A Special Sheilacakes Annoucement

I am excited to announce that I am now available for press trips and brand trips. Since I am a single mom, it was hard to be able to be available for these trips. Now that Noah is in school, I am able attend without any hassles or asking my mom to take off time from work. I thankfully have options for after school care too. 

I would love to represent your brand and learn more about your company. I feel that I am a great candidate because I am a very passionate person and I have great ideas. I would love to share my thoughts with you in a face to face setting. I would love to get in there and see how things are done. I feel that once you experience being in the heart of a company you truly can relate and understand all the hard work that they do. It makes it more personal. I would love to have my voice and my readers voices heard. I feel like I not only represent Sheilacakes, but I also represent my readers and moms everywhere. I would love to open up a dialogue with you.

I also love to travel. It is one of my greatest passions. I am the go to person when it comes to sharing the best places to visit or stay. I think of every trip as an adventure and a chance to experience a new place and culture. Even in the US each state and region is different and I believe you don't have to go to an exotic place to have a great time. Some of my favorite vacations are random places my family has decided to visit.  I am a very family oriented person, my son loves to travel too. He went on his first vacation when he was two months old. I would love to check out some great places to take family. I am a single mom so vacations for my family have to be affordable and lots of fun. I know that having both of those elements can be kind of tricky.  I am also a big advocate that every mom needs mommy time or should go on kid free trips with her friends. It replenishes us, makes us once again ready for motherhood.  So, if you are looking for a traveling mom blogger to check out your hotel, location or city  I  would love to help.

I would love to discuss opportunities that we can work together further. I look forward to hearing from you.

How Do You Start a Blog?

When I talk about blogging with my friends that are not bloggers I always get a lot of questions about it.  I have had a few ask me what it is because they are not sure what a mom blogger is.  They are usually older and no so internet savvy. Some of my friends that are familiar with blogs ask me how I did I get started in blogging. I tell them that I have always loved to write; even when I was younger I kept journals and wrote poems in a notebook. I have had a blog since 2001, I was on Live Journal. I wouldn’t really call it a real blog. It was just random thoughts about things.  When I told my aunt and uncle about blogging, they were kind of skeptical at first, but quickly realized it was legit.  I have friends that ask me how do I get in to blogging.   I always tell them, first start a blog. Write as much as you can about what you love. If you want to review products, start writing about things you use at home that you love. It is important to show your writing style and personality. The brands you will possibly be working with, will want to know that you are a great writer. I had never been big on spelling and grammar, I would try and use good grammar and spell things correctly, of course but other people’s spelling and grammar didn’t bother me all that much, until I started blogging. I am not sure why that is, probably because I am more aware.

The most important thing to learn when you decide to start a blog is, it takes a lot of time. You have to start small when asking for products for review. You will be doing most of the grunt work when it comes to finding reviews. You will eventually start receiving emails once you have been noticed by companies and PR reps. It can be hard in the beginning. I remember that I cried when I started blogging. I was afraid I wouldn’t get anything else to review and what I had on the list was it. Once I built up my Brand experience working with many companies, the emails keep coming. The more you blog the better you will get. Blogging is fun, but it is also hard work. You really have to have a passion for it.  There will be times you will get overwhelmed or told no, but if you keep trying and keep blogging you will get past it.  You will meet some of the most amazing people through blogging. It is such a great job.

Website Redo Tips

As a blogger and work at home mom that spends a lot of time online, I feel that your website is your business card. I think how it looks can say something about you as a person. For example if your website is all purple chances are your favorite color is purple. I know that with everything being so fast paced online people want to change up their sites. They get bored with the appearance of their sites and want to change it. It’s kind of like your wardrobe. Every so often you wanna try something new.  You get bored always wearing the same things.   I can’t design at all so I would have to hire someone. Who can you trust to have access to your site that you consider your child that you have been running for years? How do you know if someone won’t install a virus or delete all your hard work?  It is really hard to know with all the people who do website designs. Remember that your site is like your digital marketing agency.

Things to consider when hiring someone to redo your site:

How long have they been doing this? I would try and find someone with quite a bit of experience.  Experience doesn’t always mean excellence though. I wouldn’t make that my sole deciding factor. 

What is their style? Some people can only make those sparkly blinky graphics. Those were awesome back in like 2000, but if you want to be taken seriously you need something professional looking.  Can they accommodate your style? Do they also do designs in the platform you use on your site? Some people only design Wordpress or blogger.

How much do they charge? I have seen designers charge upwards to $700 for a redo. Can you afford them? Is it in your budget?  Do you think that it is a fair price?

Do they have a portfolio? You need to see what kinds of work they have done.  You need to see what they are capable of doing, not just what they can promise.

Do they have references? I would ask for some sites and that they have done and maybe reach out to the site owner via email and ask them for their opinion of the designer. Ask if there were issues. I would prefer to ask them and not rely on testimonials.  Call me a skeptic but if you spend years working really hard on something I need to talk to a person.

What is their schedule like? Some designers have a long list of clients. Will it be days, weeks, or months before you get your design completed? Are there issues at home that will postpone it?  I would see how long it will be, if you want something done quickly.  Some people don’t mind waiting.

What is the payment schedule? Do you have to pay a deposit? Do they require payment upfront? I wouldn’t recommend working with a designer who you have to pay upfront just as a security measure.

Are they efficient in HTML? That coding stuff is so annoying. Make sure you hire someone who knows their stuff really well. You can only Google so much.

Don’t be afraid to Google the heck out of them. Learn all you can. Most designers require a button or something that says Designed by…. Look for those on sites you go to.

Good Luck finding an amazing web designer! I hope these helped.

Dear PR and Companies Please...

Have you ever heard of the website Dear Blank, Please Blank? It is a website where you can submit your letters to people or things and most of them are really funny. My friends Ben and Amber got me addicted to it.  I could spend hours reading it.  I decided after a failed attempt of submitting my own Dear Blank, Please Blank letter.  I would make a post about Dear Blank Please Blank Blogger addition.  This is about some things bloggers have noticed in the blogosphere that I wanted to share with you.

Please note: This is just in fun, not something that is to offend and is a purely humor post.

Dear PR,

Please stop asking us to blog for a chance to win something. Blogging is our job.

Sincerely,

Do they hold a raffle for your paycheck?

Dear PR,

The smiley in word doesn’t translate to a smiley in email.

Sincerely,

I spent  10 months trying to figure out who J is

Dear Companies,

Please don’t try and trade us Twitter Followers and Facebook fans to hold your giveaways.

Sincerely,

My grocery store doesn’t accept followers as a form of payment

Dear Companies,

Please don’t use more traffic as an incentive to get us to blog about you.

Sincerely,

They don’t take traffic either

Dear Companies,

Please stop filling packages with those little crinkled pieces of paper.

Sincerely,

They are pretty but they make a huge mess

Dear PR,

Please send full sized products, especially when it is a beauty product.

Sincerely,

One or half an application won’t help me review

Dear PR,

Please be thoughtful when you are sending toys to review.

Sincerely,

Moms with more than one child

Dear Event planners,

Please make a note when you are inviting a blogger to a show in New York.

Sincerely,

I live 1000 miles away

Dear Companies,

Please read our blogs and get to know our families.

Sincerely,

Why are you pitching me for that?

Dear PR,

Please when you plan for brand trips invite different bloggers, I am sure they are great but share the wealth.

Sincerely,

Never been on a brand trip

Dear Companies,

Please send me ice cream, but sending it overnight in dry ice is not necessary.

Sincerely,

Coupons are cheaper to send

Dear PR,

Please call me Sheila that is why my blog is Sheilacakes.

Sincerely,

If my name was blogger my blog would be Bloggercakes

Dear PR,

Please stop sending me irrelevant press releases about celebrities’ clothes or what products they use.

Sincerely,

I am not Vogue or Parents Magazine

Dear PR and Companies,

Please don’t offer samples when you have none.

Sincerely,

Still waiting for my really expensive watch

Dear PR and Companies,

Please stop pitching me saying you have samples and then run out of them.

Sincerely,

Don’t pitch more than you have.

Dear Companies and PR,

I would love a vacation just so you know.

Sincerely,

The Mom blogger with a whinny five year old

Blogger Olympics and Dolphin Cruise #gulfcoast #brandcation

The first day of Brandcation in Pensacola Beach we did the Blogger Olympics.  It was a lot of fun. We did all kinds of goofy things like a digital scavenger hunt with our condo mates, we had to build a sandcastle, and there was even a hula hoop contest.  There were even medals and trophies and prizes to win.  First we did the digital scavenger hunt where we had to find all kinds of random things. Most of them we were pertaining to Portofino where we were staying, like pictures of the pools, a picture of the spa, and other beach themed things. It was crazy to run all over the place, but it was a good way to break out of my shell. I ran for the first time in a long time for my condo mates trying to beat the other teams. I was in a lot of the pictures that we had to take to “collect” the items on our list.  We had a bonus item to find a man with a hairy chest and take his picture. I went up to this man and said can I take a picture with you? He said sure. He was a really nice guy. That isn’t something I would normally do but I did. 

After the digital scavenger hunt we headed down to the beach, and had to build the White House out of sand. I suggested we had an Obama with a head I made out of random seaweed and plants. It was really cute.  We made sure we had all of the White House’s features and came really close to the real thing.  We only ended up with one bucket so we sculpted the White House with our own hands.  We didn’t even use the bucket.  The sand was our clay. We also had to ride on a raft out to a point and then ride back to shore that was difficult but fun.  If it would have been swimming or running it would have been easier but the Olympics are not easy!  All of the Blogger Olympics was sponsored by Jambu Shoes.   Jambu sells adventurous footwear that is not only comfortable, but also stylish and adorable. You can get footwear for the entire family with Jambu shoes.   Be sure to check them out.  They are awesome and Thank you Jambu Shoes for sponsoring one of my favorite events.  They provided us with the equipment for the Olympic games and the medals and the adorable sheep trophies that the winners won. We came in last place but I proudly wear my bronze medal.

The last day of Brandcation we went on a Dolphin Cruise.  I wasn’t too sure when I found out we were going.  Cruise is such a loose term, it could have been a fast boat or more of a leisurely ride. Either way I knew it was going to be fun.  I love boats and I would love to own one someday.  It was a nice relaxing leisure cruise.  We didn’t have to worry about getting wet even though that would have been fun.  We were able to see a bunch of dolphins. We even saw infant dolphins which was really neat. The captain and crew were really nice too. Some of my fellow bloggers were able to drive the boat!  Thankfully we made it back safely. We also learned more about Pensacola Beach’s history.  They showed us supposedly haunted light house. It was pretty creepy. I get scared pretty easily so I kept looking to see if Eleanor was holding on to the rudder.  They also had beverages available and a snack. It was so amazing to be so close to dolphins without glass between you like at the zoo.

The dolphin cruise was sponsored by the awesome PR firm Circle PR.  Thank you so much for the chance to see the dolphins. I look forward to working with them in the future as they represent some really great companies.  If you are a company looking for a dedicated company to promote your business or products check out Circle PR.

  

The events were sponsored as part of Brandcation Gulf Coast.  Thank you again to Jambu Shoes and Circle PR. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank You Brandcation #Gulfcoast Sponors

This past weekend I went to my first blogging conference.  I went to Brandcation Bloggers Gone Coastal.  It was hosted by Brandfluential  and Momdot. It was in Pensacola Florida.  I am not sure if I had ever been to Pensacola before and it was absolutely beautiful.  The scenery was nothing compared to all the wonderful women I met. I had spent almost three years chatting with these women so having the opportunity to meet them was so exciting. We spent time bonding together and learning about brands and going on adventures.  It was definitely the experience of a lifetime.   We had some amazing sponsors that made this whole thing possible, without costing a fortune to attend.  

I want to take a little time to thank all the sponsors:

Adventures Unlimited  invited us out to go zip lining and tubing.

Portofino Island Resort  was our accommodations in beautiful condos.

Dunkin Donuts Thanks for the bagels and coffee. An Everything bagel hit the spot after a long trip in.

Jambu sponsored the wacky Blog Olympics where we had to do all kinds of silly things. They also provided us with awesome tote bags for our swag.

Hotel Coupons  for sponsored our Murder Mystery Night. They have awesome coupons to help you save on travel.

Circle PR made it possible to go on the Dolphin Cruise

Dole  provided us with some healthy condo snacks.

Stargazing with Dewey was such an experience.

The Swag Sponsors:

Mogo Charm sells adorable magnetic charms for kids that Noah loves.

The Tervis Water Bottle  was one of my favorite swag items because it is a great water bottle that is pretty much leak proof. They also sell glasses that contain patches of different things like sports logos and even monograms.

Capsul Cases are hard wallets so you don’t have to worry about your cards getting all bent up.

The Village company  makes Mr. Bubble products and other luxurious bath items.

Hasbro provided us with The Game of Life zapped for iPad and you play with both a game board and your iPad. 

Noah is so excited to listen to the Kidz Bop CD I received.

Carex  sells all kinds of cool products. We all received a Pediatric medical kit complete with a thermometer and different items to dispense medicine. We also received a detachable pill box that some of the proceeds go to Breast Cancer awareness. My favorite item from Carex is the Neck Buddy pillow. You heat it up and it is heavenly.  I have it on my back right now after having it on my neck.

Lush Gourmet Foods makes delicious gourmet nuts and I was lucky enough to try some.

Nivea provided everyone with a sample of fifteen lip care products, Sun Kissed Lotion and body wash and a men’s product to try out. I love Nivea!

Lady Fortunes makes beautiful cookies and treats with your company’s logo on them. 

I don’t know how many times I have had to lug my purse somewhere because I had no pockets for my phone.  I am so excited that I received Pami Pocket because now I don’t have to worry about carrying my purse with me, which weighs a ton.

Island Def Jam Records provided us with some music to jam to long after Brandcation is over.

Ayala’s Herbal Water provided beverages for all the ladies to drink during the conference.

Wikki Stix is one of Noah’s favorite items I received. He loves shaping them in fish and sting rays and other assorted sea life.

Phone Fetcher will definitely be a life saver.  I am always losing my phone in my purse. I really need to clean it out.  I am so glad that I don’t have to spend time looking for my phone because I can attach it to my purse.

Page Stationery makes really cute personalized stationary and cards.

Cereusart provided everyone with a wine charm. I love that mine was a starfish.

Annemarie Gianni Skin Care provided everyone with a sample of their organic, wild crafted and natural  skincare products.

Veri Peri Sauces makes sauces with a kick of spice and they had me at Garlic!

Twin Cottage Industries  makes really cool bungee bookmarks. They hire mentally disabled people to make the bookmarks which are absolutely awesome.

Kids Gear provided me with kid friendly headphones. If you know me I am always breaking head phones and these are well made and will survive the headphone curse!

Smart Mouth makes Activated Mouthwash that uses patented Smart-Zinc Technology.

Sacs of Life  gave me my favorite swag item so far. They gave everyone a brown diaper bag that doesn’t look like a diaper bag and makes a great bag for a mom on the go.

Bright Star Kids provided me with a really cute cupcake bag tag. They must have known I love cupcakes!

KleenSlate makes dry erase paddles for classrooms so children no longer have to shout out the answer and it helps shy children participate too.

EAD Designs provided everyone with an owl decal and a blogging geek car decal.

Wahmies Eats makes reusable casserole covers which is awesome because I am always fighting with plastic wrap and losing.

Blue Orange Games provided everyone with a game to share with their families.

DVO Enterprises  makes the Cook’n Recipe software. I have so many random recipes that are written on paper, from the newspaper or printed out. I tend to lose them sometimes and with this software I can keep them all safe digitally and access them on my laptop and tablet.

When I was in school I was always forgetting my locker combination.  I wish they had Wordlock when I was in school because I could remember a word to unlock my locker.

Our Giveaway Sponsors:

Rubbermaid provided the prizes for the Blog Olympics teams.

Etching Expressions makes really cool etched wine labels and personalized plaques.

Belkin makes all kinds of fun tech things. I received a tablet holder for when I am cooking in the kitchen and don’t want to spill anything on my tablet. The coolest thing is it does not use screws so it won’t ruin your cabinets.

Velvet Pepper makes beautiful purses and bags.  I really need a new purse.

Frangelico is Hazelnut Liqueur and everyone received a bottle and hand crafted Frangelico chocolates.  

Tiny Love provided the Musical Stack & Ball Elephant as a giveaway prize. I know one of the other bloggers would have done anything for her son to get one.

Atlantic Luggage makes great luggage that is lightweight. My mom has a suitcase that weighs 17 pounds which is a pain when you have a weight limit of fifty pounds. I will look in to purchasing her some new luggage.

Drama Queen Bows makes really sweet bows for little girls.

I also wanted to thank our wonderful hosts who spent 5 months organizing and planning:

Trisha

Kim

Lynsey

Blondie

I plan to go in to more detail about our adventures and some of the awesome sponsors and swag items we received. Noah has already gotten in to and ran off with quite a few of my swag items.