GiG Blog Update

Hello everyone!

Wow, it feels like forever since the last time we posted on this blog. We apologize for the absence but if you’ve joined us on Facebook, you know that we’re very much alive and kicking there! There have been changes in the group, including the number of crew members involved due to priorities and other commitments in life. And I thought (as Founder) to keep you in the loop of what will be happening in the next few weeks or months with the blog and on Facebook.

About this blog:

As much as we love posting here and creating amazing events for everyone to join and enjoy, at this point, we’ve decided to put a hold on this until we know exactly how much time the current Crew members (including the Co-moderators) will be able to give since creating content can sometimes become time-consuming. We all have our own blogs that we also try to organize and keep up with and I can totally understand that sometimes, there’s just not enough time in the day. We don’t get paid for what we do here, but we love to share our passion with everyone. That’s why we try to keep the activities going on Facebook instead, as it’s more manageable there. But, it doesn’t mean that we will ditch this blog completely.

My tentative plans that I’ve shared with the active crew and co-moderators are to make improvements here, have a more organized schedule and get worldwide contributors. So far, that’s all I can give for now.

Moving forward:

Launching GiG was a great experience alongside the Crew we had before. But along the way, I also realized that there were changes that had to be made. We are a growing community (800+) and believe me, trying to coordinate and making sure that everyone’s on the same page can become a challenge sometimes, not to mention time difference. LOL.  But it’s been fun and I definitely have no regrets for deciding to launch GiG and welcoming bloggers to join us. I’ve learned a lot from them and I’ve met amazing bloggers and individuals from across the globe. It’s a priceless experience.

During this journey, we’ve had a few crew members who decided to take a different route and left the team, although not the group. However, we still have very active members right now who have been helping me with running the group (especially when I’m not around) and ensuring that certain activities are posted and I simply can’t thank them enough. And we’re very proud to say that because of our supportive and inspiring members, we now have a much more organized and easy-to-follow through system in placed on Facebook!

Active Crew & Co-Moderators

And of course, I’d love you to meet the girls behind GiG’s management.

Marinella - I Love Green InspirationLisa - Mademoiselle SnowcaitymoiAshley - Stilettos & Tequila

From left to right:
Crew: Marinella from I Love Green Inspiration, Lisa from Mademoiselle Snow,
Co-Moderators: Caity from Moi Contre La Vie, Somdyuti from Stilettos & Tequila

And there’s yours truly: 😀
Donah - Sweet Jelly Bean

Donah from Sweet Jelly Bean

Our lovely Mari is currently touring the States, Lisa is about to embark on a new job and home, Somdyuti is now at college getting her geek on (LOL) and Caity will be our ‘power GiGer’ in the next coming weeks. So yes, these girls are busy bees right now but whenever they get the chance, you’ll see them hovering around the GiG wall. :-p

And if you ask me what I’m up to?
Little bean and I are about to take the biggest step of our lives, which means I will be offline for quite sometime before the end of this month. I will share more info on my blog separately. And during these weeks, Caity will help out on taking charge on Facebook group to make sure all activities will still run as much as possible. If you can give us a hand, we would totally appreciate it. Just let us know.

Lastly…

For all our lovely followers and supporters here and on Facebook, we would like to say THANK YOU for following this blog and participating in our events, giveaway and fun activities. You’ve made blogging for us even much better!

Please stay tuned.

Kisses

x Donah

Our Spring Fever Bella!

Hello dear GiGers! Did you all have a lovely weekend? I’m pretty sure some of you are enjoying the sun wherever you are, while I’m here wrapped in a blanket and with our heating on, again!! Don’t ask me, but we’re having some very typical British weather and it feels like we’re skipping summer this year! 😦 We had one week of pure sunshine and sweat and now the temperatures have dropped. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

So, although this is a little bit late to share it here on the blog, we’d still like to let you know the winner of our Spring Fever! We announced this already on our Facebook wall during the time when most of our Crew were unavailable to post here but we could’t delay the announcement and had to do it there instead… but we don’t want to keep you waiting here either, so here goes. (Our hosts Mari from I Love Green Inspiration and Caity from Moi Contre La Vie were the judges and picked the winner out of all the entries*)

…and our Spring Fever Bella is…

angel5

Kai from www.kaigrafia.com

Her entry is titled: Fee de Fleurs

angel4

Isn’t that floral headband/dress just screams Spring (and that’s Kai’s own creation too!)? Our hosts fell in love with the whole creation and so did I! She’s definitely channeling the floral fairy vibe here, don’t you think?

Click away on the link above for her post to view more of the pictures and close up looks!

Big congratulations to Kai as our GiG Spotlight #5 Winner! And thank you for the lovely members who joined the Spring Fever Spotlight! Until next time! ♥

 

xx Donah
Sweet Jelly Bean

 

Note:
*Now although the initial spotlight stated 3 winners, the hosts decided to pick one on this occasion, which means next event, there will be another prize waiting for you!! As it turned out, due to so much buzz about Spring, everyone was so busy to actually join the event (incl. me though I did a spring-inspired set over at Polyvore LOL) and we had less entries than expected.. so we thought it would be a good idea to once again offer a price for our next spotlight competition!

GiG Spotlight Series #5: Spring Fever! *Ended*

Hello everyone! You’ve probably wondered when we’re going to do another Spotlight Series, right? Well, wonder no more!

We’d like to invite you all to our 5th Spotlight Series, called, wait for it… Spring Fever!
That’s right, the name says it all. This will run until the 30th April to give everyone the chance to enjoy spring, be inspired by it, and of course, send lots of entries for this ‘Spring Fever Spotlight’! And since at GiG we really love Spring too, we will be picking not one, but 3 winners for this spotlight and there’s a prize per winner! (Thanks to our lovely host Caity at Moi Contre La Vie for providing the prizes!!)

GiG Spotlight 5

Consider this spotlight as your Spring challenge to share with us your amazing tips (on literally anything!), beauty secrets for this season, Spring must-haves from head to toe, and lots of useful recommendations to fully enjoy the season of colours and fun!

Need more ideas? How about Spring break essentials like sunglasses, waterproof mascara to resort wear and accessories for your next tropical vacation, or better yet, tips on eating healthy and keeping fit to get us all read for the bikini season?

Or you can simply share with us what Spring means to you, is it something you look forward to? Tell us why? What colours would you be rocking? Like we said, literally on anything spring-inspired ie. photos, travel, food, drink, makeup, books, fashion.. the list could go on!

We’ll leave it up to your creative minds and awesome blogs!

Check out Moi Contre La Vie’s Vacation Planning: Spring & Summer Hair get you in the mood for your Spring post!

spotlight5

How to enter:

    • Based on creativity, style of writing and design, you will be chosen as GIG’s featured blogger for the month by the spotlight hosts / GiG crew.
    • You can enter as many times as you’d like
    • Follow this blog and tag this blog post in your entry for the GIG Spotlight.
    • Please Like our Facebook Page here – and tag @gigbloggers on Twitter when you’ve posted your entry — hashtag #gigspotlight5
    • Also include the hosts of the GIG Spotlight Series in your blog post (see below) — giving recognition is something GIG would like to encourage everyone to do as it makes a big difference! It’s one of blogging’s golden rules to appreciate someone’s hardwork.
    • Grab the code below and insert in your entry post.
GIG
<div align="center"><a href="https://girlsinspiredgroup.wordpress.com" title="GIG"><img src="https://girlsinspiredgroup.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/gigspotlight1.png" alt="GIG" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

GiG Spotlight winners:

      • Three bloggers will win a prize from Glossybox.
      • Those three winners will have their GIG Spotlight entry posted here with the blog’s URL and pic (if you like).
      • Next, the blog URLs and/or entries will be pinned over at GIG’s group wall as well as on our Fan Page so everyone can see you!

Hosts: Caity of Moi Contre La Vie  & Mari of I Love Green Inspiration

Good luck GiGers!

xx Donah (Sweet Jelly Bean)
-Founder-

Congratulations! The Skin Shop + GiG Giveaway Winners!

gig-event copy

Finally, that moment you’ve been waiting for has arrived! Announcing the winners of The Skin Shop + GiG Giveaway Collaboration! 3 lucky winners and 4 products each from the Premium Secret Snail Line! It’s raining beauty products from The Skin Shop and we hope that you’ll love them.

so… drum roll please……

congrats

CONGRATULATIONS TO:

WINNERS

We would like to give our BIGGEST THANK YOU to Danny over at The Skin Shop for holding this event with GiG. We truly appreciate it and we are very happy that our members, the GiGers, will get the chance to get pampered by one of this brand’s popular line!

Also thank you all who participated and helped GiG to promote this giveaway. Your never ending support and love for this group, we sincerely treasure! Our journey wouldn’t be this fun and exciting without you!

 

by: Donah @ SweetJellyBean
GiG Founder

Note: Winners will be emailed shortly. Please keep an eye or check your spam.

A Winning Recipe

It was a tough decision trying to decide who would win the golden wooden baking spoon for the GiG Baking Spotlight. We received quite a few yummy entries that all looked so delicious, it was hard to pick a winner – if only we could have taste tested each of them for real 😉

But we have narrowed it down!

The winner of the GiG Baking Spotlight goes to…..

*drum roll*

The talented Autumn from the blog Mrs Gaeul

for her favourite recipe

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

GIG Baking Spotlight Winner

Now who could go past Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting?!

2 in 1 – chocolate and peanut butter!! What more could you ask for?

Don’t these just look so yummylicious?!

I can see you licking the screen 😉

For this decadent recipe, head on over to Mrs Gaeul post here.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Please follow Autumn’s blog Mrs Gaeul here

Tweet with Autumn on Twitter here

Like Autumn on Facebook here

Follow Autumn on Bloglovin here

A special mention and a huge thanks to the lovely baking buddy Jessica from Jessiker Bakes who helped co-host this delicious event. She did a fantastic job and shared with us her favourite recipe here.

Also thank you to everyone who entered, who hope you had fun and stay tuned for more hip and happening spotlights to shine your way 😉

Related Articles

GiG Spotlight Movie/Oscar Tag winner

GiG Spotlight Beauty Tag winner

GiG Spotlight Fashion Tag winner

xoxox

GiG Crew

Top 3 Blogging Tips To Start Your Week Afresh

The blogosphere is a big bowl of inspiration where people mix things up a little.

But what are your golden rules to stay on the right path along with your ever growing audience to a fun journey in the blogosphere?

While doing my blog roll rounds last night, I visited one of my favourite bloggers, Jules, from Go Jules Go, the writer, blogger and chipmunk enthusiast, and may I also add, the Queen of Freshly Pressed? 😉 She’s been featured on Freshly Pressed so many times I lost track already. What got me hook was a fortune cookie post that made me realize that indeed, there is fun and great humor in the blogging world and you don’t have to be serious to be taken seriously. 😀

So we thought that it would be cool to start our week afresh and check out this awesome top 3 blogging tips that are great for all bloggers.

blogging tips

 

Last year, Go Jules Go was featured over at Daily Post at WordPress.com, where you can read more about these tips and the many things Jules love about blogging. (psst.. if you happen to drop by at GoJulesGo.com – tell her GiG says hi 😉 )

Share your blogging tips with us!

Happy Monday & Happy Blogging GiG!

 

by: Donah 
from Sweet Jelly Bean

#GiGCrew

 

Note: Have you joined our giveaway yet? It’s open WORLDWIDE! And don’t forget, for some baking inspiration, join our GiG Spotlight ‘Come Bake With Me‘ Series.

GiG Spotlight #4: Come Bake With Me *Ended*

GIG Baking Spotlight

GiG Spotlight #4 Topic for 4th – 17th March:

Come Bake With Me – Share With us Your Favourite Baked Recipe.

Hi guys and welcome to our 4th Girls Inspired Group spotlight. Instead of running this spotlight for 1 week like we normally do, we will be running this fun and delicious spotlight for 2 weeks.

Why?

Because it’s all about baking! This will give you all time to select and/or bake your favourite scrumptious, yummy recipe then share it with us all. I’m so excited as I can’t wait to drool over all your delicious recipes.

  • What is a favourite baked recipe?

It can be anything from your favourite cupcake, cake, bundt cake, profiteroles, macaroons, cookies, tarts, whoopie pies, bread, cheese cake, etc basically anything baked in the oven (preferably sweet).

  • What do I have to do?

Write a blog post sharing with us your favourite baked recipe. You can bake the recipe and post photos of your baking or you can use images from a recipe you find online (if you do this the source of the recipe and images MUST be credited).

1 recipe per entry.

You can enter as many times as you want.

Remember, you have until Sunday 17th March to submit your entry/entries.

pSo what are you waiting for peoples? Grab the butter outta the fridge,  pre-heat that oven of yours, grease and flour those baking tins and get baking!! We can’t wait to drool over your yummy favourite recipes.

🙂

How to enter:

    • Based on creativity, style of writing and design, you will be chosen as GIG’s featured blogger for the week by the spotlight hosts / GiG crew.
    • Follow this blog and tag this blog post in your entry for the GIG Spotlight.
    • Please Like our Facebook Page here – and tag @gigbloggers on Twitter when you’ve posted your entry.
    • Also include the hosts of the GIG Spotlight series in your blog post  (see below) — giving recognition is something GIG would like to encourage everyone to do as it makes a big difference! It’s one of blogging’s golden rules to appreciate someone’s hardwork.
    • Grab the code below and insert in your entry post.
GIG

Spotlight winner:

  • Your blog and the GIG Spotlight entry will be posted here with your blog’s URL and pic (if you like) for one week!
  • Next, your blog URL and/or entry will be pinned over at GIG’s group wall as well as on our Fan Page so everyone can see you! Hence the spotlight idea! 😉

Host:  Angela of The Charmed Cupcake

Co-Host:  Jessica of Jessiker Bakes

Photo: littlesooti.com.au

Giveaway Collaboration, The Skin Shop & GiG! *Ended*

We are so thrilled to announce to all our supportive GiG Members and followers across all our networks that we have been approached by one of the popular skincare and cosmetic brands in Korea, The Skin Shop, to collaborate with us for this amazing giveaway just for you! Three lucky GiG Winners will have the chance to grab all premium goodies from this brand’s range by simply entering this giveaway! (see below for more info)

The Skin Shop Giveaway

So, just a little backstory on the brand – The Skin Shop (TSS), with the tagline ‘Nature of the natural beauty cosmetic’ has been supplying nature-friendly cosmetics to their customers and has expanded since in the overseas market (Singapore, Taiwan, Cambodia, and soon in North America). This brand is currently endorsed by one of Korea’s popular ballad boy band called 2AM! (fangirling commence! :P)

The Skin Shop aims to present to you the magic of nature in all their products to give you that healthiest skin and natural beauty.

The lines included in this brand (which you can check here as well) are as follow: IRIS Derma Solution Whitening Plus+ range, Magic Science Derma Solution Anti-Wrinkle Pro+, Premium Secret Snail Mucin Series, Magic Science BB Creams & Makeup range and also Skin V Rhythm & Sense (Vibrating BB Machine, a smart makeup tool to give you that smooth and flawless finish!)

Now, are we ready to get down to ‘business’ and grab the chance to win not one, but four amazing products to a beautiful skin, courtesy by The Skin Shop? The rules couldn’t be simpler — just four steps to get your hands on this Premium Secret Snail Mucin Series (skin regeneration, skin trouble care + anti-oxidant benefits) — see below and for the Rafflecopter link:

  1. You must be a follower of this blog and/or GiG’s member on Facebook (join us on Facebook)
    Or if you don’t have a blog, you can still follow GiG’s blog by email as part of your entry.
  2. Like The Skin Shop Facebook Fan Page (mandatory)
  3. Answer this question: If you were to try a range or line from TSS, what would it be? And please tell us why in the comment below.
  4. Like GiG’s Fan Page & Share* this event on your Facebook Page and/or Blog* about this for more chances of winning!

End date: 31st March 2013

→ a Rafflecopter giveaway ←

*You can join our Facebook Community if you have a blog, if you’re not a blogger, you can still join by simply following our blog and make sure you Like The Skin Shop’s Facebook Page.

*All Facebook shares will be verified. Use Hashtags #SKIN&GIG and #GIGBloggers to share on twitter and Instagram!

 *When writing a blog post on this event, make sure you link up to this post for verification otherwise you can reblog this giveaway.

Feel free to grab this giveaway badge for your blog!

GiG Blog
<div align="center"><a href="http://girlsinspiredgroup.com/2013/03/02/theskinshopgiveaway/" title="GiG Blog" target="_blank"><img src="https://girlsinspiredgroup.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/badge-gigevent1-e1362253799302.png" alt="GiG Blog" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

We like to play fair and square!

Win:
 1 x Premium Secret Snail Mucin Cream, 1 x Premium Secret Snail Vital Pack, 1 x Premium Secret Snail BB Cream, 1 x Premium Secret Snail Mask Pac (10pcs)

The Skin Shop Giveaway with GiG

♥ This event has been organised by Donah (GiG Founder) from SweetJellyBean.com & Tara from BBCreamAddict

♥The GiG Crew: Angela (The Charmed Cupcake), Dee (Haute Frugalista), Lisa (Mademoiselle Snow), Liss (LatinoLook), Mari (I Love Green Inspiration) and Saran (Cinnamon Spring) would like to say special thanks to The Skin Shop for sponsoring this event. 

And the Oscar goes to….

We are amazed of the wonderful bloggers that joined our latest GiG spotlight event ‘Movie Awards’!! From makeup to cakes their were all wonderful!! so it wasn’t easy to choose our spotlight winner!! but here it goes…

For an amazing post and for being such a HUGE gig supporter … the oscars goes to the lovely …

………….
………….

Continue reading

GiG A Little Love Winner Is….

drum roll please…..

winnergigalittlelove

Jackaline from M&S And Then Some! We couldn’t help but love how she’s handpicked the little things she’d want to pack for one of our GiG Crew Mari, who was going to New York for her first ever Fashion Week!

What I would pack for " I love green inspiration" blogger Marinella Rauso's NYFW trip
But of course, this was a hard decision especially when we had lovely entries from the awesome GiGers! You can check them all here.
To know more about Jackaline, please visit her blog over atwww.mandsandthensome.com.
Or her social networks here:
Once again, a big THANK YOU to everyone, who joined, supported and spread the GiG love for this event. Don’t miss out and join the latest fun spotlight series we just launched as well – GiG Movie Awards!
xx Donah at Sweet Jelly Bean
GiG Founder ♥