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CRAVE CRUSH the urban girl's blog to all that you CRAVE
America, It’s Your Birthday!
Let’s face it, we CRAVE any excuse to get together and throw a party with our best friends. What better reason than for a birthday? Happy Birthday America! Since every birthday should involved presents- why not think of some ways you and your friends can give back to your community to commemorate the occasion? Check in with local organizations who do volunteer work. Maybe you can spend the afternoon helping clean up a park, planting some trees, or participating in a food drive.
After a day of doing something good for your country, you can feel good about having a little fun at night for yourself! Get your friends together, nosh on some festive treats and try to catch a glimpse of your local fireworks show. Here are some recipes to inspire your celebration:
This first recipe is from a chef bloggess we adore, CakeSpy!
Hartford Election Day Cupcakes: This spicecake is light but flavorful; all your friends will love munching on these treats which you can decorate in red, white and blue.
Dry ingredients:
- 8 ounces (1 cup) superfine granulated sugar
- 5 ounces (1 cup) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon potato starch
- 1⁄8 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- Pinch of allspice
- Pinch of salt
- 1⁄8 teaspoon baking soda
Wet ingredients:
- 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) butter, melted
- ¼ cup half-and-half
- 1 tablespoon rum
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 egg yolk
Old-Fashioned Milk Buttercream
- 1 cup milk
- 2 ounces (¼ cup) all-purpose flour
- 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 8 ounces (1 cup) superfine granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sip
While you are savouring some cupcakes, it is likely you will want something to sip as well. Here is a great list we found that lists five different themed cocktails: click. Are you adventurous? You have to try the first drink on the list- it includes jalapeno or Serrano peppers to add a little fire to your night. Prefer something a little sweeter to sip? Strawberry schnapps will be a key (red) ingredient for you. To give any red drinks a patriotic vibe try garnish with blueberries, blackberries or just throw in a blue straw!
Chat Recap: Learn From Celebrity Blogettes
Thank you so much to everyone who attended last night’s chat! For those of you who couldn’t make it out, here is a recap of our featured blogettes’ stories and advice on all things blogs!
One thing all three of our fabulous panel of blogettes had in common? The way they started their blogs. Little to no blogging experience, expertise or expectations, but a lot of heart.
How They Got Started:
 Claire Watkins cwidonline.com |
Award winning blogger, interior designer and entrepreneur Claire Watkins started her blog, highglossblue.com knowing absolutely nothing about blogging. Instead of taking it as a set back, she looked at her blogette inexperience as a positive. It enabled her to be unintimidated simply because she did not know any better. Her biggest word of advice is to not worry about it and just go for it.
Currently, she’s thrilled she gets to talk about chairs every single day, recession or not. Join the conversation by visiting highglossblue.blogspot.com or emailing Claire, Claire@CWIDonline.com, for project rates! Claire Watkins is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers. |
 Tami Hardeman tamihardeman.com |
Tami is an Atlanta-based food stylist who has been styling full-time for close to 6 years. When not on set styling, Tami pursues her passions of food, writing and photography on her nationally recognized food and cooking blog, Running With Tweezers, which she started in October 2005. She fumbled her her way on how to write her blog in the beginning, then got a hang of it and almost quit because of the time and attention her popular blog absorbed. After attending BlogHer, a conference in San Fancisco, Running With Tweezers was re-inspired and revamped. She finally found the place where she is able to do it all.
She is also currently in the development stage of her own cookbook, inspired by life and her cooking adventures through her blog. photo credit: Joeff Davis from Creative Loafing |
 Cristi Holcombe charmhomedesign.com |
Cristi Holcombe founded her interior design firm, Charm Home, in 2009 at the age of 28. Her company provides fresh, innovative, and affordable design services to clients in Atlanta. Cristi’s passion for interior design is documented daily on her Charm Home blog where she gives readers a little peek into how she creates her designs and writes about things that inspire her from day to day. Cristi’s blog gained notoriety at the end of 2009 when she was voted Atlanta’s favorite local blogger in the “Best of the Big A” by ajc.com readers just three months after launching her blog.
After accidently stumbling upon an interior design blog while googling a fabric, she fell in love with the idea of interior design blogging and the Charm Home blog was born.
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Question: How do you determine your content and scheduling?
Cristi: Initially I had all day to think of content and write, but now I am very busy, thanks in part to my blog. It is really hard to sit down and write after a 10 hour work day. I have learned to find my inspiration throughout my day.
Claire: I take pictures of everything! Capturing whatever inspires me in that moment is the best way for me to come up with content. I try to write five times per week.
Tami: Since I work for myself doing freelance, I have no set schedule. Since I never know when I am going to be able to write, I started treating days I can work on my blog as a real job. It takes me between six to eight hours to finish a blog.
Question: How do you measure success?
Tami: I used to look at the numbers all time time, but now it doesn’t seem to matter as much. If you obsess about it, you will set goals for the wrong reasons. If you really want a bump in traffic, do a give-away! 
But really, it’s all about your intent and engaging with the community.
Cristi: Every time I get a comment or email, it’s worth it.
Question: How are you getting people to your blog?
Cristi: Facebook Fanpage, blog tags and definitely commenting on others’ blogs. It’s just good blogger ettiquette.
Tami: TWITTER. The re-tweet power of Twitter is amazing. It is also very important to be a genuine blogger in your community.
Question: How do you find a balance between business and personal?
Tami: At first I was scared people were not going to like what I was writing, and that it might cost me a job. You have to find your comfort level of how much you are willing to share. I have made so many amazing friends all over because of my blog. You can instantly tell when someone is not sincere.
Question: How do you deal with tough competition?
Claire: There are really high standards in blog design now, so make sure yours looks nice and isn’t cluttered.
Tami: Be passionate about what you are writing about. If your voice is authentic, it will click somewhere.
Question: Do you ever feel like you need to re-introduce yourself to re-do old posts?
Claire: Link back to older posts when you are referring to something you have written about before in new posts.
Tami: There is so much momentum with new content, it is to hard to go back and redo. I would rather focus on what is coming up.
Cristi: I think it is okay to re-post as long as you are creative about it. Maybe revisit your favorite posts once a year. If you just re-post without explanation, your long time readers might be confused.
Thanks again to our celebrity blogettes and of course, to the fabulous Shelbi Saine of 12th & Midtown for hosting our event!
Thank you to our Sponsor:
Hello, Summer!
How many times a year do we utter the words, “If only there were more hours in the day…”? Well, on the summer solstice, you will get your wish since today, the sun shines longer than any other day of the year. Today of course also marks the official start of summer, and with it, we celebrate all the best things about this much-anticipated season! To welcome the return of flip-flops, barbecue’s, vacations and more, we’ve compiled a list of activities to do in order to take advantage of those extra minutes of sunlight. Grab your friends and family and head out – you won’t want to miss a second of your summer solstice celebration!
A picnic is a simple no-brainer for a summer occasion, but you might decide to get a little creative for the special occasion by coordinating a late-night sunset picnic in your city’s most scenic setting. Bring a playlist of songs with the word “sun” in them to set the right mood.
If you’re an avid outdoors-woman, you’ll want to really maximize your extra minutes of rays! Head out for an evening hike, run, or bike ride and extend it a little longer than usual. You’ll get an extra boost knowing that this is the only night you’ll be able to savor the sunlight during your routine workout.
Spending your solstice doing water activities is an excellent idea if you live near a body of water. Boating, surfing, kayaking, or even just lounging beachside will give you that summer glow you’ve been missing all winter. Plus, watching the sun lower over sparkling waves is a sight that can hardly be beat, and one you’ll want to store in your memory for the next winter.
Say Mother Nature decides to throw you a curveball and sends rain instead of shine, well don’t let that stop you from enjoying the spirit of the day. Curling up with a book and hot tea can be relaxing during a summer rainfall or storm especially if enjoyed from a patio or porch. If the day is more gray gloom than thrilling boom, head to your local arboretum or greenhouse to get your tropical nature fix.
Introducing…Ms. CEO Media
Ms. CEO Media shares the scoop on how you can grow your company and tells you the niftiest little secrets. She keeps track of all of the fabulous must-attend events and tells you who’s doing what in business. Ms. CEO Media lives to tell stories of fantastic entreprenesses—like you! Don’t miss her Shop, Show and Tell event Saturday at Puritan Mill!
How would you describe your business in exactly three adjectives?
Bold, Informative, Progressive
What are your most popular products or services?
Our most popular services and products are The Ms. CEO Radio Show and our Ms. CEO tees.
People may be surprised to know…
that business success for a woman is the best-kept beauty secret ever!
What or who inspired you to start your business?
A desire to create jobs and serve people were motivators. Also, Madame C.J. Walker, my parents and mentors were inspirations.
Who is your role model or mentor?
There are too many to name but Mayor Shirley Franklin, Ivey Stokes and Alvin Curry have been tremendous influences.
What business mistake have you made that you will not repeat?
I used to avoid necessary confrontation. Business sometimes requires tough decisions and crucial conversations. A head-in the-sand approach spells doom.
What is your indulgence?
Dessert! OMG!
Where is your favorite place to go with your girlfriends?
Anywhere with comfortable seating. We love to do stuff but we also have the best time sitting around talking!
Celebration-Worthy Gift Ideas for your Grad
Looking for the perfect gift for your fabulous college or high school graduate? Well, look no further! Whether your grad is preparing for college or the real world, CRAVE has tips on this season’s trendiest gifts, from adorable stationary to monogrammed bed sheets.
Limetree: A Gift Experience
404.633.LIME
Monogrammed Gifts are In!
From towels to bumper stickers, monograms are everywhere! They are chic, always classy and add an extra oomph to the typical frame, towel or cosmetic case! Try ordering your graduate’s monogram in a chic color, such as baby blue or electric pink! If she is going off to college, order the monogram in her new school’s colors! For all things monogrammable, check out Limetree.
Linvites Online
Lavish Stationary
Stationary is a great way to personalize and express yourself when writing letters home from college or on the new job! Whether monogrammed or adorned in your grad’s college colors, you can’t go wrong with Linvites for your stationary needs!
Crumb Bakery
404.425.9535
@crumbbakery
Luxurious Cupcakes
Cakes are SO last year! There is nothing better than a divine cupcake where no fork is needed to taste true decadence. Plus, they make the perfect tasty treat for that graduation party. Our favorites are from Crumb Bakery, which also specializes in authentic French macarons that are almost too pretty to eat!
Scrapbook Mamma
770.448.5522
@QuadMamma
A Scrapbook to Remember
This year’s sentimental gift of choice is a luxurious, personalized crapbook. Gather your graduate’s favorite photos, and let Scrapbook Mamma do all the hard work. It’s a gift that will last a lifetime.
We’re CRAVE-ing Blue Dangles Boutique
Treat yourself to some serious boutiquing and experience a place where beauty meets chic. Blue Dangles Boutique is the definitive hip and chic woman’s boutique in the Atlanta area. Offering the latest in runway fashions and accessories, Blue Dangles Boutique creates an intimate and personal shopping atmosphere with unparalleled service. Many of its accessories are one-of-a-kind designed exclusively for Blue Dangles by designers and artisans from around the world.
How would you describe your business in exactly three adjectives?
Cutting-Edge, Razor-Sharp, Now
What are your most popular products or services?
Style constantly changes. Our custom hand tooled belts, environmentally conscious accessories and apparel are in. Shoes and boots always rock.
People may be surprised to know…
I’m 4th generation in the fashion industry. Fashion’s not just in my blood, I was born with fashion «genes».
What or who inspired you to start your business?
I’ve been involved in many areas of fashion. The inspiration to help women create the perfect outfit inspired me to open the boutique.
Who is your role model or mentor?
My parents! They taught me that it’s an honor to serve your customers and a privilege to own a business.
What business mistake have you made that you will not repeat?
Not trusting my gut instinct.
What is your indulgence?
I’m a simple girl. Chocolate, chocolate and chocolate, it just makes me happy.
Daddy’s Day is Almost Here!
Father’s Day is around the corner and every year its the same. We ponder WHAT to get our dear dads for a gift. We all know that whatever we hand them they’ll be thankful for; but we always want to push the envelope! When we are pressed for time and don’t have the effort left to make something extremely sentimental, here is some advice from your friends at CRAVE on what to do that will make him smile.
Try and remember what your dad is passionate about. Is he an outdoors-man? Cook? Tech-savvy? Music lover? With some passion he has in mind its always easier to direct your gift towards a certain theme and come out successful. It will help you avoid spending hours shopping with no clue of what to get as well as guaranteeing that he will appreciate the gift and the thought you put into it.
If still stuck on where to begin with finding a gift, maybe go in a different direction then a simple gift from the store. Does you’re dad love a certain comedian or band? Grab tickets to a concert.
Dad’s love knowing you want to spend time with them, so if time allows, do an activity that involves doing something together. Time spent is more precious than any other gift money could buy!
Remember first and foremost that its your dad’s day! All that matters truly matters is that you make sure to tell him he’s special and you love him.
Ready to Go From Passion to Profit? Join CRAVEatlanta at SPARK & HUSTLE with Tory Johnson
You may recognize Tory Johnson from Good Morning America or one of her five bestselling books. After being unexpectedly fired from a job she loved, she was determined to transition from employee to entrepreneur, and 11 years ago with just $5,000 she started Women For Hire. She’s grown her small, unknown, solo-venture with no track record or clients into a multimillion dollar business with multiple income streams and a national presence.
Even better, she’s bringing her expertise to Atlanta with the all-new Spark & Hustle National Conference from July 29-31! This special event will offer real-world, right-now tactics and strategies to launch or grow a small business. Every minute of this three-day program led by Tory focuses on tangible take-aways that attendees can begin to implement immediately: defining your authentic brand; determining where and how to reach your target audience; pricing for profit; selling without feeling sleazy; overcoming sales objections; generating media coverage for profit not vanity; building your digital identity—and so much more.
We’re thrilled to announce that several CRAVE entreprenesses will be offering their expertise as panelists and speakers, including:
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Laura Scholz CRAVEatlanta Scholz Communications On how to GENERATE MEDIA COVERAGE |
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Shameeka Ayers The Broke Socialite On how to PROFIT FROM YOUR PASSION |
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Alyson Hoag Authentic Beauty On how to DEFINE YOUR BUSINESS & DEVELOP AN AUTHENTIC BRAND |
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Jennifer Shields Posh Tot Events Panelist on how to PRICE FOR PROFIT |
We’ll also be hosting an exclusive meet & greet with Tory during the event, free to conference attendees and giving away CRAVE-branded swag bags, so if you have any items you’d like to include, please email brittany@craveparty.com.
In addition, we’re offering a special discount to our CRAVE ladies. Use the discount CRAVE to save $200 on the standard registration fee!
Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity!
Branding Basics for Small Business New Book By Maria Ross
Maria Ross, the brains behind marketing and branding firm, Red Slice, has just wrapped up yet another project. This time in the form of a comprehensive guide to effectively branding your business – any small business, on any budget. Branding Basics for Small Business: How to Create an Irresistible Brand on Any Budget will walk you step-by-step through solidifying your core promise, personality and reason for being. We caught up with Maria and asked her a little bit about what inspires her at work and in life! And before we forget, to purchase your copy of Branding Basics go to red-slice.com/branding-basics-book!
When and how did you discover your talent for and love of marketing and strategizing?
I majored in marketing in college, as I’d always had a love for advertising and using communication to evoke emotion. Marketing can be used for so much good in the world: encouraging people to donate time or money, showcasing a worthy cause, inspiring people to be the best they can be. I have always been impressed with a well-turned tagline or a delightful campaign that gives me goosebumps. In the book, I talk about the effect that Nike had on me in the mid-90’s when they launched the “If you let me play” campaign aimed at empowering young girls through athletics. I gained experience across all aspects of marketing over my career and really like the brainstorming and strategy phase the best.
What compelled you to write Branding Basics For Small Business?
I got sick and tired of people undervaluing what a brand could do for them, or thinking that it is just their logo. Brand is so much more than that and when small businesses understand what brand really means – that it is the core promise and value they deliver to customers – they can better connect with customers and drive sales. Brand is expressed not just visually through your logo or colors, but verbally through the messages you use and experientially in how customers (and employees) are treated. I also wrote it because putting together your brand strategy is not rocket science: it just requires answering some key questions and really putting intentional thought into how you present yourself to customers. So I wanted to spread the “brand gospel” to small businesses – many of whom have the nimbleness and passion to create a powerful brand connection with their customers because they are so close to them.
Without giving too much away (we all need to read the book!!), what is the most important step in creating a strong brand strategy?
I would say two of the biggest mistakes business owners make when it comes to brand strategy are not identifying their target audience in crisp detail, and not telling customers what they want to hear. For target audiences, business owners try to go too broad and end up appealing to no one because their message is so bland and generic. But your brand needs to be relevant in order to meaningfully connect. Secondly, many small businesses talk about themselves by saying “This is what we do” versus taking the customer point of view and saying, “Here’s what you get.” Many small businesses don’t see that they are talking about benefits from their own perspective, not the customer’s.
Your book discusses “how to create an irresistible brand on any budget”…will this really work on ANY budget? What is one important step in reaching out to potential clients/customers on a shoe string budget?
An effective brand is not measured by how much money you have to spend. Every company out there wishes they had more money! I’ve executed against brand strategies with $1000 and $12,000,000. The point is that, by using the process in the book, you can create a strong brand strategy that you then can execute efficiently with whatever budget you have. When you have less budget, it’s even more important to go after the right things or be more creative and a brand strategy helps you do that. Your activities align towards one clear target. Many businesses end up wasting money because they perform “random acts of marketing” that don’t get them anywhere. With a clear brand strategy, you actually save time, money and headache on only investing in the right things that get you ahead.
What is your favorite part about what you do? What keeps you going and gets your juices flowing at work?
I love when I work with a client and see the light go on in their eyes, when they “get” what brand really means and how to apply it. They seem more confident, they are able to clearly cite their elevator pitch. They say things like, “That’s exactly what I want my company to represent! It’s perfect!” Being able to help people deconstruct their brand story and then show them a perfect way to visually or verbally represent it is just amazing.
What is your favorite thing to do when you are NOT working?
I love to write: I write wine and food articles for some online publications. I also love to eat great food with friends, drink wine, hike, read, act in community theatre, watch indie films (I’ve been to Sundance about 5 years in a row!) and go for walks with my husband and our awesome Black Lab mix, Eddie, who we adopted two years ago.
Branding Basics Book Now Available! June 2010 from Maria Ross
It’s World Cup Time!
Ladies! The World Cup is on this week, so why not throw a fabulous party to celebrate! Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and throwing a party will be just another fun reason to sit around the TV with the gals and drool over men in jerseys.
So what are the three key items necessary for throwing a great party? Friends, food, and some fun drinks. With those elements you’re bound to have fun.
First, lets start off with friends. Invite your best gal pals over (probably 8 to 10 ladies) and ask them to previously pick a team to cheer for. Then suggest they wear the colors of their team to the party. It will add a small hint of competition to the group and keep your ladies having fun screaming for their men during the game.
Second, it may be a soccer party but the snacks don’t have to be the typical game food of chicken wings and burgers. For your ladies, whip up a batch of cupcakes or if in a time crunch grab some from your local grocer and decorate them with the colors of the teams playing. As for the other snacks, everything needs to be decent at room temperature, since once the game starts the attention will be focused more on the TV. Perhaps some bruschetta and caprese salad would be yummy finger food that will leave your guests happy and satisfied. If feeling too crunched for time on the snacky goods, ask your gals to each bring something small and yummy with them when they come. It will help relieve some of the stress and you know then you’ll have plenty of food to go around.
Third, but just as important are those drinks! Decide to make some of your favorite cocktails or bubbly that will keep the girls having fun throughout the game. Perhaps a drink that includes the colors of the teams! Drinks are always fun but no one wants to bust their budget on buying alcohol that not everyone will like, so let your girlfriends know you will be providing some drinks, but suggest they bring more if they have a specific or picky preference.
So no more excuses and procrastinating! You now have all you need for a successful party! All that’s left is letting the gals know and start getting caught up on your knowledge of the teams and the gorgeous men playing. Games start June 11th so get your head in the game and get your party started!
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