles, pillows, art, wreaths, and a few random things. I also gladly accept custom orders!

Throughout my business, I have had the privilege of working with some amazing clients. I have so much with this, and I’ve continued to learn a lot too! Design is constantly changing, and there are never ending possibilities. I strive to blog about important and relevant concepts in design, plus tons of DIY projects, recipes, and other At Home with Kelsey business promotions. Remember to check back to my blog weekly for new updates! Now for the good stuff…a giveaway!

I have decided to giveaway one of my favorite At Home candles…(which happen to be on sale this weekend…hint hint). The candle is Citrus Mango Smoothie, and it smells amazing!  

Thanks for taking the time to read my post

Keep in touch with me:

Blog: http://www.athomewithkelsey.com

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/athomewithkelsey

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AtHomeWKelsey

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kelseypuckett

And….don’t forget to shop!

http://kelsey.athome.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/AtHomewithKelsey

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Fun in the Sun Giveaway Event hosted by Famous Free Samples

Happy *almost* summer and welcome to the Fun in the Sun Giveaway Event hosted by Famous Free Samples! 

Myself and the rest of the bloggers sponsoring this giveaway are looking to give away a $100 Lowe's gift card (delivered electronically) to one lucky winner to make this summer even more enjoyable! Boy do I wish I was eligible for this awesome giveaway. I sure could use a $100 Lowe's gift card with the huge backyard project we have going on! 

This giveaway begins on June 12th and will run through June 26th at 11:59pm EST. Open to residents of the US only, 18+. Use the PromoSimple form below to enter the giveaway. Be sure to come back daily for more chances to win. Best of luck to all!  

$100 Lowe's Gift Card