F words for February

Another month down on the 2019 calendar. Is the world spinning too fast for anyone else?

February was a bit shit. I am still there actually, when did March begin?

It started out quite well. School had gone back and the first weekend of February brought the annual Rendelsham village market,  which is always a pleasure. 

But that's when it kind of fell apart.

The sudden death of a friend. Well an old acquaintance that I should have made more of an effort with, still a shock, the same. I had been thinking for the longest time to catch up, but never did, just a wave here and there. It has cemented in me that I need to act on instinct, not to put off anything, because there is no time like the present.

My son Jake also took a slide backwards with his mental health this month, he's still in hospital, but he'll be ok. 

There's been a lot of my energy being zapped by so many lately and I haven't really been recharging myself. I did start to walk again, I did so for two weeks straight, and now in dribs and drabs, but I realise it's an important part of being well. 

I am also aware that when I am stressed and low on energy, I tend to try to ignore the world and retreat into myself. I know this isn't a good thing, and I guess that's why I have become so quiet. I need to force myself to share, to talk, to socialise, even when I feel like hiding in my shell.

I become not so good at caring for others. Everything seems too hard to deal with, but I do it and suffer later. Knowing this is happening and being aware of it, is an important start to solving the problem. 

I started the year out doing the Fat Mum Slim photo a day challenge, I even gave up that. I'd had a couple of people say how they'd enjoyed seeing my photos, so I should have found that encouraging, and I did, but it seemed like it became a little bit too hard. But I have started March afresh.

This brings me to a little announcement.

Lately I have purely sucked at being a link up host. Sucked I tell you. I am not ready to give it up though.

I like blogging, and I like all of you. So I have decided to change the day I do things and see how it goes. There is no Open Slather today and from now on there won't be another on a Monday. From now on, and I am referencing the Easybeats here, so bob your head from side to side, just like Stevie Wright, and sing along..."Monday, I'll have Friday on my mind".

Open Slather will now come to you on a Friday and will stay open for linking over the weekend. So please return on Friday and join me. I promise I will be here and sharing....something, no matter how small and non share worthy I may think it is. I will be here.


I am sharing over at Denyse Whelen's blog, who has a fab Monday link up where you can go to join in the linking fun on a Monday.

How to share effectively on Twitter

Whether it be sharing your work, or what I like to do, share others work, here are some tips to help you do it more effectively and win at this Twitter bizzo.

1. Use share buttons

Most sites these days have a plethora if ways you can share straight from the page you are reading.

On blog sites, this is usually at the end of a post, or a pop up that comes out from the side of the page. I prefer the ones that are located at the end of the post. Those pop up ones are sometimes really annoying and only serve to cover up most of what I am trying to read.

If you have your own website, I cannot stress enough to make sure you have sharing options available, and to make sure they work. I want to share your work, and other people will want to as well.

Important as well, if you have a 'follow' Twitter button, make sure, when clicked it takes the reader to YOUR Twitter feed, so they can easily follow you.

2. Use your tweet to your optimum advantage

What I mean by this, it to make sure you use every available character (you have 140 of them to use) to your advantage.

Some tweets from a web page will have room to add something else. So hashtag the hell out of that tweet. Add a hashtag in front of any relevant word in the tweet.

Most twitter users search for hashtags, and a lot of tweets are liked, retweeted or shared again in online publications, because of their subject matter.

As of late last year, the 'favourite' option, with a star icon, was changed to 'like', with a heart icon. I have only just cottoned on to this.

From 87 characters remaining, to the one below, tagged to the shitter with 4 remaining characters left.

3. Tag the author of the post you are sharing

This lets the author know you admired their work. It lets them know who is sharing and what. If you are lucky (or the person you tagged has good twitter etiquette), they will retweet you, or like your tweet.

4.  Be a gracious tweety bird

If you are retweeted or you tweet is shared on an online publication, be gracious and thank them for retweeting/including you.

I feel so glad when something I have shared, is shared on a wider scale, beyond Twitter. I love seeing someone else being recognised for their work all because I shared it in the first place. Plus I get my gorgeous mug(totally tongue in cheek) and twitter handle shared about as well. Which really is good advertising for my blog, and good karma coming back at me.

The middle tweet from My blogworld, telling me one of my tweets has been shared in their online publication.
The shared tweet below in that publication.

5. Choose your handle wisely

Your twitter handle is the words after the @ sign of your twitter user name. Mine is @alleychook. I wish I had chosen wiser.

Early in the process of blogging, I had no idea of social media and unifying all my accounts with my blog name. In hindsight I should have made the name of my blog my twitter handle.

It makes it easier for people to remember when tagging, and makes it easier for people to associate your blog, with your tweets. 

Being a part of Twitter definitely has it's advantages. I am not an active user as in browsing the millions of tweets that happen everyday. Who has time for that shiz?! I have found it invaluable for sharing my own and others work on the interwebs though.

Bonus tip:

Create yourself a unique hashtag over all of your social media accounts and spread that shit like glitter.

I have created #openslather, #onemotherkitchen, #onemotherkids, and #onemothergarden. If someone searches or clicks on one of those hashtags, all of your relevant work will come up. Easy share, and easy exposure. In theory. You have to do all of the hash tagging work.

Do this in the tags on your blog posts, photos your share on social media and posts you share on social media.

Happy Tweeting!


Are you on Twitter?

How have you found your Twitter experience?

Are you using your social media to the best of it's ability?

 

An InLinkz Link-up

April #52weeksofmemories

 13. Sharing

The start of April may have been shorty nightie weather, but now, at the end, it's definitely time to get the flannies out!

I froze some muntrie berries I collected last month. I love using them in Hot Cross Buns instead of sultanas.

14.Easter 

Summer at the playground on Good Friday wearing a santa hat. Huh?

Easter Sunday evening, down the beach with family.

15. Reading
It is amazing how much Izzy has learned in the first term of school. We've been a bit slack with the reading in the holidays though.

16. Favourite
Some favourite photos from this week

DIY family photo christmas greeting cards

I came across this site years ago and thought I would share it with you. 

If you are anything like me, SLACK, then you might find this an awesome and quick alternative to sending out your christmas cheer.

Nothing makes people ooh and aah, like a family photo of your gorgeous children presented on a professional looking card.

All you need is a decent photo, a printer and photo paper.

This link will take you to the Christmas Photocard section, of the WiddlyTinks website. 

Choose your frame.

You will then need to upload your family picture in the space provided. 

You can also edit the text to suit yourself.

Save your finished creation to your computer. 

Print out cards on photo paper.

Whack a magnet on the back and you have a printed card you can give out to your family and friends.

If all that seems to hard you could always share straight to Facebook on Christmas Eve and tag all your family and friends. I am sure they will love it.

This link will take you to the Christmas section of the Photo Tinks, which have some lovely scrapbooking themed templates that are good too. 

Now go and have a play on the Widdlytinks site. I hope it helps you this Christmas. In fact there are templates there for all occasions, not just Christmas. You could just about go absolutely batshit crazy creating stuff!

What's your hot tip for Christmas this year?

An InLinkz Link-up

Oh No she di'int!

Mum took us out in public with pajama tops a friend of a friend made! Seriously...like....so embarrassing ><

Izzy: Seriously, I am not coming down that slide until you put that camera away!
Summer: Help! I am coming back up, she is not getting this photo of me in this get up, OMG!

Looking like total catalogue models!

No photos!

She took us to the playground!

She then paraded us through the bakery and on to the park for a donut at the Rotunda.

That looks good. I want some.

Mum! Where's mine?

I got some!!

Mmmmm! I wonder if she will give me more.

*disclaimer - Seriously Izzy wanted to wear hers, so being the type of mum that encourages individualism, I thought why not. I must apologize to Summer, you were going along for the ride, because it was so damn cute for both of you to be wearing the same thing. 

They are very cute jumpers, Summer loves the ducks and chooks on them. Perfect for cold nights that will be coming our way very soon :)