Self Known

From my personal fave this month. This May I... Shared 6 facts you've probably never heard about left-handed people. Interviewed  Lauren . Created a fun wallpaper freebie. Posted a very helpful post about how you can live your life hater free. Shared 7 ways that will help you shine a spotlight on your inspiration. Talked about change (and showed you my new haircut)! Expressed that you are not alone. Composed a list of 7 steps that will immediately and effectively grow your blog. Created a tutorial on how to change your Bloglovin' gadget color. What did you do this month?

Hey readers! I'm writing up this quick post because I'm in need of some help. Do you think you could lend me a hand (or at least some fingers)? My question is: If I were to have a sort of giveaway or contest what kind of prizes would YOU be interested in? Try to come up with one concept that seems doable and another that seems elaborate, awesome or "extravagant". (Need help? Check out this helpful post: 4 Muse Enhancing Brainstorming Techniques .) Comment below or contact me with your answers. I'm willing to listen to everyone, so no matter how "small" or "unhelpful" you think your opinion is, don't be afraid to talk to me. I love hearing from you guys, and because I want to provide awesome things for you to look forward to, I need to know what those awesome things are so I can get to work. :) Thank you for contributing. Have a wonderful day. <3 xx Nicole Rose

Hello! Today's tutorial is something really awesome I came to discover while I coding my blog. :) Here's the code: <div style= "filter: hue-rotate( 65deg )!important;-webkit-filter: hue-rotate( 65deg );-moz-filter: hue-rotate(65deg);-ms-filter: hue-rotate( 65deg );-o-filter: hue-rotate( 65deg );"> YOUR ORIGINAL BLOGLOVIN' CODE </div> Note: this code was not written by me. I'm just sharing it because I thought it'd be helpful for you guys. :) How it works: This code applies a "hue rotation" on the gadget, changing how it appears. The "angle" defines the number of degrees around the color circle the gadget will be adjusted to. It's just like a regular circle, so 0deg causes no change, while 180deg make the color the opposite of what it was (for example, if 180deg is applied to the code above, it will turn the pink gadget green, because opposite the color pink on the color circle). The highest you can go is...

When I started my first blog back in 2011, one of my first posts was about having my non-existent readers guess which American Girl Dolls I owned. *cringes* Obviously, I had no idea what I was doing. (Some would even go so far as to say I wasn't even a real blogger - I was just a spammy child in need of attention and followers.) Today's post is for those beginning bloggers who want their eyes to be opened and the bloggers who have had their site for years, but just aren't getting anywhere. Here are 7 steps that will immediately and effectively grow your blog . Email subscription widget What better way to get people flowing to your site, then to offer sending your posts directly into their inbox? A great way into hooking people into subscribing (besides having fabulous, reliable content) is to create a freebie, generally in the form of an e-book. Think about your target audience. What do they want? Do they have a problem that needs solved? Base your e-book ...

I had the wonderful chance to interview Sofia from Stars Unseen ! Read this interview to learn more about this very creative blogger. :) + + + Please introduce yourself, and tell us a little bit more about you and your blog. i'm sofia, and i'm a sister, friend, aunt, and idealist. i love to write, play my cello, think deeply, and have adventures. on my blog i share things close to my heart, as well as some of my poetry. :) When did you start your blogging journey and why? i suppose i first started writing on a blog as an assignment for a class at school. i really enjoyed the topics we covered there, and i've started a few different blogs. since then i've reinvented my blogging style to more what i truly enjoy and care about. What's the most challenging aspect of blogging for you? honestly, the most challenging part is probably not worrying so much about my number of readers. i feel like when i worry about that too much, the writing quality goes way...

If you haven't fallen into the depths of depression or anxiety, self-hurt or hatred, then you may want to turn back while you can. But before you go, let me congratulate you, dear reader, on your success, for so many wonderful human beings have broken down because they see world around them as unfair or--in a way--lost. Life as we know it tends to get complicated as we grow up, taking in the our surroundings with a new and mature sense. When we were younger we saw the world through a "glitterized" film, a sparkling place full of possibilities and giggles, chocolate milk bubbles and friends. But we've grown, haven't we? From our childish minds that have been hit with reality, we recoil from this new found, fear-inflicting feeling. We discover the world for what it truly is; people trying to live. I do not know any other way to put this but my dear friends the world is  dying . The people around us are  dying . We all think we're alone because our no one a...

Hiding to se/peek. Se/peeking to find. Finding to wo/ander. Wo/andering to hide. xx Nicole Rose

This mid-month linkup is an opportunity to meet other bloggers, discover other blogs, and create friendship as you go! Mid-Month Link Up Grow your blogging perspective. Make sure to visit other blogs and link up your own! :)

I've never liked change. I'm the type of person who likes schedules - repetitive routines. I like doing the same thing over and over because it's comfortable. It's easy. People can do the same thing for years and not realize they're doing it because they're so used to it. And when they look back, they realize they were uncomfortable or bored, and wonder why they never changed anything. They wonder why they wasted their years. And as deep as that sounds, that's not what this post is about today. Today we're going to talk about breaking free from monotony. Getting out of our comfort zones, experimenting with our self-expression. Why? Because I got my hair cut the other day and I wanted to share it in a meaningful way. >.< TADA! Doesn't my hair look just darling? :) I've been dying to chop my hair off for quite some time now. I've had it long for a while, and only because I needed to put it up in a ...

I think we've all experienced that moment (or if you're like me, those moments) when we feel like all the pairs of eyes looking at us are full of judgement and criticism. You feel like they're calculating your every movement, and when the owner of those eyes turns their head and bends to whisper in their neighbor's ear, it's like you know what exactly they're saying and what they're doing. They're judging you. And it makes you feel fragile. Hated. Unloved. Vulnerable. The opinions you didn't hear shouldn't matter, but because you didn't hear it your brain conjures up the worst possible scenarios that can sometimes torture you through the night. I've always had trouble with judgement and have wanted to avoid it for quite some time, so I decided to share with you guys my fool-proof way of dealing with it. Here are three ways to avoid judgement and live "hater-free". 1. Live under a rock. If you don't put you...

Us. The moment I met you, your name was imprinted on my skin. It was like a small scar. I could hide it, and no one would know what you did to me. No one would know about the impression you made on me. Our first conversation felt like a breath of fresh air. Like I was coming up out of the water, my lonely desperation spraying you as I heaved. I jumped at the chance to be your friend--acquaintance--distant companion. I don't know why. Maybe it's because of the marks you left on my skin. As we grew together, from distant companionship to closer than friends, the imprint turned into an inked tattoo. It blossomed so fiercely I didn't know whether or not to be embarrassed and hide it, or to sport it around with a high chin, and swayed hips. I studied you when you weren't looking. I searched to see if you had the same marks as I. To see if I made an impression. But your skin was smooth. Flawless. Left untouched. And then one day, I cracked. I came out to you....

"I could never imagine you angry Aileen! Never! You are always so very joyful and friendly!" I mask my annoyance with a thin laugh. "That is kind of you," I say, my teeth grinding together. "I am glad you think of me that way." A false smile takes up my lips. They believe it. Yes, I have always been good at giving those fake smiles.  For, is it not especially unnatural to be happy all the time? To not ever show just a minuscule bit of vexation. Doesn't everybody have some? All of us have right to be angry at some point. What matters is exactly how you go about expressing your feelings.  My name, Aileen, means bright. That, I do strive to be. But sometimes, a bit of anger swells up inside me. I keep it under control, I keep smiling. " Aileen ," I say to myself, " Be bright! Don't show your displeasure!"  I listen to what I say to myself. I follow it, no matter how much strength it takes. I conceal my feeling, and shie...

Please enjoy these wallpapers ( note: they're compatible with all phones, but are sized for iPhones ). :) May Blue // iPhone 4  + iPhone 5  + iPhone 6  + iPhone 6 Plus May Pink // iPhone 4  + iPhone 5  + iPhone 6  + iPhone 6 Plus

I had the great honor of interviewing Lauren G from Pretty Things And Polka Dots! Enjoy. :) + + + Please introduce yourself, and tell us a little bit more about you and your blog. Hi! I'm Lauren and I have a little part of the internet called Pretty Things And Polka Dots. I write about beauty, photography and any topics that I am interested in. I am Welsh, fourteen years old and enjoy the simple things in life :) When did you start your blogging journey and why? I started my blogging journey nearly a year ago now (the 23rd of April is it's one year birthday!) I began blogging because I loved the idea of meeting people from all parts of the world. I also enjoy writing very much and the idea of sharing my views and opinions with people who were interested in similar topics seemed very appealing. What's the most challenging aspect of blogging for you? I think the most challenging aspect would have to be posting regularly. As much as I love blogging, it can ...

Around ten percent of the world is left-handed. People with a dominant left hand typically tend to excel in fields that require visual-spatial abilities (for example, graphic design) and generally have a more balanced view of their bodies ( 1 ) . But being left-handed can have its...limitations. That's why I've create this post - to share with you left-handed hardships (and check to see if this is relatable, or if I'm the only one). Here are 6 so-not-cool things about being a lefty. + Spiral notebooks. I have to angle my hand when I write in one of these. Or if I hold my pen just right, I don't rub my hand against the spirals so much. + Binders. Again with the hand angling/weird pen holding. This truly makes note taking a pain. + Hitting elbows with someone at the dinner table. This one isn't too bad, considering my family is kind enough to allow me first pick of seating when we go out to eat. "Rose, would you like to sit in the crampe...

via I have never been to the beach, so I don't know if I could give you an accurate description of it. I assume it's warm--unless you think going to the beach in the wintertime would be a pleasant event. I also assume it's sandy, and damp. The ocean crashes onto the shore every so often, lulling the tanners to sleep. If you're lucky, I'm sure you'll be able to find a shell that has "captured" that sound, and take it home with you, as token of remembrance. But is this a cliche description? Is that how all beaches are? I wish I knew. Perhaps I'll stumble upon the knowledge as I swim through life. You know, I think I'll add "beach explorer" to my growing collection of creative dreams. I'll explore every beach, travel the world, collecting bits of sand from each one I visit in tiny, separate jars. I'll collect shells too, and different techniques on how to deal with sunburn.\ Yes. I shall discover and explore the b...