Easy DIY Tutorials + Giveaway Winner

You may not know it but this is my second blog!  My first blog is Kraftie Katie.  I still plan to write occasional posts over there but Sugar Spice and Sparkle is where most of my time will be used.  But I thought I would share with you a few of the tutorials that I have over there.  These are all super easy and fun to create, I hope you'll enjoy!  Happy Hump Day!






Purchase supplies here:
         






Purchase Supplies Here:
     









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And finally, let's all congratulate the giveaway winner: Celeste (@teacher_closet)!  Thank you to everyone who entered and Poppy Clips, Designed to Shine, and Lilly and Ivory for providing some of the prizes!  I hope to bring you guys more great giveaways in the future!

Follow me on Pinterest for more craft ideas!

Follow Sugar Spice and Sparkle's board Crafts to do on Pinterest.

How To Write A Blog Post | Blogging Basics | 10 Steps to the Perfect Blog Post

Creating a blog can be a daunting task.  Sometimes you may ask yourself "where do I start?" I'm no expert by any means, but my first blog, Kraftie Katie, does pretty well and I am trying my best to build this one!  Keep reading for a simple way to get your next post started!



You may wonder why I would write a post about how to write a post, you just write it, right?  Wrong!  There is so much to one "simple" post that you haven't even thought of!  Here we go:

1. Come up with an idea/topic.  These may seem like an easy task but it isn't always.  I like to keep a journal with me at all times so every time an idea comes to mind I can write it down! {monogrammed of course} Similar here



2. Bring your idea to life.  That may mean getting an outfit together, doing a craft project, or compiling information on a topic.  What ever your blog post is going to be about, bring it to life!

3. Take Pictures.  This step may have to go hand in hand with step 2, especially if your idea is a DIY tutorial - you'll want to take pictures of the process.  If it's fashion think about taking pictures of the clothes before you put them on, wearing them, close-ups of shoes and accessories.  If you're writing about another topic think of info graphics you can use or other pictures.  With Pinterest being a main source of blog promotion these days you have to have great pictures!  My Camera


4. Edit Pictures.  Brighten.  Crop.  Watermark.  Collage.  Caption.

I use iPhoto


5. Write the post.  Finally!  This was all you THOUGHT you had to do - actually sit down and type.  Now this step could come right after step 1, it may help you to improve your idea and pictures if you try to write the content first and add everything extra later.

6. Pin-able image.  Make sure you have at least one!  This should be a great photo that includes your URL and the title of your post.


7. Add links.  If you want to link to sources, reference previous posts of your own, or guide your readers to another site you are going to need links.  They're quick to add (just highlight your text selection, click "link" [in Blogger], and paste in the URL) but you have to have all of your sources open to get those URL's!

8. Add HTML code.  Don't be scared - you can do it!  I know code of any kind can be scary if you're not familiar (or even if you are!) but Google is your friend in this case!  You shouldn't really have to write any code yourself, just copy and paste.  You'll need code to add "Pin It" buttons, track page views, add a signature and more.

9. Edit and Review.  There is nothing that bugs me more than reading a blog and finding a typo.  Now no one is perfect so don't judge me if you find one here! :P  But a quick read through in Preview can help you out and make your blog more professional.

10. Post and Promote!  You are all done!  Almost... You can finally share your post with the world but make sure they can find it!  Promote on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and anywhere else you can think of!

I hope you found this helpful.  Please leave me a comment with any additional steps you take when writing a blog post!  For more blog tips from me, click here


Lilly Pulitzer Gold Goddess Collection | My Picks

I don't know what it is but I have become OBSESSED with all things GOLD!  Please let me know in the comments if you are too so I don't feel crazy :)

Gold and white, gold and black, solid gold - I love it all!  So when I first saw that Lilly Pulitzer had a Gold Goddess Collection I pretty much fell in love before I even saw any of the pieces.

Now I am sharing my favorites with you!  But let's be honest here - they are all my favorites... so these are my absolute favorites, let's say.


I mean COME ON! This looks like it is made of actual gold! I just love it!


Wrap yourself in gold with this.  I guarantee you will feel luxurious.


I honestly wish these were flats.  As a tall girl I don't like to wear heels and really - wouldn't flats more comfortable anyways?  But they aren't flats and I still love them even though I would never wear them!


Yes this is the shirt version of the dress I listed above.  Yes I would like to have both in my closet.  Yes that is ridiculous.  No I don't care :D

Now let me go ahead and answer some questions I imagine you may be asking:

Did she buy all of this?
Answer: No. Just no. While I do love gold, I am not made of it and therefore can not afford all of this, or any of it for that matter.  I am a huge Lilly lover but I only buy it when I can get a great (I am talking GREAT) deal on it - read this post to see what I mean.

Does she work with Lilly Pulitzer?
Answer: No but I wish!  This post is in no way affiliated with Lilly Pulitzer.  I simply love these items and wanted to share, I am not being compensated in any way (this is true for all of posts for that matter!).

As always ask me anything in the comments below!  Check out the giveaway still going on a few posts back :)