Me, 70 pounds ago, at my bridal shower in 2009.

Sometimes I feel like the hardest part of weight loss is waiting. And waiting.

You get started, and you feel like you’re constantly waiting until your next snack or meal. (Hell, I am at this very MOMENT.)

You wait to step on that scale to see if your success will be reflected with a number. (Don’t- also take measurements!)

You wait for weekly weigh-ins to turn into monthly losses that will lead to visible changes that you can see, and hopefully others, too.

You wait to see that magical goal number on the scale at the end of months, possibly years, of hard work.

Well, no wonder most of us fail. We’ve been conditioned to get instant gratification. To want it. To need it.

This might explain why I fork out money for Amazon Prime. I want my stuff in 2-days, gosh darn it.

I’ve also learned after trying for a DECADE now to get to my goal weight (shameful, I know), is that if you try to rush the process, it just doesn’t work out in the long term.

I think a turning point for me wanting to buckle down for the umpteenth time is BlogHer 2012. Sure I chose not to go because the flights were very expensive for me, and because I do have a new job, but the main reason I chose not to go to BlogHer 2012 is because of my weight.

And it’s taking me so much courage to put it out there, but I hope others can relate. Last year at BlogHer I was about 30 pounds lighter. BlogHer is the type of place you have to feel confident at or else you’ll just kind of get lost in the midst of swag and bloggers.

As I did last year. I left San Diego having had a fun time with those I hung out with, came home with cool swag, but I didn’t really accomplish anything in terms of my blog. I didn’t gain readers, sponsors or fans. I got to giveaway some Riceworks coupons and some coffee creamer coupons.

Nothing glamorous mostly because I lacked the confidence to go up to companies and sell myself.

I saw plenty of bloggers that were larger than I was, rocking their sleeveless shirts and showing armpit and talking to companies. Now they have HUGE blogs with great connections, and I am just kind of at slightly a higher level than last year.

So, one Saturday morning in June, I decided to just not go. Just like that. I sold my ticket, transferred my hotel room, and decided I just couldn’t do it. Why spend all that time and money when I knew I felt even worse about myself than I did last year?

And something else.

I hate being the fat girl in the group of pretty girlfriends at these things. You all know what I mean, right? It’s like your friends like you and all, and you’re super funny and witty, but when it comes time to take cute Instagram photos to post on their FB wall, you’re not in them because you’re the DFF (designated fat friend). I felt like that a few times at conferences/events this year, and let me tell ya, it sucks. I realize I am not a gorgeous, svelte, flawless girl, and honestly I don’t want to be in any photos unless I have to be…but…it’s hard. We don’t want to feel less than.

And so I’m not going to BlogHer because I am fatter than I was last year, and because it’s expensive and I have a new job.

I’m 27 now, and have been fighting this battle for a decade, and I just want to achieve my goals. Weight goals, career goals, blog goals. I want confidence in myself, yet can’t ever really summon up some.

Monica Wants It.

But I just have to wait.

A few weeks ago I got an e-mail from the lovely ladies over at Ball + Chain asking me if I was interested in working with them on a blog post. After looking at their website a bit, I decided I definitely wanted to help spread the word about this fabulous jewelry/accessories auction that they have going on.

Ball + Chain hosts auctions every week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. On Tuesdays, it’s a name your own price kind of auction, so basically you decide how much you want to spend, bid and pay your PayPal invoice for the item you want. Wednesdays, it’s more like a normal store format where they have an item, a price and if you want it, you buy it. They have so many unique, beautiful pieces of jewelry and shipping is free on all sales. What’s even better is the great customer service they provide. If you just look at their Facebook wall, you see that they are attentive, courteous and very customer oriented.

They sent me a few pieces to review, and I have photographed them for you all. I thought it’d be good to see the quality of the items, especially if you’re thinking about bidding on anything in the future.

Everything was wrapped up securely and beautifully. I felt like I was opening presents. Happy day! And honestly, I buy a lot of stuff online, and I tend to be a repeat client to stores/brands that package items well. That extra bit of effort really helps.

The first box I opened up was this gorgeous, funky hot pink bracelet. I am usually a girl who hates gold, but lately I can’t get enough. This color is fab, and I love the bracelet. I wore it with capri jeans and a black top. Perfect punch of color.

Next up is the beautiful, beaded clutch. I am going to use this clutch so much at BlogHer 12. Like seriously. The linear pattern is so trendy right now, and this will stand out and be unique.

I thought about what I’d carry around at BlogHer to an evening party, and I would likely have the following:

And of course some lipgloss. Which I couldn’t find at the moment. And look at my iPhone colors? A perfect match.

And it’s not bulky and still closes with all that in there.

Now, I love both those items so much, but my favorite item has to be these earrings. I’ve worn them twice in the past week, and I get tons of compliments. They look high end, they are a nice weight and soooooo beautiful in person.

Here’s a pic of me wearing them. With my skin tone and dark hair, they stand out a lot, which I love.

Plus, they even wrote me a sweet message with my items.

If you’d like to see what other items they’ve had up for auction previously, they do have some examples/photos on their FB page. It looks like your next chance to bid on some fab items is tomorrow (Tuesday). I encourage you to check out their auctions and keep them in mind when shopping for jewelry. They have some amazing designer inspired pieces and A+ customer service. I know I will be stalking the auctions every week to get some more earrings. They have stuff that I don’t see in stores around this small town. Sigh.

What is your favorite jewelry piece? I am totally an earrings girl. I could buy a new pair everyday and would just be the happiest girl in the world.

Thanks again Ball + Chain for allowing me to review my experience with your fabulous shop! Keep up the fab work! xoxo.

Disclosure: I received jewelry pieces for review, but was not otherwise compensated. All photos and opinions are mine and not influenced by the store/brand.

Sorry for the lack of updates y’all…I’m so sorry.

With my new job (yay! I’m PR pro) and the long hours (during the summer we work from 7:30-5:30 and it leaves me exhausted when I come home…) I’ve been neglecting my blog for the past week just to kind of be. Just exist for a moment. But I am so excited that my very first press releases are up on our local newspaper website and in the paper. I’ve finally landed a job in the field I’ve loved all my life. Oh I am blessed.

 

I’ve also been thinking a lot about what I want my blog to be about or focus on. I can’t quite figure it out. I mean, it’s a lifestyle blog, so I blog about things that are going on in my life and lifestyle kind of topics, but I don’t feel like I am consistent. So. I’ve figured it out, I think.

I like to write things that allow me to share knowledge with you all. I like to write about things you may find useful and that are affordable. I like to write about my weight loss struggles because I know you all “get it.” That is major to me. I hope when you land on my pages you will learn, empathize/sympathize and feel inspired in some way.

This leads me to narrow it done to a few key topics I love:

-DIY (home, décor, crafts, etc.)

-Recipes

-Weight Loss/Fitness

-Product reviews (about stuff I really do USE and like…or stuff I really do use and HATE- I’m looking at you Rustoleum cabinet kit).

I know some people have asked why I do so many Collective Bias posts, and to be perfectly honest, I do enjoy writing them. I love Collective Bias/Social Fabric very much. I get to go out and buy products I’d likely be buying anyway. And yes, there is some compensation, not a ton, but mostly because I like the product/company that I get to write about AND I am doing it as a way to earn money to go BlogHer 12. I desperately want to make it happen, and the sponsored posts help get me there a little bit at a time. I know I may judged for that, but I never take an opportunity I don’t believe in or agree with, and I do always post my honest opinions regardless of whether or not I am getting paid. And I do not accept any paid ads on my sidebar, so if it’s posted up there, it’s by my choice/support for that company/blogger.

Just wanted to throw that out there.

But I will be back with a vengeance next week. I really want to post about 2-3 times a week, excluding any sponsored posts. I mean original content, made by yours truly.

I did revamp my menu bar to make it a bit easier to find blogs by topic. And if you notice, the Etsy part is gone because I am on an Etsy-cation. It may be permanent, but I haven’t made up my mind just yet. :)

So enough of my babble…what do you want from my blog? Why do you come here? What do you expect to see?

And boy do I need to write about some fab beauty products I bought at Sephora recently. Swoon.

I’ll preface this blog post by stating that I have never really pitched a brand for anything major. There have been the less-than-a-handful of times where I’ve approached a brand and said, “I love your product, would love to try it out and write about it, what do you think?” type of e-mails, but they’ve been for really low priced items. I’ve generally offered to write about the product (if I like it) and promote my post via Twitter. It’s been nothing super major though.

Like a $15 pair of slip-ons for shoes that make it easier to workout on carpet.

Speaking of which… I need to write that review on the $15 slip-ons that make it easier to workout on carpet. And that low calorie booze a lovely company sent me. And that stripe painting tool.

Duly noted. I need a week off just to blog.

While at Hispanicize 2012 in Miami, I attended a fabulous session led by Cristina Alfaro from McDonald’s and Jennifer Stansfield of VPE PR. I learned so much at the session, and when I have actual time available to write up a pitch, I will follow their advice.

Here are my top takeaways from their session:

Put it on paper {get your facts straight}: Be brief, smart and to the point!

-Audience Reach

-Twitter Followers

-FB Likes

Outline how you’ll benefit the brand: What’s in it for you AND them? It’s a 2-way street

-When thinking of ways you’ll benefit a brand, think outside the box. They’ve seen and heard it all. What can you do differently or better?

-Be creative, be true to yourself/blog.

-Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Keep it real.

Key things to include in a pitch/proposal: Be informative without rambling

-Background on your blog

-Objective: What do you want to accomplish by partnering with the brand?

-Creative concept…so important!

Don’t beat around the bush: Money talks and it should talk within the pitch

-It may feel awkward to include money in a proposal, but include what/how much compensation you expect

-Be open to negotiations about compensation and be realistic about how much to be paid

-Factor in how long the project will last, how much work you’ll do, etc.

Some other items Cristina and Jennifer talked about were the importance of keeping a proposal 1-2 pages max and making sure your pitch is professional. Don’t just write a company and say, “Hey I need airfare for BlogHer!” You need to come to the table ready to offer something of value to the company other than your presence at a blogging conference, etc.

Really what I learned is that a brand pitch is 2-way street in which neither party wants to be left feeling like they’re in a dead-end. Cultivating and creating these brand partnerships will open doors to other opportunities, so it’s essential to be professional, honest and realistic about expectations.

I don’t know if I will be pitching brands a lot, but I am thinking of creative ways that I may be able to work with brands/products I love and admire. I don’t get to blog nearly as often as I’d like, but I do feel that quality is better than quantity in these matters. Right?

Please feel free to add in your comments/suggestions/thoughts in the comments section! I’d love to start a dialogue about this topic because it’s something that many bloggers feel awkward in discussing or don’t know what to ask. Let’s help each other! :)

Yes, I realize that Hispanicize is only like 2 weeks away. But, with that being said, I assure you that my rush to find a sponsor is not due to a lack of planning.

It’s due to the fact that I just found out I won a conference pass (yay!) but cannot swing the total cost of airfare and hotel all by lonesome on such short notice. <insert sad face here>

So, this means I need your help to get to Miami where I can be a total rock star for your brand/product/company. You may be wondering what exactly I can offer to you in exchange for your generosity and sponsorship, so here is what I can bring to the table for you:

-Ad placement on my blog sidebar for 6 months

-2-3 blog posts (one before and after Hispanicize) to promote your brand/company

-Inclusion  of your logo on my blog business cards

-Endless promotion of your brand/company while I am at Hispanicize

-Tweets/FB posts driving traffic to your site before/during/after the conference

-Other services/promotional services are negotiable

If you browse my blog, you can quickly see I fall in the lifestyle niche and write heavily about DIY/crafts, home improvement, recipes and weight loss. I am active on all social media, and I look forward to chatting with anyone interested in a full or partial sponsorship opportunity. If Hispanicize is too soon, I am also headed to BlogHer 2012 in NYC and would love to represent a brand/company/product there as well.

A full social media resume is available to any parties interested upon request. I have worked with many brands/companies as well as blog collectives to provide quality, thorough content/photos/tutorials. As a woman who majored in journalism, blogging is not merely a hobby, but it is also a passion of mine to be heard and drive attention to brands and causes I feel strongly about. Thanks for your consideration!

Interested parties can contact me via e-mail at: monicawantsit@gmail.com

Today is my final post about my NYC trip. Sad face.

The whole point of the trip was to meet Ms. Brown at the M&M’S Museum of Chocolate Art, and I must say that as a media studies junkie, I love what Mars chose to do with Ms. Brown. They have created a persona/character that is witty, funny, intelligent and a WOMAN. I know people might be like, It’s a candy character, why take it so seriously? But honestly, I do. I feel that in our media and advertising sometimes companies and agencies choose to be cliché or engage in gender stereotypes, and I love that Ms. Brown is a strong, educated candy character. The thought that went into creating her “credentials” was very evident at the M&M’S Museum event.

And I also feel Vanessa Williams is a perfect choice for the voice behind the high-heeled candy officer. Her voice delivery was superb in the Super Bowl commercial that aired earlier this month. Have you seen it? Want to see it again? Click on the video below:

Sassy. Bold. Smart. And all while wearing high heels. Even I’m a little jealous.

Meeting Ms. Brown was definitely the highlight of my trip. The M&M’S Museum event was fabulous and again, I thank Collective Bias and Mars for the opportunity and privilege of letting me attend.

While I wasn’t busy swooning over chocolate, I was swooning over all there is to see and do in NYC. It was so cold (bbrrr!), but I tried to make the most of it. How often do I get to be in NYC? Not very often. I got to go on a Sex & the City bus tour, which was truly a great way to see the city and some of my favorite places/spaces from the show. I adore the show; I never get tired of the reruns. Ever. While waiting for our tour bus, we got to peek inside Bergdorf’s. The Chanel section? Ohmyheavens.

Gorgeous chandeliers inside Bergdorf’s:

And finally we went on the SATC tour.

This is in front of the Plaza hotel where Carrie tells Big goodbye as he goes into his engagement party.

Then we visited the restaurant that hosted Big & Carrie’s rehearsal dinner:

Had a cupcake at Magnolia Bakery where Miranda and Carrie sat outside and ate a cupcake:

And also visited the bar Aiden owned (the bar was called Scout in the show):

I would highly recommend the tour even if you aren’t a SATC fan because you get to see so much of the city! Our tour guide was great, and I feel it was a worthwhile way to spend 3.5 hours. So much fun. After the tour, we visited Times Square and M&M’S World.

And on Wednesday I went out exploring on my own for a bit since I had such a late flight:

Such a lovely city, isn’t it? I am counting down the days until I return to NYC for BlogHer 12. I hope to finally be able to walk around Central Park. What are your favorite sights in NYC?

All photos were taken with the Sony NEX-3 camera, which you can read about over here.

Remember you can find Ms. Brown all over the web:

M&M’S Website
M&M’S on Twitter
M&M’S on Facebook

This post has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias.  All opinions, photos, M&M’S and ideas are all my own. #MMSMuseum #cBias