social media Archives - Page 7 of 9

Soapy Social Media Roundup

September 27, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Happy first official week of fall! The Pacific Northwest certainly received the fall-memo, as the weather changed suddenly from sun to pouring rain this week. On the bright side, the garden is receiving plenty of water and the kiddos are utilizing their inside toys. Gotta stay positive!

With the grey weather comes more crafting and inside activities. Today, I’m whipping up some pumpkin puree (blog post about that tomorrow) and gathering inspiration via Pinterest for upcoming Halloween/fall projects. If you haven’t already, there is still time to enter to win one of SIX Bramble Berry gift certificates, simply for following Soap Queen on social media outlets. Click here to enter the contest! Speaking of social media, here are my top pins, tweets and instagrams from the past week.

Pins:

Left to right, clockwise:

It’s almost time to decorate pumpkins! While the traditional carved pumpkin is cute, this glittered pumpkin really brings the glam.
Can you believe that the colors in this soap made by Zahida from Handmade in Florida are all natural? If you admire Zahida’s work as much as I do, read more about her in this interview.
These Flourless Apple Pie Pancakes from Jessica in the Kitchen look incredibly moist and tasty. Perfect for a weekend brunch!
I love using recyclables for DIY projects; it’s so fun to turn trash into treasure. These candy corn Ombre Wine Bottles look easy and super festive.

Instagram:

This week, I have been practicing my squeeze bottle skills. It can be tricky to find the right squeezing consistency, and to keep a steady hand! Practice makes perfect.

I’m thrilled with how this dandelion soap turned out! This soap has real dandelions on top, and the swirl in the center is called the Dandelion Zebra Swirl, first featured by soaper Vinvela Ebony. If you want to try the Dandelion Zebra Swirl, check out this tutorial.

Top Tweets from Twitter:

Love almonds as much as I do? Good news, almonds may reduce heart attack risk and protect artery walls from damage. These 9 Health Benefits of Almonds will have you reaching for these tasty nuts more often!
Working from home is a luxury. If you are able to do so, make sure you are being effective with these tips.
Skincare routines are becoming increasingly complex, but does it actually lead to better skin? Probably!
Staying on top of email can feel totally overwhelming. These tips are great for keeping your inbox organized.
Taylor Swift’s shift into pop music is a great example of why cohesive branding is so important!

I hope you’re all having a great weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Like and Win!

September 22, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Sharing tutorials, soapy inspiration and bits of my life on this blog motivates and inspires me immensely. I love being able to swap ideas and interact with fellow soapers! Did you know you can find more Soap Queen tutorials, inspiration and behind the scenes sneak peeks via other social media outlets? Check out all the unique, fun soapy activity happening on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, Google + and Facebook.

To show our awesome social media followers extra appreciation, enter now for a chance to win one of SIX Bramble Berry gift certificates! Simply like or follow Soap Queen or Bramble Berry on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or Tumblr (or all four!) to be entered.

For each social media outlet, one follower will be selected at random to win a $15 Bramble Berry gift certificate. One winner will be selected at random from all the social media outlets to win the GRAND PRIZE $50 Bramble Berry gift certificate. Liking and following on all outlets greatly increase your chances of winning both a $15, or the GRAND prize $50 gift certificate! This contest is open to international readers and followers as well. One person may not win two gift certificates.

HOW TO ENTER:

Sign into the Rafflecopter widget below using your email. This makes it easy to contact you if you win!
Via the widget below, follow Bramble Berry and Soap Queen on various social media outlets. Simply select which outlet you’d like to follow, click on the “+1” button on the right, and follow the instructions. Note: Be sure to sign in to Rafflecopter using your email, or leave a comment on the blog while logged in using your email. This way if you win, we can contact you!
You can also win by just reading the blog! Select “Leave a Blog Post Comment” via the widget to be entered, and leave a comment telling us about your latest DIY project.
Tweet about the giveaway to receive an extra entry for the $50 grand prize. Select “Tweet About the Giveaway,” and follow the instructions.
To increase your chance of winning, you may enter with all six options.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The contest ends on Monday, September 29th at noon, PDT. Six winners will be chosen at random, and contacted via email. One person may not win two gift certificates. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be selected at random.

Soapy Social Media Roundup

August 30, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

I hope you are all having a great Labor Day weekend! Mine has been filled with sunshine and gardening. With summer ending, I’m trying my best to harvest summer crops and get ready for fall. Luckily, the warm weather lasts into September here in the Pacific Northwest, so there is still time to enjoy the sun before the fall chill sets in. I do need to pull most of my kale because it got powdery mildew (yes, I dried water + milk 1:9 ratio and some other things I’ve read online to try), so I’ll be replanting kale this weekend too. Speaking of fall, be sure to sign up for our Newsletter to be in the know about upcoming promotions and exclusive projects. We have some really fun and festive holiday and fall ideas, and can’t wait to share them with you. In the meantime, here are my favorite pins, tweets and instagrams from the past few weeks! Pins: Left to right, clockwise:

This Rose Necklace and Ring Tutorial by The Idea Room is adorable. I would love to use a deep purple color and wear the necklace during fall.
Doesn’t this Tomato and Blueberry Salad look delicious? I have never tried blueberries in a salad before, I love the color they add.
With vibrant colors and an amazing swirl, this Dusk to Dawn Soap by Petals Bath Boutique is a showstopper. If you’d like to try a Faux Funnel Pour, check out this Soap Queen Tv video!
As summer ends, it’s time to start planning my fall garden. Here are 10 Vegetables to Grow in Fall, I might try to grow some garlic.

Instagram: With fall on it’s way and Pumpkin Spice Lattes officially hitting stores on September 2nd, we have been busy creating pumpkin inspired projects =) Be on the look out for them next week! Creating a textured soap top is easy; simply use a spoon to make peaks! Covering it with Sparkle Gold Mica doesn’t hurt either =) Tweets:

When trying to lose weight, it can be tempting to hop on the scale several times a day. Here are 5 reasons why you should use your scale sparingly.
It would seem that all scientific studies offer life changing breakthroughs, but many are simply bad science. When reading a scientific study, here are things to look for to help evaluate the claims of the study.
According to the Wall Street Journal, yoga participation only grew 4.5% in 2013, while the sales for yoga apparel increased by 45%! Seems comfortable and stylish is a winning combination.
What does social media’s ability to make us all “microcelebrities” mean for our lives? Creating and sharing content online continues to shape how we build relationships.
If you suffer from anxiety, here are 6 Tips for Fighting Anxiety (with one being especially important!)

Have a great rest of your holiday weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Soapy Social Media Roundup

August 2, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Welcome to August! I can’t believe how quickly summer is flying by. This past week has been full of fun in the sun, including playing at the lake (or child-size lake), and celebrating birthdays. Today I’m whipping up a yummy sorbet recipe, so keep your eyes on the blog for that recipe this weekend! It’s the perfect sweet treat on a hot summer day.

In the Soap Queen lab, I have been soaping up a storm with plenty of new melt and pour projects, and a few cold process soaps. What crafty projects do you have planned? If you’re looking for an easy weekend project, the new Soap Queen TV episode covers the basics of melt and pour soap. If you missed any of my social media posts this week, here are my favorite pins, tweet and instagrams to review:

Pins:
Top right, clockwise:

It’s been a while since I sat down at the sewing machine. This simple Tres Step Pillow Tutorial looks like the perfect project to start sewing again.
I’m always on the lookout for healthy breakfast options that get me out the door quickly. A Peanut Butter Banana Oat Smoothie sounds like a great way to start a busy day.
The column pour is one of my favorite soap techniques, and this post is full of column pour inspiration! I love that one technique allows you to create so many drastically different designs.
With seasonal allergies in full swing, these strongly brewed Green Tea Ice Cubes look great for calming puffy, tired eyes.

Instagrams:
This week contained plenty of soapy sessions! Curious how to set up your work space efficiently? The Soapy Session and Preparation Guide has a bunch of tips to help your soaping time run smoother.

As demonstrated by the video below, plastic containers do not mix well with undiluted essential and fragrance oils! Luckily, plastic mishaps are easy to avoid. The Undiluted Aroma Oils + Plastic Don’t Mix blog post dives into this topic.

Tweets:

During summer, it can be difficult to find the time or desire to keep up with social media. These 10 Time-Saving Social Media Tools make it easy to stay productive and still have time to enjoy the sun.
If I ever get a chance to visit Japan, the beautiful Hitachi Seaside Park will be on my list of things to see! Covered in millions of small blue flowers, the park looks otherworldly.
In order to come up with a brilliant idea, you first need to get rid of some bad ones. This is especially true when attempting to create new ideas for a startup. Bottom line? Don’t give up!
With so many fad diets with random sources, it’s important to get advice from nutritionists. The 16 foods that nutritionists reach for when slimming down aren’t surprising…lots of veggies!

Have a great weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Soapy Social Media Roundup

July 21, 2014 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

I hope you all had a wonderful week! Last week, we experienced a bit of a heat wave, with temperatures reaching 85 degrees. I’m sure for many of you that would be refreshing cool down. I have been trying to enjoy it as much as possible (with plenty of SPF of course!). This weekend cooled down a little; there are no complaints here.

To celebrate the sun, the office and warehouse at Bramble Berry took a break from work to enjoy hot dogs, hamburgers, salads and sweet treats. The kiddos have also been enjoying the warmer temperatures with plenty of time outdoors, and of course enjoying the garden’s bounty! Here on the blog, we are continuing with the Roman Holiday series of tutorials, so keep your eyes out for new Mediterranean-inspired projects.

Pins:

Top left, clockwise:

How cute are these personalized Graphic Lunch Bags? It makes me excited for the day when Lilly and Jamisen will need their lunch packed for school.
With summer comes berry season, and these Blueberry Power Smoothies look like the perfect way to use all the fresh berries available.
Being a crafty person, I want my kids to feel confident in exploring their creative side. I would love to start doing more “process art” projects with them; art that focuses on the process, rather than the outcome.
It’s not very often that we get to wear sandals in the Pacific Northwest, so I don’t buy new pairs every summer. I love this idea of making sandals new again by adding crystal embellishments!

Instagrams:

This week we created a lemon poppy seed soap scented with Lemon Verbena Yankee Type Fragrance Oil, and Champagne Fragrance Oil. It smells good enough to eat! I’m thrilled with how straight the mica line turned out.

Tweets:

Could the way you speak at work be hindering your job chances? This list of four speech habits includes “Valley girl speech,” and “bad grammar,” as two speech habits to kick immediately.
While counting calories does not equal a healthy diet, it is important to be aware of what you are eating. The FDA is currently reviewing feedback to make serving sizes more accurate to what Americans eat today.
So much of our daily communication relies on body language, and these easy body language hacks may drastically improve your likeability!
Honesty may be the most important rule for building company culture, especially when you are in a leadership role.

To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube. Have a great week!

Soapy Social Media Roundup

July 5, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

I hope everyone had a lovely and safe Fourth of July. We put the kiddos to bed early (thanks to a city-wide personal fireworks ban, that was possible this year). Today, we did a fun play date on Lake Samish (complete with a slip’n’slide for the kiddos). I am continually amazed by the beauty of this place! The weekend isn’t promising to be as hot as last weekend, but since it’s not over yet, I still plan on doing lots of gardening and taking a few sunset evening walks. At Bramble Berry, we’re gearing up for a series of tutorials next week to give your skin a beautiful bronze glow, so keep your eyes on the blog and sign up for our newsletter.

Enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend! With the help of my very active set of kids, I know I will =)

Pins:

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Soapy Social Media Roundup

June 21, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Can you believe the fourth of July is only two weeks away? I definitely can’t! At Bramble Berry we’re all looking forward to summer though, and earlier this week we featured a Fireworks Cold Process tutorial to get you thinking about summer-themed projects. Since the weather has been so nice lately, the kiddos and I have spent plenty of time outside either working in the garden or visiting the farmer’s market for fresh veggies.

Speaking of summer, keep your eyes on the blog, follow us on Facebook or subscribe to our newsletter to be in the know about an upcoming promotion. It features lots of fun tutorials to get beautiful, beach-ready hair =) Until then, take a look at my favorite pins, tweets and ‘grams from the week!

Pins:

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Soapy Social Media Roundup

June 7, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Welcome to the weekend, everyone! The weather in Bellingham has been just gorgeous lately, and that means I’ve been spending plenty of time outdoors. We even took Jamisen fishing for the first time! Don’t worry, no fish were harmed in the process.

Meanwhile at Bramble Berry, we’ve been working on a series of projects to treat your toes. Be sure to sign up for the newsletter so you’ll be in the know about the tutorials, as well as special deals (yes, deals!)

I’m off to enjoy the sunshine, but before I do here is a roundup of my favorite pins, tweets and ‘grams from the past two weeks.

Pins:

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Soapy Social Media Roundup

May 25, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Welcome to the (almost) end of May, everyone! It never ceases to amaze me how fast time flies. Within the last two weeks we finished up a rather rosey promotion, experimented with an adorably sweet new mold and perfected a sassy summer nail polish color. To keep up with all our latest news — including word of upcoming sales and promotions — subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

How is your Memorial Day Weekend so far? I’ve been laying low and catching up on yard work around the house, taking the kids on more playdates, and trying to work in a few trips to Bellingham’s beautiful beaches whenever the time and weather allows. Keep in mind that because there is a holiday on Monday, the warehouse will be operating with a skeleton crew and there won’t be anyone in customer service to answer the phones. We’ll be back in full force on Tuesday, though!

Pins:

From top left, clockwise:

I’m not usually one for houseplants, but I do like to keep a few succulents on my kitchen window sill. That’s probably why this DIY succulent wreath caught my eye! I just love the diverse colors, and it’s great because I know these little guys will last year round, even with our crazy pacific northwest climate.
I did some personal reflection this week as I was thinking about ways to manage big life changes and transitions smoothly. I’ve never been one to sit back and wait for things to happen, and over the years this quote has become my inner mantra. Click here to read part 1 & 2 if you’re about to make a change.
Natural clays make such fantastic colorants, and that is no where more evident than in this Clay Cold Process made by the ladies at Otion, our retail store. Those beautiful colors come from 5 different natural clays.
I had a sweet tooth this afternoon, because I couldn’t resist including these ice cream cone cake pops. It doesn’t hurt that they are absolutely adorable too. So much goodness in every way!

Instagram:

I was doing a little experimenting with mica-covered embeds in cold process soap. This is a super fun technique that I’m excited to try again this upcoming week.

Tweets:

Do you have a big project coming up? Tuesday might be the most productive day to get it done!
It’s well-known that nearly every business needs a social media presence to truly thrive, but how can you build one from the ground up? I found these 5 tips for laying social media groundwork super helpful.
This was a fascinating — and worrying — read: a journalist visits a California Dietetic Association conference only to find McDonalds is the sole caterer! This is a disconcerting look at how intertwined some fast food chains and dietary regulation organizations truly are.

Have a great holiday weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.

Soapy Social Media Roundup

May 10, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Spring is in full swing! Last week temperatures in Bellingham hit the high 70s, which is a delightful treat for a city that has a reputation for being one of the rainiest in all of Washington state. April showers definitely bring May flowers, and we’re also smack dab in the middle of floral-fueled promotion. It features lots of light scents, rose water, delicate colors and of course, specials deals and promotions. We’re releasing special deals next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Follow us on social media and subscribe to the newsletter to not miss anything.

Annnnd, speaking of social media, take a look at my favorite social media goodies from the past two weeks:

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Soapy Social Media Roundup

April 12, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Welcome to the end of another busy week! The sun has been shining and it’s been a flurry of activity around the office as everyone is getting ready for spring activities.

I’ve been experimenting with lots of Easter-y crafts, including these cute little egg shell candles. I even got to make an awesome frittata with all those egg yolks! In toddler land, Jamisen and Lily are doing well and sometimes they even pause for a half-second so I can get adorable Instagram photos like this. I think they’re the cutest kids in the world, but I may also be a bit biased =)

In the next few weeks, be on the look-out for more contests, Soap Queen TV videos and fresh, fun projects. For now, take a look a my favorite soapy social media items from the past two weeks:

Pins:

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Soapy Social Media Roundup

March 15, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

All of the snow has melted in Bellingham. It’s (finally) starting to feel like spring has sprung! The whole family took a quick trip to Hawaii with my parents for a little surf and sand. It was wonderful to enjoy the sun rays and sand. Back at the office, we are busy clearing room for the latest round of Soap Swaps. There are a record breaking number of soapers (205, to be exact) participating this year. If you couldn’t get in on this round of swapping fun, keep your eyes on the blog because you can bet we’ll announce another swap soon.

I’m a fan of many of social media options out there to keep touch with friends and customers from all over the world. I pin, tweet + ‘gram a lot. These are my favorites from the past two weeks.

Pins:

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Soapy Social Media Roundup

March 1, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Welcome to the first day of March, everyone! After a surprise snow storm dumped nearly 8 inches in Bellingham earlier this week (and, it’s snowing again right now!), we are wishing for sunshine and craving spring; hence all the rainbow colors in this week’s Soapy Social Media Roundup. Spring scents, colors and designs are everywhere, and you can expect to see them in upcoming soapy projects! Take a look at these pins, tweets and ‘grams for more inspiration.

Pins:

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Soapy Social Media Roundup

February 15, 2014 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Happy Saturday, everyone! It’s hard to believe we’re halfway through February, especially because it feels like we were just celebrating the new year. Time flies, and Lily is now 8.5 months old and already able to hold herself up. It has been amazing to watch her grow! Jamisen is doing wonderfully also, and has really enjoyed our Friday morning craft time. I get a ton of ideas from my Toddler Fun Pinterest board, but I’m always open to more suggestions.

Speaking of Pinterest, take a look at my favorite pins, tweets and ‘grams from the past two weeks.

Pins:

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