Sponsor Spotlight: Crystal from The Happy Type

I'm really, really excited to have Crystal from The Happy Type as my featured sponsor this month because she is pretty dang awesome. Not only is her blog super positive and inspirational, but she is also funny and gorgeous (that hair!). Crystal constantly delivers blog posts that are full of positive energy, and we could all use a little more of that in our lives, dontcha think? Also, she makes yummy, healthy recipes like apple oat smoothies, which I know I could use more of in my life!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog:

My name is Crystal and my blog, The Happy Type, is an outlet for me to help spread empowerment and positivity to women all over the world. I love being able to create relationships with amazing women, who without the internet I would never have had the opportunity to meet!

Why do you blog?

I blog to share my experiences in hopes of helping someone else know that they aren't alone in their current situation and that things will get better. Also, the blogging community is AMAZING and I'm pretty much addicted to it.

What inspires you?

All kinds of things and people inspire me and it's usually a surprise at what can get me in a creative frame of mind. I will say that music has proven to be a tried and true medium of inspiration for me.

What are 3 random things about you?

1. I'm terrified of balloons.

2. I'm a crazed college football fan.

3. I learned Russian in college and even earned a minor in it.

What are 3 of your favorite posts?

Work it Out

Protecting Your Joy

Why Words Matter

Sponsor Spotlight: Allie from Call me Sassafras

Today I'm happy to introduce Allie, from Call Me Sassafras. I really enjoy Allie's blog because she is super real, funny and well, sassy! I also enjoy that Allie writes about science and literature, makes awesome playlists and compiles great stuff from around the web. You can find Allie on Facebook and of course bloglovin', but first read her interview below and check out her top three favorite posts!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog:

Hey y'all! My name's Allie. I hail from freezing Minnesota, but now I split my days (school year/summer) between North Carolina and the shores of Lake Michigan. I'm always listening to music--my tastes range from woodsy folk to Macklemore to the Freelance Whales (who rock my socks off) to 60s surf rock. I think dinosaurs are the coolest thing ever--whale sharks and jellyfish tie for second. I like being under trees, with sarcastic people and asleep. 

Call Me Sassafras is a celebration of being yourself. In the process, I blog about everything that makes me unique! I blog about books that I can't stop thinking about, songs I can't get out of my head, science bits that fascinate me and a plethora of thoughts that pour out of my crazy imagination. 

Why do you blog?

I blog because of the acceptance I find here. With so many people on the internet, I'm bound to find someone else who thinks sharks are the shiz. Blogging gives me a community of ladies that I love and who love me in return--even if it's not in the usual way. Blogging also gives me a voice. I'm very social with people that I know in love, but I'm such an introvert also. This way, I make connections with other people but I also manage my social anxiety. 

What inspires you?

I'm inspired by people who do their own thing, even if it's in a small way. I love Amanda's blog because she blogs so much about ice cream--I don't know anyone else who does that, and that's just awesome! 

What are 3 random things about you?

1. I'm currently planning a big trip for next June. The options: Iceland, Costa Rica or Thailand. Have an opinion or another suggestion? Let me know!

2. I recently threw a Great Gatsby-themed dinner party with friends on my back lawn. You can see pictures here! It was super classy.

3. Call Me Sassafras came from a nickname my longtime boyfriend gave me when I was being sassy. (I'm Sassafras; he's Sasquatch).

3 Favorite Posts:

6 Things I'm Not Ashamed of (But Probably Should Be)

Marie Curie, Karate Chopping Stereotypes 

July Music Recommendations

Sponsor Spotlight: Katherine from Of Corgis & Cocktails + Giveaway!

Today I'm super excited to introduce Katherine from Of Corgi's & Cocktails. I have admired Katherine's blog for a while now, and how could I not? She has great style. adorable pups, and knows her way around the kitchen. As the title of her blog suggests, she also makes lots of yummy cocktails! I personally can't wait to try her orange blossom martini and this rose rock candy syrup. 

Oh, and don''t miss out on our awesome giveaway at the bottom that Katherine and I teamed up to bring you! It's awesome :)

Why do you blog?

I think it's partly an organization thing - I love seeing a catalog of my life and style. I have a Flickr that dates back to 2008 and really almost goes through every part of my and my husband's relationship. Blogging was the next step for me. I have always been into fashion and participated in things like Chictopia and what not, so it made sense. Then I fell in love with it.

What inspires you?

Just about everything. Other bloggers. Restaurants. Design agencies. Animals. How crazy imaginative kids are. Seriously - I get inspired by the most random of things. Driving tends to inspire me to do things though.

Tell us 3 random things about you:

-My husband and I share the same birthday - we're born an hour apart.

-I played the trombone for 7 years. I also haven't touched one in the same amount.

-I am lucky to own a few bags that I designed myself - and had a few on the market. Being a product designer has its perks ;D

3 Favorite Posts

Classic Chex Mix Recipe 

Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow

Remix: The Denim Jacket

And now, for the giveaway! Yay! We are giving away not only two awesome Clinique items (one 7 Day Scrub Cream & one Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in "Grapefruit") but also a giftcard to Fab.com! Hurry an enter below :)

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Sponsor Spotlight: Melyssa from The Nectar Collective

Today I'm really excited to share Melyssa from The Nectar Collective, one of my new favorite blogs! Melyssa is a teacher living in Japan (awesome!) who has a super cute dog and is full of positive energy. Seriously, spend a little time on her blog and you will leave happier. Not only is her blog a happy place to be, but Melyssa has awesome ideas like creating a positivity garland, and putting wine into smoothies (!!!). Whatcha waiting for? You can find Melyssa on Facebook, Bloglovin and Twitter. Read more about her below!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog:
Hey there! My name is Melyssa and I'm a Southern California girl currently hammin' it up as a teacher in Tokyo, Japan. I live with my corgi, Monja, who makes up for his chewing and barking skills by being the most silly and adorable creature on the planet. I think he is my soulmate (sorry boys). Besides my pup, I also love coffee (by love, I mean "have an unhealthy addiction to"), cooking, going on new adventures, and getting my hands dirty with anything creative. I also love to write and I over-share my life, advice, and more on my blog, The Nectar Collective.

I started The Nectar Collective as a way to inspire others to lead a positive, creative, and adventurous life. TNC is full of observations from my life as an expat, advice and tips on how to be a better human being, and even has DIY tutorials for my creativity-lovin' readers. Oh, and my dog, Monja, writes his own series. He's kind of a silly brat, but I think you'll love him anyway.

Why do you blog?
Good question! Actually, for many years, I'd always thought about starting a website like The Nectar Collective, but I never knew where to start or what it would really be about, so I let it sit on the back-burner of my brain until it felt right. Then in January, I took an e-course called Creative Courage and it reinforced in me that I don't need to have a master plan for everything I do. Sometimes I just need to have a little courage and go for the things I love. So I made my blog in order to spread that same vision - that we shouldn't wait until we have everything figured out to do the things that make us come alive. Sometimes, it's best to throw ourselves into something and keep defining ourselves as we go along.

I also blog because after living in the "real world" for a little while, I am starting to see why people claim to hate it so much. I want to remind people that there is still an overwhelming amount of beauty and positivity in the world. Sometimes it finds us, and sometimes we need to be the people to spread it. I blog to show my readers that they are all capable of being those people.

What inspires you?
Oh my, I could write about this for DAYS. The first thing that comes to mind is seeing people do what they love. I LOVE the fact that I've been out of college long enough to see my friends start finding careers, partners, and places that they are falling in love with. It's like, you can see the core of a person's spirit just glowing with passion. I feed off that.
I'm also inspired by honesty, especially when being honest is not the easiest or most comfortable thing to do.

And lastly, I really mean this: my readers inspire the hell out of me. Sometimes I'll feel tired or unmotivated and then I'll receive a gracious comment from a reader who liked something I wrote. That one comment can keep me going for the entire day. To think that there are people out there who read the crap I post on my blog and actually really like it still blows my mind. I am so thankful to have such kind-hearted, honest, brave, and beautiful readers.  I honestly wonder if I'd care so much about my blog if they didn't exist.


Tell us 3 random things about you:
1. I was a vegetarian for 17 years. At the end of 2012, I just started eating meat again.
2. I was on Homecoming Court during my senior year of university.
3. When I was a Resident Advisor in college, I told my residents that instead of killing the bugs in our dorm, I'd take the bugs outside for them. That year, I captured 50+ bugs, including grasshoppers, giant moths, spiders, and more.

What are three of your favorite posts?

 24 Lessons from 24 Years

Musings by Monja

Adventures in Hanoi, Vietnam

I mean, com'on! Just look at that cute doggie face! Head on over to Melyssa's blog and say hello! 

Sponsor Spotlight: Lauren from Love Lola + Giveaway!

Today I'm really excited to introduce Lauren from Love Lola! Lauren is an awesome blogger, vintage shop owner and creator of delicious recipes. I mean just gander at these sweet potato chips, or her sweet potato brownies. Yuuum! Lauren also collects awesome vintage items to sell in her shop, Love Lola Vintage.  You can also find Lauren on instagram and pinterest. Read more about Lauren below! 

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Tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog:

I’m Lauren, but my friends call me Lola. Why Lola? Good question. I’m not totally sure. What I do know is it first started among my friends when I began teaching yoga in college. (I guess the retro/artsy name fit the image?) I kind of liked it because it seemed to express my “inner me.” Then it just stuck. So there you go… that is how the name of my blog came to be.

I reside in the state of South Carolina together with my husband, Scofield. We’re just approaching life step-by-step, enjoying each moment along the way. And that’s what you’ll find captured over in the blog—that + an array of recipes (mostly desserts).

Why do you blog? 

For me, it’s a creative outlet. As a nutrition student right now, I spend all day racking my brain with equations and scenarios. It’s nice to come home and exercise the other half of my brain...the artistic side. It often still involves nutrition (food)—such as the recipes I’m making at the moment…but still, it’s cooking, not calculating calories. It also serves as a sort of picture-journal of our first year of marriage, which is a treasure to be able to look back on. It’s a collection of memories that I hope brings joy to other folks as much as they bring joy to us.

What inspires you?

Let’s see—a very vague response would be Color, Freedom, and Beauty.

Color… It’s one of the reasons I love spring so much. Watching the purple flowers spring up and accent a tree of white flowers can stop me dead in my tracks. That, and get my camera clicking. 

Freedom…the kind of freedom you see in a child with absolutely no worries, or in a person completely comfortable in their skin. It inspires me to be free in who I am. Being free in who I am allows me to find and follow my inspirations.

And Beauty…it is most inspiring when it’s found in the most unexpected places. It’s then that it can really captivate your soul. I always try to find, and sometimes even create, beauty in the space around me in any way I can (including my “www. space”).

Tell us 3 random things about you:

1. I use white-out obsessively at my office job. I couldn’t get through a day without it.

2. I love biscuits.

3. I’d choose mountains over beach.

Favorite posts?

1. A Look into our Nook.  

2. White Chocolate Cheesecake Cookies with Raspberry Buttercream. 

3. Snickerdoodle Almond Butter.

Giveaway:

 Lauren is giving away a $20 giftcard to her shop, Love Lola Vintage for any order of $25 or more! Here are a few of my favorite pieces! 

How to Enter:
Simply follow "Love Lola," on Bloglovin', then complete as many other entries as you'd like! 



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