The Blog Graveyard

What makes a blogger STOP blogging? The answer could be school, their job, children, marriage, illness, lack of interest, a new hobby, lack of comments, frustration, a new direction in life etc. The reasons are endless. I've seen so many blogs come and go. Some had huge readership and some very small. What I always find interesting, is HOW a blogger exits their blog and blogging community.

The Hit Delete And Never Come Back Blogger
You're going through your blog roll, reading and commenting. Everything is peachy keen and jelly beans. However, when you click on the next blog...POOF...it's been deleted. You sit there staring at your computer screen in amazement, wondering what happened. The blogger's last post gave NO indication, that they were ending everything. There were no goodbyes or explanations. They're just gone! They've entered the blogging abyss, never to be heard of again. It's as if Dracula snatched them! Eeek!

Death Becomes Her! The Sloooooooooooow Blog Death! 
This is when a blogger's posts turns from content to WORRY! Here are some examples. "I'm not getting comments!" "I don't know if I want to do this anymore!" "I need a break!" "My inspiration is gone!" "What do you guys want!?!" As a faithful reader of that person's blog, you're there with your blog crystal ball and comment defibrillator doing all you can to keep them going. With enough motivation and positivity you get them back on track and they're ok. Others...FLATLINE!

The Promises Kept, Promises Broken Blogger. You need an Omen to figure out what's going to happen next!
I think everyone has witnessed this one before. The blogger promises to return after he/she completes (fill in the blank) school, having a baby, getting married, when they figure things out, write a paper etc. Well we know what happens next! Some bloggers keep their promise and start posting again, and others do not. Throughout the entire time you're hoping for an omen to foretell the future of their blog.

Bloggers That Are In A State Of Limbo! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice!
This is when a blog sits for weeks and months at a time accumulating comments from their faithful readers such as, "where are you?", "I miss you!" "I hope everything is ok!" and there's NO response. At this point, you're wondering ARE they coming back? Can't they see their readers miss them? And as the weeks and months increase, you're just hoping and praying they create a post either saying goodbye, I need more time, or I'm returning.

 Blogger Apparitions! Who You Gonna Call? GHOSTBUSTERS!
You truly feel like calling Ghosbusters on this type of blogger because they show up on all forms of social media sites EXCEPT their blog. They've abandoned their blogs for whatever reason, but you know they're still around because they "like" your posts on Facebook, pictures on Instagram and respond to you on Twitter. It's great to see that they're around, but what are their plans for their blog?

The last one is a DOUBLE FEATURE! Return Of The Living Dead and Poltergeist Blogger!
They're baaaaaack! This is when a blogger returns from a serious long hiatus and decides to blog again. At this point you just want to give them a great big BLOG HUG because you've truly missed their inspiring posts.

I dedicate this post to my blog buddy Nelah of 52 New Days Blog. Nelah has blogged for years and was one of my first readers. She just recently decided to end her blog, but HOW she did it was exemplary. She let her readers know what was going on with her and her thoughts. I found that very courteous, and thank her for acknowledging her readers.

What's your opinion? Have you witnessed the end of some of your favorite blogs? Does a blogger owe anyone an explanation before pulling the plug on their blog? Does it really matter how you exit? Does it matter how you exit whether you have ten, hundreds, thousands or millions of readers? As a reader should you not become attached to the writer and only concentrate on their content? I get so attached. Let me know your thoughts on this topic!

If ever and whenever I decide to end A Very Sweet Blog, I will definitely create a post letting you know of my decision. Don't worry, the time is not now. I personally prefer giving my readers some type of closure.

My Favorite Halloween Goodies and Treats

Almost everyone has made a list of their favorite Halloween goodies and treats! So before the spooky holiday comes and goes, I thought I would put one together :) Here it goes!

Yankee Candle

Despite it being 80 degrees in New Orleans right now, I still love the aroma of candles this time of year! HaHaHa My favorite candle line is Yankee Candle (and ummm Diptyque). Their candles have so much depth and smell really good. Some scents I love from Yankee Candle: Caramel Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Buttercream, Spiced Pumpkin and Banana Nut Bread. They even made a Whoopie Pie candle! :)

I Love Candy Corn Body Wash by Philosophy

I don't eat candy corn, but I love decorating and bathing in it. LOL This scent by Philosophy smells soooo good! It's definitely a TREAT for yourself while taking a shower. What I like about scents from Philosophy is that their scents do not linger on you after you step out of the shower. It's a really great scent and very befitting for this time of year. Also, if you're a fan of cinnamon frosting or caramel apples, they have a cute Trick or Treat body wash duo.

Caramel Apples by Mrs. Prindables

Speaking of caramel apples! Not all caramel and chocolate covered apples are EQUAL! No, they are NOT! Mrs. Prindables has proven that! You need a really good tasting apple and equally good tasting caramel & chocolate. You guys, these are exquisite! They look good and they taste good. Her apples are loaded with chocolate and caramel. And how CUTE are the thanksgiving turkey themed apples?

It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown and  
Witch Hazel of Looney Tunes Cartoon 

Favorite Halloween Cartoon

They show "It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" on television EVERY year! And EVERY year, I LOVE it more and more. It's classic! Great for children and anyone young at heart like me. Charlie Brown was kickin' the chevron print before any of us! LOL Another favorite "halloween" character for me was "Witch Hazel" of Looney Tunes. Omg'd she was wacky wild! You can find all of her shenanigans on YouTube.

 

 The Nightmare Before Christmas - Favorite Halloween Movie

This is simply a masterpiece. The set design, characters, songs and storyline are amazing! When you have those kind of spectacular elements you automatically have a masterpiece.

Wicked and Spiderman - Favorite Halloween "Themed" Play

I love the theater and try to go whenever possible. I'm a big fan of Wicked and love the song Freak Like Me from Spiderman. I think I adore the messages behind each! That it's ok to be different, not to judge a book by it's cover and we all have such amazing talent.

 

Thriller by Michael Jackson - Favorite Halloween Song

For me, Michael Jackson was a genius. His creativity and imagination was just out of this world. When he remastered and remixed his original Thriller classic, I didn't think it could get any better. Boy was I wrong! I loved it. He's an artist I definitely miss from the music industry.

 

The Kingdom of Witches - Favorite Halloween Animation

I found and fell in love with this animation several years ago on YouTube. I thought it was so magical and whimsical. The person that put it together, really did a great job. I even love the song! I could watch this over and over.

 

Justin and Jessica: Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice

How dreamy was this wedding? It was Magical indeed! What are your thoughts on the Jessica and Justin Timberlake wedding that took place in Puglia, Italy? I loved her strapless petal pink Giambattista Valli gown. Doesn't it look like cotton candy? So light and fluffy! For some reason, I never thought Jessica would wear pink. I think I read somewhere, she shocked herself with that choice. HaHaHa Well it was a great one, because it looked dreamy on her! Justin Timberlake wore a custom made black Tom Ford tuxedo and most of the men in the party as well (father of the bride, father of the groom, groomsmen, pageboy and master of ceremonies).

I simply adore the pose for the front cover of People Magazine! Don't you think it showcases Justin's and Jessica's personality?
I think that's so important for a wedding.

Sometimes couples try to be something other than who they really are (facade) for a wedding and that is not suppose to be. A wedding is suppose to be a celebration of two individuals coming together; it should reflect BOTH the bride & the groom's interests and what they love.

I hope all of this makes sense, because it's late as I am typing this. HaHaHa

Almost everyone has seen the cover, but Tom Ford posted these pictures on his Facebook page so I wanted to post them here in case anyone did not see them. I'm sure that's a run on sentence, but again it's very late. LOL

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts and opinion.

Kobi Levi: Footwear Art at Selfridges

Love shoes? Love art? Love food? Love pop culture? Well then you're going to love what I'm about to show you today! I swear you guys, I don't go looking for this stuff. HaHaHa It just appears in front of me while surfing the fashion web. LOL

Have you heard about shoe designer Kobi Levi? I hadn't until yesterday. I was perusing Selfridge's Facebook page and came across the most surreal and whimsical shoes. Literally, this is whimsical to the MAX!

Kobi Levi is a talented designer from Tel Aviv, Israel. He pushes the unique and creative envelope when designing footwear. Lady Gaga has adorned his footwear and now Selfridge's has opened a pop up shop showcasing all of his designs. They are amazing! There's no way I could walk in these, but I would definitely sit a pair on a shelf as a conversation piece. HaHaHa I can't get over the coffee design! I wish he would make a hot chocolate one, with mini marshmallows for moi. Oooh! How about a donut one? HaHaHa Let's put on our "what if?" thinking caps for a moment. If Kobi Levi could make a shoe for YOU, what would you want him to design? Tell me in the comments section below! Have a great Wednesday everybody!!!

The Disney Princesses at Harrods

Hold onto your glass slippers and tiaras! Something magical is taking place this Christmas at Harrod's Department Store. They've collaborated with Disney and every window at Harrod's will be transformed into a princess theme this holiday season. If you're in London, definitely take your little one. Harrods even has a Disney pop-up boutique within the famous department store. Each window will showcase a different Disney princess wearing gorgeous designer gowns. Harrod's enlisted top designers to re-envision the gowns worn by the original princesses. Fashion designers and powerhouses Marchesa, Elie Saab, Donatella Versace, Valentino, Escada, Missoni, Roberto Cavalli, Jenny Packham, Oscar de la Renta, and Ralph & Russo have created "new" and "updated" looks for our beloved princesses. The dreamy sketches are below, and the attached video shows these designs come to life. Do you have a favorite?

Cinderella - Donatella Versace
Harrods - "'You shall go to the ball', in a stunning contemporary interpretation complete with golden layers, a tiara, a bold statement-necklace and of course, glass slippers – emblazoned with the iconic Versace medusa motif."

 

Ariel - The Little Mermaid - Marchesa
Harrods - "A chic and elegant deep blue silk evening gown has been beautifully crafted to combine luxurious draped fabrics, which perfectly embody modern feminine style – capturing Ariel’s adventurous under-the-sea spirit." 

 

Aurora - Sleeping Beauty - Elie Saab
Harrods - "Encapsulating the natural grace and innocence of Aurora, this beautiful gown in pale pink is embellished with scattered exquisite beading."

Belle - Beauty and The Beast - Valentino
Harrods - "A fantasy-like dress in silk chiffon with a sheer hooded cape and layers of exquisite pleats, is accessorised with bespoke signature studded flats and a silver flower bag."

Jasmine - Aladdin - Escada
Harrods - "An exotic fuchsia silk chiffon gown encompasses the fiery beauty of Jasmine, complete with an extravagant golden flower belt."

Mulan - Missoni
Harrods - "A land of silk and jade has inspired this oriental kimono-style dazzling creation, that features bold turquoise shades and red detailing."

Pocahontas - Roberto Cavalli
Harrods - "Featuring soft, golden and natural earthy colours, this gown incorporates prints evocative of dream catchers with pearl detailing. The lightness of a feather and the wings of a butterfly, it is perfect for a princess in love with freedom."

Rapunzel - Jenny Packham
Harrods - "A magical dress in pale grey adorned with incredible beading that should never be locked away."

Tiana - The Princess and The Frog - Ralph & Russo
Harrods - "A dream come true, this mint evening gown with a sweetheart neckline and mesh overlay, features scattered crystals that cascade into a layered tulle skirt."

Snow White -Oscar de la Renta

Harrods - "'Someday your prince will come…' This silk gown is divine with intricate embroidery across the bodice and a floor-sweeping cape in signature red."