Day 11 - Come up with 10 post ideas - I've listed hops and challenges.

Day 11 - Come up with 10 post ideas.  While I have never been at a loss as to what to post, something always comes to mind.  Most hops have a theme.  Only once have I been kicked off of a blog hop for "not following the rules."  I especially like the writing and photography challenges.  I have also found unique link ins such as:

No. 1:  The upcoming Mad Tea Party post with Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist on July 13th.

No. 2:  Le Mysterieux Carnival.  This group is quiescent all year long with the exception of October or All Hallows Eve.

Those two sites require some creative photography and highlight some truly inspired bloggers.

I also keep an eye out for blog hops, in particular hops that I have not participated in before.  If you just hop around with the same group of people, you will never encounter new blogs and potential new readers.

No. 3:  I'll be joining a no-rules blog hop monday-mingle with Tough Cookie Mommy.

No. 4:  I glommed onto sarahsblogoffun.com - this gal has THREE blog hops coming up.  One this month for the new and timid blog hopper.



No. 5:  No-rules blog hops are the best.  There is one every weekend at Sincerely, Paula



No. 6:  Low pressure participation hops such as Unknown Mami

The idea is that you enjoy your city (or suburb or town), take pictures, and then share them with your bloggy friends and family.

If your “Sunday” happens on a Friday, that’s fine, just post the pictures on Sunday. If you live in a suburb instead of a city, I don’t care; I still want to see it. If it’s raining and you’re stuck inside, take a picture of the view outside your home. You can even cheat and take pictures one Sunday and post them the next Sunday.

No. 7:  At the beginning of the year Vicki-2bagsfull will host the Grow Your Blog hop - tons of participants!

No. 8:  How could I forget the annual http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/?  That is the best challenge of all and is scheduled every April.  Those posts practically write themselves *chorkles to self.*

No. 9:  I am thinking Nicky and Mike, the duo behind We Work For Cheese, will be hosting some type of month-long writing or photography challenge (fingers crossed). 

No. 10:  When all else fails, there is Pinterest.  What I mean is that bloggers cross-post on Pinterest any challenges or events.  It never hurts to look there for inspiration.  As long as you don't get sucked into looking at all the pretty pictures (guilty as charged).

Le Mysterieux Carnival and Day 5 of 30 days of Photographs (Lotion)

Anne Baxter (Carnival Story 1954) greets attendees.

The Muffies enter the Carnival ~

Must pass by the Carnival gatekeeper,

Masks must be worn,

A turn taken on the carousel.

The Muffies visit Party Gras Bear, the fortune teller.

A variety of lotions and potions for sale ~

(I snuck in 30 Days of Photographs III challenge topic of "lotion" on this one.)

Vintage Iron Bank - Flipping Clown currently bidding on shopgoodwill.com for approx. $200. 

Flip on over to my Le Mysterieux Carnival cohorts for more festivities.  

Please visit fellow photography challenge participants by descending into Ziva's Inferno

Seattle World's Fair 1962, Part Deux

Seattle World's Fair 1962, Part Deu.  Here is the link to my first set of images regarding the Seattle World's Fair 50-year-retrospective-photos-from-1962

Funny I should run into this exact doll this month for sale at the thrift shop.  I have the same one, packed away safely in my cherished keepsakes.

My brother, my mom and me on the bench at the Fair.

Interesting that in these images the majority of the ladies are wearing skirts or dresses and flats.

My father makes a rare appearance in the below picture, he is the one with the white jacket, wearing glasses and carrying a camera ~ just strollin' on by daddio.

Three months of summer blog challenges, two personal photography challenges and a writing challenge have certainly kept me out of trouble.  Back to the books, I am taking two online classes this fall semester, one management and one sociology.

There are a few specialized posts I've got coming up, the first is one for International Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19th - ya gots to have fun with that one!  

A circus-themed post on September 29th with Moonlight Party Under The Bigtop

A darker, more mysterious carnival-themed post on October 6th with Le Mysterieux Carnival

Friday bloggity hops include:  Rooted in Thyme

Ladybird Ln

Five Days Five Ways

Have an enjoyable Labor Day weekend ~ MUYA!