Mrs Fussypants

Bubbles the Chimp says, "Nothing to see here."

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Mom Bloggers Rawk Week. Day 1: Moms who Create Beautiful Things.

I have a sickness. Launch-itis. I am hopelessly addicted to launching new projects. My sweet friend Shannon over at Rocks in my Dryer nicknamed me "Miss NASA" because I launch so many things. HAH!

I think the real secret is I'm cool with failure. Somethings work, somethings don't, and I love the

creative outlet of trying a little bit of everything.

 Half of the Mom Bloggers in the Western Hemisphere have known and given input for my latest project and it is a huge labor of love. Forgive me for not saying more, but we have NDAs and are all secretive about it. Th

e launch date is set for mid-Summer {fingers crossed} and I will give you more details when I can.

 You may ask yourself, "Wait! Why is she teasing me this way?" Because all week I want to use my little corner of the web to let you tell me about blogs you love and give some love to Moms who have blogs. Mommy bloggers, Blogging Mommas, Moms who have blogs but may-or-may-not-even-talk-about-being-moms, you catch my drift?

 I also want to learn more about blogs I may not be familiar with. As I work more and more on Blissfully Domestic and other projects, I don't have as much time to read new blogs like I wish I could. I need you all to share your picks with me this week. Sound fun?

Ok, good, here goes...

Mom Bloggers Rock Week.

Day 1: Moms who Create Beautiful Things.

Tell me in the comments about blogs that are written by Moms about creating beautiful things from all genres: cooking, crafts, decorating, scrapbooking, jewelry, photography and so forth.

Here are the rules:

1) The site needs to be a blog, not a business website.

2) The author needs to be semi-family friendly. If language is not safe for work, please do not leave the link.

3) Only tell about other people's blogs. Let's highlight other Moms here this week!

Ok, now go show some Mommies some love!

Sunday Ramblings

   I am loving my best of the web portal. I really hope you will use the lazy gal's way to stay in the know. It has been called everything from "Drudge for Chicks" to "Digg for Girls" and I am thrilled by all the wonderful response. If you see an excellent post please tell me by DMing me on Twitter @alliworthington or @worthywire.

 
I learned at Blissdom that I should use my name, instead of Fussypants because I am pretending to be all professional. {giggle} So, on twitter you will see my face but the name is now @alliworthington I do not auto follow back people because I need to 'know' who I am following. If I am not following you, please tweet @ me so I can 'meet' you and follow you back. ;)

Y'all sent me great questions about Blissdom and I will post about them this week, sorry I am so late. I am trying to keep up with business stuff, and I have sick kiddos, my root canal and my mom is getting ready to fly home tomorrow. She has been here all month helping me. I am so bummed to see her go. BLARGH. So, anyhoo, I am not ignoring you, I promise. I want to do a great job so I worry. So I procrastinate and then I feel guilty and then I apologize profusely. Heh. Ok, seriously, I need to stop typing. :)

Thank you so much for reading and being part of my life with me. I am grateful to be part of such an amazing community of women online. I hope you have a week full of love & chocolate.

All my Love, Alli

Happy Valentine's Day!

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Happy Valentines Day, Friends of Fussypants. My love to you all.

{MWAH}

Ask Mrs Fussypants!

(Domestic Chicky took this great picture of MooshinIndy and I)

Ok, so y'all know I am not a writer. I have read all the beautiful reviews of Blissdom09 and laughed, learned, cried and was taken back to that special little bubble of time.

I start to write? Blargh. I get all mushy and gush. Seriously, it's embarrassing. :)

Then I decided I would copy from my new friend, AdventuresinBabywearing- Steph's idea. She asked her friends to ask her questions to see what people wanted to know from her perspective. Fun, huh?

Please ask any question you like in comments {or email if you like}. I will answer in comments, and we can keep a conversation going that way.

So, whaddya want to know? :)

Loose ends & Year in Review

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah! We had a low-key, simple and relaxed celebration. I'm back to work and trying to catch up everything I let slide this month. Remember the great gastrointestinal crisis of '08 that kicked my family's trash?  Yeah, still digging out. I wanna catch up on a few things quickly.

Sarah from The Mom Chronicles & the fabulous Blissful Buzz editor, won the Name that Inappropriate Photo Contest last month for this stroke of brilliance...

"We feel pretty, oh so pretty! We feel pretty and witty and... Oh NO! There's a ball coming at me!!!!"

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The winner of the free earrings for the Pop Quiz was Jen from Jenuine Jen. Congrats, Babe. Email me your address! ;)

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See my beautiful header? Carrie still doesn't have her new photo necklace that she won when y'all voted her design as the official 'fussy' logo. Stop judging me, people. {giggles} I'm finishing it this weekend.

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I know you do not want to hear me tease you about the super secret new projects I am working on. So I won't, but dudes, it is seriously cool. Two new sites coming and both will launch in January. {squee}

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Over at Blissfully Domestic we are expanding and hiring for the new year. We have openings in many areas. We will soon launch a Military Family Channel. Some new channels we are looking for fabulous women to lead and write for are Grandparents and Blended Families.

If you would love to join the Blissfully Domestic family in any of our 15 channels? Please drop us a note with a writing sample. Direct your email to Katie@blissfullydomestic.com

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Over the next two weeks I will be reposting an article from each month as a year in review. For those of you who have been with me all year, I am deeply grateful and sorry to bore you. For you new Friends of Fussy, you can catch up on my year with out having to dive into the archives.

Hopefully when the year in review is over this site will be finished with the big makeover and relaunch on Wordpress in some fancy-schmancy new digs. I am super duper excited about all the bells and whistles. I hope you like it!

Much Love & Gratitude, Alli

*updated* I wanted to share a picture of of little guy sleeping. {be warned of impending fallopian quiver}

Get your Bliss on at Blissdom09, Party People!

Oh hai, remember my conference?  I wanted to tell you all the fab details last week before we all came down with the flu great gastrointestinal crisis of 2008. We are recovering slowly, but my laundry will never be caught up.

OK, back to Blissdom09 business. Seriously, do not miss it. It is the best line up of amazing women ever in one place.  Doubt me? Take a peek at the speaker list.

My vision for Blissdom is all about providing access and transparency. I am keeping the number of attendees small enough to give an intimate, relaxed vibe to the weekend. No crowds, no cliques, no pretenses. Just a group of women who share a love of blogging coming together for the weekend in a spirit of love and community. I'll stop before I get all mushy and make the keynote speaker gag when she reads this. Yes, Jen, I'm talkin' to you! :)

I'm keeping the weekend affordable thanks to our awesome sponsors*. The registration fee is only $100 before December 31st. So go ahead and tell your lesser half that you want to register for Christmas. Then tell him your Valentine's Day gift is the flight. Boo-yah. You can come to the conference and your man is in the clear for two holidays. That is a win-win, ladies! Go register NOW, before early bird registration is over, and before we fill up.

Wanna sneek Peek of what we will be discussing? Of course ya do! Here ya go-

APPRENTICE TRACT-

Social Media-
What exactly is Social Media? Is it really that important to your blogging? Allison, Kelby and Jennifer are experts of social media. They will lead attendees to understand the basics of social media - why it is important to your success, how it can help you as you grow your online presence and the tools necessary to do it successfully.

Passion/Writing-
Does your writing draw your readers in? Does it make them want to come back for more? Or does it lack something? Stephanie, Catherine and Shannon, are writers who are passionate about the topics they blog/write about. They will get attendees thinking about their passion and how to find their voice and use it in their writing. This isn't a grammar session; but rather a session that will help you find your confidence in writing.

Design/photos-
Do the looks of your blog and blog posts really matter? What does the look and layout of your blog say about it? Mishelle, Leslie and Deanna have each found their passion online by making the internet pretty. Basic design principles, difference in blogging platforms and how to use images to make your blog stand out will all be discussed. And of course, there is room for Q&A.

Marketing/Outreach-
Do you know how to market yourself? How to reach out to those people who can connect you others within your niche and network? Katja, Jenny and Colleen know marketing. Through real-life examples, they will explain how marketing and outreach can take your blogging to the next level. You'll leave with the knowledge needed to begin marketing your own blog and know how to share what it is that YOU have to offer.

Success-
What is the definition of a successful blog? What do successful bloggers do that sets them apart? Nester and Melissa have gone from being beginner bloggers a year ago, to being two of the most recognized voices in their niche. How did they do it? What did they do differently? What did they gather from around the internet and how did they make it their own? You will leave knowing the secrets to their success.

 

MAVEN TRACK-

Content/Readership

What drives readers to your blog? How to you keep your readers engaged and happy? This session will the cover the importance of obtaining quality backlinks and increasing comments for your blog. Strategize on how to find more readers for your blog. Tsh, Amy and Meredith will share their stories, tips and sage advice for building and strengthening your readership.

 

Social Media/Marketing
Everyone knows social media, used effectively, is key to success. What really does that mean? Where should you focus? What do the most successful women concentrate on? Learn how to leverage your social media relationships into increasing readership of your blog, obtaining some or more giveaways and to connect with the most influential people online. Find guest bloggers for your site or even trade posts with another blogger. Let Jessica, Michelle and Amy give you the 'inside scoop' on how to be a social media rockstar!

 

Affiliate Marketing
Learn the secrets of making money from your blog including what keeps readers coming back and drive more traffic through intense marketing. How can you get Search Engine traffic to your blog? How do people really earn money blogging? Lori, Christine and Tara will give you the low down, the secrets and the tools you need to put your blog to work.

 

PR, Marketing & Ad Agencies/Networks
Once your blog has gotten noticed by PR, Marketing and Advertising folks, this session can help you figure out what ‘they’ are looking for from bloggers and you can learn how to make your relationships with them a win-win for all involved.  Barbara,  Rebecca  and some of the brightest minds in the business will walk you through blogger relations from their perspective and give you the opportunity to ask questions and get straightforward responses from the other side of the fence.
 

Branding

Yes, you are a brand. This session shares the importance of consistent and persistent branding of your blog. Properly branding your blog may be the difference between a 'no income blog; and a 'six figure income blog.' Have you considered changing the direction of your blog? Want to change your brand? This session will also share ways to build or rebuild your blog brand while staying true to your previous branding. Wendy, Arianne and Megan will share their experience and offer the tips you will not hear anywhere else

 

 

Book Deals

Have you dreamed of seeing your face on a book jacket? Swoon at the thought of your work on the best seller list? Discover the how it is really done in this session. From both the authors' and the agent's perspective, we will help you make a plan. Michelle, Jen and a special guestwill give you everything you need to know.

Both groups, Apprentice and Maven,  will come together to see our most fabulous keynote speaker, the blogger turned best selling author, Jen Lancaster. Let's all take a moment to swoon together.

OK, if you haven't yet, go register. Then be sure to join the brand spankin' new Facebook group. You can find a roomie, schedule a carpool from your hometown and compare shoes. {comparing shoes is optional}  Blissdom09 on Facebook is here. A big thanks to Nicole from Gidgit Goes Home and the new Asst. Creative Director at Blissfully Domestic, for creating our group.

Be sure to follow the latest news and happens about Blissdom09 on twitter! Simply follow @Blissdom. Our #Hashtag for any tweets relating to the conference is #Blissdom09. This way it is easy to follow conversations using Twitter Search.

Hurry, go sign up, follow us on twitter, join the facebook page and join in. You deserve this, Ladies. That is why we say it is Your Bliss & Your Conference!

See you there!

xoxo, Alli

*Sponsors Info- If your company is interested in showing your love, respect and desire to court some serious love from well-connected, household-budget-decision-making women; this is your big break. Female bloggers, PR Mavens, Authors and Mommy-Bloggers are the best demographic to focus your energy. Email us to plan to best way to highlight your company.

BLARGH!

Blargh! All the boys and I are sick. So sorry I have been missing. I'll be back soon. Hey, wow, you look lovely today! Have you been working out? Rawr.

Love you, alli

Pop Quiz- I need to hear from You!

I am the ADD poster girl. Five boys, one ignored hubby, a health-dept-should-shut-it-down dirty house and a million websites. Of course, I am working on more new projects behind the scenes. I *want* to tell you but I can't yet. Both new sites will launch in January. One is all me and one is a big group effort. {squee}

Now that I have teased you {forgive me!} I need your help.

BRIBE ALERT-To make it worth your while to answer the questions, I will randomly pick a reader to win some free jewelry. Isn't that fun?

Ok, Here are my two little-bitty questions-

1) When you log on, where do you go to catch up? What sites do you always skim first?

2) What interests you most? Please answer from most important to least. {pretty please?}

• headline
• celebrity gossip
• entertainment
• random news
• politics

See, that's not hard. Now sound off- what do you love, what catches your eye? I'm open for answers, navelgazing and random musings. Thanks y'all!

xoxo, alli

PS- There is no reason for the lounge lizard picture. It just makes me giggle. I'm dorky like that.

Linkapalooza, Baby!

   

Welcome back to my lazy gal's guide to staying in the know.

Black Friday sales up 3% from last year. Police search for jerks who trampled Walmart employee. Charges will come.

Latest Mumbai news. Plan was to kill 5K. Pray for those affected. How citizen journalism played a part.

Little earthquakes in Arkansas have scientists concerned.

Obama team tilts right? Clinton to accept Sec. of State nod this week.

NY Giants star Plaxio Burress shot himself in the leg at a nightclub.Who says sports stars aren't heroes? ahem.

Twilight Mania! It's a hit.

Brittney wowed the crowd at her comeback performance.

Mariah Carey is preggers? 

Rosie O'Donnell's show is a huge FAIL.                

Michael Phelps say it ain't so. The Vegas waitress? 

 If you want to see all the great posts that I stumbled this week just visit my StumbleUpon blog. I review lots of info in Social Media, blogging and Homemaking as well as lots of random goodies.

Now, sound off Friends of Fussypants,about the Linkapalooza. Love it or leave it? Vote in the comment section pretty please.

Much love to you all, alli