Southern Belle in Training

Fashion, Travel & Lifestyle Blog || Est. 2012 || Virginia Beach, VA

June 24, 2013

Introducing the Summer of Something New blog challenge!

     Boy oh boy do I have some exciting blog news today! And doesn't exciting blog news make Mondays better? I think so! :-)

    *drumroll please*....... I now have (real) social media icons up! After realizing that it was beyond me to make my own, I ordered some from an Etsy shop. I think they make my blog look like 100% more "professional" already, and I may or may not have clicked on them about a bazillion times because I'm so happy about their arrival. #bloggingnerdstatus

     You probably know that's not the real reason for this post though... the real news is I'm introducing that I'm co-hosting a fun blogging challenge!

        A couple months ago I started e-mailing back and forth with Elle exchanging ideas for a summer blogging challenge. She and I had done a 30 day blogging challenge back in early 2012 when I was still writing on my old blog. :-) It was a lot of fun and allowed us to get to know each other and our readers better! Unfortunately it summer is a busy time so an everyday of the month challenge didn't seem too realistic, so we eventually decided upon the Summer of Something New challenge!

     Basically each week for the next six weeks Elle, myself, the two other fabulous gals that are joining in will commit to trying one new thing, and then blogging about it that Friday at the end of the week! So this week's posts will go up on Friday, June 28th, and the last Friday of the challenge will be Friday, August 2nd. If a blogger cannot post on that week's Friday for whatever reason, the post can be shared on Thursday or Saturday.

     The beauty of the Summer of Something New is that you can you can literally do anything as long as it's new to you, and you blog about it! Some ideas include trying new recipes or craft projects, taking a day trip to somewhere you've never been before, learning a new skill, reading a different type of book than you usually read, etc. I always find that I tend to get lazy during my free time in the summers, so I'm looking forward to this as a way to stay busy and creative when I'm not working!

     Now let me introduce the bloggers who will be participating with me:

*Elle: First up is my co-host for the challenge! Let me just say that I have a lot of favorite blogs I follow, but Elle definitely writes one of my top favorite blogs! I love her honesty and realness, and she has a great sense of humor, too! She is a great role model for college girls like myself, and I am so thankful that we were able to become blog friends! One thing that I find interesting is that one of the reasons that we both started blogging is because it was a way to vent about school. ;-)
     Elle and her husband J are "not-so-newlyweds" who just celebrated their 2nd wedding anniversary. (Side note: they're one of the cutest blog couples that I know of.) Elle is currently in a graduate program studying to become a counselor. She and J are both Christians. They're also fur-parents to a very cute dog named Cooper who makes frequent appearances on her blog.  Elle blogs over at elle-oh-vee about enjoying married student life! 



*Jessica: Jessica is one of my newer blog friends, but she's one of the sweetest bloggers that I've ever "met"! This girl has one of the biggest hearts for Jesus that I've ever seen. Her testimony was so encouraging for me to read, and I encourage all of you to read it too! Her blog posts are always so down-to-earth and fun to read.
     Jessica is a new college graduate from the Northwest who is getting ready to take on grad school! She is passionate about photography, iced coffee, chocolate travel and being a Young Life leader. Jessica started her blog, Forever Convinced, as a way to share her faith with others. 





*mQs: Miss mQs from The Shore Life of M and I have a lot of interesting things in common! Both of us blog under our initials, and both of us are soon to be college sophomores who are also transfer students! It was really cool for me this past spring to be able to read another gal's blog who was going through the transfer process as well. mQs wrote up her own bio for me to share with all of you!
     My name is Michaela Quigley (mQs).  I'm an east coast girl starting my sophomore year of college.  I am studying Middle Grades Education with the intention of becoming a teacher.  I have a passion for fashion,quotes,  photography, sports, the beach, Starbucks, shopping, food, exercising, and crafting.  These things are all noticeable throughout my blog. I started my blog, Shore Life According to M, in January 2013. I had been following blogs for about six months, and with the start of a new year I thought it would something fun to try.  I have always been a creative person.  In college I found myself not being able to express my creativity as much, so my blog became a way for me to be creative and take my mind off of the stress of college. My blog doesn't really have a theme.  I write about whatever inspires me each day.  I am working to expand my blog and obtain a larger following base, as well as make my blog bigger and better. I am always open to feedback and suggestions, in fact I love hearing what my readers have to say.  It is one of my favorite parts of blogging.  I am excited for this month long challenge with Ms. ALK and what it has to offer me and all of my readers.





     I'm so excited to be doing such a fun blogging challenge with three awesome bloggers! I can't wait to see what fun ideas everyone brings to the table. And the good news is for all of you reading this; there's still time to join in if you'd like to! Just make sure to e-mail me asap (which you can now do using that handy dandy little e-mail icon!), and I'll add you in!

     In other news, today is my first day of working at both summer jobs. I have evening and afternoon shifts, which means that I'll only have less than an hour later to drive home, change from camp attire into business casual attire, eat dinner and then leave for the next job! Eeek. Pray that I'll be able to make this in time!


     xoxo Miss ALK

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8 comments

  1. Hey Lady! Yay! I'm so glad you made some blog friends and are doing a new blog challenge. I haven't done one yet so I will definitely have to jump on the bandwagon.

    Social media icons are vital! Nobody wants to surf a blog to figure out how to be a new follower....excellent addition. It will be very useful for future followers :)

    Ginny
    www.buttergirldiaries.com

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  2. This looks like so much fun! Can't wait to see what you all come up with throughout the summer :) What a great topic!

    I hope your jobs go well and that you have enough time to get ready for the second one! You can do it, girl!

    xo, gina

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  3. Loved this blogging challenge - it's perfect for summer, I think. ;)

    Congrats on the new icons - they're lovely (as is your blog, btw!). And good luck with your first day of work. You'll do great! :)

    -Y

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  4. Everything looks great! Thanks for the sweet intro. Good luck with the job!

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  5. YAY!! So excited! So curious about the challenges ;)

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  6. What a fun idea, can't wait to read the posts!

    Xo
    Kate

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  7. Thanks for the lovely intro! Can't wait to see our posts on the challenge!

    xoxo
    mQs

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  8. Thanks for the sweet intro of mine! I loved reading it all! I am so excited to get to know each of you girls and do this challenge together :)

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