blissdom Archives - Saving Time & Money l SamiCone.com

Blissdom 2012 Photos Day 1

February 25, 2012 By sami

Blissdom 2012 has finally arrived! It’s been great to reconnect with so many friends while meeting new bloggers and brands too!

Before I get totally caught up in the craziness, I wanted to post some pictures of day 1!

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A morning workout at Relache spa before starting my day

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Lunch at Wasabi's with @NerdMom, @LindseyHartz & @DazeofAdventure

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Catching up with @DazeofAdventure over Sushi

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My Blissdom Day 1 outfit chosen by @TheRickCone

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My original blissdom mentor - @DanielleSmithTV

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My infamous purple shoes

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Two of my fav homescholers & friends @SueGallagher & @MeghanTucker

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The original @TommyNelson girls- @dearabbyleigh @annjanette07

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Blissdom Opening Night Party at the Water's Edge

What has been your favorite part of Blissdom so far?

Filed Under: Blogging Tagged With: blissdom, blog, conference, day 1, nashville, photo

“What’s in the Bible?” Giveaway & Blissdom Sponsorship

February 24, 2012 By sami

Do you know “What’s in the Bible”? No, really…because if you don’t know what’s in the Bible, or you want to teach your kids about what’s in the Bible, then you need to check out “What’s in the Bible?”. Lucky for you, not only are they my Blissdom sponsor for today (so I have a special treat for those of you attending Blissdom), but I also have a giveaway for those of you not in Nashville this weekend!

But first, let me tell you why I approached them about sponsoring me in the first place…

I grew up with a Jewish father and British mother who, although they didn’t follow their own religions closely in my early years, didn’t want to seem to give in to the other. This led to a conglomeration of celebrations in my home, culminating with my most beloved holiday memory under the age of 6: the Hannukah Bush.

Imagine my surprise after they divorced at the age of 7 and I started formal school to find that not everyone celebrated the way we did!

While I made my own decision to follow Christ in my mid-twenties, I still yearned to learn more about my Jewish heritage and how I could celebrate it as a Christian.

That yearning grew even more as I got married and had my own kids. So who would have that I would find answers, where else, but a children’s DVD called, “Why Do We Call It Christmas?”

Created by Phil Vischer, he and the folks at What’s in the Bible lead us on an in-depth journey that both enlightens adults and entertains children…or maybe it’s vice-versa? Either way, everyone will learn something and laugh while doing it!

Yes, yes, I realize that I’m talking to you about a Christmas DVD in February, but it lays such an amazing foundation for our faith that its value transcends the time its typically allotted between Thanksgiving & Christmas.

It’s for this reason why I asked my friends at What’s in the Bible if we could do a special Blissdom giveaway…and they said yes!

In addition to Why Do We Call It Christmas, there are six volumes of the DVD series that chronicle the books of the Bible starting, where else, but at Genesis in Volume 1. Volume 7 will be released next month, and I’m already jittery just waiting to hear the Main Menu (it’s one of the highlights of the series for me – so clever! Trust me, you’ll just have to check it out for yourself).

So here’s what you’ve been waiting for – two ways to get this great product in your hot little hands:

1. Blissdom Attendees
I have 50 DVDs (yes, 50!) to giveaway to the first 50 people that find me today and tweet out “I found @TheSamiCone at #Blissdom & now I’ll find out @WhatsInTheBible with my free DVD!”
Even better, for the first 10 people to find me, not only will you get Volume 1, but you’ll also get the Christmas DVD I keep raving about!

2. Online Readers
Even if you’re not joining me this weekend for Blissdom, you can still win big! 10 readers will win both the What’s in the Bible volume 1 DVD as well as the Why Do We Call It Christmas DVD! Just enter via Rafflecopter below.

3. Coupon Code
Ok, I know I said two options, but if you just can’t wait to get your hands on one of these fabulous DVDs, I’ve negotiated a coupon code just for my SamiCone.com readers! Just enter coupon code SAMICONE when you checkout.

Good luck y’all! Can’t wait to meet my fellow Buck Denver fans at Blissdom!
[Read more...]

Filed Under: Deals & Freebies, giveaway, Kids, Products, Reviews Tagged With: "Why Do We Call it Christmas?", blissdom, dvd, giveaway, Kids, sponsor, What's in the Bible

Blissdom guide to Opryland: Know before you go!

February 17, 2012 By sami

I created this “Know Before You Go” Blissdom guide to Opryland Resort & Convention Center for several reasons:
1. I’d like to think of myself as Opryland’s ‘unofficial’ official blogger. Not only do we live in Nashville, but we love hanging out at Opryland as a family for everything they offer throughout the year…so it’s save to say I’ve learned a thing or two

2. As someone who’s getting ready to attend my third straight Blissdom Conference in a row, I now know a thing or two about what to expect, pack, wear, etc and wanted to share those experiences with those who may be attending for the first time!

These tips and tricks that will not only help you get the most out of this beautiful hotel, but also give you the things you need to go before you go that are specific to the Blissdom Conference!

Both posts can be found on the Blissdom Conference website, which I’ve linked to below, including tips for what to eat & see while you’re there, along with some savvy travel etiquette too!:

*Blissdom Guide: What to Pack, What to Wear

*Blissdom Guide: Where to Eat, What to See, & Travel Etiquette

What about you: what are your favorite parts about Opryland?

Filed Under: Travel, Travel Tips Tagged With: blissdom, conference, guide, nashville, opryland, Travel

Working Class: My Melissa Peterman Photo Shoot

January 28, 2011 By sami

Tonight at 8pm EST/7pm CST you can watch the premiere of Working Class on CMT. As a Blissdom attendee, I got a special sneak peak of this new series.

Now they didn’t ask me to blog about it, but there were a couple things I wanted to share:
1. I’m glad people in TV land are still creating scripted comedy. Not that I don’t love me some reality tv, but I appreciate the fact that someone out there is still creating old fashioned half hour shows.

2. The show is centered around a single, working mother. While I may not agree with everything the show says or is about, again, it’s refreshing to see a modern day show that doesn’t try to make me feel like my life sucks and that I need to lose 20 pounds. Enough said.

3. After seeing just one show, I can’t yet say it’s as funny as her previous show, Reba, but it does have promise and also stars one of my favorite former characters, “Pastor YummyPants!”

4. Most importantly: Melissa Peterman has to be one of the funniest females out there today while at the same time being down to earth and relatable. From before even taking the stage, she took pics with us and cracked me up with her quick wit. Just take a look at our photo progression:

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Our "normal" photo after storming past her two, 12 year old security guards 'backstage'

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At her request, "Bad Driver's License picture"

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At my request, "Deep in Thought"

To sum up, I have to give big street props to ANY performer who actually shows up to an event at 10pm at a women’s blogging conference (seriously, can you imagine what that call from her agent must have been like?”

So give it a shot and let me know what you think. And thanks, Melissa, for reminding us that we all have bad days, but it’s the sum of our life that truly counts!

Filed Under: Events, Reviews Tagged With: blissdom, cmt, melissa peterman, tv, working class

The secret is out! Quaver’s Marvelous World of Music

January 26, 2011 By sami

The secret is out! I can finally tell you about the most creative, effective and ingenious music education resource I’ve ever seen. Designed to help kids develop a love for music, Quaver’s Marvelous World of Music will not only enchant your kids, but you might just find yourself addicted as well!

Some of you may remember that I disappeared for a weekend back in November. At the time, I was sworn to secrecy because the program was yet to be released. But now I can safely and happily let you now that I was invited to be a part of the Advisory Council for Quaver’s Marvelous World of Music.

Screen shot 2010 11 10 at 9.31.42 AM 300x168 The secret is out! Quavers Marvelous World of Music

Me and my new Quaver Blogging Buddies!

Along with other music educators and bloggers, I was introduced to this revolutionary program that was created to help excite students about music fundamentals so they can learn to love music. It’s a student-centered resource that uses culturally relevant production examples and integrates arts education into other curriculums.

Graham, the brain-child of this project, is truly a mad-scientist when it comes to music (and I mean that in the best way possible – think Alton Brown, but more musical!) With a passion for helping kids learn music in a creative way, Graham jumps between the magical worlds he created all in a successful attempt to teach kids of all ages the history and method of music.

The comprehensive classroom program features:
• 30 high-energy and entertaining episodes on 15 DVDs, each covering an essential music element: theory, instruments and ensembles, composers and music history, and music styles.
• A full-color Teacher Guide including teaching tips, hands-on student projects, and other tools accompanies each episode.
• Full access to Teacher-Only resources on QuaverMusic.com, which will
provide several music creation tools when it launches to the public later this.

While you can’t check out the website just yet, you can get a preview of what Quaver is all about in this video:

If you need even more Quaver, you can check out future videos on their YouTube channel and follow along with all things Quaver on their Facebook and Twitter pages.

And the real exciting news? If you’re going to be joining me at Blissdom this weekend, you can win a complete DVD set for yourself!

All you have to do is hunt down Abby, my ever wonderful Quaverlicious friend, and give her your business card for a chance to win this extravagant and educational prize pack. Here is her beautiful face (she’ll also be wearing the Quaver logo that you see at the top of this post):

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Can you find this face at Blissdom???

I don’t even have this material in hand yet, but when I do, you can be certain you’ll be hearing more from me! From creating your own ‘sheet’ music to fun games and songs, I was blown away by what I got to experience and I know you will be too.

Stay tuned for even more Quaver fun in the coming days, but for now, good luck to all of you at Blissdom. Let the hunt begin!

Filed Under: Deals & Freebies, giveaway, Products, Reviews Tagged With: blissdom, giveaway, quaver

Where I’ll Be: Blissdom Blogging Conference 2011

January 25, 2011 By sami

Me & George Duran after an on stage cooking demo!

I wanted to let you know where I”ll be for the next few days. I’ll still be in Nashville, but I’ll be over at the fabulous Gaylord Opryland Resort for the 2011 Blissdom Blogging Conference.

For those of you not enmeshed in the blogospere, Blissdom is one of the major blogging conferences out there and just happens to be the first conference I ever attended.

It also has special significance tome for several reasons (other than the fact that I can drive to it!):
1. It was Blissdom 2010 where the idea for SamiCone.com was born. At the time I was juggling a family blog, writing blog and deal blog and to be honest…I was totally overwhelmed. After the first night, I was ready to give up blogging altogether. By day 2 I realized that if I was going to continue, it was going to be on my own terms. I wasn’t going to let anyone else influence how I should blog, what I should blog on and how often I should blog. If I was truly going to teach people how to maximize their time and money so they could make more memories with their families, I had to live it out myself. That meant not being a slave to three blogs and not being stuck with a static blogging schedule. Hence, SamiCone.com emerged in March 2010.

2. After hearing the words “DM” and “Hashtag” over and over again in the first hour, I stopped someone at the door and asked, “What does all this mean?” It happened to be the ultra fabulous and super sweet Danielle Smith, who took me under her wing and sat me down in the hallway to give me an impromptu Twitter tutorial. Now, just a short year later, I’m thankful for both the connections I’ve made on Twitter as well as the way it facilitates communication. I’m thankful for my 1,000+ followers and hope to keep delivering Tweets that keep people informed and entertained all at the same time!

3. I got to cook on stage with George Duran. (I know, shocking to so many of you that I went on stage in front of hundreds of people…)

4. I met a lot of other fabulous ladies, including some wonderful Nashville blogging friends. Plus Harry Connick, Jr. was there. Just sayin. (I may or may not have gone out on a date with someone I wasn’t too fond of in high school just to go to his concert…)

So that being said, off I go again to Blissdom 2011. To be honest, I’m not sure what to expect this year, my second time around. I won’t be staying at the hotel full time because of my schedule, but I’m sure I’ll soak up enough ideas to full me through this coming year.

I’ll keep you updated on Twitter and Facebook of course. But if you absolutely can’t wait for that and you want to know more about what I learned last year, I’ve decided to post some of my notes. I’m still working on uploading them, so check back for more to come:

Wisdom Workshop: Media Training

Advertising Panel

SEO Knowledge

Filed Under: My Story Tagged With: 2011, blissdom, blog, conference

Sears Portrait, BlogHer ’10 & NYC!

April 22, 2010 By sami

Ever since attending Blissdom this past February, I’ve been itching to attend another blogging conference. But alas, my time and finances have not allowed me the luxury.

Until now (hopefully)!

I just learned that Sears Portrait Studio is giving away a Full Conference Pass to one lucky mom to attend BlogHer ’10 in New York City this August! Oh please – pick me, pick me!

While I recognize Sears cannot capture those random moments of our kids picking flowers or running in a field, but for marking childhood milestones, Sears Portrait Studio has always been our portrait studio of choice. They have GREAT deals all the time, not to mention their friendly photographers and the fact that Sears is right down the road from us!

Ok, so I know the winner is picked at random, but you can still help send winning vibes my way (pick Sami, pick Sami, pick Sami…) Repeat throughout your day until May 5. Until then, warn NYC of my impending visit!

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: blissdom, blogging conference, BlogHer '10, nyc, sears portrait studio

SEO Knowledge: Notes from Blissdom 2010

February 1, 2010 By sami

The following notes were taken from a workshop on SEO Knowledge presented by Ang England & Kelby Carr at Blissdom 2010:

SEO Knowledge

Write for search engines
Things that help with SEO also help with human readers
-(Sub heads – bullets – scan )

Online headers need to be very exact (what your post or page is about) – main way people find you – title is last place to be cute and clever

Go to Google and do a search before you start writing – what comes up is probably what your title should be. (What is this about?)
-Slight tweaking of a phrase can make a big difference
-Ex: mommy blogger, mom blogger: MOM BLOG, top 10 mom blog
(Google – keyword tool –click on global monthly search volume (keep use synonyms checked) – be sure people are searching it

Google Page Rank (how many people are linking to you) – each post or page is a doorway into your site
Google doesn’t see after a certain # of characters in your title: put the keywords in your title

****WP Setting – word press, permalink (LOOK FOR REDIRECT PLUGIN) (EMAIL TO MICHAEL)

ABC’s
A. Have an active title
-Start with a good, clear title (should be title tag next to Mozilla)
B. Use bolded subheadings (use Heading 3) – as opposed to just bolding
-Subheading for clarity, helps catch the eye
-work some of the words in your title into your subheading
C. Cut away the rambly fluff
Writing an online Article – how to’s and a basic template

Tag your photos too – people search for photos- google image search – use hypens between your words – alternative text

Do intro paragraphs for videos and then embed it

Categories = chapters
Tabs = index

HUB PAGE – a post to send people to other posts
put your links in a keyword sentence

At the end of post – call to action (what do you think, post a comment, read this) Link to other people

Weave your keywords/title throughout your post – words in title should be in first paragraph

Google pagerank, firefox browser extensions, seaquake, pagerank

Google: ‘How do I no-follow links’

Optimize your past posts – will re-index your SEO’s, including your page titles – rework old content

When you repeat posts (Freebie Friday) put more interesting title at beginning (CVS freebie – Freebie Friday)

Install Google Analytics – look at referral from google (if under 50%, there’s a problem)

Get Clicky – to see what people are clicking on when they leave your site

Once a month link to top 10 books – do you want to subscribe? Call to action.

Take advantage of seasonal content

Create HUB PAGE with lots of resources – with links – and put in side bar

People love Top 10 Lists

Social Bookmarking (wilkipedia – no follow)
Curtsey, mom share, propeller, facebook fan page, stumbleupon.com, dig

Google.com/webmasters
-set preferred domain
-Claim a sitemap (please use rss feed as a sitemap) – not ideal, but a place to start

Content attracts, relationships keep

Search WP extension: “redirect” if you’re going to start changing page names

Type “link” into google and see who’s linking to you

**suite101.com
-introduction, bolded subheadings, image with caption that complements keyword phrases

Filed Under: Deals & Freebies Tagged With: blissdom, blog, notes, seo

Blissdom 2012 Photos Day 1

Blissdom guide to Opryland: Know before you go!

Working Class: My Melissa Peterman Photo Shoot

The secret is out! Quaver’s Marvelous World of Music

Where I’ll Be: Blissdom Blogging Conference 2011

Sears Portrait, BlogHer ’10 & NYC!

SEO Knowledge: Notes from Blissdom 2010

Watch My Adventures:

Keep up with me on Instagram: @TheSamiCone

Friday’s Sponsor: What’s in the Bible

Saturday’s Sponsor: VeggieTales

Watch My Adventures:

Keep up with me on Instagram: @TheSamiCone