Laina Turner's Blog, page 46
October 29, 2015
Available Now!! Bats & Bling – Presley Thurman Mystery #11
Purchase now for .99 – Available Thursday, Oct. 29th!
Presley is excited to provide dresses for a charity Halloween ball, client Veronica Knapp is hosting. It’ll be great exposure for Silk. But when Veronica’s very expensive brooch is stolen from the safe at Silk, it brings on the kind of exposure Presley doesn’t want.
The brooch is found a couple days later along with Veronica’s dead body, but now her husband is missing.
Is he the one who killed her?
When Veronica’s friends want the show to go on in her memory Presley agrees but can she find out who killed Veronica before anyone else gets hurt?
The post Available Now!! Bats & Bling – Presley Thurman Mystery #11 appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 27, 2015
S’mores in a pan
Hey friends,
One of my favorite food memories from summertime in childhood are s’mores.
Who doesn’t like s’mores? In fact, I made some awesome s’mores fudge a few months back.
Melted chocolate and marshmallow. Yum!When I can’t get to a fire, I can easily pop them in the microwave but I was even more thrilled when I saw a recipe that cooked them in the over. Even better you can dip them.
I decided to be all kinds of crazy and instead of making them with just chocolate chips and marshmallows I added…..peanut butter chips. Yeah, I’m wild like that.
It’s super easy. Just dump the chips evenly in a pan, I prefer cast iron, makes me feel more like I’m a real cook. Any pan of your choice will work, though.
Then evenly place the marshmallows on top. I used large but next time I’m going to use the small ones.
I put it in in a 350 degree over for 5 minutes to melt the chips and start to soften the marshmallows then turned on the broiler until the tops were golden brown. If you like the more burnt marshmallows (I don’t) then just let them broil longer. My golden ones took about 3 minutes. I didn’t set a timer; I just watched them.
They came out perfectly. The only issue is I shouldn’t have made them in the first place because they were so good I ate half the pan.
Next time, oh there will be a next time, I’m going to try white chocolate and butterscotch chips.
What’s you favorite s’mores variation?
The post S’mores in a pan appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 26, 2015
November Goals
Hey friends,
I hope you all had an amazing weekend! I did but it went way too fast.
I realize it’s not quite November but the last 2 months have been so crazy and my focus has NOT been where it needs to be. Well, I take that back. It’s been where it needs to be on a couple things I got behind on which caused it not to be where it needs to be all around.
Does that even make sense?
In September, I was scrambling to finish Plan For Success: a business planning toolkit and this month was all about finishing Bats & Bling, #11 in the Presley Thurman mystery series.
I also spent September and October working with awesome design firm Braizen on a new kick ass brand for my blog. Yeah…I did just rebrand in June but as much as I think it’s pretty. I’m just not feeling it. And even though it’s costing me more time and money if I don’t feel my brand is a reflection of me then what’s the point?
The new site won’t launch until January but here is a couple sneak peak!
Cool huh? And I’m back to having FABULOUS in my tagline. I ALWAYS go back to fabulous!
Being Fabulous is a Skill
The Art of Living Fabulously
And now…In Pursuit of Fabulous.
There are only 10 weeks left in 2015 and if you take out the holidays, it’s really more like 8 weeks (I like to celebrate).
I don’t know about you but that kind of freaks me out. Where has the time gone? I have not done well this year to my goals and while I could list several reasons on why I got derailed I’d rather move forward and start from scratch.
Don’t worry about yesterday, focus on tomorrow
The goals I’d like to meet by the end of the year:
Have my new site ready to launch Friday, January 1st
Revise Plan for Success based on feedback and have it ready to re-launch with the new site.
Lose 5lbs – it’s food season. This one will be HARD.
Attend yoga 3x a week.
Blog every day from now to December 24th. I will then be “off” until January 1st, 2016.
I’ve got a ton of new ideas and plans for 2016 already, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
What do you still want to accomplish by the end of the year?
The post November Goals appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 23, 2015
Fab 5 Friday – Favorite {Non-Carved} Pumpkin Decor Ideas
Gilded Words
Use gold craft paint to customize your pumpkin with your name or a cute Halloween saying. A touch of gold. a sharpie marker or perhaps a gold paint pen. Your personal touch via your own handwriting. An instant flourish of simple Halloween decor.
Color-Blocked
“Play with neon hues and metallics for a two-tone pumpkin that makes a bright statement. Brush or dip one half, then let dry; tape off and color the other half.”
Boo-tiful Button Pumpkin
O.M.G! How adorable is this pumpkin?! Now, you know I am not one to get too over-the-top crafty {I have never, in all my fabulousness, claimed to be Martha Stewart}. However, this pumpkin decor I can do! Now… to just figure out where I put my glue gun…
Keep it Simple
“If you love the look of hurricanes lining a front path, put an autumn spin on them by using oversize heirloom pumpkins in various shades of orange and green as bases—perfect for welcoming guests to a fall-themed party.”
Glittery Pumpkin
This is a great way to get the kiddos involved with some not-so-scary Halloween decor. Allowing them to pick out their own plastic spider is a way for them to feel like they are contributing to the family festivities.
The post Fab 5 Friday – Favorite {Non-Carved} Pumpkin Decor Ideas appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 22, 2015
Pre Order Bats & Bling – Presley Thurman Mystery #11
Pre-Order now for .99 – Available Thursday, Oct. 30th!
Presley is excited to provide dresses for a charity Halloween ball, client Veronica Knapp is hosting. It’ll be great exposure for Silk. But when Veronica’s very expensive brooch is stolen from the safe at Silk, it brings on the kind of exposure Presley doesn’t want.
The brooch is found a couple days later along with Veronica’s dead body, but now her husband is missing.
Is he the one who killed her?
When Veronica’s friends want the show to go on in her memory Presley agrees but can she find out who killed Veronica before anyone else gets hurt?
The post Pre Order Bats & Bling – Presley Thurman Mystery #11 appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 16, 2015
Fab 5 Friday – Favorite Fall Decor
Give Thanks Slatted Wood Plank Plaque
Love this reminder! It is so easy to, at times, not realize what we truly have. {And Yours Truly is definitely talking to herself on that one} From the little things, like a seat warmer in our vehicle to a good cup of coffee with a friend to our kiddos health.. there is always something to be thankful for.
Faux Sparkle Berry Wreath
I admit, I am not one to pull out all the stops for decorating. However, this is the perfect touch to add to the front door to welcome guests. {Or perhaps, a quick way to add a pop of fall color if you choose to hang the wreath indoors.}
Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin
You might be wondering why I included a candle in a post about decor because some might argue that a candle is not exactly a type of decor. However, I think the way your home smells is just as important. Smell is such a powerful sense and can take us back to the “good ol’ days” when weekends during the fall were synonymous with mom making her famous pumpkin pie or grandma whipping up a batch of fudge.
Painted Pumpkin Patch Pillow Cover
Throw pillows a are must. They add a bit of pop to the couch and temp one to curl up with a good book and relax on a chilly fall afternoon. “Nothing says autumn like pumpkins. Add our pillow cover to the couch for an instant fall-ready accent.”
Put a “Mumkin” on your front porch
“What do you get when you combine the fun of a pumpkin with the beauty of a mum? A “mumkin,” of course! Fill smaller gourds with containers of pansies to create a trio of trusty sidekicks.”
The post Fab 5 Friday – Favorite Fall Decor appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 13, 2015
5 Steps to an Awesome Twitter Party
I recently launch a book about creating an awesome business plan for your business whether you’re an author or blogger (or any business maven) and I celebrated my launch with a Twitter party.
I’ve participated in parties before but I hadn’t ever hosted my own and it was daunting. However, as nervous as I was in the days leading up to the party it ended up being a ton of fun and I really had a blast. People actually showed up (that was my biggest fear) and there was a lot of engagement.
Plan, plan, and plan some more – You can’t just decide you’re going to have a party and show up a few minutes before it starts and expect it to be successful. Good planning will start 6-8 weeks out from your date.
Talk it up and invite people personally – Don’t just blast social media and expect people to show up. Personally invite them through social media (not just by showing up at their house unless you know them REALLY well). Engage your audience and get them excited to attend. Just like you would if you had a party at your house.
Create a party specific hashtag – You need to be able to track your party. By creating a party specific hashtag you make it easy for people to see who is interacting but also so you can measure the success when it’s over.
Create engaging questions – You want to get your audience to interact and there’s no better way than to ask questions. For my book launch I used business related questions and fun, personal related questions such as:
• What’s your favorite kind of music?
• What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
• What do you enjoy most about what you do?
• What’s the biggest thing you struggle with as an entrepreneur?
• What do you do on a daily basis to grow as an entrepreneur?
• What was your favorite game to play as a child?
• If you could be a character in any novel you’ve ever read, who would you be and why?
• Who’s your favorite actor and why?
• What are you most looking forward to in the next year?
• What popular entrepreneurial advice do you disagree with?
• If you could offer a first-time entrepreneur only one piece of advice, what would it be?
• What do you want to be when you grow up?
Have prizes – People love to win things and it doesn’t have to be anything big. Every 10 minutes I gave away a $5 Amazon gift card to a random winner drawn from those who interacted in that 10-minute time frame. People love it.
Having a Twitter party is a great way to interact with your audience and to connect with others.
Have you had a Twitter party? Do you interact in them?
The post 5 Steps to an Awesome Twitter Party appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 9, 2015
Fab 5 Friday – Favorite Fall Drinks
Cinnamon Water
“Infused with delicate sweetness and spice, cinnamon water is both earthy and sophisticated. It’s delicious alone or with dinner, and we plan to serve it as a festive alternative to plain water at holiday gatherings.”
Tennessee Cherry Cocktail
A few cherries. A teaspoon {or two!} of chocolate syrup. Add a bit of vanilla. Pour in a special added twist of whiskey and voilà! Enjoy a southern fall afternoon treat in liquid form.
Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Drink
During the pumpkin season, I enjoy the pumpkin pie blizzards from Dairy Queen. A little pumpkin pie liqueur and pumpkin pie vodka allows you to make your own pumpkin blizzard at home, but with a kick.
Pumpkin Spice Latte
“Our signature espresso and milk are highlighted by flavor notes of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove to create this incredible beverage that’s a fall favorite. Enjoy it topped with whipped cream and real pumpkin pie spices.”
Stone Wall
“This updated version of a Stone Wall mixes rum with ginger beer and apple cider for a refreshing cocktail.
Garnish with the lime wedge and apple slice.”
The post Fab 5 Friday – Favorite Fall Drinks appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 8, 2015
The magic eight ball
One of the things I dislike as an adult, besides not having recess and eating whatever I want, is the fact you have to make decisions and making decisions isn’t always easy.
Life would be much simpler if every time I had a decision to make that I was struggling with I could ask the magic 8 ball. I love the magic 8-ball app on my iPhone, but life cannot be managed via an iPhone app (although I’m sure Apple is working on it).
When you don’t know what the best course of action is what’s your next step?
Do you go with your gut?
Do you write down all the pros/cons and make the choice that seems the strongest on paper?
Do you ask your friends and then listen to the answer you like the best?
What?
If you’re like me at any given time depending on the decision, you will use one or many of those methods. It’s sometimes hard to know what’s right today when the results of the decision might not occur until tomorrow or the next day.
How do you decide?
The post The magic eight ball appeared first on Laina Turner.
October 7, 2015
Profits from Passions
I totally believe in that. I believe any of us have the ability to accomplish anything we put our mind to. But it’s not as easy as sitting back and waiting for it to happen.
We must work at it.
Give 110% and stay focused.
And most importantly have clear goals!
I’m the first to admit I can lose sight of my goals and my focus can drift but when you have those clear goals it makes it much easier to refocus on getting back on the right path.
If you’re struggling with creating a profitable business or determining the right actions to get you to your goals, then Plan for Success is for you.
This ebook and workbook will walk you through the process from goal setting to execution with tools to keep you at the top of your game. You can create profits from your passions.
The post Profits from Passions appeared first on Laina Turner.
