November Recap ~ Your Favourite Posts

Today I decided to look through my stats though they are not as impressive as other bloggers they are very impressive ones for me. I wanted to see what has been your favourite posts in the month of November, I will share the top 5 and there snippets to go with them.

5. Claiming Carlos - It's not secret how much I love Rachelle's writing so I was not surprised to find this as a Top 5 most visited and read post. You can get your own copy of claiming Carlos on Amazon.

This book from the get go had me hooked, I read it in one sitting and could not put it down so much that I was very saddened when it end but at least I enjoyed the ending as much as I did the beginning. Claiming Carlos is a wonderfully written book, a romantic book at that as always a prerequisite for me loving the book. The love tension between Choco and Carlos was quite evident early on in the book but obviously not so obvious to the lead characters (well Choco at least), when third party is introduced brought so much change that I actually hated the 'Johnny' character and honestly didn't even when the book ended. I loved that each character had a role to play in the lives Choco and Carlos and how everything fit together, the situations felt real and related (not all but some). 

4  .Terry Tree Top saved the Dolphin - this made me chuckle a bit but then again most of my readers and women and some are mummies so this is again no surprise and I am actually happy with this outcome because apart from Romance novels I do enjoy me a good children's book here and there and I am not ashamed to admit it.

As mentioned this book has good grammar, author has made it easy to understand and fun but what captivated me the most was how the author via story telling teachers the children about what to do if you were at a pool and noticed 'someone' or 'something' needed help, I like that the author talked about the lifeguard and explained his role. As always Terry treetop enjoyed another adventure. The book is less than 5 minutes to read, very colour and fun. I recommend this book to parents who looking to try new ways of teaching their children/child.

3. Lessons learned - once bitten twice shy.  In this post I shared with you all the lessons have learned as a blogger and what mistakes I will not be making again. I am happy that most of you found this post useful and I got a lot of constructive feedback so I am very happy.

When I started blogging I had so many ideas of what I wanted to call my blog, as months went on found myself in need of a new name because I did not feel the name I had for my blog fit who I was (am) at the time and/or what I wanted to portray. My main blog AJD was originally called ‘Myrabev’s world’ this quickly changed to ‘Myrabev against the world’ then changed to ‘purely-by-accident’ (I am sure I have skipped a couple of names in there). I stayed with PBA for almost 9 months before I decided to change it to AJD. Now what I did not do before changing my blog name and URL was research, I think if I had researched this thoroughly I would not have experienced the heartache of every new blogger ‘losing comments’ and ‘losing followers’ – I know people say if they were true followers they would have found you and moved with you but it’s kinda hard when the URL does not work and due to too many name changes people do not know what to search for. Anyway here are some of‘do not do’ tips for new bloggers (even the oldies who might not know).

2. Don't go with the crowd - I am very happy that this post made it to the top 5 because I honestly believe we are all so unique that we should not fall for going with the crowd and be proud of being our very own individuals so thank you.

When I started blogging I had no idea what direction I wanted to take, I thought maybe I should do fashion because people compliment my dress sense which if I am honest and seeing the many posts on the blogsphere I am not that great but its unique to me. I thought maybe I could do makeup and beauty products, well the make-up part failed miserable because though I do wear it now and again I am not really that into it but I do love beauty products and am sure you have seen my many posts on my main blog A July Dreamer. I was very confused when I started, I wanted my little piece of heaven to fit in somewhere. I have never been like that before in real life so I do not know why I wanted to be this on the blogsphere. Almost all the bloggy advice I read always talked about 'finding your blog niche' define it by plonking it in a category, some bloggers have even gone as far as said 'Lifestyle blog' is not really a category its for the undecided. I struggled with this for a while because I did not want to limit my blog to just say 'make-up' or 'out-fit' posts and there is nothing wrong with that I believe each to their own. When I chose to create my blogs I wanted to share me and the 4 corners of my world not just my love of nail polish or my addiction to jewellery or lipstick. I wanted to share my love of 'food', 'books' and share some motivational posts and personal confessions that might help someone somewhere, my advice to new and oddie bloggers is 'don't go with the crowd, follow your own path'. If you want a fashion blog only, do that if you want mummy blog only do that do not follow the crowd follow yourself. I love my blogs because both are LIFESTYLE and PERSONAL and I intend to keep them like that. I want to share all my loves, pevs and wants, I know it wont always be everyone's cup of tea but that's ok 'each to their own'.

1.  Travels thus far - You have no idea how much I enjoyed writing this post, I sat back to reflect on how many opportunities I was afforded this year and how I am so blessed that I was able to travel as many times and I did and not including the little travels I make regularly so very blessed. And cheers to you all. 

Thank you so much to all my readers that have helped this blog move from strength to strength, I am very happy you visit this personal space and are always positive. Thanks, now I have a quick question for you:

What posts would you like to see more of on this blog?

Book Reviews, Personal Confessions , Relationship Advice, Recipes?

{24 Days} Day #1 ~ What have I learned

Happy 1st November, I can not believe that in less than 10 weeks time it will be christmas. Let us give that 10 minutes to sink in, yes 10 weeks and I have not even started buying cards or presents. I know to some people 10 weeks is far far away but for someone who works 9-5 and only has weekends to do anything its not much. Ok now that it has sunk in lets get back to today's post.

Friday #lunch I took it another level lol now I added fried pork pieces to wait for it| jacket potato with cheese, tomato & Basel soup and self made salads #recipe #food #foodflirt #cooking

A photo posted by A July Dreamer (@myrabev) on Nov 11, 2014 at 12:56am PDT

I have started a new series for this blog called 24 days (I know very original - insert rolling eyes here), in exactly 24 days The Myrabev Life will be celebrating its 1 year anniversary and I am so excited. I can not believe that this blog will be a year old soon, when I started this blog on the back of my main blog A July Dreamer (Then called Purely By Accident) I wanted it to be a place where I shared more personal posts like my Personal Confessions, I wanted to share my Book Reviews, Relationship Advice and also my Healthy Habits and Food choices. This blog has evolved to more than I thought possible and honestly I am very happy with where I am at and the direction I am taking my blog. To kick start my new series I wanted to share with you what I have learned so far on this journey and this is not to say I know it all just my 2 cents worth.

Post by Myrabev.

• I have learned Patience in blogging is very important, things take a while and hard work before you start to notice the fruits of your labour and if you are one of the lucky few then you will see it sooner.
• Setting Monthly Goals to help you stay on top of what you want to accomplish. They do not have to be monthly goals they could be weekly or even yearly.
• Success doesn't happen overnight - I am not saying that I am success or even claim to be but giving my two cents here. I feel I have accomplished so many of my goals I set myself when I started and I am very proud of that.
• Socialise and Interact - It is very important to always socialise with the blogging community and readers. When someone comments on your blog reply like as soon as you see it and if its fellow blogger and they have left a link to their site then go visit them and return the courtesy.
• Simple is better - I personally think its important to keep things as simple as possible

Many a people have started blogging for so many reasons and some its only to make money which is not bad but you need to be willing to put in the work. If you started to blog so you can get free stuff then I am sorry to be the one to say it doesn't come as easy as many big bloggers make it look or sound. I have gone through a period where I have applied for so many things and got nothing, why! because I just wasn't what they were looking for. Brands have a certain type of bloggers they look for and to be able to be that kind it takes time and a lot of work and social networking.

These are my two cents on what I have learnt so far, this is not an exhaustive list but my top few. What advice would you give a new blogger?

{Off-saturday}: I About town

Lately I have had the pleasure of making new friends and eating out in Oxford, where there are so many restaurants, cafés etc to rival the good parts of London. Two Thursday ago now I went for an evening meal with my new friend will call her M who I talked about in this POST. Me and M decided after being so indecisive and Jamie Oliver's Oxford restaurant being crammed we settled so a lovely restaurant across the street from Jamie Oliver's one called "Cleavers".

//Rack of Ribs and //Hot wings

//Sweet potatoes fries...//slim fries

//Sweet Wine 

Yesterday {Friday} I met up with the lovely and beautiful Jemma of Celery and Cupcakes we opted for some Chinese food and settled for a restaurant called "Sojo"

//Seabass

Plain rice

//Dim Sum:://Sea Bass

***Don't forget to enter the my blog AJD 1 year giveaway***

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{Off-Saturday} Giveaways ~ HelloFresh & JU5P

Hello there! welcome to another off-Saturday post, these types of posts are ones I do on a whim so what do we have today. Well to day I have two giveaways that I would like to share with you, most of you are already aware of the JU5P #giveaway over on AJD (my main blog) and #HelloFresh is exclusively on this blog.

About the Giveaways

1. HelloFresh - I got this £25 giftcard from my #lovemebeauty box but I do not really have a need for it. I have seen HelloFresh website and I do love the idea they have but where I am at the moment I can not really do much with there service, so I have decided to give this giftcard to one of you my lovely readers. The only catch with this giveaway is that its for UK RESIDENTS only, I do not know much about HelloFresh so I am not sure if they are outside the UK too.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 2. JU5P - I was followed on twitter by this company and I just sorta well checked out there jewellery and I was instantly in love with the pieces. I ordered 1 pair or bow earrings and a pendant necklace and I was so impressed with the items and the quick delivery that I contacted the company to collaborate with me on this giveaway and they were more than happy to do it. This #giveaway is open WORLD-WIDE though the company only send to the UK, I will foot the delivery charge bill so you my overseas readers can have a chance to win £15 to spend in this online jewellery store.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for always reading my blog, your thoughts are constructive comment are more than welcome. Good luck with the #competition and let me know in the comments section if you have ever heard of either companies.

Week 22: Insight into myrabev's corner

I would like to introduce to you the blogger behind the blog, most of you will know this is my second blog and my main blog is "A July Dreamer". On this blog I claim to share 4 areas of my life and interests, so what exactly are those 4 areas? Well sit back and enjoy as I try to explain my areas of interest to you.

Personal Confessions

Obviously every blog is personal to the blogger unless otherwise stated. Most people who know me have split me into two groups; emotionally controlled or guarded. I am both and it depends who the person is, I am very emotionally driven but I am guarded too when I sense  deceit (laughs at self so much) or unfamiliarity. I have confessed about pretty much all areas of my life, I have confessed about my Heart and even about my Past. But if you listen carefully you will find most of my confessions are geared towards relationship advice or issues.

Lifestyle
One of my main Mottos and one I am trying to live by is depicted in the first quote and in this post "Happiness is a choice", how you live your life it is up-to-you. My lifestyle is pretty simple be happy, smile always and do not hold a grudge because I do have any energy to waste on haters.

Relationship
I have written countless posts on relationships and my main points still remain true to today, and that's: 1) Look after number 1(YOU) first then others and 2) If it was meant to survive it will keep at it and stay strong and if not see below quote. Some examples include Trust, Cheating Cul-de-sac, You Know its worth it when!!

Health 
I am no health nut but I am living an almost junk food free life and that's an achievement for me. I have shared with you here my secrets and what exercises I am doing to keep fit. Some examples include: Exercise Routine, Personal Motivation, Benefits of Exercise and Self Motivation. All of these posts sing the same tune which I am constantly trying to remember and incorporate into my daily routine.

 

That's an insight into what Myrabev's Corner is trying to achieve as I try and find my niche and hone in on my so called skills or areas of strength. 

Thank you for always coming back to read and support this little corner of the world.

{Favourite Post} October 2013 ~ Volunteering at RDA

Hey my lovelies! Welcome back my blog, happy thanksgiving - belated as you will be reading this day after thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is a time to show our thanks and I think to help those in need and that's what myself and 17 other work colleagues did on thanksgiving day. I would like to introduce a UK charity to you, it's called Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA).

RDA incorporating carriage driving is dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities through the provision of horse riding, carriage driving and vaulting. Through a network of 500 volunteer groups throughout the uk, RDA provides opportunities for therapy, achievement and enjoyment, improving health, well being and self-confidence, and benefiting mobility and co-ordination. 

When I read this people in there newsletter I was very moved and happy I was there to help in a small way. 

So before joining the company I work for I had never heard of RDA but I am glad I have been given this opportunity to be involved with this charity. So our tasks for the day included but not limited to - 

* Painting

* Sweeping the grounds

* Cutting up logs and taking to the bon-fire 

* cutting the shrubs 

It was a fun day, we worked as a team. The weather was miserable but it was not raining so that was a plus. The hosts were incredible, fun, caring and open. 

I am very happy to have spent my thanksgiving day giving something back to the community and getting involved in a very very good cause. 

If you would like to support this wonderful charity please visit: www.rda.org.uk.

Relationship Advice: Sharing is caring

So last night I was chatting with my partner on the phone when he mentioned something that caught my attention, I asked him about it and he said he thought I knew! (The nerve on him!!!). I calmly and collected said no I did not know because he never told me about it. After he apologised we continued talking when again I learned something I didn't know but this time when I asked his response was "I didn't want to burden you with my problems" I don't know about you but I got upset because as thoughtful as that is he decided for me without asking me first. When you are in a relationship honest, trust come with a little tag called sharing with one another not just the good stuff but the bad stuff too. If I only know of the good stuff how on earth am I going to deal with that one bad thing when it pops it's ugly head?

I understand feeling ashamed, embarrassed even annoyed for whatever you feel or think is an I inconvenience to your partner but if you can't share your most difficult and upsetting thing in your life why do you have that partner in your life? I am sure you can tell from my tone that I am upset and honestly I am but I am mostly saddened because he felt its his burden to deal with no OURS.

I share everything with my partner maybe a bit too much but I want him to know what's going on with me both inside and out, I don't pick and choose because I prefer he heard it from me first and not third parties especially with how people how are out to ruin us.

My advice to anyone who wants it and is going through what I am, don't feel it's best to only share the good stuff because what creates a stronger relationship and partnership is sharing both the good and the bad. Love, trust and honest is usually tested during the hardships in life not always when the going is good.

Thank you for reading my rambling, take care and God bless.

Off-Saturday: From Him to Me!!!

Hello my lovelies!! Happy Saturday, sorry my post is up later today but it's been an interesting day. Those of you who are friends with me on Facebook will remember my little rant this morning, I am not usually like that but people this time got under my skin and it was relapse in judgement that brought my little rant on, anyway that's that. 

Today my partner took me shopping don't ask me why I just jumped at the opportunity when he offered. We went around town, experienced our long overdue romance walks then we headed to the retail park where we hit up New Look and Matalan. 

He already got me a bag from H&M last weekend so I didn't really want to have him spend much on me but he said he wanted to so without furthe adure I grabbed the Christmas hoody sweater from New Look and a pair of leggings from Matalan. I also picked up a jewellery display stand and some Kelly brooks duo lip pencils. 

 

We wondered around time before we headed to Lidl and grabbed some food so I could cook for us, I cooked fried beef burger with salad , pilau rice + chilli corn cane. It's been a while since I last cooked for us but he cleared and licked his plate I guess I still gat my cooking skills. 

That's my Saturday, what have you been up to? 

Off-Saturday: What you don't know about me!!!

Hey there Guys&Dolls!!

Happy Saturday, today's post is a really short but personal post. So I was relaying my life experiences to my friend when she said you should right a book, it made me laugh but it also brought me an idea - to write what you don't know about me.

* You didn't know I had an accident when I was three months - broke my small leg but it's glued back together so I am fine. 

* You didn't know I was once stranded in a big city and I was assisted by an angel who no one saw but me ( FYI - am not crazy!!)

* You didn't know I was once hit by a bus' side mirror when the bus was driving at 60Miles and I was using a side walk. 

* You didn't know I can bake, quite good actually. 

Thank you for reading my short emotional post. Have good weekend 

Myrabev's Corner ~ 1st Official Post

Hi there and welcome! Most of you who follow my blog Pure By Accident (now A July Dreamer) will know that it previously had the URL of The Myrabev Life blog. I was devastated when I lost all my followers and comments but also my little title (Myrabev) so I decided to start another blog with the same name.

Most people who came across my other blog used to ask me what Myrabev stood for and what it meant? The simple explanation is this, I had/have a special someone who means the world to me so I decided to take the special someone's name and mine and combine it. I used the special someone's surname and my first name to come up with ::Myrabev:: and that is the long and short of it.

::The Myrabev Life:: blog which will manly focus on my relationships, Book Reviews, Health and my Personal confessions as well as occasional lifestyle tips. And there you have it, The Myrabev Life blog is born and I can not wait to share this journey with you all.

For those who still have the old url's for my social networks please update your bookmarks with the below.

Twitter|Bloglovin|Instagram|Facebook|Pinterest