Oct 9, 2014

Promote the Love Link-Up

Happy Friday lovies!! I'm excited to announce our first Promote the Love Link-Up!

I hope you all did your homework and are ready to tell us all about the people/bloggers/activities in your life that make your day just a little bit better.



Grab button HOPO Promote Love


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I will be talking a bit about myself and then throwing all my love to Miss Valerie Tynes.

First up, those of you who link-up today are in for a treat.  
Head over to my Etsy store, Crash & Burn Graphics.
Any purchases made between today and Sunday will receive a 
Thank you Promotional Credit for $5.00 off any additional item. 
This means you can purchase a graphic print for just $1 or a Blogger Header for $5!
It's a win-win all around!

I switched up my blog header again to showcase another design,
and here is a new graphic print from the store:
And now for some lovin'. The lady that inspired the link-up in the first place.


Meet Valerie Tynes.
Her prior blog was called "Fab Chick Gets Fit" and documented tid-bits of her life but most importantly her own highlights and struggles with losing weight.
I found her blog through another blogger (who doesn't blog anymore, miss you Holly!) and immediately fell in love.
Her honestly and soul was un-paramount. I feel like there are just so many blogs out there that have to have the more perfectly positioned photos, or portray perfect lives, and yet, we all know they are lying.
No one is perfect.
That was what was refreshing about Val.
She took all her emotions, all her highs, all her lows, and laid it all out for the public to see. Her hope was for someone to connect and understand her struggles and not only lift themselves up, but help her motivation along the way.
She also has THE CUTEST kids I have ever seen in my life....that little cupcake kills me she is so sassy.
The photo above documents her journey thus far. The sad photo in the middle was an honest look at how Val felt at the beginning, and as you can clearly see, the smile and shine just keeps getting brighter as she drops the pounds and gains more confidence.
How anyone could try to knock her down a peg is beyond me. As women, it is hard enough to stay afloat in a very male dominated world. Why women feel the need to compete and hurt other women is just insane.  Confidence and happiness comes in all sizes, and as Val downsizes her waist, her spirit and caring continue to prosper.

Val will be competing in her very first bikini body competition in the very near future. And she has my support, and I hope the support of you, that she will rock the hell out of that competition.

She is re-vamping her blog right now, but in the meantime, if you're nice, you can request to follow her on her private IG account, @valerietynes, as she continues to lift weights and post fun outfits and talk a little trash along the way.

Thank you, Val, for virtually coming into my life. It's people like you that make me realize there is still hope for the greater good.

Happy Friday y'all. Now come link-up!!

9 comments:

  1. Let's see - a few things:

    1. Do I just add in my current blog link to be apart of this? (sorry, don't want to do it wrong! ha!)

    2. Val is totally darling, thank you for writing about her and her story. It makes me sad people would cut her down.

    3. For me, I love the perfectly polished blogs and photos! Some blogs just showcase a different perspective and that doesn't make the authors lying, to me at least. I look at it this way - I have enough problems going on in my life (like everyone) that the last thing I want to do is showcase them. I want my blog to be a positive, happy place. It doesn't make it any less 'real' - that is just the focus of the content. Lately I've been showcasing the struggle that can be the path to motherhood and/or mothering in general, I hope people that are seeking more personal content can relate :)

    Alright with that - my fav blogs to check in on are as follows!

    1. Kitchen Simplicity
    2. Dinner A Love Story
    3. A Cup of Jo
    4. Rockstar Diaries
    5. Loverly She

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  2. Val is like my Beyonce...as in 'what would Val say/do?' because that girl and cupcake are a riot and downright adorable in their sass.
    Thanks for such an awesome (positive!) linkup! I did a surprise highlight blog and didn't tell her it was coming. ha!

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  3. Love this and LOVE Val... she da bomb. Thanks for hooking us up with a cool way to show some love!

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  4. I can't get the link up to work. Here is my link: http://www.thechaptersofourlives.blogspot.com/2014/10/promote-what-you-love.html

    Val you look amazing!!! Good luck on the up coming competition. Once I can get this computer to work properly you will have a new follower. I can't wait to read about your journey to the competition and how you did.

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  5. Val's journey is pretty wonderful and it sucks that one troll ruined the party but at least she's moving on with her life and keeping momentum flowing where it ought to. Great link up opportunity Tia and hope you have a great weekend! -Iva

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  6. I found this blog through Iva while reading her list of sins that were HILARIOUS! Go read them if you haven't. You will LOL!

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  7. what a great linkup! it's so important to share the blog love; too many negative peeps on the interwebs!!

    -kathy
    Vodka and Soda

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  8. I feelthe need to kick some blogger ass. I'm glad Val was able to see past that shit, aint nobody got time for that. <3

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  9. Love the header!

    And Val sounds like such a gem. I'll have to look for her blog when she's done revamping it.

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