I decided to repost this Slow Cooked Lamb Riblets Recipe because it didn’t receive the recognition that I think it deserved when it was first appeared last year.
Besides it would make a perfect weekend meal and a great change from all that leftover turkey from last week – which by the way should have all been eaten or trashed by now.
REPOST
For this post, I had just recorded my first #BrunchwithBlakePeriscope broadcast, however, it is no longer available. Which is why I now only livestreamed on Facebook because the videos last forever as well as the videos on my YouTube channel which I need to get back to making.
This Crock Pot recipe was made with Lamb Riblets which are smaller than lamb ribs and they were purchased at Shoprite. I have found Shoprite to have the best variety of meats especially cuts of lamb, but feel free to shop around.
Lamb is such a versatile meat and we actually prefer it to beef even though we don’t eat much red meat at all.
Most people prefer to bake lamb in the oven however, I wanted to try slow cooking them and was glad because they turned out to be very tender – fall off the bone tender and very tasty too!
Lamb is also a cleaner cut of meat, healthier than beef and leaner but less flavorful so you can choose any type of sauce or marinade as it will not overpower it.
Ingredients:
2 packages of Lamb Riblets
1 bottle of Marinade
1/2 cup onions – diced
1 cup carrots – matchstick style
Olive Oil
Instructions:
Brush each lamb riblet with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil, you can also sprinkle any additional seasoning as preferred. Place 1 entire package of riblets into the Crock Pot, cover with half of the diced onions and carrot sticks, then add the second pack and cover with remaining onions and carrots.
Pour entire bottle of marinade of your choice, I used Delmonico’s Restaurant Spiced Apple.
Cover and slow cook on low for 6 hour or on high for 4 hours.
Serve with your favorite starch, over rice or noodles and of course with a fresh vegetable, I chose Kale. As a side note: you can use Slow Cooker bags for easier cleanup, however, I prefer to spray the inside with a Cooking Spray or you can use a paper towel to wipe the inside with a vegetable or canola oil.
As a blogger I have had an opportunity to review several Subscription Boxes throughout the years, some were FREE and other’s were those that I had to pay a monthly fee.
On the Podcast a few weeks ago, I interviewed Yolanda Kennedy, owner of Blissful Crate a subscription box for moms and babies, you can check out the interview here.
Today more than ever consumers are dollar-conscious, and budget savvy thanks to social media. We want to know if we’ll like something before committing to a purchase which is why samples are so popular in those big box stores like Costco and BJ’s. While the idea of sampling is hardly new, the concept of putting your brand inside a box is.
This business concept is a two-pronged approach – 1) provide customers with products they’ll enjoy while using a fresh, direct-to-consumer platform 2) market products nationally without ever having to leave your home or office.
There are literally subscription boxes for everything from cosmetics from Birchbox to dog related products from Barkbox.
For the entrepreneurs who’ve started these sample subscription services the business model provides a steady and predictable revenue stream. Inventory management is not a huge problem, and the cost of goods is minimal as the samples are usually subsidized by the manufacturers. Many of these manufacturers may even pay you for including their products in your subscription boxes.
Manufacturers and big brands understand that sample products in a subscription box can lead to conversion to full size purchases. They can measure this with specially coded coupons or offers placed inside the box that recipients can later use in stores for purchasing regular sizes, or to order online on the brand’s website, this is a win-win for everyone.
10 Social Media Tips to Market Your Subscription Box
Most subscription boxes are business-to-consumer, so Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are usually good starting points. Think about your target audience’s age and demographics and what social media are they already using then head over there.
Tell Family & Friends
Ask your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, sorority, fraternity, church members everyone about your new subscription box and if they aren’t interested, perhaps they will tell others who are. Make sure to have a sample box with you to show and tell – of course non-perishable items
Follow your niche
This is one of the easiest ways to find customers, use your social media accounts that your target customer is already following. Make sure to follow your followers and their followers as well.
Encourage your fans to share photos
Remind your subscribers to share with a custom hashtag printed directly on your subscription box. Selfie contests and subscriber discount programs are fun, especially during the holidays.
Get influencers to share your subscription box.
Send complimentary boxes to bloggers popular with your target audience. Even if they don’t give you a glowing review, you’re increasing awareness of your brand among people likely to buy. Bloggers are always sharing on social media platforms so you are increasing your own social shares.
Free Giveaways
A ‘Try Before You Buy’ promotion to targeted followers and especially influencers in the industry or niche. Google them to get on the radar of product review bloggers especially those who host link parties.
Create anticipation
The beauty of a subscription box is that you always have new surprises to share each month. While your subscribers are waiting for their next box, use this opportunity to tease what’s coming up. By offering these sneak peeks, you’re providing extra value to your followers.
Pay attention to what’s working and try new things
Get creative and create media like videos, Infographics, Livestreams and Flipgrams. Experimenting with different posts is what will keep you ahead of your competitors.
Blog
We have all heard the phrase ‘Content is King’ then let your customers wear the crown! Creating a blog that will appeal and resonate with your target audience, and then sharing across your social media networks is exactly how you will organically build a loyal community around your business.
Once you have those followers on board you can aim to convert them into paying customers. Additionally, Blogging also works wonders for your SEO if you do it right. If you can rank high in Google’s search results for those targeted keywords you could be getting a bunch of organic traffic and customers too.
Build Your Email List
Email marketing is one of the most valuable channels in the game. Having an email list of thousands of targeted customers who have all shown an interest in your product means that you can instantly contact them to promote your products. Imagine sending out an email to 10,000 potential customers telling them about your new product line. The results can be sensational and it is all free.
Everyone has an email address and the sooner you start collecting them the better you will be placed in the future. Offer visitors an incentive for signing up. Perhaps a free trial, a coupon code offer, or a newsletter update to receive your awesome blog content. Mailchimp and MadMimi are useful tools to use to store your email list and to then create an email campaign or monthly newsletters with updates that you want to send to your followers.
These are just a few marketing tips to get your subscription box business off the ground and if you have others, please leave a comment below.
These are the Subscription Boxes that I have tried:
Rocksbox is a monthly subscription box for jewelry rental. You will receive 3 pieces of hand-selected jewelry in every box. Wear them for as long as you like and then return them in a pre-paid shipping envelope to swap them out for a new set. I tried a Trial subscription to Rocksbox for 3 months and you can check out my blog and YouTube Channel to see the pieces. The jewelry was nice for special occasions, but if you could see my collection you would definitely agree along with hubby that the last thing I need is another pair of earrings!
PinchMe.com after you answer a series of questions about your household and shopping habits in the Member Profile. they will offer samples just for you. Every Tuesday they announce new products and you can pick the samples you want to try, they are actual samples not large products but they go quickly. Once you’ve had a chance to try your samples, you will complete a short feedback survey to tell them what you think of the samples. You don’t have to be a blogger to sign up.
Influenster.com is free to join, they ship out thousands of exclusive VoxBoxes every month from brands you know for FREE and you share your thoughts, pics, videos, on social media platforms as well as complete a questionnaire. The more you participate the more VoxBoxes you are chosen for and they have some great items. The more social you are the better chance you are chosen for some big VoxBox containing a wide variety of products from beauty products, to candy and food.
Graze is a mini-snack subscription box that sends a customized selection of treats weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. They offer over 100 different snacks that you can rate online, which, over time, helps tailor your subscription to your particular snacking preferences. (Regularly $11.99 for 8 snacks per box). The snacks were good and they were perfect for the 3:00 snack attack at work, but was a bit costly for the small snacks so I cancelled my subscription.
Target Beauty Box first started out FREE with a few samples but now it’s a paid subscription which varies and averages about $7. Target releases new beauty boxes about every other month, and they sell out within hours because they are good! The value is always great and they come with Target coupons, with a good mix of samples and full-size items. I need to check them out again.
Remember to check out my YouTube Channel to see the actual unboxing of these subscription boxes and subscribe so you will be notified when I have new ones to share.
Monday’s blog posts will be recaps of Sunday’s Podcasts, which if you haven’t started following yet, can be found on Blog Talk Radio. Social Media Sunday with the Delaware Blogger – AAU Teen Talk Radio is on every Sunday at 6 p.m.
On October 2nd, my special guest was Nikki Valentine and we talked about the re-launching of her business N.V.Me Designs, click this link to hear the interview.
If you are a small business owner who is just starting out and are looking for ways in which to get customers inside your doors if you are brick and mortar or go online to buy a product or service, you do realize that you must have a presence on social media right?
Current and potential customers are literally walking around with your business in their hands. A few weeks ago, I attended a networking event at the Chase Center on the Riverfront, and everyone there had at least one social media platform in which to connect, most if not all had a Facebook business account which is what we talked about on the Podcast.
Social Media is a numbers game, however, it’s not how many you get, but how many you keep and how many of them take action.
FACEBOOK AND SMALL BUSINESS
Facebook now has 4 million advertisers and it’s being powered by more small businesses trying to reach customers, particularly on their mobile devices.
People are spending more time on their phones, more engagement on their phones, doing more things on their phones, because phones can do more. I remember the brick my hubby gave me as an engagement gift, it weighed about 10 lbs and it was attached to the car, then came the bag phone but all it could do was make and receive calls.
Now mobile phones can do practically anything, conduct searches, give map directions, promote sales, take pictures and record live video. Businesses are beginning to understand that they need to be where people are, and that’s on their mobile device.
Setting up a Facebook Business Page is easy but you must have a personal page first, and there are many sites with instructions , I also have a Slideshare presentation that you can download. Leave a comment below if you would like me to email you a copy
Facebook is where you can virtually hang out with your family and friends but more importantly with your customers and/or potential clients and customers. Facebook is for entertainment so remember the 80/20 rule and don’t post “buy me” posts constantly.
Share content from others in the same niche or industry and remember that what you share is perceived to be what you believe so be very careful when posting because using a “like or share is not an endorsement” disclaimer doesn’t hold water – just don’t post it.
Top 10 Benefits of a Facebook Business Page
Everyone is on Facebook – need I say more?
Increased Exposure to Potential Customers – everyone is on Facebook right?
Gather More Leads – gather leads in the form of email addresses — so you can contact them outside of Facebook. Promotion of contests, giveaways through newsletters
Facebook business page costs you exactly $0. – but you don’t own it so start a blog!
Insights and analytics – you can see where your audience is coming from (likes, reach, page views, engagement, shares, performance, etc.)
Build Brand Loyalty – if you consistently provide valuable and entertaining content, your followers will stay loyal and share your message, product or service
Increase Your Web Traffic – social media platforms are the wheels that drive the vehicle to your website or blog and eventually to your store or service
Boost SEO – Search Engine Optimization – being found online – Google me
Be Mobile Ready – Facebook is already built to be mobile friendly, so take advantage of it. Facebook page on a mobile device it shows users:
Hours of operation – Address – Reviews – Phone number to call directly from the Facebook mobile app
Check in on Your Competition! – Facebook makes suggestions based on competition in my area in my same (or a similar) niche. Choose pages by clicking “Watch Page” or search for pages in the search box.
TWITTER AND SMALL BUSINESS
I have said it before and I’ll say it again, Twitter is by far my favorite social media platform. Why – well for one, it’s quick, it’s happening right now in real time and I love hashtags.
I liken FB to the friends you had in high school and Twitter are the friends you wish you had in high school. It’s where the cool kids hang out and if you ever been retweeted, liked or followed by a celeb then you know how exciting that can be!
Hashtags are the best thing since slice bread!
Tweet that!
Twitter will display all other tweets with that hashtag – great way to search or find potential customers or topics to follow and share – great way to get your message and content out there.
“I don’t get Twitter” is a common statement among small business owners. With more than 316 million active monthly users engaging in instant conversations, the social platform shouldn’t be ignored. The main difference of Facebook and Twitter is on Twitter, following someone is not necessarily an admission of friendship, but an interaction and conversation in 140 characters or less.
If you already have a personal Twitter account and have been using it for your business, you may want to create a separate business account so that any personal information is not passed onto your business followers. – But remember that your brand is your brand not matter where it’s coming from.
Be as visible as possible, put on your Twitter handle on business cards, email address, flyers, etc. Tweet only business info and not personal tweets on your business account.
Twitter is a great way to connect with your targeted audience and for your targeted audience to connect with you in real time – for example, two weeks ago I had to rebook a flight on a non-refundable ticket with Delta airlines and the customer service representative was amazing! After I handled my business, I immediately posted my satisfaction to Delta Airlines and they immediately responded.
Now small business owners don’t have the luxury of being online constantly like the bigger brands, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t check in first thing in the morning or right before going to bed in the evening to see if your brand or business was mentioned.
Speaking of which you can open an account at www.mention.com where you will enter the name of your business and then be alerted anytime someone mentions it it’s a social media monitoring and listening app that keeps you in the know.
Twitter is great for PR and networking, especially for event coverage and promotion. Using a hashtag for an event and then getting attendees to tweet about using the hashtag gives you wider exposure.
Although you can’t own a hashtag you can register it for the event so that people can follow along at www.Twubs.com. And if your hashtag is unique and you use it enough it becomes part of you and your business brand, i.e. #DelawareBlogger if you Google that you will find me all over the internet.
Businesses should have a Twitter account for several reasons:
Consumers are frustrated with call centers – Oftentimes, individuals will go on Twitter after they’ve already sought a solution by calling the company’s helpline.
Instant gratification – Twitter allows customers to feel more in control of the timeliness of the solution. They can immediately go online, research a solution to try helping themselves or vent their problem in real-time, asking for help, whether from the brand or other customers.
Airing dissatisfaction publicly is part of a solution – Some people just want to be heard, good, bad and ugly, and sharing on Twitter gives them gratification. Some people like to tweet, tweet, tweet like a duck at 3 o’clock in the morning!
Hashtags allow you to Search for Terms Related to Your Biz – finding customers where they hang out and with whom – always check the followers of your followers and follow them if they are relevant.
First, find your industry leaders on Twitter and follow them, all of them. These people are vital to building the right follower base.
2. Follow authors who write about your industry.
You probably have a few favorite industry experts whose books you’ve read. Follow them on Twitter, but also follow all of the industry experts who’ve written books in your field. If you don’t know who these authors are, go to Amazon and search out books in your industry. Find the author’s names and follow them on Twitter.
3. Follow other authors.
Who writes the articles in the magazines and trade publications on your industry? Find out who these people are and follow them on Twitter. When I became active on Twitter, I followed every author I could find who wrote about entrepreneurship. While not everyone has a Twitter account, I found that 9 out of 10 authors and writers do.
4. Know your target audience.
Like you need to know your customers, you need to know your audience. You can have 1,000 followers who will never turn into customers, or you can have 100 quality followers who will either convert to customers, refer customers, or add value by sharing quality, relevant content. It’s important that your Twitter followers have something to gain by following you and vice versa.
5. Follow your industry hashtags.
Twitter has this great tool where you type in a hashtag in the search bar, such as #smallbusiness, and instantly a feed pops up with relevant posts and articles. It’s important that you monitor your industry hashtags so you stay current on industry trends and technology. You also use these hashtags when you Retweet and share posts. When you use the appropriate hashtag, you ensure that your post is “seen” by your target audience. Go on Twitter and play with the hashtags in your industry until you know which ones apply to your business.
6. Share quality content.
Twitter is all about adding VALUE; it’s not the place to oversell products and services. Read articles about your industry trends and share them on Twitter daily. Not only will you be learning, you’ll provide value to your target audience.
7. Tweet about industry events.
Stay on top of industry events and Tweet about them, whether it’s a local tradeshow or a national convention. In your Tweet, include the event’s hashtags and a link to the website so people can click on the link themselves.
8. Be engaging.
Twitter is not a spectator sport. Actively participate, comment and like others’ posts and Retweet (share) them daily. Twitter is all about building relationships and ADDING VALUE. One great way to add value is to write and share informative blogs, and of course, include your industry hashtags when posting so your audience will be able to find and read your content.
9. Post daily and repeat.
For your small business to succeed on Twitter, you have to post daily. Post at least 3 to 5 Tweets per day with several Retweets, which is similar to the “sharing” feature on Facebook. If your followers see that you haven’t been active in a month, they’re likely to “unfollow” you. Use images as they get retweeted far more than just text
10. Don’t go off topic.
Your Twitter page should be relevant to your business, it should not discuss anything controversial, such as politics, and it should not go off topic. Keep the posts relevant to your niche market.
Most importantly – Engage the Influencers in Your Niche – as you know, bloggers are on Twitter and we love to retweet and share – sharing is caring and we are also looking to connect with businesses for collaborations and brand ambassadorships. We retweet each other’s posts and would do the same with yours so connect with us on Twitter.
I have a chart that I found online that is a great reference tool which I will send to anyone who may be interested in receiving. It lists all the popular social media platforms as well as the audience and demographics who uses them – a handy little cheat sheet so if you would like a copy, please leave a comment and I’ll send it in an email.
Do you have any Facebook or Twitter tips to share? Don’t forget to check out my Podcasts which are on Sunday at 6 on Blog Talk Radio, AAU Teen Talk Radio.
I have decided to use Sunday’s Podcasts for Monday’s blog posts and on October 2nd, the topic was Social Media and Seniors with special guest Demia Avery a new author, you can hear the interview by clicking this link.
On the Podcast I talked about how seniors can use the internet and social media to turn a passion or a lifelong dream into a reality, perhaps even a profitable one. Whether it’s vlogging, blogging or conducting online workshops and even podcasts, seniors can share their knowledge and expertise with others as a way to supplement their income, to share words of encouragement or wisdom, keep in touch or to relieve isolation and loneliness.
I started my blog DeDivahDeals in 2012, and what started out as a way to fill a void after the death of my grandmother, turned into something much more. As a matter of fact, my blog was recently nominated as one of the Top Five BEST BLOGSin Delaware and I won’t know until Friday whether or not it was chosen, but if it is I will tweet it out!
Way before starting the blog, DeDivahDeals, I would post my outfits of the day or #ootd as well as deals found in and around the state of Delaware onto Facebook. However, after a few months, I noticed that my family and friends which at the time was a small circle, wasn’t really feeling it nor was I feeling the love so I decided to head over to YouTube and check it out.
YouTube opened up a whole new world, because there were so many vloggers who also had blogs and they were sharing their daily deals and outfits. When I saw the Goodwill thriftinistas, I was in paradise!
After all, growing up in the projects in New Rochelle, NY my grandmother had us at the Salvation Army or Goodwill all the time! I used to love those big bins full of clothing and I think that is where I got hooked on thrifting and have never been ashamed of doing so even before it become popular to do so.
It was then that I decided to start and blog and have since connected with so many wonderful woman that that void was eventually filled – although I still miss my Nana everyday. She was 98 years old when she transitioned in 2009, but she stayed active and involved until she the age of 97. She read constantly, wrote excessively, went to the senior centers, church, shopping and loved talking on the phone.
She didn’t stop traveling via Amtrak to North Carolina until the age of 95 and when she did it was alone. She definitely didn’t let any grass grow under her feet and I hope to stay just as active with the help of my family, friends and social media.
My grandmother like so many other seniors have a lifetime of experience which can be shared with the younger generations to make them stronger and more knowledgeable which can only help our future generations. Believe it or not seniors have and use Ipads/tablets, computers and some even use iPhones to surf the internet, and to connect with family and friends so creating instructional videos is not a long stretch of the anybody’s imagination.
You Tube is where people search when looking for tutorials or how to videos, so seniors can create videos of their hobbies, whether it’s crocheting, bridge playing, cooking, gardening, education and training…the sky’s the limit because there is a target audience for everything – trust me. As a blogger, I have seen some niche blogs that would blow your mind.
Seniors may not be as social media savvy as their kids and grands but they can be assisted by them. If they prefer to tread lightly at first, create a family Facebook group which is private and open to only the immediate family. Invite the grandparents so they can keep up with the happenings in the family.
They can log on anytime of the day or night to share a post whether it’s a family recipe, a poem, or a simple thought or birthday wish and they can also read what other family members have posted.
Do you have an Uncle Joe that loves telling jokes at the family reunion, well the family Facebook group would give him a platform in which to tell those jokes. Perhaps Aunt Patty makes a mean Peach Pie, she can post the recipe and even a picture of the finished product and remember everything on the internet ends up in the Cloud.
There won’t be a need to keep those handwritten recipes that get lost or faded through the years, you can leave your Legacy in the Cloud which is the title of one of my posts that I wrote for my other blog, Blogging with Blake.
There will come a time when your parents and grandparents can no longer travel safely as was the case with my grandmother in her 95th year, which brings me to another great thing about Social Media and Seniors, it can eliminate isolation and loneliness by keeping them in the loop.
According to statistics loneliness and social isolation have been linked to poor health outcomes. Social Isolation among older adults or seniors who live at home rather than living in senior communities, may be as high as 43%.
Encouraging seniors to remain active in their hobbies and interests, and providing them opportunities to volunteer can help them maintain their sense of purpose and keep them from becoming isolated and lonely.
So we can help our loved ones become more social media savvy, because you know that millennials, Gen X and Y as well as Teens and Tweens don’t need to leave the house to catch up with friends, follow current events, and find out what’s going on in the world.
E-mail and websites are one way to do this, but using a social media site like Facebook makes it even easier for an older adult to feel connected, simply by being able to see what others are posting.
Facebook also offers plenty of opportunities to participate in “watercooler” discussions of current goings-on and share recommendations for books, movies, and music.
Ask yourself: Don’t you feel more motivated to get out and see a movie or visit a restaurant if your friends are talking about it? The same is true for your parent or loved one.
In prepping for this evening’s podcast I found a great post over at www.seniornet.org/blog which listed 11 benefits of social media for senior citizens that I want to share:
1. Keep in touch
Social media is a remarkable tool for keeping in touch, especially for seniors who keep in touch with kids, grandkids, and sometimes even great grandkids, but it’s more than just family. Seniors are finding their college roommates, best friends from “the block” and elementary school crushes. The social networks enable us to view videos, read blog posts, share pictures and have conversations with people who we thought we’d never see again. Grandparents are friends with college-aged grandkids and keeping up with their accomplishments. To say social media has revolutionized the way families connect is an understatement.
2. Research
Seniors use social media tools to learn more about topics that interest them. In some cases it can lead them to cultivate hobbies and business ideas, and in other cases, such as with all the inaccurate health information available, it can be a confusing mix of resources. However, the Internet is enabling the over 50 crowd to learn more about new products, work on their genecology, and learn something new.
3. Ask questions
I don’t know about you, but I get frustrated navigating the phone menu to nowhere, so do so many others. By using the online tools available, many senior citizens can reach out via Twitter, Facebook, videos, blogs and live chats. Being able to talk to representatives and have all their questions answered, without being intimidated by voices, attitudes and a phone menu that doesn’t seem to lead anywhere, gives folks more confidence in a product.
4. Entertainment
Senior citizens can watch old television shows and movies, as well as find videos from “back in the day.” They can read ebooks, articles and blog posts, find song lyrics and find out what their favorite entertainers are up to. They can play games, either by themselves or with family and friends. Shut ins or those who can’t get out and around as well as they used to no longer have to feel lonely when they’re home alone.
5. Start a new business
Being online allows folks of all ages to start a new business. Perhaps they can sell crafts or give coaching advice. Or maybe they want to get into freelance writing or some sort of consulting. Many senior citizens would love to work but companies don’t want to hire them as they feel they’re “too old.” With social media and so many online productivity and networking tools, senior citizens no longer have to be forced into retirement.
6. Grow an existing business
Seniors who are still in business need to keep up with new programs and technologies. Social media enables them to stay in the game and compete with younger businesses. Use social media tools to connect and share. Answer questions, promote events and sales and more.
7. Learn
Just because one is retired or out of school doesn’t necessarily mean one wants to stop learning. Seniors are now taking courses online and reading online books, posts, articles and more to keep their minds active. Because seniors are now better able to keep up with emerging technologies, they don’t have to be considered “old and out of touch” and can hold their own in a conversation.
8. Share
Senior citizens aren’t merely people who are older than us. They’re also people who have been in the trenches. They have amazing stories and brilliant ideas. Through social media they can share all that good stuff with others. Seniors can blog about how life was when they were growing up or how things have changed during their lifetime. They network online and offer advices and mentoring to younger people and students and they can start Facebook pages to talk to others their age.
9. Meet others
The social networks allow us to meet others, for both business and pleasure. (No, not that kind of pleasure, I’m not talking Craigslist.) From online meetings seniors can plan offline meetups and networking events with like minded people and people their age.
10. Find work
65 is no longer the age of retirement for active seniors. Many would like to continue working, if not full time with an established business, they can also consult and freelance. Various networks enable them to find opportunities, post online resumes and view and apply for job listings.
11. Take advantage of sales and online opportunities
By following their favorite businesses and brands, seniors can save money by taking advantage of promotional opportunities. Many times freebies and discounts are only available via a Facebook page or for Twitter followers.
So like many of my fans, followers and even attendees of my blogging workshops who have either started a blog or are writing and teaching memoir writing classes these are other great benefits to consider when restarting or jump starting your next phase in life.
Have you seen the commercial for Ford that comes equipped with WiFi and the grandmother in the passenger seat says to her grandson, “do you mean I can update my blog from here” and he looks at her in amazement and responds, “grandma you have a blog!”
And not only are some senior centers starting their memberships at the age of 50, there are very active seniors out there becoming Encore Entrepreneurs as I am one myself – at the age of 55, I am the owner of A.Blake Enterprises, Social Media Management and Consulting. Head over to www.ablakeenterprises.com for more information.
Do you have any tips for seniors and social media?
No, I didn’t wear my birthday suit on my 55th birthday which was September 20th, but I did want to show you what I did wear during my birthday week.
This black and white stripped dress with a bit of blue is very flattering one of which I think was purchased at Ross Dress for Less. I chose to wear with my sandals from Sears, remember when I posted these on Instagram?
On Wednesday I attended a Networking Event at the Chase Center on the Riverfront and wore this black and beige dress from Avon. I had a great time posing with the cutouts of the various candidates. Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and of course our current Vice President Joe Biden.
The beige pumps are Chinese Laundry purchased from DSW and check out the beige purse on the ground – it was thrifted new from Goodwill!
On Thursday, I wore this black and white maxi skirt – do you see a pattern here – yes, I love the classic black and white combo. Thursday was also the night that we put together the Swag Bags for KalediscopeDE and I wasn’t the only one who wore a black and white skirt.
It was definitely a great birthday week and I am looking for a wonderful year. Now I can let you in on my secret which I posted about on a Facebook Livestream on Friday. I have been invited to collaborate with Chadwick’s of Boston and Metrostyle so stay tuned for the next few outfits which will feature clothing and accessories from both of these fantastic companies.
In case you missed Social Media Sunday with the Delaware Blogger broadcast on Sunday, here is the link as it was a great segment with my guest, Nikki Valentine who is a fashion designer and stylist.
Obviously sleeveless was the call of the week but now it’s sweater weather. Have you transitioned your wardrobe yet?
Hello my friends, I hope you are enjoying the first week of Autumn 2016. Today’s outfit is actually one that I wore before the end of the summer and I think it will also be a good transition into winter if worn with a pair of boots or tights – what do you think?
As you know, black and white is one of my favorite classic color combinations and this was one of my favorite looks. I think hubby liked it as well which is always a good thing especially since he’s on the other side of the lens.
The red leather tote was thrifted a few years ago from Goodwill which I carried to California when I flew to Hollywood to shoot the Depend advertisement. Do you remember all the excitement and fun of that trip, if not, click here to read the post.
These peep toe booties were purchased from Payless and trust me, not only are they super cute, but they are also very comfortable.
The pencil skirt was purchased from Ross Dress for Less and the tank is a closet staple that is too old to even remember where I got it.
The necklace was also thrifted new from Goodwill and the bracelet was on clearance at Old Navy. I can’t remember where I purchased the large faux diamond ring, but it’s a fun costume piece.
Have you started transitioning your wardrobe from summer to fall yet? I did get rid of a lot of summer items that I didn’t wear this year and probably won’t next so now I have a lot more room in my closet!
Have you voted DeDivahDeals as BEST BLOG in the 2016 Delaware Black Awards yet, if not, please click this link to head over to do so now, as I would love to be recognized by my readers! You can only vote once per device, so if you have multiple devices, please use each one to vote – thank you!
Have a wonderful Wednesday and I’ll see ya on Friday.
If you missed last week’s episode of Social Media Sunday with the Delaware Blogger on AAU Teen Talk Radio – click the pic to listen to the replay.
Autumn is time for renewal and rejuvenation and thanks to my “lil sis” and fellow blogger, Whitney Nic James, I am ready to shed my summer skin and rejuvenate my face.
I was the lucky winner of her “11 Ways to Pamper Yourself At Home + A Giveaway” and received a 19.40 oz jar of Coconut Oil Exfoliating Salt Scrub. It smells wonderful and after using it in the shower it left my skin feeling soft and refreshed. It also helped with the dryness on my legs and arms after a recent bout with poison oak.
Not only did I win the the Coconut Oil Exfoliating Salt Scrub but she also included a few other goodies! The box I received contained several other pampering products all wrapped in silver tissue paper along with a lovely embellished Thank You card.
Avocado Face Mask by Sephora
Sephora Gift Card
Package of que bella Purifying Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Mud Mask
Dead Sea Essentials Soothing Chamomile Spa Facial Mud Mask
ToGoSpa Coconut Eye Treatments
Thank you Whitney, these are all products that I will try because as you know I recently celebrated my 55th Birthday and pampering is definitely on the schedule for the entire month of September.
After I use these products, I may come back with a follow-up post if I had any adverse reactions or was overly impressed with any of them, so stay tuned.
So tell me, what is your favorite home spa pampering products?
Thank you and have a wonderful weekend where ever you are and don’t forget to tune in to Social Media Sunday with the Delaware Blogger AAU Teen Talk Radio.
This is the link to last Sunday’s show with special guest Nicolle Surratte.
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Thursday evening I had an opportunity to attend an Ethnic Inspired Runway show held at the Euphoria Taproom in Bear, DE. The show was presented by the owners of The Closet Boutique.
The Closet Boutique is owned by three women who share the common goal of offering every woman a royal experience while shopping.
They offer the latest make-up trends, hottest handbags, trendy costume jewelry and accessories, all in an elegant ambiance.
The lovely ladies at The Closet Boutique enjoy helping women look their best at all times. Whether they are going to work or heading out for a night out on the town, working closely with the ladies at The Closet Boutique will help them create a look to ensure a captivating result.
The Closet Boutique also hosts monthly events to inspire fun, fashion and fellowship. Thursday they hosted an Ethnic Inspired Runway Show that featured clothing with an ethnic attitude all created by Terry Evans of Fashions By Terry Evans.
Terry is a Clothing Designer, Seamstress, and Certified Wedding and Event Planner and her designs were the highlight of the evening.
Chantel Cunningham, owner of Attitude by Chantel offers personal shopping guidance, wardrobe consulting and she also hosts jewelry parties. If you would like to contact Chantel, she can be reached at ChantelsAttitude@Comcast.com.
Veronica Hodges is a fellow instructor for The Money School of Delaware as well as the owner of Make Me Over Veronica. She is also a Mary Kay representative who provided the make up for all the lovely models for the Runway Show.
Keesha, owner of Goodie Bagz by Keesha, had a large selection of handbags and accessories on display as well as a few lovely pieces featured on the Runway.
It was a very nice evening filled with fun, fashion and food as well as vendors representing TLC, Koffe Body Treats and Pure Romance.
The Closet Boutique’s Annual “Customer Appreciation Day” will be held Sunday, September 25th at 3:00 p.m. at 124 East Pulaski Highway in Elkton, MD.
