Recap: BLM Experience NYC - #BLMGirls

(from the left)Molina Jean-Louis, Shawna Kaye, Eileen Campos,
Me(Julian Gravesande), Monet Curls and Mo, Arshiya Kapadia

Christa Myers aka Beatrice Clay our host.

On Saturday August 31st 2013 I attended the BLM Experience in NYC which was hosted by fellow BLM Girl Christa Myers aka Beatrice Clay at the Columbia University Saltzman Seminar Room. BLM or Bloggers Like Me was created Leslie Young of FashionDuJourDaily.wordpress.com, it is a "community of women bloggers dedicated to the positive exchange of ideas, tips and advice about FASHION, BEAUTY, RELATIONSHIPS and FAITH through blogging, meet ups and social networking." The BLM Experience took place simultaneously in New York, Atlanta, Washingtom D.C. and Los Angelos. This way members from each area were able to attend. This year it was time for us to have a themed meetup and the topic was about Building and Growing your Brand by building REALationships; learning how to genuinely network with your fellow bloggers while supporting each other and sharing resources. I was also a lucky ticket winner!! Thank you Leslie!!!

Everybody mingling. Well, Monet posing.

Monet & Arshiya

It was 5 hours of bonding, learning, and REALationship building in an intimate environment. I will now be implementing what I've learned in everything I do. My passion for blogging has been renewed. Christa was so inspiring and brought out so much that was inside of us. Some important points I came away with:

- Your fellow bloggers in your niche or otherwise are not your competition, they are your neighbours. So network with them.
- Your network is only as good as you. If you're not genuine it will show.
- Ask people what they feel when they visit your blog.
- Ask yourself what you want them to feel.
- Tell your story. People want to know and will connect to you even more.
- Make sure your posts are indexed in Google Webmaster Tools. It will improve your ranking in search engines.
- Back up your blog. (I need to back mine up)
- Twitter sharing ratio of 3:1. Share 3 tweets of someone else's work and one tweet of your own.
- Own your niche, become an expert. Some don't like the term 'expert' including myself but there is a way to be an authority in what you blog about without being snobbish about it. That's where being genuine comes in. 
- Figure out what you want to blog about and stick to it. Anything else can be shared on social media. You don't have to blog about every thing that comes to mind.
- Figure out a weekly blogging schedule. Don't overwhelm yourself with blogging everyday if you won't be able to keep up with it.
- A good time to post is in the evening when people are home from work. I normally post at 11am. Who's really trying to read at 11am? People are at work.(lol) I'll start experimenting with 4pm.

Me & Eileen

I think I was going on seconds here. Christa got us delicious
assorted wraps, assorted fruit and water. Loved it!

Take us to school Christa.

We also got crafty by building a 'blog board' where we cut out magazine pictures, words, colours, and letters that represented what we wanted our blogs to look like and feel like. It's exactly like a vision board but for your blog. By doing this Christa actually helped me to figure out another topic for my blog. Thanks Christa!!! 

Molina & Shawna looking serious.

Molina's colours

Shameless plug of the fro.

Things I learned about myself and my blog. I need to:
- Step up my game on the twitter interaction/followers. Well, social media as a whole..
- Do youtube videos for Moruka Designs. Well I have one up from 6 months ago but...0_0
- Dig deeper into my blog categories and figure out some more topics.
- Figure out which social media platforms are good for me.
- Develop a blogging schedule.
- Only one of my blog links was indexed with Google Websmaster and it was my feedburner. 
- And some other stuff I can't remember at the moment. I'll update as I remember.


Here is the list of attendees and their blogs. Some of them are new to BLM. 

Christa Myers(hostess) of Beatrice Clay
Molina Jean-Louis(new) of Molina The PT 
Eileen Campos(new) of Mommy Teaches
Arshiya Kapadia(new) of Gotta Have, Must Have
Shawna K of Blissed out Belle
Julian Gravesande(me) of Guyanesesista

My blogger board

So tell me what you think! Were you at the BLM Experience? Did you have a blast? Tell me! 

#BLMGirlsRock

How to use the new Guyanesesista.com

I upgraded my blog's layout a few weeks ago to make things easier for my readers to navigate. Plus the blog just badly needed a facelift(I'm mad I didn't screen cap the old layout). I also announced that I would be talking about more than hair because I have way more going on in my life that I'd like to share. Hence the new tabs at the top of the blog such as hair, events, fashion, lifestyle, etc. When you click on each tab it takes you to every post in that category. I'm still working on categorizing the posts since I have a lot but everything work out in due time.


Additional changes:-

Top

1. Category tabs - Home, About, Hair, Fashion, Lifestyle & Health, Events, Work w/ Me, Disclaimer, More. The 'More' tab is for those posts that don't fit into the aforementioned ones.

Right Panel

1. Search bar
2. Google friend connect
3. Personalized social media buttons
4. Ad space 

Left Panel

1. Profile and contact info
2. My Etsy Shop Moruka Designs
3. Bloggers Like Me button
4. Ad space

Bottom

1. Email sign up
2. Page views
3. Other Badges

So I guess that's it. Toodles!

21 Random Things About Me

Photo by Guyanesesista

It's been a long time since I did one these posts and I think a refresher is in order. Enjoy.


1. As a child I thought I would grow up to be tall. I'm 5'2". +_+

2. I also thought I'd have huge boobies. Not gonna mention that one. -_-

3. I haven't been taking the most awesome care of my hair lately. The thought of wash day gives me the heebeegeebees.

4. I still want a mini cooper. 

5. I have a business. I design and sell handbags. I'm launching soon.

6. I'm handbag obsessed. I love them. That's why I make them.

7. I dislike acrylic nails.

8. Years ago I would have never thought I'd be wanting to work in fashion or that my business would be fashion oriented.

9. I have my mom's eyes and fingers.

10. I still want a heitiful steamer. 

11. Most of my clothes are altered. I thrift.

12. 95% of the time I'll say what I really think.

13. I can't be trusted with white clothing or accessories of any kind.

14. I think I might be over thrift shopping.

15. I'm back on the nail biting wagon.

16. Sometimes I want to wear a mask around new York. It's just so nasty here.

17. But its so awesome though.

18. I'm going to be 29 this year and life is still a big ass mystery to me. I guess it is for everyone but sometimes I wish I had more answers. I need a crystal ball.

19. These plus plus size bloggers have more style than I do.

20. I think that wedges are thebomb.com. They get no love. Everyone talks about stilettos. 

21. I'm really digging non prescription glasses at the moment.



What are some random things about you? Can you relate anything I've mentioned? Please share.

Biannual Blogathon Bash Summer 2013

So this is my kick off post for the 4 day Biannual Blogathon Bash hosted by Kathleen Garber.  Thank you Kathleen!! This is a great opportunity for anyone to improve their blog in multiple ways like redesigning your layout, finishing drafted posts, doing mini challenges through the blogathon website.

So here's my to-do list:-

• Complete 5 drafted posts(I have 40 *_*)
• Attend 3 events weekend so that I can have event content for next week
• Change my social media button layout a little bit
• Do 2 mini challenges
• Host a giveaway on this blog.  I'm also giving away a free purse as a prize for the bash. Check it out HERE.

I only have 5 tasks only because of all of the outside tasks I'll have to do that will support my blogathon goals. So that's all for now. Thanks for visiting!! 

New Look On Le Blog

Photo by Cyrience Creative Studios

After spending 2 days and seeking the advice of some BLM(Bloggers Like Me) Ladies I've come up with a new look. My old layout was very busy so I:

-replaced the social media widgets with plugin buttons
-removed some of the blogger network widgets and badges(y'all know I kept BLM    badge right?)
-designed a new picture/text header. The last one was text only.
-added labels and modified my page tabs
-fixed up my Pinterest
-added new pages and pictures to some pages
-plus some other stuff, I may be missing some things.


This new look ties in with what I said in this post about expanding my blog and featuring fashion and lifestyle topics along with my hair topics. The recent evolution of my life warranted a change in my blog as well and I think I like it. Shoot, I better like it after spending two days working on it.



Do you like it? Tell me what you think.

You Bloggers need a Sponsor? Check this out.

I discovered a parody of the song Sponsor by Tierra Marie. This little gem was done by Jen Lawrence of Jael Designs Inc. It's about a blogger on her journey to find sponsors to help her get to an event while repping the sponsors in return. The video is below. I love it. What say you?

I'm on the same journey. #hinthint

CLICK HERE

Click the link above. I tried to embed the video but it didn't work. :-(

Enjoy!!

I'm officially back

This is my new jam!

So I'm back like fo' real fo' reals. I've wanted to come back but was craving a new direction and now I think I've found it. This blog was started to document my hair journey transitioning to natural hair and along the way I learned that I'm not just about my hair. I've discovered new talents, gotten into business, learned how to thrift shop(and my wardrobe thanks me for.it), interacted with bloggers online and in person, etc.


Blogging has really helped me grow and with that being said I'd like to turn Guyanesesista.com into more than just a hair blog. I want to share more with my readers. It will be a bit more of a lifestyle blog. Hence the new tagline: "The Woman, her hair & three sewing machines".There will still be hair posts but also event, DIY, outfit of the day(I notice that every once in a while I surprise myself), thrift store alterations,etc. There will also be a new layout in the near future.

So that's it for now. Thank you all for reading. Also...

Follow/Like me on:

@Guyanesesista

@Guyanesesista

Guyanesesista

Toodles!

                         

I'm still alive & kicking.

PIC

Ok so I"m dusting the cobwebs off this bad boy. I've been gone for months because life got in the the way. You know how it is... but I'm back. My hair has gotten longer, people have big chopped... so many changes since November. I have some new stuff in store. May even change the look. Not sure what design to go with yet. So here's wishing you all health and hip length hair.

Toodles for now.

Been a bit busy + Starting a business

Hello readers I've been quite busy with life. Hope everything has been well with everyone. My job and preparing to start my new bag business have been keeping me pretty busy since I'm a one woman team. I have only mentioned starting a business on here once since I was not sure as to how to introduce you all to it. So I've decided to just come out with it. I'm excited, nervous, and scared poopless all at the same time but this is my baby and I have to be bold about it.  I have been planning to have a business for years but couldn't quite find my niche until now. Finally I have come to the point where I feel I'm ready to launch and see what happens(wish me luck!). One day I had the epiphany that I should do this. There was nothing else to wait for, nothing to theorize. I realize that it's time to put that theory into practice, stop being afraid.

The name of my business is Moruka Designs. The business concept was inspired by my sewing skills and my obsession with bags of all kinds. The name was inspired by the Moruka river in my country, Guyana(Land of Many Waters). I got bored with the bags I saw in the stores and decided to make my own. Eventually I found I had turned into a chronic fabric hoarder and figured, why not try it? So I registered my business name & got to work hitting a few bumps along the way. I love all my bags and purses and want to share them with everybody else. I want to give everyone the much needed break from the predictable stuff we all buy in the stores. I'm inspired by almost everything around me. It could be something as mundane as the colour of a car to a really cool dress in a window display and everything is made from scratch by me in my home. You can stop by my business Twitter, Facebook & Instagram pages @MorukaDesigns to see what I have so far & like/follow me(on the right side of this blog). There are also pics below of my little after work photo shoot courtesy of my friend Wendy. I'd love for you let me know what you think. I hope to officially launch in a couple of weeks at http://morukadesigns.bigcartel.com/ & can be contacted at MorukaDesigns@gmail.com.

*********************************************************************************

Some future posts I have drafted up are a length check post(I'm closer to below shoulder blade[bsb] length), recipe(s), giveaway, official business introduction(grand opening), & hair regimen posts. My load should be lightening up by the end of the week so I'll have more time to post and sew.

Once again I hope all is well & that you all are keeping your hair nice and healthy whether you are natural, relaxed, or transitioning. Toodles!!

blooper

HELP DELROY SIMMONS. HE SAVED A CHILD'S LIFE.

Let's help this good Brooklyn father who was on his way to a job interview after being unemployed for a long time, and ended up saving the life of a toddler who was swept unto the J-train tracks as the train was approaching. He missed his interview but was rewarded with a job a few days later because of this story. Just like the lady who was taunted on the school bus, I feel this good man deserves some kind of reward too!! Please help a good Brother out!!

DONATE HERE.

Story taken from Yahoo!

"Unemployed man who saved toddler from oncoming subway train in Brooklyn gets a job"

"An unemployed Brooklyn man who was hailed as a "superhero without a cape"—or a job—after he rescued a 9-month-old boy from an oncoming subway train on Tuesday now has a job.

Delroy Simmonds, 30, was hired as a maintenance worker at John F. Kennedy International Airport,according to the Daily News.

"We read the story and were like, 'Wow! This is unbelievable. This guy is a hero,'" Guy Rodriguez, the project manager who hired Simmonds, said.

On Tuesday, Simmonds jumped from an elevated platform to save the toddler, whose stroller had been blown onto the tracks by a wind gust. The boy's mother, Maria Zamara, "stood frozen in shock,"according to the paper.

Simmonds—who was on his way to a job interview—"jumped onto the elevated tracks and hoisted the bleeding child—still strapped into his stroller—to the safety of the platform as the J train bore down on them."

According to witnesses, Simmonds did not hesitate.

"He jumped down there, no questions," Khalima Ansari told CBS's New York affiliate. "It was quick, it was real quick."

"Everybody is making me out to be some sort of superhero," Simmonds, a father of two, told the paper. "I'm just a normal person. Anybody in that situation should have done what I did."

The child was treated at a local hospital for cuts to the face and head, and is "doing fine."

Simmonds, who said he had been out of work since being laid off as a vocational trainer for the mentally disabled over a year ago, missed his interview.

"What I really need is a job," he said.

Not anymore."

DONATE BELOW @ INDIEGOGO :-)

HELP A HERO Y'ALL.