Key Lime Pound Cake

Prepare your keyboards because today's recipe for Key Lime Pound Cake might make you drool a little bit! Joking aside, this would be the perfect easy recipe to try for a Mother's Day get-together or a brunch with friends. I shared this as a guest post for another blog last year, and I can't believe I haven't posted it here yet!

I come from a long and proud line of chocolate addicts. Our motto is "it's not really dessert unless there's chocolate in it."

I surprised myself when my mouth watered a little bit as I read Southern Living's recipe for Key Lime Pound Cake. It's a well-known fact that just about any recipe you find in that magazine's pages will be delectable, so I took the time to document my first try with this recipe. I'm so glad I did!

Key Lime Pound Cake
adapted from Southern Living

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup milk (I used whole because that's what my girls drink, and I had it on hand)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lime zest
1/4 cup fresh Key lime juice (as you can see, I used bottled lime juice)
--Key Lime Glaze

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with a heavy duty electric stand mixer until creamy. (This was interesting. I seldom use my Kitchen Aid stand mixer because I have a delusional fear of losing a finger in the attachments)

Gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.

2. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until just blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla, lime zest, and lime juice.

3. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10 inch (12 cup) tube pan. Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack (I moved mine to the cake plate so it would hold more glaze)

4. Prepare Key Lime Glaze (whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp. fresh Key lime juice, and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract until smooth. Use immediately). Immediately brush over top and sides of cake. Cool completely. (About 1 hour)

I doubled the Glaze recipe (and added extra lime juice) because what I first prepared didn't look like enough to cover the cake. I was so pleased with the results! (And please, no critical comments about using real key limes instead of the key lime juice. I am aware that real key limes enhance the flavor, but I needed to use what I had, and this is a pretty darn tasty cake.)

The cake was moist, dense, and had the perfect mix of sweet and tart.

I guess the photo speaks for itself? Easy to make, and even easier to gobble up.

Happy Baking!

If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll click the "Pin It" button to add it to Pinterest, or maybe a +1 for Google+. 

Linking to Home Stories A to Z, Positively Splendid, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

More Highlighted Links--Share Your Best Post!

Good morning, friends! If you're here to link up to Weekend Bloggy Reading, it's open for new links until 10 pm (ET) tonight. Please share your best post of the week with us...crafts, recipes, home decor, book reviews--all kinds of posts are welcome.

I like to Feature bloggers who not only have great projects, but who also take the time to  link back to me within their post(s). I add many of these Features to my Pinterest page as well as Facebook, so there's some extra incentive to add a link back to this party.

Here are a few links from Weekend Bloggy Reading that caught my eye!

*Pinterest users, please Pin from the original sources listed below so that each blogger gets credit for his/her own work!*

~Barnwood Sign via Beauty 4 Ashes

~Carrot Cake in a Can via Be Book Bound

~DIY Kitchen Chalkboard via Beauty in Bloom

Highlighted Weekend Links-- Share Your Best Post!

Happy Saturday! We're running some errands, doing some housework, and relaxing a bit today. Please pop in to link up YOUR best post of the week at my Weekend Bloggy Reading link party.

All kinds of posts are welcome here: We have recipes, home remedies, room makeovers, crafts, tips and tricks, fashion advice, book reviews, and more! The code for the button is near the end of this post, or you can add a text link back to me within your post.

Keep reading to see just a few of the posts that caught my eye so far.

***PLEASE, If you are a Pinterest user, Pin from the original source so that each blogger gets credit for his/her work.***

~How to Stencil an Outdoor Rug via The Hunted Interior

~Transform Dollar Store Flowers via In My Own Style

~Kitchen Makeover Reveal via eleven Magnolia lane

::Weekend Bloggy Reading:: Link Up!

Welcome to my Weekend Bloggy Reading link party. I hope you'll link up your best post of the week today, and maybe leave me some comment love. Please be sure to read my guidelines before you add a link.

All kinds of posts are welcome--recipes, crafts, funny stories, home decor, etc.; but please do not link to Etsy shops, businesses, items for sale, etc. (I have a Sponsors section, if you'd like to Advertise with me.)

Here are a few of my faves from this week:

sources listed below

~Chalk Paint Buffet via Perfectly Imperfect

~DIY Casserole Tray via Shanty 2 Chic

~Stenciled Centerpiece Planter Box via Flamingo Toes

~DIY Glass Vase Lamp via Stars and Sunshine

~And Me? This week featured:

• Stenciled IKEA Lazy Susan
• Using a Giftcard for Freebies
• Cleaning Vintage Patio Furniture?
• Choosing a Post to Add to a Link Party (part of my How to Blog Party series)

Time to link up your best post of the week!

Choosing a Post to Add to a Link Party

Hi, bloggers. Today brings post #5 in my How to Blog Party series, which is written for new and experienced bloggers...lots of tips and tricks for joining and hosting a blog/link party. You can click here to start at the beginning of the series and see a round-up of all the posts so far. Last week, we talked about how to find a good blog party.

This week's topic is: Choosing a Post to Add to a Link Party

We've made it pretty clear that the main purpose of linking up to a blog party is to grow your blog, right? If that's the case, then there is something to think about before you link up:

You are basically advertising your blog to new readers (for free!)...so you need to put your best foot forward.

Most of you guys know that I host my own weekly link party, and the theme is "your best post of the week." You should really look at other link parties with the same eye! Are you putting your best work out there, or are you linking up for the sake of linking up and hopefully snagging a few extra pageviews?

I understand, believe me, the value of adding your post to a popular link party. But take a careful look at your inventory of posts for the week before you choose the one(s) you'll be linking up:

• Think about readers-

What would you want to read? Put yourself in the readers' shoes. Would they rather click over to see your sponsored post about canned ham, a round-up of magazine photos, or your recipe for pecan pie?

• Don't link up projects or photos that don't belong to you!

Please, please don't use a magazine/Pinterest photo of a recipe/craft/room  if it isn't yours. Take your own shots, or come up with a "Pinnable" graphic or something, if that's important to you.

I'll be completely honest. When I see a beautiful thumbnail of a decorated living room at a link party and click over to see how the blogger accomplished the design work, I am always 100% disappointed when I see that he/she simply linked up a collection of "inspiration images" or a round-up of painted bookcases, etc. Readers want to see what you can do! Don't link up other people's work to a link party to bring traffic for yourself. Find one of your own posts or projects, take good photos, write an engaging post, do a little editing, and you have something to link up!

source

{Aside: I LOVE round-up posts, and I love reading them. They are a wonderful way to showcase other bloggers and designers, and to make an awesome "Pinnable" list for later. BUT I don't like when I click a link thinking I might get a sneak peek at someone's family room makeover, only to find that the post is a bunch of photos from other designers and bloggers and not from you. It comes across as a bit of misrepresentation to readers...we thought that beautiful family room belonged to you, not to Suzy Blogger.}

The same goes for Giveaways, other link parties, or advertising your shop or site that sells stuff. Most bloggers who host regular link parties also offer advertising. If you are looking to sell a product, pay for advertising. If you want to promote your Giveaway or your own link party, take advantage of social media. In a pinch, ask some blogging buddies for ReTweets, Pins, or Shares. If you don't have any blogging buddies, then (frankly) maybe you aren't ready for a Giveaway or a link party.

• You don't have to be a super-mega blogger to link up a good post at a blog party

Just because I don't regularly post jaw-dropping DIY projects and my photography skills aren't as accomplished as some of my very favorite bloggers doesn't mean that I shouldn't link up my post to a blog party.

If I had a cool idea for a craft and my tutorial is well-written and easy to follow, then there's no reason why I shouldn't link it up! The same goes for a recipe that I know is absolutely delicious. There is a definite learning curve to blogging. We should always strive to be better, but if staging and photography are something you need to work on, then work on them. And link up in the meantime.

• Look at the theme for the party before you add your post.

Is it for tips and tutorials? Then be sure your tip or tutorial is presented in the best way possible. Is it a craft link party? Then don't link up your post about a coffee giftcard giveaway. Use your best judgement, and you'll be fine!

Always remember that readers and visitors judge by your content! Do you truly want their first impression of your site to be of the random post about the tissue paper you found in the Target parking lot? Again, think about which of your posts a new reader might find most interesting, and link that one up!

Next week brings a "hot topic," but it's one that needs to be discussed and I get emails asking about it all the time. "What is a link back and how do you add one to a post?" Join me next week and we'll discuss!


If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, I'd love for you to click the "Pin It" button to add this post to Pinterest, or +1 me for Google+. 

My Weekend Bloggy Reading link party is on for tomorrow.

Here's the button code for the party if you want to get a head start! Recipes, crafts, home decor, book reviews, funny stories, you name it. Come prepared to showcase your blog and find some great weekend reads.

<a href=" http://www.serenitynowblog.com/ " target="_blank"><img src="http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/ae332/Amanda_SerenityNow/Blog%20Party%20Buttons/WeekendBloggyReading.png" border="0" alt="Weekend Bloggy Reading"></a>

Cleaning Vintage Patio Furniture?

I'd love to have your input today on my new-old patio furniture! I got to choose some beautiful vintage patio furniture pieces from my grandmother's house last month. I've always admired them, and feel so happy when I see them on my own deck. The cushions are all still in our shed, as are the chairs for our dining table, because of the delightful pollen we've been experiencing here in Virginia.

Forgive the extreme, "bare bones" photos here, but this is clearly in the beginning stages of planning.

The white pieces are from my grandmother's home...the rest were purchases from Target or Lowe's.

My grandmother kept her furniture on a covered deck or covered patio for years and years, which is why the pieces are in such excellent condition. I want to keep them in good repair, which is why I thought I'd come to you guys for some advice. 

How would you clean these guys before repainting them?

The paint is not in bad condition, but they could all use another coat of white. No rust anywhere...just dirty where the lawn guy didn't air them out/clean them off. 

What do you think? Soap and water, Clorox, 409??

I'm also a little unsure of how to go about painting them. I've considered looking into having an auto body shop coat them for me, but I have a leetle feeling that might be out of my price range. I guess my friend Google is going to come in handy, unless any of you have direct experience in painting/spray painting metal patio furniture? 

Please chime in if you have any suggestions!

Quick Tip Tuesday: How I use my Giftcard for Freebies

I'm taking a break from crafts and DIY today to share a tip that's too good for you to miss. Want to know how you can use a Starbucks gift card to earn free stuff? I shared a pic of my Starbucks free birthday drink coupon on my Facebook fan page, and a readers wanted to know how in the world I got the coffee giant to send me something for f-r-e-e. This is absolutely not a sponsored post...I just thought I'd share my (not-so-secret) secret with you guys! Who else loves a good tip?

My friend Christy is the queen of coupons and free stuff and general bargain shopping. We are also frequent fliers at our local Starbucks, and she told me I absolutely had to start using a reloadable gift card to pay for my purchases. 

Um, why? I wanted to know.

It turns out that when you register a Starbucks gift card online (any old Starbucks gift card should do), the 'Bucks will track your purchases and send you coupons or vouchers for free drinks! You also get a coupon for a free drink when your birthday rolls around, which is what I treated myself to yesterday. 

Once you have spent all your money reached a certain "status" level, you get a special gold card with your name on it. Mine is one of most prized possessions. Okay, not really, but it is handy. And so very shiny and golden. I can get flavors added to my mocha for free (peppermint, anyone?) and I earn free drinks after I've purchased a certain number.

I can also reload my card through PayPal, which helps me keep track of how much I am spending. 

The best part about it is that there's no extra cost to use your card. It's money I'd be spending anyways if I was buying a mocha on to go. 

I really don't like the taste of coffee, and maybe you don't either. I prefer cafe mochas, but they also have tasty frappucinos and hot chocolate, chai lattes, etc. Michaela Byrd is a very big fan of the iced lemon pound cake. All of those purchases count towards your "points" for free stuff.

So, nothing earth-shattering or excessively creative here today. I just thought I'd share a handy tip...if I'm gonna spend money at Starbucks or Panera Bread (another fave!), I like to get free stuff!

What's your favorite place to get a treat?

Stenciled Lazy Susan (for Crafts or the Kitchen!)

I am so excited to show you a little makeover I completed using Martha Stewart Crafts products from Plaid. I took a plain Lazy Susan from IKEA and gave it a little pizzazz. With an updated look, it will make a perfect Mother's Day gift. I tested it out in my kitchen and the craft area, and I love that it can do double-duty!

You might remember my little sneak peek and video post from last week. Did anyone guess that I chose to repurpose a Lazy Susan for my Mother's Day craft project? I sure had fun with all of the lovely supplies!

If you've never heard of a Lazy Susan, it's basically a raised, round platter that spins. You put condiments, casseroles, dishes, etc. on top and can place it in the center of your kitchen table. Family members can spin the Lazy Susan to reach the items they need. IKEA carries plain wood ones for less than $8.00, but mine was a hand-me-down from a family friend:

Here's what you need to make your own stenciled Lazy Susan:

 

• Lazy Susan
• Martha Stewart Craft Paint in Satin
• Stencil
• Stencil Tape or Adhesive
• Roller and Tray
• Stencil and Brush Cleaner (optional)
• Sandpaper and/or Orbital Sander (optional)
• White Spray Paint

I started my project by sanding the top and sides of the piece down and giving it several coats of plain white paint. Already an improvement!

I wanted to take extra precautions, so I let the spray paint "cure" for a day or two before I started the stencil job.

The stenciling was easy because of the excellent quality of Martha Stewart's products. I've used cheap sponges and brushes before, and there truly is a difference! Because my stencil had an intricate pattern that would need to be lined up, I made sure to practice with a pencil and a manila envelope before stenciling on the Lazy Susan.

Here's how you can make one too:

1. Tape your stencil firmly onto the piece you want to paint. Be sure to use adhesive tape to cover parts of the stencil you don't want painted.
2. Follow the instructions on the box to prepare your roller and then add paint to the tray.
3. Roll paint onto the stencil quickly and smoothly. Be careful not to press too hard, or paint will seep under the stencil.
4. Peel stencil away while paint is still wet and admire your clean lines! Wait 30 minutes to 1 hour before re-positioning the stencil over top of the painted area.

5. When the first painted section is dry, line your stencil up for the next area to be painted. Again, be sure to tape down areas you don't want painted!
6. Make note of any areas that need to be touched up.
7. Add some extra paint to a paper plate and use one of the Martha Stewart basic brushes to fill in any spotty areas.
8. Allow your work to "cure" for a day or two. You may want to consider adding a layer of polyurethane or a clear coat to seal everything in, especially if the piece will get a lot of use or wear.

Clean up was a breeze with the Brush and Stencil Cleaner. A very small drop was all I needed to lather the brush and tray up and restore them to like-new condition!

Now you can admire your work! I love how simple this was to do, and it would be so cute in a craft room or in your kitchen.

It's always fun to take an ordinary household object and transform it into something that better reflects your personality.

If you'd like to find out more about Plaid's Martha Stewart Crafts line, you can connect through Twitter, Facebook, and even Pinterest. Thanks to Plaid and Martha Stewart Crafts for your generosity, and for producing quality craft supplies!

If you enjoyed this post, I hope you'll click the "Pin It" button to add this project to Pinterest, or even a +1 for Google+. 

Linking to Home Stories A to Z, Positively Splendid

Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a paid campaign with Plaid and BlueprintSocial. The opinions in this post are my own.

More Highlighted Links--Share Your Best Post!

Good afternoon, friends! If you're here to link up to Weekend Bloggy Reading, it's open for new links until 10 pm (ET) tonight. Please share your best post of the week with us...crafts, recipes, home decor, book reviews--all kinds of posts are welcome.

I like to Feature bloggers who not only have great projects, but who also take the time to  link back to me within their post(s). I add many of these Features to my Pinterest page as well as Facebook, so there's some extra incentive to add a link back to this party.

Here are a few links from Weekend Bloggy Reading that caught my eye!

*Pinterest users, please Pin from the original sources listed below so that each blogger gets credit for his/her own work!*

~Living Room Tour via A Lived in Home

~Bedroom Updates via Modern Jane

~Easy Camera Strap Cover via Adventures of Our Fami-ly

Highlighted Weekend Links-- Share Your Best Post!

Happy Saturday! It's my birthday today, so I'm trying to juggle some fun along with some work. Are you enjoying your weekend? Please pop in to link up YOUR best post of the week at my Weekend Bloggy Reading link party.

All kinds of posts are welcome here: We have recipes, home remedies, room makeovers, crafts, tips and tricks, fashion advice, book reviews, and more! The code for the button is near the end of this post, or you can add a text link back to me within your post.

Keep reading to see just a few of the posts that caught my eye so far.

***PLEASE, If you are a Pinterest user, Pin from the original source so that each blogger gets credit for his/her work.***

~Gallery Wall via Just Laine

~Stained and Painted Staircase via it all started with paint

~Italian Hot Chocolate via Jellybean Journals

::Weekend Bloggy Reading:: Link Up!

Welcome to my Weekend Bloggy Reading link party. I hope you'll link up your best post of the week today, and maybe leave me some comment love. Please be sure to read my guidelines before you add a link.

All kinds of posts are welcome--recipes, crafts, funny stories, home decor, etc.; but please do not link to Etsy shops, businesses, items for sale, etc. (I have a Sponsors section, if you'd like to Advertise with me.)

Here are a few of my faves from this week:

sources listed below

~Pottery Barn-Inspired Peony Lampshade via Sweet C's Designs

~Shirt to Skirt Refashion via Whipperberry

~Fighting the "Wants" via Reluctant Entertainer

~Painted Stained Table via Infarrantly Creative

~And Me? This week featured:

• Veggie Pets (Kitty Cat Potatoes)
• Free and Fast Lamp Makeover
• Favorite Kitchen Gadgets
• How to Find a Good Blog Party (part of my How to Blog Party series)
• Project Sneak Peek and Martha Stewart Crafts "Haul" Video
  
• Do You Have a Messy Space?

Time to link up your best post of the week!

Do You Have a Messy Space? (Use it to win $3000 with ForRent.com!)

Most of my Spring Break was spent decluttering, organizing, and cleaning various areas in our home. One of the problem areas was our one and only coat closet. If you live in a small, older home like we do, then you know that storage space is hard to come by. We were wasting ours with all kinds of extraneous STUFF that we didn't need.

Here's a quick Before and After shot ("Before" was actually taken mid-clean up, hence all the stuff on the floor):

I donated or threw away old art supplies, computer software, Christmas greeting cards, mittens missing a mate...you name it, I found it in that closet.

It feels so good to open that door and not feel overwhelmed by excess junk. An old printer cart houses some office supplies, up-to-date software, the phone charger, my laptop bag, and a basket of scarves, hats, gloves, etc. The wire shelves on the other side hold file folders, the internet wireless thingie, the camcorder, and a shelf for a few of T's things. 

Do you have a messy space that needs some help? Do you want to spring clean but need a little inspiration? 

How does $3,000 sound to you? 

ForRent.com is on the hunt to find the Nation's messiest apartment!

The contest will run from April 2nd to April 23rd. Contestants just have to like the ForRent.com Facebook page at facebook.com/aptsforrent and upload their messiest apartment photo under the contest tab! Their panel of judges will then choose five finalists who have the messiest apartment. Then, they turn the voting over to their Facebook friends! The public will decide from the five finalists who wins the grand prize of $3,000. Not a grand prize winner? Not to worry! Four finalists will each win $500! The winners will be announced on or around April 30th. Sound exciting?

Use the money to clean, buy new apartment goodies, or do whatever you need to give your apartment a facelift!


Head on over now to see if your messy space can pay off in a big way!

What would you do with the $3000?

Disclaimer: ForRent.com has paid me to review their contest and offer my opinion. I only recommend companies or services I believe my readers will enjoy.

Project Sneak Peek and Martha Stewart "Haul" Video

If the weather will cooperate with a good spray painting afternoon (hi, no garage at my house), I will have a really cute Mother's Day project to share with you all on Monday morning. The wonderfully generous people from Plaid sent me a box of craft goodies from their Martha Stewart line. I wanted to share a "haul" video and to get some suggestions of more things you guys think would be fun to make. (You'll notice that Miss Emma the Pomeranian never misses a chance to be on-camera!)

Here's a shot of the beautiful products Ms. Martha sent. I've always loved her sophisticated color theme and the way everything coordinates so seamlessly. It was like Christmas when the box showed up on my front steps!

Here's the quick video I shot on my old point and shoot camera. (You may need to turn the volume up a bit, or click over to the blog if you are reading from an email subscription or reader) If you've ever been down the "Martha" aisle in the craft store, you know that she has an amazing gadget or tool for just about everything:



Totally amateur video, I know...sorry! It wasn't rehearsed or planned. I kind of decided at the last minute that a video would be fun to do. Isn't Emma the best on-camera helper ever? (typed with mock sincerity) I think she was disappointed that Martha didn't send any dog goodies! I, however, am thrilled with the haul, and would love suggestions for new crafts to try!

I promised a sneak peek of my project. Can you guess what I'm making? (wink)

Check back in on Monday for a cute Mother's Day project!

Do you have a favorite Martha Stewart craft product or one you'd like to try?

How to Find a Good Blog Party

Hi, bloggers. Today brings post #4 in my How to Blog Party series, which is written for new and experienced bloggers...lots of tips and tricks for joining and hosting a blog/link party. You can click here to start at the beginning of the series and see a round-up of all the posts so far. Last week, we talked about when you are ready to join a blog party.

This week's topic is: How to find a good blog party

A few of the questions I get from new bloggers are:

1) Do I have to be invited to a blog party?
and
2) How do I find a good blog party? 

The answer to the first question is easy. No, you do not have to be invited to join a blog party. Since most bloggers host link parties for the sake of growing their sites, they welcome any and all guests...provided that the content shared is relevant/clean and the participants graciously read and follow the guidelines for the party.

If you're cruising the blogosphere and find a link party that looks interesting and you have a post that will fit the theme of the party, go ahead and link it up!

The second question may have a slightly more complicated answer. Maybe it's a no-brainer for you, as it seems as if you'll find a blog party on every blog out there these days. There is, however, a difference between a blog party and a good blog party.

A good blog party is beneficial to both the person hosting it and the guests. Quite honestly, much of a blog party's success comes from the guests. Do they follow the guidelines for the party? Do they actually participate and make an effort to engage other party-goers, or do they link up a post and run to the next site?

Ideally, the hostess gets a decent amount of traffic and some new Followers/Subscribers from the guests and other visitors...and the guests who participate receive the same.

Don't let the size of a blog party discourage you from linking up. The quality of a link party doesn't always have to do with the size of the blog hosting the link-up or even the amount of links you see on the site, although some large parties are obviously popular for a reason. There are many smaller blog parties that are worth your time...and you may end up with more traffic from those small parties.

Here are a few ways to find a blog party:

• Read other blogs, comment, and click around through people's blog rolls (lists of a person's favorite blogs--usually on a sidebar or separate link/page). Many bloggers who host regular link parties make a note of it somewhere on their homepage.

• There are also entire sites and blogs dedicated to showcasing and organizing lists of the blog parties around the blogosphere. One example is Linky Here. Those are nice to browse, but many times the parties listed are those which have been uploaded by the hosts. So it's not always an accurate picture of what's out there.

• Look at the links that bloggers list at the end of posts they have added to blog parties. Usually, you'll see something like "Linking to ____" (insert name of blog or blog party here).

You can remember which ones you want to join by keeping a list in your post dashboard, a Pinterest board dedicated to blog topics, or an internet bookmark file.

Deciding which parties you enjoy and are worth your time will take a bit of trial and error. Try a few different parties several times each, and discover which ones are the best for you and your blog. Link up selectively (!) and wait to see which parties you A) enjoy the most and B) bring you a good return for your time.

Other tips? 

Look for blogs that publish features from party-goers, whether it's through a feature on the host blog or the host's FB, Pinterest, or Twitter pages.

Look for parties that have a few guidelines in place for participants. These are the parties that you can typically expect a good experience from. The hostess asks that guests meet certain guidelines (ie. linking back or visiting other guests), and will usually go take the time to visit links, give a few shout-outs or features, etc. My own experience has been that free-for-all parties with no rules or guidelines tend to give very little return.

You've read up, you know how blog parties work, you know how to find one, and you want to link something up. How do you choose a post to link up? Join me next week for the answer!

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, I'd love for you to click the "Pin It" button to add this post to Pinterest, or +1 me for Google+.